iDesign Lab
Welcome to the iDesign Lab a Podcast where creativity and curiosity meet style and design hosted by Tiffany Woolley an Interior Designer, a style enthusiast along with her serial entrepreneur husband Scott. A place where they explore the rich and vibrant world of interior design and it’s constant evolution in style. iDesign Lab is your ultimate Interior design podcast where we explore the rich and vibrant world of design and it’s constant evolution in style and trends. iDesign lab provides industry insight, discussing the latest trends, styles and everything in between to better help you style your life through advice from trend setters, designers, influences, fabricators and manufacturers as well as personal stories that inspire, motivate and excite. Join us on this elevated, informative and lively journey into the world of all things Design. For more information about iDesign Lab and Tiffany & Scott Woolley visit the website at www.twinteriors.com/podcast.
iDesign Lab
Furniture's Secret Weapon: How Trade Showrooms Empower Designers with Maria Mendoza
What does it take to build a thriving business that empowers interior designers at every stage of their projects? Maria Mendoza reveals the answer, drawing from her nearly four-decade journey through the design world.
Starting with a foundation in architecture and interior design when drafting was still done by hand, Maria shares her fascinating evolution from custom furniture sales to running large-scale design projects in Venezuela. When political circumstances forced her family to relocate to Florida, her deep understanding of designers' needs led to a transformative business model at DRC Showrooms.
Unlike typical furniture retailers, DRC operates exclusively to support design professionals. Maria has created a haven where designers can bring clients to a beautifully curated space with access to over 170 premium manufacturers. More than just a product showcase, the showroom functions as a working studio where designers can create presentations, select materials, and receive comprehensive support with purchasing, delivery coordination, and post-installation troubleshooting.
Maria's passionate commitment to quality is evident throughout our conversation. She advocates for American-made furniture not only for its craftsmanship but for the reliability of manufacturers who stand behind their products. With refreshing candor, she explains why investing in quality pieces makes financial sense even for shorter-term use: "You want it to look new for those three years. You don't want to buy something and then in three months the thing is falling apart."
The growth of DRC into multiple South Florida locations reflects the region's booming design scene, with Maria noting they welcome approximately three new designers daily who have relocated to the area. Her family-oriented approach to business (now including her daughter who handles digital operations) creates a warm, collaborative environment where designers feel supported and protected.
Ready to discover how trade resources can elevate your design projects? Listen now and gain valuable insights from one of the industry's most experienced voices on creating lasting client relationships through exceptional quality and service.
Learn more at:
https://twinteriors.com/podcast/
https://scottwoolley.com
This is iDesign Lab, a podcast where creativity and curiosity meet style and design. Curator of interiors, furnishings and lifestyles. Hosted by Tiffany Woolley, an interior designer and a style enthusiast, along with her serial entrepreneur husband Scott, idesign Lab is your ultimate design podcast where we explore the rich and vibrant world of design and its constant evolution in style and trends. Idesign Lab provides industry insight, discussing the latest trends, styles and everything in between to better help you style your life, through advice from trendsetters, designers, influencers, innovators, fabricators and manufacturers, as well as personal stories that inspire, motivate and excite. And join us on this elevated, informative and lively journey into the world of all things design. Today, on the iDesign Lab podcast, we're joined by Maria Mendoza, a true industry expert with nearly 40 years in interior design. As a leader at DRC showrooms, south Florida's premier trade exclusive design destination, maria empowers designers with curated access to over 170 top-tier manufacturers. Her passion for personalized service and deep design expertise has made her a trusted partner in bringing creative visions to life.
Tiffany Woolley:Welcome to the iDesign Lab podcast. Today we are thrilled to welcome Maria Mendoza of DRC Showroom here in South Florida, but who has a wealth of knowledge on the furniture industry design, and you know just a little behind the scenes here how she went from marine biology, was it? No, I got it wrong, but you're going to tell us, so welcome.
Maria Mendoza:Thank you, thank you.
Maria Mendoza:Yes, I did have a good morning and thank you for having me here. I did have an interest. I thought I was going to be a biomedical engineer. However, as a kid I was always designing my room and drawing and making all these creative things and obviously never happened because my parents were like but you know, whatever, keep drawing Right. And then I decided to go for architecture and then focus on interiors because I just thought that that was the most hands-on opportunity. I mean, architects get to design and do beautiful buildings, but really no hands-on nothing to get a grasp of the interior. I just thought it was more practical and you could work-wise.
Maria Mendoza:You could do a lot more with interior than just architecture so you became an interior designer first architect well, yeah and it was an interior architect at the time I went to I started it's like its own term in and of itself, which I feel like so many people don't really realize.
Tiffany Woolley:yes, you know, as part of being in the interior design industry and as a professional, you know the interior architecture is just as important as the brick and mortar.
Maria Mendoza:Yes, so I did do architecture and focused on interiors. It was a program in FIU that was developing. There was no architecture school. We were in the engineering school and that's where I started and I loved it because there was a lot of engineering and a lot of architecture and we saw both. But then you specialized in interior.
Tiffany Woolley:That's amazing.
Maria Mendoza:And I worked through all the years that I was there. I started really early.
Scott Woolley:Did you start working for a firm or did you go on your own, or no?
Maria Mendoza:working for a firm. I like I worked for professors, I worked for a firm, I worked for an actually the. The first jobs were drafting okay, it was all hand by done by hand.
Tiffany Woolley:I know I still have to start that way.
Maria Mendoza:Yes, and then, um, then I went into, I did work for a while in a showroom, in a furniture showroom. It was all custom made and I did have to get creative with the sales part because I was so young and I looked like I was the owner's daughter and you know, with the clients it was like but I would design everything, I would draw everything, I would draw everything, 3d, everything was by hand and then I would partner with my sales team and they would present it to the client and we would split the commission because obviously everything at a young age right.
