How A Hands-On Studio Delivers Luxury Results At Scale | Ishita Nagda Lalan | Part 4

This episode is about what happens to quality the moment a founder steps back - and why Ishita decided that wasn't a trade she was willing to make.

In Part 4 of this conversation, Ishita Nagda - STR designer, boutique hotel consultant, and operator - breaks down the internal systems, team structure, and decision-making behind a studio she has kept intentionally small.

We cover:

• Why no project bypasses Ishita - and what it costs the business if one does
• The sprint structure her team runs: design kickoff, internal review, client-facing meetings, and how revisions move through the system before a client ever sees the work
• The full design stack her studio uses - CAD drawings, SketchUp and 3D Max for renderings, Photoshop for mural design, and Design Files for procurement lists clients keep for life
• How a single design client in Asheville became eight co-hosting properties in two months - and what that says about building a repeat-client business in hospitality investment
• How Ishita and her husband divided the business as the STR portfolio crossed seven properties - who owns what, and why the split is non-negotiable
• The design and architectural challenges across her three active commercial projects: a 5,000 sq ft abandoned jail, a maze-layout historic inn, and a green-acreage wellness retreat outside Asheville - which is hardest, which was instinctive, and which opens first

If you're running a service business, a design-dependent hospitality operation, or trying to figure out what to stop owning as your portfolio grows - this is a practical conversation, not an inspirational one.

Chief Milestones is a video podcast featuring honest conversations with founders, parents, and investors about building real businesses, staying healthy, and raising families.

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Transcript

Boutique Control And Quality

Ishita Nagda 0:00

No projects can bypass me. Clients are coming to me for my flair. If you do not have your touch to it, the quality can go south immediately. And I'm not saying south, it will go different directions. So that's the reason I have kept it very boutique.

Defining Virtual Clients And Scope

Reshma Vadlamudi 0:16

So, what do you mean by virtual clients? Like anything outside North Carolina or anything outside Asheville? What do you call a virtual client?

Ishita Nagda 0:24

Virtual client is anyone who decides that we just need your design services and we'll execute.

Reshma Vadlamudi 0:29

Okay.

Ishita Nagda 0:30

And I choose not to go expand my boundaries beyond two-hour radius because my team cannot be everywhere. We are pretty much slammed in this area doing our project. Depends on the bandwidth what we have. Currently, we have a lot of projects in this area in Western North Carolina that my team is pretty slammed with. And I cannot take a project, even if it is Tennessee two hours away, it takes time for travel. Yes. You know, take taking multiple trips. At that time, I have experimented hiring different contractors, but sometimes, you know, the way they're working would not because what we do is so special. Like the specialty lighting, I'm telling you, I have to sit with them and teach them. It's not everyone's cup of tea. Yes. So at that time, I literally am at a point where I'm like, if it is beyond my team cannot take it, I do not want to take the execution. Then it is just client dealing with the execution, finding their own team, and I'm working.

Bandwidth Limits And Travel Radius

Reshma Vadlamudi 1:18

So when you're working with them in the sense you try to explain it to their contractors on how to do it, or we give them all the drawings, all the 3Ds, everything.

Contractor Fit And Specialty Lighting

Ishita Nagda 1:27

So for example, the Bourbon Trail project for us was a virtual design project. It was a fourth-time client, repeating client to us. Uh, they have been with me uh since 2022. It was a fourth project we were doing together, and it was a virtual project. They found their entire team in Kentucky. We provided them with entire drawing sets, construction drawing, but the one that and they are the kind of clients they want to like just go all out, like give me something different, and they love luxury and whatnot, right? Sits in our realm. And this the contractor that they found was a set designer himself. Like he used to design sets. Uh, so he was very worse with like all this indirect lighting, and he gave us a spectacular product and he could execute what we did. Yes, and we could do that because they had a contractor, or we designed it and he executed it. But then there are some areas, and again, an another project in Kentucky that we are doing, they don't have a good contracting team, it's very challenging. So then our designs are pretty subdued, right? We don't get to experiment a whole lot.

Virtual Project Wins And Constraints

Reshma Vadlamudi 2:26

Yes.

Ishita Nagda 2:27

Uh, we have to do it in in terms of the caliper.

Reshma Vadlamudi 2:30

Start modifying based on the contractors sometimes. Yeah. Okay.

Ishita Nagda 2:33

And based on, I mean, the budget of that project was also uh at a point where it was not that we could go all out uh and do all the things that we do, and but we obviously will do a nicer design, but not play with lights and not play because that would escalate that budget.

