Designers, Meet Your Digital Glow-Up: Marketing 101 with Jana Early

Casey: 00:00:32

Hi, I'm Casey.

Rainey: 00:00:33

And I'm Rainey. Welcome to the Reframing Design podcast. If you're a new designer, a seasoned designer, a homeowner, or a home enthusiast, you are in the right place.

Casey: 00:00:44

We are going to talk about all things design. Our stories, our opinions, our experiences, and we're probably going to chase a few rabbits down a few rabbit holes.

But one thing we can guarantee, we will not talk about politics. Foreign. Hi.

Rainey: 00:01:16

Hi. Well, hello. Imagine seeing you here.

Jana: 00:01:20

Oh, my gosh.

Casey: 00:01:20

How did we do this again? Run into each other here, this space?

Rainey: 00:01:23

I don't know, but I think this might be. Is this our last recording in your studio before you close?

Casey: 00:01:30

That's a rumor. However, I don't know.

I feel like we get whimsy sometimes, and the studio's still mine for a month, so God knows we could fill it with lots of different things.

Rainey: 00:01:43

We might pull another interesting soul in.

Casey: 00:01:46

Who knows if somebody out there wants to come make their day here anyway? But it might be. So if it is, I'm really glad.

Rainey: 00:01:53

It'S the interview we're gonna do today.

Casey: 00:01:57

It's actually a really cool one because I met her years ago here at the center, working here as that's how I met you. And so it'd be kind of a cool way to work to your mother to peace out. I love that.

Rainey: 00:02:12

Anyway, so what is your win?

Casey: 00:02:14

Oh, goodness. This is gonna sound cheesy, and I don't mean for it to.

Rainey: 00:02:19

Okay.

Casey: 00:02:20

But two of our closest friends and two of our bitches members just won awards at the Ruby Awards. And I don't know why. It felt like a win for everyone when they won.

Rainey: 00:02:32

It was.

Casey: 00:02:33

It was very sweet and emotional and, well, so freaking well deserved. So Karen Black won two.

Rainey: 00:02:40

Yeah. For small firm residential design for dining room and full house.

Jana: 00:02:47

Yeah.

Rainey: 00:02:48

I mean. Shut up.

Casey: 00:02:48

I mean, in a full house, over 3, 500 square feet, like, that's a big, damn big category.

Rainey: 00:02:53

Huge.

Casey: 00:02:53

And then Lindsay Root for just being the baddest ass in the industry.

Rainey: 00:02:58

Yeah.

Casey: 00:02:58

Yeah. So it was. I don't know. It's a win because there are. There's a.

In our industry, we talk about this all the time, but it's hard when other places say that, you know, they don't have a community. You know, design community. We have such a great one. And then our little nuclear one. It feels like we have a little, like, tight little one.

Rainey: 00:03:15

We do.

Casey: 00:03:15

Everybody's just doing their own stuff, and it's all interesting and neat and, you know, we had deuce on episode before. I don't know, I just am proud of being a part of women who.

Rainey: 00:03:24

Are kicking ass and in this badass community, which is just kind of talent is. It just really kind of is.

Casey: 00:03:32

Houston's rocking it.

Jana: 00:03:33

So.

Casey: 00:03:33

Yeah, anyway, I think that's my win. I got to see them that night anyway. It was sweet and they look beautiful.

Rainey: 00:03:38

That is super, super exciting.

I think for me, the thing that I am thinking about this morning is, you know, that one of my babies lives in la and so my heart gets really full when I get to see her. And we have this family tradition and it's going to sound. You're going to be like, not your family. And it's. Yes, my family.

We go to the Wren Fest every year. And so Kate and her boyfriend Arman are flying in and we're going to the Wren Fest. And here's the thing, we're going to Oktoberfest weekend.

And there is so much debauchery and great people watching. I live. But I'm actually dressing up this year, which I have not truly embraced. I've always done like, Renfest bounding.

Kind of like Disney bounding, where you reference it lightly, but I'm going all in doing it. Okay, we'll see. I don't know when the morning comes if I put it on or not, but our grandkids go. We do dunk a winch. My husband does that every year.

We have, you know, our little things. The kids get their face painted, My granddaughter gets her hair braided. It's the whole thing.

Casey: 00:04:45

I mean, why in the world wouldn't you go all in if your grandkids are there? Like, that is the biggest gift to them that you could ever give them is just give going all in for it.

Because then they see it's okay to be like, I love this. I'm doing it and we're doing it. Like, when else do you get to freaking go all in as a wench or.

Rainey: 00:05:03

It's super low. It's super, like low brow stuff, you know, I mean, but which I love that our family can do the five star hotel and we can do Renfest Ren.

Casey: 00:05:15

And for anybody who does know, it's Renaissance Festival, because we are not a Renfest family.

Rainey: 00:05:20

However, there's a reason you're not family.

Casey: 00:05:23

It's only because they. I just didn't know they existed growing up, okay?

But we were invited years and years ago by a friend of Jake's, and Jake and I went and we were quite captivated and awed by It. And so grateful to have been voyeurs and such as that. Another fucking world. Where.

Rainey: 00:05:43

Where else are you going to see chainmail and all the things.

Casey: 00:05:46

It was so. But I would not say lebr.

Jana: 00:05:48

Wow.

Casey: 00:05:49

I just. I. I thought a lot of money goes into those outfits.

Rainey: 00:05:53

Oh.

Casey: 00:05:53

And I got called up on stage to do something I don't even remember. I think I blocked it out because I felt so embarrassed and unworthy of the attention because people put a lot into there.

Maybe I look like a wench just for like, it was hot as hell. I do remember that.

Rainey: 00:06:06

Maybe I'm just calling it low brow compared to luxury five star vacation.

Casey: 00:06:11

But I just. I think it's so cool.

Rainey: 00:06:12

We're so first to do it with your.

Casey: 00:06:14

You with your family and. Yeah. And people go all in. And I think that is. That's fun as hell.

Rainey: 00:06:20

So we're looking forward to that. So that's coming up and I'm looking forward to that. So that. That's my win for today. Yeah.

I'm glad to know that you experienced it while you were here in Texas. That makes me happy. Yeah.

Casey: 00:06:32

Jake and I definitely did. That was cool.

Jana: 00:06:34

Yeah.

Casey: 00:06:34

So thanks to the Joneses for taking this.

Rainey: 00:06:35

So what is this gorgeousness?

Casey: 00:06:38

So this gorgeousness is a gift that I received from one of my dear friends, daughters after we. So total backstory is this family. They were very close. Her mom and I were hairstylists together for years. She did my hair for my wedding.

Very, very close out in San Diego. And they had some stuff go on in their life that, you know, was not great.

And I had once sent her a necklace just of something like, you know, for the daughters to whatever. So when we flooded during Harvey, she did this. She sent me this because it's a most gorgeous painting. But that piece of puzzle that's missing just.