Tiffany Woolley:So you were kind of on all sides.
Scott Woolley:You were on the sales side. You're on the sales side. You were on the design side.
Tiffany Woolley:Yes, you were on the drafting side. What a great foundation.
Maria Mendoza:Yes, yes, beautiful I was able to, and I wanted to be able to have the experience before I graduated, so that then I could have a really nice opportunity, you know, work-wise. So I worked with professors. Even ADA wasn't a thing back then, no, not at all. Contract and all of that and I did a lot of. We worked in a research project for accessibility for buildings and it wasn't the law at that time.
Voice Over:So interesting, so it did became yeah.
Maria Mendoza:So I did do a lot and then moved to. I went to school here but then got married, went to Venezuela and there I got to do a lot of fun things. Because we did do—.
Scott Woolley:What do you mean? Fun things.
Maria Mendoza:Well, nightclubs, restaurants, oh really, Wow.
Scott Woolley:So, from an architectural drafting standpoint or from everything no that I started on my own. Really.
Maria Mendoza:When. I got there, I started working for a firm on my own. Really, when I got there, I started working for a firm and then, like, right away, we got an opportunity to do this big. It was a cellular company like cell phones which was starting and it was like, oh my god, this is like you know, like how many phones are they going to sell?
Tiffany Woolley:And you're like, yeah, who's going to use that?
Maria Mendoza:I mean, only wealthy people could do this, and now it's like everybody has a.
Tiffany Woolley:I mean what?
Maria Mendoza:would we do without a cell?
Tiffany Woolley:phone and we'd say it 100 times a day.
Maria Mendoza:Yes, yes, so yeah, that's how we started. And then we did one like it was a nice-sized project. It was a building, three stories, you know, with all the.
Scott Woolley:Was this your own business at that point? Yeah, you know, with all the, is this your own business at that?
Maria Mendoza:point yeah, me and a partner and a partner, yes, so we started undertaking yeah, so you're designing the interiors and the exteriors building was done we decided all the interior. We designed all the interiors, yes, and that was really fun and and you know we did. I mean we got to be, because they used to tell us in school once you graduate, then you don't have. You know, you can't really get creative because then there's money and then there's this.
Maria Mendoza:But this was like technology and they were all willing to spend money. We were blessed to have the opportunity to work with that company, and then did that go on for a long time, or?
Maria Mendoza:Yes, yes, they, they're still there amazing relationship was nurtured yes, and then we did their their stores, because then they developed stores and you know like it was a lot of. And from there we got other companies that did other. There was a biotech company that we did their offices and then we got to do hospitals with them because they were doing it was it was a lot so when you're designing these for the cellular companies and you're doing all the design, your design is done.
Scott Woolley:Were you then following through with the contractors or whoever was?
Maria Mendoza:building it out to make sure that project managers basically what you do and do the selections and sourcing and all of that all of that. We did all of that, which gave me a really good foundation to understand the business now and to be able to help the designers that we work with in drc did you ever run into situations that were kind of challenging from a?
Scott Woolley:design standpoint every day, every day, every day I basically feel like we're problem solvers yes yes, it's like we're, and people don't see it.
Maria Mendoza:They're like oh, it is fun, but it's like working in a er you're, you're literally hit by and you cross every t? Dot and dot every I and then you get thrown lemons and you're like okay, what do I do with this?
Scott Woolley:And this is the part that the average person doesn't realize what a designer is bringing to the table the details. The details and working out all the little problems or foreseeing those problems that may come about.
Maria Mendoza:The responsibility that a designer carries because it's an investment. I mean owners. Property owners are doing an investment and they rely on the expertise and the professional knowledge that a designer has to put everything together and make it look right, and you're basically it's the unknown. So many Because you're creating something for some, you know, you don't know what, and definitely the owner doesn't know what they're getting because they can't visualize. I mean, there's a lot that you could do right now.
Scott Woolley:And most owners, you know, let's say, it's residential, they're designing, they're redecorating their home, whatever it may be. Maybe once every 10 years they're doing that, but then when they're bringing in a designer who's done, like with Tiffany, over 500 homes, I mean there's a lot of All day, every day, yes, yes.
Maria Mendoza:And I do firmly believe that owners should go property owners if it's a home or a condo or a building or a business whatever it is. You should go to a professional because they have the expertise to guide you through the whole process and you're investing so much that it just doesn't make sense not to do it.
Scott Woolley:So it seems as though you were in Venezuela for quite a number of years.
Maria Mendoza:Yes.
Scott Woolley:At what point did you come back to the States and to Florida? Because there's a big story, it seems we're going to talk about when you come back to Florida 18 years ago we had to.
Maria Mendoza:my husband was in the poultry business. Okay, my husband was in the poultry business. Okay, and he with all that was happening in venezuela, chavez, and all of that, that got taken over. So, um, we had to come here and start something from scratch. So we decided to. It was either his industry or mine and poultry. I mean you can't compete with Tyson or any of that. So, it's like, okay, we're on it, fascinating.
Scott Woolley:So he changes his career. Both of you come to Florida.
Maria Mendoza:He did say business is business, and I could manage that, no matter what Amazing support too. So yeah, so that was.
Scott Woolley:So did you go into the interior? Did you have an interior design business? No, an architectural.
Maria Mendoza:At that point we took over DRC, which was called something else, and they were to the trade, which was of interest to us Because, being to the trade and working for designers we were able to. He was able to do his business part and it wasn't me doing project, it was just assisting designers in their process the birth of DRC. Drc.
Scott Woolley:So you're taking over a business that's existing.
Maria Mendoza:We take over a business that's existing, but we made it to where we really support our designers and we wanted to create a space. Knowing what I knew what you could bring to the table. Yeah create a showroom for the designer, that it was their showroom and they could come in and use us as a studio and use it as a work environment where there's fabric samples, rug samples. We have representation of the lines that we carry. So we have all the you know century and Holland House Hickory Chair.
