Design Curious | Interior Design Career and Business Podcast

Are you studying interior design, preparing to graduate, or hoping to land your first job at a design firm? You might already know how to create a beautiful space, develop a floor plan, or put together a portfolio. But do you know what happens between the first client consultation and the final installation? Do you understand how materials are specified, projects are managed, budgets are handled, and client expectations are met? These practical skills help turn your creative education into a successful interior design career.

In this episode, I'm answering frequently asked questions from interior design students about how I got started, what I love about the profession, and what I've learned along the way. I'll share what I look for when hiring junior designers, which technical and business skills can help you stand out, how to present your portfolio, and whether professional credentials and design associations are worth pursuing. I'll also explain why communication, networking, curiosity, and a willingness to learn can be just as valuable as your design skills.

If you're starting out and getting hired feels overwhelming, know that you don't need to know everything on your first day. You do need to be willing to learn, take responsibility, ask questions, and build experience over time. My goal is to help you understand what the profession actually involves so you can prepare for opportunities, make informed career decisions, and grow into a confident, capable interior designer.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✔️ How to turn your creativity into an interior design career

✔️ Which technical skills help new designers get hired

✔️ How to present a portfolio that explains your design decisions

✔️ Why business skills, communication, and networking matter

✔️ How to build confidence through experience and continuous learning

Read the Blog >>> Tips & FAQs for Building a Strong Interior Design Career Foundation

NEXT STEPS:

🎯 Join the webinar waitlist: “Your First Interior Design Client: The Roadmap You Need Before You Say Yes.” 👉 https://rwarddesign.myflodesk.com/firstclientwebinar

🎯 Join My Design Mentor and start creating a design career you truly love.

👉https://my-design-mentor.mn.co/

📺 WATCH FREE WEBINARS 📺

• "From Passion to Profit," and learn the 5 Money Moves to start your interior design business right 👉 https://rwarddesign.myflodesk.com/5moneymoves
• Are You Ready to Start Your Interior Design Business? How to Know for Sure (and What It Really Costs to Launch) 👉 https://rwarddesign.myflodesk.com/areyoureadyreplay

Check out our Designer's Playlist!

*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey

*️ From Newbie to Confident Designer

*️ Switching Gears to Interior Design

Grab your freebies:

📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design

🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my Career

Connect With Me:

📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com

🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign

🌎 Website athttps://rwarddesign.com/https://rwarddesign.com/

Thanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...

Timestamps

0:00 Introduction & Webinar Announcement

3:14 How I Discovered Interior Design

5:09 What I Love and Find Challenging

8:57 What Design School May Not Teach You

11:41 CAD Skills and Junior Designer Opportunities

13:09 What I Look for When Hiring Designers

16:09 The Value of Having Credentials or Belonging to Associations

19:49 Hourly Billing, Flat Fees, and Design Rates

20:55 Learning the Complete Design Process

What if the best interior design solutions don’t come from having all the answers, but from being curious enough to ask better questions?

In this episode with Sarah Broughton of Rowland+Broughton, the Colorado-based architecture and design studio, what really stood out to me was the way Sarah approaches design: not as a collection of separate specialties, but as a holistic, collaborative practice.

She describes this approach as convergent design—bringing architecture, interior design, landscape, makers, products, and other creative disciplines together rather than treating them as isolated pieces of a project.

And at the heart of it all is the client. Great design isn’t simply about creating something beautiful. It’s about listening, anticipating, collaborating, solving problems, and ultimately providing a level of service that creates delight for the person you’re designing for.

Featured Guest:

Sarah Broughton is a principal and co-founder of Rowland+Broughton, an Aspen- and Denver-based architecture and design studio she founded with her husband, John Rowland, in 2003. A licensed architect and Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, Sarah is recognized for her leadership in sustainable design and professional advocacy. Her work spans architecture, interior design, hospitality, residential projects, product design, and civic work, with a strong emphasis on collaboration, place, wellness, and artistic integration. She and John have built a multidisciplinary practice that embraces a convergent approach to design and actively mentors the next generation of designers.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✳️ Why curiosity makes designers better collaborators

✳️ How convergent design creates a seamless client experience

✳️ Why designers should anticipate client needs

✳️ How iteration strengthens the creative design process

✳️ Why great design is ultimately a service

Read the Blog >>> Interior Design as a Collaborative Service

NEXT STEPS:

🎯 Get on the waitlist for the Launch Your Business Bootcamp Winter Season 👉 https://rwarddesign.myflodesk.com/launch-your-business-bootcamp

🎯 Join My Design Mentor and start creating a design career you truly love.

