Success Stories

Here’s how our clients describe our Design Studio Consulting, Design Studio Training, or working with us to create an Award Winning Design Studio:

“Working with Jane and her Success Strategies team has been really rewarding. I’ve learned so much from Jane about the Design Studio business. Her meticulous and focused attention to each project in which we’ve worked together, is admirable. She takes the time to understand the strategy around the builder’s Design Studio business (and point out where there may not be a clear strategy) – and collaborates in an inclusive way to deliver projects that meet goals.

Jane’s been a great thought partner throughout the years that I’ve had the pleasure to know her. She’s well respected, and stays in tune with her clients and the industry overall.”

Lisa McClelland

Vice President, Design Studios, Toll Brothers

“The architect of Eagle’s design experience,  Jane established a blueprint for quality and consistency throughout the process and the experience she created became a cornerstone of Eagle’s business strategy.

Then, in 2019 we invited Jane to help enhance our full customer journey. Starting with training and team development, the Elevate program would ensure an unparalleled homebuilding experience at every stage—from Sales to Design, Production, and Customer Service.

Through Elevate, Eagle’s associates were equipped with the skills and resources to guide homebuyers in one of their biggest investments—all during one of the most challenging times in recent history. As we emerge and move forward, we do so with happier customers, better survey results, and greater team confidence.

It goes without saying that when it comes to creating meaningful and effective customer experiences, Jane is best in class. Her ability to blend concept and strategy into cohesive, actionable plans that achieve real goals and deliver remarkable results in unsurpassed.  Together, Jane did more than just elevate Eagle’s customer experience, she elevated the experience of Eagle itself.”

nationalawardwinner
*Winner of National Award for Best Design Studio

 

Josh Goldschmidt

President, Eagle of VA - Richmond, VA

Your passion for our success is greatly appreciated! It is contagious. The Design Studio has been a game changer to McBride Homes! Both from the Customer Experience and from a profitability standpoint. You and your team are amazing. We would not have been able to pull off anything even close without you. You provide a value with an exponential return on investment. Any company that wants to do a Design Studio must be committed from the top down. It is a huge undertaking. However, you provide all the tools for a company that wants to be successful, to be successful. You get it!!!! Your experience in sales and sales management for builders gives you a great understanding of what builders deal with. You have been there.

You bring a lot of great things to the table, but at the end of the day, you are a process junkie!  That is what has really helped us. The implementation and creation of a Design Studio is a process. Builders need to buy into the process and trust it. They will be successful!!!! You also teach builders the process of running a Design Studio. Builders also have to learn the process, trust the process, and manage the process. They will be successful. Your company is easy to work with. You are very professional. You are organized. And most importantly you are passionate about your customers being successful! You are great at setting the right expectation and then exceed it. Your team of partners and vendors are fantastic. They were all resources that delivered and brought value to the process. You have the expertise and creativity to create a world class design studio. It is truly art! It is not cookie cutter. We have a very unique and first class Design Studio. McBride was just not a client on a project. We feel like we have been brought into the Jane and Success Strategies’ family.  We feel like you are part of the McBride family!  I am a very passionate fan of you and your company.”

nationalawardwinner*Winner of National Award for Best Design Studio

John Eilermann

Jr, Chairman and CEO, McBride and Son Homes - St. Louis, MO

“I’m thrilled in every way with how the studio turned out. There’s no one better than Jane when it comes to the science, the psychology, economics, and design of a Design Studio. Thanks to Jane and team we now have a Design Studio that is not only a beautiful and immersive experience for our clients, but also a streamlined, efficient profit generating machine that aligns beautifully with the company as a whole! Even though Jane helped us narrow our offerings significantly, our buyers perception is they have far more options than our old studio. This has been priceless from an efficiency standpoint for our designers, purchasers, and estimators. I still think though my favorite part of the studio is that our buyers are “Wowed” without being overwhelmed. The Studio is beautiful and the response from our buyers has been so positive. Jane and Team helped us find the perfect balance between form and function.”

*Winner of National Award for Best Design Studio

Gordy Jones

CEO, Edge Homes - Draper, UT

“A great investment of time: in-depth and makes the process easier and more successful.

This [DC PRO] is great information that all Design Consultants should learn – it would be life-altering to this industry to have all Design Consultants focused on the customer in this way.

We have a tendency to let our “builder bias” influence our process and presentation and this was a great reminder to shift that focus to the Homebuyer with great, practical examples of how to do this. What a great investment of time!”

