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Welcome to design for the creative mind, a podcast for interior designers and creative entrepreneurs to run their business with purpose, efficiency and passion. Because while every design is different, the process should remain the same. Prepare yourself for some good conversations with amazing guests, a dash of Jesus and a touch of the woowoo and probably a swear word or two. If you're ready to stop trading your time for money and enjoy your interior design business. You are in the right place. I'm your host, Michelle Lynn.
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Hello, everybody. I'm Michelle Lynn, the host of design for the creative mind, a podcast or creatives. And I'm really excited. But yeah, okay. So I say this every time that I'm really excited to introduce some guests to you. But today, I'm like, extra excited because I don't have just one guest we actually have three. So I'd like to introduce Monica and Fabian Rivas of enliven interior interiors out of Las Vegas, Nevada. They have been featured in AD apartment therapy, homes and gardens. And that that's just the beginning. You guys need to keep your eyes open for them. We also have Fernando Dukkha. Here he is the co founder and CEO of Duke renders. So welcome, y'all. I'm tickled to have all of y'all here.
1:36
Hello. Hello. Happy to be here. Hello.
1:40
Yes, yes, yes, yes, this is going to be fun. So a little bit of background. Monica was in my interior design business bakery years ago. And I have just had an Monica, I poke into Instagram every so often and say hello. But I have just loved watching what you guys have done and the beauty that you have created, and how you and Fabian have just partnered and just y'all need to make sure that you're following enlivened interiors on Instagram, because your work is phenomenal. And just seeing you guys blossom has been such like a pleasure of a little Mama's heart. So congratulations. Fantastic. And Fernando, if you guys don't know him, that means you probably haven't been to a market or a conference or anything like that. Because this guy's everywhere, like everywhere. I had the pleasure of spending the day with him in Dallas, in January of this year at one of the Dallas design days. So having you guys together is just so much fun. Let's talk how did you guys connect? I,
2:46
I think sorry, Fernando, I think I came across Fernando probably on a podcast somewhere. I really, yeah. I think he's a genius marketer, and that kind of like I was attracted to, like, I need to know this guy. And I need to more than just renderings. I feel like I like his brain. When we spent some time out here. We talked a lot about marketing and just how to run a business, that I'm super intrigued the way he thinks and that's kind of how I was attracted to reach out to him first, but it was probably an interior design podcast. We were we are we found them. And we gave it a shot.
3:23
That makes sense. And to clarify, Fabian is the business manager of the life and interiors. And Monica does the design. Correct. But they're attached at the hip and make a great pair in business as well. So you guys met because Fabian reached out to Fernando because yeah, he's got a big brand. Yeah, yeah,
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thank you. We talked and it was like a one of those instant connections. I think that I immediately when we talked that they told me their story. They told me like how they work. And of course, I did my research about them. And I found out that these these guys are going I go in places, you know, like after our first initial conversation, we kind of like, understood how you know what they wanted to do, and they definitely set apart from from, from all these nine to designers that you know, like, they do these commercial spaces. They do these like big, big projects. And likewise, Fabian and Monica like, the attraction was mutual. And we finally had the pleasure to meet in Last Vegas. I was in Vegas. For Market I bet I think it was the market. Yeah. And we just like, you know, got up and it's
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a good thing that cities still standing.
4:43
Like Fernando, it's a Tuesday night we gotta go in
4:48
entrepreneurs everyday to Tuesday. Well, Monica and Fabian, how did you guys how did you start in the interior design space? Baby. And have you always been a business partner of Monica?
5:03
So no,
5:03
we've been. I don't know if we said that. But we're married to a wedding together. 1617 years, we've been married for nine years modulations. And we kind of met in school. And she was taking design courses at that time. And I was taking some design courses too. But I was totally in a different field. I was more in the marketing world here in Vegas, for hotels and casinos, we happen to meet in school. And because we, our worlds were kind of similar because we used to design a lot of casino spaces, she was working towards working in the casino spaces in design. And that's kind of how we met. And she started, she continued to school and she finished bachelor's degree, all the certifications that you can think of, and I continued on in my route, and then she can continue the story, but then COVID happened. And that's where it kind of got interesting with the design world.
5:52
It was an opportunity was working from home at the time and I got a somebody messaged me on the side. Do you want to help this client on the side? I had a full time job doing hospitality design and commercial gaming. And I said, Yeah, why not? So I took that side little project. And he was just like the universe was screaming, he was site project after site project, you know, site. Why not? And I talked to Fabian, I say I want to quit my job and say go for it. And I started the company. Actually, our anniversary is coming up. So maybe three years next week. I quit the job started the company and a year and a half later figuring juggling full time that company to to run it. Wow,
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it really took off. Yeah, I
6:39
was drowning with the business operations over and under treated. Brian, I'm a geek. Yeah, learning that operations in running a company or they've sent me a link. Either you come on board, which does his background, business operations and sales. Or we hire somebody who's like, No, I'm coming.
