Welcome to the Monday Minute with Michele—your quick hit of strategy, insight, and actionable ideas to help you move your business forward one small win at a time.

Today, we're talking about the profit gap. The gap is the difference between what is happening (high revenue) and our understanding of how the money is being managed (low clarity).

• Revenue alone can mask operational issues

• Owner's can be the most underpaid people in the company

• Clarity comes from understanding the drivers of profitability

• Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com

• Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting

• Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL

• Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com

• LinkedIn: Michele Williams

• Work with Me

• The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today

• CFO2Go

• Strategy2Go

• Metrique Solutions

With over two decades of experience as a workroom owner and interior designer, Hope Arbery understands the real challenges behind custom work—long hours, pricing uncertainty, and the constant pressure to get everything just right.

She founded QUIPA to provide the tools she—and so many others—wished they had: automated yardage and pricing calculations, professional estimates, and systems that bring clarity instead of chaos.

Hope is deeply committed to helping workrooms not just survive, but truly thrive with confidence, professionalism, and profit. In today's conversation, we're diving into what inspired her to create QUIPA, how it works, and the key problems it solves for workrooms everywhere.

• Project management and pricing support

• Modernizing workrooms

• Simplified operations and communication

• Modernizing workrooms in the custom soft furnishings industry to remain competitive is very important.

• The demand for efficiency and accuracy is increasing, and estimating and project management tools can provide assistance.

• The complexity of teaching the intricacies of window treatments prohibit many from hiring.

• Providing estimates quickly helps maintain project momentum and avoid losing clients due to delays.

• Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com

• Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting

• Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL

• Website: scarletthreadconsulting.com

• LinkedIn: Michele-Williams

• Email: hope@quipa.com

• Website: https://www.quipa.com/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myquipa

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myQUIPA/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/myquipa

References and Resources:

• Work with Me

• The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today

• CFO2Go

• Metrique Solutions

Joining me today is Kathryn Dillon, a certified Primal Question Coach with more than 30 years of experience owning and operating a successful window treatment design and fabrication business.

While Kathryn has built a thriving career, her true passion has always been mentoring others—helping them grow personally and professionally with clarity, compassion, and confidence. Guided by the Primal Question framework and her own journey of healing, she creates safe, judgment-free spaces where clients can gain insight and walk away with practical tools for meaningful change.

Kathryn and I both believe that growth is possible at any stage of life and business, which makes this conversation especially powerful. Today, we're introducing you to the Seven Primal Questions—and how they can transform the way you think, lead, and grow.

• Hiring and managing staff

• Framework of understanding

• Big question

• Our primal question is related to how we see the world and our internal dialogue.

• We all have core motivational needs.

• Knowing our primal question can lead to healthier decision making and emotional regulation.

• Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com

• Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting

• Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL

• Website: scarletthreadconsulting.com

• LinkedIn: Michele-Williams

• Email: kathryn@shiftingrhythmscoaching.com

• Website: shiftingrhythmscoaching.com

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shiftingrhythmscoaching

• Facebook: Shifting Rhythms Coaching

• 7 Primal Questions by Mike Foster

• Atomic Habits by James Clear

• Strengths Finder 2.0 Assessment

• Work with Me

• The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today

• CFO2Go

• Metrique Solutions