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
Team Building

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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes173Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ArtsBusinessDesignEntrepreneurship

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Artwork for Trade Tales

Latest Episodes

Angela Harris’s firm marks a bit of a departure from the typical Trade Tales guest, with a portfolio that spans master planned communities, model homes, commercial, hospitality, and everything in between. And yet, the lessons she’s picked up along th... more

In this episode, Philadelphia-based interior designer Lucy O’Brien of Tartan & Toile answers a question from a designer who recently had to compromise her creative vision after coming up against an order minimum. O’Brien jumps in with advice on findi... more

Rayana Schmitz balanced several different early career paths—from fitness trainer to firefighter—before landing on interior design. Today, she’s leading her firm with the wisdom to know when to trust her gut and when to rely on outside experts. On th... more

In this episode, Seattle-based interior designer Lauren Caron answers a question from a designer who wants to expand her business beyond her home city without sacrificing her firm’s standards. Caron jumps in with advice on billing clients for travel ... more

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Recent Guests

Lucy O'Brien
Designer and founder of Tartan & Toile
Tartan & Toile
Episode: Ask Us Anything: Lucy O’Brien on designing around order minimums
Rayana Schmitz
Designer who leads Firefinish Interiors; expanded her firm with outside expertise
Firefinish Interiors
Episode: Rayana Schmitz on tapping outside experts to transform her firm
Lauren Caron
Designer; guest on Trade Tales
Trade Tales / Design firm (Seattle-based)
Episode: Ask Us Anything: Lauren Caron’s process-driven approach to far-away projects
Audrey Scheck
Designer and founder of ASD Interiors (Audrey Scheck Design)
ASD Interiors
Episode: How Audrey Scheck established her firm’s C-suite
Zoë Feldman
Designer and founder involved with Demi, a new arm of her firm
Zoë Feldman Studio / Demi
Episode: Ask Us Anything: Zoë Feldman on how to measure an employee’s design skills
Christine Vroom
Designer; previous Trade Tales guest
Episode: Ask Us Anything: Christine Vroom on how to pivot when your pipeline falls apart
Hanna Li
Designer and Creative Director at her Los Angeles-based interior design firm
Hanna Li Design
Episode: Why Hanna Li’s design proposals include a sustainability fee
Elizabeth Bennett
Industrial design background, co-founder of Kobel & Co.
Kobel & Co.
Episode: Kobel & Co.’s radical take on the client questionnaire
Mallory Robins
Former architect turned designer, co-founder of Kobel & Co.
Kobel & Co.
Episode: Kobel & Co.’s radical take on the client questionnaire

Host

Kaitlin Petersen
Host of Trade Tales, Editor-in-Chief of Business of Home

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 97 ratings
  • 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 States7 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 States8 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
  • 💎💎💎

    I’m not an interior designer myself (PR coach) but people in my program and community are! And this is a show I would definitely recommend to them, especially those in the earlier stages of their biz! Kaitlin and her guests know their stuff and even tho I have zero experience in this industry I found it engaging and easy to follow along! Excited to share with my community!

    @gloriachoupr

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    _doremi101
    United States2 years ago
  • Priceless Resource!

    I’m so thankful to have found this podcast! I am new to the design world, but have recently launched a new firm with my daughter @DaynaSterlingInteriors who has a degree in design & has worked under some well-known designers a for about 10 years. I recently retired from a 25 year career in finance. Listening to real life tales has been priceless in helping me understand more about the business, and helping us both know that we are not alone in encountering the various challenges of running our... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Princess DarDar
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Guests consistently present practical, actionable takeaways for running a design firm.
Listeners praise the show for real-world education and mentorship vibes.
Insightful host with thoughtful questions helps guests share concrete strategies.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#14
United States/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#98
Canada/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#90
Australia/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#193
Germany/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#39
Ireland/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#49
Indonesia/Arts/Design

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Ask Us Anything: Lauren Caron’s process-driven approach to far-away projects
Q: Can you start by setting the stage for how you decided you were ready to take work further away from home and what that looked like?
My move cross-country in 2016 was prompted by personal reasons, and I chose to make it work by extending the client base beyond New York and embracing remote collaboration through calls and scheduling travel around milestones; it was born out of necessity and evolved into a deliberate strategy.
Ask Us Anything: Lucy O’Brien on designing around order minimums
Q: What did this surface for you? Has this been a roadblock for you in your work?
Minimums can be a significant hurdle, especially when pursuing innovative, off-the-beaten-path designs; in those cases, we assess every material's supply chain, talk to reps, and explore alternatives like boutique firms or sharing orders to meet minimums, always with an eye toward preserving the design concept and client curiosity.
Ask Us Anything: Christine Vroom on how to pivot when your pipeline falls apart
Q: How do you explain a restart fee to a client who has hit a crisis?
Explain that the restart fee helps hold space in the roster, covers lost time, and signals a commitment to re-engage with a structured plan, while acknowledging the client's situation and offering flexibility about the amount or timing depending on the crisis.
Ask Us Anything: Christine Vroom on how to pivot when your pipeline falls apart
Q: What best-case clauses would you have in your contract to handle client crises and pauses?
Christine emphasizes pausing and restart provisions as essential, including a restart fee and a clear 'space in the roster' concept to keep clients engaged while protecting cash flow, plus a philosophy or contract section that sets expectations about communication, deliverables, and contingencies.
Melissa Oholendt on how to become the creative director of your design firm
Q: What was the moment in 2020 when you felt the ground shift in your business?
The pandemic, while devastating for many, became the catalyst that accelerated growth; from May to June 2020 I leaned into weekly Q&As and suddenly workload exploded, forcing a rapid shift from surviving to scaling with new systems.

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 design-focused interview series that centers on running a design practice as a business. Across episodes, listeners get practical guidance on hiring, team management, client alignment, pricing, and process optimization, with a steady emphasis on culture, sustainability, and long-term growth. Guests range from solo designers to partner-led firms, often sharing actionable tactics for scaling, improving client experiences, and maintaining creative integrity while building financial footing. Noteworthy angles include immersive discovery processes, client-focused questionnaire redesigns, transparent pricing, and sustainability-informed business models that justify fees tied to research and in-house capabilities. This mix makes it valuable for ... more

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What are the audience demographics for Trade Tales?

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How many subscribers and views does Trade Tales have?

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Which podcasts are similar to Trade Tales?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Trade Tales:

1. Business of Home Podcast
2. The Interior Collective
3. A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast
4. Dear Alice | Interior Design
5. How to Decorate

How many episodes of Trade Tales are there?

Trade Tales launched 5 years ago and published 173 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.

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What guests have appeared on Trade Tales?

Recent guests on Trade Tales include:

1. Lucy O'Brien
2. Rayana Schmitz
3. Lauren Caron
4. Audrey Scheck
5. Zoë Feldman
6. Christine Vroom
7. Hanna Li
8. Elizabeth Bennett

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.

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