She. It was just sort of a. Everybody's got a piece missing. But look at all the beautiful color everywhere else. And it just did something.

So it has lived in my kitchen since we moved back into our house.

And I just needed her to be out here because I've thought so many times about all these people who have lost way more than, you know, things from their home belongings. They've lost people or whatever.

And I'm like, if I could just get maybe, you know, copy this and give it to people or somehow do something with it because a piece of everybody is lost. But. But look at all the other beautiful colors. So I just think she killed this. And I like her bunny.

Rainey: 00:08:02

I love that I love that. Just the sentiment that sometimes we notice what's missing instead of what's there.

And that's sort of a piggyback on something we were talking about earlier. About sometimes we focus on what could go wrong instead of what could go right. So I love this. That is a very meaningful piece. I love it.

And I'm sure she's going with you to Santa Barbara.

Casey: 00:08:27

Oh, yes, she will be joining us. Yeah, she's, she's travel size, so I love her. Yeah, so I love her.

Rainey: 00:08:34

And what is her daughter's name?

Casey: 00:08:36

Elena Vaden.

Rainey: 00:08:38

Elena Vaden. What a special piece. Thank you for bringing it today. Yeah.

So about today's guest, you called and said there's somebody I think we need to interview and it's because she did something very kind for you and you got to know each other and so tell me.

Casey: 00:08:57

Yeah, so. And again, she's one of a face that every time I'd go to an industry or event over the last seven, eight years in the set here, she's a face.

I would always just be like, thank God she's here. And gravitate towards Jenna Arley. Anybody who is here knows. And so she did.

She had beautiful plaster finishing company before and she's pivoted into doing social and marketing for people graphic design. So. And then she did a, out of just her kindness, did a website for my Border Collie Brain, our charity website, which she handled.

I have totally shit the bed on my end and not gotten her all the things she needs to just get it up and running and that's on me.

But after talking to her longer in here, I just was like, you are just a special nug and people need to know more about you and what she brings to the table, social media wise. But just her as a human.

Rainey: 00:09:47

So we're lucky to interview her. Let's do this. Are you ready to do it?

Casey: 00:09:51

I know, let's go.

Rainey: 00:09:52

Let's go.

Casey: 00:09:54

Jenna, we're so glad you're here. Thank you so much for coming and spending time, especially in the middle of a day, it's kind of hard.

Rainey: 00:10:00

It's kind of a big deal. It's like a really big deal.

Jana: 00:10:03

Yeah, it's a really big deal to be here. So I'm excited.

Casey: 00:10:06

We're so glad.

Jana: 00:10:07

Thank you for having me.

Rainey: 00:10:08

So the name of your company is Niche Creative Agency.

Casey: 00:10:12

And to that. Why niche?

Jana: 00:10:16

Because I started out in an industry. I owned a plaster company previously and whenever we had marketers, we would always tell them like, it's very niche.

What we do, like, it's hard to market.

And so when I knew I was gonna stay in the industry and do marketing, I was like, well, I'm gonna market for my niche friends and vendors and previous clients. So it just fit.

Casey: 00:10:34

I love it.

Rainey: 00:10:35

I love that. I recently saw a panel and it was called the riches are in the niches or the wishes are in the niches.

And about when you niche down on something, there can be quite a bit of money there, I guess, to be.

Jana: 00:10:53

Yeah, absolutely.

Rainey: 00:10:54

Interesting. So one of your main things that you do, you. I learned about you is digital marketing.

And for every designer and every creative out there, that is a beast. And everyone tries to do it themselves until. Finish the sentence.

Jana: 00:11:13

Yeah. Until they just realize they can't. And they realize that while it's profitable for them and it's been helpful, it's killing.

I mean, it's a whole business unto itself. So that's not what you do for a business marketing. So it's better to hire a professional.

And I think a lot of people have just realized they can shift their budget to social media, where maybe they were doing it in print media or something before.

Casey: 00:11:36

Okay, so do you have people who have been doing marketing? They've been maybe doing print, which can be, you know, costly and maybe.

So I'd be curious to see, you know, we were saying earlier about another project, but roi, so digital media, you're seeing, you're having analytics run through and you can kind of see where things are coming out of a post or anything like that. Whereas in.

With a print, you don't really know where that client maybe came from or how long they maybe had that magazine that you were in, maybe held it for three years. You don't know where that came from. So speak to that, because I think that's something that people are really curious about knowing. Like, is this.

Should I be paying? Because I think, is it working? That's what Chachi can help me just post.

Jana: 00:12:21

Right, right.

And so, yeah, I actually just did a little silly video about that where it's like when people ask me, do you really think this could help me get leads? Or it's like, you're literally my lead coming from my social media page. Yes, yes, I do.

Rainey: 00:12:37

So that's like those billboards that say, does advertising work? It just did.

Casey: 00:12:41

Yeah, exactly. Got me.

Jana: 00:12:43

Exactly. So basically, yeah, like, what's been cool to see?

vendor in this industry, when: 2020

And they were like, do you want some hand sanitizer? And I was like, oh, I've got to figure this out. And so I talked to my mentor. She was like, you should do some videos.

And I was like, yeah, I think I'm going to do that. And I started doing a lot of talking head videos, and they worked. And then I kept doing them, and I would do pro tips.

And I've been a stage kid since I was like, two. So it was easy for me to make that transition. And that turned into actually booking jobs through, like, messages on Instagram.

And so when I went into this, when I turned back to marketing, I was like, oh, yeah, this would definitely. You can get. You know, you can see it happen because you can see it in your messages.

So every client I've had so far, and I have about eight right now, they've all had jobs come in through, you know, social media that they weren't having before. Interesting and. And verifiable leads where it's like, I want to sit down and meet with you about this, or signed a contract.

Casey: 00:13:56

And that is incredible. I mean, who. It's very hard to get those anyways. I mean, that's what we're all hoping for.

But not everybody's getting their, you know, sliding into your DM.

Rainey: 00:14:08

Please. Please.

Casey: 00:14:11

My DM's ready for you to slide into. But that's pretty impressive. Cause you've been at it a year. So prior to that, though, you had your luxe finishes.

Jana: 00:14:22

Yes.

Casey: 00:14:22

Which was so beautiful. You did beautiful work and did beautiful things. And so you've been in the world of designers for how many years?

Jana: 00:14:31

I mean, 16 going on 17 years.

Casey: 00:14:32

Yeah. So this, like, to the point of niche. Talk about niche.

And our industry's changed so much, and you had to probably ride that wave in different directions.

Jana: 00:14:42

When I first started as a marketer for the company that I ended up owning, I was doing print marketing and, you know, postcards and Lux magazine ads.

And that was one of the things that my mentor, that was the owner, Janiel, she would always say, like, you know, nobody's going to bring me this ad and say, I want this thing. That's never happened to me. But it was. Her idea of marketing was like, you always have to be visible to them and be in their face.

Because people are busy, designers are busy.

