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A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design  Business Podcast

952: Jennifer Ma: The Path isn’t Always Straight and That’s OK

A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast

LuAnn Nigara

Business, Design, Arts

4.8786 Ratings

🗓️ 30 January 2024

⏱️ 63 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Today With Jennifer Ma: Today, on A Well-Designed Business, I am joined by Jennifer Ma of Dwell & Oak Interior Design Studio. Before she became an interior designer, Jennifer was a competitive swimmer, a chef, and a nursing student. She also worked in luxury beauty marketing and owned a kickboxing franchise. Jennifer put her heart and soul into each venture, and took away valuable experiences that have helped her business thrive. She believes that with determination, you can pivot your career toward the lifestyle you've always envisioned. Listen now to hear her inspiring story. LuAnn Nigara and Jennifer Ma's Ah-Ha Moments  “If I really, really don’t feel it in my heart and in my gut, that it’s okay to quit something after you’ve tried and put everything into it.” – Jennifer Ma “What you put out there is what you're going to receive back.” – Jennifer Ma “The fact that you can pull a very tangible life lesson out of each is, I think, the only way we get through things like this. It's the only way we get up in the morning and are willing to face the next possibly difficult thing that we have no idea that’s coming at us.” – LuAnn Nigara More About Jennifer Ma  After moving into a brand new build home in San Diego, Jennifer started an Instagram account to document her love for customizing and decorating her home. Jennifer's goal was simple: Create a space that was inspired, beautiful, & that her family loved to be in. As Jennifer's online readership grew, so did her requests for interior design projects. Soon, she was being asked to design spaces--and entire homes--by online fans & followers from across the country. With that, Dwell & Oak was born; a full-scale design company grounded in Jen's firm belief that a home must be both beautiful and comfortable. In the years prior to launching her design company, Jennifer had already built and owned a thriving kickboxing franchise business from the ground up after being 12 years in luxury beauty marketing in NYC. Her success came from her commitment to excellence and appreciation for the client experience. This same talent, attention to detail, and entrepreneurial "can do" attitude has all helped her interior design business grow. Today, Jennifer remains committed to creating beautiful spaces that celebrate family, foster togetherness & connection, and are designed for everyday living. Connect with Jennifer Ma Website Instagram  Pinterest What’s new with LuAnn Nigara LuAnn University - Registration is now OPEN for the Winter 2024 semester! Watch the Docuseries! 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 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 Other Shows Mentioned: AWDB #006: Identifying Your Transferable Skills with Erika Ward AWDB #203: Darla Powell – How to Launch an Interior Design Firm AWDB #291: Cheryl Luckett – From Side Hustle to Full Time Interior Design AWDB #433: Nate Berkus: Introducing His Collection with Kravet AWDB #463: Sara Lynn Brennan: Package Your Design Services for Profit and Clarity AWDB #786: Meredith Huck: From Corporate to Interior Design Business: 3 Insights to Succeed  AWDB #811: Power Talk Friday: Heather Hansen: You Are Your Own Advocate  AWDB #677: Megan Molten: To Succeed, Focus on Your Why   AWDB #455: Megan Molten: Planning Creates Success in Your Interior Design Business

Transcript

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0:00.0

This episode is sponsored by Revelwoods. Revelwoods is your source for premium hardwood and resilient

0:06.7

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

0:11.8

each specific project based on criteria such as style, color, zip code, and usage. Because the species

0:19.3

of wood that performs in a laundry room in Key West is not

0:22.7

going to be the same as the wood that will perform in a living room in Chicago. And how do you know that?

0:28.2

Well, Revelewoods helps you. Know before you specify. And when you sign up for a free professional

0:33.9

membership, you'll get access to exclusive discounts and referral benefits.

0:38.5

Visit revelwoods.com to get started.

0:53.0

Welcome to a well-designed business.

0:55.0

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

0:59.0

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

1:05.0

so I know and I understand the challenges you face in running your interior design business. I also know that your talent

1:13.0

alone isn't enough to ensure your success. So on this podcast, we talk about strategies and

1:19.8

practical steps to help you grow your business. But make no mistake about it, we have our share

1:25.0

of fun here too, mixed in with those aha moments that I love

1:28.8

so much. This isn't fluff. Nobody has time for that. Whether you are a new interior designer

1:34.6

or a season designer, I am here to help you create and to manage the kind of interior design

1:40.4

firm that you dream of. It's straight talk and it's action.

1:44.8

Are you ready?

1:45.9

Let's get started.

1:51.0

Hi, welcome to a well-designed business.

1:55.4

If you are a regular listener of the show, then you might remember my guest from a couple of summers ago, Meredith Huck, a fellow Jersey girl, I might add.

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