AI for Interior Designers™ *Podcast

Ep 74: Your Software Was Not Built for You

In episode 74 of the AI for Interior Designers Podcast, host Jenna Gaidusek gets into the idea that tools most interior designers have been using to run their businesses were created by tech companies and accountants, not by designers. And that mismatch has been quietly shaping (and limiting) the way you work for years. In this solo episode, Jenna breaks down why this happened, why the subscription sprawl is a symptom and not the actual problem, and why AI finally makes it possible to build tools that work the way you actually work — instead of the other way around. If you have ever felt like your software is fighting you instead of helping you, this episode is for you. What's covered in this episode: * Why off-the-shelf design software was never really built for designers * The subscription sprawl problem — and how the big LLMs are replacing most of it * What custom dashboards and mini apps actually look like in practice * The proposal builder example: discovery call in, formatted proposal out * Why technology is about to become invisible — and what that means for your business * Why small businesses have a real advantage over corporations in AI adoption right now * The question you need to answer before you rebuild anything: what would your ideal business look like if the technology didn't limit it? Links mentioned: * Register for Field Day: https://aiforinteriordesigners.com/field-day [https://aiforinteriordesigners.com/field-day] * AI for Interior Designers™: https://aiforinteriordesigners.com [https://aiforinteriordesigners.com] * Follow on Instagram: @aiforinteriordesigners Field Day — Summer 2025 Tuesdays, June 2 through July 28 | 10am–12:20pm ET $249 for 9 weeks | $397 bundle with study halls | $99 single study hall   TOOLS MENTIONED Claude — claude.ai Gemini — gemini.google.com Perplexity — perplexity.ai Canva — canva.com Base44 — base44.com    REGISTER FOR FIELD DAY 9 weeks. Every Tuesday. Starting June 2nd at 10am ET. Learn the tools, get quick wins, and start building what your business actually needs. 🔗 aiforinteriordesigners.com/field-day

Ep 73: What I'm Doing This Summer (And Why I Want You to Join Me)

Episode 73 — What I'm Doing This Summer (And Why I Want You to Join Me) AI for Interior Designers™ Podcast · Jenna Gaidusek Jenna gets honest about what's been happening behind the scenes — a scattered site, an evolving program, and a summer that's finally clearing the runway. She shares why she permanently left ChatGPT for Claude + Gemini, how she actually uses AI (spoiler: it's not chat threads - it's custom apps and branded dashboards built for real design workflows), and what's coming this summer with Field Day, a 9-week live AI learning program starting June 2nd. Open enrollment pricing drops from $149 → $79. A new website is on the way. The AI App Studio is growing. And none of it is built by a tech company guessing what designers need.  Field Day — Enroll Now (Starting June 2nd): aiforinteriordesigners.com/field-day [https://aiforinteriordesigners.com/field-day] Key Takeaways * After more than three months away from it, Jenna has officially and permanently moved on from ChatGPT — not because of the product, but because of the company and the people running it. Her current stack is Claude and Gemini, and she is not looking back. * The way Jenna actually uses AI has almost nothing to do with typing into a chat thread. She builds branded apps, dashboards, and custom AI-powered tools that pull from spreadsheets and calendars and produce beautiful, functional interfaces designed specifically for design business workflows. * The AI App Studio inside her programs is growing — and every tool in it was built by a working designer, for working designers. Not by a tech company that thinks it knows what you need. * Field Day is a 9-week summer AI learning program starting Tuesday, June 2nd. It begins at absolute square one and builds every single week, with live sessions, structured study halls, and hands-on implementation time built into every class. * Open enrollment class pricing is dropping from $149 to $79. The economy is hard, and Jenna wants more designers to be able to access the training. Plain and simple. * A fully rebuilt, highly interactive website is in progress and coming soon. The current site is being untangled — Jenna knows it, she owns it, and it is getting fixed.

EP 72: AI Search Conversation: The new Rules of Being Found Online

The rules of being found online haven't disappeared. They've evolved. In Episode 72, Jenna sits down with Robyn White of RDW Design Studio — website designer, brand strategist, and SEO specialist for interior designers — to break down exactly what has changed with AI search, what still matters, and what your design firm needs to do right now to show up when potential clients are searching in ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. If you have been putting off your SEO because it feels overwhelming, or wondering whether all of that work you already did on your website even matters anymore, this episode is your answer. (It does. You are not starting over. You are adding layers.) WHAT YOU WILL LEARN * The difference between traditional SEO and AI search — and why the shift from keywords to questions changes everything * Why brand mentions are the new backlinks and how podcast features and press mentions are working for your AI visibility right now, even without a link * The exact blog post structure that makes your content extractable by AI: key takeaways first, answer before support, FAQs at the end * Jenna's voice note workflow — how she turns real client meeting moments into search-optimized blog content that sounds like her because it is her * What EEAT means and why your case studies, client stories, and testimonials are more valuable than ever * Whether AI-written content actually hurts your Google rankings — Robyn gives a refreshingly honest, nuanced take THE ONE THING TO TAKE FROM THIS EPISODE If AI can't clearly define you, it can't recommend you. Get crystal clear on who you are, what you do, who you do it for, and how you do it. Then make sure that message is consistent everywhere you show up online. Websites, social profiles, newsletter bios, podcast features. It all needs to match. These are bots. Inconsistency breeds distrust. ABOUT ROBYN WHITE Robyn White is the founder of RDW Design Studio, where she works almost exclusively with interior designers as a website designer, brand strategist, and SEO specialist. She offers traditional SEO, AI search optimization, website design, and ongoing monthly SEO services. Find Robyn at rdwdesignstudio.com. She is also joining Jenna as a guest instructor for Q2 of the AI for Interior Designers™ Certificate Program — her class on AI search visibility is May 19th. Enrollment closes May 4th. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Claude by Anthropic — anthropic.com ChatGPT by OpenAI — openai.com Google NotebookLM — notebooklm.google.com Perplexity AI — perplexity.ai Google Analytics — analytics.google.com LuAnn University — luannnigara.com/lu/ AI for Interior Designers™ Certificate Program Q2 — aiforinteriordesigners.com   CONNECT WITH JENNA www.aiforinteriordesigners.com | @aiforinteriordesigners

