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 definitely...

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 for ...

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 to g...

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 do...

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 others,...

Customer service is more important than ever! It's the key to keeping your clients coming back, to getting new clients through grassroots marketing, and to making sure your business is running smoothly. But with all the supply chain issues, shipping delays, and problems with products when they do ar...

The holidays can be magical - and stressful. I like to get ahead of the craziness by planning my client gifts early so my team and I aren't scrambling at the last minute. That's no fun for anyone and it takes the magic out of the season, for sure! So what do you have planned for your clients? This i...

It can be tough working on a "team" that's been put together by a client, especially if you've never even met the architect or builder who is part of the project. We've all heard (or experienced) the horror stories of teams that weren't very good at collaborating. Or who were pitted against each oth...

This is one of the strangest times I can remember in the interior design business. We have clients clamoring for our services, but at the same time the supply chain is completely broken. Which of course makes it hard for us to deliver on those services. And if there was ever a time to have your cust...

Keeping your head down and completely focusing on a project can keep the work rolling smoothly. But one day you'll raise your head and realize you don't have any other projects coming your way. YIKES! That is definitely not a good scenario - so how do you keep that from happening to you and your bus...

The information you get from your clients during those initial meetings is critical to a successful project! If you don't get it right in the beginning, you just aren't going to deliver what your clients want. It could be the most beautiful home, with stunning art and selections, but your clients ma...

I do love a spring clean, getting rid of cobwebs and dust, and opening up those windows to let in the fresh air! We need to spring clean our businesses just as much as we do our homes. The same ideas apply - we want to clear the clutter to make way for some FRESH ideas and smoother processes. Here a...