Kitchen & Bath Business January/February 2025 - 38

HOT T OPIC
Patti Johnson, Owner
Patti Johnson Interiors, Lebanon, Ohio
I was hired to update a lovely 1800s farmhouse. I brought the
contractor and architect out, went over numbers, and the clients
agreed to everything. Two days later, I got a call that they
were canceling everything because another family member who
owned half the farm didn't want to put any money into it. Lesson
learned: Always ask your clients for proof of ownership before
you get started on a project. Photo credit: Aaron Stringer
Kelly DuByne, Founder & Designer
Distinctive Interior Designs, Lake Stevens, Wash.
Feeling a need to connect more with local people in the industry,
in 2024 I made an intentional effort to attend National Kitchen
& Bath Association meetings, discover new-to-me showrooms,
enter some design contests (and win!) and collaborate with other
amazing women in the industry while attending the NKBA's
W2W women's mentoring event. These efforts have led to new
opportunities working with some local design and build fi rms,
connecting with new vendors and discovering new projects.
Photo credit: Kelly DuByne
Left to Right: Patti
Johnson, Kelly DuByne,
Antonio Matrēs, Cheryl
Clendenon and Samia
Verbist
Antonio Matrēs, Owner
Antonio Matrēs Design, New York & Madrid
One of our projects this year reminded us of the importance of
keeping the client always updated. Construction is the most
imperfect process; there are many variables that can go wrong.
Our success is not delivering perfection, it is anticipating and
being prepared for the unknown so we can lead the design and
construction process to triumph. A client kept in the dark will
become our worst nightmare, but an informed one can be our
most valuable asset. Photo credit: Antonio Matrēs Design
Cheryl Clendenon, Owner
In Detail Interiors, Pensacola, Fla.
My right-hand colleague became remote when she needed to
move away to help her parents. It was challenging with her not
in the offi ce, but we invested in a program called Tandem where
everyone on our team can interact with each other every day.
We revamped parts of our process to include more Zoom meetings
with clients, and I went back to being boots on the ground
for project management. All communication goes through our
ClickUp project management system and is very easily managed
remotely or in the offi ce. We had our best year ever with revenue
and were able to pivot with new processes and communication.
Photo credit: Sarah Coleman Photography
Samia Verbist, Owner, Samia Verbist
Interior Design, Newport Beach, Calif.
This year, the rapid growth of my business pushed me to step
back and refl ect on what I had already accomplished. One
pivotal decision was hiring an experienced full-time interior
designer. The idea was daunting and weighed heavily on me,
but with the guidance of my business coach and mentors, I
found the confi dence and strength to take the leap. It turned
out to be the best decision I've made for my business. This
change not only helped us meet the growing demand for largescale
projects but also gave me more time to focus on what I
love most - creativity, developing my business and building
meaningful relationships with clients and general contractors.
Photo credit: Mark Weisberg
38 JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2025
Kitchen & Bath Business January/February 2025

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Kitchen & Bath Business January/February 2025