Mary Yeatts

National Business Process Manager, David Weekley Homes

“My team has now started introducing the “Target Investment Range”, and it’s helping the designer help the buyer step away from a price-focused experience to an “I’m here to help you experience”. All of my designers have degrees and they are super passionate about interior design. It has helped shift “This is the job I have done for 5 years” to “This is the job I have been doing for 5 years and I really love helping buyers to get their beautiful palettes.” They are enjoying their jobs a lot more now.”
Heather Miller

VP of Design, Edge Homes

“Everything you have taught us was right. And I believed you, I think we believed 85% was right when you were with us, but the other 15% came a year later. So you were  a hundred percent right from the start.

I remember there were a few things that you suggested that we do that we didn’t do and thought that we knew better and it took about a year and then we realized that you were right. So we fell in line.

I strongly recommend Jane to anybody that is considering as she is the expert without a doubt.”

Frank Ballif

President, Southern Development Homes - Charlottesville, VA

“The rating on your programs at the TriPointe National Design Studio Conference are the highest we’ve ever had for any component of a Think Tank or Summit.”
Linda Mamet

Vice President of Corporate Marketing, TriPointe Group

“It goes without saying that our design centers have changed how we do business and paid for themselves many times over.  Jane is the best in the business and I hope she can do for you what she does for us!”

John Barnes

President, Chesapeake Homes - Virginia Beach, VA

While I was excited to join DC PRO, I initially thought it would just be a refresher course for our consultants. Turns out, I was totally wrong in a really good way!

DC PRO is not only improving the customer experience in our galleries, but also in our entire company. All employees are in the process of learning consistent terminology and expectation setting (which I got directly from going through the DC PRO lessons!) and we are already seeing what a positive impact it is having on our customer experience.

Just a few months into the program and our business has changed for the better.”

Katie Detwiler

Chief Experience Officer and Certified DC PRO, Berks Homes

“As we embarked on this journey with Success Strategies, our expectations were to have you design a showroom layout and custom displays to maximize revenue and inspire. What we have received thus far has been WAY out of the realm of what I personally expected to receive. Now I understand why there was a wait list.”
Donny Couto

Owner, Couto Homes - Grandbury, TX

“I wanted to commend you on designing such an amazing space. The reviews are raving. It is stunning to walk through our front doors and get those gorgeous views (mouth open, jaws dropped by visitors through the building lobby). The end result was well worth the excruciating detail it takes to get it right. A job well done by you and your team. We hit the target with the DC about as perfect as we could have…thank you.”
Jay McManus

Area President, M/I Homes - Houston, TX

“I cannot thank you enough for the inspiration and guidance you provided to our team for this result!  I am so happy with the outcome and know it will give our customers a fantastic home buying experience.“

nationalawardwinner*Winner of National Award for Best Design Studio

Daniel T. Schmitt

President and Chief Operating Officer, HHHunt - Richmond, VA

“I had an applicant for a design studio position that I really wanted on my team.  One of the “plus’s” that I used was that my team was going to be participating in the DC PRO program with Jane which would be a huge benefit to her both now and in the future with the invaluable training that she would receive as well as a Design Studio Consultant Certification.  She accepted the position!”
Sarah McKinnon

Design Studio Manager, Empire Communities

“Looking back to where we were when we started and where we are now, I don’t think we could have pulled off a third of what you provided us. Your level of focus and detail was critical in getting my team to a place where we feel competent moving forward. We could have done a center, but not with the precision and focus to achieve all that’s possible. We all feel that you are part of the Team in DFW!  I am very pleased with what you and your staff provided and I look forward to our future collaborations.“
Gary Rae

Area President, M/I Homes - Dallas, TX

“I am absolutely satisfied with DC PRO and Managing Excellence! Gained valuable insight and put together two new guides based on these recommendations, and procured valuable supply chain, verbiage and process insights that we have already put into place!”
Whitney Harvey

Design Studio Manager, Magnolia Homes

“Thanks again for your help throughout the whole process. I am squarely and forever on the “Jane Train” Having just completed work on our new State of the Art Design Studio, I can affirmatively and unequivocally attest to the services of the Success Strategies Team and Jane Meagher. Every detail along the journey, including site selection, layout of the space, displays, product rationalization and much more was professionally and efficiently contemplated, planned and executed.”

*Winner of National Award for Best Design Studio

John Peck

Divison Senior VP, Toll Brothers - Boise, ID

” CRT’s Builder Design Center as been a huge selling tool for our company and it’s our best business card!  Within 3 months of opening our doors, we had so much new business that we had to turn the Interior Designer’s office into the Manager’s office, This incredible space has given us the opportunity to be the host location for over a dozen parties and events helping to boost our business tremendously. What is most exciting, is seeing everyone’s eyes light up when they walk through the doors. Occasionally, our customer’s will make themselves so comfortable that they often times, do not want to leave. The Design Center has been such an organized and well-functioning space to work in, making the designers’ jobs much better.”
Shay Marlar

Design Studio Manager, CRT Flooring

“Our two day meeting was great. I am excited more than ever now about our design studio because, having spent the last two days together, I can now really see how this will transform our business. I think that our entire staff is energized and realizes what a huge commitment we have made and how it establishes us as a leader in our market. I’m fired up and ready to rock.”
Wolf Korndoerfer

Owner, Korndoerfer Homes - Wisconsin

jane meagher success
“Dorn Homes has been developing communities throughout Arizona for over 42 years. During that time we have built thousands of units and developed numerous award-winning master planned communities. When considering all of the professionals that have helped us achieve success over these 42 years, I would consider Jane Meagher at the Absolute Pinnacle of this collection of experts. I state this as a homebuilder who is historically very skeptical about the value outside consultants can offer to a specific developer or builder.