7:00
For us, it was the perfect opportunity. We've always talked about running our own business. But we never we never did it right. And this kind of forced us to do it. And I didn't know that the interior design business was gonna take off so quickly. I just think she's that good. And obviously being in the program helped her get it to the place that got to within a year and a half. If there was no direction. I feel like we would have been learning for a long time. And that was, yeah, yeah. Yeah, that was huge. That was huge for us. When we did the bakery. We said, Alright, I'm big on like, paying somebody to give me the shortcuts. So Amen. So that's what it was right? Like we were probably in our mid 30s. At that point. And like I could you go through the experience and like, trial and error of everything. Sure, you could do that for another five years. But why not join something that they've already been through it? Why not? If we can afford to do it, if the business is given us enough to invest back into it? Let's do it and hit the ground running. Like I don't want to spend the next five years trying to figure it out on our own, because it's so tough.
8:08
Yeah, it sucked. But I'm glad I'm so glad that it moved you guys forward. And you took that knowledge, and it just applied it like gangbusters. So funny question, how was it working with spouse? Like, I think everybody's probably listening to this going, Oh, my God, I don't know if I could work with my husband or my wife.
8:32
We kind of thought the same thing originally. But I think first off, you have to like your spouse. And I think we like each other. And we yeah, we know how to stay in our lane. I don't. I don't try to input anything design wise. And she doesn't try to tell me anything to run the business. So once we determined those lanes, it's pretty simple, actually. Because that's awesome. And we enjoy because I mean, who else can we trust? 100%. Other than my significant other, right? I don't have to worry about or she doesn't have to worry either of us have to be worried about like, are they taking from the business? Are they doing the right decision for the business? It's always the best for both of us.
9:13
Yeah, that makes sense. You're right or die. Yeah. That makes a lot of sense. Well, that. Yeah. My husband and I, we even just cooking in the kitchen. We have to say, okay, who's the chef and who's the sous chef? Otherwise, we're both trying to do all of the stuff. Yeah. So that makes sense that you just stay in your lane and you roll with it that way respectfully. So how have you guys taken renderings and incorporated that into what you're delivering to your clients and why like, why are you here with Fernando? Obviously this is a tool that brings a lot of value.
9:51
Yeah, renderings for us and in our project is not an option to exclude they're always part of the package. Having a You're an architectural opinion background. It's, it's necessary. So for us to have a easy and seamless projects to move into DDS and in construction documents, you have to get everything visually approved, from furnishings, finishes, textures, you know. So that was it. It's included, and it's a must in our projects. And that's where Fernando comes in, when we saw his level of quality delivery in what she does us as a team, it was a no brainer that we wanted to collaborate with him to bring in that quality to our customers.
10:37
So far, so yeah, I mean, we're working in the, in the hospitality world where in architectural firms, they have rooms and rooms of drafters and renderers, right, and the quality level that comes out of these architectural firms are high, high level. So finding a lot of people can render but finding the quality that we were looking for, well, it took a while. And once I found Dupree vendors, I feel like that was our that was our guy. And I was like, Okay, this quality is amazing. Let's give it a shot. And the first project that we did with Fernando was an 18,000 square foot Steakhouse, right? So I don't I don't think at that point. They were deep into commercial spaces, he, we did go through some spaces that they had done in the past, because green is rendering, right, you just have to be able to to model what's needed in that space. And he showed me some examples. And we were like, okay, the finish quality of this is where we want it. Can they do it, and we went through the process, I think the way that they do business, the way that they have things in order makes it super easy. And it's also the way that we try to run our business very organized very, there's, there's there's a step for everything. So when we joined forces with with Duke and ruin in particular, he was our guy who was managing our project, it was almost like we were meant to be because we're very strict on the way we do it. And so are they don't we were able to collaborate like super smooth and seamlessly.
