This week, I’m inviting you behind the scenes for a sneak peek at a Design Coven Group Coaching session, usually available only to our Design Coven Pro members! This is a preview of our January workshop and group session, which centered on pricing. After I shared exactly how I establish my flat rate prices, the designers asked questions, and we worked through some of the challenges they’re currently facing with their design projects. This group coaching is what I feature in this episode, but...

A lot of new interior designers ask me how they should price their services, specifically whether they should bill hourly or do a flat rate. In this episode, I’m sharing my experience with different pricing structures and how I ultimately came to the decision to ditch hourly billing. I’ve been doing a flat rate since 2022, and I’ve found that this is what works best for me and my clients. I give you 7 reasons why you might want to consider doing the same. I’ll be going much deeper into my...

Harness the power of this month’s new moon with this special replay of our January New Moon gathering in the Design Coven. Together, we tap into the energy of the New Moon in Capricorn and our Tarot card of the year, Strength. Move through a meditation with us to connect to the strength of the Lioness, and set your intentions for the year ahead.  This is a look behind the scenes at what we do in our free monthly New Moon Intention Setting gatherings, which are open to both Free and Pro Design...

In this episode, I’m sharing how I personally weave rituals into my everyday life. I give you a sneak peek into a typical day for me, bringing you through my morning ritual, my workday ritual, and my evening ritual. I also talk about my new client ritual and my new moon ritual. All of these help me stay grounded so I can move through my days with a sense of purpose and intention. I also love infusing magic into everyday activities, and rituals help spark this magic.  I invite you to try...

This week we’re exploring how you can incorporate rituals into your design business. I explain what rituals are in a business context, why practicing them can be so powerful and transformative, and I offer you a few different types that can be done at various points of your design projects.  If you want to explore rituals in your business further, join us in the Design Coven and practice one of my rituals with me! Coming up on Thursday, January 11, I’m bringing back my New Moon Intention...

In this episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes in my business with 8 ways I’m planning to level up in 2024. Some of these are practices that I’m building upon from previous years and some are newer introductions to my business. I’m sharing these with you so you can also use them in your design business, and perhaps you’ll even be inspired to create your own list. And if you want to work on these with me, join us in the Design Coven for encouragement and support! Visit...

In our first episode of 2024, I’m sharing what’s ahead for the podcast and the Design Coven. I’m excited for these changes which include going back to two podcasts a week, releasing new episodes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I’m also making the Design Coven more accessible to members around the globe by making our official events and meetings virtual. So if you’ve been thinking about joining us in the Design Coven but haven’t yet, be sure to listen to this episode and learn how a membership with...

As we head into a new year, you might be looking for opportunities to uplevel your business, and one great way to do that is to attend networking events that will help you connect with other designers and vendors. I’m excited to share an event with Cosentino coming up in February, and Cosentino’s Regional General Manager Scott Newhan and Account Manager Jason Shephard are joining me on this episode to give us all the details!  Scott and Jason talk about the history of the C.Next event, what...

One of the most popular questions I am asked by new designers is how to get started right now in the industry. Today I am outlining seven steps you can take that don’t require you to wait until you have a certain amount of experience or a degree, and most don’t cost anything. You can truly take any of these steps right now! And if you have already started your interior design journey, feel free to share your tips with our community, and listen to see if any of these can help you take your...

In this week’s solo episode, I’m diving into some important design logistics and breaking down the differences between freight, shipping, curbside, and the white glove experience. Knowing your options and how to explain them to the client often separates new designers from experienced ones. So if you’re new to the industry, learning about this now will help you avoid any mistakes or surprises that could derail your project or harm your relationship with the client. Ensuring the pieces you’ve...

This week’s solo episode is inspired by a question from one of our live audience members in Episode 137, and it points to a challenge we all face as interior designers, regardless of how long we’ve been in the industry: taking credit for our work. We likely will all find a time when we pour a lot of heart and work into a project that we’re proud of, but then the client doesn’t acknowledge us for our involvement—or they significantly downplay our role. This can be so disappointing, but this...

I’m excited to share with you the first episode we’ve recorded with a LIVE audience! I moderated a panel all about publishing for an ASID chapter meeting held at the Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA) in Encinitas. We covered the key components of getting your work published, including hiring photographers, building your social media, and pitching your stories to editors with our talented and expert panelists: Architectural Photographer Jim Brady, President & Group Publisher at Modern...

This week is a special replay of a past episode, episode 35, Do You Need an Interior Design Degree? This question is consistently among the ones I am most frequently asked, and so now, about 100 episodes later, I want to make sure we address this important topic again. There isn’t a simple yes or no answer that applies to everyone, so in this episode, I share my personal path to becoming an interior designer as well as alternative paths you could take. If you’re thinking about becoming an...

