Thrive In Design Podcast Por Thrive In Design arte de portada

Thrive In Design

Thrive In Design

De: Thrive In Design
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Are you a CEO, VP of Marketing, or Sales Leader at an interior product company looking to grow in the hospitality or home design markets? The Thrive In Design Podcast is your go-to resource for innovative marketing strategies, brand storytelling techniques, and sales tactics that help you stand out in a competitive, design-driven industry.

Hosted by Nicole Lashae (Ben) Hall, Design Strategist and Founder of Thrive In Design, this weekly podcast offers actionable insights and expert interviews that help you position your brand, engage the A&D community, and scale your impact in the built environment. From product launch strategy to tradeshow optimization, digital marketing to dealer enablement — each episode gives you the tools to amplify visibility and drive measurable growth.

🎯 Topics we cover:

- Interior product marketing and brand positioning
- Sales enablement strategies for the design industry
- How to increase visibility with architects, designers, and specifiers
- Hospitality and residential design market trends
- Leveraging podcasts, content, and events to drive demand

Whether you’re launching a new collection, entering new verticals, or refining your go-to-market strategy — this podcast will equip you to lead with clarity, creativity, and confidence.

🌐 Visit our website: www.thriveindesign.co
📅 Sign up for our next live training: https://training.thriveindesign.co
💌 Subscribe to our email list: https://podcast.thriveindesign.coCopyright 2021 All rights reserved. Arte Economía
Episodios
  • S9, E6: Inside the Shifts Reshaping Design, Manufacturing, and Brand Trust with Amanda Schneider

    S9, E6: Inside the Shifts Reshaping Design, Manufacturing, and Brand Trust with Amanda Schneider
    Apr 2 2026
    In this episode of Thrive In Design, host Nicole Lashae Hall sits down with Amanda Schneider, Founder and President of ThinkLab, to unpack what it really takes to build a purpose-driven product brand in today’s evolving design industry. Amanda shares the origin story behind ThinkLab and how her journey—from product design to research leadership—revealed a critical gap between manufacturers and designers. Backed by powerful data, she explains why designers hold up to 140x the recommendation power of the average consumer—and why brands can no longer afford to ignore that influence. The conversation dives deep into the state of the design industry heading into 2026, including the shifting balance between sales and marketing, signs of industry maturity, and the growing awareness of how physical spaces impact human experience. Amanda also explores how hybrid work, generational shifts, and digital transformation are forcing brands to rethink outdated systems and embrace new strategies. If you're a manufacturer, marketer, or design leader looking to stay relevant, align your teams, and future-proof your brand, this episode delivers both strategic insight and actionable direction. ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 Introduction to Thrive In Design & episode overview 01:00 Meet Amanda Schneider & the mission behind ThinkLab 02:29 The origin story: bridging the gap between product brands and designers 04:00 Why designers hold massive influence (40x–140x buying power) 06:00 Evolution of ThinkLab & scaling through acquisition 08:50 Gen Z, the future of work, and redefining workplace expectations 10:30 The 3 biggest industry shifts heading into 2026 11:00 Sales vs. marketing imbalance in a hybrid world 13:30 Industry maturity, consolidation, and market decline signals 15:00 A new opportunity: human awareness of physical space 17:30 Why sales and marketing silos are hurting brands 20:30 The alignment gap: leadership vs. frontline teams 22:30 Why there’s no “quick fix” for industry transformation 25:30 Generational gaps and the future workforce 30:00 Digital-first vs. analog-first thinking across generations 33:00 The importance of soft skills and change management 35:00 Shrinking attention spans and the new rules of communication 37:00 The evolving role of reps in a digital-first world 38:00 Amanda’s new book Work for What’s Next 39:00 Final thoughts: why this is a defining moment for the design industry 💬 Key Quotes “Designers have 40 times the recommendation power of the average consumer—and up to 140 times at the top level.”“You either disrupt your own business… or you will be disrupted.”“The industry didn’t just evolve—the systems changed.”“15 minutes is the new hour when it comes to sales conversations.”“The brands that win will align human capital with digital tools—not replace it.” 👉 Learn more about Amanda To learn more about Amanda Schneider and her work shaping the future of design and the built environment, connect with her and ThinkLab: Connect with Amanda on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandajeanschneiderFollow ThinkLab on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thinklab-design/Visit the ThinkLab website: https://thinklab.design/Listen to the Design Nerds Anonymous podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/design-nerds-anonymous/id1534887549 You can also reach Amanda directly at aschneider@sandowdesign.com. 👉 Pre-order Amanda’s upcoming book, Work for What’s Next Amazon (affiliate link): https://amzn.to/4c1azOYBarnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/work-for-whats-next-amanda-schneider/1149016023?ean=9781394390885 🔗 Connect with Thrive In Design Follow Thrive In Design for insights on design leadership, business strategy, and growth in the A&D industry: Website: https://www.thriveindesign.co/ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thriveindesign/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thriveindesign/ • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thriveindesign 🚀 Go Deeper with Thrive In Design Take the SpecReady™ Assessment: https://specready.co/ • Join the Thrive In Design: AI in Design Summit on May 20, 2026: https://tidsummit.com/ 👋 Connect with Nicole Nicole’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleben
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    41 m
  • S9, E5: From Concept to Contract: A Go-To-Market Sales Playbook for Interior Product Brands with Nicole Lashae Hall