Maria Mendoza:We have not large but we have a good representation of every single of the most important lines that we carry.
Scott Woolley:So it seems to me that what you're really helping is I'll say maybe, for lack of better words the younger designer, someone who doesn't have or hasn't been in business for a long time, am I correct? And you're bringing them and giving them a lot of resources, that they have sort of the power of a bigger firm.
Maria Mendoza:We do that for young designers and also for designers that have been there, done that that had their own studio.
Maria Mendoza:And just have a couple projects and don't want to no or more, and don't want to deal with that aspect of it and they want to focus because you could have. You have your office or you work out of your house and you have two or three or four staff that work with you senior designers or whatever and then we, you know, they come in and use our studio and we do all the purchasing. They bring their clients, they work out of there, they make all the selections Amazing.
Scott Woolley:We put all the purchasing, they bring their clients, they work out of there, they make all the selections amazing. So you, so the so independent interior designers, come to your facility, your showroom, correct? They have all the selections that you could possibly imagine, yes, and they're able to bring the client in there, I guess, and you have, like, I guess, tables that yes they can set up and it's kind of their and there's a staff that's supporting them?
Maria Mendoza:Yes, and the purchasing process. Our staff supports that Customer service once the installation occurs or delivery.
Tiffany Woolley:So you handle all your installations and everything too. We handle claims and we handle issues.
Scott Woolley:For the interior designers.
Maria Mendoza:Correct, correct.
Tiffany Woolley:We handle all that, so you're definitely not a furniture store. No, no you are to the trade working.
Scott Woolley:You're like a high support.
Maria Mendoza:We're a studio for our designers.
Tiffany Woolley:That's amazing.
Maria Mendoza:We serve as having. They have their own showroom. They walk in, they feel right at home. There's big screens where they could do their presentations for their clients. We have all the finishes and all the materials, fabrics that they could set up their selections and do an entire presentation, their selections and do an entire presentation and the client could actually sit and touch and see what they're getting. Not what they're getting, but it's being created.
Scott Woolley:The vision yeah they could see the vision Do you support, like from a creative standpoint for the interior designers or the clients, or is it the interior designers really doing all that work? It's the interior designer doing the work.
Maria Mendoza:They come in, it's their project, their creativity and whatever they want to make out of it. It's a nice environment because designers come in and there's always a few of them at the same time. So there's a lot of collaboration and hey, what do you think of this? And so it's.
Tiffany Woolley:That is wonderful to have as a destination.
Maria Mendoza:It's like being in school again and just having the work. You know like working with other.
Tiffany Woolley:Get the creative juices flowing and inspiration.
Maria Mendoza:Yes, from everybody else.
Tiffany Woolley:Yes, so when you originally took over DRC, was it with the same mindset, or is this something that you and your husband implemented when you sat on this journey?
Maria Mendoza:We wanted. We did have this vision, because knowing what it what it takes to be a designer and what you need and what for support yeah, what support you need and and what you want from your a designer, and what you need and what support you need and what you want from your vendors, and then having to deal with each vendor individually, it takes time and it takes a lot of resources.
Tiffany Woolley:With minimum orders and opening orders and maintaining pricing and everything like that.
Maria Mendoza:So there's no minimum order. You have access to all the lines without any minimums and we give you all the support, the logistics. It's one phone call. Yes, you have to call, but it's just one phone call, one place to follow up and to keep track of everything and if something's discontinued we'll let you know. We try to find a substitute. Yes.
Scott Woolley:Wow, what a resource so does interior designers then have to book in time so they're calling you ahead of time saying can I come in at 9 o'clock on Tuesday with my client.
Maria Mendoza:Yes, if they want to, yes, yes, but they're welcome to walk in any time. If they want us to any of our team members to help, they're welcome to walk to make an appointment. If not, you can come in and just work on your own, and we have a lot of those who work on their own and others that make appointments, and you have a Boca showroom and you have Palm Beach showroom.
Tiffany Woolley:Yes, Palm Beach has exploded so much for the design industry as a resource as well in our area.
Maria Mendoza:Yes, correct, it's a very nice area, very different. It's crazy that we're 40 minutes away or an hour away and it's another world.
Tiffany Woolley:The styles are different. Yeah, the clientele is different probably the design teams are different right correct it's so interesting. So, as this evolved through the years, you know and has maintained, I guess, this platform and you decided to grow with palm beach. Are the lines and are the showrooms the same or are they integrating different, like because of the clientele being different? The?
Maria Mendoza:lines are the same um. We do have more of Century Hickory, chair, highland House, mainland Smith um those lines.
Scott Woolley:That's all under the Rockhouse, which is such a cool company itself.
Tiffany Woolley:I feel, like, that's just such a story?
Maria Mendoza:Yes, it is, and we do work with companies that give us support, because obviously that's what our clients need. Like we provide the support for the clients, the clients for the designer, but we need companies that support customer service. American leather, for example, it's another one. It's all american made, and that's one of the things we love about those companies too. Right now, with everything going, on amazing. We definitely support everything made here.
Tiffany Woolley:I mean, that's the one thing I'm actually somewhat looking forward to is because when I first started in the industry, you know it was much more of a curated furniture. You know custom experience and then, as things evolved, it's much more of this instant gratification wanted in stock, wanted a good price, gratification wanted in stock wanted a good like and I feel like you know, we're kind of going back, you know, to that customized process, at least for my clients and I. I'm grateful for it because, why not, why not?
Maria Mendoza:and one of the things I, I, we, we say is when you do, when you start the process, start with furniture as well, because you're visualizing everything, the from start to finish you do. Your floor plan you do, the furniture layout you do. I mean you select all the materials and everything, but it's all integrated. So once you have that furniture floor plan, just come in and order the furniture.
