Episodes

  • Strategy is Key for Longterm Success

    Strategy is Key for Longterm Success
    Jan 5 2025
    276: Strategy is Key for Longterm Success I am so excited about our podcast today. With me is Courtney Bramlett. She is the director of marketing and operations here at Scarlet Thread Consulting and she's also the owner of her own company, The Good Sower. Courtney and I are going to have an in-depth conversation about strategy, why we need to have it, roadblocks that we see when people don't have a strategy, and we will share a little bit about the programs that we have coming this year that are available to help you all with strategy. I hope if nothing else, by the end of our podcast today that you will have a deeper understanding of why strategy is important to the overall long-term success of your company. Enjoy the podcast. Topics Mentioned: Strategy Intentionality Goal Setting Prioritization Key Thoughts: The true strategy is much, much deeper and more granular. When it's understood and done well, then your day-to-day becomes easy. Courtney Bramlett A strategic plan is meant to be over multiple years in most cases. It certainly is going to be the most detailed in the year that you're working in. Michele Williams Business owners get in this rut of feeling like they're never hitting these objectives and goals that they have because they're trying to run in a thousand different paths at one time. So, I think strategic planning helps them with burnout, reducing burnout and decision fatigue too. Courtney Bramlett Two words that I see a lot of people run from and I think again, it goes back to education. They run from the word strategy, and they run from the word budget. They run from those because they think they lock them down. What I would say is they actually free you up. Because what a strategy is and what a budget is are decisions that you're making in advance. Michele Williams Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams References and Resources: Work with Me Metrique Solutions The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today Pricing Without Emotion course Financial Health Check Up 12 Week Year by Brian P Moran The Gap and the Gain by Benjamin Hardy and Dan Sullivan Traction by Gino Wickman Fix This Next by Mike Michalowicz My New 8-week Group Coaching Program Kicks Off in January! Join the waitlist for my newest group coaching program, How to Build, Manage, and Execute on a Business Strategy. Over 8 weeks, you'll learn how to create a business strategy, set key results to track its success, and leverage a decision-making process to ensure every choice drives you toward your ideal future. Register now to know when registration opens
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    50 mins
  • Cheers to 2024!

    Cheers to 2024!
    Dec 29 2024
    275: Cheers to 2024! Every year Ceil DiGuglielmo and I sit down and chat about the prior year. We talk about the books we've read, some of the things that have happened in our lives, and how those experiences have shaped us to be the business owners that we are and that we are becoming. I am excited to, once again, invite you to listen in as Ceil and I discuss the year 2024. Topics Mentioned: Strategy Intentionality Planning MIndset Key Thoughts: Especially as women, we spend a lot of time waiting because our job is to manage our families and our households and everything else as opposed to being happy in this moment. Ceil DiGuglielmo What I kept seeing is we kind of have an epidemic of we're all doing our jobs, we're working, we're satisfying the client, but we don't have a guide or a path of where we want our business to go. Michele Williams It's almost like we're running this race and we're handed the baton to the next person and I'm looking for that person just like everybody else, who can I hand this baton to that's going to love the industry and who's going to love people? Michele Williams There have been enough generous people who have the knowledge and are willing to share it, that we can pull those people up behind us. I think if there's a legacy to be had, something to look towards, is what can I leave behind that will make life easier for other people so they don't have to have those hard knocks? Ceil DiGuglielmo Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams Contact Ceil: Website: The Sew Much More Podcast Website: The Curtains and Soft Furnishings Resource Library Facebook: The Sew Much More Podcast Facebook: The Curtains and Soft Furnishings Resource Library Instagram: @ceildi Instagram: @csf_resource_library Email: ceilwdi@gmail.com References and Resources: CFO2GO Work with Me Metrique Solutions The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today Pricing Without Emotion course It's Okay to be The Boss by Bruce Tulgan Price Your Work with Confidence by Kitty Stein The Recipe For Empowered Leadership: 25 Ingredients For Creating Value & Empowering Others by Doug Meyer-Cuno She Thinks Big by Andrea Liebross Atomic Habits by James Clear Your Next Five Moves: Master the Art of Business Strategy by Patrick Bet-David My New 8-week Group Coaching Program Kicks Off in January! Join the waitlist for my newest group coaching program, How to Build, Manage, and Execute on a Business Strategy. Over 8 weeks, you'll learn how to create a business strategy, set key results to track its success, and leverage a decision-making process to ensure every choice drives you toward your ideal future. Register now to know when registration opens
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    1 hr and 20 mins
  • Business Inspiration for Your Design Firm