    S9, E5: From Concept to Contract: A Go-To-Market Sales Playbook for Interior Product Brands with Nicole Lashae Hall
    Mar 26 2026

    In this episode of Thrive In Design, host Nicole Lashae Hall breaks down a critical misconception holding interior product brands back: confusing a product launch with a true go-to-market strategy. While many brands excel at creating beautiful, innovative products, far fewer understand how to effectively commercialize them for long-term specification success.

    Nicole explains why most product failures aren’t due to poor design—but rather a lack of strategic alignment across marketing, sales, and product teams. She highlights how siloed workflows, unclear messaging, and lack of sales enablement lead to missed opportunities, even for high-quality products. Drawing on industry research and real-world experience, she emphasizes that designers often make the majority of their decisions before ever speaking to a sales rep—making early-stage clarity and positioning essential.

    You’ll also learn the difference between a “launch moment” and a sustainable go-to-market system. Nicole introduces a practical five-step framework that guides brands from market clarity to conversion, ensuring momentum doesn’t drop off after the initial reveal. This episode is a must-listen for interior product brands ready to move beyond reactive marketing and build a repeatable, strategic path to growth.

    Timestamps

    00:00 – Introduction to Thrive In Design Podcast Overview of the show’s mission and focus on aligning strategy, storytelling, and systems.

    01:00 – The Core Problem: Launch vs. Strategy Why most product failures stem from weak go-to-market strategies—not poor design.

    02:00 – Industry Insight: Great Products, Weak Commercialization How interior product brands excel at creation but struggle to bring products to market effectively.

    04:00 – The Danger of Siloed Teams How misalignment between product, marketing, and sales creates confusion and lost opportunities.

    06:00 – What the Data Says Key research insights: buyer behavior, decision-making timelines, and revenue impact of alignment.

    08:00 – Why Product Launches Lose Momentum The drop-off after launch and lack of post-launch structure.

    10:00 – Launch vs. Go-To-Market Explained Understanding the difference between a one-time event and an ongoing system.

    13:00 – The 5-Step Go-To-Market Framework Market clarity, positioning, sales enablement, momentum building, and conversion strategy.

    16:00 – Sales Enablement Gaps Why reps often lack the tools and direction needed to succeed.

    17:30 – Building Momentum Before Demand How belief, education, and confidence drive early interest.

    18:00 – Turning Interest into Specification Why the first order matters and how to create consistent conversion pathways.

    19:00 – Final Takeaways & Reflection Questions Key questions to evaluate your current go-to-market strategy.

    Key Quotes
    • “Most products don’t fail because they’re poorly designed—they fail because they’re launched without a real go-to-market strategy.”
    • “A launch is a moment. A go-to-market strategy is a system.”
    • “Great design is only half the job—the other half is how the market experiences it.”
    • “Designers don’t sell your products—they justify them.”
    • “The fastest-growing brands aren’t improvising—they’re executing a plan.”
    🔗 Connect with Thrive In Design

    Follow Thrive In Design for insights on design leadership, business strategy, and growth in the A&D industry:

    • Website: https://www.thriveindesign.co/ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thriveindesign/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thriveindesign/ • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thriveindesign
    🚀 Go Deeper with Thrive In Design
    • Take the SpecReady™ Assessment: https://specready.co/
    • Join the Thrive In Design: AI in Design Summit on May 20, 2026: https://tidsummit.com/
    👋 Connect with Nicole
    • Nicole’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleben
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    20 m
  • S9, E4: From Press to Pipeline: How Strategic PR & Authentic Storytelling Drive Growth in Design Brands with Susan Fernandez

