How many times have you said, “If I just had more time, then I could get it all done”?I think we’ve all been there, but I want to let you in on a secret: It’s not about how much time you have, it’s about how you manage it. In this episode of the Interior Design Business podcast, I’m revealing five tips that will change your relationship with time so that you can improve your time management.Topics covered in this episode include:How I’ve avoided working on Fridays, weekends, or evenings for t...

What if you had a shortcut to identify the profitable and unprofitable practices in your business?Enter this episode of Interior Design Business! I’m here to give you the class on business finances that you never got in design school. Tune in to learn an easy way to understand your financial reports and use them to increase your profits. I’m sharing best practices, communication skills, tips for setting boundaries, and so much more. Topics covered in this episode include:An easy-to-follo...

Do you feel like no matter how much care you put into your design business, you never seem to increase your profits?This episode of the Interior Design Business podcast will teach you how to make your business more profitable without starting from scratch. I’m sharing some of the hidden money leaks lurking in your business, unexpected obstacles that are getting in your way, and five simple strategies to start implementing for better profits. Topics covered in this episode include:How man...

What are the appointment do’s and don’ts?As you know, a first appointment is a rich opportunity to gain a potential client’s trust and business. How do you make sure that happens? That’s what I want to share with you in this episode. I’m talking about what to charge, what to include, how long it should be, and lots of other appointment do’s and don’ts. If you’ve ever had a question about how to handle a first appointment, this episode has an answer for you. No more giving away your time and v...

How do you stay in control of a job when your client is getting carried away?A client that wants to add more work to their job is a good problem to have, but if you don’t know how to appropriately handle it, you’ll soon find yourself out of the driver's seat and wondering “how did I get here?”. In this episode of Interior Design Business, I’m teaching you the simple steps to follow to make sure that you and your client are on the same page, you have a clear idea of the scope of work, and...

These are the confessions of a recovering perfectionist. This episode of Interior Design Business is all about perfectionism and the surprising problems that it’s causing in your business. I’m sharing what I’ve learned about the dark side of perfectionism and how to overcome it so that you can be a better designer. Topics covered in this episode include:Why your designs aren’t turning out the way you want them toHow to know when to be done with a project Lies that the voice in ...

In this episode of the Interior Design Business podcast, find out the four major roadblocks to success that most designers face so that you can take the fast track to overcome them. The four roadblocks I’m sharing in this episode are things I’ve seen come up again and again for struggling designers. I’m coaching you through each roadblock in this episode so that you have the tools you need to troubleshoot your business and get things running smoother than ever. Think of this as your chea...

How many times have you wished you had a mini-me to help you get everything done? When you’re working at 2 a.m. and dreaming about that mini-me, you might think it’s a good time to hire someone, but in this episode of Interior Design Business, I’m going to explain why it’s not. I’m walking you through the problems you’ll encounter if you try to hire a mini-me or jack-of-all-trades, how to avoid making a knee-jerk hire, and what to do instead. Topics covered in this episode include:W...

Networking doesn’t work, it’s just a waste of time. Not true! Sorry if the title got your hopes up, but stick with me! Networking is not as hard as you think it is, it’s actually pretty fun, and I’m here to walk you through it. I’m going to turn networking from something you dread into something you look forward to. Don’t believe me? Tune in to this episode of Interior Design Business. Topics covered in this episode include:How to make networking fun The value of building relat...

Are you charging enough for your product purchasing services? I talk a lot about design fees and prices here on the Interior Design Business podcast, but in this episode, I want to discuss the product sales side of things. I’m teaching you why you should separate your design services from your product sales, how to change your mindset around product sales, and how to profit from your product sales.  Topics covered in this episode include: A good rule to follow when it comes to product...

Do you feel like you’re always busy and yet you can never seem to get ahead? The truth is that staying crazy busy isn’t helping you as much as you think it is and in this episode of the Interior Design Business podcast, I’m exploring why. Successful business owners have teams of different people to do different jobs, leaving them with more time to work on the things that pay the big bucks. When you’re always busy working in your business, it’s impossible to find time to work on it, and...

Do you want to create more freedom in your life? What if I told you I know a simple and effective way to achieve that? The answer lies in systems, which is what we’re covering in this episode of Interior Design Business. I’m teaching you how to shift into a systems mindset so that you can simplify and streamline any area of your life.  I’m sharing examples of systems in your day-to-day life, how to make time to set up systems in your business, and what systems can help you get...

