160: Renee Biery, “The Only Girl on the Job Site”

Shaun and Rebecca sit down with guest Renée Biery of deVignier Design and host of the podcast Only Girl on the Jobsite. With a career spanning over 30 years, Renée has worked on complex construction‑heavy design projects (in New York, then now from Delaware) and now teaches interior designers how to confidently navigate construction, scope, budgets, and roles on site. She and the hosts dive into how designers can claim their role on job sites, manage relationships with contractors, and build business models that protect their value and their peace of mind.

In this conversation they discuss:

• What it’s like being “the only girl on the job site” and how gender dynamics still shape design + construction relationships.
• How Renée built her career—from design school at New York School of Interior Design to AD 100 firms, then launching her own firm—and how that experience informs her teaching today.
• Why integrating large‑scale construction projects (not just decorating) gives designers business resilience, and how she targets ~70 % construction/30 % decorating in her annual mix.
• Entry‑points for designers who want to add more construction management to their services (but feel intimidated)—Renée shares practical advice on framing your first job, setting expectations, and charging appropriately.
• How designers can take control of the budget on construction projects—especially by scrutinizing “allowances”, managing procurement, and protecting the furniture/decor budget.
• The “pretty proposal” trap: Why verbose, beautifully‑designed decks might cost you jobs (and profits), and how clarity and scope define professionalism.
• How to manage scope creep, addenda, and contract clarity—so you don’t end up working for free or losing value because someone assumed something was included.
• How to position your business model for sustainability—flat fees versus hourly, discovering what parts of your business you enjoy (and which parts you don’t), and building systems so you don’t carry all the friction yourself.

Mentioned:

• deVignier Design
• The Designers Edge
• Only Girl on the Jobsite Podcast

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