They may love to use you, but if you're not constantly making contact, they're gonna forget that you exist, you know, so it also shows you're the last guy standing. That's all you have to be when there's a downturn in the market, be the last guy standing.

And so that was her idea of marketing, is putting marketing dollars out there to just show you're still in business, you're still working. And so social media does that in a way that's really personal.

Rainey: 00:15:29

So, so in working with you said eight different, I think design clients or design in the industry of design in the industry. Right. How do you make sure that the things that you post are on brand for them? How do you establish that?

Jana: 00:15:46

So I really like to get to know my clients. I tell them from jump that like, I have adhd. I see I work well on a big picture and I can kind of like, oh my gosh, this, this, this, this, this.

I love solving a problem. So, like, the problem is always like, okay, what we start with, what is your goal? Not everybody's goal is to necessarily get leads.

Some people's total goal, like, I have somebody who wanted. I mean, obviously they want leads, but they really want to be published and they want to catch the eye of certain things.

So the marketing that I do from them, it's all based on that conversation. So what are you looking for? What you know? And most of everyone that I work with, I kind of have the luxury of knowing them.

So I'm not usually going in blind. I might not understand all the details of their particular business. Like, one of my clients is in the technology industry.

I know nothing about smart home technology, but I'm learning a lot. And so, but I know them as a person. I kind of know their personality, who they want to attract.

So I try to bring that in and obviously mold it around. Not always what's trending, but add some of that in. But I really have a lot of conversation about what your goals are.

And, you know, what do you, you know, if it's just to get more leads, make more money, like, what do you make the most money at? Like, let's showcase the things they're going to keep getting you the work that you want versus maybe what they saw someone else do.

Casey: 00:17:08

I love that. And so are you. You're a full service, all in. Do you. Do you write the post? Do you.

So you have to get the voice of people because that's the thing most people started maybe on their own, and then they're handing it over, which is really, you know, you want somebody to have your voice. Do you also go through and are you answering their messages for them or is it. Or is it a mixed bag?

Jana: 00:17:30

It's mixed. So I do what I consider, like, light community management for most of my clients.

Like, I maybe have one client where they don't say do anything to anyone on social media, but most everyone else logs in, also sees their things, make comments like, I have one designer who she is very much online and answers every message. I rarely have to do much for that client. The mix in the middle is usually like, I'm going through liking because I know people in the industry.

Then I'm like, ooh, you should know. And this is my favorite part of my job is networking. So, oh, my gosh, you should know this person. You should meet with them.

Oh, you don't have a peer table.

I bet if I put this person, that person's come meet together, go have lunch, you know, so I'll do that where I'm like, oh, you should definitely be following this person or have a conversation. So I'll do that. Community management, but it varies with each client. Not everybody, you know, has the same. It's not standard.

Rainey: 00:18:23

It's how important is it to respond to messages on posts?

Jana: 00:18:27

I think it's pretty important.

While you're not an influencer and you're not making money for likes and shares and all that, if one tells Instagram or it tells your platform that you're on, that you are active, you know, and that you're not, you know, a bot or just somebody out there, white labeling, just throwing content out. And also, if the way I tell my clients to use social media is this should be a way for your clients to vet you and get to know you.

And if they're doing that, if you're putting your personality out there and you're putting things that are really important to you about your business out there in the best light, then you should be able to speak to them and like, whoever is running your social media or answering those questions, like, they should be able to speak to them a bit. And mostly, like, for most of my clients, they just get a lot of good feedback.

There's a couple times where there's questions and I'll go back and get information and answer it for them or they'll take that over.

Rainey: 00:19:15

I think it's also a kindness if somebody takes time to reach out. We think about this on Reframing design.

We both try to get on there and respond to people who took time to say something that takes somebody's time, effort and energy. And I think it's a kindness, for sure.

Jana: 00:19:33

Yes. So that's what I try to get them to focus on, is like, you're building community.

It's not just to, like, look at the analytics at the end of the month, but it's like really building relationships and supporting each other. And so we try to keep that community management. You know, it's daily and follow up. I don't have, like, necessarily a set hours.

Like, you should be answering things, you know, within six hours, but we try to keep it current throughout the day.

Casey: 00:19:55

So. But to that, do you think, is there kind of. Are there parameters? Are there? You should be posting X amount of times a day.

You know, there is this beast that people say, the more you feed it, the better it is to you. The algorithms and all of those things. Is there truth to that? I know Instagram changes also very regularly. Right, right. That was a good word.

Jana: 00:20:16

That was a mouthful, I think. So my take on it, and this is just because it was my personal experience with my business as a vendor, was I'm not.

I'm not a influencer, so I'm not trying to influence the masses to buy a widget. I am trying to show you what we do best and why.

You know, a lot of the times I did videos, it was about like, oh, my gosh, if I have one more client that does xyz, you know, I'm gonna choke myself. Like, I just need to, like, get this information out.

So let me tell people, you know, three mistakes you don't want to make when you're plastering a fireplace or whatever.

So because you're not a social media influencer and you're really just trying to show people your business and give them information, then I don't think you have to follow. Yes. If you were trying to get likes and views, there is a certain machine that you're trying to feed right now. And this changes all the time.

But Instagram has made an effort to push small accounts and push things that are made organically. And especially I think part of it is they want you to use their editing app, in my opinion.

But when you do that, I've noticed that when we do that, it does give a little boost to getting it out there and seen. And so there are some things that I will play with. They'll say, oh, this worked well, and we're not changing our message.

So I think if you're posting on a regular basis, so your clients know what to expect from you, whether that's three times a week or, you know, every day, if that's what you want to do. I wouldn't break your neck to post every day. In what we're doing, we're here to show that we're current. And if you're posting a few times a week.

And I would tell you and stories. And stories. I was going to say, for me, at my big age, I just never.

I wasn't a teenager when, like, stories and all that came out, and it wasn't important to me, but I've seen it be a really good source to grab new followers and people just to find out. Some people. That's why I have younger people that work with me.

So one of my assistants was like, oh, if it's not on your story, like, I'm not watching it. And I was like, while you're not the target demographic, I still want to pay attention to that, because some people do.

Casey: 00:22:11

They might have a parent who is your demographic.

Jana: 00:22:14

They might also use social media in a way that I don't, even though we may be the same age. So I try to make sure that I pay attention to those things and some of the trends.

But I would say, yeah, you find consistency is the most important thing.

So if right now you're just starting out and you can only find time to post once a week, but your followers know, like, they're gonna post an update once a week. Or you're. I would like to see you post three times a week and have your face in a post here. And there's. So they get your personality.

But I think that's more important than following arbitrary rules that may not fit what you're selling.

Rainey: 00:22:44

Okay, I was also just thinking. So you have eight clients that you have to keep posting for and be relevant for, but then you're also marketing your own business on digital media.

So how do you. How do you divide that time?

