Season 2 Ep 30: Retail is NOT for sissies! with Christina Van Blake

If you have known me for a while you may have heard my "Top 12 Truths for Being a Shopkeep" and one of my faves that I stand by is "Retail is not for sissies!" And I know that our special guest, Christina Van Blake of Home Design Dover feels the exact same way.Christina, or as some call her Christi, is the own and prominent designer serving the Maine and NH Seacoast area for over 22 years. Her specialties in color, pattern and texture come from 3 generations of designing women which you will learn from listening. Christina truly enjoys her work, her clients and design of all kinds and her enthusiasm for the art of this business ensures each client fully understands the options and choices, why they work, and how they reflect their personal taste with the end result being a carefully curated space that feels uniquely personal and beautifully functional.Join us as we discuss the ups and downs, with a good sense of humor, of owning a retail showroom and how to mix and integrate with a full service design firm. There are so many moving parts that are dealt with on a daily basis of owning a retail showroom and you must hone your knowledge on selling and understanding the vendors that you choose to get into bed with (so to speak, see what I did there)!This will not be the only time Christina joins us on the podcast--retail is one large beast and we want you to join us in the journey!Have a question--click here to ask us.Loved this episode? Click here to leave a 5⭐ reviewRESOURCE LINKS:Damn Good Workshops - WebsiteView our upcoming workshops!These workshops are 2–3 hour deep dives (some more than one day) built for creative entrepreneurs who want to lead with confidence, price with authority, and grow with intention. We created this workshop series with tracks that cover the challenges we know designers face: pricing, sales, client relationships, project management, marketing, and leadership.Each workshop is designed to stand alone — so you can choose the topics that matter most right now — while still connecting to the bigger picture of building a profitable, sustainable design business.Damn Good Designer - Damn Good Designer - WebsiteThe best multi-faceted business coaching for Interior designers—seriously. This is not some wham-bam glamathon; It is the real deal you have been looking for and what is missing from the business coaching marketplace today.The Paradigm Quick Start - 3 Month Custom Coaching ProgramThe Paradigm Shift - 6 Month Custom Coaching ProgramThe Paradigm Intensive - 12 Month One on One Immersive Custom Business CoachingJoin our FREE Facebook GroupsSmall Business - Think Big - FacebookWhat They Didn't Teach You in Design School - Facebook GroupSubscribe to our newsletterABOUT US:Cheryl Clendenon is the host of The Damn Good Designer Podcast and an award-winning interior designer, writer, and business coach with 26 years of full-time industry experience. With a prior career in media and radio sales, she brings a rare blend of creative thinking and business acumen to the design world. Cheryl was named KBB Person of the Year in 2021, is a nationally published industry voice with a monthly column in Home Accents Today, and regularly speaks on pricing, scope, process, and profitability. Known for her fast pace, contrarian instincts, and practical insight, Cheryl helps established design firms build stronger businesses and define success on their own terms.***Any use of this page and its content to develop or train artificial intelligence or to do computer analysis is prohibited.***