Interior Design Business Resources

Are you running an interior design business or hobby?

One of the most important things you can do for yourself in starting an interior design business is to take ownership. You are at the helm of the ship. You are the captain. You are the CEO. You make things happen, things don't happen to you.

Taking ownership means that if you decide to start an interior design business, you don't dabble. You take it seriously. (Even if you are running it part-time you can still run it like a business.) Otherwise, you need to recognize that you have a hobby and it is a side project. These are two very different things. You shouldn't allow your business-hobby languish in a grey area of uncertainty.

Should You Start a Interior Design Blog?

Three Reasons to Start an Interior Design Blog

1. SEO

You want more eyeballs on your website, this is how you do it. SEO is Search Engine Optimization and the more content on your website, the more Google has to troll, and the higher it'll appear in search rankings. IF you put the right keywords on your site - meaning your specialty, your location, your ideal clients, and what people are searching for in your area - literally what do they type into the Google search box.

Want more info on SEO? I'm hosting a webinar with Melissa of The Creative Potential on SEO for Interior Designers July 18th. Click image at bottom to learn more.

Should You Charge for a Design Consultation?

How to handle that first meeting with a client is a source of contention with many designers. How long? When? Where? What information should you get? How much information should you give?

Like running any business, there is not a single best answer. Everyone does it a little different and you can too. In my experience, it is best to get to know the client's needs before meeting with them in person. I have a lengthy client questionnaire that potential clients are required to fill out before I have an in-person meeting with them. Reading their answers gives me a better idea of what they are looking for and what they need. At this point I can also let them know if I don't think I am the right designer for them - all without ever meeting them in person. If we decide to proceed with an in-person meeting/ consultation…

Project Minimums

I have seen this question come up a few times lately and you know what that means! Time to write about it!

This question kind of baffles me, because, yes, you should have project minimums. To me, this comes from an insecurity of putting limits on your work and a fear of turning work away. You all know you should have a minimum budget for working with clients. So right now I am giving you permission to implement project minimums.

What are Reimbursable Expenses?

Sometimes I see that people get thrown off by the idea of reimbursable expenses or "reimbursables" which is a little less of a mouthful.

So what is a reimbursable and how does it differ from anything else that you buy for your clients?

How to be a Kick-ass (Interior Design) CEO

Take Ownership

You 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."

101 Reasons to Hire an Interior Designer

There are hundreds of reasons to hire an interior designer. Most of them come down to correct allocation of assets. They can keep their eye on the big picture, help maximize your investment and minimize headaches. They know who to call and how to avoid and resolve problems. They're there to make your space beautiful and functional.

There are designers out there for all types of projects and budgets. There are designers who could help you with every single thing on this list and some that specialize in certain ones. But hiring a designer is more than just finding pretty things and getting a discount on them.

Getting Testimonials from Interior Design Clients

Take a second to think about the last thing that you purchased - as small as a lipstick or as big as a car. I'd bet that you checked out reviews online before you committed to your purchase. We've come to trust the collective opinion of others - something called social proof to help us make decisions when we buy. Getting testimonials from your interior design clients is important because it boosts this in your own business.

Getting testimonials creates trust with potential clients and shows them the benefits of your service from a client perspective. Likely they will feel reassured that if another client was happy that you've done good work and they will be happy as well. Past performance says a lot about future performance.

How to Get Photos When You're Just Starting Out

How do you get project photos without clients? How can you get clients without project photos?

Setting up a website is a bit of a chicken & the egg situation when you are just starting your business. You know a website is super important, but you may put it off because you don't have any portfolio images to display, but it is also harder to get clients without a proper website.

So should you put your website up without photos or should you try to get clients so you have projects to show on your website?

My advice is to…

5 Questions to Ask Potential Clients

First, do you know that you don't have to accept every potential client that comes your way? You can screen clients to make sure that your partnership will be a good fit. You can qualify them to make sure they are looking for what you are offering. You can interview them to make sure they have honorable intentions.

Interior design projects are personal. They are demanding and emotional and stressful. You want to make sure that when you enter into a relationship with this other person that you both get your needs met and respected.

