Why Job Shadowing for Home Stagers Is Not Recommended

Aspiring home stagers reach out to us often to ask if we know a home stager in their area that they could job shadow. They are looking for hands-on training from a local staging company to boost their confidence before they strike out on their own.

In theory, that seems like it could be a win-win for both the established home staging company and the newbie stager. The staging company gets free or low-cost help and the new stager gets to learn the ropes from a successful stager. But, a staging internship is not likely to really be beneficial to either party.

In reality, the established home stager has no real incentive to share their secrets to their success (not to mention access to their clients!) with someone who is very clearly going to be their direct competitor soon.

For this very reason, we do not allow San Antonio and Austin-area stagers to come to our in-person, hands-on Master Class. We just share too much proprietary information for that to be sustainable for our own local staging business.

How to Practice Home Staging

We get it, though. You want the CONFIDENCE of a successful home stager! You want to be able to speak to real estate agents and home sellers with professionalism. You want to expertly place furniture, and you want the systems and efficiency of a professional home stager.

Our Master Class was created for stagers who are looking for the job-shadowing experience. We share everything you need to know in those three days! We hold nothing back. Home stagers from around the globe travel to our world-class training center, The Studio, for a top-quality alternative to job shadowing for home stagers.

Avoid Price Fixing in the Home Staging Industry

At the Master Class, we share our pricing strategies for home stagers, information about our own finances, and literally walk you through every square inch of our business. If we let our local competitors come, it could seriously damage our business.

Not to mention, it would border on illegal price-fixing and other business no-nos! According to the Federal Trade Commission, "price fixing is an agreement among competitors to raise, lower, maintain, or stabilize prices." That doesn't have to be a written or verbal agreement – it just has to be "inferred from conduct" to be illegal.

So, even if you were able to find a local home staging internship, you would not be able to learn about pricing from them. Instead, come to the Staging Studio Master Class to learn proven pricing strategies that you can apply to YOUR market. (If you want an online option for pricing help, check out our Pricing Lab for Home Stagers™.)

Find Support From the Home Staging Community

One reason that you may want to become a staging intern is to connect with fellow stagers. We get it, none of us want to be alone on this crazy entrepreneurship journey!

As part of the Staging Studio community, you'll never be alone. We're here to guide you through this wild ride. At the Master Class, you'll build friendships that will last a lifetime.

If you can't attend the in-person home stager training, you can still take our online staging course. This will still give you the design confidence and business strategies that you need to start your successful home staging business.

Staging Studio was created by stagers, for stagers. Learn more about our RESA-accredited Staging Design Professional® training courses, including the hands-on Master Class workshop.

If you would prefer to work for another staging company and not start your own business, read this blog to learn how to get a job as a home stager.