    Business Inspiration for Your Design Firm
    Dec 1 2024
    274: Business Inspiration for Your Design Firm Joining me today is Colleen Bennett of CBB design firm and Mimosa Home. Colleen has had a varied career in design working worldwide, and today she's going to share some of her story and how she's created a unique experience for her clients maintaining profitability in the process. Topics Mentioned: Travel Profit Debt Intention Key Thoughts: You control the sale with finishes. Because once you get into the finished department and the design department, you control every single aspect from there. Colleen Bute Bennett The beautiful thing is they're levers and we know what we need to make. So, you can go up and down, you can have a higher rate and a lower markup. Michele Williams We have now created this one-stop shop for our clients. So instead of you running around to every single place, you're in one location, and we get your house done in four to six hours. Colleen Bute Bennett I love the idea that design can show up in so many different ways. You can reinvent certain things and it just feels like we're not as boxed in sometimes. Michele Williams Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams Contact Colleen: Email: georgina@publicityforgood.com Facebook: @DesignbyColleenBennett Instagram: @cbbdesignfirm Facebook: @mimosahomenc/ Facebook: @butecouture References and Resources: CFO2GO Work with Me Metrique Solutions The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today Pricing Without Emotion course My New 8-week Group Coaching Program Kicks Off in January! Join the waitlist for my newest group coaching program, How to Build, Manage, and Execute on a Business Strategy. Over 8 weeks, you'll learn how to create a business strategy, set key results to track its success, and leverage a decision-making process to ensure every choice drives you toward your ideal future. Register now to know when registration opens
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    54 mins
  • Construction Management is Profitable

    Construction Management is Profitable
    Nov 17 2024
    273: Construction Management is Profitable Welcome to the podcast! Today, I’m joined by the talented Renee Biery, a luxury interior designer, construction expert, and the host of the Only Girl on the Jobsite podcast. We’re diving into an incredible conversation about expanding your design services to include construction management. Whether you’re already doing this or thinking about it, we’ll cover some of the common challenges—pricing, pitfalls, and the essential things to keep an eye on. Renee is an expert in navigating these areas, and we’re excited to share her insights with you. We hope you enjoy the conversation! Topics Mentioned: Project Management Pricing Confidence Team Work Key Thoughts: I think that's where designers can trip themselves up unintentionally. They see themselves as the outsider, as the only girl on the job site, and it's very easy to just stay in that role. Renee Biery What's interesting is when we show up in a space, already personally aware that we deserve to be in the space, we don't feel like we have something to prove. Michele Williams Even those who know what they should be charging, or they already are charging, they aren't charging what they believe they are worth because they're uncertain of their worth. Renee Biery We're looking for this fast track, and the truth of the matter is, we don't need to fast track our pricing. Michele Williams Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams Contact Renee: Email: renee@devignierdesign.com Facebook: @devignierdesign Instagram: @devignierdesign Website: www.deVignierdesign.com LinkedIn: Renee Biery References and Resources: CFO2GO Work with Me Metrique Solutions The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today The Interior Designer's Guide to Construction Management Only Girl on the Jobsite podcast Unlocking Financial Freedom with CFO2GO: A Journey Through One-on-One Coaching One-on-one coaching is my main line of work, and for a good reason. I dive headfirst into my client's business, helping them become strategic with their finances and decision making to be able to lead profitable companies. My ultimate goal and reward is connecting with and helping incredible business owners in the interior design industry. So, I get very excited when my clients come back on my podcast to share their stories so they can, in turn, help others in the design industry. With CFO2GO you can take your business strategy to the next level with our 4 step process that will help you know your numbers, understand your business position, create a path forward unique to your design experience, skill set, and dream life - plus help you grow your design firm. Click below to find out more! Learn more
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    54 mins
  • Ending the Year Well for Your Design Business