12:04
Yeah, and I think that's one of probably one of the things that that has made it so easy working with them is because there's process for everything on their side. So they understand that the more like aligned the processes are, within both companies, the better the outcome, the better the product, the the process is going to be. And one of the things that that I like to say to people is that my background is not on renderings, actually all these books that you see here, or business books, because I tried to put myself into the client's shoes, and understand the client experience and decline journey and optimize on that. Like the renderings is a byproduct of why we try to build which is a great service company that happens to have a rendering product. So the minute you understand, at least for us how the claim journey has to be how has to go in how they are experiencing our service is where we tried to optimize the most right, so we have a defined process, a three step process, you know, they gather that clay drafted delivery, we give the we have templates of how to submit the information, we tell you how to give us feedback in order for you don't even have to think about this because you have other things to do. Like designers is one of the jobs that I see the half way, like more more responsibilities you need to be, you know, my wife said my wife is a designer, she says like, I need to put my actress mode, you know, like I need to, you know, understand what the client is trying to feel so I can deliver. So you know, designers have so many roles. So I we don't want to put yet another burden or task into your guys. Because like, we want to try to make your life easier and not like oh, God now I need to deal with these guys. Now I need to deal with another supplier with another set of rules and brothers and he did not organize, it's even worse. So we try to put ourselves into the signers shoes in order to kind of like cater to what they actually
14:13
need. Great sense. And I think that that's just great business practice in general. Because like you said, the rendering is the byproduct. So as designers, it's the same thing. We you know, clients can go out and buy I mean, it's a little different with casinos and restaurants and stuff like that. But if you're doing residential clients, clients can go buy furniture, you know, you can go to Restoration Hardware, and they're just gonna deliver all their shit and drop it off and set it up and make it look pretty. But as designers, we provide such an experience from the first phone call to you know, the punch list that that's where the professionals shine. So and here's them in check that out. So you've got an interior design firm, with their processes buttoned up, and a rendering service with their process. This has been done by creatives like pure creatives who are exemplifying good business practices. Yeah,
15:06
well, the way I see it is our vendors have to help me not take more time from me. So that that that is them, they don't take more time than it should, right. So I tell Monica all the time that I'm looking for an A team of vendors, I don't need B and C quality vendors, because that makes our job more difficult. And it takes longer. And we can move on from a project because of somebody else like that. Just we're leaving money on the table, because we need to move on. So the better you would up front, the better our vendors do it, the easier the projects go. And ultimately, we get repeat business, right? So the better we treat our projects and our clients, it helps. Yeah,
15:46
well, but so Fabian, how are you guys getting business? Like, how do you promote yourself? What is your marketing just
15:51
so we don't do any promoting, or any marketing up to this point, I think after I remember, Fernando, he got me thinking on marketing, and I'm like, I need to start doing more of that stuff. But so far, it's all been 100% Word of mouth, and referrals from from people we've done work with. So we do specialize in hospitality type projects. But I think if you were to split our workload, it'd be 80%, residential and 20%. Hospitality. Because Monica, once she started to do hospital or residential, she found that she enjoys it more, it's a lot more personal. You get to actually help somebody out with their with their home and connect with them. But what we do is we Yeah, it's what we take the hospitality way of doing things, and we apply it to residential projects. So yeah, so it's a very, it's highly custom. We try to make it very unique every single time. We don't we don't we used to, but not anymore retail buying stuff. But you learned as we went that they're not really that sometimes customer client don't know what they want, right. So we have to guide them on what is best designed for their house. Yeah,
17:00
they know what they need, but you tell them what they want. Yeah, like I need a chair. But it needs to be a really second
17:06
chair. Yeah. So to back to answer your question was, it's just really, Let's kick some ass doing a project, the one that we have the two that we have whatever we had at that time, and because we I think we execute at a high level, based off where we come from our previous careers, we apply to our business, and we haven't really had the need to market. We want to market but we haven't had the need to do that. So that's basically how we been getting our clients. That's fantastic.
17:34
Are you guys using renderings with all of your residential room clients as well, we're
17:40
moving into Nivea Ed, for sure. All of the hospitality and commercial projects that she's a
17:47
makes sense.
17:48
We have Monica we have another designer. Her name is Lillian. And they're like, really, really great at hand sketches. We got to the point where to for the clients to understand. They'll sketch them in that day. And we'll keep projects moving forward. And we haven't Well, at least with no projects done renderings for residential. Yeah, no, yeah. But we now it's part of our process. Now we do but no matter what we do, it's going to be in in the projects.
18:16
Yeah. Yeah. We for MLW interiors group, we require renderings for renovations. Yeah, furnishings, it can come and go it depends on the client themselves. But for renovations it's it's a it's a must. Yeah, yeah. And dear Lord hand hand sketching on site that's envious. I'm, like, a talent. I'm green. I'm green with envy. That's so amazing.
18:40
And they love to do it. I think you have to want to do it. If you're required to do it. I think it's different, but they love to skate.
18:46
It makes sense. Yeah. No, that's
18:49
definitely yeah. It's a personal touch to it. I I mean, if you come to my house, and you tell me like, yeah, wait a second, and you start drawing? So yeah, it's like, yeah,
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it's deniability. Like, this chick knows what those little, there's nothing.
19:02
Like we always want to provide a ton of value for people. So if we're sitting at somebody's kitchen or living room, and we're trying to, we're pitching ourselves, and Monica whips out a sketch of what she's thinking, like, she'll do it right then and there. Like that only helps us approve who we are. And nine out of 10 times like they're super impressed, right? Like it's so
19:22
Monica is the quiet one, but give her a pen and she's dangerous.
19:27
I think just Just let me be creative. Just take over everything else. I just
19:34
That's a perfect, that's one of the things that I liked the most about them, you know, like, it's so clear that how they complement each other in terms of, you know, the business side and the creative side is so important because we've had two creative people in the business. I mean, that could lead to conflict. And it could be good conflict, but still conflict, right like, but now when you have some when like that's how I learned this the hard way, right like in my years of uriens I, in the beginning, I just partner with my buddies, I partner with my friends. But then I realized that you need to partner with people that actually don't have the skills to train, vice versa. And yeah, and I think that, in our long conversation that we had in Vegas, I immediately picked that up at the beginning is just how complimented they are in their skill sets, you know, like, I, I don't think I will see baby on anytime soon. In any
20:30
maybe with AI, because you taught me some stuff about AI, I was like, this stuff is crazy.
