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

Although many creative professionals identify with the label of “chronic under-charger”, too few are able to wrestle free from the self-inflicted bonds. There is no honor is staying stuck or staying broke. In this episode we learn: - business owners need to know costs - clients need to know price - why flat fee proposals can be more challenging to get right - creative professionals need to understand costs and resources in order to create a price for services It’s time to take control of your business. Become a member of Business of Design®, today: https://businessofdesign.com/?ref=2&campaign=podcast

Who’s running your business today? Is it going to be my fearful, insecure self? Or is it my confident, brave, determined, grateful self? Running a business takes guts, drive and passion. Finding a tribe, a group of people that can push you to lean into your authentic, brave, knowledgeable self, and ask for help when you need it, can energize you as a business owner and renew your confidence. In this episode we learn: - you don’t know everything, but you know a lot—own your power - beware of the temptation to turn your power over to others, who may not be as well-suited to running your business, as you are - the right tribe can become your company’s board of directors - delegating is critical—get rid of those tasks you do not enjoy, or are not expert at It’s time to take control of your business. Become a member of Business of Design®, today: https://businessofdesign.com/?ref=2&campaign=podcast

With any design problem to solve, it’s easy to make it pretty, but hard to make it matter. Choosing visionary clients and beginning every project with a beginner’s mind, allows you to listen to what the client wants and needs and solve for what matters most. In this episode we learn: - say yes to projects that are backed by clients who share similar values to you; pass on those that do not. - get clear on what defines success for a project - start with a beginner’s mind when researching and gathering information, even if you’ve done similar projects in the past - good ideas can come from anywhere. - everything is an opportunity—no project goes as planned, so lean into the challenges that come up along the way to find creative solutions that embrace the reality of the situation in an elegant and thoughtful way. It’s time to take control of your business. Become a member of Business of Design®, today: https://businessofdesign.com/?ref=2&campaign=podcast

As a young designer, just starting out, Kimberley made some big mistakes. Change may be hard, but staying stuck is impossible. In this episode we learn: - the boss makes the rules - you’re the boss, make new rules - it’s possible to change anything and everything in your current method of operation, but first, you must let go of what isn’t working It’s time to take control of your business. Become a member of Business of Design®, today: https://businessofdesign.com/?ref=2&campaign=podcast

If you’re not in control of your money, you are not in control of your life. Mind blowing. YES! Financial Planner, Brad Clinard shares advice for taking control of finances, right this minute. In this episode we learn: - establishing a financial plan for your business. It will help you navigate life transitions and create a brighter future - any “loss” can negatively impact us if we don’t work through the grief - know your dashboard of crucial financial data - get organized and take part in understanding all your financial data have a written plan - save now, no matter how little It’s time to take control of your business. Become a member of Business of Design®, today: https://businessofdesign.com/?ref=2&campaign=podcast

These days, designers have the challenge of not only unpacking who their client is and how they really live, but also in sussing out a person's authentic style and preferences—not simply what they think they're supposed to like based on what they see in their Instagram feed. Getting beyond the story leads to deeper connection and better results. In this episode we learn: - it takes effort to uncover who your client really is, underneath the veneer of who she is presenting herself to be - observing a client at home, in her natural habitat, tells you far more than listening alone - people are wired to give the answer they think you want to hear - emotions are powerful, find out how your client feels It’s time to take control of your business. Become a member of Business of Design®, today: https://businessofdesign.com/?ref=2&campaign=podcast

The business self-help aisle at your local bookstore (or on Amazon) is overrun with recommendations. Business of Design™ member Emma Navajas narrows in on recommendations the BOD™ community needs now. As a bonus, at the end of this episode, Emma repeats her book recommendations for our Spanish speaking audience. ¡Qué maravilloso! In this episode we learn: - Emma’s fave books for the interior design creative, in four categories—business skill, negotiation skills, etiquette and mind set. It’s time to take control of your business. Become a member of Business of Design®, today: https://businessofdesign.com/?ref=2&campaign=podcast

The biggest challenge a business owner frequently has, is knowing what the biggest challenge is. If you just, “trust your gut,” when it comes to tackling a challenge, you’re likely to steer your business down the wrong path. So, how exactly can the business owner determine where the focus should be? Author and entrepreneur advocate, Michael Michalowicz shares his diagnostic formula with Business of Design™. In this episode we learn: - why the business owner struggles and gets stuck - what is the business hierarchy of needs - how to navigate getting unstuck It’s time to take control of your business. Become a member of Business of Design®, today: https://businessofdesign.com/?ref=2&campaign=podcast