Jana: 00:23:01

So to be really honest and transparent, because I'm not good at being fake. Not well. So because my business is new, that's probably not what you want to hear, but. No, it is exactly what we want to hear.

Like, right now, if you take a look at Nisha's Instagram, I do a lot of stories. I am able, like, right now. And that is why I'm in the process of, like, I've just hired a new assistant. And so that's new for me too.

Like, getting, you know, having Somebody with me often, and that's helping get more of my stuff out there. So the way that I do it best for me is I do a lot of batch things that are like, content heavy.

So if I want to do videos, I will set a day aside and I will, like, have a little, you know, pow wow with myself about what message do I want to get out, Write my little scripts and I will go at it in front of. And it's really simple. Like, I'll just get in front of natural light somewhere with my camera on a tripod and I make a video.

And then I'll make continuous ones and then I'll, you know, schedule them, and that's really what I do. And then in the in between, the same thing where I'll find a day where it's like, okay, my brain is really thumping on.

Like, I could make these static posts where it's informational. And so I kind of do it in batches. And then stories, I'm always out and about, so I try to grab something for myself.

It doesn't always happen, but then I try to put that into the stories and little silly things I'll put into stories where I'll see something. I'm like, oh, yeah, this is great. This is matching my vibe for the day.

Casey: 00:24:23

So with stories, okay, so somebody tags you in a story and you're like, yay, they love me. I'm gonna add it to my story. What's the rule there? Do you then have to re tag them back? Do you have. Is there. There's no hashtags in the story.

I know that, but I always wonder. Cause I feel like I'm like, you're doing it wrong. I just want to. I'm asking for a friend. But are you supposed to re tag or tag or did?

Jana: 00:24:46

So when you. When you share someone's. Okay, so let's say somebody tags you in a real or story, and then it shows up in your inbox. Right? Add to your story.

Yeah, so when you add that to your story, if they tap it, it's gonna take them back to the original poster.

Casey: 00:24:58

Oh, okay.

Jana: 00:24:58

So you don't have to retag them.

Rainey: 00:25:00

Okay.

Jana: 00:25:00

And if some.

If you do that for someone, what I'll see sometimes, and I don't think it's necessary, is like, let's say I tag you in my story and so then you get a message and then you repost my story, and then it's gonna show up in my inbox. Because that's just the rhythm.

Rainey: 00:25:13

You don't have to keep.

Jana: 00:25:14

Don't have to keep it going. You can stop right there. It's just like, love it, right? Double tap, Give a little love, and we're done.

Casey: 00:25:20

We're done. Okay.

Jana: 00:25:20

Yeah. Because then it's like you have this infinite loop of nobody wants just. It's not necessarily helping you.

Casey: 00:25:28

Okay.

Rainey: 00:25:28

And I try to repost and write a little something.

Jana: 00:25:30

Yes.

Rainey: 00:25:31

But no matter what it is that I write, Reagan, my daughter that works for me, she's like, mom, that. That. That was. That could have been better. So sometimes I'm like, you know what? I'm just not going to do anything.

But there is one thing that I have learned in all of this, and I'm sure you have clients like this Holly, my social media girl, a manager who I could not live without, and Reagan, they and Connor are pushing me. Get your ass in front of the camera. Yes. Do you have problems getting your clients to do that?

Jana: 00:26:08

I do.

Rainey: 00:26:09

And how do you address that?

Jana: 00:26:12

I mean, I reins, like, I reiterate a couple of things. Right. Like, one, what is the media you're consuming? Right. Are you just wanting to look at a lot of photos? And if you were trying to hide. Right.

Like, I mean, pretty photos go a long way still. I'll say that.

Casey: 00:26:26

So. Yeah. But wrong freaking. No, go on. I'm so sorry.

Jana: 00:26:31

No, you're good.

But if you, like, if you look at what you're interested in, at what you're interested in, it's usually a real post from somebody being very relatable. And so it doesn't have to be super polished. That is actually getting pushed more in algorithm too, that you're not super polished. I know. It's.

I try to remember that for myself because I'm like, I'll make a video. I'm like, oh, my hair was like, I should go put. You know, but then when I look at what I can't.

What I'm swiping on, it's like some woman in her bed, like, you know, like, no makeup. And I'm like, okay, yeah. I probably could just be more relaxed with it. So I try to get like, while. Look your best.

So you feel your best when you're doing it. Just the more you do it. Exposure therapy, the better it gets. Don't go watch it. Don't.

Rainey: 00:27:12

I do not.

Jana: 00:27:12

Just like, I will not listen to this because I can't stand the sound of my voice coming back at me. But, like, do you know what I mean? Like, it's like, it's. You don't have to continue to watch it. Just put it out there.

Casey: 00:27:22

No, I love that you're saying that because I think that is so intimidating for people to get in front of a camera. Because personally, like, I won't lie, I love being in front of a camera.

And if I don't know it's there, well, like, I guess that's anybody naturally. But as soon as that thing's on, I'm just thinking, oh, God, you know, I've just. I've messed up or whatever. I've got hair out of place.

I've got some schmegma on my face. So that to get past that test, take comfort with the person who you're with too.

Because I will say, like, Mariana on our job sites and when we do stuff, she's so playful. And so when we would do it, I would just naturally want to be.

I would want to put the phone down and like, come dance with me or whatever the thing is. But it's that comfort too. And I think Holly definitely gives that to Rainey because she just knows her so well. And so there's a comfort level.

And I have no doubt you give that to people. So as somebody who does this and you probably like anything, there's a designer for every client.

So I know we talked about this in the beginning, and I'd love you to speak to it too. Like, what we're really looking for in social, what we're actually doing with it, it's not just to fill the feed a beast.

Is to hopefully get our clients right. So for that, like, your personality is fun and all these things, but you might not vibe with a super straight laced.

Jana: 00:28:47

Right.

Casey: 00:28:47

You know, so does that show up in the clients that you have?

Rainey: 00:28:51

Or they need you really bad or.

Casey: 00:28:53

They need you so bad?

Jana: 00:28:55

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think that I have a probably.

I mean, the advice my mentor gave me a long time ago was you end up working with people that you're friends with that you like, and you build friends more than you build clients. And that's true. And so I feel like, yeah, a lot of my clients, we're either really.

We may not have the same personalities, but in some measure, we vibe really well together. Like, I understand them. I think that's part of it is that I get a read on people pretty fast. So then I'm like, oh, I know.

Like, you're this way, this way, this way. Like, I mean, the two of you out market so differently because of just your personalities.

While you guys get along great and you guys have this going together, but you're just different people. So that's how I look at all my clients.

I have one client that's very buttoned up, very nervous in front of a camera, you know, but we're working through that and getting them through that. And then have others that. They're like, turn it on. They don't love it, but they're like, let's just do it. Let's just do it.

And then they kill it every time. And I'm like, you're doing great.

Rainey: 00:29:53

I think one of the rules is, for me, or what made it just so much more doable is we do one take, we might do two, we are not doing three. So it just is what it is. And I think to your point, being authentic is rule number one.