Maria Mendoza:That way you could have the instant gratification because while you're doing construction, yep you're waiting, then you're the, the furniture is being manufactured as well, and then everything is received ideally. Obviously, there's delays and there's issues yeah, what we're there for but you do, you integrate, you know you have your furniture is being built and then your, your project is complete, you get your co, you get all the furniture delivered you get that wow factor, I know and that's part of what we do as designers too is we kind of work backwards with our timeline.
Tiffany Woolley:So I try to explain to clients like, just because not every little piece is selected I know you want a full number to so you're comfortable diving all in, but you really need to because there are so many details along the way you really need to check off this big chunk so that you can get things moving, so that we can have that reveal at the end. Correct, so it's such a niche, a niche part of our industry. Do you go to markets and do you select pieces for your showrooms? Yes, so you do curate yourself?
Maria Mendoza:Yes, we do go to market, we do bring our team members to market in order for them also to be knowledgeable of what we're selling and what we're offering to our clients because they need to know oh, does this sit well, does this not? And then to select the pieces again. We have a representation, but it's not the whole showroom.
Maria Mendoza:So we have to select the pieces that represent that line that the client could sit and could have a feel of quality and comfort but then make it, design it to and create it to their own, to each space individually.
Scott Woolley:So the showroom basically has just lots of samples and fabrics and wallpaper and does it have, you know, tiles and things like that?
Maria Mendoza:you have samples, yeah no, not tiles, because we do. We are focused on furnishings so it's furniture lighting accessories, rugs, rugs wallpaper. Oh, so you do wallpaper Wallpaper window treatment, like all the fabrics for window treatments, for upholstery and, obviously, the fabrics and the finishes of the manufacturers.
Tiffany Woolley:So when do you decide to bring on a new line? What makes like?
Scott Woolley:Well, even more important than that, because I've noticed on your website you list and you have so many great vendors I mean manufacturers that you, you, evidently you know.
Tiffany Woolley:Built a long relationship Correct.
Scott Woolley:So if a designer comes in with a client and the client or the designer say, well, we want to buy this from this XYZ company that you haven't dealt with, Will you do that or is that something that you frown away from? No?
Maria Mendoza:we will definitely look into it However we have dealt in the past with some vendors that we've had to just say.
Scott Woolley:I can't work with that because they don't stand behind their product. Yeah, we understand that.
Maria Mendoza:So if you don't stand behind, we end up paying for everything because at the end of the day, we're not going to let our designers hanging.
Scott Woolley:So will you use Wayfair? No.
Tiffany Woolley:Right.
Maria Mendoza:No. We don't either, yeah.
Scott Woolley:No, because I think that's another thing I don't think people realize is that, okay, you're getting stuff inexpensive, but we've had some clients that they really want it because someone or whatever, for whatever reason, and we buy it from them and it comes like disastrously broken and damaged.
Tiffany Woolley:Three different times. There's time and money associated to that too.
Maria Mendoza:I appreciate that industry and I appreciate their business and it caters to a certain clientele which I'm, you know, great for them. But it's not what we encourage and we really support.
Scott Woolley:You're about quality and good quality service to the consumer and American made.
Maria Mendoza:I love that. Yes, and we really support that, that it's all made here and it's made by our people and we try to promote that as much as possible, because obviously we can't make everything. You know, there's parts that are imported, but but and it wouldn't make sense, it would be, you know.
Tiffany Woolley:No, but these american-made partners have such great integrated relationships and ownership stakes, even if things are made overseas. I mean, I feel like yes the quality control is still a level above what you're getting.
Maria Mendoza:Correct, and then random and you still have factories and workers that are there, that are you know taken care of properly and and support us because, again, we want our clients to be supported and if there's an issue, okay here, we'll work with you.
Tiffany Woolley:Do you offer CAD services? We do not usually really primarily focused on furniture and the soft goods.
Maria Mendoza:We do work with designers. They come in with a floor plan and we help them source the furniture and select the pieces.
Scott Woolley:They have a vision. Oh, so you're actually helping interior designers in sourcing for their clients?
Maria Mendoza:Yes, that's a great resource for If they're doing commercial and they're doing lobbies, and okay, what's better, what's good, what's trending, and we help them. And what's going to be durable, what's not, we do help them with the pieces. And what's the budget? Right, because we have different, obviously different manufacturers, different budgets, different scales, so we help them in that sense too. Okay, this is what you have, okay, put you know, invest here and maybe not there, yes, so you just said something that's interesting what's the budget?
Scott Woolley:it's something that we've talked a lot about with people on this podcast is that most people don't want to tell or say what their budget may or may not be, and we try to talk about the encouragement that people should talk to their interior designer of what their budget is, because then the interior designer or the firm, or even your firm, can really go to town and make a much greater presentation working within the restraints of the budget.
Maria Mendoza:Correct and everybody has a budget, everybody.
Scott Woolley:Well, people, I think I always say to Tiffany I think it's because people don't want to say because you're going to spend every single dollar plus ten more than what my budget is yes, but that's not the way.
Maria Mendoza:Good dollar plus ten more than what my budget is yes.
Scott Woolley:But that's not the way good interior designers don't work. That way they work and think, okay, we're going to redo your room or your house within your budget and it's going to be absolutely beautiful, beautiful yes. And then, based on your tastes and your budget, the elevation of what that location or that room can look like.
Maria Mendoza:I do agree with that. It's it's just making the best out of that budget and that's what you know, that in our case, that's what we do too. We, if you have x amount of dollars for furniture and furnishings they love this sofa but can't afford it. Well, we'll make it work, because maybe you get the sofa which we are going to be living in and you save on the rug or on the side tables, which are not going to be what's the word you use all the time Value engineer.