Reshma Vadlamudi 2:48

Yes.

Ishita Nagda 2:48

Uh so we tried to keep it simple and we would rather give sconsors rather than those indirect lights.

Reshma Vadlamudi 2:54

Yes. So what are your go-to tools, systems, or checks checklists, especially because with the design, is there everything that you can automate? Like, how does that work? Like, how does your not just this, even the even the team that you have to have? Like, how does that look for you on a daily basis?

Budgets Shaping Design Ambition

Systems, Sprints, And Checkpoints

Ishita Nagda 3:15

So I am very much involved in all the projects. In my studio, no projects can bypass me. Uh, I I have an eye, at least I know I have a great team of designers, but I'm getting to a point where they know what I want, but I will still go through all the designs, I'll still tweak it because in the end, the clients are coming to me for my flair. Every designer is different, right? And I've seen it multiple times. If you do not have your touch to it, the quality can go south immediately. And I'm not saying south, it will go different direction and it will not resonate like they came to you for your work. Why is it looking different? So that's the reason I have kept it very boutique in our studio where I want I'm very selective of the projects that we take, and I want to have things like at least I want to scan through the drawings and the mood boards at least and give them give my take. So to answer your question, the systems and processes they know the steps, right? Like the meetings and timelines and what the deliverables are. So we have figured it out. So we have those multiple sprints that we we come up with, and in this sprint A, we have to deliver design kickoff. Design kickoff has these many deliverables. You need to make sure that you have that them done. Design one will have these things. So there is a process that we have set, and every designer follows that process, and that's how we keep it. But every project has its own challenges, every project has its ups and downs. So it's not like a streamlined process, but we at least try to keep like one consistent process that they need to follow. And they meet with me and um they get to know my feedback, and then they're good to go on their own.

Internal Reviews Before Client Meetings

Reshma Vadlamudi 4:48

Okay, so so you take all you take the concept, you sit in that first call, and then you would give the something like an assignment to the designers that work for you, and they have to bring in the mood boards and everything to you to get those approvals before you go on to the second meeting. Is that how it happens?

Ishita Nagda 5:07

So the there's a client face meeting and then there's an internal internal office meeting, right? So if we have a client meeting tomorrow, then they're meeting me two days prior to the client meeting. Okay. And they're showing me everything. I'm giving my revisions to them and then getting that revisions done before we show it to the client.

Reshma Vadlamudi 5:25

Okay.

Ishita Nagda 5:26

So that's always a two-way process before it it gets wetted before it goes to the client for all the stages.

Reshma Vadlamudi 5:33

Okay.

Ishita Nagda 5:33

The minute it gets to construction drawings, I don't have to look at it because if they have questions, because they are very well with the construction drawings, they know what to deliver and whatnot. And I don't really scan through it as much now because there have not been any questions, but I want to make sure that the drawings are pretty accurate.

Reshma Vadlamudi 5:50

Okay. Okay.

Ishita Nagda 5:50

Like mood boards are the designs are.

From Approval To Execution

Reshma Vadlamudi 5:52

Yes, yes. So so once you have the approval from the client saying that four weeks, by that four weeks, if you have the approval, then it's all about that execution phase. Yeah. Right? Okay.

Ishita Nagda 6:06

So once the four week all the mood boards are approved, we get into the construction drawing phase where we are putting all the drawings together in a sheet, we're putting all the product links to another procurement list, and those the drawings go to the site, the procurement goes to our either procurement manager or it goes to the client if they are pro procuring, and it all happens parallelly.

Reshma Vadlamudi 6:28

So this one doesn't need from whatever you just said, this one doesn't need the designers, but then does your VAs come into place once all the approvals are done? Do they come in and put the systems into place for you? Like all those procure procurement links and all that?

Ishita Nagda 6:43

Uh that's the designers itself.

Reshma Vadlamudi 6:45

Oh, the designers do that. Oh yeah, yeah. Okay.

Ishita Nagda 6:47

So they they do the construction drawings and they do the entire procurement list. Uh, so everything is handled by I I usually have a team of two, a lead designer and a junior designer. It's a pack of two, and they work on one project together. And that's it's rinse and repeat. Okay. Yeah.

Reshma Vadlamudi 7:03

So they do the they they do the part of putting everything together and everything. Yeah. So okay.

Tools: CAD, 3D, And Design Files

Ishita Nagda 7:10

Even the emails and everything to the clients is something that they do. I'm on WhatsApp groups, they're communicating. I'm looking all uh at all the WhatsApp messages. If I have to answer something, I'll be on that. But I'm aware of almost everything that's across the board.