I think rule number two is keeping your message short and concise. What for you is the perfect length of video.

Jana: 00:30:22

So it changes. Real. Yeah, it changes. So initially when I started, it was like, longer videos were doing well. It was like, you know, oh, you could do, like.

It sounds so silly to say it's long, but like, 30 to a minute and a half was like, okay. And then I think the further I got away, we've gotten away from COVID and everybody out and about, like, now.

Rainey: 00:30:43

1.2 seconds.

Jana: 00:30:44

Oh, my gosh. If you can get a video out to say something in seven to, like, 10 seconds.

And you can, surprisingly, you can, with a lot of, like, text overlay or something that gives information. Like, what is text overlay?

Rainey: 00:30:57

Girl, don't you be using all these terms.

Casey: 00:30:59

She's all fancy now.

Jana: 00:31:00

Fancy riding on top of your video.

So basically, when you're, like, seeing videos that say, you know, pov, da da, da, da, or whatever, or just says, like, what's happening in the video?

Rainey: 00:31:11

I had to look up what POV meant.

Jana: 00:31:14

When you have something like that, you can do a shorter video. But I would say, like, under 30 seconds is kind of ideal, even when you're talking a lot. So what I do is I let them talk so that it's natural.

There's very few times where I'll make people go back and just say, like. Occasionally I'll say like, oh, wow, could you just re say this this way? Because it's gonna be so good, you know, later.

And then I try to get more than I need so that I go back and I just edit it down to, like, bullet points and you make a short video and it works out. And then I make longer form videos too, just to see how those roll out. There's some people that once are deep diving in your account.

They may want to hear more from you or be more interested in what you're talking about. So I think you can mix it up.

Casey: 00:31:54

Okay, I love that is such an interesting thought too because I think we're always thinking they're only seeing this one thing that's in the grid. But if people are interested, they, I mean, I'll go down a deep dive for total stock.

Rainey: 00:32:06

I can tell.

You can tell when somebody stalked your Instagram because they've liked 42 things, but then they slide into your DMs and they want to sell you something. They're like, she just saw my name 92 times and now I'm going to try to sell her this service.

Jana: 00:32:19

I don't understand that strategy.

Rainey: 00:32:21

But yeah, it seems like it's a lot of time.

Jana: 00:32:23

I don't know.

Rainey: 00:32:24

What about the new client? You have a new client. She's a designer, he's a designer. And they don't have a deep portfolio or they have photos that they can't use.

Like my early projects because the photography is not good enough. How do you deal with that?

Jana: 00:32:43

Oh, there's so many different strategies. And I have like, I do a consulting as well. Like I have my retainer clients.

But then I have like we're all consult, like you're getting started and I'll help you with your branding and like we'll talk through like a three month plan to get you just going on your own and because maybe you have more time than you have projects right now. And so I had to stop you right there.

Rainey: 00:33:03

Hold your thought. What is the difference between branding and marketing?

Jana: 00:33:10

Okay, so your brand is just like who you are, right?

That is going to include like your logo, like what your social media platforms look like as far as like your colors, all the things like who are you trying to reach? Who's your target? And then we build your brand around like who you are as a person is your brand. So people.

And maybe because I'm a visual person and I have like very vivid pictures in my mind when I see people. Like, you have a very standout brand.

Like to me, you like your personal brand to me is like you're very elegant, up level, sophisticated, but also like very anchored and down to earth, like fun. But like that's like you're like a tailored sort of brand, right?

Rainey: 00:33:50

Oh yeah. And then Casey, Lauren with a foul mouth. That's me.

Jana: 00:33:55

Love it.

So with Casey, like, and I probably know you a little bit better but, like, you have like, a super gorgeous style, and it's very elegant as well, but it's like, very colorful. It's very like you as a person is. Are more whimsical and more like. Like what you would choose and how you present yourself.

So that's your personal brand. Like you. Where Casey's logo is pretty tailored. Like, if she had something that was more whimsical, it would match her aesthetic. Whereas, like.

Do you know what I'm saying? Like, in my head, that's kind of how I categorize things.

Rainey: 00:34:31

So when you meet people, do you create logos in your head for them?

Jana: 00:34:34

Sometimes, like, it probably happens. It kind of happens to me. Like, I don't mean to, but, like, I might just.

It's like, I think I categorize people into, like, have a color and a look for, like, that person. I don't know.

Casey: 00:34:46

Well, that's so interesting.

Jana: 00:34:47

My brain works. It's weird. I've never.

Casey: 00:34:50

I know, but I'm like, yeah, talk.

Rainey: 00:34:52

I'm like, well, hell, she's making up right here.

Casey: 00:34:54

I know. I want to know what my logo would be like. And maybe I needed to rebrand. But we.

Because we do that and you walk into a space and you've already got the people. You've got it. But I would have never thought that with brand, like, that's brilliant. Of course that's where your brain's going to go, though.

Rainey: 00:35:09

So love it.

Casey: 00:35:11

You felt, not fell into, but you started doing graphics. And mark this. Tell us the story of, like, way, way, way, way, way, way, way back.

Jana: 00:35:20

Okay.

Casey: 00:35:21

How that started, because this is such a. I love the journey that got.

Jana: 00:35:24

You to where you are here. So I'm from Houston. I grew up on the east side of Houston, and as a teenager, I was involved in a very diverse church.

And we were all very much into the arts, meaning, like dance and singing and all the things. So I've been singing since I was like 2. My parents were musical, and that was just something we always did.

And so at this particular church I went to, everybody was kind of taking their talents professionally. And it just so happened that the youth pastor at the time that I ended up working for was a strongman, and he traveled all over.

Rainey: 00:35:56

Oh, my God. Say the tagline. Yeah, it cracks me.

Jana: 00:35:58

Please say it. He's the strongest man in the world for the feats of strength he performs. So meaning he was a very small man.

He was like 140 pounds soaking wet, but he could, like, lift a refrigerator with one finger. He was literally studied by A and M. That's a whole nother podcast.

Casey: 00:36:11

Oh, my God.

Jana: 00:36:12

But he's very cool. So we got to be around really cool people. And we traveled and we did. In our minds, we were. We wanted our.

We had a director who made everything very professional. She was in the corporate world, but she donated all of her time to help us. And so everything had like an organizational chart and it had things.

So we were like running a corporate business. Little did I know at 20, right? And so I managed a bunch of different dance teams and different things, and we traveled a lot.

And so then we would need flyers. And so then I would make flyers. I taught myself how to use graphic design software.

And then that meshed into, like, we would get, you know, we would find a camera, somebody would loan us something, we make videos. I had a best friend that just walked around with a video camera and made like the most interesting videos ever, but always in the arts.

And so I ended up creating my own. My boss there at the church was like, you need to stop doing all this for free for all these other people that. And start a business.