👉https://my-design-mentor.mn.co/

📺 WATCH FREE WEBINARS 📺

•

"From Passion to Profit," and learn the 5 Money Moves to start your interior design business right 👉 https://rwarddesign.myflodesk.com/5moneymoves

•

Are You Ready to Start Your Interior Design Business? How to Know for Sure (and What It Really Costs to Launch) 👉 https://rwarddesign.myflodesk.com/areyoureadyreplay

Check out our Designer's Playlist!

*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey

*️ From Newbie to Confident Designer

*️ Switching Gears to Interior Design

Grab your freebies:

📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design

🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my Career

Connect With Me:

📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com

🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign

🌎 Website athttps://rwarddesign.com/https://rwarddesign.com/

Thanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...

Timestamps

0:00 Introduction and Guest Bio

3:32 Sarah’s Journey From Architecture to Convergent Design

6:18 The Advantage of Combining Architecture and Interiors

9:38 Building a Multidisciplinary Design Team

14:54 Blending Architecture, Interiors, and Product Design

18:18 Why Progress Matters More Than Perfection

20:13 The importance of mentors

22:40 Getting Unstuck by Returning to the Basics

Running an interior design business can be incredibly rewarding, but let's be honest: it can also be lonely. You might love the creative work, enjoy transforming homes, and feel passionate about serving your clients, yet still struggle with financial management, project profitability, client challenges, and the many decisions that come with being a business owner. And when things slow down, it's easy to question yourself, wonder whether you're doing something wrong, or feel like you should have everything figured out by now.

I've learned that growing a successful interior design business isn't just about having the right skills, creating beautiful spaces, or listening to another business podcast. It's also about surrounding yourself with people who understand what you're going through, who will hold you accountable, and who are willing to give you candid feedback when you need a fresh perspective. That's one of the biggest benefits I've experienced through the Design Leaders Collective (DLC), an international community of interior designers who share their experiences, compare business practices, and help one another grow.

In this episode, I'm joined by two of my fellow Design Leaders Collective members, Jodie Carter of Jodie Carter Design in Australia and Andrea Reardon of Andrea Reardon Design in Texas. We talk about how our group evolved from a three-year mastermind into an ongoing community, why financial transparency and accountability matter, and how peer support can help you make better business decisions. If you're an established interior designer looking for accountability partners, candid feedback, and a stronger business perspective, this conversation will help you understand what meaningful professional support can look like. We're also opening the door to new members who are ready to contribute, learn, and grow alongside other design business owners.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✳️ Why accountability helps interior design businesses grow sustainably

✳️ How financial comparisons improve business management and profitability

✳️ Why candid feedback leads to better business decisions

✳️ How peer support helps designers navigate challenging seasons

✳️ What it takes to join Design Leaders Collective

Featured Guests:

Jodie Carter is the founder of Jody Carter Design, based near Sydney, Australia. With more than two decades of experience in interior design, she works on high-end residential projects, including beautiful coastal waterfront homes and historic properties.

Andrea Reardon is the founder of Andrea Reardon Design, serving the Dallas, Texas, suburbs. She specializes in residential interior design and has increasingly focused on accessibility design, including remodels for families with special needs.

Read the Blog >>> How Design Leaders Collective Helps Interior Designers Build Stronger Businesses

NEXT STEPS:

🎯 Design Leaders Collective: Contact me at podcast@rwarddesign.com to request membership information and details about the recruitment presentation.

🎯 Join My Design Mentor and start creating a design career you truly love.

👉https://my-design-mentor.mn.co/

📺 WATCH FREE WEBINARS 📺

•

"From Passion to Profit," and learn the 5 Money Moves to start your interior design business right 👉 https://rwarddesign.myflodesk.com/5moneymoves

•

Are You Ready to Start Your Interior Design Business? How to Know for Sure (and What It Really Costs to Launch) 👉 https://rwarddesign.myflodesk.com/areyoureadyreplay

Connect With Me:

📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com

🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign

🌎 Website athttps://rwarddesign.com/https://rwarddesign.com/

Thanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...

Timestamps

0:00 Introduction and Guests Bio

5:48 The Origins of Design Leaders Collective

11:15 Financial Management and Accountability

15:36 Collaborative Benefits and Meetings

19:16 Who Can Join Design Leaders Collective?

30:35 How to Explore Membership Opportunities

If you’re an interior designer trying to build a business, you’ve probably heard that you need a strong brand. But what does that actually mean? Is it your logo? Your color palette? The beautiful images on your website? While all of those things can help identify your brand, they aren’t what makes your business different.

