Behind the Design: Yarn Design Associates – Boca Raton, FL

---

Leanne – How did you get where you are today?

Leanne Yarn: I was born and raised in St. Petersburg, Florida and attended college at the University of Florida…go Gators! During my time in college, I interned at a prestigious interior design firm in Manhattan upon which I was offered a job at the end of the summer. I turned it down to move back to Florida (which many people close to me thought was a mistake). If I had taken that New York City path, I don’t believe I would be where I am today. I ended up working in Sarasota, FL for the area’s best luxury Home Builders. A pinnacle career move happened after my time in Sarasota with a relocation to Boca Raton, FL where I currently reside and work.

“Each job opportunity prior to working for myself I treated as a mentorship, soaking up as much information as possible. Not only did my design skills grow over the years, but I absorbed things that you learn only by experience.”

What is Yarn Design Associates’ approach to design and client interaction?

LY: Our approach to design is first evaluating the scope of work and understanding a client’s wants, needs, and personality. Design is the easy part; client interaction can be more of a challenge. We specialize in high-end residential design projects. These projects are people’s personal homes, sometimes even their dream homes. Clients’ emotions are running high and we don’t want to disappoint. Gaining a client’s trust is our most important goal and takes patience. Most of our business is referral-based which makes client interaction an easier segue into developing a strong business and personal relationship in the beginning.

You’re based in South Florida…what’s the design scene like?

LY: The South Florida design scene is all over the map. My place of business is located in Boca Raton, FL which is South of Palm Beach and North of Miami. I would say, for the most part, the overall design esthetic in what we call the “Gold Coast” is very sophisticated. Lots of retired New Yorkers and second property home owners reside here full-time and during the winters. The design scene tends to also be a bit more “flashy” than most.

Who are your favorite local vendors and people of the trade?

LY: My favorite local vendors are hands-down my mill shops. A mill shop can really make or break a final installation for me. I work with some of the most talented and experienced mill shops on the East Coast of Florida. Their lead times are accurate, their installs are clean, and when an issue arises, they come through every time. As far as people of the trade, I only buy from people who make my job easier, not more difficult.

“Continued business is the best kind of relationship to have.”

How do you maintain healthy relationships with the vendors and tradespeople you work with?

LY: I truly feel that I work with the best local tradespeople and my reps go that extra mile when I need something done. In return, I continue to give business to those who help me achieve success with my clients. Continued business is the best kind of relationship to have.

Are you a part of any association or community to stay connected to other design professionals?

LY: I stay well-connected with past employers who also served as incredible mentors for me and still do. Part of what makes me who am I as a designer today is what I’ve learned from those who gave me a chance in the beginning. Staying connected with industry leaders who have succeeded in this business for over forty years is more educational to me than any association or design certification could give me at this point in my career.

How does designing make you feel? What’s your business mantra?

LY: Design gives me that creative outlet that I need. Richard Branson has a nice quote I saw on Linkedin that I follow in business. He said, “If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure you can do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later!”

You were selected to be part of the 2nd Annual Kips Bay Decorator Show House Palm Beach…congratulations! We want the details. Tell us about the selection process, how you’re partnering with brands to design the space, how you’re marketing your participation, etc.

LY: Thank you! The submission process is open to any interior design firm that wants to participate in raising money for a great cause and be part of something very special. Designers are required to submit what they feel is their best portfolio image, along with a bio.

The selection process is limited and well…selective. I feel fortunate to be amongst some of the most talented designers in the industry. I like to think that that being a local designer and having history working with some major industry leaders prior to starting my own business supported my submission.

The Annual Kips Bay Decorator Show House Palm Beach has provided all designers with some incredible sponsors this year. On top of the sponsorship, I myself have done a lot of outreach out to my tradesmen and vendors for support in supplying materials and providing additional discounts on top of trade for Show House use. We have a great Public Relations team who has been active in marketing the big event and the designers participating. I’ve also reached out to my network of resources and contacts for additional marketing opportunities.

How do you define professional success? How do you define personal success?

LY: Professional success is different for everyone. For me, starting my own interior design business was always something I had thoughts about. Each job opportunity prior to working for myself I treated as a mentorship, soaking up as much information as possible. Not only did my design skills grow over the years, but I absorbed things that you learn only by experience. I learned how to deal with difficult people, how to handle uncomfortable conversations with clients, and problem solve like never before. Returned business from former clients is probably the best kind of professional success and compliment a designer could ask for.

