Meridith Baer Home: Meridith Baer. She Started Over at 50 and Put Home Staging on the Map.

In this episode of How I Built This, Guy Raz interviews Meridith Baer, the founder of Meridith Baer Home, a successful home staging company. Meridith shares her unconventional life story, from growing up on the grounds of San Quentin prison to working for Penthouse magazine and dating Patrick Stewart. She discusses her accidental entry into the staging business after fixing up a rental property and realizing the potential to transform empty houses into appealing homes. Meridith details the early challenges of the business, including financial struggles and health issues, and how she grew it into a major force in the real estate industry by focusing on creating idealized lifestyles and connecting with potential buyers' psychology. She also touches on her decision to step back from the day-to-day staging work and considers the future of her brand. The episode concludes with a brief segment on another small business, Bundle and Joy, a pet food company.