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In Good Space
In Good Space explores the business behind home staging and interior design.
Hosted by Alisa Sparks, founder of Linden Creek, the show breaks down what it takes to build a profitable, scalable creative company in the home industry.
Episodes cover staging strategy, real estate marketing, pricing, systems, team growth, and franchising, grounded in real-world experience.
Homeowners, real estate agents, builders, staging professionals, and entrepreneurs exploring franchise opportunities will gain a clearer understanding of how successful staging and design companies are built.
Episodes
42 episodes
Starting a Business? Have These 2 Conversations With Your Spouse
We talk through what really changes when one partner wants to start or buy a business and why a supportive spouse can be the difference between burnout and momentum.We share the two conversations we think every couple needs before going ...
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A Week Inside A Home Staging Business From Warehouse To Install
We break down what a real week in a home staging business looks like, from warehouse prep and heavy lifting to install days and de-staging. We share why the best staging highlights a home’s architecture instead of the decor, and how the job evo...
Build A Team That Cares
We unpack the real gap between building a team that cares and building a team that simply complies, then lay out the three levers we use to protect culture as we grow. We share the hiring questions, mission stories, and hard calls that keep our...
Fix These Nine Things Before You List Your House
We share the nine repairs that actually increase buyer confidence before a home hits the market, based on what we see paying back again and again. We also call out common pre-listing projects that drain budgets without delivering a real return....
Six Uncomfortable Habits That Build Real Business Growth
We break down six uncomfortable habits that help us grow a real business, from saying no to good-looking opportunities to tracking the numbers before problems snowball. We also get candid about leadership decisions that never feel fun, like tou...
Eight Smart Moves To Prep A Listing For Today’s Buyer
Selling in 2026 demands a different playbook because buyers, financing, and decision-making habits have changed. We lay out eight practical moves to build trust, tighten your presentation, and reduce the risk of long days on market.
Three Expensive Staging Business Mistakes And How To Fix Them
We walk through three staging business mistakes we’ve made ourselves and still see across the industry, then lay out fixes that protect time, profit, and client trust. The big idea is simple: small operational leaks stack up fast, but one focus...
Ten Weekend Fixes To Sell Faster
We share 10 practical, low-cost staging moves sellers can do in a single weekend to improve days on market and strengthen offers. We focus on how buyers actually react during showings so the home feels bigger, cleaner, and easier to say yes to....
Where To Splurge And Save When Selling Your Home
We lay out the pre-listing upgrades that actually change what buyers feel in the first few seconds, plus the common “nice to have” spends that don’t move offers. We share a simple splurge-or-save list across lighting, curb appeal, kitchens, bat...
How To Integrate Business With Family And Faith
We stop chasing “balance” and start building a beautiful life where business supports what matters most. We share how family, health, faith, and a strong team create real flexibility, plus the boundaries that keep our minds and marriage steady....
Choosing Between A Franchise And Building Your Own Business
We unpack the real tradeoffs between buying into a franchise and building an independent business from scratch, without pretending one path is “the answer.” We share the hidden setup work, the cost of early mistakes, and the mindset shifts that...
Hiring Your First Team Member As A Force Multiplier
We break down why your first hire can either multiply your growth or quietly create a second job you did not plan for. We share the shift from hiring “extra hands” to hiring a heavy hitter partner who brings speed, judgment, and real relief to ...
Working Mom Guilt and Entrepreneurship: Finding Balance
We get honest about working mom guilt, why it shows up so loudly, and how silence can let kids write the wrong story about what our work means. We share practical ways to give kids context, create certainty, and build deeper connection with int...
What If Your Biggest Business Headache Is Your Next Product?
We share the behind-the-scenes story of how we turned a constant home staging pain point into an exclusive, large-scale art line that finally meets our standards for weight, durability, and timeless style. We walk through the real manufacturing...
When a Spouse Joins the Business: Making Partnership Work
We share the real story behind bringing my husband into Linden Creek and why it only works when it’s a strategic move. We break down how we split CEO and COO responsibilities, protect alignment, and keep impact as the reason we push through the...
What Buyers Decide in 60 Seconds (And How to Make Sure It Goes Your Way)
We break down what a trained stager sees in the first 60 seconds of walking into a home and how that split-second read shapes the whole staging strategy.I share how I spot the wow moment, manage imperfections without pretending they’re n...
Home Staging Consultation Tips Every Stager Needs
We share a staging consultation that went wrong and the exact language shift that transformed how we talk to sellers. We reframe staging as marketing, not design judgment, so our feedback builds trust, reduces stress, and helps homes show their...
What It Really Takes To Support An Entrepreneur Spouse
Being married to an entrepreneur is a real commitment to speed, pivots, and a future you can’t fully see yet. We talk through how we stay aligned as Linden Creek grows, and what grace, sacrifice, and shared mission look like in real life.• ...
Why We Expanded Beyond Home Staging And How It Changed Everything
Betting our whole income on one service leaves us one market swing away from a real crisis, especially in real estate. We walk through how staging evolved into interior design and why having both creates stability across boom and bust cycles.&n...
Three Smart Questions To Ask Before Buying A Franchise
We break down the three questions franchise buyers often fail to ask, starting with whether a model works for average owners or only top performers. We also share what real franchisor support looks like and how to judge lifestyle fit before you...
How To Grow A Home Staging Business Through Real Relationships
“Digital is dead” sounds scary until you realize what it frees you to do: stop chasing clicks and start building a business people actually talk about. We dig into what we’d focus on first if we were launching a home staging or interior design ...
4 Corporate Skills That Transfer Directly to Franchise Ownership (No Design Experience Needed)
We talk through the most common fear we hear from prospective franchise owners: not having an interior design background. We share why transferable business skills often matter more than technical design at the start and how passion for design ...
3 Home Staging Stats in 3 Minutes
We break down the real home staging numbers that explain why some houses sell quickly while others stall, and how furnishing changes the entire buyer experience. The big takeaway is simple: buyers decide with emotion first, and smart staging tu...
Why Neutral Home Staging Helps Buyers Say Yes
Neutral design isn’t boring, it’s a smart way to help a home appeal to more buyers and sell with less friction. We break down why taste-specific rooms can stall a sale and how texture-driven neutrals create warmth without forcing an emotional r...
How AI Is Changing Work and What It Means for You
We share takeaways from the International Franchise Association conference and why we see AI as a tool that amplifies people rather than replaces them outright. We dig into what automation means for white-collar jobs, why service-based work may...