Personal success right now is coming home after a long day and not talking about business with my husband. That’s personal success for both of us!

Why did you choose Ivy as your software of choice to centralize your billing, purchasing, and administrative tasks?

LY: Prior to opening Yarn Design Associates, I worked for several different design firms where the day-to-day organization of bookkeeping and project management software tools were always causing human errors. Every time someone pulled a file off of the main office server, people weren’t saving the new updates, or worse, saving over files! It was an absolute nightmare. The best way I can explain Ivy is that it’s in “real time”, like Twitter. Ivy can be accessed on my PC and mobile device which is huge when I’m on the road or at a job site needing to look up something immediately.

What’s an Ivy feature you can’t live without?

LY: Getting to add product images to my Purchase Orders from vendors has allowed me to visually see what’s been ordered faster and has created less room for error on my vendor’s end. My vendors are also loving it!

What do you learn from the Ivy Design Community?

LY: Ivy offers some great online webinars. I use the industry webinars as my version of CEU, as I feel the topics are extremely current and on-trend. The webinars also include educational discussions on business, marketing, social media, and client relations.

Would you recommend Ivy to a designer friend?

LY: Yes, and I already have! It’s all about getting that ‘older generation’ of interior designers onboard with Ivy. It’s a bit of a learning curve, but long term, Ivy will help you run your business more smoothly and organized.

---

Ivy is the # 1 business management software for designers. To learn more about Ivy, schedule a demo with an Ivy Guru who can show how Ivy can streamline your sourcing, invoicing, and purchasing tasks so you can make time for what you love most, design.

 

Are you closing out 2018 and realizing that your taxes are still too high? It’s not too late! There is still time to make a few last minute moves to lower that tax bill. Here is a short list of topics designers should take note of in order to ease their tax woes!

Published on January 11th, 2019

---

Penalties stink! Don’t forget to make estimated tax payments.

One of the most common faux pas new independent designers make is that they often get so busy building a great business that they forget about paying taxes throughout the year. As most designers know all too well in their second year, taxes are part of the profit and just because taxes are not being withheld during the year, does not make them exempt from paying taxes on their self-employment income throughout the year. Whether you are an individual or business owner, if you expect to owe more than $1,000 in taxes for any given year, you need to be making quarterly estimated tax payments. April is not the only deadline where people must pay taxes! Next quarterly estimated tax payment deadline is January 15th, 2019.

Check out this Turbo Tax calculator that will help calculate estimated tax payments in two minutes! The reward received by completing this task well outweighs the tiny hassle of having to get it done.

Start a “business”.

Get out there on your own and design awesome stuff! Under the new tax reform laws, there are a bunch of deductions that may no longer be able to write off on Schedule A’ (the form that is used by taxpayers to report itemized deductions, which can help reduce an individual’s federal tax liability). Many items, including home office, are no longer deductible on Schedule A’ so get the proper licensing and declare yourself a business. Schedule C’ (the form to report income or (loss) from a business you operated or a profession you practiced as a sole proprietor) offers more deduction options for business owners.

Win big in Vegas this year? Dig up all those losses too…

Gambling losses are tax deductible, but only to the extent of your winnings. You would have to claim money that you won as income, but you can also deduct some of those losses! By remembering to deduct your losses against your winnings, you could in turn lower you tax bill.

Health Savings Account

Too much stress and too many doctor bills? Get an HSA to pay for that. A HSA is a tax-advantaged medical savings account available to taxpayers to pay for qualified medical expenses. There is still time to open a HSA account and contribute. You can contribute pre-tax income in an HSA for use specifically on health spending (including dental). The deadline to open and contribute is April 15th, 2019 which will offer you a tax benefit for 2018.

Do you always plan to start a college fund but never follow through? Why wait?

Setup a 529 plan for your youngsters today! It will feel good to have that perpetual ‘to-do’ off your list, and when it’s time to divide up all that money you made as a rock-star designer, the account will be there so that you can easily make a contribution at any time. Having the account open will feel great and there are also a few credit card companies, like Fidelity, that will link credit card points to your 529. Instead of always racking up miles rack for travel, stack up some funds for our future generation. Put that private school tuition on that card and finally get something back from that school you pay too much for. While the deadline for 2018 529 contributions has closed in most states, here are a few states that have extended the deadline so that you can still contribute for 2018: Georgia, Iowa, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Wisconsin.