Writing a book is something many designers dream of doing but very few sit down to make it happen. Anna-Carin McNamara did write her book, and “Make a home to Love” not only showcases her gorgeous design work, it speaks to her process and philosophy, offering clients a permanent record of her expert aesthetic. In this episode we learn: - a book of your design projects is a business card on steroids - stop thinking your skill set is all intuition, there is a process, write it down - writing a book can help you define and refine your process - it takes discipline to write the book, schedule time It’s time to take control of your business. Become a member of Business of Design®, today: https://businessofdesign.com/?ref=2&campaign=podcast

Start with the end in mind. Isn’t that what we do, as designers? Clients come to a design professional with a vision of what they want to create—the end product or goal. Then, it’s our job to reverse engineer the design process to reach that goal. Acting as lead on the project, gives us the best opportunity for success. In this episode we learn: - there are only 13 states that do not require licensing for general contractors - a contractor’s licenses can be beneficial, but doesn’t necessarily protect consumers - build a strong relationship with trades and contractors - build a double bottom-line - start with the end in mind It’s time to take control of your business. Become a member of Business of Design®, today: https://businessofdesign.com/?ref=2&campaign=podcast

Silver lining alert: it’s likely, this forced slow down will help us all be more comfortable with technology and working remotely. There are distinct advantages to being “remote ready”, including positioning your firm to take on those lucrative, out of town projects. Interior designer Rebecca Ward shares her strategies for successfully working remotely. In this episode we learn: - embracing technology has advantages in efficiency - a business phone line (not your cell) is the best bet - access your financials from anywhere - track tasks more efficiently - share and access all client and business files regardless file size - instant, searchable conversations with your team are possible - track every minute of the task you are working on and export it to a log sheet invoice It’s time to take control of your business. Become a member of Business of Design®, today: https://businessofdesign.com/?ref=2&campaign=podcast

Rather than wait for business to return to normal, let’s accept that everything has changed and the new normal might even be an improvement. In this episode, Kimberley makes some predictions about opportunities that will be a direct result of the current world crisis. In this episode we learn: - trade up—reconsider trade relationships and make positive changes - introduce a contract between you and your trades (Resource Guide to Excellence) - staff up—reconsider staff (independent contractor) relationships and make positive changes - make time now to work on your business, finally - embrace new technology; it’s here to stay - get ready to have less competition and more runway for the work you love It’s time to take control of your business. Become a member of Business of Design®, today: https://businessofdesign.com/?ref=2&campaign=podcast

The surest sign of business maturity is the willingness to take responsibility and ownership for everything that’s happens in your business—especially those things which go wrong. BOD™ member and DC designer, Christie Leu says when there’s a problem, “it’s all her fault,” and that means, she can correct anything that isn’t working. In this episode we learn: - look at jobs that went wrong and find what you could have done to make them better - consider how to fix or avoid a problem in the future - improve communication with clients and contractors with better written systems - be responsible for choosing who to work with and when to walk away It’s time to take control of your business. Become a member of Business of Design®, today: https://businessofdesign.com/?ref=2&campaign=podcast

Not sure what the next step is? Now is a perfect time to hit pause. Use this time of enforced slow down to reconsider all the aspects of business—those you love and those you like less. It’s also, according to Kimberley, a perfect way to improve your business with no down side. In this episode we learn: - polish your sales pitch - fine tune your website so it appeals only to ideal clients - give yourself permission to say no for a short while, if that feels good - consider passing jobs to other design friends if you don’t want them now It’s time to take control of your business. Become a member of Business of Design®, today: https://businessofdesign.com/?ref=2&campaign=podcast

Now is the perfect time to reconsider everything in your business life. Business of Design™ member, Lindsay Kjellberg suggests a closer look at expenses will help you discover what changes you can make now and in the future. In this episode we learn: - it’s ok to feel the feelings—grief, sadness, anger - categorize expenses into green, yellow and red light - block increments of time to devote to business It’s time to take control of your business. Become a member of Business of Design®, today: https://businessofdesign.com/?ref=2&campaign=podcast