Reshma Vadlamudi 7:24

Yes, yes, yes. You are still there overseeing things, but then they are doing most of the work. Yeah, so okay. And I know like the tools, like all I know about is SketchUp. Like, are there any tools that you use? Like, what do you use? Like, are there any tools? I don't even know what designers use.

Ishita Nagda 7:43

We uh because you know, my background is architecture, I'm very, very anal about the way we present the things. So we have CAD drawings, okay? We have uh SketchUp and 3D Max for 3D renderings. So we usually actually give like how the room would look in 3D. It's just not flat mood boards. We used to, but now we have shifted to just 3Ds.

Reshma Vadlamudi 8:03

Um, then we have uh our 3Ds for STRs and hotels. Wow, okay. Yeah, yeah, okay.

Ishita Nagda 8:10

STRs too, and then we have Photoshop if we need to do any mural design or something like that. Then we use Photoshop for it, and there's a tool called Design Files, which is what we use for procurement. So we can put our mood boards together in that list and it generates an entire list of furniture that we drop in, and that helps for us to share it with our clients, and they can shop from it, and that file stays with them lifelong. Uh, so if they want to reorder or reorder anything, then they can go.

Handovers And Maintaining Integrity

Reshma Vadlamudi 8:40

Oh, okay. How do you collaborate with cleaners, contractors, or VAs to maintain the design integrity after the launch?

Ishita Nagda 8:48

I mean, what we do is like once we hand over to the clients, or for my case, like if for our own investments, I hand it over to my husband who does all the operations and everything, then it's literally his checklist, what he like what then it is up to the owners how they want to, because everyone has their different ways. I know the way Harshad does it, he has an entire checklist, he has photographs that he sends to the cleaners and how the setup needs to be. Uh so they have their own system that they follow, and all the clients have their own systems the way they follow. But I have not heard back from any of our clients that you know this is not working out or this isn't it. No, okay. After after we hand over the design, uh it's completely up to the owners how they want to deal with it.

Reshma Vadlamudi 9:32

Okay, okay. So, are there any design clients that also usually become uh become your co-hosting?

Ishita Nagda 9:39

Yeah, that's how our co-hosting started. Okay, yeah, that's exactly how our co-hosting started. We were designing a property in Asheville, and that client was from East Coast, New York, New Jersey, and he was like, he was looking for the entire team. He wanted to be completely hands-off. And at that point in Asheville, we had formed our great Boots on Ground team, and we were confident that if you want to grow our co-hosting, we can start taking projects in this area. So when he was talking about design and he was like, I just asked him casually, Are you going to manage it? And he's like, No, I'm not. So I pitched Herschel services to him and he interviewed, he actually took referrals and whatnot, and he opted for it. And he loved Herschel Services as much that he not only gave his Asheville property, but he gave his Branson, New Jersey, uh, Panama City Beach, and his partners gave his his partners also invested in Asheville and they had property in Smokies. So he got eight properties within the span of two months just by one client. So I think that's the power of good service and the power of us being in an investment business where these investors are going to keep on investing year over year. So those are going to be your repeat clients. As long as your services are ethical and you're doing a good job with what you're doing. I think it it's organic at the end.

Dividing Roles Across Businesses

Reshma Vadlamudi 10:53

Yes. Yes. Okay. So with the with the co-hosting thing, then when it comes up, like just like maybe Harshit mentioned earlier, it would be like putting in the breeze way, the systems, and then taking over from there. Okay. As someone running the STRs, the design business, and now a course, how do you prioritize where to focus each day?

Designing Unique Stays And Themes

Ishita Nagda 11:14

Well, it's always a struggle, right? 24 hours that you have and you have so much going on. But we between my husband and I, we have literally we know our roles and responsibilities. It's very clear to us. We know our lanes that we are we have strengths in and where we need each other's support. So, for example, STR investing, I don't deal with it at all. Uh, I used to, but when it grew beyond seven properties, uh, and my business business uh design business also grew beyond where I it needed my full focus. That was something that I stepped out of and Harsha took it completely under his wings. And design business uh the design business is something that I'm completely 100% involved in because that takes the maximum amount of my time, and there is no way where I would compromise that. And design school is uh right now is a course which is more digital, so it is like a batch. Uh you know, you record it and you you have your modules and then you can float it around. And uh let's see, we are we are coming up with different iterations in that course, and it will keep evolving as we go. And uh definitely we're looking at it in a perspective where uh if things get streamlined on our design business and co-hosting business, that is one venture because I want to give back what I know I totally want to give back to the community, and however, I can help everyone and add value to their life, I I would love to. So that will be something that will evolve every day.

