IDS Sets Annual Conference Speakers

February 17, 2016  by in Designer Weekly   

Set for March 30 - April 1 at the Dallas Market Center, the conference theme is “Building a Better Business: One Design at a Time.” Conference attendees will hear fresh ideas and approaches for running a lucrative design business.

The conference features celebrity interior designer Dann Foley as tour guide and master of ceremonies. For more than 25 years, Foley has honed his interior design craft with clients in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. He has appeared on NBC’s “American Dream Builders” and Showtime’s “The Real L Word.”

Aside from television and personal appearances, Foley works for clients throughout North America and Asia as he designs multiple home and lifestyle products with his licensing partners. He will lead a tour of In-Detail’s showroom in the Dallas Market Center March 31 and serve as host at the awards gala concluding conference April 1. 

The three-day conference will offer a wide range of learning and networking opportunities. It will feature speakers who are successful industry entrepreneurs and design coaches who will impart their wisdom and share their formulas for success.

“Professionalism is a core value of IDS and it’s extremely important to offer resources to our members that will increase their competitive edge and support their businesses,” said Snoa Garrigan, executive director. “The vast majority of our members are sole proprietors or small business owners and we want to provide information at our conferences that will promote their success.”

The conference begins March 30 with an opening reception hosted by the flagship store of Arteriors in the Dallas Design District.  

On March 31, the lineup will consist of keynote speaker Gail Doby, chief vision officer and co-founder of Design Success University. Doby’s presentation will address “How to Build a Profitable Interior Design Firm.” Following Doby are two concurrent sessions: Julie Schuster, principal of Julie Schuster Design Studio, will present about “Feng Shui and Interior Design,” and color specialist MaLinda Perry will speak about color psychology. The day will end with two more concurrent sessions led by Fred Berns, sales and marketing coach who will train designers to increase profits, and Mark Raissen who will uncover technology advances in the use of LEDs in design.  

On April 1, design coach Lloyd Princeton will address how to create, refine and evolve your business in the rapidly changing marketplace. He will be followed by Joe Jankoski, vice president of retail channel development for Hunter Douglas who will share information on window safety. Conference sessions will conclude with a panel led by Barbara Viteri on “Building a Breakthrough Brand.”