Business of Design ™ | Interior Designers, Decorators, Stagers, Stylists, Architects & Landscapers

Set yourself up for success and growth by running your company like a big organization, even if you’re a one-man show. Guest host and BOD™ Member, Darci Hether of New York City, interviews her past employer, Andrew Kotchen of Workshop/APD. In this episode we learn: - Good work gets you good work. - How creating systems and procedures to run an office set you up for success. - Creating business longevity, planning for the future of your firm - How internal operations have changed since COVID—from a logistic standpoint and interpersonal standpoint - Recognizing opportunities for growth and strategic pivots - Lessons from past recessions and how to make changes to avoid financial vulnerability in the future - How to create a culture of growth - When you surround yourself with great talent, you do great work. It’s time to take control of your business. Become a member of Business of Design®, today: https://businessofdesign.com/?ref=2&campaign=podcast

You do not have to wait “feel ready” to make hard changes in your business. If you are getting advice from a trusted resource, someone who’s been there and done that, then take a leap of faith. BOD™ member, Christine Julian did just that. She raised the bar and her business has never been stronger or more profitable. In this episode we learn: - come prepared to each appointment with intentional questions to ask the clients - narrow your focus to grow profitability - set a minimum project amount to help clients self-select - a smaller team can sometimes limit redundancies and help projects run more smoothly - sharing past experiences elevates your creditability and helps clients make informed decisions It’s time to take control of your business. Become a member of Business of Design®, today: https://businessofdesign.com/?ref=2&campaign=podcast

Lackluster results, weak profit and downward mobility turn out to be powerful motivation to change. Take it from Dallas interior design professional and BOD™ member, Juliana Oliveira. She took control of her business by implementing what she learned and experienced explosive growth in one year. In this episode we learn: - dream big and don’t take no for an answer - implement the systems from BOD™, they work - it’s ok to set boundaries and take charge of projects It’s time to take control of your business. Become a member of Business of Design®, today: https://businessofdesign.com/?ref=2&campaign=podcast

2,040 hours is the typical full-time work week. If you are bringing home a salary of $30,000 for your full-time work as an interior design professional, you are making minimum wage. Can that really be enough compensation for the hard work you do? Absolutely not. Particularly not when wealth (not income) is the goal. In this episode we learn: - $30,000 for full-time work as an interior design professional is minimum wage - pay yourself first and you will be alerted to what needs to change in your business model - salary is the first step in a viable business model - profit comes after all expenses, including salaries, are paid - wealth is the goal - accumulated wealth allows you to retire when you want Learn more to grow your business at https://businessofdesign.com

Hitting rock bottom, while uncomfortable, is often a necessary part of any recovery process, whether from substance abuse or the harmful effects of a work life that lacks balance, reward and satisfaction. Desperation, a gift of hitting bottom, frequently provides the motivation required to make the most important changes in your business. In this episode we learn: - hitting bottom provides the desperation needed to do the hard work of recovery. - you can tune a room to improve acoustic properties - a minute of planning saves an hour of work - a disciplined financial plan is critical to surviving ups and downs - why not me? It’s time to take control of your business. Become a member of Business of Design®, today: https://businessofdesign.com/?ref=2&campaign=podcast

Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanottais started performing as a teenager, singing at open mic nights and acting in school plays. At a young age, she realized she needed a big personality to grow into and Lady Gaga was born. In this episode, BOD™ member, Laura Martin Bovard (aka The Divine Hustler) shares her methods for stepping into a more audacious future. In this episode we learn: - when an issue triggers you in some way, it’s because there is unresolved pain in your past. - it takes too much energy to keep yourself small - creating an alter-ego can liberate you - working from the feminine is powerful - competition is great, as long as it’s with yourself - it’s ok to brag once in a while, let your light shine It’s time to take control of your business. Become a member of Business of Design®, today: https://businessofdesign.com/?ref=2&campaign=podcast

This episode originally aired on March 9, 2020. If you’re just discovered Business of Design™ or you’re sitting on the fence because making changes seems overwhelming, listen to Kimberley’s advice on how to get started. In this episode we learn: - start where you are; tackle your biggest pain points first - take BOD™ 15 STEP Project Management Strategy in order from 1-15 - confidence comes from systems It’s time to take control of your business. Become a member of Business of Design®, today: https://businessofdesign.com/?ref=2&campaign=podcast

