business of design — Interior Design Business Resources

Business Clarity Challenge

First post of a new year! Love a fresh start. I've reworked my Business Clarity Challenge for 2018 and think it is the perfect companion to the beginning of a new year (or anytime you're feeling overwhelmed and directionless).

This free challenge was designed to touch on all those things that you can miss in the rush to get your business off the ground, the client work and the day-to-day running of an interior design business. If you give yourself a few hours over the next week to do the daily lessons and exercises, you will emerge next week with SO MUCH MORE CLARITY.

How to Deal with Negative Client Feedback

Getting negative feedback from a client is inevitable. Let's just get that out of the way: you are going to get negative feedback and so is every other interior designer out there. You're not alone. But sometimes it feels like you're alone if you hear anything but rave reviews. It can feel like a giant spotlight is on you. Or like it is written on your face and everyone knows. But none of this is true.

Sadly, negative feedback will probably stick with you much longer than the rave reviews. At least it does for me. In a way, I think this is because we don't expect our clients to have criticism. We expect our clients to love the work we've done for them. This kind of feedback can make you question your talent and maybe even question why you are in interior design.

3 Money Habits to Grow Your Biz

Here's a little secret about me: I despise the financial/accounting parts of running my business. So much so, there have been times that I try to ignore it altogether, forget it exists. I just want to create!

Please don't do this. This doesn't help your business grow. And ignoring your financials does not make them disappear.

Here is where creating some money habits in your business is going to come in handy. Because you are going to make them habits and habits by definition are something you do regularly. You are going to be motivated because you know that keeping an eye on your money is going to help your business grow and run more smoothly. Easier.

Designing a Business Retreat

I'm going to introduce what is probably a radical concept to many interior design business owners out there. A retreat. To be more exact: a business retreat. Know all those conferences that are held by very large businesses where they fly their star employees to a location, have meetings all day, then follow up with some band that hasn't put out an album in at least 20 years? That's what I want you to do, at least yearly. Better bi-annually. You can have a business retreat without the employees and without the band, but keep the meetings and the planning.

This is a wonderful time of year to start thinking about it. Look at your calendar, pick a day, preferably two and preferably not the weekend. Why not the weekend? Because you are business planning, and this is work and it shouldn't feel like the weekend. I also don't want you to feel burnt out from working two weeks straight. #worksmarternotharder

Tracking Your Business: Monthly Reviews

It took me a couple years to finally be able to take my attention away from the day-to-day of starting and running my business. I realized I needed to be working on the business and not just in it. I was years-in before I started doing monthly reviews, but there isn't a single better tool for tracking your business progress.

And it can be quick!

My to-do list was always a mile long and always included urgent tasks, things that needed to get done right then rather than the important tasks that would help my business grow. It's like spending all your time picking up your house without ever cleaning it.

When I started doing monthly reviews, I created a repeating appointment in my calendar. The last business day of every month I spend an hour reviewing my business in the following areas.

How to Increase Value Perception

Designers, if you've been around for any period of time, you've probably heard that you shouldn't discount your services. When you discount your services you create the perception that what you're offering is worth less and it's hard to go back to normal pricing. This is because of value perception.

Therefore, it can be harmful to the design industry when a designer undercharges because it decreases value perception.

The interior design service industry has suffered from a value decrease in the past 15+ years, while the interior design DIY industry has boomed. And this is precisely what interior designers are struggling with now, how to demonstrate value in their services when clients have been exposed to things like Home Goods and HGTV.

Make More Money by Specializing

Niche. Specialty.

Do a quick scan of your body and feelings that come up when you read those words.

Do you feel resistance? Excited? Annoyed? Defiance? Apathy?

Despite all the years that I have been in business and have been teaching other designers how you can make more money by specializing, I still feel a little bit resistant to it.

How to Get Sued

No matter how great you think your clients are if you are in business you can get sued. Unfortunately, anyone can file suit for almost anything and you'll have to defend yourself. Whether you're at fault or not. This is the scary reality of running a business. But, the good news is the likelihood of facing a client or vendor in court is probably pretty minimal. It is important to have good communications with your vendors and clients and it is important to protect your business and yourself.

Here are 5 ways to get sued:

What to Know Before You Start an Interior Design Business

I can be my own boss! I can make my own hours! I can do what I want! These are probably the thoughts that are at the forefront of any fledgling business owner's mind.

But before you go down that path, here is what you really need to know about starting an interior design business.

Why Your First Hire Shouldn't Be An Assistant

Often, when you start an interior design business and begin approaching the threshold of too much for one person to handle, the first person interior designers want to turn to is an assistant. Naturally, they want to clone themselves and have another doing the work they are doing. This could be a mistake.

Creating Core Values for Interior Designers

You're adrift in the sea and you find a floating log to hold on to.

This is what creating core values can do for your business. If you're adrift you can grab hold of your values and hold on. Values keep you on course, but if you've strayed or have suddenly looked up and realized you don't know where you are and have no idea how you got there, values can get you back on course.

So the reason to define your core values is to keep or get you back on course.

How to Discover Your Business Mission & Vision Statements

I think most small business owners skip creating mission and vision statements because they are just too damn busy doing the day-to-day work of running a small business. Who has time to create a mission statement? My mission is just to service my clients and make a living. While that mindset may sustain you for the first couple of years, down the road, it is advantageous to get out of the day-to-day work IN your business and start working ON your business.

So here is my special plan for creating your own mission and vision statements for your interior design business.

Why are you in business?

There is a lesson in my course, The Golden Blueprint, that I call Guiding Light. This lesson is done the very first week of the course because it is meant to be just that, a guiding light.

I read today that people spend more time planning a vacation than they do their lives. So while most people will write down lists of places to visit and restaurants to try and then plan how to make them happen and how to get there, very few people actually do that with their lives.

Simple Business Plans for Interior Designers

I'm continuing the series on Strategic Planning with creating a business plan. Now, wait, before I lose you, this isn't going to be a super complicated multi-page plan that no one will ever see.

The new business plans are focused and can help you get clear in just a page to what your plan is.

I'll be going deeper into these topics over the next few months. But get your juices flowing and get something on your paper will help you and your business.

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