October 9, 2025 • 24 mins
Robbie Maynard, a seasoned interior designer with over three decades of experience in San Diego, California, joins us to reveal her remarkable transformation from PR novice to confidently landing features in House Beautiful, Forbes, and Martha Stewart Living.
With refreshing candor, Robbie shares how she initially felt "petrified" when submitting her first pitch to editors. "I thought they wanted me to be a writer and make it sound wonderful," she admits, reflecting a common misconception among design professionals. Through consistent practice and expert guidance, she discovered that editors simply valued her design expertise, not her writing skills—a revelation that freed her to pursue major publication opportunities with confidence.
The conversation takes a fascinating turn as Robbie discusses the evolution of her business strategy. After recognizing that her website showcased outdated Tuscan-style projects no longer aligned with current trends or her preferred design direction, she implemented strategic updates that transformed her client acquisition process. "I was getting a lot of people that wanted Tuscan... and I didn't really want that anymore," she explains, highlighting how targeted marketing attracts ideal clients.
Perhaps most valuable is Robbie's perspective on client selection, gained through years of experience: "Every client is not your client." She now approaches initial consultations as mutual interviews rather than sales opportunities, ensuring better project outcomes and more satisfying professional relationships. This mindset shift represents a crucial evolution for designers looking to elevate their business.
As the interior design industry continues to evolve, with traditional revenue streams disrupted by online retailers, Robbie shares her plans to adapt through specialized service packages focused on kitchen design and exploring alternative income sources like affiliate marketing. Her willingness to continuously reinvent her business approach offers inspiration for designers at any career stage.
Ready to transform your own design business through strategic marketing and PR? Sign up for our Designer Discussions Academy at designerdiscussions.com and get personalized guidance from our team of experts.
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Designer Discussions is a partnership of three experts: Jason Lockhart, CEO of KABMS; Maria Martin, founder of DesignAppy; and Mirjam Lippuner, founder of Get Ink DIY
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jason (00:00):
Hello, and welcome to Designer Discussions with Jason,
Miriam, and Maria.
Today we have a special guest,Robbie of Robbie Maynard Design.
She is one of our initialAcademy members, and she's here
talking with us today.
Welcome to Designer DiscussionsPodcast with Miriam, Maria, and
Jason.
(00:20):
Tune in each week where wediscuss marketing, PR, and
business advice for designprofessionals.
Mirjam (00:29):
Robbie, welcome to our podcast.
It's such an honor and apleasure to have you here today.
Before we dig into what we'rehere to talk about, tell us a
little bit about your businessand about what stage you were in
when you first joined ourprogram.
Robbie (00:50):
Okay.
I'm an interior designer in SanDiego, California.
And I've been doing it forquite a few years, so over 30
years.
So I have quite a bit ofexperience in the industry.
And I've always been a littlebit interested in press and PR,
and would sort of do it theolder traditional way, where we
(01:11):
would, you know, do showcasehouses and then we would get,
you know, photographed by thelocal magazine, and then we
would get pressed that way.
Um, so that that was the way Iused to do it.
I was actually on HGTV once, sothat was pretty exciting
because in that came throughbeing a member of ASID, and they
reached out to some of themembers and selected me to do
(01:31):
that one.
But um I feel like I had a Ihad a pretty good business and
um just wanted to kind of up mygame a little bit, you know, and
get I really wanted, I mean,honestly, I wanted to be an
architectural digest.
I just had this gold alwaysbeing.
I remember that, yes.
I haven't gotten in there yet,but I'm I'm still working on it.
(01:54):
But you know, it's like it'skind of like this little feather
in your cap if you're adesigner that you want to be in
House Beautiful, architecturaldigest, traditional home, you
know, all these high, highpublications.
So that was part of why Ijoined the academy.
And um, and actually now I'veI've got, you know, I've got
House Beautiful on my website.
(02:14):
I've got um Forbes, a lot ofgreat placements due to um
Miriam's techniques, and alsowith Jason helping me put make
my website updated and to umrepresent me well, and also the
kind of projects that I want.
So that's kind of where where Iwas, and I jumped into what you
(02:34):
a little bit, but that's whereum, you know, that's where there
always started with me.
Mirjam (02:41):
I rem I remember those days.
Yeah.
And there were definitely um, Imean, every every business
owner faces challenges when itcomes to um marketing and
growing their business.
And you pretty much laid outwhy you decided to join the
academy.
But it's like if you thinkback, were there specific things
(03:02):
about our program that stoodout to you that like were
different from other things youhad tried?
Robbie (03:08):
Yeah, I I think, well, it's a very, I feel like it's a
hands-on approach.
And then we would meet weekly,which was great, to keep me
accountable and keep me currentwith all, I mean, things change
so fast.
So Maria was always um have thelatest tips on um what's going
(03:31):
on in Instagram and TikTok andeverything like that.
Not that I do all of that, I Ilike to do Instagram and
Facebook.
And then Miriam, you you know,in the academy, you would um
post in our Facebook group umcurrent pitches that were
available, editors that werelooking for um contributions to
their articles.
So that was awesome.
(03:51):
So you just you could check inthat every day.
And um, you know, I submitted alot of those.
So um, and then Jason.
