145: Donna Johnson | The Business of Luxury Design

Today, we welcome Donna Johnson of Luxe Design, a luxury interior design firm with offices in Orange County and Las Vegas. In this episode, Donna shares her lifelong passion for interior design and how relationships – both organic and strategic – have fueled the growth and success of her design business. We also discuss the value of continued education, changes in the industry, and the pros and cons of serving the high-end luxury market.   Listen in as Donna shares her experiences working over four decades in the design industry and the rewards and restrictions of working in the high-end market!   Show Highlights: Donna's background and how she got into interior design  Balancing her design career as a single mom of four and managing two offices The importance of continuing education and learning new skills for designers The pros and cons associated with serving the high-end luxury market The importance of confidentiality in high-end luxury projects Changes in the design industry over the years and the impact of social media on it Advice for new designers to focus on business skills, relationships, and continued education   Notable Quotes: "We always say design is a relationship-based business. It's design, it's technical, it's sales. It's all of those things. But it is also a relationship business. And when you make those connections and nurture them, the potential is just off the charts." - Rick "Sometimes you really do have to reinvest, go back to school to learn something entirely new, especially at a time when your business might be growing stale." - Rick "I've been through ups and downs in this business. And the passion that I have for design is what kept me going." - Donna "You better get great at your business because it's not just design, and it's not all fun and games. You do have to do the paperwork besides having fun with design." - Donna Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review," then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second, and it helps spread the word about the podcast.   Supporting Resources: Luxury Designer Website - https://luxury-designer.com/ Donna's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/luxedesigner/   Sponsor Links:   https://www.pirch.com https://designmanager.com https://www.highpointmarket.org/registerDBSG   Subscribe to our email list: https://designbizsurvivalguide.com/ Link to Business of Interiors Community Summit UK - https://www.thebusinessofinteriors.co.uk/