Unlike any other consultant or expert we have retained over the years, Jane was able to immediately recognize what was not working in our operation. Without wasting time on formalities or small talk, she jumps in head first, assesses our strengths and weaknesses, and began creating a framework for solutions and improvements. She is that rare breed of professional that business owners yearn for: She is an actual DOER, AND EXECUTOR. Her recommendations and solutions for our company were created specifically for our business, our sales and design team, our model homes, and our design center.. they were not canned or reprocessed from previous clients.

Her style is unique. She can stand in front of a group of our employees, make her excellent recommendations, get the audience to buy into her ideas with enthusiasm, WITHOUT stepping on toes or bruising egos. It is a gift, and she uses it powerfully.

The two days she spent with me and our team were priceless. We covered every category I needed to improve: the appeal of our model homes and sales offices, the model merchandizing, the overall impression of our communities to the public, the sales peoples’ use of language as a way to improve buyers’ impression of our company, our processes and procedures through the entire process map from a customer walking into the sales office to the home starting construction. She spent a great deal of time in our Design Center working with our sales and design coordination staff. By the time she left, we had a complete, specific, affordable, and High Value Plan of Attack to transform the entire Customer Experience from mediocre – to World Class.

I give Jane Meagher and her team my absolute highest recommendation. She will prove invaluable to any developer or builder who wants to radically improve their Design Center (or create one), their models, their processes and procedures, the manner in which their employees treat their customers and the way their company “Wows” their prospects and customers.

Jane’s client list includes the “Best of the Best” of the builders throughout the country. I consider myself and Dorn Homes fortunate that we were able to secure her for a two day session. The impact she had on our company will last for many years and will touch countless clients and employees.

She has taken us to a new level.”

David Grounds

President and CEO, Dorn Homes, Inc - Green Valley, AZ

“When we first began to create a design studio from scratch, we had no idea what an extensive, strategic task we were up against. We quickly turned to other builders for their advice, and every single one said the same thing… Call Jane. They couldn’t have been more right. Jane is an expert in her field; she clearly cares about fulfilling the builder’s objective while fostering the company culture. She embraces a collaborative process, whereby she encourages open discussion, but stays true to her beliefs. Her work ethic is unparalleled, and her energy is unyielding. We are so proud of the space she created with us, and we will always consider her part of our family as a result.”
nationalawardwinner
*Winner of National Award for Best Design Studio

Jamie Hudson

Director of Sales, Schell Brothers - Rhoboth Beach, DE

“Once we finished the project we found a number of things happened. We increased our close ratio form 1-5 to 1-4, shortened our project development time by 7 days, had an increased perception from our customers about our quality level, and went from a 2.5 month construction backlog to a 6.1 month backlog. That is causing new problems like how do we ramp up production and how do we hire and train new sales people, but those are good problems to have.”
nationalawardwinner
*Winner of National Award for Best Design Studio

Ty Melton

President, Melton Construction Remodeler - Boulder, CO

“Honestly, it is difficult to pick out ONE thing that is best. I believe the synergy of doing it all and following all your advice in a multi-prong strategy to improve the entire selections process is what improves it both in terms of happier buyers and increased profitability. Just hire Jane and do it all. While we are pleased with the 92% increase in option sales which have resulted from our new Design Studio and implementing recommendations from Success Strategies, we are even happier about the smooth selection process that has resulted for our buyers. We are offering more options at higher margins, but have shortened the time buyers need to make selections, clarified their choices better, and have fewer mistakes in the field!Everyone’s a winner! Jane took the raw space available and designed the studio layout complete with vignettes, display and work space. … Her creativity and insight showed us how to incorporate adjoining underutilized space into the design studio literally doubling the size of the studio and revenue generating floor space. … We have received repeated comments from vendors and other builders that our design studio is easily the best in the state. We couldn’t be more pleased with how the studio has turned out! Jane has also provided a procedures manual and consulting to help improve our policies and procedures.”

