Business of Home Podcast

Maury Riad’s connection to the trade goes back decades—from running Fortuny, the storied Italian fabric brand his family owns, to Fuigo, the design management software and shared workspace he co-founded in 2016. His vision for the industry, which he likes to call “To the Trade Trade 2.0,” includes making the interior design process more transparent in its pricing and business models. This week, he chats about how the trade has become devalued in the digital world and how this can be reversed through collaboration, organization and community-building.   

Designer Mat Sanders jokes that his design business launched with a ceramic middle finger.  Scratch beneath the surface of his playful sensibility—which is reflected in his personality, interior designs and product lines—and you’ll find an ambitious business plan backed by a clear vision (and some anonymous funding). The Consort co-founder chats about how mid-budget customers are underserved, why boutique design services are hard to scale, and how he’s planning to conquer the design world by addressing both problems. This episode is sponsored by High Point Market.   

Home furnishings brand maven Christiane Lemieux chats about her fast furniture endeavor, The Inside, and the other companies she founded along the way. From growing up in Canada, to launching her first company and selling it to Wayfair, Lemieux shares her insider knowledge of the furniture business and where she thinks it is going. Plus, find out how she thinks consumers will be investing in their homes and how the trade can keep up with their demands. This episode is sponsored by High Point Market.   

Homepolish co-founder Noa Santos champions interior designers and creates transparency in an infamously opaque industry. Santos shares how Homepolish has evolved over its five years into a design platform, how it’s taking on big-budget, full-service renovations, and how it matches clients with contractors and architects. This episode is sponsored by High Point Market. 

Beth Brenner, chief revenue officer of Domino Media Group, shares her firsthand experience of the founding of Domino magazine, diving deep into its cult-like following, sudden fall and recent reincarnation. She shares how the brand continues to grow in an ever-changing media landscape and the importance of brick-and-mortar. Plus, find out what it’s like to have a Condé Nast bigwig as your dad. This episode is sponsored by High Point Market.