DESCRIPTION In this episode, Ildikó  chats with Fiona McBride, founder of the property staging firm Fuchsia Design. Fiona started her business in her 60s as a way of leveraging her decades of experience in interiors. From refreshing tired rentals to elevating multi-million-pound estates, Fiona brings creativity, colour, and a perfectionist’s eye to making any property shine and sell fast, even in a sluggish market.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Staging Really Does Sell: Regardless of the market you are working in, staging sells. That is the case whether the market is sluggish or moving fast. But how you stage it needs to evolve as tastes change, the market moves and what region you work in. Selling is About Emotion: Staging is about guiding the eye through the room. Doing so helps draw buyers in and picture themselves living there. When that happens, they build an emotional connection with the property. Work Should Be Fun: When you enjoy what you do, you are automatically enthusiastic and do your best for every client.  Work energises Fiona. She thrives on transforming sad, unloved homes into places that “smile” again. Know Yourself and Respect Others: Being older and having managed people in various contexts allows for better communication, conflict resolution, and the ability to adapt. Knowing yourself well helps you to do this more effectively. Lean on Your Life Experience: Fiona has not taken formal courses to learn her trade, instead she leans on her experience. It's an approach that works and brings her a lot of repeat business. BEST MOMENTS Fiona: "It’s about maximising the appeal to potential buyers, but minimising the investment." Fiona: "Then their house starts to shine again. You can almost hear the house going, “I can breathe.” Suddenly there is space… and the house starts to smile  Ildikó: " Your face lights up every moment you speak about your business. That is absolutely beautiful." Fiona "Your perfectionist is reflected in your work. So, you want your social media posts to be exactly the story you want to tell - not “it's close”." Fiona: "Why should a lower end property look like a low-end property? You still want it to look like a high-end property." again." GUEST´S INFORMATION  https://fushiadesign.com HOST BIO Ildikó Sealey is a Property Professional, Networking Host and Podcast Host serving her local and wider community.  In the property business with her husband since 2019, their core values are revitalising neglected properties so they can provide modern, future-proofed, comfortable homes for people.  Recognising a gap in the local networking scene, Ildikó started co-hosting Property and Business Network in March 2024, bringing together the best in business in Plymouth and surrounding areas in Devon and Cornwall.  With a rich background in administration, social housing, arts and crafts, education, business and mindset, she is passionate about empowering her fellow 50+ Encorepreneurs on their journey.  Through her business, podcast shows and networking events, she makes an impact, proving that age is no barrier to success in the business world. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media https://disruptivemedia.co.uk