So it was really the the threeexperts, really, and then also
meeting once a week.
So that was awesome.
Someone like me, you know, I'min a little bubble and I need to
(04:12):
be accountable.
I I like, you know, I want somefeedback and and um
encouragement.
And then um, yeah, and Jasonwas awesome helping update my
website because it was, youknow, I I was getting um
basically a lot of people thatwanted Tuscan, because we have a
lot of Tuscan in in San Diego,California.
(04:32):
And I didn't really want thatanymore because it was sort of
out, you know, it like just wentout of style immediately.
And then Millennial Gray orGray came in or something.
So I had a you know, a lot ofTuscan projects on there.
So then Jason's like, man, youneed you need to update this,
you know, you've got to updateyour website and get it
(04:53):
functioning well and all that.
So so that was in the SEO andall that.
So that's that is Jason'sexpert side.
And then, like I said, there'sall three of you.
So uh no other group has threespecific experts, and and that's
a big, big benefit to you know,your your academy.
Mirjam (05:13):
Yes, yes.
I think we all completely agreewith that assessment, right?
Um, but so and you've alreadytouched on it a little bit, but
it's like which specific partsof the curriculum have have made
the biggest uh difference foryou personally?
Robbie (05:32):
Um I for me, it's really been um the what you've taught
me about pitching, aboutsubmitting.
And um you you really need tobe consistent, you know,
consistent.
And then you submit, you know,I think in the beginning I was
submitting about two a week topublications that were asking
(05:56):
for comments from experts.
And you don't get it, you know,they don't always uh pick you
up.
They don't always so but themore consistently you do it, the
more you will get.
And then something that wasreally important was I remember
being sort of petrified thefirst time I pushed send on one
of those pitches to, you know,it's like, oh my gosh, you know,
I don't know, I don't even knowwhy.
(06:17):
I mean, now I don't know why,but it's a little intimidating.
You think that they want you tobe a writer and make it sound
all wonderful.
And, you know, you don't.
You, you know, you taught mejust do it in 15 minutes, do it
really quick, send it out.
They don't expect me to be awriter.
You know, they they don'texpect that, they just want my
(06:40):
expertise.
So that helped me so, so muchthat I mean, I can't really do
it in 15 minutes because I, youknow, I'm a slow writer.
I mean, I'm a slow, you know,but but you just have to do it
quickly, send it out, and thenbasically forget about it.
Um, maybe search you can dosomething with Google, but that
didn't work for me because of myname.
But just search for it in two,three weeks, and then you're
(07:02):
looking and you put in basicallythe title of the article, the
writer, the magazine, and yourname, and then it'll show up and
you'll be like, oh yay, youknow, it's like yay.
Mirjam (07:15):
It's like Christmas.
You're definitely my starstudent, you know.
Yeah, really.
I love how you've how you'vereally taken it in and how and
how you're still doing it, youknow, because it becomes so
natural and it becomes it comeseasy um if you do it enough
times.
Yeah.
And you really have, you'vegarnered a lot of really, really
(07:38):
great placements.
Um and I always say it's aninvestment.
And if you can learn how to doit yourself, I mean, you can
have me do it for you, but umit's it's it's a better
investment for you as a businessowner to to do it yourself and
build those relationships, yeah.
Robbie (07:56):
Right.
I I did want to say that that,you know, you like having well,
the academy is great becausethen we can get advice from you
and the others.
But I mean, really, if you'regonna hire a um PR consultant,
that's you know, that's around5,000 a month.
So if you can't afford that5,000 a month, then having you
(08:21):
available as a consultant, youknow, uh, and then it's a DIY
approach where we have to domore of the work, but we also
have you to guide us and kind ofkeep us updated on things.
So it's much more affordable.
And I mean, I'm like a smallboutique studio, you know, like
me, a bookkeeper, a helper, youknow, and I don't have that five
(08:43):
or more thousand um availableto do.
So it's it's a very more, youknow, affordable, affordable way
to do it with with the help of,you know, a good PR person or a
great PR person like you,Miriam.
Yes, thank you very much.
Mirjam (08:59):
I appreciate that.
Um, so if you look back at thetime that you've spent with us,
like what really what surprisedyou most about the the whole
experience?
Robbie (09:13):
What surprised me the most?
That's a good question.
I I guess just that there'sthere's really so much to this,
kind of like you, you know,there's um like Jason, I think
one time did a little uhtutorial or something.
I think it might have been onGoogle Business or SEO or
(09:35):
something, and oh my gosh, myhead was spinning.
It was just sort of like I needprobably kept on saying, you
may not want to do this on yourown, but it's like there's just
so much like to every singlepart of it, you know, the um SEO
and then the PR, and that'swhy, you know, it's it's really
hard to do it by yourself.
So that's you know, you justneed to be, you know, hire hire
(09:57):
people to do this for you.
Or I mean, you really can't,it's hard to, there's just too
much to do.
So that's why the academy isreally good to um help keep me
on top of all those things, andum then know like when I need
to, you know, have you guys helpme or or hire somebody because
it's there's a lot to it there,and I don't think a lot of
(10:19):
people realize how much when youdig under those layers, like
what's involved.