Are you using templates to create your letters of agreement? If you are, it’s really important that you hear this episode! Templates can be helpful, but they aren’t the be-all-end-all of letters of agreement (otherwise known as contracts).  If you use a template without thoroughly reading it through or making any changes, you’re going to end up in a world of hurt. The problem is that a template is never going to be able to cover the boundaries that you need in place for your unique...

Do you feel like you’re in control of your financial situation? Growing up and even into early adulthood, I always thought that my financial situation was something that just happened to me. I didn’t have control and I had to make do with what I had. When someone told me that I was the creator of my situation and I could control what happened, it changed my life.  If you feel like you’re always struggling and never making enough money, you’re not alone. You are the product of how you’ve...

Let’s talk about selling.  Don’t freak out! I know a lot of people hate this topic. There’s a lot of bad energy and negative stories around selling, but most of them aren’t actually true, so we’re going to unpack them in this episode of Interior Design Business.  I promise you do not have to be like a sleazy car salesman in order to sell. I’m here to teach you how to build a relationship with your potential client, create an offer that they want to say yes to, and set up the golden moment...

Hands up if this sounds familiar: your cash flow goes up and down like a rollercoaster, you’re struggling to attract clients and even then they can’t make any decisions on their $5,000 budget, and you’re afraid to tell your friends or family how much you made last year because they’ll tell you to get a real job. If your hand’s in the air, you’re not alone, but it doesn’t have to be that way. What you’re looking for is actually right in front of you, but it’s hard to get out of your own way...

Could you be leaving money on the table? We’d all like to hope that we’re not, but it happens all the time, so how can you make sure it’s not happening to you? In this episode of Interior Design Business, I’m taking you through the most common ways design businesses leak money so that you can look at each of these areas in your business and make sure you’re not leaving money on the table. A profitable design business doesn’t happen by accident, it’s something that you grow with intention,...

Are you setting boundaries around money in your design business? Every designer I’ve ever met (including me) struggles with boundaries because we’re all people pleasers. You’re in this business because you want to serve people and make them happy, but you’ve still got to be paid for it. I’m here to make sure you’re not short-changing yourself.  If you have a hard time creating and sticking to boundaries, listen up. In this episode of Interior Design Business, I’m walking you through how...

What do you do when you get into a design job and discover that you don't want to put your name on it because the client's taste is so bad? You won’t be in the design industry long before one of these situations comes up, so it’s important that you know how to handle it. In this episode of Interior Design Business, I’m sharing three ethical solutions to working with a client with bad taste. All of these options will protect you and your reputation as a designer while also treating your...

What do you say when a client asks you for your resources? Their questions might sound something like this: “Where did you get the bar stools for my kitchen? My friend wants to buy them!” “What’s the number of your painter? I need to get my daughter’s bedroom painted!” Take a deep breath and remember they’re not trying to steal from you, they just don’t understand how your business works or how to ask for what they need. The good news is, you can educate them on that and you’ll probably...

Is my design fee enough?  This is a very common question to have, especially when you’re making the transition from hourly rates to design fees. It’s hard to figure out what your fee should be, right? You want to ensure you’re getting paid for all your time and making a profit but you might feel like no one will pay for your services if you price them too high. I can help.  Your design fee won’t be perfect when you’re getting started, no one’s is, but if you work on it, you’ll start to...

How do you turn prospective clients into paying clients? Let’s talk about the magic question you should always ask a prospective client on an initial discovery call. This question will tell you everything you need to know about whether they will become a paying client or not.  In this replay of a favorite Interior Design Business Podcast episode, you’ll learn how to structure your discovery call, what to charge for it, what to include, and so much more. You’ll be bringing in new paying...

So, you’ve got a good design practice, a steady stream of ideal clients, and your jobs are consistently profitable. What’s the problem? You have absolutely no time for yourself. In fact, you spend most of your time putting out fires.  Does that sound familiar? It’s hard to grow your business when you’re spending all your time fixing things. Do you want to know the solution to the chaos? Systems and processes.  When you have repeatable systems and processes in place, your problems will...

Where does the most potential for profit lie in design jobs? Purchasing.  If you’re not sure how to get your purchasing profits up, you’re in luck. Let me introduce you to our guest for this episode of the Interior Design Business Podcast, Heather McManus. Heather is the creator and CEO of The Designers Collaborative and she knows pretty much everything there is to know about profitable purchasing in the design world.  In this episode, you’ll learn how to find vendors you want to work...