404: Sue Firestone: The Malibu Collection with Kravet Inc

A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast

LuAnn Nigara

Business, Design, Arts

4.8 • 786 Ratings

🗓️ 19 February 2019

⏱️ 62 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Welcome to another episode of A Well-Designed Business! We are really excited to have Sue Firestone join us on the show today. Sue has a body of work that is truly impressive and the really happy news for all of us is that she has just launched her brand new fabric line for Kravet. One of the things that really stood out for LuAnn in Sue's bio is that she rose from her position as a designer for the firm Design 1, to become president of the very same firm in a relatively short period of time. There's a lot of really useful information in the way that she achieved that, that can help us, as business owners. Listen in now to find out about Sue and the organic way that she rose to success in the design industry. Sue Firestone has spent more than 35 years cultivating her personal passion for design. With a client list that features the world’s premier five and six-star hotels as well as an A-list residential clientele, Sue has become a tastemaker for those seeking the ultimate luxury lifestyle. In 1996, after nearly two decades leading Design 1, Sue turned her focus toward creating a boutique design firm, large enough to execute projects of a grand scale, yet personal enough to provide devoted and intimate attention to each client. The result was SFA Design. Today, Sue is also a designer for Kravet and A.Rudin, creating 70’s-inspired, bohemian fabrics and natural furniture that embody true Californian style. Sue is the recipient of more than two dozen awards, including the prestigious Platinum Circle Award as well as a position on Robb’s Report’s “Top 40 Best Designers in the World.” Tune in to now find out more. Show highlights: How Sue inadvertently started out in the design industry. Sue talks about the things that she consciously did, as a hard-working designer, to become noticed in the industry. Because of the way that Sue was encouraged when she first started out in the design industry, she's always looking out for new talent to nurture in her company. Finding and honoring the proper place for each designer to really realize their full potential in a firm. Being attuned, listening, and reflecting has always been in Sue's blood. The importance of really listening carefully. Sue explains how visuals are a big part of her listening process and really helpful with getting to know her clients. Sue talks about her firm, Smith, Firestone and Associates Design, which started out in 1996. How Sue first started out with SFA Design. Sue's secret sauce for breaking into the luxury, high-end, exclusive residential market. About Sue's really effective organic method of marketing. Sue talks about The Malibu Collection, her recently launched new fabric line for Kravet, and how it came to be. Sue talks about her joyful experience of working with the Kravet team. Why you should always go beyond what is expected of you. Previous shows mentioned in this episode: Joni Vanderslice #101 Eileen Hahn #363 Janelle Photopolous #364 Mabley Handler #173 Links: Sue's websites: Sue Firestone & SFA Design Sue Firestone SF Cal Collection SFA Design Luann Nigara Live Kravet

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Hey, I want to give a shout out to my friend Susan Winterstein. You may know Susan from her two
0:05.5	podcast appearances here, episodes 164 and 717. In these episodes, Susan told us about her charity
0:13.7	that she founded Savvy Giving by Design. Now she has introduced the Savvy Giving Design Coalition.
0:21.1	The mission of both of these is to bring comfort and hope to families by transforming
0:26.6	kids' rooms into healing sanctuaries.
0:30.0	Previously, in order to help Savvy Giving by Design, you could open a chapter in your
0:34.9	own area and then design spaces for children in your area that are in need.
0:40.0	Now with the Savvy Giving Design Coalition, you can contribute and impact the lives of these children
0:45.5	without taking on the beginning of an entirely new chapter.
0:49.9	Savvy Giving Design Coalition operates through the collective efforts of you, the designer, as well as sponsors and volunteers.
0:58.6	This organization is making a real difference in these children's lives, and you can help now in whichever way feels right for you.
1:06.3	I encourage you to listen to Susan's two episodes to learn more and then visit their website at
1:12.2	Savvygivingbydesign.org forward slash design coalition. We'll also put that in the show notes. Welcome to a well-designed business.
1:35.8	My name is Luann Nigara, and I'm so glad you found this podcast.
1:39.6	Together with my husband Vince and our partner Bill, we have grown our company Window Works from the ground up.
1:45.3	So I know and I understand the challenges you face in running your interior design business.
1:51.7	I also know that your talent alone isn't enough to ensure your success.
1:56.7	So on this podcast, we talk about strategies and practical steps to help you grow your business.
2:03.1	But make no mistake about it, we have our share of fun here, too, mix in with those aha moments that I love so much.
2:10.3	This isn't fluff.
2:11.3	Nobody has time for that.
2:12.9	Whether you are a new interior designer or a season designer, I am here to help you create and to manage the
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from LuAnn Nigara, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of LuAnn Nigara and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.