Rephonic
Artwork for Trade Tales
Interior Design
Client Relationships
Entrepreneurship
Business Growth
Work-Life Balance
Client Management
Project Management
Design Process
Creative Process
Design Business
Creative Entrepreneurship
Covid-19
Social Media Marketing
Design Burnout
Client Experience
Acquisition
Business Coaching
Team Management
Client Communication
Sabbatical

Business of Home's editor in chief Kaitlin Petersen talks to interior designers about nurturing creativity, finding a firm’s financial footing, setting goals and discovering their own version of success as a result.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes183Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
DesignArtsBusinessEntrepreneurship

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Trade Tales

Latest Episodes

Kelly Finley set out to create her ideal firm—and then, after bringing that vision to life, realized a large staff and juggling tons of projects wasn’t all she’d hoped it would be. Moving forward, she decided to go back to basics—discovering the proj... more

In this episode, interior designer Erica Vassalotti of Philadelphia-based design firm Bergman Vass answers a question from a designer who wants to make sure she’s maximizing her investment if she’s spending big on photography. Vass jumps in with advi... more

Molly Torres Portnof keeps her firm’s inner circle small—which means that each person in her orbit, carefully chosen, has an outsize influence on her success. She brings the same intentionality to the clients she works with, thanks to a series of saf... more

In this episode, New York-based interior designer Tina Ramchandani answers a question from a  designer whose firm is attracting plenty of potential clients—just not the ones she wants in her pipeline. Ramchandani jumps in with advice on finding the m... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

Recent Guests

Molly Torres Portnof
Designer and founder of Date Interiors, former Homepolish participant
Date Interiors
Episode: Why Molly Torres Portnof hands every prospective client an investment guide
Tina Ramchandani
Designer and founder of her design firm
Studio Ramchandani
Episode: Ask Us Anything: Tina Ramchandani on attracting your ideal client
Erica McLain
Designer focused on environmental psychology and neurodesign
Living Luxury Lab (formerly MXD Interiors)
Episode: Erica McLain on bridging the gap between science and design
Mandy Cheng
Los Angeles-based interior designer and founder of Mandy Cheng Design
Mandy Cheng Design
Episode: Why Mandy Cheng won't delegate her firm's finances [Rebroadcast]
Melissa Ohlendt
Designer, Oho Interiors (Minnesota and Colorado offices)
Oho Interiors
Episode: Ask Us Anything: Melissa Oholendt’s go-to interview questions for new hires [Rebroadcast]
Ali Budd
Toronto-based designer and founder of a design firm
Ali Budd Studio
Episode: Why Ali Budd wants to do design TV differently [Rebroadcast]
Blair Moore
Designer and founder of Roem, a furniture sourcing studio focused on vintage and antiques
Roem
Episode: Ask Us Anything: Blair Moore on protecting your firm from shipping issues
Angela Harris
Designer and founder of Trio (TRIO)
Trio (TRIO)
Episode: How Angela Harris put wellness front and center in her business
Lucy O'Brien
Designer and founder of Tartan & Toile
Tartan & Toile
Episode: Ask Us Anything: Lucy O’Brien on designing around order minimums

Host

Kaitlin Petersen
Host of the show; Editor-in-Chief of Business of Home

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 103 ratings
  • Erica McLain is simply brilliant!!

    I’ve had the great privilege of knowing Erica as a friend & client, hearing her on this episode is exactly who she is, thoughtful, authentic & crazy insightful. Thanks for giving others the opportunity to experience her brilliance and knowing that the world is better with her voice in it.

