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You Can't Afford Me
Making the leap from employment to entrepreneurship can be a scary time. The biggest fear people have is the unknown. Here on the “You Can’t Afford Me Podast” we speak with hustlers and innovators on how to make the most of your journey. If you have questions we have answers.
You Can't Afford Me
Kitchen Grit: Building a Design Business in Uncertain Times
What if fear—not money—is the real reason most dream renovations never happen? That’s the spark for this conversation with kitchen and bath designer Lea Yeager, who turned a health reset and a pandemic into the launchpad for a thriving, CAD-powered design studio. We get into the exact moves that made it work: building a commission bridge while starting up, pitching design value inside a countertop shop, and pairing her eye for function with her husband Brent’s deep Chief Architect skills to create lifelike renderings that remove client doubt.
We talk about the mindset that fuels momentum—law of attraction, confident presence, and relationship-first networking—and why it’s not fluff when it consistently opens doors. Lea shares the moment she stopped discounting forever and the downstream effects founders forget: price signals value, filters clients, and protects your time. She also offers a simple, powerful tactic for boundary-setting: waivers when a client insists on risky choices, from marble patina to awkward layouts, to safeguard trust without a fight.
If you’re here for design, there’s plenty: why layered kitchens beat all-white in warmth and resale, how wide drawers outperform upper cabinets for daily use, what makes an island actually work (hint: 42-inch walkways), and how a bold black kitchen helped sell a high-end home fast. We also explore growth without burnout—staying nimble, adding selectively, and planning a future where design remains a craft, not just a business unit.
Hit play for practical entrepreneurship, real design strategy, and the kind of honesty that helps you make your next move with less fear and more clarity. If this episode moved you or gave you a tactic you’ll use this week, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review to help others find the show.
www.themrpreneur.com
Welcome to the You Can't Afford Me podcast, where we skip the fluff and dive straight into the ground. Real entrepreneur, real struggle, and the unfiltered journey behind today. Let's get into it. Hey guys, this is Stame Anderson. Thanks for joining us for another episode of the You Can't Afford Me Podcast. Now, this one is probably a little blast from the past. I'm not even sure if you remember where we initially met. We'll talk about that. We probably met eight years ago, somewhere around there. And we've closely been following each other on social media. And thought popped in my head the other day when I saw this young lady post something. I was like, we we need to get her on the pod. So today we have Leah on the pod. Leah, how are you doing today?
SPEAKER_01:Good. How are you?
SPEAKER_00:Awesome, awesome. So if you can first give everybody a quick rundown who you are and what you do.
SPEAKER_01:Absolutely. My name's Leah Yeager. Our company's Leah Yeager Designs. We're a custom kitchen design company, and we do custom cabinets. So basically, we've been in business now since 2020. I know we opened during a pandemic.
SPEAKER_00:Yep. Which is a great time to open. It was actually.
SPEAKER_01:It really, really was.
SPEAKER_00:Well, for that, everybody was stuck at home, so they were looking at home improvements and things like that.
SPEAKER_01:I saw the writing on the wall as soon as it happened. And um it just we uh started off doing mostly kitchen design. Um, we will do some bathrooms as well and additions, and um we partner with a custom cabinet maker. He runs the shop and we run the front of the business. So we take care of all of our clients with project management, finding them the right contractors to do the work. And um now recently my husband is now full time with us. Nice. So that was thank you. Huge, huge. Uh back in December, we decided to make that move and so glad. I don't even know what I did before I had him on with me full time.
SPEAKER_00:So let's unpack that for a minute because and do a favor, pull pull the mic a little closer to you there. There we go. Um, so I've recently I never thought I would do this. Uh had some personnel changes here at the company, and I was kind of scrambling for a minute, and then my wife looked at me and she says, You know I can do that, right? And I was like, hmm. And then sitting there thinking about it, it's like, you know, you have turnover, people come in and out of your company, and I'm like, Well, who's the one person that's not gonna leave me anytime soon? Probably my wife.
SPEAKER_02:That's right.
SPEAKER_00:Uh so we recently just brought her on as executive assistant for the company and never thought, because I've always looked at couples who work together, and I'm like, I don't know if my marriage is strong enough for that. Like, I could see us getting on each other's cases and back and stuff like that, but it's been a couple months now, it's actually run been running pretty smoothly. So talk to us about that, what it's like working with your spouse and how you guys like because one person this is a saying I have in our household. I'm CEO of the companies, my wife is CEO of the house. So whatever goes, she makes decisions there, I make the decisions here.
SPEAKER_01:Sounds like a good partnership. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:So how did you guys come to terms with that and figure out how to how to work together as spouses?
SPEAKER_01:Well, we're probably the couple that makes a lot of people sick. You know, we we never get in fights. And I think we've had one fight out of the 11 years we've been together. Yeah, you make me sick. Yes. So um actually working together is great. We have more in common. We have more to talk about. Yes. That's what I've noticed. Yes, and his his strengths are what I usually fall short of. And my strengths are the things that he knows I have the skill and talents for.
SPEAKER_03:Yep.
SPEAKER_01:So um, as I said, I don't know what I did before without him. I I really don't even know how I did it. So he takes so much stress and anxiety off my plate.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:And um I I mean, now it's like if we have something to complain about, we know what each other's talking about. Before he used to work in the pump industry, pumps for big uh buildings like water pumps for hospitals, wastewater treatment plants, things like that. And he'd come to me about you know an issue he's having. I'm sorry, honey, I have no idea what you're talking about.
SPEAKER_00:That's that's been a key factor, is like now I'll get like this morning. My wife texts me because now she's in my inbox and she sees my calendar and everything. And she texts me this morning and she was like, uh, hey, if you need to stay at the office later today, I understand. Like, go ahead and do what you need to do.
SPEAKER_02:Nice.
SPEAKER_00:And it's yeah, it is nice coming home and being like, oh, like, you know, we're working on this deal and talking through something like that, or like, hey, we're having a problem with this, or you need to follow up with this person. Like, now we're on the same level that can talk about these things.
SPEAKER_01:Support of each other's struggles, she understands. Exactly.
SPEAKER_00:Yes, but you brought up a good point where I I haven't brought this up in terms of like working with your spouse, but just like a partnership in general in business, it's having that yin and yang. Like the thing, like to this date, like my greatest business partner's guy, his butler. Uh, we've opened up a couple businesses together, and I say he's my greatest business partner because the things that I lack the greatest in, that's where his major strengths were, and vice versa. Like, he didn't want to be the guy in front of the camera, he didn't want to be the face of the company, he didn't want to market, he wants to do spreadsheets, follow-up emails, and all that stuff, the financials. I hate that stuff. He loves to do it. So talk about what's the yin and yang for you guys in terms of like where your focus is and where his focus is.
