When you work for someone else and you are put into an existing system and culture. They’ve created their systems, policies, and procedures and as an employee you’re expected to conform. These policies set up the rules of conduct within an organization and expectations of both the employee and the employer. Working for someone else’s business likely means there is an employee handbook, policies surrounding job performance & duties, and procedures for job performance.
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.
Claire grew up in Southern California and always loved interior design. Like so many of us in interior design, she was constantly rearranging the furniture in her childhood home and even painted some kitchen cabinets while her mom was out of town! She graduated from UC Berkley and received an MFA in Interior Architecture and Design. She's worked with several design firms in both residential and commercial design, including AirBNB's San Fran headquarters. As the Elite + Celebrity Design Manager for Decorist, she had plenty of experience with e-design. Claire lives in Los Angeles, has been running her own design firm, Design Worthy, for about a year.
Read MoreOne 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.
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 MoreThere 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.
Read MoreIs 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.
Read MoreI like to focus on my year ahead for the entire month of January. It doesn't seem like there is ever enough time at the end of the year to plan for the next one. In my business, January is a planning month. I like to spend some time reviewing last year and creating goals for the new year by asking the right questions and taking time to answer them.
In the January 2018 issue of O Magazine, Oprah writes, "What's the best way to live a full, honest, examined life? Where do we find deeper meaning? How can we bridge the gap between ourselves and others? The answer, in every case: Ask the right questions."
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 MoreA few years ago, I was talking to another designer and I warned her that some of the photos on her blog could be putting her at risk for copyright infringement. She was immediately defensive and responded that the designers should be happy that the photos were on her site because it was free publicity. I tried to explain that publicity or not, she was opening herself and her business to potential legal action. She reacted like I was going to be the one to file the lawsuit!
So I hope that you'll be a little more open-minded to what I'm going to talk about today. In other words, don't shoot the messenger.
The bottom line is unless you took the photos on your website or have explicit permission from the copyright holder you are infringing on copyright and can have legal action taken against you.
Read MoreIt is no secret that I love organization, so when I started organizing my business it came fairly naturally to me. Coupled with my desire to make things as easy and automatic as possible, creating business systems was actually fun. I realize that this is not the case with most anyone else. I enthusiastically recommend creating business systems and processes to every interior design business owner. And not because I think it is fun. Systems can help your business run smoother, more efficiently, and with minimal brain power. You may even have some unofficial systems running already without knowing it.
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 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 MoreNo 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.
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.
Read More