And last, but definitely not the least, THE IRA

The most common deduction adjustment made during this time of year is to retirement plans. People sometimes have the tendency to wait until the year’s closing to figure out how much they should contribute. The two most common types of IRA are the Traditional and the Roth. If you are not sure which is the right option for you, talk to your tax preparer or financial advisor today. Generally speaking, if cash allows, we almost always advise that people max out their contributions every year. You can make 2018 IRA contributions until April 15, 2019.

–

Written by Marissa McKinney, Logistis

Logistis is a cloud-based accounting firm specializing in interior design. Logistis helps carry designers through the entire accounting process, from start to finish. They can set up the financial portion of your office, integrate your systems, run your payroll, prepare your taxes and offer assistance with financial planning along the way.

---

Ivy is the # 1 software for designers. To learn more about Ivy, schedule a demo with an Ivy Guru who can show you how designers use Ivy to streamline their workflow and make more time for what they love, design.

 

 

We met with Natasha Arselan, the Founder and CEO of AucArt, a new online art platform that empowers recently graduated artists from the UK’s top 30 universities, including City & Guilds of London Art School, Royal College of Art and Camberwell College of Arts, by sourcing and selling their works in an auction-style or “buy now” purchasing process that takes place exclusively online, eliminating the need for real estate space and increasing the amount of artists that can be shown simultaneously

Inspired by her years of travel to the biggest art fairs and festivals around the world, Arselan recognized the challenges and disadvantages for young artists to launch their careers and land their work in major collections. AucArt gives early artists a chance to showcase their early works online to an international audience. Arselan shares how the AucArt process works, the importance of investing in the early years of an artist, and how to remedy hesitations to purchase artwork.

---

Natasha, how did you get where you are today?

Natasha Arselan: I live in London (soon to be between there and New York), and am originally from Essex, the suburbs of London. I have lived in Tel Aviv and Berlin. I don’t think there’s such thing as a ‘career move’, it’s a journey. I began my journey studying musical theatre – I quickly learnt the performance artist life was not for me. Following my studies in interdisciplinary arts, I got my MA in Art and Cultural Management while simultaneously working in various pockets of the art world including galleries, curatorial pursuits, and art journalism trying to find myself. There were a number of encounters I found unnerving  so I began creating a model that would incorporate all of the aspects I did love about the art world. And so, this model, AucArt, was launched in December of 2017!

What’s AucArt all about?

NA: AucArt is about discovering and owning artworks by the next generation of artists FIRST. We connect pre-emerging artists directly with clients, giving them access to purchase directly from the artist studio. By creating an accessible channel for pre-emerging art, you’re able to purchase the work at its lowest price point while also supporting the artists themselves from the earliest point in their careers. Investing in artists early in their career is a win / win situation.You get to own beautiful artwork while also supporting the artist’s journey from the beginning – helping them reach the next phase of their career. 

“It’s a great feeling to know that you’ve assisted an artist build their career.”

How did the idea of AucArt come to be?

NA: AucArt was born from various different experiences I had working in the art world. I’ll share with you the main experience that led me to begin the build: An artist in his final year of his Fine Art MA (at a prestigious London art school) who I had previously worked with on a curatorial project called me one day and asked me to come to his studio. He had no money to finish his final year project and asked me to buy a work. I, with limited funds but a strong passion for collecting art, went to the studio – it was like Aladdin’s cave I thought – why can’t everyone have access to this opportunity?! I bought a work and he’s gone on to do brilliantly well. It’s a great feeling to know that you’ve assisted an artist build their career similar to a traditional ‘art patron’. I have a fantastic artwork that is now worth at least 300% it’s value. Rather than building a gallery model that can only look after a limited number of artists at a time, I wanted to create a democratized and transparent platform that could support an increasing number of the pre-emerging artists.

What makes the AucArt auction experience unique?

NA: You cannot find a curated selection from top art school graduates from the most exciting periods in their careers (their final year through three years post-graduation) anywhere else in the world online or offline! We source and curate the talent from the top art schools and create a selection for you to browse from wherever you are in the world. You can choose how you’d like to purchase, for example, if you click ‘buy now’ should you not wish to bid and wait for auction to close, we will have the work shipped to you anywhere in the world usually within a week of purchase. It’s quite extraordinary.