Mirjam (10:24):
Yeah, and I think that's exactly part of what we're
trying to do too, is is partlyteach you how to do it yourself,
but also to realize when maybesomething is too big of a scope
or just outside of yourwheelhouse and and and help you
realize when it makes sense tobring in help.
(10:46):
And then when you hire the helpto to educate you and be able
to judge the performance of thethe help that you bring in.
Robbie (10:57):
Yeah, that's that reminds me of an example.
So um when I was basically Isubmitted, you know, pitches
myself, smaller pitches, and youknow, did great with that and
got some really good, like I gotin um Better Homes and Gardens,
House Beautiful, which is oneof my goals, Martha Stewart and
(11:20):
Forbes.
And then we had I had a projectI had been working on for about
a year, and this one has somereally good, you know, I had it
photographed, professionallyphotographed, that's expensive.
And that was when I called onyou and basically hired you to
help me with that one becausethat also takes a lot of time,
just writing all theinformation, submitting it to
(11:41):
the different um magazines.
Well, that reminds me ofsomething you you you taught me,
Miriam, that was really goodbecause I remember we had we
started at the top and wesubmitted it, let's probably
architectural digest.
And I think it could actuallyrespond to you, which was
amazing.
They did.
Yeah.
A lot of people they neverrespond to.
And then um what I think we gotmaybe to one of the other
(12:04):
magazines and we weren't hearingfrom anyone.
And so then that that stops youbecause you can only do one at
a time.
And you basically sent them aletter saying, Okay, we are just
checking back.
And um, if we don't hear fromyou in a week, we're gonna
assume you don't want it, we'regonna move on.
So that way we were not stuckbecause that was something that
had happened to me in the pastbefore was I was stuck waiting
(12:27):
to hear back from architecturaldigest, and I didn't because I'm
not, you know, Miriam.
And um, and this way you couldjust politely say, okay, we're
gonna assume you don't want itand we're gonna move on.
So that that was great.
So that was really good.
And then you helped me get thatproject in Modern Luxury, which
is a local print magazine,which is awesome because then
(12:49):
all the local people see me, andthose are the people you get
your business from.
Mirjam (12:52):
Yeah.
Robbie (12:53):
Really.
Mirjam (12:54):
It all worked out in the end, right?
And this is I mean, it's partof what I teach in the academy
too, but it can be um it's itrequires more effort than some
of the easier um uh pitch uhtricks that I teach.
And so yeah, it definitely andand and you are it's you're you
(13:16):
have the awareness to say, ah,this is not something I want to
do, so I'm gonna give it to youor somebody else, right?
And I think that's really thatmakes a lot of sense for a lot
of the areas that we teach in inthe academy.
But yeah, I'm glad that allworked out.
I remember that.
That was a long pitch.
Yeah, that took uh that took afew a few tries, but but it
(13:39):
turned out it turned out reallywell in the end.
Jason (13:42):
We yeah, Robin, one question I have for you.
You had talked about how it washard for you the first time to
hit CN.
A lot of designers androbotlers go through that when
it's either marketing, PR, AI.
It's hard for them becausethey're scared and they just
don't know.
So now having gone through thatprocess, how do you feel like
(14:03):
your confidence is now havinglearned AI, learn PR, learn
marketing?
Where do you feel like yourconfidence is at now?
Robbie (14:12):
Oh, much better.
Yeah, I feel much moreconfident.
And um just, I mean, you know,knowledge, you know, knowledge
is gonna make you feel betterand more confident.
So I definitely do.
And it's like, you know, forbusiness has changed because you
know I've been in business along time.
It has completely changed, andnow you need to know all that.
(14:34):
You know, you need to know umto hire someone for your SEO and
all that stuff, and sometimeshire um someone to help you with
the pitches, you know, or tosubmit an article.
An important, you know, the thethis is an important project.
And so I knew I needed helpwith that.
My website.
I knew I'm not gonna do my ownwebsite.
(14:55):
I mean, I know some peoplecan't do.
Maria probably does hers, butyou know, that's not in my
wheelhouse, you know.
And so that was when I knew thespecific things, um, SEO
website, and then this importantproject to me, I actually have
another one um right now thatI'm gonna work with Miriam on.
(15:16):
And I've just been kind ofdragging my feet and you know,
through the summer, gettingthrough the summer, but I have a
really nice project.
Um, so that one I will haveMiriam helping me with because
I, you know, personally do nothave the time or don't
completely feel confident enoughto pitch that to like big major
(15:36):
magazines, you know, and Ithink, you know, some people do,
but it's more, I yeah, I justrather have that's one of those
things I want to have help on,having Miriam help me with this
important.
I'm happy, I'm happy to help.
Yes.
Yeah, and I think you have um,you know, you have more po
you're in the industry and youknow, they're I think they're
(15:59):
gonna take you a little moreseriously than another designer
because there's there's lots ofdesigners submitting their
projects all the time.
Super competitive.
Mirjam (16:10):
Yep, it definitely works both ways, yes.
Yeah, but it's I think it'sgood to find that that balance
um that you have found and andthat we have been able to help
you um get to so if you when youthink back to like the weekly,
because they're group, it's likethey're group coaching calls,
(16:31):
right?
