Watch the premiere on YouTube Friday October 9th at 10 am
Guest: Red Barrinuevo, Owner of Red Barrinuevo Home
Host: Felicia Pulley, Creative Director of RESA
“You have to embrace the numbers. You have to learn. You have to listen.”
– Red Barrinuevo
“I have to follow through on what I said. I have to be reliable.”
– Red Barrinuevo
Red Barrinuevo was rebuilding his life in Canada when he realized that his banking job wasn’t the career he wanted. He had always loved interiors, but returning to school for years wasn’t practical while supporting himself and his son. Discovering home staging gave him a way to pursue that interest professionally.
For two years, Red balanced both jobs. Consultations happened during lunch breaks, and staging projects stretched late into the night. He started with rental furniture, focused on downtown projects he could manage without a car, and made a point of following through on every commitment.
Eventually, turning down staging clients because of his banking schedule became a signal that it was time to choose. Leaving a steady paycheck was still frightening, but he knew which work he wanted to build his future around.
“Unfortunately, being passionate about it and being creative is not enough.”
– Red Barrinuevo
Red remembers the excitement of someone paying him $500 to stage a three-bedroom home. At the time, getting paid to do something he loved felt like success. Understanding the full cost of delivering that work, paying himself, and running a profitable company took longer.
That lesson became especially important when Toronto’s real estate market slowed. Red worked with a business analyst, reviewed which services were contributing to the business, and made the difficult decision to reduce his team.
Looking closely at the numbers also revealed where he wanted to grow. Builder projects and interior decorating helped sustain the company and influenced its direction. Red shares why pricing, boundaries, systems, and regular financial reviews have become essential to continuing the work he loves.
“Knowing that you have a group that supports you makes a big difference.”
– Red Barrinuevo
Red’s first staging project came through another RESA® member. She had a project downtown that she didn’t want to take on, and Red was nearby and ready to work. A connection with another stager became an opportunity to get started.
Throughout the conversation, Red reflects on how learning from experienced professionals helped him feel less isolated and more prepared for the realities of business ownership. Connecting with other stagers also changed how he thought about competition, opening the door to friendships, referrals, and shared knowledge.
That support eventually inspired him to serve on RESA’s National Board of Directors. After initially hesitating because of his workload, Red decided he wanted to make time to contribute. His board service became a way to give back to the community that had supported him from the beginning.
00:00 Opening Conversation
00:55 Why Red Chose to Serve on RESA’s National Board
03:32 Finding Support and Rethinking Competition
06:21 His First Staging Project Through a RESA Member Referral
06:51 Starting Over in Canada and Discovering Home Staging
09:40 Building a Staging Business While Working at a Bank
11:29 Rental Furniture, Early Projects, and Pricing Mistakes
14:22 Learning the Difference Between Revenue and Profit
19:31 Deciding to Leave His Banking Job
22:04 Building Client Relationships That Last
23:31 Hiring His First Employee
26:34 Creating Systems and Learning From His Team
30:27 Reducing His Team During a Market Slowdown
33:13 Using His Numbers to Rethink the Business
36:09 Building Relationships With Builders
41:03 Pricing, Boundaries, and Recognizing His Value
49:09 Expanding Into Decorating and Builder Projects
50:17 How a Staging Client Led to Television Opportunities
52:52 Developing His Art Collection
55:38 Giving Vintage Furniture a Second Life
59:23 Why Creativity Needs Business Knowledge
01:04:00 Color, Character, and Finding What Works in Your Market
01:06:13 Measuring Your Own Progress and Knowing Your Numbers
01:08:16 Tracking Results and Involving Your Team
01:10:28 Making the Most of RESA’s Resources and Community
Starting a home staging business changed Red Barrinuevo’s career. Learning how to sustain it has been an ongoing process of asking questions, understanding his numbers, and being willing to change.
In this episode of The Staging Insider™, Red joins host Felicia Pulley to share the story behind Red Barrinuevo Home. After moving from the Philippines to Canada, he found himself working at a bank while questioning what he wanted his future to look like. An article about home staging introduced him to an industry where he could put his love of interiors to work.
Red trained, researched, joined the Real Estate Staging Association® (RESA), and began connecting with established stagers. His first project came through a fellow member’s referral. That early experience became part of a lasting belief in the value of professional community, eventually leading him to serve on RESA’s National Board of Directors.
Felicia and Red talk candidly about what followed: balancing staging with a full-time job, undercharging for early projects, hiring help, and learning to separate business income from personal finances. Red explains why a busy schedule can hide problems and how documented procedures and employee input helped his growing team work more effectively.
They also discuss a challenging period in Toronto’s real estate market that forced Red to reduce his staff and reconsider where to focus. A closer look at his results helped him recognize the importance of builder relationships and interior decorating to the company’s future.
Along the way, Red shares how a client connection led to television opportunities, why he developed an art collection, and what inspired his work restoring vintage furniture.
For stagers at any point in their careers, this conversation offers a look at the decisions behind the business: when to take a chance, when to make a change, and why staying connected to people who understand the work matters.
Red Barrinuevo is the owner of Red Barrinuevo Home, a Toronto-based business offering home staging, interior decorating, and furnishing services for builder model suites.
Originally from the Philippines, Red worked in pharmaceutical sales before moving to Canada and taking a job in banking. Discovering home staging gave him a new professional direction. He built his business alongside his full-time job before making the transition to staging full time.
His career has expanded to include television appearances, magazine contributions, and a curated art collection. He also brings his interest in color, craftsmanship, and distinctive interiors to a developing collection of restored vintage furniture.
A RESA® member whose first staging project came through another member’s referral, Red has also served on the association’s National Board of Directors. He values sharing knowledge, supporting fellow stagers, and helping business owners feel less alone as they navigate the industry.
Get notified about new episodes and industry insights.
The Staging Insider would love to get social with you on Instagram!
Hosted by Felicia Pulley, Creative Director of the Real Estate Staging Association®, The Staging Insider takes you behind the scenes with today’s most influential stagers. From creative strategies to business realities, every episode dives into what it really takes to thrive in the staging industry.