What is your criteria for featuring a new artist?

NA: They have to be within their final year of art school or within 3 years of graduation (BA & MA). The work has to demonstrate consistency whether it be in aesthetic or subjective. Some artists bring new innovative mediums and so far we have focused mainly on 2d works. A creditable CV is always a plus.

Based on your experience, how do your customers (designers & collectors) typically search for the ‘right’ piece of art?

NA: Different clients search for different elements in the work, that’s what’s so great. Some of our designers and collectors look at the aesthetics including size, palette, mood, how the art work will compliment/fit other elements within the interior, and how the colors will enhance other aspects of the environment and mood of the interior. Others look at the subject matter – does the artwork take you somewhere else (in your imagination), does the work make you feel, does it remind you of something, someone, somewhere? Others look for more experimental mediums such as 2d works you can hang on the on the wall that are not paintings that may be more sculptural.

“Living in the presence of original artworks is priceless.”

In your experience, why do people hesitate to purchase art for their residence? Do you have some words of advice to remedy that feeling?

NA: It’s usually the first purchase that causes the most hesitation because they haven’t invested in artwork before (or bought work online). Once they’ve dived in with their first purchase and the work has arrived and they are in the presence of the piece, the hesitation instantly disappears. A large number of our clients are already returning clients. It’s about trusting yourself and following your instinct. I often have new clients saying things like, “I don’t know enough”. You don’t need to know, you need to feel. Living in the presence of original artworks is priceless. In regards to buying from a PDF, the works 99% of the time are always better in real-life, so if you like the work as a JPEG, you’ll love the work in the flesh.

How do you typically work with interior designers?

NA: Interior designers and design studios will purchase independently through the site. Alternatively, if they are searching for something more specific, they will send their requirements to one of our team specialists at specialist@aucart.com for assistance commissions and tailored selections.

Can you offer interior designers tips of best practices for sourcing art for client projects?

NA: It’s all about understanding the needs and vision of an interior designer. It’s crucial to understand what a designer is trying to achieve on behalf of their client, and, matching these points with artworks that answer those questions.

In your opinion, why should artists and clients use your platform?  

NA: AucArt’s mission is like Ivy’s for artists and clients. Our software is there to make our users’ lives easier! In three clicks you can purchase an artwork that’s delivered to you. Why would you want to make more work for yourself? That’s why we’ve created seamless systems to allow clients’ experiences to be nothing but enjoyable and creative without having to worry about the practicalities.

What’s next for AucArt?

NA: It’s just the beginning (AucArt turned one in December)! We’ve proven that AucArt is a much needed and desired platform by both our clients and our artists. We are focusing on growth going into year two, growing our roster of artists, inventory of artworks, and our client base! We also have some exciting partnerships in the pipeline. Sign up to AucArt to get the latest news first (it’s free!).

---

Ivy is the # 1 software for designers. To learn more about Ivy, schedule a demo with an Ivy Guru who can show you how designers use Ivy to streamline their workflow and make more time for what they love, design.

 

 

‘Tis the season for Las Vegas Market! This January 2019, make the most out of your Market experience. In-between your vendor appointments, take the time to explore the educational programming out there to keep you informed on how to make the right decisions for your business.

Eager to meet the Ivy Team? Check out our Las Vegas Market programming below. For questions, please email Reisa with subject line “Ivy at LVMKT” to reisa@ivy.co. See you at Market!

---

Book Your Appointment, Get Special Pricing

Book an Ivy demo with an Ivy Guru who can show you how the Ivy software allows you to manage your billing, purchasing, and administrative tasks in one place. In your appointment, take 20 minutes to learn how Ivy can empower you to maximize your business potential, including:

• Streamlining your workflow
• Developing project management efficiencies
• Increasing your profitability

Book Sunday, January 27

Book Monday, January 28

Book Tuesday, January 29

Designers who book an appointment with Ivy at Market get access to special market pricing. Spots are filling up, book a time fast!

These terms apply.

Ivy Panel | Creative Business Strategies to BOOST Your Profitability

Get inspired by industry leaders’ innovative business strategies! You’ll leave with key insights and secrets you can apply to your business. This panel discussion will cover:

• Branding and marketing strategies
• The truth about passive income
• Best practices for project management efficiencies
• Goal-setting for 2019

RSVP FOR PANEL HERE

When: Sunday, January 27 at 3pm

Where: Building C Seminar Room, C174

Space is extremely limited. RSVP while you still can.