And there's other people in thegroup.
And how did you did you find ithelpful to be in a group with
other people that um are workingthrough similar issues as you
are?
Robbie (16:41):
Oh, absolutely.
Yeah, it was so great because Ifelt like they could tell me a
story or um give some advice onsomething that was really
helpful to me, and then I coulddo the same because I have been
doing it a long time.
And, you know, one example islike I'll tell people, you know,
every client is not yourclient.
(17:01):
Interview them, you know, askthem specific questions because
that may not be your client.
If they're like, oh, I want to,you know, every I want to buy
everything on sale.
And um, I have a sister-in-lawthat's a designer and we're
gonna um need to include her.
And it's like, heck no, no,thank you.
Right.
So you have to, you have to beconfident enough and just say,
(17:25):
I'm not taking every singleproject.
You know, I maybe when you'rejust starting, you might need
to, but definitely after you'vegot a little bit of experience,
then you have to um love it.
Mirjam (17:36):
That was definitely Maria's advice, I remember then.
Robbie (17:39):
Yeah, right, right.
We don't, we don't take every,you know, because you think
you're going on an interview.
Oh, I remember when there wasone point in my career, because
I was pretty sales oriented.
I have a um design degree andan art degree, but I also worked
in furniture sales right out ofschool.
So I had the sales thinking.
(18:00):
I would go and I would sellmyself to someone as a designer.
And I'm like, I don't even wantthat one.
Why did I do that?
You know, I leave and I say, ohman, that sales just just uh,
you know took over.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And then I had to figure out,okay, how am I gonna get out of
this?
Cause I don't really want this.
Yeah.
And then I learned it was moreof a, and I even tell people,
(18:22):
we're gonna see if we're a goodfit, you know, we're gonna see.
Mirjam (18:25):
And so yeah, and Maria definitely did a lot of teaching
on those types of clientcommunication issues, right?
Robbie (18:34):
What what I remember with Maria is just always
keeping me up to date on thetechnology, you know, the the
different programs, thedifferent um resources
available, Instagram, TikTok,um, everything.
Just just you know, uh the allall that.
So you'd always, I don't knowhow you stayed on top of all
(18:55):
that, Maria.
It takes a lot of time.
Nobody knows how she does it.
Yeah, yeah.
I don't think you sleep.
I don't think Maria sleeps.
Mirjam (19:01):
So But Robbie, so in hindsight, um, and for someone
who's listening to this podcastwho's on the fence about joining
the academy, what would youtell them?
Robbie (19:16):
I would say it is fantastic.
And um as I said, it helps yoube accountable.
You have um three experts hereto advise you, and it's gonna be
so much more affordable thanhiring three separate experts,
you know, in those fields.
And you and also you guys arejust um fun.
(19:40):
You know what I mean?
Like it's it, I felt likebecause we it felt almost like a
little, you know, social partywhen we would meet and I would
have really looked forward toit, right?
And um just just to connect,because I'm not around a lot of
other designers.
So connect, stay informed, uh,learn great information.
You guys are all very umhonest, professional, and um I
(20:04):
appreciate you so much.
And you you have taught me so,so much, you know, and I like I
said, I'm confident now, I knowhow to do stuff.
You can look at my website andsee, you know, how Jason helped
me with that and all the greatpress I have now.
So it it's really elevated meand in increased my confidence.
And it's you guys are great.
Mirjam (20:27):
Amazing.
Thank you so much on behalf ofall of us.
Um, we love hearing that, ofcourse.
Robbie (20:33):
Um You're welcome.
Mirjam (20:35):
So, Robbie, what is next for you and your business?
Robbie (20:39):
So I'm actually um right right now I found so it's the
business is pretty competitiveright now, and I'm learning I
need to kind of change.
And I've already started beforeI used to do pretty much full
service interior design, and Ican do that, but I've started
(21:00):
being um sort of uh focused inon kitchen, kitchen design,
remodels, that kind of thing.
So I think I'm gonna change theway I work and sort of create
packages, just start working onchanging the structure a little
bit, and then also looking intodifferent ways of making money
(21:22):
because when, you know, back inthe day we would sell products,
we would sell furniture, um, goshopping at the design showroom,
and then we would sell them toour clients and make a little
bit of money that way.
Um, and now I find there's likea hundred furniture stores, a
hundred online furniture stores.
And so that, I mean, I I dohelp people, you know, they'll
(21:45):
show me or we'll pick somethings from um crate and barrel
and and I just have them buy it,you know.
But I want to look into maybeaffiliate marketing or these
different other ways to makemoney, the way that some of the
newer designers are making moneynow.
Um so I'm gonna be changing,just basically changing the way
(22:06):
it works, sort of.
Mirjam (22:08):
So much opportunity, so many things to learn always,
right?
Robbie (22:12):
Current, right?
Just keep, you know, I've I'vechanged many, you know, before.
I've changed before, and I justhave to keep.
You can do it.
Mirjam (22:20):
And so if people want to follow along on your journey,
um, what is the best way to findyou and get in touch with you?
Robbie (22:28):
Uh let's see.
So um Instagram, it's probablyRobbie Maynard.
