EP 091 | Communication Skills Every Interior Designer Needs with Sherry Millien

December 17, 2018

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What if the skills that make you a better advocate also make you a better interior designer?

In this episode, Kimberley Seldon speaks with Sherry Millien about her unconventional path to design success. After stepping away from her career for seven years to advocate for her daughter, Sherry returned with a powerful set of communication, organizational, and leadership skills that now help her manage complex projects involving clients, trades, and vendors.

For interior designers, this conversation highlights why strong communication and advocacy skills are just as important as design expertise.

In this episode, we learn:
• Why effective communication is essential to advocating for your clients
• How choosing the right battles leads to better project outcomes
• Why asking questions is more valuable than making assumptions
• How written communication protects both designers and clients
• Why listening first helps build trust and stronger relationships
• How meeting people where they are improves collaboration and problem-solving

 

Take Aways

Sherry’s 6 Advocating Skills:

  1. You don’t have to respond to everything said to you.
  2. Ask Questions.  Don’t mistake silence for agreement or for not caring.
  3. The world does not revolve around you. You may have to compromise.
  4. If it is not written, it is not said.
  5. Enter a conversation with the intention to listen more than to be heard.
  6. Meet people where they are, not where you think they should be.

 

Design Intervention

Remember that you have a voice. Don’t be afraid of an opinion. Your clients want to hear it.

Thank you to our sponsor!

Sherry Millien, one of America’s premier Christian-based designers, is known for the unique, one-of-a-kind interiors she creates for prominent clients throughout the metropolitan Houston area.

Sherry is expanding her full-service luxury interior design business nationwide, but she specializes in serving homeowners in The Woodlands, Bellaire, Kemah, Katy, Cypress, Tanglewood, West University, River Oaks and other area communities. She provides everything from project management and remodeling to space planning and furniture selection.

Sherry’s clients include Fortune 500 executives, oil company representatives, professional athletes, doctors, surgeons, business owners and other successful professionals.  Integrity and extraordinary customer service are hallmarks of her Christian-based company.

Sherry spent 7 years as a full-time child advocate to assist in facilitating a meaningful inclusion program for her daughter with Down Syndrome.  Her years as an advocate provided the valuable communication and organizational skills necessary to run multi-facetted projects successfully between clients, trades, and vendors.  The firm donates a portion of its profits to Disability Rights Texas, a non-profit advocacy firm that represents individuals with disabilities and their families in the state of Texas.

The Terravista Interior Design Group is backed by a team of some of the region’s foremost contractors, workroom specialists, painters, installers, cabinet experts, electricians, plumbers and other professionals.

Sherry keeps current on design trends by attending industry shows and educational events around the country. She is an allied member of the American Society of Interior Designers, the nation’s largest and longest-established organization of design professionals. A graduate of Oklahoma State University, she earned a degree in human environmental sciences, design, housing and merchandising.

www.terravistaidg.com

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Legal Disclosure | This podcast is for educational purposes only and provides general business advice for interior designers and design professionals. It is not intended as individual legal, accounting, or professional guidance. Kimberley Seldon and Business of Design® make no guarantees regarding accuracy and are not liable for how information is used. Strategies shared may not apply to every situation—listeners should seek qualified legal, financial, or professional advice before making business decisions. References and resources mentioned may change over time.

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