    Your podcast is incredible, keep shining your light brightly.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Miami heat Lbj
    United Statesa month ago
  • One of the Best Home Podcasts

    Kaitlin Petersen is so smart, savvy and warm - everything she talks about is illuminated by all she has to share, and her wonderful way with guests. Only a few podcasts in this area make you feel like you are learning something - and Trade Tales excels in this area. Along with her business partners Dennis Scully and Fred Nicklaus, Kaitlin gives shape to the Business of Home team which is the very top tier podcast (and magazine) in the home design space. Indispensable!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Julia Chasman Design
    United States2 months ago
  • Inspiration for a Maker

    I am a furniture maker, and this podcast gives me so much value. It helps me to see the perspective of my client - the designer. I also Garner many takeaways that help me in my business. The host asks insightful questions and draws out great responses from her guests.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kwadwo89
    United States9 months ago
  • Superlative Info/Advice Provided

    Interesting and timely topics updated weekly…superlative guests with just the right balance of information, advice AND humor!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    BrentTK
    United States10 months ago
  • So helpful!

    The recent episode with Swati Goorha was so helpful! She shared so much of her process and I’m grateful to hear so much detail about how other designers structure their services. It’s such a journey figuring out what works best. Thank you for this platform!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Emily Lindberg Design
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners describe the episodes as highly actionable for designers new to entrepreneurship and for those seeking real-world business lessons.
Reviewers note the host's ability to pull out hard-won lessons from guests and translate them into implementable strategies.
Fans praise Kaitlin's thoughtful interviewing and guest lineup, calling the show insightful and practical for running a design business.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#17
United States/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#61
Canada/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#171
United Kingdom/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#87
Australia/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#8
Switzerland/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#19
India/Arts/Design

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Why Molly Torres Portnof hands every prospective client an investment guide
Q: How do you measure success in this moment?
Success is about celebrating every win and taking time to acknowledge progress, rather than rushing past achievements.
Why Molly Torres Portnof hands every prospective client an investment guide
Q: What have you learned about being an entrepreneur that you wish you knew at the start?
Learning never stops; mistakes are learning moments that make you better, and embracing that mindset reduces fear and helps you iterate more confidently.
Erica McLain on bridging the gap between science and design
Q: What happened after business school and how did you end up in interior design?
After business school, she pursued interior architecture through UCLA, focusing on environmental psychology, and gradually built a practice rooted in understanding people and spaces, which evolved into a neurodesign approach.
Ask Us Anything: Melissa Oholendt’s go-to interview questions for new hires [Rebroadcast]
Q: What questions reveal ambition and cultural fit beyond standard qualifications?
Sneaky questions about what success looks like, how the candidate feels appreciated, and where they want the firm to go, plus a focus on humility and collaboration as core values.
Ask Us Anything: Melissa Oholendt’s go-to interview questions for new hires [Rebroadcast]
Q: How do you determine when you're ready to hire in the face of an uncertain economy?
Focus on the business needs and the potential revenue impact of an additional designer, rather than waiting for perfect conditions; balance financial readiness with the ability to manage growth strategically.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Trade Tales

What is Trade Tales about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A practical, founder-friendly look at running design firms, with a strong emphasis on acquiring and retaining ideal clients, pricing, team-building, and scalable processes. Episodes often blend hands-on operations with brand storytelling, PR strategies, and client-management frameworks, helping listeners turn creative work into sustainable businesses. Noteworthy are deep dives into hiring, in-house logistics, wellness-driven design, and turning design presentations into high-touch client experiences, which together position this show as a go-to resource for designers aiming to grow strategically without sacrificing culture or quality.

Where can I find podcast stats for Trade Tales?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Trade Tales. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Trade Tales and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Trade Tales get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Trade Tales, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Trade Tales?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Trade Tales, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Trade Tales have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Trade Tales has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

How many episodes of Trade Tales are there?

Trade Tales launched 5 years ago and published 183 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Trade Tales?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Trade Tales?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Trade Tales from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Trade Tales?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Trade Tales. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Trade Tales?

Recent guests on Trade Tales include:

1. Molly Torres Portnof
2. Tina Ramchandani
3. Erica McLain
4. Mandy Cheng
5. Melissa Ohlendt
6. Ali Budd
7. Blair Moore
8. Angela Harris

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days