Mirjam (22:34):
Yeah, we'll put all the links in the in the show notes
as well to your contact info.
But yeah, Instagram probablyYeah.
Definitely your website.
Everybody should go check outyour website.
Robbie (22:46):
Robbie Maynard Interiors and then my Instagram account
are the ones where I'm you knowthe most active where you can
find me.
Mirjam (22:54):
Awesome.
Robbie, it's been such apleasure to have you on.
Thank you so much for the yearsyou spent with us and for
coming back to talk to us.
Um, we'll definitely bewatching where you go and we'll
be in touch.
And for our listeners, um,we'll uh see you back here again
for designer discussions in twoweeks.
Robbie (23:16):
Thank you so much, you guys.
You're awesome.
I appreciate it.
Maria (23:20):
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(23:44):
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Hello, and welcome to Designer Discussions with Jason,
Miriam, and Maria.
Today we have a special guest,Robbie of Robbie Maynard Design.
She is one of our initialAcademy members, and she's here
talking with us today.
Welcome to Designer DiscussionsPodcast with Miriam, Maria, and
Jason.
(00:20):
Tune in each week where wediscuss marketing, PR, and
business advice for designprofessionals.
Mirjam (00:29):
Robbie, welcome to our podcast.
It's such an honor and apleasure to have you here today.
Before we dig into what we'rehere to talk about, tell us a
little bit about your businessand about what stage you were in
when you first joined ourprogram.
Robbie (00:50):
Okay.
I'm an interior designer in SanDiego, California.
And I've been doing it forquite a few years, so over 30
years.
So I have quite a bit ofexperience in the industry.
And I've always been a littlebit interested in press and PR,
and would sort of do it theolder traditional way, where we
(01:11):
would, you know, do showcasehouses and then we would get,
you know, photographed by thelocal magazine, and then we
would get pressed that way.
Um, so that that was the way Iused to do it.
I was actually on HGTV once, sothat was pretty exciting
because in that came throughbeing a member of ASID, and they
reached out to some of themembers and selected me to do
(01:31):
that one.
But um I feel like I had a Ihad a pretty good business and
um just wanted to kind of up mygame a little bit, you know, and
get I really wanted, I mean,honestly, I wanted to be an
architectural digest.
I just had this gold alwaysbeing.
I remember that, yes.
I haven't gotten in there yet,but I'm I'm still working on it.
(01:54):
But you know, it's like it'skind of like this little feather
in your cap if you're adesigner that you want to be in
House Beautiful, architecturaldigest, traditional home, you
know, all these high, highpublications.
So that was part of why Ijoined the academy.
And um, and actually now I'veI've got, you know, I've got
House Beautiful on my website.
(02:14):
I've got um Forbes, a lot ofgreat placements due to um
Miriam's techniques, and alsowith Jason helping me put make
my website updated and to umrepresent me well, and also the
kind of projects that I want.
So that's kind of where where Iwas, and I jumped into what you
(02:34):
a little bit, but that's whereum, you know, that's where there
always started with me.
Mirjam (02:41):
I rem I remember those days.
Yeah.
And there were definitely um, Imean, every every business
owner faces challenges when itcomes to um marketing and
growing their business.
And you pretty much laid outwhy you decided to join the
academy.
But it's like if you thinkback, were there specific things
(03:02):
about our program that stoodout to you that like were
different from other things youhad tried?
Robbie (03:08):
Yeah, I I think, well, it's a very, I feel like it's a
hands-on approach.
And then we would meet weekly,which was great, to keep me
accountable and keep me currentwith all, I mean, things change
so fast.
So Maria was always um have thelatest tips on um what's going
(03:31):
on in Instagram and TikTok andeverything like that.
Not that I do all of that, I Ilike to do Instagram and
Facebook.
And then Miriam, you you know,in the academy, you would um
post in our Facebook group umcurrent pitches that were
available, editors that werelooking for um contributions to
their articles.
So that was awesome.
(03:51):
So you just you could check inthat every day.
And um, you know, I submitted alot of those.
So um, and then Jason.
So it was really the the threeexperts, really, and then also
meeting once a week.
So that was awesome.
Someone like me, you know, I'min a little bubble and I need to
(04:12):
be accountable.
I I like, you know, I want somefeedback and and um
encouragement.
And then um, yeah, and Jasonwas awesome helping update my
website because it was, youknow, I I was getting um
basically a lot of people thatwanted Tuscan, because we have a
lot of Tuscan in in San Diego,California.
(04:32):
And I didn't really want thatanymore because it was sort of
out, you know, it like just wentout of style immediately.
And then Millennial Gray orGray came in or something.
So I had a you know, a lot ofTuscan projects on there.
So then Jason's like, man, youneed you need to update this,
you know, you've got to updateyour website and get it
(04:53):
functioning well and all that.
So so that was in the SEO andall that.
So that's that is Jason'sexpert side.
And then, like I said, there'sall three of you.
So uh no other group has threespecific experts, and and that's
a big, big benefit to you know,your your academy.
Mirjam (05:13):
Yes, yes.
I think we all completely agreewith that assessment, right?
Um, but so and you've alreadytouched on it a little bit, but
it's like which specific partsof the curriculum have have made
the biggest uh difference foryou personally?
