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

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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

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• 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:

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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.

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• 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

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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 what a strategic plan should actually do. So stick around—this is one you won't want to miss.

• Need for strategic plan

• How to use a strategic plan

• What goes into a strategic plan

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With me today is Jaquilyn Edwards of Ochre and Beige. Jaquilyn helps interior designers step into high-end positioning through their words, systems, and client experiences—so their value becomes unmistakable.

In today's episode, we explore how intentional messaging builds trust faster, strengthens boundaries, and ultimately grows and protects your profit. Our hope is that you walk away with insight and clarity to run a thriving business that truly reflects the caliber of your work.

• AI impact on copywriting

• Luxury strategy

• Affluent client messaging

• AI can be cost effective to help with copywriting but it creates generic content that lacks personalization.

• Luxury in design also refers to luxury communication which is clear.

• Messaging may need to be repositioned over time to attract ideal clients.

• Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com

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• LinkedIn: Michele-Williams

• Email: jedwards@ochreandbeige.com

• Website: www.ochreandbeige.com

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/ochreandbeige

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jaquilynedwards

Joining me today is Brittany Farinas of Miami-based House of One. Brittany is the CEO and Creative Director, known for creating spaces that truly embody the art of living with style.

In just eight years, Brittany has built an impressive career—designing projects across South Florida and expanding into the Northeast, including Martha's Vineyard, the Hamptons, and New York. Her work has been featured in publications like AD, Domino, and Vogue Living, reflecting both her talent and distinctive point of view.

In today's episode, we're diving into her journey of growth, the real cost of scaling a design business, and the lessons she's learned along the way. It's an insightful and inspiring conversation you won't want to miss.

• Hiring and managing staff

• Managing rapid growth

• Charging fairly

• Managing rapid growth, hiring, and maintaining high-quality deliverables while dealing with client expectations can be overwhelming.

• Downsizing a business can help focus on quality over quantity.

• Education and great communication skills help build respect with contractors.

• Charging appropriately for the time and work is important to run a profitable business.

• Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com

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• LinkedIn: Michele-Williams

• Email: dilara@adesignpartnership.com

• Website: www.houseof1.com

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brittanyalexa_, https://www.instagram.com/houseofone_

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 the topic is What to fix next in your business.

Topics Covered:

1. Sales

2. Profit

3. Order

4. Impact

5. Legacy

• Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com

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With me today on the podcast is Sonia Barney, an award-winning designer, business educator, and founder of Kaivari, a platform built to support creative entrepreneurs with the right coaches, resources, and community at the right stage of business.

In this episode, we're diving into the real cost of choosing the wrong coach—or engaging at the wrong time—and how those decisions can impact your growth. Sonia also shares practical resources to help you ask better questions, make more aligned decisions, and find the support system that truly fits your current stage of business.

• Support platform for design community

• Entrepreneurship challenges

• Coaches vs. Mentors

• It is important to match your need to the coach you select.

• Personality matters when selecting a professional to work with.

• Different professionals are available to help at each stage of business growth.

• Email: Team@ScarletThreadConsulting.com

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• Website: scarletthreadconsulting.com

• LinkedIn: Michele-Williams

• Email: sonia.barney@soniabdesign.com

• Website: www.kaivari.com, www.soniabarneydesign.com

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaivarico, https://www.instagram.com/soniabarneydesign
• Link: www.kaivari.com/free-resources

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