20:38
Or, or in a was very clear, like, from the beginning, at least when I met them is that Monica? Kind of like, I don't know, if you like don't like it, but definitely don't prefer kind of like, you know, running the beast, because it's hard, it's hard to know, you need different skill sets. And usually, having both is not common, you know, like, usually, like people either go through the creative side or the left side of Brander. And the business side or the operational side should raise their brain. So yeah, I in my own business in our own business the same way. I'm more of the visionary guy with my brother. And we have our business partner, Gustavo, which is the operations like numbers like let's just like processes, processes, processes. And he's very, very fun working in that way. Because at the end of the day, the skill sets complement each other and they they let you achieve, you know, and get, you know, farther. Yeah, absolutely, father. In fact, I recommend a book all the time. I actually gifted it to them. I don't know if you'd read it. But it talks about that is this book called Rocket fuel by Gina Whitman, and Michelle and if you've if you've heard about it, but it is a book that talks about this dynamic between the integrator which is kind of like the operational side, which I think Fagan is and the visionary, which is more the creative side, which Monica? Well, that's that book definitely sits here in one of my, in my shell, and I give it to everyone that I understand that there's something there, that can they explode. So absolutely a book to read. That's
22:08
fantastic. And both both of you guys are, are all three of y'all. Both businesses are very blessed that you found it within your families. For or like, I don't think Gustavo is related. But you've got that close. Yeah, he got that close.
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We're working on Jenkins use last name.
22:29
But that's just such a blessing. Because not only do you have, like we were talking about earlier, that person who you can just trust as a ride or die. But at the end of the day, it's just a natural fit. Yeah,
22:41
there's nothing like being able to operate in your expertise and what you like to do, and and let the other person did the same. And then meet once a week and kind of go through stuff, where we're at, just stay informed, but letting you operate in your field and what you do like it's just priceless.
23:00
No, I have that with Hallie on the design. To make a cake winning that girl gets that I dream I know what gradients are. It's amazing. You don't know how good runs itself. So let's do lots of hard work trying to coordinate with what is a sticky situation and a breach of your reading and this is why I created the interior design business a Grayson, this program teaches you about your interior design
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business creation side.
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You don't want to figure out everything designed right like you need writing supposed to
23:48
help you do a year long coaching program by the interior design business bakery, the design business revenue is below 300,000 project
24:01
managers to lean in to make together and keep your sanity and lean theme in the manner that I do in hog
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design or the creative mind.com. So our commercials Haji dash
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are a great bass. She does a little bit you don't regret. However, Lilian brain is as creative as you can. I saw it. I went to school with the girl. I know her capabilities. So when she came on board, she came on board as a project manager. She's gonna lead the construction site and documentation of the projects. However, she's taken on interior design projects and she realized this is a residential this is five bedrooms, you will conceptualize design space, and she is fully capable of doing that. Her drawing skills are beyond like she is an amazing sketch here. She loves any mesh, she's with her iPad and like the pen, so we're good like we work so well together. I like she's one of my dearest friends. But she is a full interior designer and project manager. Yeah.
25:07
So we had to make a decision when we were ready to hire somebody because it was becoming too much for one designer, we had to make a decision because we are a growing company. Do we get somebody that's like fresh out of college are still an intern? Or do we suck it up and pay somebody who can hit the ground running? And we went for that option? We were like, okay, yeah, a little bit higher price tag. But let's give it a try. Like if this person can unload work from you, and you because even though she doesn't talk much, she's still good at being in front of the client and selling the design. Yeah. So we've heard doing that in the front line. When we have somebody back in our studio, you know, doing the drawings. And we said, Okay, we're gonna do it. And if it doesn't work out, it didn't work out. Right. We could go backwards. But it worked out for us. And we trust her as if she was Monica designing. Right. So she's back good. And we really lucked out. And we hope to have her for a long time, because it's working out. Great. That's
26:04
fantastic. Yeah, because you make that investment. And the return is, yeah, exponential. Yep,
26:11
we had to teach we had it was the learning curve was super small. So once she was here, within a few weeks, like she picked up everything we need her to start doing, and she started designing. So it was a good investment for us. And we were happy to go that route with somebody with experience versus I think there's nothing wrong with insurance. But there's a bigger learning curve, right? You have to kind of hold their hand a little bit more. And I think we will have somebody on that point at that level here. Probably soon. Because we need some extra hands. Senior Designer for us, was the right thought early on,
26:44
well, do you have enough work to justify a senior designer, then that's a no brainer. Now if it's just the grunt work that you need help with, like returning samples and filing things and whatnot, then an intern is perfect at that point. Yeah.
