As interior designers, we thrive on creativity. Who doesn't love that buzz you get when you're full of inspiration, or the thrill of seeing your vision come to life, or even the rush when the perfect fabric or finish pulls everything together?! I know I do!
But, if you’re managing your design proje...
In the world of interior design, systems are the secret to staying sane. You’re juggling dozens of details at any given moment, from floor plans, to invoices, vendor calls, sourcing trips, and clients who expect magic. Right?! No wonder your brain feels like a browser with 37 tabs open.
If you’ve e...
Wouldn't you love to magically improve customer service to be more efficient and effective, AND would make our companies more profitable?? Well, guess what? That isn't just craziness. Implementing strong business processes and systems WILL help you make all those dreams come true in your business. W...
A recent study by Express Employment Professionals of over 18,000 business owners showed that having a disorganized company can cost six working hours per week. WOW! That's almost an entire day just wasted. Having systems, processes, organized files, and templates can make a BIG difference in how pr...
Things don't always go our way. A project can go sideways, one mistake can seriously impact cash flow, or we can get hit with something crazy, like a pandemic or economic crisis. Some things we can plan for, and some we definitely cannot. But the old saying is true: It isn't about how we fall, it's ...
I started my entire consulting company for one reason - to help interior designers run more efficient and effective businesses! It's my PASSION! Because I've learned over many years that having an organized business means that you're going to be more profitable. It's just a fact! Having more control...
I love interior design - and I know you do, too! We are thrilled when we're being creative, we love making our clients happy, and we are so excited to finish a lovely project. But... there are those moments that make us wonder why we're in this business at all! Things go wrong, clients get angry, we...
As interior designers, it's important for us to have contractors we trust and love to work with. If we all operate as a team on our projects, we'll be less likely to have costly problems crop up, and MUCH more likely to have a great experience. And we all know there are contractors who are terrific ...
Every interior designer has had at least one not-great client (or more than one!). It is just a miserable experience and can REALLY drag you down! It can even impact your work with other clients and projects. So if at all possible, it's best to avoid those frustrating clients. There are definitely r...
Setting a budget - and sticking to it - can be one of the hardest and most stressful parts of an interior design project. Especially today because costs are rising every day on both supplies and furnishings. It's so important to lock in pricing when you can. But once you FINALLY have set a budget, t...
It is never fun to have a hard conversation with anyone, but it's especially difficult when it's your client. It doesn't matter if they're being difficult, if you've made a mistake on the project, or if you've got to tell them that their furniture order is delayed again. Those tough talks are one of...
You may think you have a professional business, but sometimes entrepreneurs will treat their business more like a hobby. That's usually due to FEAR! You just don't want to look too closely at what's happening in your company because deep down you really know you're not doing all that you should be. ...