Scott Woolley:To make it work for the clients.
Maria Mendoza:Yes, correct.
Scott Woolley:So they're super excited and thrilled when it's all done.
Maria Mendoza:Yes, and that's also something that I tend to visualize. I try to focus on wow, it's going to be even better, Like our goal is to make it better than what they could envision. Obviously the designer can visualize it, but maybe the end user can't. But, oh my God, this is going to be so much better than this was, so much better than what I could even imagine.
Tiffany Woolley:I know and I feel like your team also provides that extra confidence probably to a client and an end user, because sometimes it's just the designer and they don't want to be so. You know, you never know. People's personalities are different, but a team like you, all together, offers another level of confidence for an end user. So, being a designer, do you ever still do any of your own projects, or do you just primarily stay?
Maria Mendoza:on the sales side. I stay on working because we do work a lot with a designer and in their projects.
Tiffany Woolley:So you're getting your fix.
Maria Mendoza:I'm getting. I see new projects every day. Oh, wow, and we do. We have the opportunity because when we start with some clients come the first time, they might be working on one or two projects. They might be working on one or two projects and then, once they realize what they can do with us, they start getting more projects because, okay, now I don't have to turn down this ex-client because now I have support here that can help me grow my business.
Maria Mendoza:So we definitely promote that and assist our clients, our designers, to keep going. Just get those projects, we'll help you and we'll, you know, uh, help you through, because there's a lot of time and a lot of work put into the purchasing part so much, and the follow-up, and the follow-up is huge and you're handling all of that for. Yes, we are.
Scott Woolley:You're handling the part that interior designers really don't want to do.
Tiffany Woolley:They want to be doing all the beautiful and just creating.
Scott Woolley:Don't want to have to be later on in the back room. I call it doing all the paperwork.
Maria Mendoza:Doing all the paperwork and it's just one phone call because okay, where is this? Or if it's a full project or several full projects.
Tiffany Woolley:You're calling us.
Maria Mendoza:And we provide you with status of status reports of all the pieces for every project and it just frees you from that time and once the project is done, installed, and then there's issues because there's always issues, unfortunately we help that process too Navigate that yes, with the vendor. So we contact the vendor, we contact the receiver, the delivery, we do what needs to be done to get it solved or assist to get it solved, and then the designer could go on to the next project and not worry about what this is all costing.
Tiffany Woolley:Do you warehouse your orders yourself or do you send them to?
Maria Mendoza:We work with the designer's receivers?
Tiffany Woolley:Yes, because every designer has their own. Okay, so that?
Maria Mendoza:makes perfect sense, and we do also have designers that are working in projects in New York or Massachusetts Right.
Tiffany Woolley:So the receivers are wherever Do you find it?
Scott Woolley:hard to get designers to come in, or how do you? Acquire or find, or just you know it's new design is coming in.
Maria Mendoza:We do have um instagram and all that part that our daughter, um, oh, that's cool. And during covid she kind of, you know, we asked her to help us with that amazing and then she, she, you know one thing she started like helping us because she was not working at the time because of covid, and so she started with, oh, let's do instagram. She then fixed our website, then redid our library, then our you know, our system. So it's a true family operation. So now she's like full on. She even did our system, our administrative system, which I have no clue of.
Voice Over:You trust it's good, yeah, no.
Maria Mendoza:We used to use QuickBooks. So now we have a designated program that she worked and developed and developed for us how impressive. So she's full on with us.
Tiffany Woolley:And that's fun too. What a blessing as a parent too. I mean, it's a full circle.
Maria Mendoza:Yes, it's definitely that also made us want to, because at one point we thought we have three daughters, so do we oh really. Yes, oh my God, that's great. And we thought, okay, no one's interested in this, Because they, literally, when we got here, they were working, they were in the showroom all day. Clients knew them, they were, you know, it was just the three of them basically lived there.
Voice Over:They would work all summers you know, it was just the three of them basically lived there. They would work all summers.
Tiffany Woolley:You know, fixing, I love that Fixing. Organizing, yes, yes, Maintaining.
Maria Mendoza:And so we were like I guess they didn't. At one point they were like I want nothing to do with this, but I know.
Voice Over:Yeah.
Maria Mendoza:So now, when she just said, okay, yes, I'm all in, we were like, okay, so now we could. And that's when we you know Palm Beach came along and we said, well, we could actually expand.
Tiffany Woolley:Yes, that's so special.
Scott Woolley:Yes, so do you do any kind of like continuing education or like bringing vendors in to show off like showcases.
Maria Mendoza:So we do have events that we do like aftermarket events.
Scott Woolley:What do you mean by aftermarket events?
Maria Mendoza:So, market in High Point it's a big.
Tiffany Woolley:Twice a year.
Maria Mendoza:Yeah, it's twice a year and not every designer goes there. So, we have some that just don't want to go, don't want to be bothered, don't have the time. I just don't want to go, don't want to be bothered, don't have the time. So we bring the reps in the vendors and they bring all their new introductions and we just have a and they're able designers are able to interact with each representative of each company and they just give you know they Overview.
Maria Mendoza:And it's not um. They could visit, we do, stations and in there because we have vignettes of every vendor. So we they each are in their specific space and they show everything that's new and the introductions, fabrics, whatever it is. So that's um. And sometimes we do have um special events just designated to some, like we're having one with american leather, we're having another with rock house farms, rock out, yeah, with all their companies right.
Tiffany Woolley:So it kind of keeps things fresh, like correct yeah.
Maria Mendoza:Yeah, and designers update it. You know with everything.
Tiffany Woolley:I know, because it really is. You know, I always say, like going to market kind of sells itself, like when you really do start to appreciate there is a quality difference, as we keep mentioning, to American-made and just to that level of quality that you're investing in and it's such a blessing to have a showroom and a resource like you that you can go and actually bring that information to a client too.
