165: We're not in the business of decorating assholes with Heather KW Styles & Studio Laloc

About this episode

The episode features a roundtable discussion with designers about business strategies, client relationships, and the challenges of the design industry.

In this episode, Shaun and Rebecca are joined by returning favorites Heather of Heather KW Styles and Lauren of Studio Laloc for an unfiltered designer roundtable. What starts as a chat about Danish hardware and custom furniture quickly spirals into tariffs, turning down nightmare projects, presentation strategies, ideal clients, and—yes—an unforgettable handyman story. From navigating red flags on discovery calls to debating whether we’d decorate a Miami Vice mansion for the right price, this episode is equal parts business strategy and design therapy. If you’ve ever questioned a client fit, struggled with pricing under tariffs, or wondered how other designers hold their boundaries, this one’s for you. In this episode they discuss: Why presenting one strong design concept can lead to fewer revisions and stronger client trust How tariffs are impacting pricing, sourcing, and designer-client conversations in real time When it’s smart (and necessary) to turn down a high-paying project The red flags that show up during discovery calls—and how to handle them professionally Why ideal clients often have collections, strong opinions, and shared values Flat fee vs. hourly structures and…

People in this episode

Hosts: Shaun, Rebecca

Guests: Heather KW Styles, Lauren

Topics covered

• business strategy
• design therapy
• client relationships
• pricing strategies
• project management
• designer accountability

Keywords

• design
• business
• clients
• tariffs
• pricing
• furniture
• discovery calls
• handyman

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Studio Laloc, Heather KW Styles

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