Org Charts, Billing, Succession Planning, and More: 2025 Virtual Programs From the DLN
July 01, 2025
Whether your business is on a roll or feels the chill of a cooling market, your time is more precious than ever. That’s why the DLN’s virtual programs need to be highly relevant, heavy-hitting, and time-efficient. Each year, we take stock of the industry and hone our focus on the most pressing issues, providing forums for expert insight and peer-to-peer feedback to help you improve everything from your fee structure to vendor relationships, media strategy to employee retention. We promise, these will be well worth your time.
*check back each quarter for confirmed dates.
Q1:
Office Hours: Everything Design Professionals Should Know About Photo Rights and Usage
Thursday, February 27 at 1 PM EST
This fall’s virtual program with DLN Interiors Photographer Members answered a flurry of questions about pricing, styling, and best practice for editorial. But beyond the creative, how does photographing your work impact the intellectual property rights around it? Who owns work you’ve had photographed and how can those rights be given, transferred, or protected? Does this change in the world of AI? Hear from legal and licensing experts on how to safeguard your work and know your rights when it comes to photography in editorial, on social media, and beyond.
Martha North has spent decades as an agent and manager, pioneering an alternative model for the creative industry. Known for her strong business acumen and widely respected reputation for honesty and excellence, she offers tailored services that range from client negotiations and project estimates to contract management and payment collection.
Christina Weber is a seasoned Photo Director at Hearst, bringing a keen eye for imagery and a deep understanding of visual storytelling to the publishing world. With a wealth of experience in creative direction and production, she collaborates with top photographers and artists to shape compelling editorial content.
Lizzie Soufleris is a visuals editor and illustrator at Architectural Digest. She spends her time producing and directing photo shoots, scouring the archives, and creating original illustrations for stories published in the print magazine, AD.com, Clever, and AD Pro.
Community Roundtable: The Most Effective Billing Format for Creative Businesses
Tuesday, March 11 at 1 PM EST
There may be no hotter topic in the design industry than billing; it seems every firm does it differently. What are the benefits of hourly charges vs. project fees? How about markups? Is there merit to billing differently for different clients? Talk to your peers about what has worked best for you–and what doesn’t.
Office Hours: What’s the Best Org Chart for a Successful Design Firm?
Thursday, March 20 at 1 PM EST
Is there one right way to organize your firm? While some DLN Members operate large offices with designated “studios,” others have employees who specialize in one skill. What makes the most sense for your firm? And where does contract work come into play? Join DLN Members Janice Parker, Frank Ponterio, Barbara Lowenthal, and Chris Goddard—who operate highly differentiated yet equally successful firms—and a group of your peers to discuss what makes the most sense for your work, market, scale, and longterm goals.
Frank Ponterio, founder of his namesake firm in 1994, is a Chicago- and Florida-based designer known for crafting bespoke environments that reflect his clients’ lifestyles. With an innate ability to understand both people and spaces, he brings a refined yet approachable sensibility to every project. Dedicated to creating timeless interiors, Frank and his team go beyond expectations, ensuring each space is as enduring as it is exceptional.
Janice Parker is an award-winning landscape architect known for her timeless, site-sensitive designs that blend artistry with ecological stewardship. As the founder of Janice Parker Landscape Architects, she has shaped residential and public spaces with a deep commitment to innovation and sustainability.
Chris Goddard, founder of Goddard Design Group, leads a Northwest Arkansas-based firm specializing in high-end residential and commercial projects. With a commitment to excellence and a keen understanding of his clients’ visions, Chris and his team create interiors that are both timeless and distinctive, blending luxury with functionality.
Barbara Lowenthal is a seasoned design professional recognized for her expertise in creating elegant, thoughtfully curated interiors. With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of spatial harmony, she brings a refined approach to every project.
Q2:
Urgent Community Roundtable: Navigating the Latest Trade Tariffs
Tuesday April 8 at 1 PM EST
With President Trump’s new sweeping tariffs disrupting global trade, what do design and building professionals need to know about sourcing, importing, and working abroad? We’ve added this Community Roundtable to address the latest trade developments—join your fellow leaders for a discussion on the implications and strategies to best equip your business for the times ahead.
Office Hours: Managing Tariffs & Trade Right Now
Thursday, April 17 at 1 PM EST
With President Trump’s new sweeping tariffs throwing a grenade in global trade, what do design and building professionals need to know about sourcing, importing, and working abroad? Join your fellow leaders in conversation with Lauren Triebenbach, Partner at Michael Best & Friedrich LLP and an expert in import tariffs, and Kravet’s purchasing director Dawn Carlson to discuss implications and lay out plans to best equip your business for the times ahead.
Lauren Triebenbach is a respected attorney specializing in construction and real estate law. As a Partner at Michael Best & Friedrich LLP, she leads the firm’s Construction Law Section, advising on complex disputes, contract negotiations, and risk management strategies.