Scott Woolley:But with trends and styles changing every year, are you having to?
Tiffany Woolley:switch things out and change things.
Scott Woolley:How do you stay on top of that?
Maria Mendoza:Well, we see what things that are new. Our showrooms are very, I would say, neutral. It's like a blank, a white canvas, and we pick pieces that are very, that you could customize. So colors are neutral and then the designer comes in and gets creative with whatever they want to use, because you could have the same sofa with different arm, different, I know, and made in so many different ways that we just, okay, give you the blank so the client could sit and try it and then you create it however you want.
Maria Mendoza:But, that being said, we there's still new frames new, so once we see something's not doing so well, or there's something new that could be better. We just sell it off the floor and and so you're set up for.
Scott Woolley:I use the word sophisticated because that I always think that on how tiffany does, like on COM, so custom-made things Everything probably. So you're doing a sofa and you're set up for a client to come in. Where you're making a change to the sofa, you're making the legs a different color or a different stain, correct. You're doing two different fabrics, you're adding trim, because that's a lot of detail and a lot of detail to follow up to get it made Correct and you're handling all that aspect, all that aspect.
Maria Mendoza:Yes, it's a lot, of it's fun.
Scott Woolley:It's a big plus for a designer and it's incredible for customers coming in.
Maria Mendoza:Yes, they do. And it's a nice, I mean we're very casual, so it's also a nice for when clients come in. You make the customers, yes they, they feel like right at home, they, you know we have lounge seating where they could sit and see all the presentation and they're just like. And then we have our, our mascot, bailey people love her, but yeah, she's part of the family too, yeah it's so special, so it's very yeah, it's a working showroom and something very easy, user-friendly. Yes.
Tiffany Woolley:So do you go back and forth every day or every week? How does your schedule now or your team schedule work? With the growth.
Maria Mendoza:Well, we have, I do go, we do go back and forth, not every day. We have a great team in Palm Beach and a great team in Boca. So I do, depending on whatever you know where the client, where I'm needed, that's where I'm at.
Tiffany Woolley:That's so cool.
Maria Mendoza:But it is very flexible and we actually live in the middle.
Scott Woolley:So that works out good, so that works out very well is there like one big challenge that you find or you think that designers have or are coming across and it's the.
Maria Mendoza:It's very, very challenge right now that the industry it's just I don't know what has happened. I mean, again, there's some companies that are really reliable and take pride of what they do, but there's others that don't, and that's the challenge, because I mean as much as we take pride of what we do, if you're working with a company, Manufacturer yeah the manufacturers. We can't control that right and things take time, and what you said before about instant gratification clients and users are now used to oh but, I ordered this and I have it tomorrow.
Maria Mendoza:Why is this taking so long? Right because it's a process and everything's custom made and everything's worth it is to wait for, exactly, and, and one of the things I do, um, going back to what you said, some things that are worth it. Um, to me, some people say, oh, but I don't care, I'm not gonna live as long as the furniture, or?
Maria Mendoza:but you want your furniture to look new. Yes, even if it's for three years. You want it to look new for the three years. You don't want some buy something and then in three months the thing is falling apart. If you can, I mean if you're investing, because then you invest it. X amount, and now it's. It looks awful to me. You just threw away X amount rather than pay a little more and just get something really worth it. You're going to love every minute that you see it, it's true.
Scott Woolley:It's very true, we're very particular in the vendors and manufacturers that we deal with.
Maria Mendoza:I'm sure you see it also that we deal with. I'm sure you see it also. There's a lot of mistakes happening and a lot of you know. You get a delivery and the manufacturer sends it to somewhere else it's not supposed to go. The quality control.
Scott Woolley:Well, the quality control is and unfortunately it's the stuff that's coming from overseas that people think well, I'm getting a bargain here and you're not at the end of the day and you're not.
Maria Mendoza:Yeah, you're paying for something that you're not going to be happy with at the end.
Tiffany Woolley:No, and as we were just touching a minute too, it is an industry.
Tiffany Woolley:I feel like that there is still so much growth and untapped opportunity, but there is still so much growth and untapped opportunity and in some of my research for the podcast and in general, like they were even saying, it's actually an industry where AI would not be able to have its hands so much. I mean it's still like a hands-on, it's a sales operation, even in the 3D. You know they're not on the field, you know AI cannot be in the meeting with your contractor and you know there's still so much untapped growth in this.
Scott Woolley:We've tried the AI thing.
Tiffany Woolley:Industry.
Scott Woolley:Just to see. It's an experiment, I mean for drawing and for visualizing.
Maria Mendoza:I think it's great.
Tiffany Woolley:Right.
Maria Mendoza:And the more you could visualize and the more you could offer to your client. That's amazing. But the reason we exist is because the fabric, the touch and the colors it's not even, and that's why you order a CFA because, the dialogue could be different. Imagine a screen versus a print. You can't really pick a finish or a fabric without seeing the actual item.
Tiffany Woolley:I know Speaking of like in your career with RDC. I'm saying RDC, that's because my daughter all she talks about is RDC D-R-C. She wants to go to RDC, RDC, Anyway, has there been anything? That's been totally crazy and you're just like I don't see this happening. But okay, it's what you want and you just are there to support, but like something that's just so off.
Scott Woolley:A client request.
Tiffany Woolley:Yeah, a client request. That's just so crazy. Like you know just things that are like. So a designer comes up with like just something.
Maria Mendoza:So oh no, actually. I mean, does we come up with crazy things all the time? So really nothing, nothing's like, really nothing's like super surprising? No, no, we have. I mean, it's just different perspectives.
Tiffany Woolley:I guess, guess or taste Beauty in the eye of the beholder. I say that at least twice a day.
Maria Mendoza:Because they do. I mean, we do have clients that come in and then put together like a sofa or a sectional and you're like, that looks odd.
