Business of Home Podcast

After a brief post-college career in the startup world, Chad Stark joined the family business as a young man, eager to modernize Stark Carpet’s operations for a fast-changing market. He’s since risen to senior vice president of the 80-year-old company, and has continuously pushed for innovation in an industry that’s often reluctant to change. On the latest episode of the Business of Home podcast, Stark tells host Dennis Scully about his experiments selling direct to consumers, his thoughts on the best way for designers to charge for their services, and whether the design industry is ready for a model called "trade preferred". This episode is sponsored by Universal Furniture.

In the early aughts, brothers Philip and Jeffrey Bershad took over the family wallcovering business from their father and have since grown it to employ one hundred and sixty people with operations all over the world. In this episode of the Business of Home podcast, they spoke with host Dennis Scully about their work hard/play hard company culture, the advantages of focusing on a niche, and why something called WIPTAG has made all the difference. This episode is sponsored by High Point Market.

It’s a commonly cited statistic: Moving is more stressful than divorce. And—chasing freedom and flexibility—millennials are moving a whole lot. Jay Reno, founder and CEO of Feather, is hoping to make it easier on them with a service that offers furniture on a subscription, pay-as-you-go basis. In the latest episode of the Business of Home podcast, Reno spoke with host Dennis Scully about how the American dream has changed, why the time is right for his innovative concept, and the environmental impact of fast furniture. This episode is sponsored by High Point Market.

After fleeing Cuba with his family as a child, Vicente Wolf had anything but a traditional path to building a 45-year run as a designer. On the latest episode of the Business of Home podcast, Wolf reflects on his unconventional journey, the role of design media in his career, and why he’s not retiring any time soon. This episode is sponsored by High Point Market.

In 1995, Angie Hicks lent her name to her new company, a service that crowdsourced reviews of local businesses. “It seemed like one of those inconsequential decisions you make when you’re 22,” says Hicks. It turned out to be anything but inconsequential, as her company, Angie’s List, would become a household name and a major player in the home services industry. In this episode of the Business of Home podcast, she talks with host Dennis Scully about the company’s humble beginnings in 1995, why the housing crisis was an opportunity in disguise, and how the interior design profession has changed over the years. This episode is sponsored by High Point Market.

Twenty years ago, Michael Cohen left a career in corporate finance to join the family business, a somewhat old-school seller of high-end tassels and trims. Cohen, along with his brothers Hymie and Joseph, has turned Samuel & Sons into a thriving, tech-forward business that’s come to define passementerie for the American market. In this episode of the Business of Home podcast, he chats with host Dennis Scully about why he looks to tech companies like Amazon for inspiration, his plan to take the brand international, and why he hopes the industry will become more transparent. This episode is sponsored by Datacolor.

Nassau-based interior designer Amanda Lindroth has a knack for evoking the breezy elegance of island life, wherever she goes—including Guangzhou, China. A few years ago, she and her CEO, Austin Painter, embarked on a road trip to various factories in Asia to produce her debut line of accessories and decor. Since then, she’s been busy, fine-tuning her collection and growing her brand. In the latest episode of the Business of Home podcast, she chats with host Dennis Scully about her picturesque Florida upbringing, her hiring strategy, and why it’s not what goes wrong—it’s how you react that’s most important. This episode is sponsored by Datacolor.

Ceramics are having a moment, and East Fork is at the center of it. Founded by husband-and-wife team Connie and Alex Matisse along with their friend John Vigeland, the North Carolina–based company has grown from a small rural pottery into a thriving manufacturer, shipping thousands of pieces around the world—including a coveted mug they literally can’t keep in stock. On the latest episode of the Business of Home podcast, host Dennis Scully spoke with the Matisses about creating a compelling brand in the social media age, avoiding growth for its own sake, and the challenges of building a values-focused business. This episode is sponsored by Datacolor.

Philip Erdoes is a study in contradictions. Though the founder of The New Traditionalists and ducduc spends his days occupied by the particulars of making high-end furniture, he came to the business via a career in law and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Erdoes isn’t afraid to speak his mind, whether he’s discussing copycat brands or hot-button political topics. In the latest episode of the Business of Home podcast, he chats with host Dennis Scully about why design for senior living is his next move, how market forces shape the trade, and why he’s keeping his manufacturing in the states. This episode is sponsored by Datacolor.

What began as a small upholstery company in a rural corner of North Carolina has grown into a furniture empire. Celebrating their 30th year in business, Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams now oversee a million square feet of manufacturing space, almost a thousand employees, and over thirty retail locations. In this episode of the Business of Home podcast, the partners chat with host Dennis Scully about how they’ve grown through turbulent times, their hunt for a new CEO, and why their brand is well positioned for the next thirty years. This episode is sponsored by Design Within Reach.