The key to running a smooth - and less stressful!! - business is by having a full client pipeline! You want to be able to look ahead for the next 12-18 months and know that your income will be solid and you'll be busy. But this isn't a task that can just be reviewed and then checked off of a...

OK - everyone have their seatbelts on? If you listen to economists and forecasters, 2024 is going to be a bit of a bumpy ride. But work that you do NOW can help you avoid some of the bigger potholes. I know you're busy and that we're heading into the craziness of the holidays, but we need to look...

There are always challenges when we're working with clients. Things can go sideways SO easily! We're dealing with different personalities, people's money, and their most personal spaces, so emotions are already high. But there are ways that YOU can bypass unnecessary drama. Because...

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...

Too often we wish things in our businesses could be one-and-done. But that is never the case! Whether it's your financials, your business practices, or your client pipeline, you want to schedule regular times to review and refine. That is especially important with a client pipeline because - if...

Finding the perfect potential clients can be a time consuming job - but it is CRITICAL to your future success, and it's something you should be doing all the time. Networking, marketing, and a lot of outreach can pull in some great possible clients, but then what?? It's almost like a dating...

One of the best ways to be sure your project rolls along smoothly is the work you do with your clients BEFORE you even start! It's important to educate your clients so they understand how everything is going to move forward. That's ESPECIALLY true if they have never worked with a designer before....

If you're in the interior design business, you've had at least one not-great client. 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...

We're only a few days into the new year and I am ready for whatever comes for my company this year! How can I be so confident?? I always make a plan to start off on the right path so I have less to worry about AND so I can react to any ups or downs. We can't predict what the next 12 months hold...

We have all - unfortunately - been there. You have a client who is overly demanding, who is REALLY unpleasant to work with, or who may even be disrespectful to you or your staff. You may have even ignored those red flags, because they are ALWAYS there! But now, for your own sanity, you have got...

One of the crazy parts of the interior design business (and there's a LOT of crazy - ha!) is that we can have such an up-and-down cycle of business. Sometimes it really does feel like feast or famine. But I've found a way off that stressful rollercoaster ride by using my client pipeline! I have a...

Running your own business is so difficult - you have to understand your financials, have a solid business plan, create a strategic marketing plan, be witty and smart on social media, manage your clients, AND manage your team members. Whew, that is A LOT. But there is one thing, above all the...