Scott Woolley:We've had some things Clients have asked Tiffany to and they leave, we're like what?
Maria Mendoza:what yes, yes there are things like that, but I I can't name one or two, because I guess we got them all day right that it's like oh, really did, did they just say that?
Scott Woolley:we've had somewhere. We just can't forget them because it's like, oh my god, yeah, that's good, no so for a new interior designer, someone who's starting out, who's fairly new, because you deal and talk to and see so many that come through your, your showroom, what would be the first or number one piece of advice that you would give someone new and starting out?
Maria Mendoza:To do their. I mean to just know that you're never going to know everything. Yeah, and find out. For me, the key is to know where to find the information, because we can't know everything. So, just if you're doing a floor plan or you're sourcing furniture or your materials or you're creating whatever it is that you're doing or designing, just know where to find information and once you figure that, once you figure your sources, I think that's key.
Scott Woolley:But that's where your company comes in to so much help for every young and new interior designer. Yes, because you know all the sources. You have all the sources and you can help, inspire and provide that resource that's going to inspire that new interior designer with ideas.
Maria Mendoza:You could provide the sources for furniture and for furnishings, but for materials for tile, just look for the good source.
Tiffany Woolley:Industry partners.
Maria Mendoza:Know where to find the information and your sources, and that's key.
Scott Woolley:So you don't have like earlier you said you don't have tile samples- no. Do you recommend for those kind of vendors to people we do have? Yes, that.
Maria Mendoza:I had experience with and good experience with. If they ask me, if not, I won't volunteer If not? I won't volunteer. If they ask, I'll say hey, I would. You know this flooring company, I think you know we had, we had, I had great experience with them. I can't say, but I do, there's some, there's a few cabinets company work yeah, window treatment, workrooms that you're upholsterers that you're like okay, these are weak, they're reliable. Yes, we've had good experience with them.
Scott Woolley:Don't kill me if you don't Right right, are there other companies I hate to use the word competitors that do this similar to what you're doing, offering the service that you provide?
Maria Mendoza:I mean, there are other companies that provide the services for designers, but they're also retail, yeah, so they do both, that's so that retail they're pushing something on the people, because it's probably so like anti that part, not that I don't believe.
Tiffany Woolley:It has its reasons and has its support and oh, it does have its reasons, you.
Tiffany Woolley:But as a designer, I just don't believe that you can be one thing to all people and that's what I feel like a furniture store tries to do and I'm all about which is kind of like the service you provide. I'm all about not decorating in isolation. Like you know, you really do need that one person that can help you navigate, which and it is the designer or your design team but that you're not just picking out. Okay, we're gonna go here today and do furniture and then next week I'm gonna go pick out my kitchen and next week we're gonna go do floor. Like it really needs to be a cohesive experience and I do think that sometimes when you go the retail route, you think you can do your like. Then it just adds to more retail routes. Correct Versus this customized experience that I pride myself on and obviously your business truly represents.
Maria Mendoza:And we do provide wholesale pricing for our designers. We don't want to give that to the end user and because we want the designer to be able to make, to me it's a win-win for all of us, because you're able to make your fees. The end user is getting a discount and we're getting business. So obviously when you sell retail, the margins are much higher and that's why those companies do both do retail and design. But for us, we want to be exclusive to designers because we want our designers to come in and feel that a they're protected and they're.
Maria Mendoza:We've had end users that come in oh, I'm not working with a designer anymore and I'm like I'm sorry, but we can't, so what?
Tiffany Woolley:does that look like? Yeah? When do people just come in trying to peruse? Do you ever recommend designers?
Maria Mendoza:If we, I mean we do, we try to stay away from that because we have so many that I could recommend most of them Right and we, you know, we try to stay away from that, but if they're really, we usually just we don't.
Scott Woolley:Right, your website doesn't list designers either.
Maria Mendoza:No, we do tell them just try to. If you're not working with her anymore or with him, just go. You know, try to find another one and come back. And sometimes we do have end users that refer, that bring their designer because they were referred by their friend, that they bought everything through us and so the end user was great and they had a great time and they loved us and whatever. So they tell their friend, their friend brings the designer and the designer now buys all of it here.
Tiffany Woolley:So do you see, with, like you know, florida being, you know, a great place of growth right now, are you seeing more interior designers from other areas working in this location now, like an influx of New York designers?
Maria Mendoza:Yes, absolutely, we get that every day, Every once or or I don't know, we do get at least three, three new designers every day. That have wild and that are now working from here and that had projects and now they're just staying here. Move permit yes, that's so wild in both stores. Wow, boca, and we have. We get a lot more in Boca of those new that just moved Okay. But, also in Palm Beach.
Tiffany Woolley:So interesting.
Maria Mendoza:It is, it is.
Tiffany Woolley:Really, the industry has just so much growth and opportunity and I feel so grateful that we're here in South Florida, yes, yes, because we do have a lot of.
Maria Mendoza:I mean, you see all the construction that's going.
Tiffany Woolley:I know West Palm is just exploding, Even around here, like Boca all the GL homes, lenar, it's true.
Maria Mendoza:Everywhere, even Miami.
Tiffany Woolley:I know.
Maria Mendoza:I still don't know how they fit those cranes there.
Tiffany Woolley:Every time I see a crane, I'm like where are you building anything? Else here. I know it's so crazy the infrastructure that it takes. Yes, yes. So what excites you about the industry right now?
Maria Mendoza:I mean, I just love the relationship that we create with our clients going to work and being able to, and that's something that I guess you don't get in a retail store because you're dealing with somebody new every time. Here you're getting it's repeat customers all the time, so you get to really connect. I mean, yeah, it's like you connect, you bond, you, you listen to, we share the, the, the experiences with their clients and you, the good and the not so good, right. So that's really like fun to get to go to work and have and see people and it's like you know you're socializing every day. I know it is a very social industry. Yeah, and it's fun, I agree.
