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A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design  Business Podcast

832: Christie Fleming: From Occupational Therapy to Interior Design

A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast

LuAnn Nigara

Design, Business, Arts

4.9810 Ratings

🗓️ 6 December 2022

⏱️ 54 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Today With Christie Fleming: Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Today, I’m joined by Christie Fleming, principal of Lennon Nora Interior Design.  If you would have told me that there were any similarities between Occupational Therapy and interior design, I would have thought you were telling a joke. But for Christie, her experience as an OT led to her perfect niche, the one that let her leave her old career and strike out as the go-to designer for Aging in Place design. Pick It Apart [1:56] Christie shares how she went from occupational therapist to interior design.  [6:52] LuAnn and Christie discuss the value in working for another firm at the beginning of your career.  [14:03] Christie talks about how she stumbled onto her goldmine niche. [17:45] Christie discusses Aging in Place Design and what it entails.  [35:58] Christie shares how she markets such a specific niche. LuAnn Nigara and Christie Fleming's Ah-Ha Moments “I’m a huge proponent of working for another firm. Some of the most successful designers I have interviewed stayed with other firms for 5 or 6 years. There’s a difference there when you work for another firm, even for just one year. You’re seeing more than you would have on your own.” -LuAnn “I didn’t know how much OT and interior design truly overlap until I really got into the business aspect of it. I just knew that my area was so saturated and I wanted to figure out how to make myself stand out from other designers.” -Christie “I get this question all the time. People will say, ‘I don’t know how to figure otu what my Fred Berns only or my transferable skill or my pot of gold.’ One of the big things is just to get quiet with yourself and to just really keep insisting on going through a mental inventory of all the things that make you you.” -LuAnn More About Christie Fleming: Christie Fleming is the Owner and Principal Designer of Lennon Nora Interior Design based out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Lennon Nora Interior Design is a full-service residential interior design firm with a focus on primary residences and vacation homes serving Philadelphia, PA, the Jersey Shore and all surrounding areas. Christie is a valued Allied Member of American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), Designer Society of America and is a Certified Aging in Place Specialist through the National Association of Home Builders. She has a unique healthcare background where she practiced as an Occupational Therapist for many years and has now created a successful interior design business where her clinical expertise has created a new avenue for potential design projects. Connect with Christie Fleming Website  Instagram  Facebook  How to get your CAPS designation What’s new with LuAnn Nigara luannuniversity.com http://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 Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Pre-Order 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 Other Shows Mentioned: #759: Power Talk Friday: Rachael Bozsik: Discover Your Goldmine and Unleash Your Marketing #174: Power Talk Friday- Fred Berns- Own Your “Only” Word & Tips to Discover Yours #06: Identifying Your Transferrable Skills with Erika Ward

Transcript

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0:00.0

Hey, just letting you know that Luann University registration is opening November 24th,

0:07.3

2024, and classes are starting the week of January 20th, 2025.

0:13.2

Head over to luanuniversity.com to learn more about classes on sales, on marketing,

0:22.8

on process, and on profits.

0:29.0

And at the website, you will learn about the fantastic bonuses that we have for you throughout the registration period.

0:30.9

Luann University.com.

0:35.2

This episode is sponsored by Revelwoods.

0:37.9

Revelwoods is your source for premium hardwood and resilient flooring.

0:41.6

Using the Revelwoods selector tool, you will be able to find curated suggestions for each

0:46.3

specific project based on criteria such as style, color, zip code, and usage.

0:52.2

Because the species of wood that performs in a laundry room in

0:55.8

Key West is not going to be the same as the wood that will perform in a living room in Chicago.

1:01.0

And how do you know that? Well, Revelwoods helps you. Know before you specify. And when you sign up

1:06.6

for a free professional membership, you'll get access to exclusive discounts and referral benefits.

1:12.6

Visit revelwoods.com to get started.

1:27.1

Welcome to a well-designed business.

1:29.4

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

1:33.3

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

1:38.9

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

1:45.3

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

1:50.3

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

1:56.8

But make no mistake about it, we have our share of fun here too, mixed in with those aha moments that I love so much.

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