The more important question is: Why should a potential client choose you over another interior designer? When designers look similar from the outside, clients can easily start comparing portfolios, services, and—eventually—prices. That can make it incredibly difficult for a small business or solopreneur to establish a competitive advantage.

In this episode, I talk with Jon Czeranna, co-founder of Wit & Craft and creator of the Brand Lab, about brand positioning for small businesses and interior designers. Jon shares a structured positioning framework that helps you identify your competition, uncover market gaps, understand your ideal client, articulate what makes your business unique, and build a brand story around that difference.

And if you’re a newer designer without a large portfolio, Jon shares something that can help you build your online presence right away.

Featured Guest

Jon Czeranna is the co-founder of Wit & Craft and creator of the Brand Lab. With more than 20 years of experience in advertising, branding, and graphic design, Jon focuses on helping small businesses and solopreneurs uncover and articulate their competitive advantage. Through the Brand Lab, he teaches entrepreneurs how to approach brand positioning, ideal client profiles, brand stories, messaging, and brand voice so they can better connect with customers, differentiate themselves from competitors, and build a stronger foundation for business growth.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✳️ Why your brand is more than visual identity

✳️ How to identify gaps in your marketplace

✳️ How to define your ideal client profile

✳️ How to articulate your unique positioning

✳️ How to build an online presence without experience

Read the Blog >>> Foundation for Building Your Interior Design Brand

NEXT STEPS:

🎯 Join My Design Mentor and start creating a design career you truly love.

👉https://my-design-mentor.mn.co/

📺 WATCH FREE WEBINARS 📺

•

"From Passion to Profit," and learn the 5 Money Moves to start your interior design business right 👉 https://rwarddesign.myflodesk.com/5moneymoves

•

Are You Ready to Start Your Interior Design Business? How to Know for Sure (and What It Really Costs to Launch) 👉 https://rwarddesign.myflodesk.com/areyoureadyreplay

Check out our Designer's Playlist!

*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey

*️ From Newbie to Confident Designer

*️ Switching Gears to Interior Design

Grab your freebies:

📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design

🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my Career

Connect With Me:

📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com

🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign

🌎 Website athttps://rwarddesign.com/https://rwarddesign.com/

Thanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...

Timestamps

0:00 Introduction and Guest Bio

2:12 Jon’s Journey Into Branding and Positioning

4:26 Where New Designers Should Start With Branding

7:48 The “Only Statement” Positioning Exercise

9:50 Building a Website Without a Large Portfolio

11:31 Identifying Your Ideal Client Profile (ICP)

13:46 The Story Behind the Brand Lab and Its Offer

19:06 One Branding Question Every Designer Should Answer

21:11 Using AI Without Losing Your Brand Voice

If you’ve ever looked at another interior designer’s business and thought, “Maybe I just need better software,” you’re not alone.

There is always a new platform, app, or shiny software promising to make your projects run more smoothly, save you time, or help you make more profit. And with AI becoming part of almost every software platform, it can be even harder to know what you actually need.

But after years of running an interior design business, I’ve learned that software is only as effective as the systems behind it. Before you start investing in expensive platforms, you need to understand how you want your business to operate. In the early stages, especially when you have zero or one client, simple spreadsheets can be enough. They can help you learn how you like to manage projects before you invest in more sophisticated interior design software.

In this episode, I’m opening up my toolbox and walking you through the software I currently use to run my interior design business—from project management and time tracking to accounting and interior design operations, including drafting, client presentations, client intake, file management, communication, and even AI support. My goal isn’t to tell you there is one perfect software solution. Instead, I want to give you a real-world look at how these tools support my systems and workflows.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✔️ Why strong systems matter more than software

✔️ How I use Asana for projects and time tracking

✔️ Why Studio Designer supports my design business accounting

✔️ Which software I use for drafting and presentations

✔️ How I manage clients, files, communication, and AI

Read the Blog >>> The Interior Design Software I Use to Run My Business Efficiently

NEXT STEPS:

🎯 Join My Design Mentor and start creating a design career you truly love.

👉https://my-design-mentor.mn.co/

📺 WATCH FREE WEBINARS 📺

•

"From Passion to Profit," and learn the 5 Money Moves to start your interior design business right 👉 https://rwarddesign.myflodesk.com/5moneymoves

•

Are You Ready to Start Your Interior Design Business? How to Know for Sure (and What It Really Costs to Launch) 👉 https://rwarddesign.myflodesk.com/areyoureadyreplay

Check out our Designer's Playlist!

