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A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design  Business Podcast

1185: Kia Weatherspoon: The Cost of Performing Leadership

A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast

LuAnn Nigara

Design, Business, Arts

4.9810 Ratings

🗓️ 21 April 2026

⏱️ 71 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Today With Kia Weatherspoon: Today with Kia Weatherspoon, we explore what it truly means to lead, not performatively, but fully and honestly. As the founder of Determined by Design, Kia has built a mission-driven firm rooted in the belief that interior design is not a luxury for a few, but a standard that should serve all people. In this conversation, she shares how that belief has shaped her work in affordable housing, her approach to advocacy and the way she articulates value in spaces often overlooked by the industry. But this episode goes deeper than business and design. Kia opens up about the cost of performing leadership, the importance of honoring your own humanity and how the way you see yourself directly impacts how you serve others. This is a powerful conversation about leadership, purpose and the responsibility we carry as designers to create spaces, and businesses, that truly support the people they are meant to serve. LuAnn Nigara and Kia Weatherspoon's Ah-Ha Moments “The humanity you give to yourself is reciprocated in how you serve others.” - Kia “I am my own hero.” - Kia “Interior design is not a luxury for a few—it is a standard for all.” - Kia More About Kia Weatherspoon: The most decorated black interior designer of a generation.  Kia Weatherspoon, ASID, CID, IIDA, NCIDQ, D.F.A (h.c) is unafraid to take risks. Her superpower is that she jumps – defying every design stereotype as she’s moved through the industry. The most damaging - interior design is a luxury reserved for a few.  Being the child of an addict was not something that happened to her - but for her. For a long time, she strived for this yearning to be seen and in that she realized showing up as her most authentic self was her greatest strength. Understanding showing up as who you are is what makes great leaders – she doesn’t see titles and sees others as who they are. In that she goes above and beyond not to just see them – but searches for ways to elevate, celebrate, uplift and make sure their voices are heard.  Often asked what the key to her success at Determined by Design® is,  simply put the success is that she has always checked her ego and searched for humanity. She is unafraid to challenge anyone who doesn’t see the humanity and softness every person deserves. Her vehicle to doing that happens to be through interior design - founding Determined by Design®. Her voice, presence and leadership have created ripples, prompting housing developers, agencies, and industry partners in economically challenged communities to not just take notice of her work—but to do better. Her innovative approach to design for everyone is why Determined by Design® is the only interior design firm in the nation that provides Design Equity® services.  She is an advocate, educator, speaker, business owner, leader and most of  all – she is just Kia. That is enough and why she’s been recognized as the ICFF Design of the Year, has an Honorary Doctorate from New York School of Interior Design, the ASID National Design for Humanity recipient, the HIP  Designer for Good by Interior Design Magazine, the CREW Washington, DC Raise Your Voice Awardee, a part of the Washington Business Journal’s 40  under 40 Class and the International Interior Design Association Luna  Textile/Anna Hernandez Visionary Award recipient. She is many things but  all of them are the things that make her determined by design. Connect with Kia Weatherspoon: Website Determined by Design Instagram  Determined by Design Instagram LinkedIn What’s new with LuAnn Nigara: ⁠Watch the Docuseries!⁠ ⁠https://www.luannnigara.com/cob⁠ Get The Goodies! For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free ⁠here⁠. To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999! Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here: Book 1: ⁠⁠⁠The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action⁠⁠⁠ Audiobook: ⁠⁠⁠The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action⁠⁠⁠ Book 2: ⁠⁠⁠A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts⁠⁠⁠ Book 3: ⁠⁠⁠A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2⁠ Connect with LuAnn Nigara: LuAnn’s ⁠Website⁠ LuAnn’s ⁠Blog⁠ ⁠Power Talk Friday⁠ Like Us: ⁠Facebook⁠ | Tweet Us: ⁠Twitter⁠ | Follow Us: ⁠Instagram⁠ | Listen Here: ⁠Podcast⁠

Transcript

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0:00.0

I'd like to talk to you today about design assist. If you've ever had the thought, I have too much

0:04.5

work and not enough help. Hello, who hasn't? This is for you. Design assist provides virtual

0:11.4

assistance support for you interior designer, but these are not your garden variety virtual

0:17.2

assistants. No, these are trained junior designers with four-year degrees and a minimum

0:22.8

of four years of real live industry experience. They handle CAD, rendering, sourcing, presentations,

0:30.5

procurement, the real work that moves your projects forward. In fact, I have chairman of the board

0:36.2

clients, one with one year in business, one

0:39.8

with two year in business, using Design Assist as their very first hire. I also have another

0:45.7

chairman of the board who was 10 years in her own firm, 20 years experience with a team of seven

0:52.0

who added a design assist designer and immediately increased her team's

0:56.5

productivity. So if you want the full story and exactly how these amazing little magical

1:02.8

fairies VA's work, then I highly encourage you to listen to episode 1127 where the CEO of

1:10.7

Design Assist, Reed Humphrey, explained all of the value

1:14.8

and the benefit of Design Assist. Listen, systems create freedom. The right support changes everything.

1:21.7

Learn more. Go to designassist.com forward slash podcast. That's D-E-Z-I-N-assist.com forward slash podcast. The links will all be in the show

1:34.6

notes.

1:49.1

Welcome to a well-designed business.

1:52.8

My name is Luann Nigara, and I'm so glad you found this podcast.

1:59.0

Together with my husband Vince and our partner Bill, we have grown our company Windowworks from the ground up. So I know and I understand the challenges you face in running your interior design business.

2:05.4

I also know that your talent alone isn't enough to ensure your success.

2:10.3

So on this podcast, we talk about strategies and practical steps to help you grow your business.

2:16.8

But make no mistake about it, we have our share of fun here too,

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