26:56
So I see everything. Every dollar that we spend in our business I we see it as an investment. So is this investment going to bring us more business? And the answer was yes. So I said, Okay, let's do it. And yeah, well, for us, she
27:07
was crucial like that, in a project that we did our first project we do. We work environments that we work, everything's during the read, and designing those high details. And that comes in these hospitality world. And we could export it and give it to Duke teams, that communication was so seamless, but because we also work in a 3d world, right, they could read or write, they understood the detail they had the questions were minimal, because they had the 3d model from us. They already had all the details that we want it from an interior design point to where Duke render, took it, put it into 3d Max and put all of our finishes. Right. But Lee and having that at the front most because that's how we design anyways, it was an NPC to the process we took render. Yeah, remember, they
27:59
would ask us like or tell us like, you don't have to put it in Revit. I'm like, No, we that's probably that's what we do. Anyway, we're just giving you what we're doing anyway, that we present to our clients and do our design developments and construction documents. We already do it in Revit. So given it up to them, where they don't have to model everything right there. So good off a napkin, right? I've heard we've never done it that way. But if we can provide more info to somebody to make it faster and easier, and so they can understand where we want to be at the end of the day, we're all for it.
28:29
Well, here's the advantage of having the renderer ease, right? Because we provided that 3d detail with the design already. When we bring into renderings at the end of the schematic phase, and be approved, basically these beautiful renderings and they say go for it. We're waiting to design development. And we're already creating drawings already because they're really so everything visually, we already had decided. So the process is so smooth after that, that
28:56
makes perfect sense. And having worked with Duke without Revit through ml interiors group. It is kind of like off of the back of a napkin. Fabian?
29:07
Yeah. A couple of sketches. Yeah.
29:12
Yeah, no, we try to make it easy, right? Like if you have a Revit file. Awesome. Yeah, we can definitely take it and read it and manipulate it and kind of like work from it. If you don't have a Revit that's where we always tell it like, guys you don't like if you're going to do the Revit model for us. Yeah, stop, stop. But no, they because that's the way that you weren't in your case, Michelle like with the floor plans and the mood boards and you know, the material like the idea is to put in an umbrella every single you know designers way of working because at the end of the day notice is the same okay? No process is the same. And the ADEA is to understand everything that's why I always say this like I it's funny that remember that is that we've got an napkin floorplan so that's not a lie like, we I always say that we still are using we still haven't gotten that and said,
30:09
Well, it's probably gonna be 3d on their palm. Yeah.
30:15
And they're still haven't gotten that I'm looking for that sign is gonna send me a picture of it, which I
30:21
mean, that's great. Like, I'm not opposed to that, right? That's awesome. But we're kind of control freaks. So whenever we hand something over, we want to over communicate and over explain what we want. So that when we see it's 80% 90% there, and it's less changes, and we can continue moving forward on the project. And
30:42
that makes sense, because you're in the middle of a project when when we enlisted Duke, it was to go back to a project from 2020 that we never had a chance to get photographed. And it was just a beautiful design. And so it was almost like a Here you go, you know if you can imagine a shoebox full of receipts handing it to your accountant. Yeah, it was kind of like that, handing it to Duke and his to Fernando and his team. Because it was just like, okay, it was a former designer, who, who's no longer with the company. So why we had to go off of my memory. Yeah, which y'all, there's not a lot of bandwidth in here. So we went off with my memory, and some of the images that we had had that we had showed to the client, obviously, but half the shit was still on this other other employees laptop. I'm like, well, that's part of the reason you're not with us anymore is because like you weren't following the process. But nonetheless, that's a different story. We're pulling all these things together and handing it to him. And it was seamless, just like I would imagine. It was for y'all. Even though we didn't have any Revit. We didn't have some of the files, some of the materials and whatnot.
31:50
And that's where I think they're so good at what they do that it's like he said, one size doesn't fit all like he he can adapt, they can adapt to the designer, not the designer adapt to the rendering, right, like they can make it happen, whatever you've got will happen, which I love that like they're being proactive, and it's great. Well,
32:08
and the answer is yes. What do you need? Yep. Yep. So I think for our listeners, that's really important to point out because previously, my former team, they were not as enthusiastic about outsourcing because they felt like they were going to lose control, which I can completely understand. You're handing your child to somebody to dress basically. So talk to me about your experience saying that you are control freaks. But yet you're you're outsourcing this to another person instead of doing it in house yourself.
32:42
Yep. I think they're, aside from everything we've already mentioned. They're also great at communication. So if, and we can meet whenever we want to meet with them, right? Give me an update. And you could, I think you only have to do this one time to realize that you don't have to do it, you let them do what they do. But if you aren't appropriate, you could meet every week, if you want and get updates to see where the progress is. But once they show you how they operate, you're like, Okay, I can I can let go right? Your control freaks. But if you demonstrate to us that you are that a player that we're looking for, then we don't have to watch you, we trust you. And that's kind of how we get over it. Because they're, they're trustworthy, they know what they're doing.
