Do what you love to do. That’s the story of this week’s Wild Business Growth Podcast guest, Sheryl McLean. Sheryl is the President and Creative Director of McLean & Tircuit. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and your other favorite podcast platforms.
Episode 264: Sheryl McLean – Interior Design Inspirer, Founder of McLean & Tircuit
Sheryl McLean, the President and Creative Director of McLean & Tircuit, joins the show to share her journey from international flight attendant to building the award-winning interior design firm. Hear what to look for in a business coach, what to do if you’re too busy, how to have a Day of Inspiration, the best food in New Orleans, and Sheryl’s most memorable story from the friendly skies. This episode covers everything from Ray Romano to customer service. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:
- What made Sheryl want to be an international flight attendant
- How did she go from flight attendant to interior designer
- What does Tircuit mean
- Why does unplugging and doing something fun help inspire creativity
- What’s the best thing Sheryl’s learned from a business coach
- How do you use a journal
- What are Sheryl’s favorite design projects to work on
- Do you ever get used to your ears popping on flights
Connect with Sheryl at McLeanAndTircuit.com, on LinkedIn, and on Instagram @McLeanTircuitDesigns.
Enjoy the shoooooow! Check out the show notes below for much more detail. You can also find the full transcript here.
Show Notes
- Intro & International Flight Attendant
- [0:31] Email me at to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool
- [0:41] Connect with Sheryl at McLeanAndTircuit.com, on LinkedIn, and on Instagram @McLeanTircuitDesigns
- [2:06] Shoutout, Sheryl!
- [2:17] WHOOPS
- [2:57] What made Sheryl want to be an international flight attendant
- [3:39] IBM (International Business Machines)
- [4:33] United Airlines
- [5:39] Entrepreneurs
- [5:49] Bazinga
- [6:08] What’s Sheryl’s most memorable story from her time as a flight attendant
- [7:14] Swiss Alps, Lake Como
- [8:24] Succession
- [8:47] How did Sheryl go from flight attendant to interior designer
- [9:49] UCLA Architecture (University of California, Los Angeles)
- The McLean & Tircuit Story
- [12:16] Can’t stop
- [12:26] What does Tircuit mean
- [12:58] Gary Gottdiener – Wild Business Growth Podcast #262: The Sample Group
[13:29] What made Sheryl want to start her own design firm - [13:56] Blueprint
- [14:13] Interiors by Decorating Den
- [15:47] Podcast Production Business
- [16:07] How do you handle being too busy as a business owner
- [16:15] You, Me and Tircuit
- [17:03] BADG (Black Artists + Designers Guild)
- [17:30] The BOW Collective (Black Owner & Women)
- [17:53] CEO (Chief Executive Officer)
- [18:42] The Black Owner & Women (BOW) Knows Business Podcast: Episode 11 – Sheryl McLean
- [19:00] What’s the best thing Sheryl’s learned from a business coach
- [20:54] What should you look for in a business coach
- [22:35] Podcasts
- [23:08] What are Sheryl’s favorite design projects to work on
- [25:17] I never know
- [25:38] What differentiates McLean & Tircuit
- [28:28] What does Sheryl’s workflow look like
- [30:01] Such an honor speaking at Podcast Movement ’23 in Denver! Sign up to grab the slides from my session at MaxPodcasting.com/PM23
- [30:03] Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com/Newsletter and receive How to Edit Your Podcast in Audacity
- Inspiration & Creativity
- [30:55] What does Sheryl do on a Day of Inspiration
- [31:09] Beyoncé
- [32:17] NARF (Native American Rights Fund)
- [32:27] National Museum of the American Indian (Smithsonian)
- [33:22] Why does unplugging and doing something fun help inspire creativity
- [34:04] Runway
- [34:47] How do you use a journal
- The Unusual
- [36:02] What’s a Weird Talent Sheryl has
- [36:53] Retirement
- [37:34] What’s a quirk Sheryl has
- [38:59] What’s her biggest pet peeve
- [39:12] Shoutout, Dana!
- [39:27] Road Rage
- Rapid-Fire Q&A
- [40:54] Gumbo
- [41:01] Jambalaya
- [41:07] Shoutout, Jon!
- [41:22] Jake’s
- [41:46] Po’ Boy
- [41:51] What’s Sheryl’s favorite thing she’s ever sketched
- [42:47] Reverse Google Search, Reverse Google Image
- [43:05] Do you ever get used to your ears popping on flights
- [44:14] How do you deal with turbulence
- [45:03] How loyal is Sheryl to United Airlines
- [45:17] Southwest Airlines
- [46:01] Connect with Sheryl at McLeanAndTircuit.com, on LinkedIn, and on Instagram @McLeanTircuitDesigns
- [47:00] What are Sheryl’s Final Thoughts
- [47:51] Follow the Wild Business Growth Podcast and tell a friend about the podcast. And show love (or roast me) by leaving 5 stars on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify
- [48:05] Check out the Wild Business Growth Podcast on Goodpods, where you can see what your favorite people are listening to
- [48:12] Connect with me on Instagram, Twitter (aka X), and LinkedIn @MaxBranstetter
- [48:19] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool
- [48:23] Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com/Newsletter and receive How to Edit Your Podcast in Audacity
- Theme music: Freestyle Percussion Magik – “Jungle Tribe” – provided by Jamendo
What is the Wild Business Growth Podcast?
Wild ideas. Wild growth. Every Wednesday morning a new entrepreneur joins the Wild Business Growth Podcast to share the wildly creative and unusual ways they grew their business – and teaches you how to do it, too. Hear the minds behind WordPress, Stacy’s Pita Chips, Drybar, NFL RedZone, Big Mouth Billy Bass, the voice of Bart Simpson, and more Wild stories. Hosted by Max Branstetter (that’s me), Founder and Podcast Producer at MaxPodcasting.
How do you start a podcast?
Interested in starting a professional-sounding podcast for your brand, but don’t want to deal with the time commitment of all those behind-the-scenes details? I’ve got you covered. Email me at to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool.
Thanks for listening to Sheryl McLean on the Wild Business Growth Podcast. To hear more Wild stories like this one every Wednesday morning, follow the Wild Business Growth Podcast and tell a friend about it. And go on a Day of Inspiration together. Until next time, Let your business Run Wild…and Bring on the Bongos!!
