17 Feb 3 Pro Tips in NEW Series “Taking Your Brand to Next Level”

Taking Your Brand to the Next Level (Part I). Happy Fringe Friday Friends!  I couldn’t resist starting this post with this fabulous fringe chandelier from the Lightovation show I attended at Dallas Market in January. Because we all need to BE THE LIGHT, the beacon of hope, in our communities right now with all the challenges we are facing as a country. Please know my heart is with all those grieving, but I’m here today to inspire you, so let’s get started, shall we?

The winter time is a great time to hibernate a little and give yourself the time and space you need to refresh and for creative ideas and inspiration to take hold. Small businesses and entrepreneurs really need to do this because we have to adapt to an ever-changing market, right? I know we at Deborah Main Designs do.

This year, January started off with a bang, and I surprised even myself, by having our 2018 business goals written up by December 31st and then dashing up to Dallas Market to meet Andrew Ard of CoeLux at Lightovation wearing my design blogger hat (See blog post HERE) and see their brand NEW showroom, the only one in the U.S.

I also went to see friends, hear design panels, see new product launches and soak up a whole lot of design inspiration, like this modern chandelier at the Swarovski Showroom.

In light (no pun intended) of our studio’s business goals in 2018, I’m starting a new series for you on the blog “Taking Your Business to the Next Level” (#TYBNL) because frankly,

• I’m right in the throes of it all, and many of my peers are too,
• I don’t want to really do it by myself (it takes a village and several accountability classes to grow a business!),
• I think many of you, our dear readers, will learn a great deal as I share my struggles with facing some of these challenges head on, and ,
• Deborah Main Designs studio will be celebrating 14 years this April!!  Yippee!! Woohoo!!  Reason for another party, don’t you think? Ok, let’s wait till we get to that next level first!

Seriously, it’s a HUGE milestone for our tiny studio because personally I’ve had numerous opportunities to quit….in fact in 14 years 5,110 days to be exact. But I’m still here and our studio’s thriving. Below I’m working with long-time client Jessica Martin and our studio is adding a few select new accounts this year.

Me with Jessica Martin, owner of Dallas fine linen & gift store, Casa di Lino, here selecting fabrics for custom pillows.

Have you noticed that some entrepreneurs get to their destinations faster than others? We often wonder why and how. It’s not a contest or a race, it’s all about where you are at any given moment and what are the key decisions you need to make in order to take your business (or life for that matter!) to the next level.

If you’re an entrepreneur, you’ve probably heard stories from artists and designers, and you may even say this to yourself, I certainly have for years, ‘I‘m not good at selling my own product.’  Well, this year, I say “Phooey to that!”, because “sales” is a learned skill set, so let’s learn how.  I recently participated in Jennifer Kem’s free 7-day Brand Story Challenge, and am working with coach Cathy Kegley of Luxury Design Marketing, and Jessica Madry of Eric Lofholm Sales Champion and all three are incredibly enlightening and super helpful. I think my Dad would be rolling over in his grave to know his daughter is finally learning about sales!  So in this new #TYBNL Series I will talk more about all of this in future posts.

This week’s post I want to share 3 valuable tips from the pros that I enjoyed learning about from this incredibly talented and experienced interior design panel on “Broadening Your Brand”.

But before I do that, you really should subscribe to our blog HERE, as you don’t want to miss all the exciting, inspiring, and helpful details I’ll share in 2018. Here’s 5 subjects you can expect to learn more about here on the Pillow Goddess blog:

1. I’ll be writing about branding and getting to the heart of your story (because that’s exactly what Deborah Main Designs is working on right now, and you don’t know the half of it yet!!)
2. What it truly takes to take your biz to the next level, because as you know, last fall I made a huge investment in myself and my biz by participating in BOLD Summit and I have SO MUCH to share with you. (See blog post here)
3. I’ll also be featuring some INCREDIBLE luxury products that will brighten up your home and make it absolutely stunning,
4. I’ll be sharing interviews with top designers and artists, and lastly,
5. I’ll be sharing my brand story, passion and inspiration that has kept me going for 14 years and tips to help you grow your business too!

Diane Keeton at Dallas Market Center talking about her new book “The House That Pinterest Built”.

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I learned and the inspiration I got from attending Lightovation and the Total Home & Gift Show at Dallas Market in January. Dallas Market Center has so many fantastic events going on all at the same time, I found myself running from the World Trade Center to the Trade Mart just to catch the last 15 minutes of a product launch like, rising star, interior designer Corey Damen Jenkins’ lighting collection for Hudson Lighting  below, and interior designer Michelle Workman’s trim collection with Pyar & Co, whom I wrote about her new FACET Collection last June, along with 7 key networking tips HERE.  (More on both of these talented designers’ new lines closer to April).

Me and Michelle Workman with her NEW trim collection for Pyar & Co.