SPEAKER_01:So he has a degree in CAD, and something that we bring to the table for our clients that a lot of design companies don't have is we have a software program called Chief Architect. Typically, builders and architects use this program, not kitchen designers. And um, this is a very, very high-tech program where we are able not only to make a floor plan and um kitchen plans for cabinets, we also create these very realistic renderings. And I mean, people see these renderings, they think they're real photographs. Yeah. So people want to take down a wall, they want to move a window or open up a window, and they have no idea what it's gonna look like. Yep. That's what they hire us for. Okay. And we're also able to put in the um the countertops they want to use, the tile backsplash they want to use, the real paint colors. So they're actually seeing exactly what their kitchen's going to look like.
SPEAKER_04:Yep.
SPEAKER_01:And I would not know how to use that program if it wasn't for him. So it most people have a degree in CAD to use that program. So we bought that license, bought all the software and the high-tech computers for it. Um, and that's the bulk of his responsibility is I usually come up with the designs. And I sit there on the computer with him, telling him, you know, move that here, let's do that here, um, and the colors and things like that. But he has also an eye and he comes up with ideas too.
SPEAKER_03:Nice.
SPEAKER_01:Um, the other thing that he does very well is helping people with their appliances, um, plumbing fixtures. He's very good at understanding that kind of technical things that I don't. I'm more about the visual of finding how the kitchen should be laid out. Yeah. Um, you know, what's gonna be more functional for my clients. So also working with the clients. He he does work with them, but I do more of the project management side, uh, running the contractors, uh, helping my clients pick out everything. So, and that's not the stuff that he wants to do.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. Yeah. So I mean, it's a full service uh business that you have here. Because the the project management piece is like taking a load off of people's plates. Like it's one thing to go through a redesign, but when you're working with contractors, project managers, builders, electricians, like all this stuff, like it can be. I mean, it's a full-time job. It's a lot.
SPEAKER_01:Yes, it is. It is.
SPEAKER_00:So let's go back, let's reverse a little bit. How did you even get into this industry? Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Um, I'll try to make it a real quick story, but um, I did originally, I got out of high school early. I went to community college and tried interior design. And I was talked into a couple people who convinced me I probably would have little chance being successful at it being an interior designer. So long story short, I know.
SPEAKER_00:That's when that's when it turns an entrepreneur on, like, oh, for real? Hold my beer, watch this.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, well, I I actually didn't say hold my beer. I sipped from whatever they were drinking. And um, I ended up going into the financial industry and insurance industry, and I did that for about eight years. And um I I enjoyed it, but I ended up getting sick and had to go through some chemotherapy. And I decided to actually quit my job and really do some self-care. Yeah. Just I fortunate enough I could do that. I had residual income. So um I took about a year off from work. And in that time, I just realized I did not want to go back to the financial industry. Yeah. I was working 70 hours a week and I had I wasn't married, didn't have kids, had nothing really to show for it other than some success.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:But I felt pretty empty. And I don't know, I just decided to go back into a field I knew I was gonna go into sales, and I found a recruiter who actually introduced me to artistic stone design, which was a stone countertop store. And when I met the owner, he was a little hesitant of me because coming from the financial field, what would you know about stone countertops? And I said to him, I said, Well, I have a a um a background in interior design. Why not? When people come in here, if they buy countertops with me, I can sell the countertops at a higher price and they will get design services and not have to pay an hourly fee.
SPEAKER_00:All right, so pause right there.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Let's back because you just you just gave a lot right there, and I don't want people to miss that. So there there wasn't even necessarily an opportunity with this company in terms of like they weren't hiring and looking for an interior designer to bring into the business.
SPEAKER_01:They were hiring a salesperson, yeah, but the whole interior design thing did not cross his mind.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. So you brought that to their attention and made the pitch and said, Hey, here's the value that I can bring to the table.
SPEAKER_01:Right. And he first almost didn't buy it. He actually said, Well, no other stone countertop fabricator has a designer.
SPEAKER_00:That's exactly why you should do it.
SPEAKER_01:That's why he realized what he said when he said it. So um, but yeah, I'm actually still really good friends with him. He no longer owns the company, he's retired. But um, and I owe a lot to him because he did really, really pave the way for me into this industry. Yeah, he taught me so, so much. I mean, in fact, any interior designer who's listening to this, go work for a stone countertop fabricator for a while. You learned so much about design and layouts of floor plans. So um that's pretty much how I got into the industry, slowly making connections, networking, meeting the right people. And um, yeah, eventually I just went out on my own.
SPEAKER_00:Nice. So, what was it about interior design? Because the piece in there I don't want people to run over is the fact that you took that leap of faith. So, number one, just most Americans feel that they can't take a year off to like focus on themselves and their health. Um, which I think is very important, depending on you know what times like literally, if I wasn't married, I don't know if I'd ever vacation. Like my wife has to force me to vacation, just like always in go, go, go mode. And even when we're on vacation, like the laptop's getting open. Like I'm I'm still doing some stuff, but uh it's good to detach for the most part. Um, so for you to be able to take that time off, what was it about like did this call you to it? Because I feel a lot of people, you know, we say chase your passion, which I think to a certain extent that can be good and bad. Like I think a lot of people can end up broke chasing their passion. Like it's why you hear the term starving artist. Like, yeah, if you're 55 years old and you're just now trying to be a rock star, like it may not be in the cards for you. Um, but talk about that in terms of like your passion aligning with that and taking that leap of faith.
SPEAKER_01:Um I I think I saw the opportunity working for someone and trying to build that identity of a kitchen designer with it. So I, you know, uh it's there's no shame in working for someone while you're trying to also build something for yourself.
SPEAKER_00:It's a paid education.
SPEAKER_01:Absolutely. That's a great way to look at it. And um to anyone that wants to be an entrepreneur, that's that's what I would recommend doing. If you don't have that income and startup, work in the industry that you want to be in, but you eventually want to own yourself. Learn everything you can from that industry and who you're working for. And that way you'll know what you'll be able to, like I said, I was making connections while I was there learning. And you know, and no one's upset with me for leaving artistic stone design. That was they were happy. That's they knew that's what I was gonna do.
SPEAKER_00:Did they replace that position? Do they still have an interior designer there?
SPEAKER_01:They do not.
SPEAKER_00:No. I bet they're feeling that.
SPEAKER_01:Uh no comment.
SPEAKER_00:I'm not gonna get you in trouble on this podcast. Um, so with that, like talking about the education you got there. So, how how many years were you there developing that skill set before the thought came in your head, like, hey, it's getting about that time for me to kind of break off and do that.