(2005-2008)

“Jane, I wanted to take a moment to thank you for the training you provided to our design studio consultant earlier this year. As you know Sara had been doing a decent job for several months based on the limited training we provided of the processes and systems you helped us set up earlier. However, following your training there was a complete transformation in Sara, her approach, and her ability to handle buyers effectively within the parameters and guidelines that management has set. If you ever have clients that are considering remote training, I think you can confidently tell them that the training you provide, both the content and and spirit of the message you share, (along with your excitement and enthusiasm) can be accomplished via web based training…worked wonderfully for us with fantastic results.

Of course, in person is always the best, but the value you were able to provide by saving travel expenses was phenomenal. And an added benefit was the ability to break up the training so Sara could work on “homework” in between training sessions, which couldn’t be done otherwise.

So, again thank you. It made a huge difference for us, and I am sure it could work well for others too!”

(2013)

Ron McArthur

Owner, McArthur Homes - Salt Lake City, UT

“I can tell you quickly that I was a doubter of whether we needed Jane for our Design Center, and now having the benefit of our time with Jane I can tell you without a doubt that this was a must. There is no way that we would have come up with 1/3 of the ideas that Jane did……..all to the better.”
Bob Brown

President, RGB Custom Builders - East Stroudsburg, PA

“In my 30 years in the homebuilding business I have worked with many consultants yet I can honestly say than none seemed to know their field of expertise better than you know yours. Needless to say I am very impressed with not only you, but each of your staff members that I have had the pleasure of dealing with. Thank you for what you have, and will be doing for us.

I seldom have the opportunity to work with someone as knowledgeable in their field as you. Your grasp of the homebuilding business and the sales opportunity is very impressive. Not only are you going to provide us with our prototype, but I believe we all picked up tips from you on how to better utilize our design studios to increase home sales along with increased revenues from option sales.”

David Tucker

Division President NC/VA, America's Homeplace, Inc - Statesville, NC

“I was able to unapologetically explain to a customer during a plans meeting on Friday, why simply moving a wall over would have a cost associated with it…and she was fine with it! Shocker! It really is all in how you phrase it, isn’t it?”
Janet Hart

Design Consultant, Main Street Homes - Midlothian, VA

“Without Jane’s professional assistance our design center would not be what it has become…a world class showcase and retail environment. From assistance in the design stage, merchandising, systems/process and procedures as well as attention to detail, you are absolutely the best. As a consultant we recognize that it was not easy for you to absorb our culture, interpret goals and objectives and then help us execute in such a way as to attain those goals and objectives allowing us to have a world class design studio and create an unparalleled customer experience. Your professional guidance and influence no doubt was a key if not the key ingredient in clearly creating just that…a world class Home Creation Studio! Additionally, your attitude and enthusiasm made the process fun, fresh and invigorating – another must for anyone tackling a culture-changing project like this.”
nationalawardwinner
*Winner of National Award for Best Design Studio

Robert F. Sorensen

President-Lakeshore, Eastbrook Homes - Grand Rapids, MI

“We have incorporated our design center into the process of selling our homes and more importantly into the experience of designing, purchasing and building a home with @home Builders that I truly believe is a huge differentiator for @home in the marketplace. Our buyers truly have the ability to personalize their home around their taste and their lifestyle and gain the added confidence of working with our in house designer to guide them along the way. They are able to do all of that within the fabulous environment of our design center where they can mix and match from a large variety of choice and style that helps them visualize the finished product. At the same time, the design center has allowed us to control the universe of choice our buyers are being offered and with the help of our designer, we are also controlling the process and making it happen in a much more efficient manner.A WIN WIN for both parties.”
David Riedman

President, @ Home Builders - Victor, NY

“It is going very well. The design studio has been a great help to our customers. Even our most apprehensive customers leave the selection process feeling confident and excited about their new home. We’re selling a lot more personalization which has resulted in more “additional” investments. I love coming to work!”
Christina Haag

Design Professional, @ Home Builders - Victor, NY

“I employed the services of Jane Meagher and Success Strategies earlier this year to generate some new exciting ideas for my remodeling showroom and to develop a strong, customer-oriented culture for my staff. …She provided valuable tools for improving both individual and team performance related to our specific market demographic, community trends, client base and consumer targets. Her professional and motivated approach to shifting the focus in my office resulted in an immediate elevation in the creativity and implementation of customer experience initiatives and policies.”

*Winner of Remodeling Magazine’s Big 50 Award

Anthony Cammallere

President, T and K Contractors - Freehold, NJ

“The two days flew by and staff couldn’t say enough positive things. In retrospect, we should have found a way or convinced you to stay for the entire week. Your professionalism, attention to detail, ease of working with and ability to spatially prepare our space has resulted in an environment that truly is amazing.”
Josh Bellamy

President, ABG Homes

Success Strategies

Contact us today to find out how we can help make your new home design studio a success!