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A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design  Business Podcast

572: Cynthia Collins: From Interns to Employees: How Mentorship Adds Value to Your Firm

A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast

LuAnn Nigara

Arts, Design, Business

4.9810 Ratings

🗓️ 4 August 2020

⏱️ 66 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Welcome to A Well-Designed Business! Cynthia Collins joins LuAnn in today’s episode for a discussion on mentorship. Cynthia is going to walk us through how she finds the best young talent available and how she helps them grow and learn, often producing long-lasting employees that fit in at her firm for many years to come. Cynthia is a true servant at heart, with a mission to help and guide others whenever and wherever possible, leaving a positive impact on the world. Listen in for ideas to make your company culture rewarding and uplifting, and how you can recruit young people that will grow with you into the future! In 1992, Cynthia Collins began Collins Interiors, a Dallas-based firm specializing in full-scale residential interior design. Throughout the years, Cynthia has been privileged to work with some of the most talented architects in the field and has been a part of projects across the United States, including Texas, North Carolina, Utah, Colorado, Florida, Georgia & California. Each detail is meticulously planned with the client in mind and chosen for its functionality, meaning, and beauty.   She lives in Dallas with her husband, Bruce Collins, and has three grown boys. She is a believer. Her neighbors are her family. She is a teacher and a mentor, an avid reader, a fantastic fisher woman, a brilliant story teller, a music enthusiast (in a BIG way!), a movie fanatic, a speedy biker, a creative chef and generous beyond measure. She has a true servant's heart in EVERYTHING she does and wants the very best experience for her team, clients, family, and friends. Show Highlights: Cynthia explains the structure of her firm and the various positions therein. The newer employees are taught by the senior designers how to budget, how to problem-solve, and all of the other intricacies of being a lead designer. Cynthia discusses what she looks for in interns and employees. Culture is key: People should be able to enjoy walking into the office everyday without worrying about the drama prevalent in many of today’s places of work. Interior Designers are visual people, and first impressions and ongoing image are an important part of a designer’s reputation. Interns and job seekers should “do their homework” on a company before applying for a position. Cynthia relates some lessons that she learned from another interior design firm before she went into business for herself. LuAnn and Cynthia discuss how Cynthia runs her projects’ systems and processes. Diversification and planning for the future are critical in every business. Connect with Cynthia! Collins Interiors @collins__interiors (two underscores) Blue Print Store @blue_print_store Links : Courses and Products to Dive Deep into Specific Elements of Your Business LuAnn’s Favorite Resources Is Chairman of the Board Right for YOUR Business? LuAnn Nigara COB Get the Goodies! - For checklists, resources, and extra goodies! LuAnn Live - Coming February 2021 Join the E-Mail List to Get Updates! Increase Your Confidence, Increase Your Profits Registration Opening in August, Course Starts in September Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here: The Making of A Well - Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action    A Well-Designed Business - The Power Talk Friday Experts LuAnn’s Website LuAnn’s Podcast - Please SUBSCRIBE, Rate & Review! LuAnn’s Blog Power Talk Friday A Big THANK YOU to These Podcast Sponsors: Jaipur Living’s Website - Easy to Browse, Custom Calculator, Products Ready to Ship! Open Your Trade Account to Begin Your Relationship with This Admirable Company. When your client wants the finest in luxury appliances for their kitchen: Choose Monogram! Are You Set Up with Monogram's Design Partner Trade Program?  Other shows mentioned to link to and to tag in SM Chad James #68  Eileen Hahn #363

Transcript

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0:00.0

Are you looking to build an exceptional team? Our hiring toolkit bundle at Luannigara.com

0:06.6

forward slash store is your comprehensive source for success. Craft compelling job descriptions,

0:13.8

know the right interview questions to ask, and implement a thorough evaluation process so you

0:19.0

get the right person. These were developed in collaboration

0:22.0

with my cousin Eileen Hahn and based on her 40 years of experience in building exceptional

0:27.2

teams, plus my insights from 1,000 plus interviews, our toolkits are tested and proven. Whether you're

0:35.0

scaling from 1 to 3 or from three to ten or from ten to

0:38.5

twenty, the hiring toolkit bundle provides the guidance that you can use to plan your

0:44.5

hiring strategy effectively. Go to Luannigara.com forward slash store and invest in your success

0:51.7

by investing in the success of your team.

1:07.2

Welcome to a well-designed business. My name is Luann Nigara, and I'm so glad you found this podcast.

1:13.3

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

1:19.0

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

1:25.4

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

1:29.5

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

1:36.1

business. But make no mistake about it, we have our share of fun here too, mix in with those

1:41.4

aha moments that I love so much. This isn't fluff.

1:45.0

Nobody has time for that.

1:46.7

Whether you are a new interior designer or a season designer,

1:50.3

I am here to help you create and to manage the kind of interior design firm that you dream of.

1:56.2

It's straight talk and it's action.

1:58.3

Are you ready?

...

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