So I did, and then I did both. I had a business and I worked.

And then right before the housing bubble, I had this great idea because I didn't know the housing bubble was gonna happen. Just go out on my own and just be fully an entrepreneur. And I did. And it was very scary and especially when the bubble busted.

And so then that's what led me to grab a part time job with Janie Ellis, who was a. She owned anything but plain at the time. And she ran a faux finishing school school. And she ran a business. And that brought me into the design world.

So that was about 17 years ago. Full circle.

Casey: 00:37:33

Full circle, yeah.

Jana: 00:37:34

And so I worked with her. I tell people that I marketed for her so hard that I ended up owning her business. And so I learned.

I learned very well through osmosis, which I think helps me with my marketing business because I'll go into your. I also find everybody's job interesting. Like, I'll watch people do things. I'm like, oh, how do you do it like that?

Like, I think people want to watch you do that. Like, I think people want to watch you lay tile and, you know, tell me about those little things you put in the spacers. What are those for?

And, you know, so that led to me being able to make content for her for a long time. And then I ended up owning the business for seven years and learned more about being in the industry and met more people.

And then when I decided to pivot away from that, I was like, well, I had still done marketing all through the years for certain clients because they were just such a longtime friend and they would just need something here or there, and I would do it even when I was owning my own business.

And so I was like, I really think, because I remember when I first started like 17 years ago, I'm talking the top designers in the industry, like working, doing these mega houses and their email address would be like@aoloadrunner.com and I was like, gmail, you need to get it. So I would. All along I was helping people market their stuff. So I felt like I had a pretty good read on like our niche, right?

media with the plaster after: 2020

So it was easy for me to make that pivot and then help other people. So, yeah, back in the day of doing all the performing, that's kind of how it brought me all the way here.

Rainey: 00:39:07

That is just extraordinary.

Casey: 00:39:09

But it also shows, like, you're, you could get, you walk into a room and just like light it up and anybody will talk to you. Like, it just as happens everywhere you go, I'm sure. But it shows, like everybody.

So that must make people so comfortable and want to throw their business at you. Like, oh, please, oh please, oh please take this out. Please help me, please help me, help me.

Rainey: 00:39:25

I cannot do this. That's when I wear a T shirt that just says help me.

Casey: 00:39:28

Right?

Rainey: 00:39:29

And so if somebody is listening and they have a new design business or a design business that's been around for a long time and they want to engage somebody like you or engage you, how would they go about doing that? And what, what could they expect from a time commitment on their side? Because let me just tell you, I know these things.

If I don't do my job, you sure as hell can't do yours, right? So what's the time commitment? What's the financial commitment?

And how long do they have to invest both of those things consistently before they see an uptake in their social media, Right?

Jana: 00:40:10

Like anything that nothing can be a true predictor of, like, how long am I to do this before I'm, you know, successful, before I make all the money, Kind of like a diet, like, I had a salad today, did I lose 10 pounds? You know, so it's not predictable in that way.

But what I can Say is everybody that like they may have had a stagnant even if they were doing well before?

Rainey: 00:40:30

Yeah.

Jana: 00:40:30

Once we've taken over and had consistency in their marketing. And I usually try to meet with my clients twice a month now because I'm in the industry and I just like going to events and all the things.

I get to capture things on top of what we set aside to do together.

Rainey: 00:40:45

And you're so nice to send them to the people that are in them. So.

Jana: 00:40:48

Thank you. You're welcome.

Rainey: 00:40:49

Yeah.

Jana: 00:40:50

So yeah, I, I'm able to, you know, meet with them a couple times a month and I would say it's usually a couple of hours. It depends what we're doing. Right.

Like if you've done a ginormous, you know, 10,000 square foot house and we're doing, you know, whole sweeps of the house as far as like walkthrough and then we're talking about 10 things that you've done in the house. Yeah. That can be a whole day. So it depends how you break up your time and what you're paying your social media person for.

I don't, I feel like there's a, for me, there's a, there is a. I'm trying to find the right word, like a break, where it's going to make a difference. I don't want you to hire me if you're trying to wake.

Yeah, like I'm just not. I don't have those kind of packages available.

I try to make it, you know, affordable for my clients but also, you know, like doable, like where it's going to actually help you with something. So I have different things set up.

So like I have a consulting thing where I'll sit down with you, we'll figure out all your branding, we'll figure out all your stuff and we'll write together a three month plan where you can go try to put it into action. Comes with templates, all that stuff. So you have a, like a jump off point.

Casey: 00:41:55

Wow, what does that cost?

Jana: 00:41:57

So that costs fifteen hundred dollars.

And that's like a, we have like a couple of online meetings to get like, I get like if I don't know you right, we're getting all your information, you handing over any assets you have, that kind of stuff.

And then we sit down together for like a, like a half a day, like a four, like I'm geared up for like four or five hours to like sit here and work this all out.

I'll bring a content plan together and give you all these different tips Give you homework to do, and then we check back in in a few months and see, like, how's it going? Like, what do you need? Like, what do you think's working for you and everything? But that's.

But it comes with a whole template, so it's all your branding stuff. We do it in Canva, so it doesn't. It's not like you have to like, buy some software to use it. Most people are using Canva now. Makes it easy.

And what's nice about Canva is you can set up your brand there, where all your colors and you click a button and that simple.

Rainey: 00:42:44

Do you ever see one of your clients post something in that space? Like that more of a DIY space where you're just going to consulting and you're like, I'm gonna need you to take this down this for a minute. There.

Jana: 00:42:57

There have been some that I'm like, oh, like, that's picture so dark. Like, we could have just been in better lighting or. I haven't had anything really difficult. I would say. The most.

Difficult thing is if I have a client that wants to share something that I don't think is, like, business worthy, where, like, especially I try to steer all my clients away from politics. And, you know, we don't talk about that.

Casey: 00:43:29

No politics here, no politics, no politics here.

Jana: 00:43:31

So I try to, like, I'll have some of them say, I think we should do that. I'm like, no, I think you should share that on your page. Like, I will. You're paying me. I will make whatever you want to make.

But my personal opinion, professional opinion is steer clear. Steer clear of that. So that's really the word, like the most like, oh, let's not.

Casey: 00:43:46

Is it better to delete a post if you're kind of like, you know what? That one either wasn't great, I'm not. Whatever. Or just stick it out, archive it. What's the best. Because I know there was stuff.

If you start deleting stuff, people.

Jana: 00:43:57

You don't want to delete a ton of things or archive a ton of things. Like, a lot of people will say, oh, I want to just get rid of all of this stuff. Because it's like, not what I'm doing now. I don't do that.

I just let, like, what's wrong with people seeing a progression? What's wrong with people seeing you get better? Unless you just like, let's say, can always.

Rainey: 00:44:17

When somebody's broken up with somebody or.

Jana: 00:44:18

They'Re getting better, oh, it's gone.

Rainey: 00:44:19

And it's like that it never happened. Never happened.