33:22
Yeah. And I think that's the best way to outsource is if they just be like whoever you outsource to. So for renderings you outsource to do for accounting, the outsource to somebody else, like these things are not what you need to be doing. Because as a designer, and especially if you don't have a business partner, like Fabian and Monica do, you're doing so many things. You don't have time, and you're slower at it, right.
33:48
That's why we're also a team of three because we're big outsourcers, like, it takes some time to find those those teams, right that we want to work with over and over again. But once we do, and they're like, alright, I trust you. Let's go. There's no more thinking about it. balls in your court, you take care of it now.
34:03
There you go. So you can just continue moving forward through new projects and fabulous projects and extensive projects, because you're not having to deal with all the other muckety muck. So essentially, Duke renders is just an extension of your team. Correct. It's collaboration. Yeah. Yeah. That's fun. That's very fun. So what has been your favorite? What is it? Let's just talk about what has been your favorite project. Monica and Fabian, like, is there a favorite project that jumps out and smacks you in the head and said, Oh, my gosh, if I could do this one over and over, I would
34:40
know that you don't have a favorite child. Yeah. Although my projects are so different, I know that you know, there's some designers that have an aesthetic or look, right, we're not Yeah, we come from a background of gaming so we decide environments you said it earlier, right? So all of our projects are for each family and each client and each venue. They're all so different. I couldn't tell you one that there's
35:11
some designs. That wouldn't be what I would design. Right. But we love it because they love it. Yeah, yes. So we're fine. Yeah,
35:20
I can tell you the steakhouse is my favorite. But it's the first restaurant I did after I left. But the first hotel tower model like I just like my baby, right? Yes.
35:29
And it wasn't to me. Like it wasn't like extravagant, like there was hard budgets that we had to follow. But because of the first opportunity that somebody gave us on a big scale, we love it, right? We appreciate it. Yes. And I don't care what it turned out to be. It was just kind of like that star, one of our babies. We don't have kids. But we would relate it to that. I could give you an example that we just photographed. One of our projects were these clients allowed us to be super, super creative. And we Monica designed this, this 20 foot chandelier that was fabricated in like crystal Valley, Czech Republic. So we were able to fly out to Czech Republic to inspect the chandelier before it was shipped over to Vegas. So that's also cool, right? We're but yeah, that doesn't sound right. So we because she she doesn't have that hospitality background, she's able to create these super custom items, like a 20 foot chandelier. We know where they are our favorite vendors or vendors that we that we trust again, right? The trusting. And they are one of them. And we were able to go out there and inspect it and make sure everything was good. But that's part of the value that we bring to our clients, right when we design and I remember making sure that everything is 100% Before you ever see it in your home. So that's kind of behind the scenes stuff.
36:47
And that's also why you keep getting word of mouth referrals. We don't we Yeah. Because if you're if you're delivering you know, subpar quality, yeah. Then people are just gonna say, yeah, it was okay. Yeah. Would you recommend them? Maybe. Whereas now you're creating raving fans, because you're delivering, you know, exquisite quality.
37:08
Yeah. Even though like for our projects, even though we're not, obviously, we're not hired to do construction. We'd like to make sure that construction is moving forward, because it's part of our design, right? Like, we want to make sure our design is moving forward. Do we have to do it? No. But I think the client appreciates that the other day that they also have another set of eyes, pushing the project along. That makes
37:29
sense. Have you used renderings, to convey something that is so unique that you couldn't explain it otherwise? Or to convince a client to do something that maybe they weren't sure, weren't certain of implementing? Not to this point?
37:46
I don't know what their question is. But I mean, certainly the main point of renderings is to visualize it in our minds or be shocked to see it. Yeah.
37:56
But I think because they are so good at sketching that before it ever gets rendered, like the idea has been approved, and they already understand where it's headed.
38:04
The concept. Yeah, sense. Yeah, that makes really good sense. Well, let me ask all of y'all if you weren't in this business, like if you weren't doing what you're doing, now, what would you be doing instead?
38:19
What's let's start with?
38:23
Okay. That's a good question. I've been doing a lot of things prior to in renderings, right. Like I like I mentioned before, I go into all the ventures that I do with a business customer experience. Approach, right, like, you this is the first time I say this, but I had an ice cream company. I had an airline cargo company. I had a lower yield Fernanda So, yeah, yeah. So, so all these ones like now I were doing renderings, hopefully when I do this for a while, because I understood that there was a need, and I saw that needed my wife, right, I saw her I didn't know about designers that were all these many hats, right? So the way I go into this business is kind of like trying to solve a pain that somebody's having, with a, you know, customer service approach, right? Like, I am from Minnesota, I live in Mexico. The service culture that the US has, is very unique, you know, like some people even say that they spoil their customers so much they've spoiled their clients. And once you've had some sort of entitlement, kind of like approach, but that service, that level of service, I think that has to start every single business there. So going back to your question I don't know. However, I do know that the person I'm I'm I'm passionate about real estate. You know, I know that also here where I live real estate is booming. And also, I know there's a crane for like goose servers in terms of construction and building so. So I see that a lot. So maybe the real estate industry I would probably go after. Because I know there's first a lot of opportunity. There's, I mean, a lot of fortunes have made through real estate. And also I seen that there's a lot of, you know, growing pain, at least into you know, how servicing the real estate clients. So that's a good question, though. I gotta I
40:37
gotta pick up my sleeve. Yeah, I'm
40:38
not I'm not that deep. I'm super simple. If I wasn't doing what I'm doing, I'd be golfing all day every.