Because when we accept projects and agree to work with somebody only

5 Ways Your Interior Design Business Looks Unprofessional

It's hard to be objective about our own businesses. I also know that many of you worry, especially when you're just starting, that your business doesn't look like a business. That somehow potential clients will see that it's just you working on your computer at your dining room table. A little bit of imposter syndrome creeping into your thoughts. It's perfectly okay to work from home in your jammies and still be a legit business. Here are some fairly easy things that you can do to make sure that your business looks professional.

Website Audit for Interior Designers

Your website is supremely important to your business success. In fact, in today's internet-driven culture, it can make or break your business. I suggest allowing your business to do a lot of the work of selling, educating, and qualifying clients for you. This way you don't have to spend time doing this with each prospect that contacts you.

You should be reviewing and updating your website regularly. Your website is never "done", it should be

How to Find Balance

Is there such thing as balance? Of course! But that doesn't mean that all things are equal. And it may not mean what you think it means. Balance is what you make it and how YOU define it.

Let's talk about what we've been taught balance should be. Traditionally, balance has been giving equal attention to your career and your family, with maybe enough time for yourself in there too. We seem to think there is an elusive sweet spot of balance that will allow everything in our lives plenty of nurturing, love, attention, and time. This is so unrealistic for most of us today, yet we still hold on to this view. "Balance" in the traditional sense is a fantasy for most modern, business-owning women.

CEO MindCapella KincheloeApril 18, 2018balance, time management, burnout Comments

Basics: Design Dictionary

When I first started working in an interior design office, there were words that were being used that I had no idea what they meant, but I also didn't want to ask in case I looked stupid. True story. There were a lot of words that I was embarrassed to not know. But no fear my friends, I have complied a list of all those interior design industry words that confused me and I'm defining them for you. You don't have to feel stupid in the not knowing.

There are many interior design acronyms, some which are taken from architecture/construction and some that we've created all on our own. This list is by no means exhaustive, but

Naming Your Interior Design Business

When people go through my course, The Golden Blueprint, they often realize that they need a little rebranding so that the look of their business matches the services they are providing. And in that process many designers get really hung up on naming their businesses.

After talking to hundreds of designers, there is something that I feel I need to share on this topic. Don't name your business something basic. We all know the words that are overused in interior design business names. Don't use those.

Why Projects Fail

Most of the time, the only reason we are unhappy or disappointed is the result of unmet expectations. Take a minute to think about that. Think back on the past few days on the things that caused these feeling to arise. Go ahead, I promise it has to do with running an interior design business.

Having expectations leads to disappointments.

When Clients Want to Buy Retail

When you buy retail, you buy at an inflated price. Yet, more and more clients want to buy retail. They want their furniture quick and easy. Not to mention cheap. But what they (and you) may not realize is that you're likely paying a much bigger "markup" on retail compared to the quality that you get than to-the-trade sources.

Usually when buying to-the-trade the cost to quality ratio is much better. Clients get more for their money. They'll be paying a smaller markup to the designer rather than a large markup to the retailer.

How Important is an Interior Design Degree?

A couple of years ago I wrote the article, Do You Need A Degree in Interior Design?. The advice in that article is the same I'd give today. But today I'd like to talk a little more about this topic because I still get asked all the time if someone should get a degree.

Lately, a lot of those who have been doing the asking are people looking to change careers or are starting back up again after their kids have gotten a little older. They want to know if they need to go back to school.

Finding Quality Vendors

I've been getting this question a lot lately, how to find good vendors - contractors and subs specifically. And it's not an easy answer. I'm going to give you some pointers here today, but know that when a contractor doesn't return your call or email, is late to a meeting, or doesn't show when he promises - you are not alone, this happens to everyone.

As a designer, organizer, and a planner I find dealing with contractors one of the most frustrating parts of project management. (Contractors are you listening?) I don't know why, but it seems to be the norm that contractors: take forever to send quote/invoice, don't show up on time, don't show up with the

FundamentalsCapella KincheloeFebruary 21, 2018vendors, contractors, hiring contractors, finding trades peopleComment

Fee Schedule for Interior Designers

A fee schedule is just a list of client fees that could occur in your business and charge to clients. It is not necessary to have one, but if your pricing structure is complicated and you want to be transparent in pricing this is the way to go. I'm 100% for clear, transparent, and simple pricing.