SPEAKER_01:Good question. Um, so I started there in 2015. And while I was there, I always, you know, on the side, okay, I was helping clients with design of the layout of their kitchen.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:So that was just something I was doing. And then I started getting into the cabinet design. And I was working with another cabinet shop and just learning about cabinets, what's the best way to place them so they'll be functional so doors don't open into each other, so you're not tripping over a cabinet pull-out or anything like that with a dishwasher too close. Just all those little things that they don't teach you as an interior designer. So being a I should state this: I'm not an interior designer. I consider myself a kitchen and bath designer. All right. And there's a very big difference.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:I I'm not I'm not the person that's gonna put your furniture in a certain way in the house. Okay. I am strictly about the bones of the layout of the plan. I can do beautiful things with colors, but I am a kitchen designer, so I'm not an interior decorator.
SPEAKER_00:But the kitchen and bath are typically the two rooms in the house that add the most value.
SPEAKER_01:I agree. Yeah, very much so.
SPEAKER_00:So when people come in and see that chef's kitchen, like it's a it's a statement piece.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, yeah. But back to your question, it was 2020 that I really, like I said, kind of made the leap.
SPEAKER_00:And um how long before the leap were you thinking about it though?
SPEAKER_01:Oh I don't know, probably not that long. It was it was a pretty quick decision.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:It really was. And like I said, I think I just saw the opportunity with everyone sitting at home. I could see people itching, like staring at their ugly kitchens all day. Yeah. Because they can't go on their European vacations.
SPEAKER_00:So they had money. That's when everybody got pools, jacuzzies, uh like extensions on their home, all that.
SPEAKER_01:Right. It just kind of made sense. So it wasn't something I really thought about very long.
SPEAKER_00:Was there any hesitation there? Because I think a lot of people don't realize, like, it's easy to look back now five years later and see the success and everything kind of worked out, but like that's a very scary thing. Like, I'll never forget when I took that leap of faith. Um it was just like two things. Like, one, yeah, there is that fear, but then there's also this sense of comfort because you know you're doing what you're supposed to do with your life. So talk about that. Like, what was the first initial feeling? Because you went, you created a job for yourself, but you ultimately went from a job to starting your own business.
SPEAKER_01:Well, actually, what I did though to help supplement my income is I stayed with Artistic as a 1099, nice making commission only. So they couldn't tell me where I had to be, where I had to go. So I had the freedom to be able to focus on my business and still have some guaranteed income of selling countertops. And I still sell countertops through a five stone fabricator. So I I love being able to work with stone countertop stores. I love stone. It's it's wonderful, wonderful material to put into your home. Yeah. So um, but for anyone who is hesitant, that's that's what I'm trying to say. Find something where you can either work part-time or you're a 1099, you make commission just to supplement your income as you're building your business.
SPEAKER_04:Yep.
SPEAKER_01:And I in fact, I think they passed a law about four or five years ago for 1099 salespeople that the companies cannot tell them where they can work or how many hours they have to put in. It's completely up to them now.
SPEAKER_00:Yep. So So with that, because that's also that's a nugget in itself in terms of like I had to, I didn't really have that option when I was going to quit my job. Uh, but luckily Uber had just started in town. So I became an Uber driver to kind of supplement income. A lot of people probably wouldn't have thought about going to the company and saying, Hey, you know, I'm thinking about moving this direction. What do you guys think about making me a contractor? What was that conversation like when you brought that to their attention?
SPEAKER_01:Well, it was kind of mutual, actually. I think they saw the writing on the wall with me.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:And they pushed me in that direction too. Nice. And it was the biggest blessing that could have ever happened to me. So um, and you know, same thing with my husband. They saw the writing on the wall with him. They kind of pushed him also. And um we were were very blessed, very fortunate. So I I have to say again, for anyone who wants to be an entrepreneur, there's there's three things that I tell people makes them successful. One, surround yourself with other supportive, positive, successful people. If you have people in your life that are downers who blame capitalism or their boss or everything around them, and that's why they're a failure, get them out of your life.
SPEAKER_04:Yep.
SPEAKER_01:They're gonna drag you down. Okay. Absolutely. Positive energy attracts positive energy, same way negative energy works. Okay. Um, the second thing is in I don't know if you've ever read the book or watched it. Do you know the book, The Secret?
SPEAKER_04:Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Okay. I encourage anyone who wants to either run a business, um, just be successful in life, lose weight, have a great marriage, whatever it is. If you don't want to read, there is a documentary on Amazon of the secret.
SPEAKER_04:Yep.
SPEAKER_01:Watch it. It's about two hours long. And it's, you know, consider it's the law of attraction. I've been practicing out there. Yes. I've been practicing the law of attraction for about 12 years. Yep. My life gets better every year. Every year it gets better. So that's the second thing I would encourage entrepreneurs to do.
SPEAKER_00:Oh, remember the third one, because we need Parker there on the second one for a second. Okay. I'm still trying to convince my wife about the law of attraction.
SPEAKER_01:All right.
SPEAKER_00:But she didn't even realize the law of attraction brought her into my life.
SPEAKER_01:Uh-huh.
SPEAKER_00:So, one of the greatest lessons a mentor taught me, he was like, because at the time I was single, he was like, uh, I want you to write out a list of every quality you want in the spouse. And it goes well beyond the physical piece. Yeah, put that piece in there. You got to be attracted to your spouse. But what are the characteristics that you're looking for in that person? He said, the major thing you're gonna get out of that list is it shows you the person you need to be in order to attract that type of person into your life. And my wife, she gets pissed off that I say this. She it wasn't 100% on the list. So it wasn't batting a thousand. But it was like 98 things out of the hundred percent that I wrote, she hit on those things. Um, which I tell her, nobody's perfect, so like you should be happy with the 98%.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Um, but that law of attraction in terms of putting things out there, like it's it's one of these things that's hard to explain. But when you when you put something out there, when you voice it, when you share that information with the universe, with God, whatever you believe in, something just happens and the universe and your subconscious starts to find ways to bring you to that spot. So whether it's like, you know, the physical fitness, like, hey, I need to get in shape, do X, Y, and Z, like, well, if you just put it out there, these things eventually just become a habit. Um, and when you're, you know, these laws of success, when you're trying to find the right people for your circle, like I never went out with the mission and saying, I gotta find a mentor today.
SPEAKER_01:That's right.
SPEAKER_00:Mentors just came into my life because of the things I was doing and what I put out there in the universe. So people that don't believe it, I fully believe are people who haven't tried it. Oh my god. Like if you're skeptical, you just haven't tried it.
SPEAKER_01:Well, hopefully people will hear this and actually go, a perfect example is you post so many wonderful positive things on social media. Okay. That's the law of attraction. Yeah. You just post, I know you're posting those things for other people to read and help them be motivated, but that also attracts more to you absolutely just by posting it. And um, yeah, like you said, God, yes, I have my faith. I'm not trying to convert anyone, but rather it's the universe, God, yourself, whatever, you find whatever's positive. And the more you say, I'm going to be successful, I'm going to win, okay, that will happen. The more you say, Life isn't fair, nothing works out for me, you're going to bring more of that into your life. Yeah. It just happens.
