Creative Business Mindset

 How to Start and Scale Your Home Staging Business

Host: Joké Durojaiye
Guest: Tanya Nazaria, Founder of Brilliant Staging and Home Design

Episode Highlights:
Introduction to Tanya’s Journey
    • Tanya shares her unexpected path from law enforcement to home staging, starting Brilliant Staging in Seattle, and recently selling it after eight years.
    • Background in business, marketing, and accounting set Tanya up for success, helping her transition into a new industry.
  2. The Unexpected Start in Staging
    • Tanya’s passion for design was discovered as she staged her own home for sale, receiving overwhelming positive feedback.
    • After quitting her job and researching home staging, she decided to start the business, focusing on growing her skills and learning along the way.
  3. Key Advice for Aspiring Stagers
    • Understand your “why” before starting a staging business. Decide if you want to focus on design or on running and growing a business.
    • Emphasizes that staging can be a creative career without owning a business by working for established staging companies.
  4. Importance of an Exit Strategy
    • From the start, Tanya planned to build a sellable business, structuring processes and systems to support an eventual handover.
    • Highlights the difference between running a business and creating a job for oneself, emphasizing the value of becoming an absentee owner.
  5. Building Operational Systems
    • Documenting processes, creating standard operating procedures (SOPs), and planning for scalability.
    • Intellectual property, branding, and team building as foundational aspects that support smooth operations and eventual sale potential.
  6. Challenges in Selling a Business
    • Professional appraisal helped Tanya understand the market value of her business, balancing emotional attachment with realistic numbers.
    • Insight into how assets, inventory, and intellectual property are valued differently by buyers and brokers.
  7. Navigating Emotional and Practical Hurdles
    • Tanya explains the importance of detaching emotionally and focusing on profitability to attract buyers.
    • Leveraging intellectual property, unique branding, and explaining these aspects directly to potential buyers to convey business value beyond the numbers.
  8. Building a Reliable Team
    • Discusses the significance of hiring team members who share the business vision and contribute positively, sharing insights on making difficult personnel decisions when necessary.
    • Tips for finding employees who bring fresh ideas and support growth, reinforcing that staging businesses cannot thrive alone.
  9. Fun Closing – To Chop or Not to Chop?
    • Tanya and Joké share a fun, light-hearted debate on the popular design question: “To chop or not to chop pillows?” Both agree – they’re on Team Chop!
  10. How to Connect with Tanya
    • Tanya now offers business consulting services to help other home stagers plan and execute an exit strategy for their businesses.
    • Find Tanya’s services at NazariaDC.com.


Key Takeaways:

  • Approach your staging business with an end in mind; have a clear exit strategy, whether it’s selling, handing down, or retirement.
  • Building a sustainable business requires well-documented processes, a reliable team, and strategic growth.
  • When selling, focus on bottom-line profitability and market valuation while also emphasizing the unique brand and systems you’ve created.


Quotes from the Episode:

  • “Know your ‘why’ before starting a business – are you in it to stage or to build a business?”
  • “Hiring the right people is crucial; one good team member can elevate the business, while one wrong hire can bring it down.”


Connect with Us:

  • Follow Joké and the Business of Home Staging Podcast for more insights and inspiration.



What is Creative Business Mindset ?

Welcome to the Creative Business Mindset podcast, where creativity meets business strategy, and passion turns into profit! Hosted by Joké Durojaiye, a busy mom of three and serial entrepreneur, the podcast delves into the raw realities of building a business and navigating life.

Listeners are invited to hear the unfiltered journey—complete with the blood, sweat, tears, and joys of entrepreneurship. Joké is an award-winning Home Stager, a board member of the Real Estate Staging Association, a Licensed Real Estate Instructor in Washington State, and a Small Business Consultant. Her mission is to demystify the process of running a profitable six-figure business while empowering aspiring female entrepreneurs to start where they are, use what they have, and monetize their talents.

This podcast isn’t just about business—it’s about life. It tackles the challenges of building a creative career while maintaining balance and sanity. Whether you're a home stager, designer, or entrepreneur, expect practical strategies, candid conversations, and relatable stories designed to inspire, educate, and motivate.

If you're looking for a get-rich-quick fix, this isn't the podcast for you. But if you're ready to roll up your sleeves, do the work, and unlock the potential for unlimited income, you've come to the right place.

WHAT LISTENERS CAN EXPECT
Behind-the-scenes stories that reveal the human side of entrepreneurship
Insightful life lessons balancing ambition with fulfillment
Proven strategies to attract high-value clients and boost profitability
Secrets to scaling a business without burning out
With decades of business expertise, Joké brings a wealth of knowledge to the table in a fun, engaging, and real format. The Creative Business Mindset podcast is designed to motivate listeners to take action and create the business and life they’ve always dreamed of.

Disclaimer: Creative Business Mindset LLC does not guarantee specific results and is not responsible for any losses from using the information provided. The content reflects the experiences and insights of the host and guests and is not intended as financial, tax, legal, or professional advice. Listeners should conduct their research and consult qualified professionals as needed.