*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey

*️ From Newbie to Confident Designer

*️ Switching Gears to Interior Design

Grab your freebies:

📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design

🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my Career

Connect With Me:

📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com

🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign

🌎 Website athttps://rwarddesign.com/https://rwarddesign.com/

Thanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...

Timestamps

0:00 Introduction to the Software Behind My Business

4:43 Project Management and Time Tracking

8:02 Accounting and Operations Software

11:42 Design Production and Presentations

16:05 Client Intake and Lead Generation

17:37 Curation and File Management Tools

20:11 Internal Communication and AI Use

Interior designers love the beautiful, creative side of the work. They love choosing materials, working with clients, selecting furnishings, and bringing a vision to life. But when a project moves into renovation, remodeling, or new construction, another side of interior design becomes just as important: the technical side.

I see this gap often, especially with designers who are moving from decorating and furnishing into more complex residential or commercial projects. You may be confident in your aesthetic skills but feel intimidated by construction documentation, building drawings, space planning, technical details, or understanding how everything will actually be built. And if that technical knowledge wasn't a major focus of your interior design education or career, it can become a real weak spot. In this episode, Jessica Marchand and I talk about exactly why this matters and what you can do about it.

Interior design is really two distinct crafts—the aesthetic craft and the technical craft—and great projects happen where those two worlds meet. You don't have to be brilliant at both. But the work does.

Featured Guest

Jessica Marchant is the founder of Blue-Sky Creative, a technical design firm that partners with interior designers nationwide to provide white-label design support, space planning, build-ready construction documentation, and realistic 3D renderings. Her team helps bridge the gap between interior designers and contractors so designers can confidently execute residential and commercial projects. Jessica is a formally trained interior designer with a master's degree in design management and has experience in kitchen and bath design, construction, themed entertainment, and project management. She also coaches interior designers who are transitioning into more complex renovation and new construction work. Her approach combines technical design expertise with practical business strategy to help creative businesses scale with confidence.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✳️ Why technical design knowledge matters in complex projects

✳️ How construction documentation protects your design decisions

✳️ When to outsource technical design support

✳️ How to choose the right GC partner

✳️ Why intentional teams help interior designers scale

Read the Blog >>> Bringing the Aesthetic and Technical Sides Together of Interior Design

NEXT STEPS:

🎯 Join My Design Mentor and start creating a design career you truly love.

👉https://my-design-mentor.mn.co/

📺 WATCH FREE WEBINARS 📺

•

"From Passion to Profit," and learn the 5 Money Moves to start your interior design business right 👉 https://rwarddesign.myflodesk.com/5moneymoves

•

Are You Ready to Start Your Interior Design Business? How to Know for Sure (and What It Really Costs to Launch) 👉 https://rwarddesign.myflodesk.com/areyoureadyreplay

Check out our Designer's Playlist!

*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey

*️ From Newbie to Confident Designer

*️ Switching Gears to Interior Design

Grab your freebies:

📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design

🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my Career

Connect With Me:

📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com

🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign

🌎 Website athttps://rwarddesign.com/https://rwarddesign.com/

Thanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...

Timestamps

0:00 Introduction and Guest Bio

3:00 Jessica’s Journey Into Interior Design

9:17 Why Designers Often Lack Technical Experience

10:21 The Idea Behind Blue-Sky Creative

13:28 Blue-Sky Creative Services

15:05 Getting As-Built Information for Projects

17:26 Creating Templates and Polished Drawings

19:46 Building a Team and Getting Help

21:41 Managing Construction Partnerships

You became an interior designer because you love design. You know how to create beautiful spaces, solve design problems, make thoughtful selections, and bring a client's vision to life. But once you start your own interior design business, you quickly discover that being a talented designer is only one part of the job.

Suddenly, you're also responsible for marketing, sales, client experience, project management, finances, systems, leadership, and all the decisions that come with running a business. It can feel overwhelming because nobody necessarily teaches you how to make that transition from skilled creative to confident business owner.

One way I've grown my business over the years is through reading. I've read a lot of business and personal growth books over the last 10 years, and some have completely changed the way I think about my career, my clients, my money, and my business. In this episode, I'm sharing seven books that have helped me answer important questions about building an interior design business that is profitable, sustainable, memorable, and capable of growing beyond me.