She earned her J.D. from Marquette University Law School and her B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis. Recognized as Milwaukee’s “Lawyer of the Year” in Construction Law (2023), she has also been listed in Best Lawyers in America since 2020.
Beyond her legal work, Lauren is actively involved in professional organizations and serves on multiple community boards, including the Charles Allis Art Museum and Arts @ Large.
Office Hours: What a Successful Licensed Collection Looks Like
Thursday, May 1 at 1 PM EST
What does designing a licensed line actually entail? Will it make you money, or is it a marketing opportunity? While the answers to these questions may vary widely depending on licensee and licensor, there are plenty of best practices for securing, navigating, and producing effective licensing partnerships. Join Peter Sallick, Lori Weitzner, Libby Langdon, Steve Prada and Sean Lavin with numerous licensed lines discuss the process in a candid conversation.
Peter Sallick is the founder of the Design Leadership Network and Waterworks, a luxury design brand renowned for its high-end bathroom fixtures. With a focus on craftsmanship and timeless design, Peter has led Waterworks to global recognition. He is also a passionate advocate for innovation and sustainability in design.
Libby Langdon creates sophisticated, livable interiors with her signature easy, elegant, everyday style. Balancing beauty with function, her designs blend coastal, classic, and contemporary influences, crafting chic yet inviting spaces tailored to each client. Based in New York, Libby Interiors delivers timeless designs that reflect personal style and lifestyle goals.
Lori Weitzner is an American textile and product designer. She is the founder and Creative Director of Lori Weitzner Design, Inc., a New-York-based design studio, and the head of the Weitzner Limited brand.
Steve Prada is a seasoned industry expert and a key leader at Kravet, specializing in business development and luxury home furnishings. With a deep understanding of textiles and design collaborations, he plays a vital role in shaping Kravet’s innovative offerings for the interior design community.
Sean Lavin is an award-winning designer with a background in graphic design and fine art. He believes that lighting is a crucial design element in creating a room’s style and mood. Currently, he serves as the Chief Design Officer for Visual Comfort & Co.
Community Roundtable: The Best Ways to Retain Talented Employees
Tuesday, May 13 at 1 PM EST
401(k)s and parental leave can help with employee retention, but what else tips the scales? From bonuses to team retreats to gratis leadership training, DLN firms have found all kinds of ways to retain and nurture talented employees. Join your peers for a discussion on what works best.
Community Roundtable: Navigating the Latest Tariffs Part IV
Thursday, May 22 at 1 PM EST
As conversations around tariffs continue to evolve, we’re adding another opportunity for our community to address the latest developments and share resources. Join your fellow leaders for a discussion on tariff implications and how to best equip your business for the times ahead.
Community Roundtable: Navigating Tariffs Part V
Thursday, June 12 at 1 PM EST
As conversations around tariffs continue to evolve, we’re adding another opportunity for our community to address the latest developments and share resources. Join your fellow leaders for a discussion on tariff implications and how to best equip your business for the times ahead.
Q3:
Strategic Succession Planning to Protect Your Legacy
As future planning goes, there’s no more important job you can undertake for the longterm well-being of your company than to develop an effective succession plan. And even if retirement seems far off, in the case of this work, the best laid plans are the earliest made. This deep-dive discussion will touch on everything from legal considerations to financial best practices to shifting dynamics within your firm as you prepare a succession plan that works for you, your business, and the future.
How to Optimize Your Company for Hospitality Work
If you’re not working on a hospitality project right now, chances are you want to or will be soon. As the lines between residential and hospitality work continue to blur, more and more design professionals are taking on both. But the workflow and practices you’ve perfected for residential clients may not fly on the hotel side. In this informative discussion, hotel operators and experienced hospitality design firms share the attributes that make for a compelling hotel design partnership.
What Is AI’s Role in Your Creative Company?
There’s plenty of discussion of artificial intelligence going on now, but what are its practical applications for the design industry? How can creative leaders harness new technology to streamline workflow and work smarter, not harder? Join a discussion of your peers to hear how leaders of creative companies are using AI to streamline systems, optimize workflow, and work smarter.
Q4:
Everyone Wants a Book Deal—What Does It Actually Entail?
There may be no greater career bucket list achievement than a monograph. But what exactly goes into producing your own book? In this session, an expert panel of publishers, published authors, and book agents pull back the curtain on the—often confusing—world of book proposals, contracts, process, publication, and promotion.
What Design Magazine Editors Want Now
Following last year’s lively and informative discussion with leadership from Galerie, Luxe, and House Beautiful, we’ll invite another slate of design magazine Editors-in-Chief for an updated conversation on the direction of their brands, the role of design media, and, of course, what they’re hoping to see in pitches from design professionals.
Guidelines for Successful Creative Collaboration
Every high-end design project entails at least a few creative collaborations—often as many as a dozen or more. What’s the best way to manage—and optimize—these partnerships? Set divisions of labor? Joint contracts? A Responsibility matrix? Join your peers for a discussion on collaboration from pitch to construction to install and even media coverage.