Next time, I really need to clone myself as I was so busy meeting people, seeing new showrooms and product that I totally missed out on hearing Diane Keaton speak! But I heard from designer Lori Carpenter of The Grapevine Home that Diane  was fantastic and it was packed! (Lori will be writing more about Diane Keaton, so check out her blog here.)

Photography courtesy of The Grapevine Home.

Friend, Lori Carpenter, of The Grapevine Home, with Diane Keaton. Photography by Grapevine Home.

Now, on to those THREE IMPORTANT TIPS to help take your business to the next level and broaden your brand. Super star designers Libby Langdon, Dann Foley, and Michelle Workman were the most informative panel moderated by Nick May of The Chaise Lounge. This was my first time meeting in real life (#irl) Libby, Dann and Nick!

From left to right: Libby Langdon, Dann Foley, Michelle Workman and moderator Nick May.

What was so great about this specific educational design panel (and there are tons during market!) was that each designer has such a wealth of experience not only as interior design business owners, but growing their brand even larger into licensing and other design opportunities. Plus they’re just truly wonderful, kind, and smart people who want to share all they’ve learned! Please take time to study their websites and follow them on social media as there is much to learn and I couldn’t more highly recommend them!

Pro Tip # 1 from Libby Langdon:  “Small victories lead to big victories”

Pro Tip #2 from Dann Foley – “Make yourself known through Social Media”

Pro Tip #3 from Michelle Workman – “Deliver great service with a positive attitude”

I’ve run out of time today to get this post out to you, so if you’re reading this far I thank you very much for taking the time to read my blog.  During this NEW Series “Taking Your Brand (or life!) to the Next Level” I will definitely be expanding on these golden nugget Pro Tips from these three fabulous designers as there is so much to share with you.

Please enjoy some of the Lightovation and designer photos below. If you’ve never been to market, go yourself if you’re a designer or store, or get your interior designer to take you. There’s a wealth of education and inspiration around every corner at Dallas Market!

Next week’s post I’ll be sharing information about the upcoming 2018 10th Anniversary Austin Modern Home Tour sponsored by Good Life Luxury and Modern Architecture + Design Society. 

Until then, please sign up for our quarterly “Pillow Talk” newsletter so you can get the scoop on all the exciting happenings at our studio and get a discount code for a ticket to the Mod Home Tour. Winter issue of newsletter coming out next week!

Blessings for a beautiful weekend with your family and friends, XO PG

Note: This is not a sponsored post. All images and content is mine except for the images that Lori provided me of Diane Keaton.

This is my friend Laura Van Zeyl, who is not only THE woman in charge of Lightovation for Dallas Market, but whom I’ve annointed The Lighting Goddess. Us Goddesses have to stick together!!

More ribbon cutting ceremonies at these large lighting showrooms. No, they are not wearing white eye masks below…that’s just my photo. What incredible parties both these showrooms gave!

Laura and me laughing it up with Andrew Ard, at CoeLux new showroom. Wait until you see the video we did!

So many women designers and artists I admire in this group, meeting the one on the very left for the 1st time #irl. From left to right: Donna Moss, LaToya Jones, moi, Kelli Ellis and Elle Cole.

Artist LaToya Jones talking to designers about her incredible “On Trend” painting with Pantone’s Color of the Year, Ultra Violet. Her display for Traditional Home in the front of the Interior Home + Design Center was spectactular.

A whole showroom and event was dedicated to vignettes by the interior designers who created spectacular rooms for the Dallas Designer Showcase sponsored by Donna Moss and Traditional Home. Really enjoyed seeing Elle Cole and her vignette!

Me with Dallas interior designer Elle Cole.

Fun photo of Dallas Market friends with Nick May of The Chaise Lounge, who moderated most of Dallas Market design panels.

Left to right: Moi, Donna Moss, Dann Foley,  Michelle Workman and Libby Langdon.

A chandelier from the new showroom of a NYC interior designer I adore, Robin Baron. Missed seeing her as she had to catch a flight to Paris (tough life, I know!) to be at Maison O’jet show. Love this piece!

My friend interior designer Hjardeir Dunn and me at the Swarovski showroom “Women in Lighting” event. I forgot the name of this spectactular piece, but it is somewhere around $100,000+. Gorgeous in person!

Thomas Lester of Home Accents Today with Laura Van Zeyl, whose official title (not “The Lighting Goddess” which I gave her) is Vice President of Lighting Technology Development & Marketing for Dallas Market’s Lightovation. Congrats Laura on a FANTASTIC Lightovation!

The Pillow Goddess hanging with The Lighting Goddess, VP Laura Van Zeyl.

VP of Lighting, Laura Van Zeyl, speaking to the group at “Women in Lighting” event hosted by Swarovski/Schonbek Showroom.

The spectacular Schonbek/Swarovski showroom.

Laura and me with Chris Pica, CP Media Relations for WAC Lighting.

Two talented and fun beauties, interior designers extraordinaire, Michelle Workman and Libby Langdon.