SPEAKER_00:Because you're block, you're blocking certain things from coming in your life with that mentality. That's right. It's like if you if you say, whatever you say becomes a reality. If you say, Oh, I'm never going to lose this hundred pounds. Well, you're right.
SPEAKER_01:You're right. You're never going to lose it.
SPEAKER_00:But if you say, you know what, I'm going to knock these hundred pounds off. Like the brain just starts working, the action starts taking. Next thing you know, you're you're writing down your meals, like you're making sure that you're not skipping workouts, like you're drinking enough water every day. You're going to walk, like all these little things just start to happen.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Um, yeah, we could spend a whole podcast.
SPEAKER_01:Oh my gosh, I would love to.
SPEAKER_00:What's what's number three?
SPEAKER_01:Um, yeah, let me see. I think I did just forget.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I was about to say I probably threw you off of that. Well, no, number first was your circle, second one was law of attraction.
SPEAKER_01:And the third kind of plays off on the first and second. It's your positive energy, of course, but also having the confidence. When you meet people, always have a very happy, positive, confident attitude. Learn how to shake hands. Oh my gosh. I so many people shake your hand like they barely have any grip.
SPEAKER_04:Yep.
SPEAKER_01:Or they don't want to touch your hand. Let me tell you what, when someone does that to me, maybe that sounds judgmental, but I do. I'm like, what are you scared of? What are you scared of? So shake people's hands very firm, smile, look at them in their eyes, repeat their name when you meet them.
SPEAKER_00:Yes. I always try to repeat their name three times so I can remember it.
SPEAKER_01:So you can remember it. So, but the the more you walk into a room with your shoulders high, confident, talking to people like you own the place, not you don't need to be cocky, but just positive and confident, that will open more doors for you. People want to be around you.
SPEAKER_03:Absolutely.
SPEAKER_01:They want to work with you. Yep. So that would be the three things that I would tell any entrepreneur to really focus on.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, having that mentality, like I'm I'm in this, I don't say weird point in my life, but like it's like a lot of the things I've been working for, I'm starting to realize, like, you know, years ago you prayed for certain things, and then now things are starting to happen where I'm like, holy crap, like the stuff I was paying for praying for before, like is a reality. Like to be in it, and it's not being braggadocious or having a big ego, but like there's certain rooms I walk in now, like I'm that dude. That's right. Like, and I used to pray to be that guy. And again, it's not because I'm so smart or I'm so this or I'm so that. Like, number one, I think it's the consistency of it. Yes. But I think two, like your final point is is literally just having that confidence and and the right attitude. Like when I worked in the mental health space, um, I wasn't nearly as educated as everybody else. I didn't have nearly as much experience. Um, but I put on a three, three uh I put on my my suit every day, um, play the role, and I studied as much as I could. So like in that industry at the time, like I was very young for for the position.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:So a lot of people didn't take me seriously because they thought, I mean, you're this kid. Like, what what are you gonna be able to tell me? But first I I passed them with my appearance, or like, okay, I looked apart. Um, but two, once they gave me a chance to open up my mouth, they saw, okay, this dude actually does know what he's talking about. Let's let's give him a chance. So, yeah, that confidence piece goes a long way.
SPEAKER_01:Oh, yeah. Even for me, um, my mother was so worried when I decided to go into the construction industry. She's like, you know, a lot of men there, they don't really respect women.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:And I have to say, typically, yeah, I'll meet some builders or contractors who don't know who I am.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:After 15 minutes, they're like, okay, she knows what she's talking about.
SPEAKER_03:Yep.
SPEAKER_01:But I will say, as a woman, I have such a leg up in this industry. I mean, yes, it's usually men who are doing the contracting, the building, doing a lot of the labor work. But who is your number one client that you're working with if when it's a couple? Yeah. It's typically the woman. Yep. And guess who she feels more comfortable talking to? Another woman. Another woman. Yep. And the contractors, they don't know anything. Some of them know about design, but most of them, they don't want to deal with that. They don't want to answer those questions. Yeah. They don't care what color your tile backsplashes. So women typically love the fact that they have a woman kind of a contractor role and someone to hold her hand and give her that sensitivity that she needs and understanding. So, not that I don't have men that need that too. And that's something also a lot of men may not feel comfortable working with the men, male contractors, because now it's kind of an ego thing, right? They feel more comfortable working with the woman too.
SPEAKER_00:Well, it's also been well known, like, so like uh there are times where maybe producing a video for a client and it calls for a voiceover. Typically, we end up going with the female voice because a man's voice sounds a little authoritative and like a little salesy versus a woman's voice comes off a little bit more caring, a little bit more nurturing. So, like people feel more comfortable engaging with that ad because it's coming from the voice of a woman versus the voice of a man.
SPEAKER_01:Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. Um, let's talk about that transition when your husband came on. So that again, another scary moment for you because he's got the full-time job, he's got the health benefits, like all that. So quote unquote security. Um what was that like with you both taking the leap of faith into entrepreneurship?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, so it was at the end of last year, and I said, you know what, let's spend the last couple weeks of the year. We're just gonna take off work. You're no longer with your company. No, I won't take any new clients. Let's just tell everyone we're chilling. It didn't work like that. In fact, one of my contractors is an architect, when he found out that Brent was now full-time with me, he had just lost his architectural designer. And they have the same software program as we do. Yep. So he goes, I need you guys really bad.
SPEAKER_04:Yep.
SPEAKER_01:He contracted us immediately. We didn't take any time off here. It just immediately went into just go mode. And we never stopped rolling after that. So that fear quickly diminished.
SPEAKER_04:Nice.
SPEAKER_01:It really did. And I I I I get that was kind of a stroke of luck, maybe, but to me, everything works for a reason, right?
SPEAKER_00:I was gonna say, I don't think your your journey may sound easier than most entrepreneurs, but I think the the common thread between everything you're saying is the time you took to develop relationships.
SPEAKER_01:Oh my gosh.
SPEAKER_00:That helps so much with the transition. Because you know, you hear the old saying, it's not what you know, it's who you know.
SPEAKER_04:Yes.
SPEAKER_00:But like I'm experiencing some of that right now where like some major doors are being opened because of some people that I recently met.
SPEAKER_04:Okay.
SPEAKER_00:And it's like, yeah, I've had the same skill set and I've had the same knowledge for the last few years, but now all of a sudden I'm being brought to the bigger tables because of the people I know. That's right. Um, and I don't think enough people spend the time like getting to develop those relationships. Like, one reason I enjoy the sport of golf so much is because like the guy I was supposed to go golf with the day, he's CEO of a company that we're doing some work with, and I'm trying to develop a little bit more of a deeper relationship with them.
SPEAKER_02:Makes sense.
