Business of Home Podcast

Alex Willcock and Felix Conran are the father-and-son team behind the direct-to-consumer furniture brand Maker & Son. Founded in the UK in 2018, the company has grown quickly with an unorthodox approach. Its core product is a pillowy sofa that retails for over $10,000, and rather than brick-and-mortar showrooms, Maker & Son relies on a fleet of decorated vans that will visit potential customers in person. On this episode of the podcast, Willcox and Conran chat with host Dennis Scully about whether sustainability and the value of craftsmanship are finally connecting with consumers, their unique approach to marketing, and how they’re using a surprisingly sophisticated tech operation to make data driven decisions in an old-school industry.This podcast is sponsored by High Point Market and Modern MatterLINKSMaker & SonDennis Scully Business of Home

A successful actress and screenwriter for decades, Meridith Baer got into staging by chance. In the late 1990s, one of her friends needed help with a home that was languishing on the market. Baer helped decorate it, the house sold in a matter of days, and a business was born. Today her eponymous company dominates the industry, staging thousands of homes all over the country every year. On this episode of the podcast, Baer speaks with host Dennis Scully about what the housing market looks like from her perspective, whether midcentury modern style will ever go out of fashion, and why buzzy technology like augmented and virtual reality can only do so much when it comes to selling a home.This episode is sponsored by Juniper MarketLINKSMeridith BaerDennis Scully Business of Home

If you’ve opened up a design magazine in the past decade, you’re familiar with Douglas Friedman's work. As one of the premier interior and architecture photographers of his generation, he’s worked with everyone from Steven Gambrel to Bridget Romanek to Ken Fulk—to say nothing of the portraits he’s shot, ranging from Hilary Rodham Clinton to Faye Dunaway. On this episode of the podcast, Douglas chats with host Dennis Scully about the challenges of photography in a digital age, how the shifting economics of magazine publishing can create opportunities for designers, and why a great photograph can sometimes come down to moving a single flower in a vase.This episode is sponsored by Juniper MarketLINKSDouglas FriedmanDennis ScullyBusiness of Home  

Two years ago, designer Orlando Soria was riding high, with a hit book, buzzy brand partnerships and a new show on HGTV. In 2020, it all came crashing down in a series of unfortunate events that he’s been chronicling online. On this episode of the podcast Soria shares with host Dennis Scully a rare inside look at how design TV really works, and highlights the perilous nature of the influencer economy. Topics covered include the long hours, tough working conditions and low pay that go into making an HGTV show, the pressure to be positive on social media, and why being an influencer is a lot less glamorous than it might seem. This episode is sponsored by Juniper Market. LINKSOrland SoriaDennis ScullyBusiness of Home

Grant Trick’s custom upholstery workshop is a little off the beaten path: He operates in Irondale, Alabama, just outside Birmingham. But that hasn’t stopped him from becoming a secret source for designers around the country, who come to Grant for his impeccable technique and fine-tuned appreciation for the tailoring that goes into a custom piece. On this episode of the podcast, he speaks with host Dennis Scully about how the lead time crisis has actually helped his business, not hurt it; what he’s learned from launching his own line; and why custom furniture is more important to designers than ever.  This episode is sponsored by Juniper Market. LINKSGrant TrickDennis ScullyBusiness of Home

Suzanne Tucker earned her stripes working first for Peter Hood in London, then for iconic California designer Michael Taylor. Now she leads Tucker & Marks, one of the west coast’s most prestigious firms. On this episode of the podcast, she tells Dennis Scully some incredible tales from her storied career, shares the secret to working well with architects, and explained how clients have (and haven’t) changed over the years.This episode is sponsored by Juniper Market. For the latest industry news, jobs listings, and more great podcasts,  visit Business of Home

Business of Home’s editor in chief Kaitlin Petersen and executive editor Fred Nicolaus have spent the past 12 months reporting on the highs and lows of an unprecedented time in the design industry. On this episode of the podcast they join host Dennis Scully to take stock of an eventful year, discussing everything from how long the home boom is going to last, what long-term effects out-of-control lead times and rising inflation will have, and what lies ahead in the new year. This episode is sponsored by The Bruno Effect and Coppersmith. LINKSKaitlin PetersenFred NicolausDennis Scully Business of Home

Eric Chang started his company—high-end furniture brand Hellman-Chang—in 2005 with his childhood friend Daniel Hellman. At first, it was a hobby, but the two of them quickly rose to prominence with a signature look and a bold, buzzy marketing campaign. In addition to running a thriving brand, Eric is also a former president of the Decorative Furnishings Association, where he had a front-row seat to the challenges and opportunities of an industry in transition. In this episode of the podcast, he speaks with host Dennis Scully about why Hellman-Chang moved from Brooklyn to Georgia, the surprising reason why he loves RH, and why a lack of transparency has stunted the industry’s growth—and what we can do about it.This episode is sponsored by The Bruno Effect and Coppersmith. LINKSEric ChangHellman-ChangDennis Scully Business of Home 

The last two years have been a rollercoaster for Alex Shuford. His company—Rock House Farm, a group of furniture brands ranging from Century to Highland House to Hickory Chair—went from losing eighty percent of its business at the outbreak of COVID to a boom that has seen it struggle to keep up with demand. At the moment, catching up with his own backorders is the biggest thing on Shuford’s plate, but he also has his finger on the pulse of the broader furniture industry too. In this episode of the podcast, Shuford chats with host Dennis Scully about when we can expect the lead time crisis to finally calm down, whether the pandemic will cure the industry’s addiction to new product, and why interior designers will determine who wins the war for the future of furniture. This episode is sponsored by The Bruno Effect and Coppersmith. LINKSRock House Farm Dennis ScullyBusiness of Home

Founded in 1880, Glen Raven has a deep history manufacturing fabrics of all kinds. In the 1960s it began producing a waterproof textile used for awnings under the Sunbrella brand. Over time, what was outside came in—no company has been more associated with the rise of performance fabrics than Sunbrella.On this episode of the podcast, CEO Leib Oehmig chats with host Dennis Scully about the madness of the moment—his company’s products have never been more in demand, but it’s never been harder to make enough of them. He also shared an inside look at how performance fabrics are made, and explained why designers are key to Sunbrella’s future.   This episode is sponsored by The Bruno Effect and Coppersmith. LINKSGlen RavenSunbrellaDennis ScullyBusiness of Home