From Skirted Roundtable to Design Icon: Linda Merrill on Blogging, Podcasting & Business

About this episode

Toma Clark Haines interviews Linda Merrill about her journey from blogging to becoming a design icon and the realities of creative entrepreneurship.

In this episode of The Business of Antiques , Toma, CEO of The Antiques Diva & Co, sits down with interior designer, blogger, and pioneering podcaster Linda Merrill, the force behind the influential design podcast The Skirted Roundtable . From her early days blogging as “Surroundings” to becoming a trusted voice in the interior design community, Linda shares how a simple desire for self-promotion evolved into a masterclass platform for designers around the world. She and Toma talk candidly about naming your business, how a brand can grow beyond what you ever intended, and why showing your face builds the kind of trust clients—and listeners—actually buy. Together they dig into the realities of creative entrepreneurship: imposter syndrome, the pressure to be perfect, the challenge of monetizing passion projects, and the importance of knowing when “done is better than perfect.” Linda reveals behind-the-scenes stories from The Skirted Roundtable days, including interviewing top designers, obsessing over sound quality with limited tech, and why authenticity always beats slick production. Whether you’re an antique dealer, interior designer, or creative business owner, this episode…

People in this episode

Host: Toma Clark Haines

Guest: Linda Merrill

Topics covered

• interior design
• blogging
• podcasting
• creative entrepreneurship
• branding
• trust building

Keywords

• interior design
• blogging
• podcasting
• branding
• creative entrepreneurship
• imposter syndrome
• trust

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Antiques Diva & Co, The Skirted Roundtable, Surroundings

More episodes of The Business of Antiques

• Consistency, Authenticity & the Untapped Social Media Opportunity for Antique Dealers with Lynn Byrne · June 11, 2026 · 1h 4m
• From Pop-Up Gallery to European Buying Trips: Building a Resilient Antiques Business with Olga Granda · June 4, 2026 · 58 min
• From Budapest to Beverly Hills: How Gábor Újvári Built a Global Antiques Empire · May 28, 2026 · 1h 14m
• Branding, Instagram & Buying Trips: Inside the Antique Business of Tortoise & Hare · May 21, 2026 · 57 min
• Antique Dealer Insurance 101: What Every Dealer, Collector & Designer Needs to Know · May 14, 2026 · 1h 17m
• Season 6: The Recalibration - Building a Business That Supports Your Nervous System · February 12, 2026 · 1h 7m