Robbie (05:32):
Um I for me, it's really been um the what you've taught
me about pitching, aboutsubmitting.
And um you you really need tobe consistent, you know,
consistent.
And then you submit, you know,I think in the beginning I was
submitting about two a week topublications that were asking
(05:56):
for comments from experts.
And you don't get it, you know,they don't always uh pick you
up.
They don't always so but themore consistently you do it, the
more you will get.
And then something that wasreally important was I remember
being sort of petrified thefirst time I pushed send on one
of those pitches to, you know,it's like, oh my gosh, you know,
I don't know, I don't even knowwhy.
(06:17):
I mean, now I don't know why,but it's a little intimidating.
You think that they want you tobe a writer and make it sound
all wonderful.
And, you know, you don't.
You, you know, you taught mejust do it in 15 minutes, do it
really quick, send it out.
They don't expect me to be awriter.
You know, they they don'texpect that, they just want my
(06:40):
expertise.
So that helped me so, so muchthat I mean, I can't really do
it in 15 minutes because I, youknow, I'm a slow writer.
I mean, I'm a slow, you know,but but you just have to do it
quickly, send it out, and thenbasically forget about it.
Um, maybe search you can dosomething with Google, but that
didn't work for me because of myname.
But just search for it in two,three weeks, and then you're
(07:02):
looking and you put in basicallythe title of the article, the
writer, the magazine, and yourname, and then it'll show up and
you'll be like, oh yay, youknow, it's like yay.
Mirjam (07:15):
It's like Christmas.
You're definitely my starstudent, you know.
Yeah, really.
I love how you've how you'vereally taken it in and how and
how you're still doing it, youknow, because it becomes so
natural and it becomes it comeseasy um if you do it enough
times.
Yeah.
And you really have, you'vegarnered a lot of really, really
(07:38):
great placements.
Um and I always say it's aninvestment.
And if you can learn how to doit yourself, I mean, you can
have me do it for you, but umit's it's it's a better
investment for you as a businessowner to to do it yourself and
build those relationships, yeah.
Robbie (07:56):
Right.
I I did want to say that that,you know, you like having well,
the academy is great becausethen we can get advice from you
and the others.
But I mean, really, if you'regonna hire a um PR consultant,
that's you know, that's around5,000 a month.
So if you can't afford that5,000 a month, then having you
(08:21):
available as a consultant, youknow, uh, and then it's a DIY
approach where we have to domore of the work, but we also
have you to guide us and kind ofkeep us updated on things.
So it's much more affordable.
And I mean, I'm like a smallboutique studio, you know, like
me, a bookkeeper, a helper, youknow, and I don't have that five
(08:43):
or more thousand um availableto do.
So it's it's a very more, youknow, affordable, affordable way
to do it with with the help of,you know, a good PR person or a
great PR person like you,Miriam.
Yes, thank you very much.
Mirjam (08:59):
I appreciate that.
Um, so if you look back at thetime that you've spent with us,
like what really what surprisedyou most about the the whole
experience?
Robbie (09:13):
What surprised me the most?
That's a good question.
I I guess just that there'sthere's really so much to this,
kind of like you, you know,there's um like Jason, I think
one time did a little uhtutorial or something.
I think it might have been onGoogle Business or SEO or
(09:35):
something, and oh my gosh, myhead was spinning.
It was just sort of like I needprobably kept on saying, you
may not want to do this on yourown, but it's like there's just
so much like to every singlepart of it, you know, the um SEO
and then the PR, and that'swhy, you know, it's it's really
hard to do it by yourself.
So that's you know, you justneed to be, you know, hire hire
(09:57):
people to do this for you.
Or I mean, you really can't,it's hard to, there's just too
much to do.
So that's why the academy isreally good to um help keep me
on top of all those things, andum then know like when I need
to, you know, have you guys helpme or or hire somebody because
it's there's a lot to it there,and I don't think a lot of
(10:19):
people realize how much when youdig under those layers, like
what's involved.
Mirjam (10:24):
Yeah, and I think that's exactly part of what we're
trying to do too, is is partlyteach you how to do it yourself,
but also to realize when maybesomething is too big of a scope
or just outside of yourwheelhouse and and and help you
realize when it makes sense tobring in help.
(10:46):
And then when you hire the helpto to educate you and be able
to judge the performance of thethe help that you bring in.
Robbie (10:57):
Yeah, that's that reminds me of an example.
So um when I was basically Isubmitted, you know, pitches
myself, smaller pitches, and youknow, did great with that and
got some really good, like I gotin um Better Homes and Gardens,
House Beautiful, which is oneof my goals, Martha Stewart and
(11:20):
Forbes.
And then we had I had a projectI had been working on for about
a year, and this one has somereally good, you know, I had it
photographed, professionallyphotographed, that's expensive.
And that was when I called onyou and basically hired you to
help me with that one becausethat also takes a lot of time,
just writing all theinformation, submitting it to
(11:41):
the different um magazines.
Well, that reminds me ofsomething you you you taught me,
Miriam, that was really goodbecause I remember we had we
started at the top and wesubmitted it, let's probably
architectural digest.
And I think it could actuallyrespond to you, which was
amazing.
They did.