Jana: 00:44:23

I was gonna say the only way that I would suggest that if there was like some scandal, then you are separating yourself from it, from a person in particular. Hide it, don't delete it.

Because the deleting it and archiving things sometimes mess with your algorithm and it makes the algorithm think that something nefarious is going on. Or maybe your account's been hijacked. Like, I don't know the details on that.

I just know I've seen that when I had somebody go through and just like delete and archive a bunch of their stuff.

Casey: 00:44:49

I did that a while back. And I mean, I could. I was just like. Like, you just watch the people vacate the building. It was the weirdest thing. But you can hide your post.

I thought archive was hide. No archive.

Jana: 00:45:00

Like there's a hide takes it out if you like. Unless it's something like really scary, scary bad, right. That you're like, no, I have to get rid of this, then archive it.

But if you just hide it, it's just going to take it off your grid. They could, like, if it's a real. They could go to your real page and see it. But like, let's. So what.

Some of my clients would like their portfolio page or their profile page to show certain things, but they also want to get in on a trend that's going to help them boost in the algorithm. So let's say they're doing a silly trend, but they don't want that be the first thing people see when they tap on their profile.

So you will hide those. They still show up in the feed and they still give you the boost, but you don't see it on your profile. So you could do that.

And then I would say archive it versus delete.

Casey: 00:45:42

Yeah.

Jana: 00:45:42

Unless it's like a note.

Casey: 00:45:43

I know.

Jana: 00:45:44

Unless it's like a typo. You can, when you delete it now, it has a feature where it will save it to your drafts and you can go back in and edit it and repost it.

And that doesn't lose. Like, I don't think that dings you in a negative way, but you lose.

Casey: 00:45:56

Whoever has already commented or liked correct. So that's always that tricky part too.

Jana: 00:46:00

Yeah. If you've been up for a while.

Casey: 00:46:02

But if you. So sometimes I'm known to not throw it in ChatGPT.

Like if I'm doing something, I check mostly just for spelling or my bad grammar because I love a comma. Anybody who's received an email knows that run on sentences are like this long. But I digress. So I will think to like, oh, gosh.

But then maybe three people have already seen and liked. Or you can just edit it.

Jana: 00:46:25

You don't have to take it off. You just edit it and edit your text. Okay.

Casey: 00:46:29

There's something else about what I'm trying to do though.

Jana: 00:46:32

Now, if you wanted to like change or add photos, you can't do that.

Casey: 00:46:35

Yeah.

Rainey: 00:46:36

Okay.

Casey: 00:46:36

That's right.

Jana: 00:46:37

And then I would say, unless it's like, like, if it's just been posted, that's not gonna hurt you to delete it and repost. But if it's something that's like, already have some traction, just leave it and then come back.

Cause it's again that thing of like, don't try to make it perfect. Just get out there.

Rainey: 00:46:50

How important is it to geotag like where your location?

Jana: 00:46:54

I think that is important because it's going to help you find your people and that's where you're working. So like, if you like to travel to Telluride to do, you know, vacation homes or second homes or whatever. Yeah.

While you're there, while you're doing projects. Tag your things in Houston. Tag your things. I think it does help.

Rainey: 00:47:10

I was just reading about this that this morning. Or if you're in a particular neighborhood doing a project, that's a very important thing because people there will then say it.

Jana: 00:47:18

Yes, it will. Yeah. Because it like you.

When you're, you know, you're like, oh, I would love to try a new coffee shop and you open up your, you know, your for you page and there's new coffee shops to try. Imagine that. So it's the same thing for other people.

Rainey: 00:47:32

Okay, I asked you a question earlier. And then skips out on a rabbit hole that we, we can do.

And so if you are just starting out and you don't have a deep portfolio or like myself, I learned that the photos that I had for my early projects were not good enough to post. They would do more harm than good. What is your advice to someone? Because they look like real estate photos, not like design photos.

Jana: 00:47:58

Right.

Rainey: 00:47:59

Note to self, same lights on.

Casey: 00:48:01

Hashtag MeToo, same.

Jana: 00:48:03

Yes.

Rainey: 00:48:03

I'm so glad you can identify.

Casey: 00:48:05

You're like, we've been in this business so long. Of course there's.

Jana: 00:48:08

Yes, I would like to say, please get a good photographer. Like, that is important. Spend the money on a good photographer. There's a lot of them out there.

I love Laurie Perez because she's my friend, but I mean, there's A lot out there and they're great.

Rainey: 00:48:19

Hairstylist.

Jana: 00:48:20

Just come prepared, you know? Yeah, yeah. The real estate photographer kills me.

But so if you're in that situation, there are ways to get started where you don't have to use a lot of photography. One way that I love seeing is I saw this.

I don't know if it's essentially a trend, but it's something that I liked where somebody said, look, as a designer, you don't always get to. To. To, you know, shoot your favorite jobs. So all these shots. But I think these iPhone shots deserve.

These projects deserve love too, because they're some of my favorites and they're just iPhone photos. That was kind of the whole shtick of her post. And it was great photos of, like, they're not great lighting. And I love that because it's real.

Because you're going to have projects you don't photograph for one reason or another.

Rainey: 00:48:57

I do have to say this, though. This. Can I tell you my tip.

Casey: 00:49:00

Yeah.

Rainey: 00:49:01

That I learned, and it's on my contract. Put in your contract that you have a right at the end of the project to take professional photos.

Jana: 00:49:10

Yes.

Rainey: 00:49:11

If you don't and the client a wants to move in and be done with that, or they all of a sudden decide that they want this anonymity that they never spoke about, and you have put your blood, sweat and tears in a project and you can't get those. You have lost everything walking away from that. As far as marketing goes. So consider putting that in your contract if it's not already in it.

Jana: 00:49:36

Yeah, I agree with that.

Casey: 00:49:37

There's a designer that in town, she's very high. But if they.

If there's a client that you know, because some people have the NDAs and they don't want their stuff out, she does say she charges more for that if they won't allow photography because it is part of her marketing and it.

Jana: 00:49:51

Has a lot of work.

Casey: 00:49:52

You can't. Huge, huge loss.

Jana: 00:49:54

Right? Yeah. So, yeah. And then the other advice I would give is, like, there's plenty of takes you can do online, especially reels.

People say, well, I don't have anything to make a reel out of. You know, I don't have a job to walk. Well, you don't have to talk about jobs in reality. You can talk about design issues or trends or things.

And one of the things that I find really interesting is if there is some hot take on. Like there's a poor lady that's getting really beat up about it, but it doesn't have to be negative. Right.

But sometimes people will come on and say, I don't know what to do with my room. What do I do? Well, it costs you nothing to stitch their video and talk about how to fix that, how you would fix that room.

Rainey: 00:50:29

Right.

Jana: 00:50:29

It costs you nothing to mock it up if you have the time, whatever. And that way you look like a professional and you speak from this place of, like, experience. And then there's also, like, hot takes you can give.