    S9, E4: From Press to Pipeline: How Strategic PR & Authentic Storytelling Drive Growth in Design Brands with Susan Fernandez
    Mar 19 2026
    Marketing in the built environment is evolving quickly—and interior product brands that want to grow must rethink how they approach storytelling, PR, and go-to-market strategy. In this episode of the Thrive In Design Podcast, host Nicole Lashae Hall sits down with Susan Fernandez, Senior Vice President of Marketing at UpSpring, to unpack how manufacturers and building product brands can stand out in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Susan shares her journey from studying graphic design at Pratt Institute and working with legendary creative leaders in New York advertising agencies to founding her own marketing firm and eventually joining UpSpring. Along the way, she discovered a key insight: even technical products must connect with people emotionally through compelling brand storytelling. Together, Nicole and Susan explore the evolving role of PR, marketing, and AI in the design industry—from why thought leadership is becoming essential in the age of large language models to how brands can use integrated strategies to increase visibility, credibility, and specification opportunities. They also dive into practical tactics for product brands, including how to prepare for trade shows, why paid media is still underutilized in the AEC industry, and how manufacturers can structure their messaging and content so that AI tools and designers can easily evaluate their products. If you're an interior product manufacturer, marketer, or sales leader looking to grow specifications and build stronger brand authority, this episode is packed with insights you can apply immediately. Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction to the Thrive In Design Podcast Nicole Lashae Hall introduces the show and its focus on strategy, storytelling, and growth for interior product brands. 01:00 – Meet Susan Fernandez Nicole introduces Susan’s background, including her role as SVP of Marketing at UpSpring. 02:40 – Susan’s Journey Into Design and Architecture How childhood experiences exploring architecture shaped her career path. 05:00 – From Creative Agencies to the Built Environment Susan shares how working with both major consumer brands and B2B companies shaped her marketing perspective. 07:45 – Why Storytelling Matters in B2B Marketing Susan explains why even technical products must connect emotionally with audiences. 10:30 – Moving Beyond Product Features to Brand Seduction How brands can create emotional connections instead of relying solely on performance messaging. 12:00 – What UpSpring Does for AEC and Product Brands Susan explains how the firm helps companies scale through integrated PR and marketing strategies. 14:00 – Using PR to Enter New Markets A creative example of how a thought leadership campaign helped a firm break into the cruise ship industry. 18:30 – Common Misconceptions About PR Why PR is much more than press releases—and why it's becoming more important in the age of AI. 22:30 – The Role of AI and Large Language Models in Product Discovery How designers are increasingly using AI to evaluate building products. 24:00 – Structuring Product Information for AI and Designers Why manufacturers must make product data clear, searchable, and accessible online. 27:00 – The Core Pillars of an Effective Go-to-Market Strategy PR, marketing, SEO, thought leadership, and industry presence. 29:00 – Why Paid Advertising Is Still Underused in the Industry Susan shares why paid media will become increasingly important. 31:30 – The Strategic Role of Trade Shows Today How brands should prepare for events to maximize ROI. 34:30 – Training Your Booth Team for Success Why most companies miss opportunities at trade shows. 37:00 – Creative Partnerships and Booth Experiences How collaborations can elevate a brand’s presence at industry events. 39:30 – Measuring Marketing ROI How brands should evaluate success across PR, marketing, and sales strategies. 41:30 – Why Brands Must Be Willing to Experiment The importance of testing strategies—even if some fail. 44:00 – Final Advice for Brands in 2026 Susan emphasizes authenticity as the most powerful storytelling strategy. 45:00 – Where to Connect with Susan Fernandez Nicole shares how listeners can learn more about UpSpring and connect with Susan. Key Quotes “Everything you use to communicate—whether it's a poster, a website, or a TV spot—has to tell a story that is seductive.” “People don’t buy in bullet points. We all buy on emotion.” “PR isn’t a nice-to-have anymore—it’s a credibility engine.” “If you want to be in an industry conversation, you have to join it before you have the experience.” “Authenticity rules. Designers want the real story, not fluff.” Connect with Susan To learn more about Susan Fernandez and her work shaping the future of design and the built environment, connect with her and UpSpring: Connect with Susan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanwalshfernandez/Follow ...
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    46 m
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