SPEAKER_00:Um, you know, it's one thing to get a 30-minute meeting with them, sit down for coffee or whatever, blah, blah, blah. It's another thing to be out there on the golf course for five hours, like really getting to know each other.
SPEAKER_01:Really getting to talk to him.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. And now my wife's on this track now where she starts, she's understanding now, like, okay, when Sam goes out to golf, it's not just about like playing and having a good time. Like, he's really cultivating relationships, developing business. Like, those are the things that need to happen. So, outside of like the work environment, like how have you cultivated those relationships and deepened those?
SPEAKER_01:Pretty much what you're saying right now, and I'm uh, I don't know if I'm saying this right. Um, I'm an extroverted invert, really. So I I don't care to go out and network.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:That is not my fun thing to do. Now, when I get there, I have fun and I'm good with it. But you seek it out. I don't seek it out. Well, I do for business, but I would much rather be at home on my couch with a glass of wine and my cats and rent.
SPEAKER_00:I'm like, we pay all this money for mortgage. Can I just sit at home and enjoy my mortgage?
SPEAKER_01:Right. So, but what you're saying is true. You have got to go out and meet people. And um even when it's the bar scene, you know, a lot of social networking events happen at restaurants after hours, which is the time I don't want to go out. I want to go home. But that is where you're gonna be meeting people, shaking hands. Um, I know a lot of salespeople did the cold calling thing. I've got mixed emotions about that. I yes, I used to do cold calling, and you can get somewhere with it, but I think that's the old school way.
SPEAKER_00:Every two out of a hundred contacts, you've got to go somewhere.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I I think you get a lot farther shaking hands, meeting people, introducing yourself, and again, just winning people over with that positive, confident attitude. Yeah. So Even though it may look like I had an easy run, not saying that you were saying it was easy for me, but it was a lot of time, a lot of work when people were going home. I wasn't.
SPEAKER_03:Mm-hmm.
SPEAKER_01:I mean, a lot of times I stayed at the office working later, making calls and checking on people.
SPEAKER_03:Yep.
SPEAKER_01:Um, so when people saw me doing the things that I was doing, yeah, just like you. Oh, she's going to play golf or something. No, this is this is not a fun game for me. This exactly this is life. This is what I'm gonna do to become successful.
SPEAKER_00:This is chess, not checkers.
SPEAKER_01:Yes, that's correct. Great way to say it. So there was a a lot of time commitment. And Brent and I still today, Brent, my husband, we're today, we still are working nights and weekends. And people don't see that. They don't see the times that we actually say no to our friends and our family when we can't go have dinner with them or lunch or brunch.
SPEAKER_03:Yep.
SPEAKER_01:They don't see us when we turn down vacation time. They don't see us when we're actually answering our phones on vacation. I'm out on a boat some days talking to a client or a contractor, and it's supposed to be my time off. But that's that's what a business owner is. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:You know, one And for people like us, we don't see that as like, oh, my vacation's ruined. Like, I'm like, to me, the perfect vacation is business and pleasure. That's right. Like if I get booked, like one time I got booked to go out Turks and Caicos and I gave uh training for uh Keller Williams' office down there.
SPEAKER_01:Okay.
SPEAKER_00:I flap my jaws for three hours and I got three days in Turks and Caicos. To me, that's the per first off, they're paying for my Airbnb, they're paying for my travel, I got some work in, made some connections. On top of that, while I was in town, like some of the realtors were like, Well, hey, we don't have a videography team like you guys on the island. Like, what does it cost to get you to make some videos for us while I was there? So after I did the talk, we jumped into some video content with some of these people, made some additional money. But to me, that's like the ideal vacation.
SPEAKER_01:No, that is. That's that's and we do things like that too. In fact, my best friends also own a kitchen design company. Nice. And um, technically we could be considered competitors, but we do support each other, we're for each other business. Yeah, we can take vacations and technically write them off as business. So and we do, we talk about business a lot and what we can do to help each other. So it it really does it's a great way to run your life with your career and your good self-care time, if you will. No, absolutely. But yeah, I mean, I I think for a lot of people, they have the talent and skill to be a salesperson, a really good salesperson, but they don't have the consistency or commitment to it. Okay. And the same thing for entrepreneurship. You know, they they could probably really do a great job at running a business, but they're horrible about going out there and making those connections and finding those people. So, but you know, a lot of times people really get stuck on the whole degree thing. Yeah I gotta have a degree. I won't be successful unless I have a degree. And I know I told you I wouldn't talk about this, but let's open that can up.
SPEAKER_00:I'm on the same side with you.
SPEAKER_01:But if I can just express um with all due respect to teachers, a lot of the school system is kind of an indoctrination of getting people to fall in line, go to college, graduate, get married, buy a house, have a family, whole white picket fence, apple pie, American dream. That's not for everybody. Not everyone can fall in line and do that.
SPEAKER_00:And I think Henry Ford actually helped with the if he didn't lead it, he helped in the development of the school system. Yep. Because basically he was trying to get people on the same. You look at it, it's similar to the prison system. Like you get an hour of outside time each day. Like the bell rings for lunch at this time. Like all these different things, it's like programming people, okay, nine to five, like at 12 o'clock, you take your lunch and you come back, then you same process with that.
SPEAKER_01:Well, it's even the stigma that I had in school, and it might be different today. I've heard teachers say it's not the same.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:But you know, I had a guidance counselor that would pretty much nailed into my head, if you don't get a degree, you won't be successful.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:And that's was really the whole thought process of school. If you did not get a degree, you wouldn't be successful. And that to me is just a horrible way to put any sort of fear into a kid because not everyone is meant for school. Yeah. I even remember seeing all the kids get on the tech buses to go to tech school. And again, this is a long time ago. I remember hearing people say, Oh, yeah, those are the kids that won't be able to go to college. They're the ones who get in trouble. They don't have money. They're gonna be plumbers and electricians. Like it's the worst thing they could do.
SPEAKER_00:Which those are some of the best jobs you can possibly have right now. I know.
SPEAKER_01:I mean, I my plumber came in, was in my house for five minutes, and fixed the problem$250 late.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. Nobody told us growing up that hey, plumbers make$125 an hour. Nobody tells you that.
SPEAKER_04:No, no.
SPEAKER_00:And it's normally the dirtiest jobs that pay the most money, too. That's right. That's right. Now, on that, and I'll say this, and I've said it publicly on this show before and just on my social media in general. I've I've had this business for 10 years. I learned everything about this business from YouTube.
SPEAKER_01:Oh, wow. That's awesome.
