Business of Home Podcast

With a bustling interior design business, a popular Dallas showroom, and a product line sold all over the country, Jan Showers wears many hats. She’s also a champion of the Texas design scene—this year she co-chaired the second annual Kips Bay Showhouse in Dallas, which just wrapped last month. Recently Showers made a big decision—to pull her line out of showrooms and go direct to designers. On this episode of the show, she talks with host Dennis Scully about what that change says about the industry, why Texas is a first-tier market now, and how she learned never to try and sell something she doesn’t love herself.  This episode is sponsored by Ben Soleimani and SideDoorLINKSJan ShowersDennis ScullyBusiness of Home 

Interior designer Katie Ridder and architect Peter Pennoyer make for unique partners—they’re married, and they do occasionally collaborate, but the two have forged impressive independent careers in their own right. Peter’s firm, a regular on the AD100 list, is one of the most respected traditional architectural practices in the country, while Katie, renowned for her keen eye and vibrant colors, has seen her work grace the covers of top shelter magazines for two decades. On this episode of the podcast, they speak with host Dennis Scully about how they get clients to make the right choices, why technology in design can be a double-edged sword, and how architects and designers can work together for the good of the project.  This episode is sponsored by Ben Soleimani and SideDoorLINKSKatie RidderPeter PennoyerDennis ScullyBusiness of Home

Robert and Cortney Novogratz are the husband-and-wife design duo collectively known as ‘The Novogratz.’ In the 1990s the two bought a condemned townhouse in Manhattan and renovated it themselves. That kicked off a journey that has seen the two try their hand at everything from high-end house flipping; to hotel design; to starring in a reality TV show with their seven children. On this episode of the podcast, Robert and Cortney speak to host Dennis Scully about why building a home brand is so challenging, how they brought a casual, whimsical approach to high-end design, and how their hands-on, try-anything approach has helped them break down barriers in the industry.This episode is sponsored by Ben Soleimani and SideDoor

Twice a year, thousands of designers, manufacturers and retail buyers flock to a small city in North Carolina for the biggest furniture trade show in the world. It's High Point Market, and this year's fall edition just wrapped up. To discuss what happened at High Point, this week Business of Home's editor in chief Kaitlin Petersen and retail columnist Warren Shoulberg joined host Dennis Scully on the podcast. They spoke about the mood on the street in North Carolina, how the industry is continuing to grapple with supply chain issues, and why, even in the Zoom era, in-person events will carry on.This episode is sponsored by The Bruno Effect and Ben SoleimaniLINKSKaitlin PetersenKaitlin's podcast Trade TalesWarren ShoulbergWarren’s podcast Retail WatchDennis ScullyBusiness of Home 

Garry Martin, founder of The Martin Group multiline showroom, is a veteran of the industry and the longest-lasting tenant of the Boston Design Center. Over the course of three decades he’s brought dozens of the trade’s finest makers and brands to New England. He’s seen the industry at its highs and lows, and has a keen sense of where things are headed.  On this episode of the podcast, he speaks with host Dennis Scully about how he bounced back from losing his biggest line, the challenges of bringing the trade online, and why showrooms everywhere are leaving design centers.  This episode is sponsored by The Bruno Effect and Ben SoleimaniTake our first ever listener survey and be entered in a drawing to win a subscription to Business of Home's Insider program.LINKSThe Martin GroupDennis ScullyBusiness of Home 

Thomas Lavin—founder of the Los Angeles multiline showroom that bears his name—got his start working in another showroom, Kneedler Fauchere, where he honed his aesthetic and developed a keen instinct for sales. In 2000 he went out on his own, and over the past two decades has built a thriving business representing some of the finest brands in the industry. In this episode of the podcast, Lavin talks with host Dennis Scully about the pressures on the multiline model, how he’s teaching the next generation of designers to sell to their clients, and whether industry pricing should be more transparent.This episode is sponsored by The Bruno Effect and Ben Soleimani Take our first ever listener survey and you'll be entered in a drawing to win a free BOH Insider membership!

Bew White started Summer Classics in the late 70s, almost by chance. After coming across a tag in a shop with the words “Summer Classics' ' written on it, the phrase struck a chord, and he dreamt up a company. Today, along with its sister indoor brand Gabby and growing accessories line Wendy Jane, Summer Classics has become a powerhouse of the industry. The story of the company’s growth is full of ups, downs, twists and turns—it’s a journey White recounts in a memoir he published this summer.In the latest episode of the podcast, he discusses some incredible tales from his book. He also explains why the industry’s lead time crisis isn’t over yet, how RH was able to get so big so fast, and why pivoting to working with designers helped save Summer Classics from the great recession. This episode is sponsored by The Bruno Effect and Ben Soleimani LINKSBew White's memoir "A Summer Classic"Summer ClassicsGabbyDennis ScullyBusiness of Home

Brian McCarthy began his career with a bang—right out of design school he was hired on at the legendary firm Parish Hadley, where he worked alongside future luminaries of the profession like Bunny Williams and David Kleinberg. When he left in 1992, it was the beginning of a sparkling solo career: McCarthy’s inspired interiors have won him a spot on the Elle Decor A-List and the AD100, and in 2020 he received the Albert Hadley Lifetime Achievement award from the New York School of Interior Design—an accolade fittingly named for his first mentor.  In this episode of the podcast, he speaks with host Dennis Scully about what it was like to start his career at the best firm in the world, how he vets clients, and the secret to building a great design team. This episode is sponsored by Crypton Home Fabrics and Hooker Furniture. LINKSBrian McCarthyDennis ScullyBusiness of Home 

A celebrated interior designer whose work has graced the cover of countless shelter publications, Victoria Hagan, who is often described as the reigning queen of restrained elegance, is one of the defining talents of her generation. On this episode of podcast, she speaks with host Dennis Scully about what she’s learned from working on projects during COVID, why the business is getting faster, and the no-nonsense advice she gives people who are considering a career in design.This episode is sponsored by Crypton Home Fabrics and Hooker Furniture. LINKSVictoria HaganDennis ScullyBusiness of Home

Editorial coverage of design wasn’t always meant for the masses—that is, until reporters like Suzanne Slesin started writing about it. Beginning in the late 1970’s, Slesin helped usher in a new era at publications like New York Magazine and the New York Times home section, where she wrote some of the first service pieces and examined the greater cultural impact of interiors. From the top seat at popular titles like HomeStyle and House & Garden and most recently as publisher and founder of Pointed Leaf Press, she’s watched the rise and fall of influential design movements with a keen eye and a front-row seat. This episode is sponsored by Crypton Home Fabrics and Hooker Furniture. LINKSPointed Leaf PressDennis ScullyBusiness of Home