meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design  Business Podcast

418: Power Talk Friday: Sarah Durnez- Hiring an Interior Design VA Professional

A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast

LuAnn Nigara

Business, Design, Arts

4.8786 Ratings

🗓️ 5 April 2019

⏱️ 66 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Welcome to Power Talk Friday! Today's show is about working with a professional Virtual Assistant, who works specifically in the field of interior design. Sarah Durnez is the founder of Loft Design in Walla Walla Washington, and she joins us today. For Sarah, it really doesn't matter where she is, or where you are for that matter because she works remotely to help designers, like you, with their design businesses. She's worked with designers all over the US and she's only ever met one of them once, in the flesh. Sarah's specialty is providing designers with drawings and renderings. Most of her clients have been with her since she started her business, which really says a lot about Sarah and her work, right? Listen in today, to find out more about Sarah and the high-quality Virtual Design Assistant services that she gives her clients. Sarah graduated from MIU with a BFA in Interior Design. At school, she gravitated to honing her rendering skills and creating the best presentations. Competing to showcase design boards during Miami's Art Basil each year, really drove home the importance that the way that a project is presented is just as important as the design of the project. Sarah has been working remotely with designers for over six years, providing them with detailed construction documents, renderings, and presentation materials to sell their designs. With Sarah handling the technical side of a project, her designers have more time to focus on other aspects of design, grow their business, and be out of the office to spend more time with their families. Tune in for more! Show highlights: We all strive to be organized in the way we run our business. Sarah started out by just winging it. Sarah explains how she keeps her clients on their toes with their projects. The kind of service and support that Sarah provides for her clients. The quality of Sarah's SketchUp renderings is really remarkable. Sarah discusses the information she requires from designers in order to provide them with high-quality renderings. The kind of responsibility that Sarah takes on. Why some people call Sarah 'The killer of dreams'. How designers really benefit from Sarah's expertise. Sarah will always provide a solution for every issue that she points out. The way that small design firms really benefit from hiring Sarah. Listen to your tradespeople. They really know what they are talking about. Use your own talents for what you're really good at and hiring out for the rest. The excitement that comes with the renderings. When and why designers lean towards watercolor drawings. Taking the time to work through the specific process of your trade. About Sarah's training for designers on SketchUp and Podium. The design industry is a very personal one and hiring a Virtual Assistant is really like having someone on your side. Links: Press Kit Password: tacos Loft Design Website: Loft Design Instagram: SarahatLoftDesign Facebook: SarahatLoftDesign Pinterest: SarahatLoftDesign Mydoma Studio Previous shows mentioned in this episode: Darla Powell #330 Elizabeth Scruggs #305 Revelwoods #329 Mydoma Studio #91 and #171 Madeleine MacRae #283 and #315 Episodes that go with this one: On VA’s #375 Bonnie Fahy #149 My Design Assistant #346 Do Not Let Us Design For You

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.

1:35.2

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

1:39.1

Together with my husband, Vince, and our partner, Bill, we have grown our company Window Works from the ground up.

1:44.8

So I know and I understand the challenges you face in running your interior design business.

1:51.2

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

1:56.2

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

2:02.6

But make no mistake about it, we have our share of fun here too, mixed in with those aha

2:07.6

moments that I love so much.

2:09.7

This isn't fluff.

2:10.8

Nobody has time for that.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

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.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.