    Ending the Year Well for Your Design Business
    Nov 3 2024
    272: Ending the Year Well for Your Design Business

    Have you ever wondered how to end the year well? You'll hear us talk about this in multiple places all around, how do we end our year well? In this podcast, we will discuss how to define what ending the year well for you and your company looks like, how to plan in advance, how to be intentional, and how to create some time to rest and reset. It is so interesting that the fourth quarter of our year is spent not only making sure that we can wrap up the needs of the current year but also doing a lot of planning and heavy lifting so that we can start the next year off well. The way to start in a power position in the new year is to end this year in a power position. Listen in today and determine what that might look like for you and your company.

    Topics Mentioned:

    • Strategic Planning

    • Business Metrics

    • Processes

    • Intentionality

    Key Thoughts:

    • Finishing well means to be proud of the effort that was put into these critical items knowing that they set us up for a better future. Michele Williams

    • Take stock of where the company is right now and where you anticipate it being at the end of the year with regard to your financials. Michele Williams

    • Ending well also takes advanced thought and planning. Michele Williams

    • Don't overdo it and go into the new year exhausted. Michele Williams

    Contact Michele:

    • Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com

    • Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting

    • Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL

    • Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com

    • LinkedIn: Michele Williams

    References and Resources:

    • CFO2GO

    • Work with Me

    • Metrique Solutions

    • The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today

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    13 mins
  • Buying a Commercial Space for Your Business

    Buying a Commercial Space for Your Business
    Oct 20 2024
    271: Buying a Commercial Space for Your Business

    Joining me today on the podcast is Paul Neal. He's a financial strategist and author dedicated to transforming the way entrepreneurs view commercial property. He has a book called Un-Lease Your Business: Unlock Wealth, Autonomy and Control by Buying Your Building and Firing Your Landlord and it is a very informative book. He is an amazing speaker who is going to help us understand more about the commercial buying process for our businesses. Enjoy the podcast.

    Topics Mentioned:

    • Purchasing commercial real estate

    • Process

    • Financials

    Key Thoughts:

    • You don't have to be a world-conquering type of person, but you have to have stability. Paul Neal

    • You cannot make decisions without your financials in order, or you're making it on a gut feeling and that doesn't always support us. Michele Williams

    • We always suggest to get in with the least amount of down payment that makes sense, because then you've got your money that you're not putting into the brick and mortar you can use for other things. Paul Neal

    • The goal here is that we have to be profitable with what we have, and then provide ourselves as a stable business, meaning stable sales, and stable profitability. Michele Williams

    Contact Michele:

    • Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com

    • Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting

    • Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL

    • Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com

    • LinkedIn: Michele Williams

    Contact Paul:

    • Website: https://www.ownyourbuildingnow.com/

    • Email: paul@vpc.capital

    • LinkedIn: @paul-neal-tea

    • YouTube: @theEntrepreneurialAgent

    • Facebook: @theentrepreneurialagent

    • Instagram: @theentrepreneurialagentpodcast

    References and Resources:

    • Un-Lease Your Business: Unlock Wealth, Autonomy and Control by Buying Your Building and Firing Your Landlord by Paul Neal

    • CFO2GO

    • Work with Me
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    43 mins
  • 4 Year-End Steps to Prepare Your Interior Design Business