SPEAKER_00:I didn't study marketing in school or anything like that. Like we're in the information age. If you want to learn something, you can go online right now and learn it. If you want to learn a new language, if you want to pick up a new skill set, I've often said the only three professions you have to go to college for is if you want to be a teacher, a doctor, or a lawyer. That's right. And I've actually taken lawyer off that list because you don't have to go to college to become a lawyer, you just have to pass the bar. And it's a lot harder, but uh that show Suits showed us that that guy, he just he was just able to had a photographic memory. He was able to memorize all these law books and you know ultimately could turn out to be a pretty kick-ass lawyer. That's right. Um, I love that. I love that piece. Um, let's talk about your your business. So where is what's the five-year game plan for this? Because this is another thing I love about entrepreneurship is that there's no right way or wrong way of doing this. Um I used to have a small group of uh other videographer entrepreneurs that I would meet with. And like one of them, it was a husband and wife team. That's all they wanted. They didn't want staff, they didn't want contractors, just the two of them. They make their six figures each year, they work with X amount of clients, they're happy. Another guy that was in the group, he wanted like three or four people on the team, get it to a certain level, focus on this area, and he was good. Me, I want world domination. Like, I need an enzo media firm in several different states across the country. That's awesome. I'm even looking at some stuff in different continents. That that's my long-term game plan. So, what's the game plan and strategy for you? Are you guys trying to keep this tight and small? Is this something you're trying to expand to a different level? What is it?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I really don't want world domination. But that's that's great. I'm weird that way. Most people don't. I think that's amazing. Um I really love Brent and I as the partnership that we have. That's not to say that we wouldn't ever hire someone. Yeah. Okay. Because we are growing. And uh I think this year is gonna be the best year we've had. Nice. So just bringing him on is just a testimonial right there that this will be the best year we've had yet. I see it growing more. Um, we're able to handle more that he's on now. So I really don't see us trying to expand in the next couple years, maybe not even five years, but that that could change. So um I do have a niece who is in high school, and there is a thought that she'll go to college, become a nurse, this kind of stuff. But she's still young, she's 16. Yeah, and I've even talked to her if you find it because I didn't want her to feel the way I did. I was very scared in school thinking I was not gonna be successful. Yep. Just because I was not the school type. I actually graduated early or dropped out, if you will, and got my GED. And I tried the community college thing, and that wasn't for me either.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:So I just found out I was more career-driven, and I wanted her to know the same thing. If you find out school is not for you, that does not make you a failure. In fact, it actually makes you probably a leg up than a lot of people. Yep. And no disrespect to people who went to school and got a degree. That's great. But I told her, you know, her degree really just says that you know how to study and pass some tests.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. You you can complete something. That's what that's what it's saying. That's what it says.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. So she knows that she has a place with us if she ever wanted to come in and who knows, even take over the company.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Ideal would be to have someone who could run the company while we could actually step back. But I don't see that happening for like another 15 years.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. Like, but here's the other piece too is like, you know, you're already kind of thinking about this. Um, I think one thing entrepreneurs don't think about enough is our extra strategy. What does this look like during retirement? And I think people like us, like, we're never really ultimately gonna retire. Like, and as long as I'm not on my deathbed, like, I need something to do. And though those are typically the people that you see in the elder years that have health issues are the ones that just don't have anything to do. Like, I'd love to golf three, four days a week, but also need something else to do. Like, yeah, hire me to go uh give a talk in Las Vegas, and while I'm there, I'm gonna get you know two rounds of golfing while I'm there and I'll come back home. But like it's always gonna be something. So have you guys, I know this is fairly new thing for you guys in terms of like the partnership and bringing your husband on, but has there been any thought for that in terms of what does this look like 30 years from now? Are we just gonna sell the business? Are we gonna bring somebody else in? Are we gonna retain part ownership and bring on a management team? Like, what does that look like for you?
SPEAKER_01:I I would think that we're still gonna keep something part-time for us, just like you said. Kind of you don't have anything to do, you just dwindle away. My husband, Brent Brent is definitely like that. He always has to have something to do. Yeah, he can't. I have to force him to go on vacation.
SPEAKER_04:Yep.
SPEAKER_01:And well, it's I think it's because he also, just like me, when we go on vacation, we get stressed because we're not at home full-time working with everyone.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:And I know when we get home, we're gonna have so much to do. So there's that stress, right? Um, but you know, the kitchen design and bathroom design that we do on our renderings, our drawings, our software, yeah. I see us always doing that. I mean, because we can work from home and do that.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:That's just something to keep us occupied, keep another revenue stream other than retirement coming into us so we don't have to pull as much from retirement.
SPEAKER_03:Yep.
SPEAKER_01:So I see that happening. Rather not someone takes over the business or resell it, really haven't talked too much about that. Cause like you said, this is, you know, I've been in business now for five years. Yeah. So um, but I I definitely see somehow us expanding with the exit strategy of someone taking over, and we still have some sort of part ownership in the business.
SPEAKER_00:Nice, nice. Let's talk, let's talk about the actual business. So um I want you to talk about some trends that are going on. So, like, our white kitchens still in that's gonna be my first question. My wife has has this in her head and she may she may change her mind by the time we move to the next house. Um if we we walk in, and I've asked her this several times, we could walk into a house, everything else is perfect. But if that's not a white kitchen, she doesn't want the house. And I was like, Well, you know I can hire you, take the kids up to your parents for the weekend. Yeah, I'll have somebody come in here and take care of this kitchen. When you get back, it's white. Nope. If it's not white when we're looking at the house, like I don't want it. What are the trending colors right now? Because white kitchens were like all the rage when we first bought our house. Is that still the case? What's what's happening?
SPEAKER_01:Not really. Oh hope Holly doesn't kill me.
SPEAKER_00:Um like the light blues, like earthy tones now.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, so actually stained cabinets have come back in too.
SPEAKER_00:Okay.
SPEAKER_01:And not the stain that you're thinking from the 90s where it's that orange-looking stain. No, no, nothing like that. Um, it's typically a white oak look, okay, which is a higher costing.
SPEAKER_00:Is that like this color or no? It's lighter than that. Okay.
SPEAKER_01:It's lighter than that. So that's more like a walnut. And um, so a lot of people are doing what's called layering kitchens where they do a mixture of wood tones and painted cabinets.
SPEAKER_03:Okay.
SPEAKER_01:That's very popular. Um, greens and blues are still kicking it pretty hard. Um, it just some people are very anti-green. Yeah. And then some people just don't want blue. So depending on what their likes are.
SPEAKER_00:I like blue a little bit more.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, that's and a lot of people feel that way, I think. So um upper cabinets, people are realizing upper cabinets do not need to be as prevalent in a kitchen. Um, I try to really push this with people with more open shelves.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:And the first question is, what do we do with our glassware and our plates?
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Well, us being a custom cabinet shop, we build drawer stacks that let people stack plates in them. Same thing with glasses, their boxes that they can put their glassware in.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:So you never have to reach up to get something. And most people don't understand anything past your second or third shelf in your upper cabinet, you can't reach. Yeah. You have to get a stool.