This week, I’m taking on a suggested topic from a podcast listener, a new interior design firm that wants to learn more about networking. I believe networking can be a gamechanger in the interior design industry, so learning how to make meaningful connections from the start is really important. But when you’re new, there’s a few common mistakes you might make. I’m sharing 5 of those mistakes and how you can avoid them so you can start building a strong network right from the start. If you’re...

This week I’m talking with nontoxic lifestyle expert and author Sophia Ruan Gushée about the common toxins that show up in our homes. As holistic interior designers, this is an important topic we’re becoming increasingly aware of and needing to share with our clients, who often look to us for information and resources. Educating ourselves on the most common toxins will help us create a safe, clean, and peaceful space for our clients (and ourselves).  In this episode, Sophia shares how she...

Following our Artist Spotlight with artist Stefanie Bales, I’m talking to Sonya Sparks, the owner and Chief Curator of Sparks Gallery, where Stefanie is currently showing her work. I love going to events at Sonya’s gallery, so it was great to sit down with her and hear the full story behind the creation of it and her vision for it. Sonya tells us how the gallery came to be, how they restored the beautiful historic space they are in, and how she works with and selects artists. Over the course...

In this month’s Artist Spotlight, I’m excited to introduce you to local San Diego artist Stefanie Bales. Stefanie’s unique journey as an artist highlights just how valuable it is to be in touch with and follow your intuition. Stefanie has trusted her own instincts and ability to manifest, and the stories she shares in this episode show just how magical and in flow her journey has been. Stefanie also dives into how she developed her brand as an artist and her personal process in creating her...

This week I welcome my friend Lara Worm of Bivouac Ciderworks to the podcast for a conversation about community and design. Lara and I are currently collaborating on the design of “Bivouac 2.0,” or Bivouac Adventure Lodge, a beautiful gathering space for cider tasting–and much more–in the North Park neighborhood of San Diego. This episode (and future ones to come) will give you a look inside the design process in the hospitality space, from beginning to end. This project is a great example of...

I recently had the opportunity to participate in ASID Career Day, where interior design students from all over San Diego County gathered to ask questions as they prepare to build their careers in the industry. I enjoyed meeting all of these up-and-coming designers and sharing with them what I’ve learned. In this episode, I’m answering the top questions these students asked me because I think they can help anyone who is beginning their journey with interior design. So if you’re just launching...

In this episode, I’m sharing the recording of an interview I did with Aisha Rose Melodie Hassan as part of her Sacred Blueprint Interview Series in early September. I share my personal journey with design, specifically how I integrated more aspects of myself and my spiritual practices into my interior design business. We also look at a few specific examples of my design work that weave in these spiritual aspects. I hope this conversation gives you the courage to bring more elements of...

In this month’s Artist Spotlight, I’m introducing you to Natasha Patel of Napa Gogo Art. Natasha is a self-taught artist whose specialty is creating beautiful mixed media fluid abstracts. She shares her journey to art, which included a courageous leap away from the corporate world to become a full-time artist just a couple years ago. We discuss her process, how she grew her business, and how she works with designers. The Design Coven will be doing a studio tour with Natasha on September 29 at...

In this solo episode, I’m sharing how I’m moving from being a solopreneur, managing all aspects of my business on my own, to building my dream design team. For anyone who is coming to a crossroads point in their business, wondering if it is time to hire, this episode will help you assess when you’re ready to hire, which positions to hire for, how to create a smooth process for interviewing, and then how to select the right candidates. I walk you through my personal process as an example and...

This week I welcome Jessica Phelps, the founder of Trād Furnishings, to the podcast to talk about sustainability, creativity, and responsible resourcing. Through Trād Furnishings, Jessica offers a great, sustainable solution to a problem most designers have at some point: leftover, unused materials from a job. Sometimes we order too much of something or it doesn’t work as we expected it to, but we aren’t able to return it. These items often sit for years, unused, or are discarded. So Jessica...

This week, I have Design Coven Member Sasha on the podcast to talk about her experience in the interior design industry and how she recently built her own business. A lot of designers ask me about starting their own businesses, which is amazing, but I find most aren’t aware of all the work that goes on behind the scenes (often spanning several years) before most designers go out on their own successfully. Sasha’s story is a great example of the process many of us move through before being...

This special replay of Episode 30, Breathing New Life into Fallen Trees, features my friends Dan and Jessica of San Diego Urban Timber. I want to share this episode with you again as a reminder of the many amazing partners that we can work with locally that support our mission as holistic interior designers and that also bring something truly unique to our designs.  Dan and Jessica build amazing pieces for homes out of reclaimed San Diego trees. The pieces they create are functional art,...