40:53
day if I could pick that'd be a professional.
40:57
That's right. I didn't put any limits on it. Huh? What about you?
41:01
My name is easy, too. Are you doing that? So the point I thought about changing majors, yeah. Early on in my architecture, winter architecture degree, something with an ecology in which is somewhat related to interior design, right. Like there's a lot of Yeah, it is behind. So with something on that field?
41:16
Yeah, she definitely has to be a counselor right sometimes or a therapist, when you have to work with tools that they don't. Yeah, even in the middle with design.
41:26
That's part of the reason I got out of the field. And I hired people to do it on my behalf because I was tired of clients like that. That's on y'all. I'm going to invoice you for that conversation.
41:40
I had a sweet, sweet client who she always jokes, and she calls me my sweet angel. She goes, you're like, who's my therapist?
41:55
that there needs to be like, an add on to the invoice. Yeah. Therapists or indices,
42:00
principal and therapists.
42:04
Not Yeah. Now when you build by the hour, amen
42:07
to that. Okay, so other than rocket fuel? What books would you guys recommend reading? And it doesn't have to be it doesn't have to be professional, or even personal development. It could be something fiction, or historical or whatever. Like, do you have a favorite book that you would recommend? This is my selfish question. Because I keep a list. Yeah, these
42:31
two are readers they really more i?
42:32
Fernando go while I think about this, because I What would you like to know? What topic do you want?
42:39
I know, you guys can't. For those of you listening to the podcast, you can't see Fernando. He just looked over his shoulder because he's got a couple of bookshelves worth of books.
42:49
Yeah, so I mean, if I like there's an author that really likes called Jim Collins, and he's, like a guru of business. Right? So Jim Collins has a good to great books that he talks about, like fundamentals about business, he talks. I like I like his his way of writing because he talks. It's more like a textbook, right? But business one, like he analyzes and he's a researcher, and he analyzes 1000s of companies and get common patterns between all of them. So they can tell you like, Okay, if you do this, like all these 1000 companies done, you probably will get the same results at this conference. Got it. There's another book called The E Myth revisited. Yeah, Michael Gerber, I think is also about how to create companies and sellable. Like something that you need to put into your best. It's more like simulating what franchisors do that is, you know, like how to become
43:53
a sellable company
43:55
with the exit with an exit in mind, and that should be not just to share it, like what do you call it Sunday on it? But do I want to sell that sucker if my kid doesn't take it over? Yeah,
44:06
that's that's a good point. Yeah, we don't think about selling anytime soon or leaving the business anytime soon. But I definitely think about the way that we build it should be the way that we could hand it off to somebody if they wanted to purchase it down the line, right? Like why not and it also makes our day to day easier because their systems
44:23
Yeah, that makes a huge difference. And
44:25
and Fabian likes and I'm not take that compliment of the marketing, complement it those books, by Russell Brunson has a trilogy. This one diva, and my latest favorite author that I really liked. His writing is Alex promosi. He's based in Vegas, by the way
44:45
and his wife. Watch them. Yeah,
44:48
I watch them all the time. Yeah. Have
44:50
you ever seen them on they're totally fine. You should. Yeah, they're fun to watch as well. I
44:54
enjoyed because I feel like it's not like fluffy guru type stuff like it's very related. All in business and they and they swear. Yeah. Like they're normal, right?
45:08
That's fine. Yeah. So
45:09
for me those like those three authors, especially her mostly lately, not only his books are amazing, but also all his content on YouTube on Instagram. Like he's, he's nailing it. And I think he's, I mean, yes killing him because of it. Yeah, that
45:24
could that could you know what that would be another episode of our podcast today just talking about how they've created a brand. Yeah, you know, so. But besides that, let's come back to baby and Baby, what do you recommend reading, I
45:38
would recommend a book that I recently reread it's emotional intelligence, because I feel I feel like everything we do, and no matter what business you're in, you've got to be able to deal with people. And when people lose your mind, how do you react to that? Right? So I think her and I were really good at maneuvering in any sort of situation, because we aren't reactive to how somebody else is treating us or the way that they're, they want to deal with things or to kind of come back to center and see it from their point of view, right? See it from our point of view. And I think we're, most of the time, we were in control of our emotion, and we could pick up on their emotion. So that's one that I really enjoy and recommend to people. I
46:22
think that that is definitely something that it's hard to separate when it's your own business sometimes because it does feel personal. So being able to do that is huge. Okay, so you guys are talking about all these business books. What do you do for fun? Besides go out and close,
46:37
maybe in?
