5 Insightful Business of Home Podcast Episodes from the Past Year

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From quietly radical business philosophies to candid takes on the challenges facing design professionals in 2025, the Business of Home Podcast is a constant in our ever-evolving field. The following five episodes are special not just for the insights of their hosts and guests but also for the way they reflect the values of a design industry in transition: more human, more intentional, and more aware of its broader cultural and economic context. Whether you’re drawn to distilled news, strategy, storytelling, or Fred’s dynamic banter on “The Thursday Show,” these episodes reinforce the fact that we’re designing businesses as much as spaces.

A Bit About the Business of Home Podcast

Since its launch, the Business of Home podcast has been a must-listen for design professionals navigating our increasingly complex industry. Hosted by longtime industry observer Dennis Scully, the show brings together sharp economic insight, candid conversations, and behind-the-scenes storytelling to reveal what’s really shaping the design landscape.

From earnings releases (those quarterly financial check-ins from design giants) to showroom shakeups, retail strategy pivots, and deeply personal reflections from creatives, each episode balances business acumen with creative heart. For those of us who toggle between the beauty of a well-executed mood board and the bottom line of a P&L sheet, Business of Home delivers thoughtful, relevant, and refreshingly human insight week after week.

New episodes air every Monday and Thursday, and you can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you usually listen.

5 Insightful Episodes of the Business of Home Podcast from 2024 to 2025

#1 Flamingo Estate Takes a Luxury Approach to the Natural World

Episode 444 | April 7, 2025

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What happens when a creative director trades fashion campaigns for farm boxes? In this episode of the Business of Home Podcast, Richard Christiansen, founder of Flamingo Estate, sits down with host Dennis Scully to explore the wild, fragrant, and deeply intentional evolution of a brand born in a Los Angeles garden during Covid. Once a humble parking lot produce stand, Flamingo Estate has become a multi-sensory lifestyle powerhouse, blending small-batch luxury with storytelling that feels both grounded and transcendent.

Christiansen reflects on the unique tension of wanting to grow while honoring the integrity of limited production—what LVMH once called “scaling scarcity.” And in true home biz drama fashion, he shares the hard-won lessons of saying no to fast expansion and even faster compromises. To Christiansen, luxury is about knowing when not to scale. Along the way, we hear insights into branding, sustainability (or rather, how to make it cool without preaching it), and why creating desire is a designer’s real job.

For the interior design community, this episode paints a bigger picture about materials, message, and meaning. It sends a gentle but resonant call to design professionals: in 2025, doing good doesn’t have to come with a press release or an Instagram post.

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#2 What Happens When You Take a Showroom on the Road?

Episode 370 | July 08, 2024

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If you just returned from High Point Market with camera rolls full of new finds and feet in need of recovery, this Business of Home podcast episode hits close to home. In a profession so rooted in tactile experience, how do you bring luxury design to life outside the traditional showroom? This episode of the Business of Home podcast explores that very question through the lens of Thomas Lavin and Jobi Blachy, co-founders of the high-end furniture brand Quintus.

Host Dennis Scully speaks with the duo about their recent endeavor: reimagining the showroom experience as a mobile, designer-focused event. Rather than waiting for trade traffic to trickle in, they brought their collections directly to Southern California designers through thoughtfully curated pop-ups. The response was clear—designers will gather for a meaningful experience, even if they’re bypassing the typical appointment model.

Always covering home biz drama, Lavin and Blachy also share how regional pressures—like California’s mansion tax and the ongoing writer’s strike—are reshaping the landscape in Los Angeles (oh, the drama!).

#3 The Thursday Show: The Industry Reacts to Tariff Upheaval. Plus: James Huniford on 20 Years of Design on a Dime

Episode 445 | April 10, 2025

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Tariffs may not be as glamorous as marble countertops or custom millwork, but in this edition of The Thursday Show, their ripple effect through the design world takes center stage. Host Dennis Scully and BOH executive editor Fred Nicolaus—whose dynamic banter has become a staple for staying informed—break down the latest economic shifts reshaping the design industry, including proposed tariffs that could impact everything from imported materials to furniture sourcing. For design professionals navigating pricing, vendor relationships, and the broader economic world, it’s a must-listen.

Also in this episode: Kravet’s new showroom strategy and what an AI update (yes, ChatGPT again) means for design firms taking deeper dives into digital workflows. These insightful interviews paint the AI conversation with a new brush—something we’re all sorely in need of.

Later in the episode, the mood shifts to celebration. Designer James Huniford—beloved for his relaxed elegance and philanthropic leadership—joins to reflect on two decades of Design on a Dime, the now-iconic fundraiser that’s raised millions for housing support through stylish, deeply personal vignettes. Huniford shares what’s changed, what’s stayed the same, and why accessible design is more than a mission—it’s a movement.

For the interior design community in 2025, this episode covers both the high-level challenges facing the industry and the grassroots joy of giving back for a perfect blend of important industry news and heart.

#4 A To-the-Trade Approach to DTC Sofas – How Benchmade Modern Breaks the Rules

Episode 430 | February 17, 2025

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In a design market increasingly shaped by direct-to-consumer disruption, here’s another new approach to a traditional business model. In this conversation with host Dennis Scully, Benchmade Modern company president Dan Campbell shares how decades in the to-the-trade world—most notably at Holly Hunt—have shaped a uniquely refined approach to DTC furniture. Rather than chasing speed alone, Benchmade Modern places an emphasis on craftsmanship, customization, and taste—refusing to compromise design integrity for the quick-ship crowd.

Campbell’s reflections are especially relevant to designers navigating the tension between trade exclusivity and growing client exposure to online brands. He makes a compelling case for why thoughtful design still wins over fast fulfillment—and why a gray sofa shouldn’t be your safety net in 2025. This episode takes an insightful look at how the lines between showroom and screen are evolving—and what that means for design professionals today.

#5 Why Tom Stringer Gives His Employees Sabbaticals and Executive Coaching

Episode 407 | November 18, 2024

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Burnout is all too common in the interior design industry. To combat this, Tom Stringer created a model of leadership that centers on sustainability—not just in materials, but in people. In this Business of Home podcast conversation with host Dennis Scully, the Chicago-based designer reflects on more than three decades in the design industry, his early trial-by-fire experience running a firm at age 21, and how that shaped his now deeply intentional approach to business and culture.

Today, at the helm of Tom Stringer Design Partners, his philosophy is rooted in generosity. From sabbaticals every five years to free executive coaching, Stringer invests heavily in his team, believing that well-traveled, well-supported designers return to the firm (and to their clients) with deeper insight and greater sophistication. This is a radical departure from the usual grind of the home business, and it invites the interior design community to reconsider what thriving really means.

There’s wit here too—Stringer shares how his client vetting process includes a willingness to curse, and why connecting on a human level matters just as much as aesthetics or budget. For design professionals navigating the long game, this episode paints an inspiring picture of longevity, trust, and the kind of culture that nurtures creative excellence.

Final Thoughts: Why We Need Industry Podcasts

From working with (instead of against) change to creating sustainable firm cultures, these episodes reveal just how multifaceted the design industry has become. The Business of Home podcast reminds us that behind every brand, product, or showroom is a human story—often complex, sometimes challenging, and always worth listening to.

For the interior design community in 2025, these conversations keep us current on industry news, but they also hold up a mirror. They ask us to reconsider how we lead, what we value, and where the design world is headed next. Don’t forget to listen to the latest Business of Home episodes.

Note: This article is editorial in nature and not sponsored, affiliated with, or endorsed by the Business of Home podcast or BOH Media.