Reshma Vadlamudi 12:34

Yeah. So, how do you even begin designing something like a jail-themed stay or a wellness resort?

Ishita Nagda 12:40

It's like any other design process. I I feel like, you know, be it the boutique hotel or be it like a small 800 or 500 square feet.

Reshma Vadlamudi 12:48

So let me ask you this then. So, how did the whole I know like I I did see that it was an old jail that you guys bought, right? So you already know before you're buying it. So you know that it's going to be a jail-themed hotel, right? From the time you walked in or however. Yeah.

Jail Hotel And Wellness Vision

Renovation Challenges Across Properties

Ishita Nagda 13:06

Uh yeah, okay so my husband and I, we are definitely into very much unique stays. That motivates us the most. Uh, I don't think so. Standard, even our STRs are very much geared towards like unique stays or unique experience that we would go. We have always pushed boundaries. So when the Ju jail Hotel uh opportunity came in, it was like one time, once in a lifetime, kind of an opportunity that we were very excited and we plunged in. And our partners are actually, you know, I'll give them all the credit, they are super creative, they they are fully immersed in it and they are way more creative coming up with the stories and whatnot. And I do feel that it's a very collaborative process where they have their ideas, they definitely look at me as a professional designer when I will come up with these and convert it into design boards. But when it comes to commercial, as we were saying, there are a lot of challenges as well when it is like a rehabilitation of a building, right? Like reusing that building or restoration process project, if we were to say it. It's it comes with its own challenges. It's a 40-year-old abandoned building, so it's not very well kept. It has a lot of code issues, so architectural issues that we're dealing with. But we know the theme that we want to because again, we're just gearing towards that unique stay. Now, the wellness thing, the minute you enter that hotel, when we entered it, it was surrounded with lush greenery trees. It was quiet, you could hear the birds chirping. Being in a location which is 30 minutes, you know, from Asheville. Asheville, known for its wellness and uh spiritual uh energy that we have been talking about, it was a no-brainer that this had to become a wellness retreat, and this is what we want to because people do come for isolated stays or just to um so when you walked in, you figured this would be a very good wellness resort. Yes, okay, absolutely it had like that log bones to it, and it had a very, very green acreage to the the space, and we knew what we wanted to do. We just wanted to make it very earthy, we wanted to make it rustic, wellness resort. The minute sometimes you enter the space, you just you wouldn't know it. You don't know that this is what it needs to become, and yeah, yeah, that's it's just instinctive sometimes, right?

Reshma Vadlamudi 15:17

Yes. What was the most creatively challenging property out of the three? And what was the one you felt the clearest about right away?

Timeline: Wellness Resort Goes Live First

Ishita Nagda 15:25

I think I'm not done with the process yet. We are literally just beginning in all three of them. But by how much ever I have been immersed in the projects and what I know of, like jail is definitely the most challenging one because of its structure, architecture, it's pretty compact, 5,000 square foot building. Uh it's not that big. So it is jail cells, barracks, and whatnot. So you have these tiny spaces that you have to work around. Concrete building, it is not a stick build. So architecturally, it has a lot of challenges that we'll have to work around it. And the most straightforward I would say was the wellness resort because it all was already uh the floor plan-wise, it is not challenging and easily converted the way you want to. There are deck spaces that we want to, communal spaces that we want to, and it's very straightforward the way we want to do it. So I feel like that was gonna be like pretty easy comparative to the other two. The Washington one is the layout is very maze-like, so to bring it to shape is gonna take a little bit, and the way they have like DIY'd the project over the years has made it even much more challenging for us to redo it. Um, so I wish it was well thought out from the beginning, but it wasn't because it's an old building. So I think out of the three, jail is the most challenging and wellness is the least challenging.

Reshma Vadlamudi 16:40

Yeah, okay. So which one do you think will be up and running? Like I know most both of them are already operational and they're in use, but I mean, when once they are done with your design, like when you can say they are done renovating, which one do you think will go live first?

Ishita Nagda 16:56

I think the wellness resort will go live first. So A, I know because you know it'll be my own boots on ground team that we'll be working with. So in it is in my backyard, I'll be visiting sites more often, so it's much more faster. It doesn't need a whole lot of architect in it or as much. The other two hotels do that, so it'll be a lengthier process uh from the city permits to architectural drawings to their yeah, so uh wellness resort is definite.