46:41
Golf, I love it. By the way, also, Fernando that I do it, because I've been able to form some relationships in business that are priceless. If I meet anybody new. And we're talking about what I do what they do, I can always invite them out to golf, and like spend four hours with them, and just kind of get one on one time. So it's more than just like fun. I also try to use it for business as much as I can. And I was telling Monica this the other day, sometimes it's not even business, it's going out there and meeting some people that they might be in a different business or field but just getting ideas from other perspectives like has been huge for me.
47:18
Yes. And I think that's so important in our industry is like what's working in other industries? What are other people doing because for so long? The interior design industry, it was the same thing over and over and over again. And like we need to infuse the new ideas from different different perspectives. Yep. I love that. I love that. Y'all. I could sit here and talk for another two hours. I just I love this conversation.
47:44
Fernando
47:48
with cocktail? Yeah. Cocktails. Yes. And it was just so good to catch up. And like really hear more about what you guys have been doing it in my van. And of course, Fernando, it's always fun catching up with you. And I get to I get to meet his wife next week. Awesome. Very, yeah, that's gonna be super fun. Super fun. I'm at the summit interior design business success summit last year. I know. Right. I'd like to be down until the
48:14
next the next interview should on the beach.
48:18
Helped me? Well, you know, we used to go down to Puerto Morelos and the Riviera Maya every year, like every year, and then we adopted a kid. And you know, traveling with the child is not easy. Fernando. I know. You know this. You've got what, 14 now? Yeah. It's been a TV and some sandals. And then if I bring the kid I still have this giant huge suitcase. She's opened up now that we can leave her so maybe I will come down and see. Now I know the audience has loved everything that both parties have have shared today. Fabian and Monica, how can people connect with you guys?
49:04
So we're doing we're not we haven't like we mentioned we've been doing a lot of his word of mouth, but we're trying to grow on social right. So on Instagram, you can find in live in three underscores interiors. And that's our main page and the same thing on Facebook. It'll be Monica. There'll be Monica Rivas, and then our website it's enliven E and l i v n dash interiors.com. So that's where we post all our latest projects are pretty photos of completed stuff. And you can see what's going on with us there. You
49:35
guys definitely need to check it out. And Fernando
49:40
so we are an Instagram at Duke dot renders. And if you go to Duke renessa COMM slash Michelle, you can book a call and with one of our client success team and you get a 20% discount just by listening to the podcast so stupendous, calm slash, diggity
49:57
dog. Yeah, so you guys you guys You need to check out all the beautiful work that enliven interiors produces. And working with Fernando, I hope you guys know you guys have been listening long enough that if I do have a, if I do have a guest on the podcast, and I tell you that I've used their services, it's only because I've used their services, and they were good. So there have been situations where I'm kind of, you know, I want to say taste testing, and I don't recommend them. But in this instance, y'all, I highly would like, I would definitely recommend working with his team, you don't think they don't actually talk to you. But his entire team is seamless and friendly. And the customer service is exactly as he is that and in fact, Debbie, I think a lot of the listeners may know, Debbie, she has been with me for 10 years as a senior designer. And she's the one who took the project from 2020 and ran it through yalls process. And she came back and just like, did processes like we do this was really easy. So thank you for that. That's fantastic. So thank you guys for being here. And for those of you who are listening, I will make sure that those details are all in the show notes. So if you're driving or walking your dog or something, you'd have to stop and and write that down. And if you all are looking for some additional assistance, and your interior design business firm, if you go to design for the creative mind.com. That's the same name as this podcast. It's original, I know. But you can click on the coaching button. And we have a variety of different services that we're offering these days, we have the sugar and spice society, which is a membership. It's it's like 50 bucks a month, maybe and it just dipped your toe in to the business aspect of it. We're starting to get you up and running, talking about marketing, talking about sales, talking about social, talking about processes and procedures. And that sets a great foundation to lift you up and get you into the interior design business bakery, which is a much bigger financial commitment, time commitment, and so forth. And we've got a couple other things up our sleeve. So check out design for the creative mind, whenever you get a chance and make sure you pop in to the same on Instagram and say hello. So speaking of hello, goodbye to our guests. Thank you so much for being here.
52:25
Thank you so much. Hey, y'all.
52:27
If you love the show and find it useful, I would really appreciate it if you would share with your friends and followers. And if you like what you're hearing, want to put a face with the name and get even more business advice. Then join me in my Facebook group, the interior designers business launch pad. Yeah, I know it's Facebook, but just come on in for the training and then leave without scrolling your feet. It's fine. I promise you'll enjoy it. And finally, I hear it's good for business to get ratings on your podcast. So please drop yours on whatever platform you use to listen to this. We're all about community over competition. So let's work on elevating our industry, one designer at a time. See you next time.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