SPEAKER_00:And you're probably not using it that often. You're not using it that often.
SPEAKER_01:It's almost a waste of space where you could be doing something more aesthetically pleasing with your kitchen. I also tell people if you have a kitchen full of upper cabinets surrounding you, it kind of feels enclosing.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Just a little, little enclosing. But um, I I don't see too many trends of white kitchens now. I think there are there's a place for them.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:I think they still look beautiful. Um, but a lot of people who do white kitchens, what I would recommend to you guys with a white kitchen, bring some wood accents and like I said, some wood floating shelves. Yeah. Okay. Make the island at least a stained wood. Okay. Um, find a little bit of color in your backsplash or something. Yeah. I I wouldn't just do full white. Sometimes they can look sterile. Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:No, but but definitely like a little pop of color. I'm I'm real big. I'm trying to convince her to let us paint all the doors in the house black. Like I love the look of that where like a black door pops off, pops off that. Um when someone's looking at doing a redesign, what what are the major reasons you see people typically doing redesign? Is this like we're empty nesters now and the kids are out the house, or it's just like most of your clients are just waking up one morning just hate their kitchen. They're like, we gotta get something done.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, they they've always, I think most people always want to redo their kitchen. The number one reason people don't do a renovation in their home, it's actually not money, it's fear. It's not knowing where to start, who to trust, who to talk to to get the right answers to the questions they have. Um, a lot of people hire me for just a um an hour and a half consultation in their homes. I come in in their house, I do measurements, I talk about ideas, and then I do a cost analysis for them. And the cost analysis is based off the size of their kitchen and the average cost of cabinets, countertops, hiring a contractor, tile backsplash, flooring, appliances, whatever. All of that stuff is what makes a client feel a little more confident. Yeah, they take that cost analysis, and now when they go, whether they work with me or someone else, they know what to expect.
SPEAKER_04:Yep.
SPEAKER_01:And that is, I think, very, very important for people to do. So if anyone is looking to at doing a renovation, see if they can't find someone like me or me to come into their home and help them find that. Um, but trends, I I I have a real issue with the word because that means it's in and out. Like Yeah, well, you know what? Everything has an expiration date. Yeah. I have people who say, I want a timeless kitchen, and 20 years this will still be popular.
SPEAKER_00:Well, you know, the only thing that's timeless is Michael Jackson. Everything else, everything else is gonna change. I mean, bell bottoms are back now.
SPEAKER_01:That's right, that's right. And things do come in and out. Our kitchen, you know, when we did our kitchen in 2019, it's not a white kitchen. I have cream cabinets, I have black soapstone on my counters, I have dark wood floors. Um Is that the kitchen?
SPEAKER_00:Because we had we use you for a video one of the years.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, you came out to my house and that or you guys did. And um, so um, but you know what? My kitchen's now in style.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:So I tell people don't worry about trends so much. If you love it, yeah, in 20 years, don't worry about the expiration date. The only expiration date you need to worry about is what you're not gonna like anymore.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:So in 20 years you think you're gonna hate it, don't do it.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:But if you know you will love this for that long, do it. Don't care about the trends.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, they're only using the word trends. There was only one where it just like baffles me, well, two. One, when people used to put carpet in the bathrooms. I don't understand how that was ever a thing. And two, how did popcorn ceilings become like, oh, this is a really nice house if you got popcorn ceilings? Like, there was a meme that went out the other day where like some uh couple in the 80s, like they were like reenacting, they were like, Can we get more popcorn on the ceiling? Like we don't have enough popcorn up here. Like, I'm just like, I don't know how that ever became a thing.
SPEAKER_01:Are you sure it wasn't a joke?
SPEAKER_00:No, it was a joke. It was a joke. Okay, they were they were like doing some comedy skit.
SPEAKER_01:Okay, good.
SPEAKER_00:Um but looking at that too, like what is something are you do you work with a lot of clients that like they're looking to sell a home and they're like, okay, what can we do with the kitchen to get some upgrades?
SPEAKER_01:Not as many. I did have a very recent success with one realtor and his clients, but it was in a neighborhood that um every house in there goes for at least 1.2 or higher. So they um the the the clients of his they inherited their home from their deceased parents and they lived in another state. So they didn't need the house, the house was paid off, they just wanted to sell it. Okay. Um it sat on the market for over a year because the house needed a lot of updates. One being the kitchen, I think the cabinets were still probably from 1989, 1990. So when you're trying to sell a house at that price point, you can't have that kind of dated kitchen. Yeah. So typically people don't want to invest that kind of money to sell a home, but this worked out for them. Um the the deal was I needed to keep it at a hundred or below, and that um it would be beautiful enough to sell. So little pressure there, but uh we did it and I did things that they kind of pushed back on me. I painted the cabinets black, and they were like, black? Just trust me, okay?
SPEAKER_00:I've never understood that when a professional comes in, especially if you're trying to sell the home, my realtor could tell me, hey, paint the walls pink and we're gonna go get another$40,000. Cool, I don't care. I'm not gonna be living here anymore. I don't understand why people kick back on professionals like that.
SPEAKER_01:It's edgy, it's edgy, right? A lot of people think um to be more conservative or transitional.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:But this was a house that I just knew in the area that it was in that could handle that.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:And guess what? The house was on the market for a month and it was under contract.
SPEAKER_04:Nice.
SPEAKER_01:And not only did they uh get the house sold, but they invested a hundred and probably got two hundred more than what they were originally gonna get if they sold it before. So I mean, they got their investment back. They were able to sell their their house and look what it did for them.
SPEAKER_00:So on that note, too, what what do you do when you get a little kickback from clients? So, for instance, like in our industry, um you know, we all have those different tiers of clients in terms of like their temperament. Um, I've never understood hiring someone for thousands of dollars and then fighting them every step of the way. Like, if you knew how to do this, you would have done it yourself. Like you didn't need to hire me.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Um, and typically my response, I tell clients at the end of the day, like, at the end of the day, this is what you want. In my professional opinion, this is not what I'm recommending. But you're the client, you're right in the check. If this is what you want, we'll do it, but it's not what I recommend.
SPEAKER_02:Right.
SPEAKER_00:What do you typically do when the client comes back and they're giving you a lot of kickback on something where you know this is the best thing for what they're looking for?
SPEAKER_01:I if they want to do something, it's typically if they don't want to do something that I want them to do, I'm I'm not gonna fight them too hard on it. Okay, and and these people didn't fight me too hard either. It's more of when they want to do something that I know is not going to be good for their kitchen. Yeah. Rather, it's aesthetic, more of functionality. So um this is a good thing for any business owner to do. If you know there's gonna be trouble in the future, if your client wants to do something and you as a professional know that's not good, make them sign a waiver.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. Oh, that's a great point.