This episode originally aired December 9, 2019. To run a successful business, it’s vitally important to make time to work ON the systems and protocols that keep ensure projects run efficiently and effectively. DC designer Annie Elliott took this advice to heart and transformed her business—one system at a time. In this episode we learn: - make time to work ON your business. - a good bookkeeper is your partner in financial matters - select a software program can tell you what your gross, net and profit margin - follow your own rules - small projects take just as much time and effort as large ones, but they are far less profitable - review job descriptions from time to time - take time to analyze the income from past projects and spot the patterns - plant seeds of interest with the press It’s time to take control of your business. Become a member of Business of Design®, today: https://businessofdesign.com/?ref=2&campaign=podcast

In honor of Business of Design™ Podcast Episode 200, BOD™ Advocate in Chief, Kimberley Seldon shares 200 pearls of wisdom. Learn more about Business of Design, the number one business training resource for interior design professionals. It’s time to take control of your business. Become a member of Business of Design®, today: https://businessofdesign.com/?ref=2&campaign=podcast

Exhausted? Who isn’t? Kimberley shares a 5-step process for helping clients avoid project fatigue. In this episode we learn: - set clients’ expectations regularly - spend more time in the design and ideation phase - create milestones - take project breaks - visualize the end result It’s time to take control of your business. Become a member of Business of Design®, today: https://businessofdesign.com/?ref=2&campaign=podcast

There was a time when getting published meant immediate success for the interior design professional. Boy, have things changed! For traction these days, designers need to rely on a variety of media and social media, which is just digital word of mouth. In this episode we learn: - getting published used to be a sign that you’d made it - magazines no longer have the authority they once held - getting published has a secondary benefit of reminding clients you are active - local, community saturation will likely generate new clients It’s time to take control of your business. Become a member of Business of Design®, today: https://businessofdesign.com/?ref=2&campaign=podcast

To We or not to We, that is the question. And who better to answer it than BOD™ Advocate in Chief, Kimberley Seldon? KS gets help from sales expert, Nikki Rausch as she tackles this important question. In this episode we learn: - women often say "we" in reference to their work while men often say "I" - deflecting personal praise can signal a lack of confidence - using we language can lead to feeling more empowered It’s time to take control of your business. Become a member of Business of Design®, today: https://businessofdesign.com/?ref=2&campaign=podcast

Transformation is possible. However, working harder at current (and ineffective) methods will never produce the dramatic changes that lead to transformation. For real change, transformative change, start at the beginning and be prepared to abandon old strategies for new. In this episode we learn: - satisfy your existing clients and they’ll do your marketing for you - the process for determining a realistic budget is built into the BOD™ 15 - tell your client what is going to happen at each step along the way - create strategies to help you keep in touch with your clients after the project is completed - consider showing a completed client binder at the consultation It’s time to take control of your business. Become a member of Business of Design®, today: https://businessofdesign.com/?ref=2&campaign=podcast

How to foster a compassionate—and award-winning—work environment during times of crisis? Business partners Dave Shove-Brown and Dave Tracz say it all comes down to leadership via transparency and vulnerability. In this episode we learn: - transparency fosters autonomy - team members need to know the stakes in order to contribute effectively - encourage everyone who works for you to be expert at something - everyone has to empty the dishwasher - there is no avoiding the role owners play in managing interpersonal relationships - when hiring, include an informal opportunity to meet the potential team member - corporate culture is a mix of personality dynamics, shared environment and appetite for innovation. It’s time to take control of your business. Become a member of Business of Design®, today: https://businessofdesign.com/?ref=2&campaign=podcast

Transitioning from publishing interior design shelter magazines into taking on real-life clients wasn’t quite as easy as imagined, says Virginie Martocq. In this episode, Virginie shares lessons she’s learned from her best and worst client experiences. In this episode we learn: - be firm with your opinion; double down with clients who second guess - talk about money early - if you don’t feel good about the fit with a client at the consultation, walk away (if you can afford to) - avoid clients who cannot make up their minds - take time after a negative client experience to evaluate (in order to avoid a repeat It’s time to take control of your business. Become a member of Business of Design®, today: https://businessofdesign.com/?ref=2&campaign=podcast