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...

If you aren't already in the middle of marketing for 2024 business, then it is TIME to get that plan in place! Most predictions are that the first part of next year will see more belt tightening and less business, so you want to start getting in front of your clients now with messaging that...

If you were caught off guard by the Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams shutdown, you were definitely NOT alone. Hopefully you aren't one of the MANY customers who now have to resource products that they ordered - and paid for. With an uncertain economy and some shaky times for the furniture business,...

There is nothing more awkward than finding yourself in the middle of an argument between a client couple! There are so many times when being a designer can feel like you're also a family therapist - and that's no fun. Emotions are often high around a design project, especially because you're...

Chasing your clients for payment is one of the worst things a designer has to do. You've had a great relationship, the project looks amazing, and then it feels like everything fell apart. NOTHING will take the wind out of your sails like having to constantly ask for your money. UGH. It's...

There are several points in your project that are SO important. They are the client touchpoints that can make or break the project for you - when you can seal the deal on referrals and future business, or not. And the installation is THE time to make a big impression! It's what the...

We're just a few days away from the fourth quarter of 2023. So with the business year winding down, it's the perfect time to start thinking about 2024. I know it can be tough to start thinking about the future when you are still VERY busy with the present, but doing this work now will set you up...

What success means is SOOO subjective! It can be financial benchmarks for some people, having a full roster of clients for others, or even just hitting certain personal goals. What success is NOT is some sort of set path that everyone has to follow. In our industry, we seem to forget that! The...

It should be part of our business goals to have the very best standards and to stick to them! We want that to be ingrained in our brand, no matter what your company's brand is. So what are brand standards?? It's how you present yourself to the world, but it's also about how your...

It can be SOOOO stressful running your own business. And lately the interior design business has had more than its fair share of stress. But we all know that stress is a killer - literally! And it definitely doesn't help us do a better job or be more creative when we're feeling that pressure and...

Why is it SO hard to talk about money?? It is actually more difficult for people than talking about death or politics. UGH. Interior designers are creatives - we love to talk about the pretty things and the stunning interiors we're going to create. But then we break out in a sweat when we have to...

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...