Like, you know, I have a designer that she's like, I never go overboard in a kid's room. It's my hot take. Like, I do something they can grow with, and you can get to share something. It doesn't have to be based out of a photo.

It can be just your personal opinion, and it still sets you up as a professional and shares your personality and lets people get to know you.

Casey: 00:50:55

I love that.

Jana: 00:50:56

Okay.

Casey: 00:50:57

Inspo.

A lot of people, for a while, it seemed like people were, like, sharing other people's stories or posts in, like, inspiration, but then not really giving it the light so it looked like it was theirs, which I really could not get on board with, personally. Yeah, I just could not get on board with. But I know a lot of people were promoting that and saying, no, this will get that eventual client.

And I'm like, I feel like that is so disappointed, so deceptive, because not everybody reads that down here. This was done by another person.

And so is that something that we're seeing less of, or are people still kind of doing the inspo and what do you speak to that?

Jana: 00:51:35

I don't see that anymore as much. There's a lot of people that built very large followings sharing gorgeous photos of other people's work. And I always felt icky about that.

Like, it gives me the hives to think about because you didn't do that. Anything in there, and you're crediting them at the very bottom. And, like, think, if that was your work, how would you feel about that?

So I don't think that's something you should do.

What I do think is fine is let's say you have a product manufacturer that you love and they have some product shots and you're sharing that in something you're talking about. Like, yeah, use what's out there. Like, use your vendors. Go to your vendors and.

And do a talk with a vendor about how much you love, you know, a toto toilet at Baths of America or something. Like, they'll love to be in your video. Like, there's so many ways that people can use stuff around them to make.

Casey: 00:52:23

Content that doesn't actually have to be a walking job site. I love that because I think that we in our industry too, our business, we. It's hot in there and it can be cold.

And when it's cold, man, you're, you know, you're looking on social and everybody else is on some big ass job site and you're like, I'm in a coffee shop or on yoga pants not doing anything because you don't.

Jana: 00:52:42

How so it's hard to lay track while you're working.

Casey: 00:52:46

While you're working. And then when you're super difficult, I forget all the time when I'm doing stuff I'm not getting video.

Rainey: 00:52:51

And then that too. And I leave and I go, damn, that was good.

Casey: 00:52:53

That was so good. That would have been great. And then when I'm not, you know, when I need to be marketing.

Yeah, we're supposed to be marketing the whole time, but so I love the tips because those are huge takeaways for all of us who just have those lulls or like rainy. We were talking the other day and you know, sometimes you do photograph that big job and you, you're hoping you're holding it for a reason.

So your content might be a little. Feel a little bit slower. So this is another way to kind of be able to get your fill in the void when you're trying to hold your. Hold your pieces.

But oh my God, so huge.

Rainey: 00:53:26

Such good stuff.

Casey: 00:53:27

Thank you. Thank you so much, Jana. I could just sit. Yeah, I have so many. I'll just have to. Ping you later because you got. Yeah.

Such good insight intake and because you came from our industry and you know designer so well and all of our idiosyncrasies and all of these little delicate moments more than most people even. Because as a vendor.

Jana: 00:53:49

Right.

Casey: 00:53:50

It was like, oh, this didn't go. Or however they go.

Rainey: 00:53:53

So you understand so many intricacies, the bts of our industry. And I think that that is really, really incredible. So thank you for bringing your personality and all of the things that you've learned to our set.

And we feel really lucky to have had you.

Jana: 00:54:10

Thank you for having me.

Casey: 00:54:11

Thank you so much. Okay.

Rainey: 00:54:15

Yeah.

Casey: 00:54:15

I mean, well, let's just say we have two phenomenal social media people in marketing. Right. Hollywood here and Mariana. So they. But I feel like I don't pick their brains enough because they're doing it all and I don't need to.

Rainey: 00:54:28

It's like they're in the trenches and you Just throw a bag of chips and a Coke and just hope they keep going. It's like, just keep doing what you're doing.

Casey: 00:54:36

Jesus, take the wheel.

Rainey: 00:54:37

Jesus, take the wheel. It's true. It's really true. I did want to ask you a question.

So in the episode, you used the word schmegma, and I would like for you to spell that for me, please.

Casey: 00:54:54

That would be S, C, H, M, ega. Schmeg. No, E, E, G, M, A.

Rainey: 00:55:03

Okay.

Casey: 00:55:03

Schmegma.

Rainey: 00:55:04

Okay. Okay. I was so tripped up on that.

And I know that right after that, Janet answered a really important question, but I was so messed up by that word and I was laughing internally. I was thinking, we have got to keep this recording going.

But I just wanted to circle back and capture that for those of you that would like to add that to your vocabulary. So schmegma. Yeah.

Jana: 00:55:24

Oh, it's a noun.

Casey: 00:55:26

Is that what it is? It's a noun. Thanks, mom, for that. I think it was a Mona. Who knows? God, I'm so sorry.

Rainey: 00:55:32

No, there will be no apologies. It was actually gold that comes out.

Casey: 00:55:36

Of his mouth I have to really.

Jana: 00:55:37

Think about, but I feel like that's.

Rainey: 00:55:38

A social media moment, by the way.

Casey: 00:55:42

Opportunity. Oh, my God. My stuttering just came back. It's like childhood all over again. For the spelling bee. I liked that.

Rainey: 00:55:47

Yeah.

Jana: 00:55:48

Yeah.

Rainey: 00:55:48

Well, you passed. You got a gold ribbon. So. So social media is one of those beasts that you just have to keep on feeding and loved having her.

And so if you have any questions you would like to ask us or ask Jana, please reach out to us@helloreframingdesign.com you can follow me at rainierichardson.

Casey: 00:56:09

On Instagram, you can follow me CassandraBrandInteriors. And please follow us, tag us, share us with all on YouTube, on Spotify, wherever you get your podcast.

And if you're interested in the social media part, niche creative on Instagram. She does such good stuff. She's funny as hell and yeah, she's so creative. So.

And if you have art, again, we do want to be displaying and we're going to still be doing our podcast here, there, everywhere. So it's going to be fun. We're going to find out more.

Jana: 00:56:43

Stay tuned.

Casey: 00:56:44

Stay tuned for the next. But if you've got art, man, share it. We'd love to be able to put.

Rainey: 00:56:48

You to highlight you.

Casey: 00:56:49

So thank you.

Jana: 00:56:50

Thank you.

Casey: 00:56:50

Have a great day.

Jana: 00:56:51

Bye.

Outro: 00:56:55

That's a wrap for this episode of reframing the art of interior design. We hope you had a blast and found some inspiration to bring your dream space to life. Feeling inspired to start your own home transformation?

Contact us@hello reframingdesign.com we want to help you make it happen. Don't forget to subscribe, Share and leave a Review this show was edited and produced by Truth Work Media.

Until next time, remember your space is your story. Make it beautiful.