My recommendation: Start with the book that speaks to the question you're asking in your business right now. Sometimes one idea or one important shift in perspective is enough to make an entire book worthwhile.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✔️ Why your interior design business exists

✔️ How to make your marketing more client-focused

✔️ Ways to create a memorable client experience

✔️ How systems can help your business grow

✔️ How to develop a healthier money mindset

Read the Blog >>> 7 Must-Read Business Books for Interior Designers

NEXT STEPS:

🎯 Join My Design Mentor and start creating a design career you truly love. 👉https://my-design-mentor.mn.co/

📗 Check out the best books every interior designer should havehere.

📺 WATCH FREE WEBINARS 📺

•

"From Passion to Profit," and learn the 5 Money Moves to start your interior design business right 👉 https://rwarddesign.myflodesk.com/5moneymoves

•

Are You Ready to Start Your Interior Design Business? How to Know for Sure (and What It Really Costs to Launch) 👉 https://rwarddesign.myflodesk.com/areyoureadyreplay

Check out our Designer's Playlist!

*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey

*️ From Newbie to Confident Designer

*️ Switching Gears to Interior Design

Grab your freebies:

📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design

🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my Career

Connect With Me:

📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com

🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign

🌎 Website athttps://rwarddesign.com/https://rwarddesign.com/

Thanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...

Timestamps

0:00 Introduction to business books for interior designers

5:10 On Finding Your Purpose

7:18 On Effective Marketing Messaging

10:31 On Giving Exceptional Client Experiences

13:35 On Building Scalable Systems

15:24 On Creating a Business Built to Sell

17:25 On Mastering Money Mindset

19:02 On Managing Business Cash Flow

What does it really mean to be an interior designer? Is it simply choosing beautiful colors, furniture, and finishes? Or is there something much deeper happening when we step into a client's home and ask them to trust our professional judgment?

In this episode, I sit down with Tamera Gamble of Arranged Space, an interior designer, educator, mentor, and longtime design professional whose career has taken her from high-end residential design to commercial, municipal, retail, and residential projects. Her story is a wonderful reminder that interior design is both a creative career and a technical, human-centered profession.

I especially loved Tamera's commitment to making good interior design accessible to real people, regardless of their budget. Whether you're working on a luxury residential project, helping a client make a few changes with $1,000, creating construction documents in AutoCAD, or simply solving a difficult space-planning problem, the fundamentals still matter. Your job is to make the space work for the person living in it.

And sometimes, doing that means telling a client no.

Featured Guest

Tamera Gamble is the founder of Arranged Space, an interior design business focused on creating thoughtful, functional spaces that reflect each client's style and budget. Her career in interior design spans residential, commercial, municipal, retail, and historic preservation projects, including work with prominent firms such as Ralph Lauren, Gruzen Sampton, and Goldenstein Hill and West. Tamera earned her BFA from the New York School of Interior Design and has developed a particular passion for space planning, technical drawing, and using design to make everyday spaces work better for the people who live in them. In addition to practicing interior design, she teaches at the New York School of Interior Design and has spent years mentoring aspiring designers, helping them build their skills, confidence, and portfolios.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✳️ Why interior design requires technical expertise

✳️ How to confidently stand behind your recommendations

✳️ Why continuing education matters throughout your career

✳️ How to make good design accessible

✳️ Ways to build experience and your design portfolio

Read the Blog >>> The Real Work of a Professional Interior Designer

NEXT STEPS:

🎯 Join My Design Mentor and start creating a design career you truly love.

👉https://my-design-mentor.mn.co/

📺 WATCH FREE WEBINARS 📺

•

"From Passion to Profit," and learn the 5 Money Moves to start your interior design business right 👉 https://rwarddesign.myflodesk.com/5moneymoves

•

Are You Ready to Start Your Interior Design Business? How to Know for Sure (and What It Really Costs to Launch) 👉 https://rwarddesign.myflodesk.com/areyoureadyreplay

Check out our Designer's Playlist!

*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey

*️ From Newbie to Confident Designer

*️ Switching Gears to Interior Design

Grab your freebies:

📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design

🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my Career

Connect With Me:

📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com

🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign

🌎 Website athttps://rwarddesign.com/https://rwarddesign.com/

Thanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...

Timestamps

0:00 Introduction and Guest Bio

2:35 How Barbie’s Dream House Sparked Tamera’s Design Career

4:14 Education and Early Career

8:53 The Experience That Led to Business Ownership

11:32 Making Interior Design Accessible to Everyone

14:28 When a Designer Has to Tell a Client No

18:29 Why Design Fundamentals Matter

25:34 The Challenge of Educating Clients

28:53 Career Advice for Aspiring Interior Designers

Construction and remodel projects can feel intimidating, especially when you’re a new interior designer approaching your first project.