Yeah.
A lot of people they neverrespond to.
And then um what I think we gotmaybe to one of the other
(12:04):
magazines and we weren't hearingfrom anyone.
And so then that that stops youbecause you can only do one at
a time.
And you basically sent them aletter saying, Okay, we are just
checking back.
And um, if we don't hear fromyou in a week, we're gonna
assume you don't want it, we'regonna move on.
So that way we were not stuckbecause that was something that
had happened to me in the pastbefore was I was stuck waiting
(12:27):
to hear back from architecturaldigest, and I didn't because I'm
not, you know, Miriam.
And um, and this way you couldjust politely say, okay, we're
gonna assume you don't want itand we're gonna move on.
So that that was great.
So that was really good.
And then you helped me get thatproject in Modern Luxury, which
is a local print magazine,which is awesome because then
(12:49):
all the local people see me, andthose are the people you get
your business from.
Mirjam (12:52):
Yeah.
Robbie (12:53):
Really.
Mirjam (12:54):
It all worked out in the end, right?
And this is I mean, it's partof what I teach in the academy
too, but it can be um it's itrequires more effort than some
of the easier um uh pitch uhtricks that I teach.
And so yeah, it definitely andand and you are it's you're you
(13:16):
have the awareness to say, ah,this is not something I want to
do, so I'm gonna give it to youor somebody else, right?
And I think that's really thatmakes a lot of sense for a lot
of the areas that we teach in inthe academy.
But yeah, I'm glad that allworked out.
I remember that.
That was a long pitch.
Yeah, that took uh that took afew a few tries, but but it
(13:39):
turned out it turned out reallywell in the end.
Jason (13:42):
We yeah, Robin, one question I have for you.
You had talked about how it washard for you the first time to
hit CN.
A lot of designers androbotlers go through that when
it's either marketing, PR, AI.
It's hard for them becausethey're scared and they just
don't know.
So now having gone through thatprocess, how do you feel like
(14:03):
your confidence is now havinglearned AI, learn PR, learn
marketing?
Where do you feel like yourconfidence is at now?
Robbie (14:12):
Oh, much better.
Yeah, I feel much moreconfident.
And um just, I mean, you know,knowledge, you know, knowledge
is gonna make you feel betterand more confident.
So I definitely do.
And it's like, you know, forbusiness has changed because you
know I've been in business along time.
It has completely changed, andnow you need to know all that.
(14:34):
You know, you need to know umto hire someone for your SEO and
all that stuff, and sometimeshire um someone to help you with
the pitches, you know, or tosubmit an article.
An important, you know, the thethis is an important project.
And so I knew I needed helpwith that.
My website.
I knew I'm not gonna do my ownwebsite.
(14:55):
I mean, I know some peoplecan't do.
Maria probably does hers, butyou know, that's not in my
wheelhouse, you know.
And so that was when I knew thespecific things, um, SEO
website, and then this importantproject to me, I actually have
another one um right now thatI'm gonna work with Miriam on.
(15:16):
And I've just been kind ofdragging my feet and you know,
through the summer, gettingthrough the summer, but I have a
really nice project.
Um, so that one I will haveMiriam helping me with because
I, you know, personally do nothave the time or don't
completely feel confident enoughto pitch that to like big major
(15:36):
magazines, you know, and Ithink, you know, some people do,
but it's more, I yeah, I justrather have that's one of those
things I want to have help on,having Miriam help me with this
important.
I'm happy, I'm happy to help.
Yes.
Yeah, and I think you have um,you know, you have more po
you're in the industry and youknow, they're I think they're
(15:59):
gonna take you a little moreseriously than another designer
because there's there's lots ofdesigners submitting their
projects all the time.
Super competitive.
Mirjam (16:10):
Yep, it definitely works both ways, yes.
Yeah, but it's I think it'sgood to find that that balance
um that you have found and andthat we have been able to help
you um get to so if you when youthink back to like the weekly,
because they're group, it's likethey're group coaching calls,
(16:31):
right?
And there's other people in thegroup.
And how did you did you find ithelpful to be in a group with
other people that um are workingthrough similar issues as you
are?
Robbie (16:41):
Oh, absolutely.
Yeah, it was so great because Ifelt like they could tell me a
story or um give some advice onsomething that was really
helpful to me, and then I coulddo the same because I have been
doing it a long time.
And, you know, one example islike I'll tell people, you know,
every client is not yourclient.
(17:01):
Interview them, you know, askthem specific questions because
that may not be your client.
If they're like, oh, I want to,you know, every I want to buy
everything on sale.
And um, I have a sister-in-lawthat's a designer and we're
gonna um need to include her.
And it's like, heck no, no,thank you.
Right.
So you have to, you have to beconfident enough and just say,
(17:25):
I'm not taking every singleproject.
You know, I maybe when you'rejust starting, you might need
to, but definitely after you'vegot a little bit of experience,
then you have to um love it.
Mirjam (17:36):
That was definitely Maria's advice, I remember then.
Robbie (17:39):
Yeah, right, right.
We don't, we don't take every,you know, because you think
you're going on an interview.
Oh, I remember when there wasone point in my career, because
I was pretty sales oriented.