 

Tax time is difficult enough to get through without the burden of providing additional information to your bookkeeper. When it comes to running a design business, most of your day to day activities are recorded with bills for products and invoices that you either receive or send out to clients. The other activities such as meals, office supplies, business gifts and fees that you need to run your business often require an intentional effort to track those expenses. These expenses and other tips can help save you money when it comes to tax time. Let’s take a look at a few of my favorite tips that can make your tax time less stressful and save you money!

---

Receipt Management

Keeping track of your receipts is always a chore for any business.  Over the course of the year, we collect a lot of documents and receipts can get out of control quickly if they are not processed in a timely manner. The purpose of good receipt management  is two-fold:

1-Ensure that you capture all the expenses you have incurred through the year

2-Have documentation for the IRS in case of an audit

One of the best ways to store the documents is to scan the receipts for digital storage. Depending on the type of expense the IRS requires receipts to be kept for anywhere between four to seven years.

Additionally, I like to add notes on my receipts so that I can reference back the purpose. Examples would be the name of the client, the business discussed, and the category the receipt should relate to.  Examples of categories would be meals, office supplies, fabric purchased, and travel.

Early Bill Pay

Bills that are not paid sounds obvious, but not so much in the Interior Design industry. Expenses that you may have for unfinished projects might be waiting for you to pay them at the end of the year. If you have the cash, it will benefit you to pay the bills to take the tax deduction. Often we are hesitant to pay the bill because we are waiting for the project to finish or waiting for payment from the client. If you are sitting on these unpaid bills, this money will help you save money at tax time by reducing your net income and thus your tax bill.

Employee Bonuses

The holidays are a great time to give a bonus to your staff. Review the payroll and see if you can add in some holiday bonus or project related bonus. Make sure that the bonus gets to the employee before the end of the year.  The payroll feature in QuickBooks Online (QBO) makes it easy to run a bonus payroll, and you can select net check or gross check, and it calculates all the taxes for you. Adding in extra payroll will reduce your net income for the company and thus, reduce your taxes.

Credit Card Expenses

If you use a company credit card, connect it to QBO to download all the transactions. Charging expenses on a credit card before the end of the year will make them deductible for that tax year.  The beauty of connecting QBO to your bank is that it retrieves all the transactions to be categorized and enables a more transparent view of the expenses in real time.

Business activities, for the most part, are deductible to the company. However, certain cases arise that are misleading and are non-deductible items. Let us take a look at a couple of examples:

Bad Debt

Check with your tax preparer to find out the basis on which you report your taxes: the cash basis or the accrual basis for tax return requirements. If your company is on a cash basis, then you will not be allowed to deduct bad debt. On the cash basis, you report income when money is received and expenses when the money is spent. When a client fails to pay an invoice, then there is no collection of funds; thus, the revenue is not reported and is not claimed as bad debt.

Sales Tax

The rules on sales tax are getting more and more complicated each day. Products are taxable, and now some services are also taxable. When you pay the state for the sales tax you have collected, this is not deductible. The process is as such: sales tax is charged to the customer, received on behalf of the state agency and then the amount you collected is remitted to the state agency. The collection and remittance of tax are known as a pass through. Reach out to your local accounting professional if you need help on determining the taxability of your company products and services.

Additional Tips

At the end of the year is a difficult time to take on new projects. However, if you need tax deductions then think of things that the company may need to reduce the tax bill. Some of those deductions could fall onto this list:

Advertising

Website creation or revamping

Content articles or Social Media Content

Sample purchases for products

Motor vehicle repairs

Office repairs

New office equipment

The above is just a sample of some items that can be purchased at the end of the year to help reduce the tax bill. As always consult your tax advisor on the best way to achieve these tax deductions. Remember documentation, working with your software to help streamline the capture of the expenses, and finally looking around at the needs of the company will save you time and money come tax time.

To learn more about getting started with a QuickBooks Online account, connect with your Ivy Account Manager, Matthew Jacocks, here.

About the Author:

Jan Haugo owns JH & Associates based out of Scottsdale, AZ  Jan has 20 years of experience working in accounting for companies such as Michael Ferguson Interiors, Valerianne of Scottsdale and Revitaliste.  The goal of her firm is to offer guidance, long-term vision, and goal oriented accounting using real-time information in a collaborative environment.