You may be wondering how to work with contractors, who should handle permits and engineering, how to respond when a contractor pushes back on your design, or what happens when something unexpected appears after a wall is opened. These are all real concerns—and they’re exactly why understanding construction project management is such an important part of becoming a confident interior designer.

In this episode, I’m walking you through how I approach construction and remodel projects, from bringing contractors into the process early to defining responsibilities, managing site visits, documenting decisions, communicating with clients, and building strong relationships with your construction team. My goal is to help you approach construction projects with more confidence instead of fear—and become the project leader your clients need you to be.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✔️ Understand your role during construction and remodel projects

✔️ Bring contractors into the design process early

✔️ Define responsibilities before construction begins

✔️ Improve construction communication and document project decisions

✔️ Build stronger relationships with your A-list contractors

Read the Blog >>> 5 Practical Tips for Managing Construction and Remodel Projects Smoothly

NEXT STEPS:

📋 Get the Remodel Survival Guide: a step-by-step process on the construction side of a remodel project

🎯 Join My Design Mentor and start creating a design career you truly love.

👉https://my-design-mentor.mn.co/

📺 WATCH FREE WEBINARS 📺

•

"From Passion to Profit," and learn the 5 Money Moves to start your interior design business right 👉 https://rwarddesign.myflodesk.com/5moneymoves

•

Are You Ready to Start Your Interior Design Business? How to Know for Sure (and What It Really Costs to Launch) 👉 https://rwarddesign.myflodesk.com/areyoureadyreplay

Check out our Designer's Playlist!

*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey

*️ From Newbie to Confident Designer

*️ Switching Gears to Interior Design

Grab your freebies:

📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design

🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my Career

Connect With Me:

📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com

🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign

🌎 Website athttps://rwarddesign.com/https://rwarddesign.com/

Thanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...

Timestamps

0:00 Introduction to managing construction projects

4:16 Understanding Your Role as the Designer

5:47 Collaborating with Experts Early

10:10 Defining Roles and Responsibilities

15:01 Client Communication and Contractor Collaboration

18:14 Using Site Binders and Documenting Decisions

21:13 Managing Budgets and Timelines

23:25 Building Professional Relationships

If you're an aspiring interior designer, career changer, or established designer trying to grow a sustainable business, you may feel pressure to know everything before you begin. You may also believe that growth means taking on more projects, hiring more people, or becoming the person who can handle every detail of every project.

But Annie Obermann’s journey with Forge and Bow offers a different perspective. Annie and her husband and business partner, Jordan Obermann, didn't start with formal design training or a perfectly structured business plan. They learned through renovating their own homes, working with partners, making mistakes, and eventually building a boutique design-build firm known for thoughtful residential renovation, craftsmanship, and high-end design. This year, Forge and Bow is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

In this episode, I talk with Annie about what happens when you are brave enough to start before you know everything—and humble enough to recognize when you need better systems, experienced team members, and outside support. We explore client experience, project management, team communication, hiring, professional development, branding, delegation, and how to build an interior design career that supports both your professional and personal life.

Featured Guest

Annie Obermann co-leads Forge and Bow, a Colorado-based boutique design-build firm, with her husband and business partner, Jordan Obermann. Together, they have transformed the residential landscape of Northern Colorado through timeless, warm, nostalgic design paired with expert craftsmanship. Annie brings expertise in interior architecture, while Jordan contributes a strong spatial and visionary perspective. Their work includes historic renovations and custom new builds, with a focus on creating cohesive, functional, and elegant homes that reflect each client's unique story. Forge and Bow is celebrating its 10th anniversary and is known for thoughtful problem-solving, meticulous attention to detail, and a commitment to quality.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✳️ How courage can launch your interior design career

✳️ Why sustainable growth requires strong business processes

✳️ How team communication improves the client experience

✳️ Why competency matters when hiring design professionals

✳️ How delegation creates more freedom and business growth

Read the Blog >>> 6 Proven Strategies on Building a Sustainable Interior Design Business

NEXT STEPS:

🎯 Join My Design Mentor and start creating a design career you truly love.

👉https://my-design-mentor.mn.co/

Check out our Designer's Playlist!

*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey

*️ From Newbie to Confident Designer

*️ Switching Gears to Interior Design

Grab your freebies:

📺 Watch this free webinar, "From Passion to Profit," and learn the 5 Money Moves to start your interior design business right

📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design

🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my Career

Connect With Me:

📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com

🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign

🌎 Website athttps://rwarddesign.com/https://rwarddesign.com/

Thanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...