I have a um design degree andan art degree, but I also worked
in furniture sales right out ofschool.
So I had the sales thinking.
(18:00):
I would go and I would sellmyself to someone as a designer.
And I'm like, I don't even wantthat one.
Why did I do that?
You know, I leave and I say, ohman, that sales just just uh,
you know took over.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And then I had to figure out,okay, how am I gonna get out of
this?
Cause I don't really want this.
Yeah.
And then I learned it was moreof a, and I even tell people,
(18:22):
we're gonna see if we're a goodfit, you know, we're gonna see.
Mirjam (18:25):
And so yeah, and Maria definitely did a lot of teaching
on those types of clientcommunication issues, right?
Robbie (18:34):
What what I remember with Maria is just always
keeping me up to date on thetechnology, you know, the the
different programs, thedifferent um resources
available, Instagram, TikTok,um, everything.
Just just you know, uh the allall that.
So you'd always, I don't knowhow you stayed on top of all
(18:55):
that, Maria.
It takes a lot of time.
Nobody knows how she does it.
Yeah, yeah.
I don't think you sleep.
I don't think Maria sleeps.
Mirjam (19:01):
So But Robbie, so in hindsight, um, and for someone
who's listening to this podcastwho's on the fence about joining
the academy, what would youtell them?
Robbie (19:16):
I would say it is fantastic.
And um as I said, it helps yoube accountable.
You have um three experts hereto advise you, and it's gonna be
so much more affordable thanhiring three separate experts,
you know, in those fields.
And you and also you guys arejust um fun.
(19:40):
You know what I mean?
Like it's it, I felt likebecause we it felt almost like a
little, you know, social partywhen we would meet and I would
have really looked forward toit, right?
And um just just to connect,because I'm not around a lot of
other designers.
So connect, stay informed, uh,learn great information.
You guys are all very umhonest, professional, and um I
(20:04):
appreciate you so much.
And you you have taught me so,so much, you know, and I like I
said, I'm confident now, I knowhow to do stuff.
You can look at my website andsee, you know, how Jason helped
me with that and all the greatpress I have now.
So it it's really elevated meand in increased my confidence.
And it's you guys are great.
Mirjam (20:27):
Amazing.
Thank you so much on behalf ofall of us.
Um, we love hearing that, ofcourse.
Robbie (20:33):
Um You're welcome.
Mirjam (20:35):
So, Robbie, what is next for you and your business?
Robbie (20:39):
So I'm actually um right right now I found so it's the
business is pretty competitiveright now, and I'm learning I
need to kind of change.
And I've already started beforeI used to do pretty much full
service interior design, and Ican do that, but I've started
(21:00):
being um sort of uh focused inon kitchen, kitchen design,
remodels, that kind of thing.
So I think I'm gonna change theway I work and sort of create
packages, just start working onchanging the structure a little
bit, and then also looking intodifferent ways of making money
(21:22):
because when, you know, back inthe day we would sell products,
we would sell furniture, um, goshopping at the design showroom,
and then we would sell them toour clients and make a little
bit of money that way.
Um, and now I find there's likea hundred furniture stores, a
hundred online furniture stores.
And so that, I mean, I I dohelp people, you know, they'll
(21:45):
show me or we'll pick somethings from um crate and barrel
and and I just have them buy it,you know.
But I want to look into maybeaffiliate marketing or these
different other ways to makemoney, the way that some of the
newer designers are making moneynow.
Um so I'm gonna be changing,just basically changing the way
(22:06):
it works, sort of.
Mirjam (22:08):
So much opportunity, so many things to learn always,
right?
Robbie (22:12):
Current, right?
Just keep, you know, I've I'vechanged many, you know, before.
I've changed before, and I justhave to keep.
You can do it.
Mirjam (22:20):
And so if people want to follow along on your journey,
um, what is the best way to findyou and get in touch with you?
Robbie (22:28):
Uh let's see.
So um Instagram, it's probablyRobbie Maynard.
Mirjam (22:34):
Yeah, we'll put all the links in the in the show notes
as well to your contact info.
But yeah, Instagram probablyYeah.
Definitely your website.
Everybody should go check outyour website.
Robbie (22:46):
Robbie Maynard Interiors and then my Instagram account
are the ones where I'm you knowthe most active where you can
find me.
Mirjam (22:54):
Awesome.
Robbie, it's been such apleasure to have you on.
Thank you so much for the yearsyou spent with us and for
coming back to talk to us.
Um, we'll definitely bewatching where you go and we'll
be in touch.
And for our listeners, um,we'll uh see you back here again
for designer discussions in twoweeks.
Robbie (23:16):
Thank you so much, you guys.
You're awesome.
I appreciate it.
Maria (23:20):
Did you know that your client learns 80% of what they
will know about you before theyever contact you?
Now imagine when your potentialclient searches for the perfect
kitchen remodel.
Will they find you or yourcompetition?
We can help you make sure it'syou.
Our Designer DiscussionsAcademy membership with your
favorite podcast hosts provideweekly steps to simplify your
(23:44):
marketing and boost yourbusiness.
Sign up atdesignerdiscussions.com or
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We hope you've enjoyed thisepisode of Designer Discussions
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(24:05):
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