In this episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire I interview Marissa Cortese. Marissa is the founder of Vienna Lane Interiors, a New Jersey–based staging and design firm known for its elevated, design-forward approach to preparing homes for market.
A former tech leader turned creative director for high-end listings, she sees staging as a puzzle to solve—crafting curated spaces that resonate with today’s buyers and help listings truly stand out.
Marissa is passionate about building strong business relationships – partnering with agents, artists, and local businesses to create one-of-a-kind spaces that connect and convert.
Listen to the podcast below or subscribe on Apple, Spotify and most major podcast platforms.
In this episode you will learn:
How Marissa left a career in tech to start a staging business and all that she has accomplished in a short period of time
How Marissa faced her biggest fears and how she got past them
Why Marissa decided to coach with me after getting a Certification in Home Staging
How Marissa stopped hiding behind the “safe” tasks that hold so many stagers back from gaining any traction
What Marissa did consistently to win the business of Real Estate Agents
What Marissa sees for the future of her business and how she plans on setting her business apart
Xo Marianne
Want More Referrals from Real Estate Agents?
Real Estate Agents are the #1 source of repeat, reliable business for Home Stagers — yet most Stagers struggle to get their attention, let alone earn their trust.
Here’s the truth:
You don’t need to “convince” the right Agents to work with you. You just need to know what matters to them — and how to position yourself as the solution they’ve been looking for.
In this high-impact, live/virtual program, I’ll teach you exactly how top Stagers consistently attract and keep agent partnerships that bring in steady staging work month after month.
This is NOT a generic marketing course. This is the insider strategy playbook for Stagers ready to grow fast and build referral-rich businesses.
🚨 Spots are limited so I can give personalized attention to each participant.
I’m looking for serious, action-oriented Stagers ready to show up, level up, and stand out.
Be the first to know when enrollment opens — and get a special bonus:
A LIVE Q&A coaching session where I’ll answer your questions and show you how to make Agents want to work with you.
I would love your review! If you enjoy what I share in this episode, please leave a review and comment on iTunes. I would really appreciate it. Thanks!
Connect with Marissa:
Website – https://www.viennalaneinteriors.com/
Instagram- @viennalane.interiors
Connect with Marianne:
Set up a coaching discovery session to see if coaching is right for you.
Website: https://coachingbymarianne.com
Instagram: @homestagercoachmarianne
Join my FB Group: Fire Up Your Home Staging Business: https://www.facebook.com/groups/fireupyourhomestagingbusiness/
FB Group: Design for Today Collaborative- https://www.facebook.com/groups/DesignForTodayCollaborative
Visit my FB Coaching Page: https://www.facebook.com/CoachingByMarianneCherico/
Join my LinkedIn Group: Interior Redesign, Decorating and Real Estate Staging Professionals here.
Episode 128: Success and The Business Building Journey
What does success mean to you? Are you looking to build a 7 figure business with a team? Or are you happy keeping things small and simple and making enough money to travel and do the things that tug at your heart? Success means different things to different people...
Episode 127: Pinterest as a Marketing Strategy
Have you ever thought of how you might drive more traffic to your website? Do you think of Pinterest as a tool to create boards and that is it? In this episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire, I interview Heather Cook of The Social Stager and we do a deep dive...
Episode 126: Bookkeeping Basics for Home Stagers
In this podcast episode, Lani Saviddis, owner of Bright Spot Bookkeeping talks about the importance of bookkeeping for your Home Staging Business.
Episode 125: Design Curious? This episode is for YOU!
Rebecca Ward has been designing in the greater Sacramento area for over 15 years. She is a Certified Interior Designer (CID), and she’s passed the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) exam. In this episode we talk about how she has built her...
Episode 124: 10 X Your Real Estate Agent Referrals
In this episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire I talk about how I might 10x my efforts in order to get better results winning the business of Real Estate Agents. Listen to the podcast below or subscribe on Apple, Spotify and most major podcast platforms....
Episode 123: From Home Stager to Wellness Design
In this episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire I talk with Kristyn Perreira of Reforma Interiors. Her journey began with Home Staging, where her keen eye for space, color, and style earned her numerous awards and recognition. Today, she is a trailblazer in the...
Episode 122: Unpacking the NAR Settlement and it’s Effects on the Home Staging Industry
The recent settlement with the National Association of Realtors has caused quite a stir and many Home Stagers are curious about how this might impact their business. In this podcast episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire I explain how the settlement will change...
Episode 121: Ten Mistakes New Stagers Make When Growing Their Business
As a New Home Stager it can be overwhelming to decide what to focus on in order to grow your business. And it is easy to get caught up doing things that can wait and not doing enough to get business in the door. Let’s face it….we all want to do what feels comfortable...
Episode 120: How to Explode Your Business Using AI
Have you ever wondered how AI might help you improve your design skills, work more effectively, work remotely, leverage your time or streamline your processes. Have you heard of Chat GPT but don’t really know much about other ways you might incorporate AI into your...
Episode 119: Golden Nuggets of Wisdom from the CEO of RESA
Have you ever wondered what the most common struggles of new Home Stagers are? Or seasoned Stagers? Are you curious about how the Home Staging Business has evolved and what is in the cards for the future? Join me as I interview Shell Brodnax, CEO of the Real Estate...
Episode 118: The Importance of Email Marketing
Have you ever wondered where the best place to spend your time is when it comes to marketing your business? In this episode I interview Heather Cook of the Social Stager and she goes into detail about why email marketing is her #1 marketing strategy. Listen to the...
Episode 117: Top 10 Marketing Strategies for Stagers and Designers
If you are confused about where to put your marketing efforts for optimal results, this episode is for you. In this episode I interview Heather Cook of the Social Stager and she goes into detail about her top 10 marketing strategies. Listen to the podcast here: In...
Episode 116: How to Streamline Your Business with Chat GPT
Have you ever gotten stuck writing content for emails, your website, blog or social media posts? Or maybe you don’t send out emails to your Ideal Clients or market your business on social media because you simply don’t have the time. Well if this is you, you are going...
Episode 115: Bring on 2024 and Reflections on 2023
In my latest podcast episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire I talk about why it is important to reflect on your wins from 2023 before creating your 2024 Business and Life Plan.
Episode 114: How to Work with a Pro Organizer
In this episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire I talk with Samantha Brown, The Pro Organizers Coach. Listen in as Samantha shares valuable information from her experience as a professional organizer and decluttering specialist.
Episode 113: Create a Menu of Services You Love
In this episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire I talk with Julea Joseph of Reinventing Spaces. Julea is an interior stylist, Home Stager, and educator based in Chicago. She has appeared on HGTV and other media outlets as an expert in her field locally and nationally over the years.
Episode 112: Create a Compelling Brand and Attract Your Ideal Clients
In this episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire I talk with Heather Cook of the Social Stager about the importance of creating a compelling brand so that you stand out and attract your Ideal Clients.
Episode 111: The Pricing Conundrum for Home Stagers
Are you questioning your pricing because you are losing jobs to lower priced companies?
Do you struggle with whether or not to waste your time previewing a home because you have been burnt before?
If this is you, this podcast episode is just what you need to hear.
Episode 110: Create an Effective Instagram Strategy
In this episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire I interview Heather Cook of Social Stager. Heather is a multi-award-winning Home Stager with over a decade of experience in building and running one of the most successful home staging companies in Canada.
Episode 109: Money Stories that Impact Profitability
Danielle is a reformed corporate CFO (chief financial officer) who is on a mission to help rule-breaking female entrepreneurs understand their numbers so they can gain the confidence needed to create sustainable profits.