EP 71: Stop Keeping It All in Your Head: Building AI-Powered SOPs for Your Design Firm

Are Your Business Processes Living Rent-Free in Your Head? If your team can't access the knowledge you carry around in your mind, your design firm is more vulnerable than you think. In this episode, Jenna Gaidusek sits down with Dixie Willard — Founder of Poised & Plumb and operations expert for interior design firms — to talk about how AI is completely changing the way designers build, document, and manage Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). In this episode, you'll learn: * Why keeping everything in your head is one of the biggest risks to your business * How to use voice-to-text to capture your processes on the fly — even during a furniture delivery * Why Google NotebookLM is a game-changer for creating a private, searchable knowledge base your whole team can use * How to bring your brand voice into Claude the right way (without dragging in years of messy chat history) * The mindset shift from depending on SaaS tools to building your own AI-powered systems * Why documented SOPs are your business's best protection when the unexpected happens This conversation is packed with practical strategies you can implement immediately , whether you're a solo designer or managing a growing team. Don't miss these upcoming opportunities with Dixie: Dixie will be speaking at the 2nd Annual AI Design Tech Summit on April 2nd and teaching an in-depth course on AI-powered SOPs as part of the AI Certificate Program in May (Q2). Register before the summit for Q2 and your summit ticket is included! 🎟️ Summit tickets: https://www.aiforinteriordesigners.com/virtual-design-tech-summit-26 [https://www.aiforinteriordesigners.com/virtual-design-tech-summit-26] 📚 Certificate Program: https://www.aiforinteriordesigners.ai/ [https://www.aiforinteriordesigners.ai/] Resources & Links: 🔗 Dixie Willard's Website — Poised & Plumb: https://poisedandplumb.com/ [https://poisedandplumb.com/] 📲 Follow Dixie on Instagram: @poisedandplumb | @designingdixie 🌐 Learn More About AI for Interior Designers: https://www.aiforinteriordesigners.com/ [https://www.aiforinteriordesigners.com/] Join the AI for Interior Designers Community! Subscribe to the Podcast so you never miss an episode Follow Jenna on Instagram: @aiforinteriordesigners | @jenna.gaidusek If this episode hit home, please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and tap the notification bell — staying ahead of AI in the design world starts here. 🎓 Explore AI for Interior Designers™: https://www.aiforinteriordesigners.com/ [https://www.aiforinteriordesigners.com/]

EP 70: Keeping Interior Design Human in a World of AI with Sharon Sherman

In this special episode recorded live from the KBIS 2026 Podcast Studio, Sponsored by AJ Madison Pro, AI for Interior Designers *Podcast host Jenna Gaidusek sits down with the KBB Person of the Year, Sharon Sherman, founder of Thyme & Place Design. As AI moves at a breakneck pace, who is guiding the ship? Jenna and Sharon dive deep into the "feminine energy" required to nurture this technology, the importance of setting rigid ethical boundaries, and why AI can mimic a mood board but can never understand the "energetic quality" of a home. From Sharon’s AI assistant "Ursula" to the rising trend of "Analog Rooms," this conversation is a must-listen for designers looking to stay human in a digital world. In This Episode, We Discuss: * AI as a "Child": Why boundaries and "parenting" your AI models are essential for ethical design. * The Ethics of Stealing: How to use AI to enhance your own portfolio without infringing on others. * The Power of Analog: Why "sit tests," real stone, and physical connection are becoming the ultimate luxury in a digital age. * Human EQ vs. AI IQ: Why the industry still needs the "voice of reason" only a human designer can provide. * The "Wait and See" Crowd: Why the industry needs hesitant designers to help build better solutions. Resources & Links Learn with Jenna & Sharon: * AI for Interior Designers™ Certificate Program: Register for Q2 Enrollment Here [https://www.aiforinteriordesigners.ai/] * Q2 Class (May 8): The Ethical Designer: AI Humanization & Team Leadership [https://www.aiforinteriordesigners.ai/calendar/q2-class-2-the-ethical-designer-ai-humanization-team-leadership] Connect with Sharon Sherman: * Website: Thyme & Place Design [https://thymeandplacedesign.com/] * Instagram: @thymeandplacedesign [https://www.instagram.com/thymeandplacedesign/?hl=en] Our Sponsors: * AJ Madison Pro: Smarter appliance sourcing and exclusive trade programs. ajmadison.com/pro [https://www.ajmadison.com/pro] * KBIS (Kitchen & Bath Industry Show): Special thanks to the KBIS Podcast Studio. kbis.com [https://kbis.com/]