Tiffany Woolley:And we make it fun. We really make it fun. Yeah, that's wonderful. Well, I look forward to it.
Scott Woolley:So we like to kind of wrap up the podcast each week by asking some fun kind of questions. So I'm going to ask you a question Is there a particular style or even era? In time that you love.
Maria Mendoza:This one. Yeah, I love that, this one because now everything is, everything is good, every, I feel like everything is is. There's a word I'm trying to find that I can't find.
Maria Mendoza:Everything is is in style yeah like even for hair yes, like you could wear it curly, you could wear it straight, you could wear it straight. You could wear white, you could wear purple. Everything is in right and I feel like now we've learned to appreciate styles and be open to everybody's. It's encouraged yes, yes uh, you know, there's new interpretations of classic of of mid-century.
Tiffany Woolley:Mid-century is such a little treasure.
Maria Mendoza:now again, yes, and even because at one point it was minimalistic and so that's like it was very cold and very yes sterile. Now everything is okay. Being colorful is good, being neutral is good. Being organic is good. Being neutral is good, being organic is good. There's so many different forms of design. That's why I love it, and to me, always the next project, and now I live my client's project. So, every designer. You know like I'm all on.
Maria Mendoza:I know it must be so fulfilling to see so many so many beautiful things come together so frequently and so many professionals do such great things and then they share the and I appreciate when they share the the, they're like so excited because they send me pictures. Look how everything came out.
Scott Woolley:And I'm like oh my god do you ever go to some of the projects just to see how they came out? I have I have.
Maria Mendoza:I have Some clients are like please help.
Voice Over:And then I go which.
Maria Mendoza:I shouldn't, but I do.
Tiffany Woolley:I love that I love it.
Maria Mendoza:I do love to see, and for me it's very rewarding because we partner. We basically partner with our designers.
Scott Woolley:But you also. What I'm gathering is you're very respectful of every designer, so you're not.
Tiffany Woolley:Good boundaries, absolutely yes, so designers.
Scott Woolley:When they go to your showroom and they're working with clients, they feel comfortable. They feel and I use the word safe that, okay, another designer is going to come in and take my client away. It sounds like it's an environment that's really structured and organized really well. It supports, it's all about them like it's an environment that's really structured and organized really well. It supports. It's about it's all about them.
Maria Mendoza:Like my goal is to make them look good. You know it's like to to enhance their, their, why they were and I tell that sometimes with the end user.
Tiffany Woolley:I'm like trust your professional I know, and they sometimes need to hear that that's why you that.
Maria Mendoza:That's why you hired her or him. It's like just trust them and it's just very rewarding to see all of that and to see how they you know everything that they do, because there's so much potential and it's just a lot of fun, thank God.
Tiffany Woolley:So another fun.
Scott Woolley:I want to ask one. You want to ask it. I want to ask one.
Tiffany Woolley:So, as another mom of three girls and this is one of our other fun questions as far as travel, is there a hotel that you just are in awe of, like the whole design experience, or so?
Maria Mendoza:there was. There's been a few. There was one in um portugal. Oh, it's a marriott that I'm so bad with names, I can't remember the thing, but it it there, the it remind me of.
Maria Mendoza:There's a designer actually from maitland smith okay, remember his name either, but he's a great designer and it was the same style. It's very it's so it's so hard to do color and to do style and to do it was inspired like in in it's almost an emperor and Wow in patio. Yes, yes, but updated and colorful and had some African inspiration too. And it's so hard to do that and to make it look right.
Tiffany Woolley:And to right so that was one.
Maria Mendoza:There's another one in Prague, also very Art Nouveau, oh, and that's one of my favorites, and it but so well done. Tasteful.
Voice Over:Yes.
Maria Mendoza:And very elegant, sophisticated, Like those two are. Don't ask me what I ate.
Tiffany Woolley:That's how I am. I'm visual too, but I could tell you what it looks. It's the experience, it is the experience.
Scott Woolley:Was there one piece of furniture or accessory that you like?
Tiffany Woolley:Your go-to your favorite.
Maria Mendoza:A piece of furniture or accessory Is there one that's like that you experience and see so much when I was little I loved marimekko, so that was my thing, and then I grew up and now it's I don't know. I like American Leather.
Scott Woolley:What is that? I'm not familiar with what that is.
Maria Mendoza:It's a brand of. They now have wallpaper again, but it was they designed. I think it was more for kids Little or like more yeah.
Tiffany Woolley:Like childish.
Maria Mendoza:Yes, yes, but it was very artsy, very pop, colorful, like colorful Kids, yes, kids things, and I was obsessed with it, but, yeah, never had anything from them and then the other.
Scott Woolley:I don't know like half the stuff. I say that because Tiffany and I we watch movies, we're watching the movie and I'm watching the movie and Tiffany's like that's a Jeffrey Michaels wallpaper and that's a Scalamanda wallpaper and I'm like you'll get the wallpaper that's an Archerius light fixture. Tom Cruise is running through a scene and you're like picking at like telling me all the, that's a Kelly Worth light fixture. Yeah, that that's a Kelly Worth light fixture.
Maria Mendoza:Yeah, I'm like that's what I do. We go to hotels and the girls make fun of me because I'm like checking the furniture and looking at everything. And that's what we do. We are creatures of our habits.
Tiffany Woolley:I love that. Yeah, exactly Well thank you so much for joining us today and I look forward to visiting you very soon.
Maria Mendoza:Yes, please, please. Thank you for having me.
Voice Over:Thank you for tuning in to iDesign iDesign Labs podcast is an SW Group production in association with the Five Star and TW Interiors. To learn more about iDesign Lab or TW Interiors, please visit twinteriorscom.