SPEAKER_01:And typically what happens is when you put that paper in front of them and it's saying that you take zero responsibility for the mistake they're about to make.
SPEAKER_00:Yep. They gotta rethink that.
SPEAKER_01:They have to rethink it.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:So um I I do the same thing with marble countertops. I love marble. Uh I will always put marble in my home. I don't care. But I'm a marble enthusiast. Most people know marble is going to s etch, scratch, stain, chip. But that's what it's supposed to do. Yeah. It's beautiful, it's gonna get a patina look over time. Yeah, if you can't accept it, don't buy it. And there's some people though who will hear me when I say that, but the minute it happens in their home, they didn't hear me.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:So I started making people sign a waiver for that so they didn't hold me accountable.
SPEAKER_00:That's a really good tip. I'd think about utilizing that moving forward. Um, as we wrap up here, two more things I want to ask you. One is describe to us what a functional kitchen should look like. So when someone walks into, because obviously there are a variety of different designs you can have, for a very, let's say, feng shui uh kitchen, what is the best layout for something like that?
SPEAKER_01:It it really I know you're not gonna want to hear this. It really depends on the size of the kitchen.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:It depends on where windows are, where doorways are, and of course, some of these things can be moved, some of them can't. Depends on how much money people want to spend.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:I I think the ideal layout that people want is an island. Okay. They want an L-shaped kitchen with an island. Um, they want it to have it somewhat open to the entertaining space. If you do an island though, make sure you have enough space for walkroom around it.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:It's, you know, code here in Virginia is 36 inches of walkway between um walls, islands, perimeters. Okay. I would say at least do 42.
SPEAKER_04:Yep.
SPEAKER_01:36 actually feels a little tight, but 42 seems to be a little more comfortable. Nice. I mean that that's probably the best advice I can give for a layout without seeing a house in a mouth.
SPEAKER_00:Um, last question I just started this season asking every guest on the show. Um, describe to us your lowest moment as an entrepreneur and how you overcame that.
SPEAKER_01:Oh, that's tough. Um I don't know if it's a lowest moment or if it was more of a teaching moment for me.
SPEAKER_04:Yep. Go over that.
SPEAKER_01:And I I actually would love to take just a couple minutes to explain this to any entrepreneur and not try to take up too much time, but um never negotiate your cost.
SPEAKER_00:Say it again for the people in the back.
SPEAKER_01:Never negotiate your cost. Um because what will happen is a few things. One, the moment you lower your price just so the client will sign, is the moment you've given up all control and power of your business. Yep, absolutely. It's not just the sale, it's your business. That person knows that they have the power to control you.
SPEAKER_03:Yep.
SPEAKER_01:And they're why did you start your own business if you wanted to have control? Why be a business owner if you're gonna let someone else tell you how much something costs?
SPEAKER_03:Yep.
SPEAKER_01:So don't do that. The second thing happens is your client can lose some trust in you. They now think that you were trying to sell them something, your service, your product, whatever, for a price that it really wasn't worth.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:And now they have discovered it really didn't cost that much and you're willing to do it for a lesser price. Now they don't trust you. And the third thing, if people don't see the value and what you're providing, they're not your client. Yep. You know what it costs. You know what the time and effort you're gonna do for that person, the cer level of service you're gonna give, you know why it costs that much. That's why you decided to sell it for that cost.
SPEAKER_03:Yep.
SPEAKER_01:To name that price. So if someone does not see the value in you, they're not gonna respect you. They are gonna take advantage of you, they're not gonna appreciate you.
SPEAKER_04:Yep.
SPEAKER_01:So I would say the lowest moment, which was my teachable moment, is when I did those things being desperate enough to get someone's business, and they were the worst clients.
SPEAKER_00:Yep. They're all it's always the worst client when you discount your price point. And I heard uh Myron Gold said this. This is a quote that always stuck with me. He says, Sales isn't hard, you're just selling to the wrong people. That's right. If you're trying to sell to people who haven't expressed an interest in your service, then yeah, sales is real hard. But think about those, like the deal you were talking about when you guys were planning on taking some time off and got calls, he's like, No, I need you right now. It's the easiest sale of your life. Yeah, like there are more than enough people out there that once they learn about your business, are like, yeah, I need you, I don't need to look anywhere else. Like when you get those clients are like, I'm not shopping around, I've heard great things about you, you're the one I need. That's right. And you just roll with that. But every time, like, it never fails. And this is one of the scariest things as an entrepreneur is like, you know, every year, every couple years, you know, because of the economy, you have to raise your prices up. Yes. And it's always the biggest fear of mine that like you're thinking in the back of your head, like, oh, like people aren't gonna do business. Yeah, people are gonna leave me, they're not gonna mess with me anymore, blah, blah, blah. And every single time I've updated my prices and taken to the next level, not only have I gotten more business, I've gotten better clients.
SPEAKER_01:That's right.
SPEAKER_00:The ones that are coupon clipping and want the Lexus at the key of price, constant complaints, changes, XYZ, the ones who pay me the most money are the ones that talk the least.
SPEAKER_01:And they're easy to work on.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. They cut the biggest checks and they think you are the greatest thing since sliced bread. Everything you bring to them, they're like, this is awesome.
SPEAKER_01:Well, they again, just the appreciation. Somebody did come to me, or a few people last year, and I even did a post about this on social media. They said, you know, I really want to work with you, but I don't think I'm your ideal client. I don't think I can afford you. Now, I I may not be affordable for everyone, but I truly am for the most part for most people. And my ideal client is not measured by the size of their wallet. My ideal client appreciates me. They don't take me for granted, they listen to me, they understand that I'm the professional and they're the one who's inquiring my professional services and needs education. Yeah, my ideal client, I just want you to really, really understand how much I care about you and that your project means the world to me. It may not be my kitchen, but trust me, I'm gonna treat this like it's my kitchen. As long as you know those things, you're my ideal client.
SPEAKER_00:Love it. Love it. Perfect note to end on. Uh, if people want to get in touch with you, they want to seek out your services, they want to chat, how can they get in contact with you?
SPEAKER_01:Well, they can go to our website, Leahager Designs.com. Um, you can find me on social media on Facebook. Um, my phone number is everywhere plastered on there. But but they can just go to my website if they want to look me up, see the work that we do. We've got some beautiful pictures to look at and stuff. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:I think I think me and my wife are we're probably on the track of another two years and we're building the dream home. So I'll I'll definitely be giving you a call. Maybe we get a little bar. Maybe you need some marketing services at that moment.
SPEAKER_01:I think we can make work.
SPEAKER_00:Cut a little off the top.
SPEAKER_01:Yes.
SPEAKER_00:Well, Leah, appreciate you being here today with us.
SPEAKER_01:Thank you, Sam, so much.
SPEAKER_00:Absolutely. We'll see you guys on the next episode.