When you’re watching another designer’s business - you lose sight of your own.
Most of us get in our own way. We are what keeps us from getting to where we want to go. With my coaching clients, I see this pretty frequently, but I can also recognize when I do this to myself. This is a universal human struggle. But what if you don’t need to know, that trust comes first?
Read MoreSo, you want to scale your business this year? Or maybe next. Or sometime in the future.
Some people start their interior design business without any idea of where they ultimately want to take their business, they may not even realize they are actually starting a business. They are just working IN their business, head down, trying to get something off the ground. And often, the business takes off because of all their hard work and they are just along for the ride, rather than steering the ship.
So first, you need to steer the ship.
Read MoreAll this month I’m interviewing real-life designers about what it is like to run a design business. As you’ll see these ladies have all different backgrounds and experiences, but one thing they all have in common is that they have taken my course, The Golden Blueprint.
A native of Russia, Oksana moved to the US as a teen. After getting an associates degree in Interior Design, Oksana worked for another Denver design firm for 10 years before setting out on her own with Pure Design in 2013.
Read MoreAfter earning a Bachelors & MBA in International Business and working in International Trade for 9 years, Corrine left her job managing a team in exports/imports and customs documentation. She got a certificate from the Interior Design Institute and started Boo and Rook in July 2016. In addition to her residential interiors work, she does interior and creative design work for a consulting and branding agency as well as designing cases and displays for a jewelry company, styling several sets for a photoshoo for the same jewelry company, and she'll be styling a launching event coming up in the next several months.
Read MoreLaunching an interior design business is not for the faint of heart, some people want to get it up and running in a matter of weeks and others can spend years before they feel like they can hang their shingle. I see designers get stuck in the process needlessly because they become paralyzed with decision-making. Keep this in mind - you can always change it later. I tried to give the steps in order that I would go if I was starting from scratch, but the thing is many of these steps can and should be done simultaneously. You can't build a great brand without first knowing who you want to sell to and vice versa. But that's what I mean about changing it later, you can always go back and refine what you've got.
Read MoreYou are in charge of your business. You are at the top. You must take ownership of your service, your business, your job, your employees, your subs, of every aspect of business. "Every problem in the company was indeed my fault." says Horowitz, without this mindset you will be looking to others while they look to you because, "some employees make products, some make sales, the CEO makes decisions." You are the decision maker. If you can't take ownership of what you are building, don't start a design business, or as the author says, "If you don't like choosing between horrible & cataclysmic, don't become CEO."
Read MoreFirst 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.
Read MoreAbout Julie White After working for an award-winning design firm in Phoenix, Julie started J White Designs in 2012. At this point, she has over 13 years of experience in residential and commercial design focusing on high-end residential design, which is apparent in her beautiful project photos. She has a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design from Arizona State University and is NCIDQ certified. Julie has clients all over the state of Arizona and, full disclosure, is one of my local design friends. You can read more about her business in Client Confessions.
Read MorePinterest has become one of the biggest search engines online and it's still growing. Now as I mentioned in last week's post on growing your Instagram following, social media is not one of my strengths. But I've been working on it recently and I'm going to share with you what I've learned. If you have tips, be sure to share them in the comments!
Make it easy for website visitors to pin your images with a Pin It Button on your website. Beware of copyright infringement implications.
Read MoreIn the orientation calls for my business training course this past week, I found myself giving the same advice to many of the designers: separate your business (e.g. Capella Kincheloe Interior Design) from your person (e.g. Capella). Most of the designers I spoke to had trouble creating boundaries. They had trouble saying no. Clients were calling on weekends.
When you own a small business you and your business are inevitably entwined. However, your boundaries will be much easier to manage if you can separate yourself from the business.
Read MoreHere'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.
Read MoreI'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
Read MoreIt 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.
Read MoreInterior design has always been a secretive profession: hiding our sources, protecting our trade secrets and creating the illusion that everything is fantastic has been the norm. Running this sort of business is no longer productive. The most successful interior designers know they don't know everything and know when to ask for advice. When interior designers thrive, the interior design industry thrives. So why would you not want to help out your fellow designers if it'll help you too?
So here is my advice, don't be afraid to reach out to another designer in a professional and reciprocal way. Don't just look for handouts, offer to share something of your own. You can learn a lot from working for another designer, something I always recommend to those starting a interior design business.
Read MoreThe beginning of a year always feels a little rushed for me. The first day back to work in the new year feels overwhelming and has me thinking how am I going to get everything done? But it is entirely my fault. There is usually a lot going on at the end of a year because of the holidays and trying to wrap up business and clients so that I can take time off, so what starts to happen is I start to push things I should have done into the new year and then start to pile on new goals and intentions. Does any of this sound familiar?
Read MoreAbout Jenika Cuadra Jenika runs J. Kurtz Design in Los Angeles California. Before starting her business of 1.5 years and being in the business a total of 13 years, Jenika earned a BA degree in Interior Design. But even before that she grew up surrounded by construction and worked with her dad on a couple of jobs when she was younger. After college she also worked in retail merchandising and retail furniture sales.
What traits or talents have made you successful?The trait that has given me most success is dedication. It’s just not possible for me to be hands off on any part of a project. I do all that I can to understand each facet of a project as fully and completely as I can to ensure that nothing gets overlooked, all I’s are dotted and all t’s are crossed. Of course, there are always hiccups but when I know that I’ve worked as hard on something that I possibly can I feel better about tackling any issues that might arise.
Read MoreAbout Stephanie Kraus Prior to starting Stephanie Kraus Designs almost 4 years ago in Pennsylvania, Stephanie Kraus worked in advertising and publishing sales. A self-taught designer, Stephanie works on renovations and whole house designs infusing her modern take on traditional with bold colors and patterns.
What traits or talents have made you successful? Resiliency, my work ethic, willing to learn new material and teach myself, being a risk taker.
Read MoreAbout Amy Aswell Amy Aswell runs Amy Aswell Interior Design in Sacramento California. She holds a Masters of Interior Architecture (M.I.Arch) from University of Oregon and is a Certified Interior Designer and LEED AP. Prior to starting her design business in 2012, she taught interior design at the college-level. Amy loves variety and her project load reflects that. In addition to residential projects, she has done restaurants, TV shows, and designed custom furniture and lighting.
What traits or talents have made you successful? I take a positive approach with clients and new projects. I see every new job as a new opportunity to create something wonderful. Being able to hit the re-set button and learn from each new experience, grow, adapt, persevere and continue finding the joy in every new design program and problem. I like variety and prosper when a design job requires me to dive into research mode, whether it's a new restaurant concept, material innovation or advancements in sustainability.
Read MoreSo you want to start an interior design business? When I first started my business, I was pretty broke. I had just moved to another city and was using savings to live on because I didn't have any clients (aka income). I remember my mom sent me a hundred-dollar bill and I was so relieved that I cried. True story.
If you're starting like I did, don't dismay. You can do it. These things are all very important and I truly wish I would have slammed down my credit card and set this all up before I started my business because it would have been easier than the diy hacking that I did for a while.
Read MoreYou'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.
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