Timestamps

0:00 Introduction and Guest Bio

2:57 Annie’s Unconventional Path Into Interior Design

5:09 How HGTV Helped Shape Forge and Bow

7:20 The Story Behind the Forge and Bow Name

8:41 Building a Team and Processes

10:49 Connecting Systems With Client Experience

12:44 Building Strong Team Communication

14:55 Competency Versus Personality When Hiring

19:09 Creating a Culture of Constant Learning

20:30 Future Goals and Business Strategy

24:18 Advice for Aspiring Designers

As interior designers, we often focus on creating beautiful spaces, but beauty alone isn't always enough. Sometimes a room can have gorgeous furnishings, meaningful décor, and impeccable styling, yet still feel visually loud. When every surface competes for attention, a home stops supporting everyday life and starts demanding energy from the people living in it.

That's why I was so excited to sit down with bestselling author Myquillyn Smith, better known as The Nester, to talk about her newest book, House Hushing. Rather than encouraging us to simply own fewer things, Myquillyn introduces a refreshing perspective: great design is about managing visual volume, not just the volume of possessions. Her approach blends interior design, decluttering, quiet decorating, soulful styling, and seasonal simplicity into a practical framework that helps create homes that feel both peaceful and deeply personal.

If you're designing for clients—or even creating a home for yourself—this episode will encourage you to think beyond minimalism. You'll discover how thoughtful design decisions can reduce visual noise while preserving warmth, personality, and the lived-in beauty that makes a house truly feel like home.

Featured Guest

Myquillyn Smith, also known as The Nester, is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, decorating expert, and founder of The Nester. For more than fifteen years, she has encouraged homeowners to embrace their homes—imperfections and all—by creating spaces that reflect their personalities instead of chasing perfection. Her thoughtful approach combines decorating, styling, decluttering, and intentional living, helping thousands of women create welcoming homes with less stress and more meaning. Living in a historic Victorian home in North Carolina has further shaped her philosophy, inspiring her latest book, House Hushing, which introduces a fresh framework for reducing visual noise while maintaining warmth, beauty, and soul.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✳️ Understand the four-part House Hushing framework.

✳️ Reduce visual noise without sacrificing personality.

✳️ Style meaningful homes with fewer decorative items.

✳️ Create peaceful interiors through quiet decorating.

✳️ Design homes supporting changing life seasons.

Read the Blog >>> The Four Principles of House Hushing

NEXT STEPS:

🎯 Join My Design Mentor and start creating a design career you truly love.

👉https://my-design-mentor.mn.co/

Check out our Designer's Playlist!

*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey

*️ From Newbie to Confident Designer

*️ Switching Gears to Interior Design

Grab your freebies:

📺 Watch this free webinar, "From Passion to Profit," and learn the 5 Money Moves to start your interior design business right

📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design

🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my Career

Connect With Me:

📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com

🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign

🌎 Website athttps://rwarddesign.com/https://rwarddesign.com/

Thanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...

Timestamps

0:00 Introduction and Guest Bio

2:27 Myquillyn’s Journey Into Decorating

4:39 Living in a Historic Victorian Home

8:37 What House Hushing Really Means

13:00 Knowing When a Home Needs Hushing

14:34 How Backwards Decluttering Works

17:51 Why Visual Volume Changes Everything

19:56 Quiet Decorating in Action

23:00 Book Launch and Bonus Resources

What does it really take to build a successful interior design business when no one is opening doors for you?

If you've ever wondered whether you're talented enough, questioned your career transition, or felt discouraged because clients aren't calling, this conversation is one I want you to slow down and absorb. Too many aspiring interior designers believe success comes from luck, connections, or overnight visibility. Corey Damen Jenkins proves the opposite. His story reminds us that meaningful careers are built through relentless persistence, business discipline, and the courage to keep showing up—even when every door seems to close.

In this episode, I sit down with internationally acclaimed interior designer Corey Damen Jenkins, who shares his journey behind his remarkable success. From leaving the automotive industry after the Great Recession to knocking on 779 doors before landing his first major client, Corey shares the mindset shifts, business lessons, and mentorship philosophy that helped him build one of the most respected brands in interior design.

Whether you're navigating a career transition, building your client acquisition strategy, or wondering how AI will shape the future of our profession, this conversation will encourage you to build your career with confidence while choosing collaboration over competition.