    4 Year-End Steps to Prepare Your Interior Design Business
    Oct 6 2024
    270: 4 Year-End Steps to Prepare Your Interior Design Business Join us as we revisit an insightful episode focused on empowering interior designers through creating a strategic business plan. This re-showing of our previous podcast, "Four Year-End Steps to Prepare Your Interior Design Business," is perfect for anyone looking to enhance their business strategy. In this episode, we dive deep into effective strategies tailored specifically for the interior design industry. As an interior design business coach, I’m thrilled to share the exact processes I'm implementing in my own business right now. Whether you're a seasoned designer or just starting out, these actionable steps will help you set a strong foundation for the coming year. Topics Mentioned: Planning SWOT analysis Setting goals Energy Key Thoughts: Taking an in depth look and SWOT analysis at each element in our business really provides us with information and helps shine a spotlight in an area we haven't looked at before. Michele Williams By creating quarterly goals which are more streamlined and individually focused, we have the ability to get four really big goals completed in a year with attention placed on each one. Michele Williams Think about what energizes you and what drains you. Michele Williams Make sure that the majority, if not all, of your products and services and processes are done in a way that moves your company forward with energy instead of draining it. Michele Williams Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams References and Resources: CFO2GO Work with Me Metrique Solutions The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today Who's in Your Room: The Secret to Creating Your Best Life by Ivan Misner, Ph.D., Stewart Emery L.H.D., Rick Sapio 12-Week Year - by Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington Unlocking Financial Freedom with CFO2GO: A Journey Through One-on-One Coaching One-on-one coaching is my main line of work, and for a good reason. I dive headfirst into my client's business, helping them become strategic with their finances and decision making to be able to lead profitable companies. My ultimate goal and reward is connecting with and helping incredible business owners in the interior design industry. So, I get very excited when my clients come back on my podcast to share their stories so they can, in turn, help others in the design industry. With CFO2GO you can take your business strategy to the next level with our 4 step process that will help you know your numbers, understand your business position, create a path forward unique to your design experience, skill set, and dream life - plus help you grow your design firm. Click below to find out more! Learn more
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    17 mins
  • Delegating Begins with Hiring

    Delegating Begins with Hiring
    Sep 15 2024
    269: Delegating Begins with Hiring Joining the podcast today is Selina Johnson. Selina is a team operations strategist and go-to expert for reclaiming your time and embracing an enriched, peaceful life. Her mission is to empower CEOs to build efficient teams that don’t rely on them 24/7. We will talk about where delegating really begins and the best practices to get the outcomes you want with teams you enjoy working with. Topics Mentioned: Hiring Trust in a team Big picture Preparedness Key Thoughts: It's really important to determine what's your core focus in your role and, what could you start delegating every morning, even if it's a small task, to somebody else in your team. Selina Johnson Delegation really starts with the building of your team and having the right people in the right positions to do the job that you need to delegate to them because even if they understand it and even if they acknowledge it if they can't do it, it does you no good to delegate it to them. Michele Williams I feel that is detrimental to the business when you don't give all the key information when you're delegating. Selina Johnson It is important that we can help them understand how they fit in and that the job matters. It matters if it gets done. It matters if it doesn't get done. And it matters if it gets done well. Because if they think that it doesn't matter, then you're going to get, it doesn't matter work. Michele Williams Contact Michele: Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com LinkedIn: Michele Williams Contact Selina: Website: www.selinajohnson.com Email: selina@selinajohnson.com LinkedIn: @selinajohnson-teambuilding You Tube: @ilovemyteam References and Resources: Aim With Intent Coaching CFO2GO Work with Me Metrique Solutions Selina’s Ultimate Hiring Blueprint Unfiltered Wisdom: Free Coaching from Michele’s Keyboard to You Are you hungry for more? Subscribe now to receive two free coaching emails per month, personally crafted by Michele! Delivered every two weeks, these emails are packed with valuable insights, actionable strategies, and thought-provoking ideas to guide you on your business transformation journey towards greater success. Learn more
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    46 mins