Featured Guest

Corey Damen Jenkins is an internationally acclaimed interior designer, bestselling author, MasterClass instructor, television personality, and mentor. His work has been featured by Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, ELLE Decor, Vanity Fair, The New York Times, and numerous leading design publications. He is the author of Design Remix and Design Reimagined, creator of the Design Reimagined YouTube series, and has developed celebrated brand partnerships spanning furniture, textiles, wallcoverings, and lighting. Corey is widely recognized not only for his colorful, timeless interiors but also for his passion for mentoring the next generation of interior designers.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✳️ Why relentless grit outperforms natural talent.

✳️ Turning career setbacks into business opportunities.

✳️ Protecting your mindset from discouraging voices.

✳️ Building business acumen beyond creative skills.

✳️ Why mentorship strengthens the entire design community.

Read the Blog >>> 5 Principles That Turned Rejection Into a Profitable Interior Design Career

NEXT STEPS:

🎯 Join My Design Mentor and start creating a design career you truly love.

👉https://my-design-mentor.mn.co/

Check out our Designer's Playlist!

*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey

*️ From Newbie to Confident Designer

*️ Switching Gears to Interior Design

Grab your freebies:

📺 Watch this free webinar, "From Passion to Profit," and learn the 5 Money Moves to start your interior design business right

📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design

🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my Career

Connect With Me:

📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com

🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign

🌎 Website athttps://rwarddesign.com/https://rwarddesign.com/

Thanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...

Timestamps

0:00 Introduction and Guest Bio

3:15 Corey’s Passion for Interior Design

5:55 Studying Architecture and Early Career Decisions

11:08 Finding the First Client

15:15 The Grit Required for Entrepreneurship

18:06 Learning Business Without Mentorship

20:56 Why Giving Back Matters

23:05 AI, Industry Standards, and Protecting the Design Profession

26:16 Running a Global Design Brand

30:07 Staying Motivated After Achieving Success

31:54 Design Remix and Design Reimagined

35:05 Advice for New Interior Designers

Is talent alone enough to build a successful interior design career? This episode is a powerful reminder that creativity is only one piece of the puzzle.

Many aspiring interior designers spend years refining their aesthetic but struggle with the business side—pricing, vendor relationships, execution, and confidently bringing their ideas to life. Without those skills, even the most inspired creative vision can remain just that: an idea.

In this conversation, I sit down with Jamie Young, co-founder of Jamie Young Co., to explore how she transformed a lifelong passion for design into a nationally recognized home furnishings company. Jamie shares how her upbringing, education at Parsons School of Design, love of art history, global travel, and willingness to embrace uncertainty shaped both her creative identity and entrepreneurial journey.

Whether you're launching your interior design business, developing your own creative process, or learning how to work more effectively with vendors, Jamie offers practical wisdom that reminds us success isn't about having all the answers—it's about combining inspired design with thoughtful business execution, authentic relationships, and the courage to keep moving forward.

Featured Guest

Jamie Young is the co-founder of Jamie Young Co., a nationally recognized home furnishings company known for its thoughtfully designed lighting, mirrors, furniture, and home accessories. Raised in Los Angeles by an artist and entrepreneur, Jamie developed an early appreciation for design, creativity, and business. After studying at Parsons School of Design, she combined her passion for design, art history, fashion, and global travel with her husband David Jeter's artistic talents to build a brand that has inspired designers for more than 27 years. Today, Jamie Young Co. is celebrated for its approachable luxury, elevated basics, handcrafted products, and commitment to supporting interior designers through exceptional customer service and lasting vendor relationships.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✳️ Build business through consistent creative execution.

✳️ Discover your unique creative design DNA.

✳️ Develop stronger vendor relationships from day one.

✳️ Balance design inspiration with profitable decisions.

✳️ Use travel and curiosity to inspire creativity.

Read the Blog >>> 5 Rules for Long-Term Success in the Interior Design Business

NEXT STEPS:

🎯 Join My Design Mentor and start creating a design career you truly love.

👉https://my-design-mentor.mn.co/

Check out our Designer's Playlist!

*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey

*️ From Newbie to Confident Designer

*️ Switching Gears to Interior Design

Grab your freebies:

📺 Watch this free webinar, "From Passion to Profit," and learn the 5 Money Moves to start your interior design business right

📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design

🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my Career

Connect With Me:

📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com

🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign

🌎 Website athttps://rwarddesign.com/https://rwarddesign.com/

Thanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...

Timestamps

0:00 Introduction and Guest Bio

3:34 Jamie Young Company's Founding and Initial Products

7:27 Why Execution Matters More Than Having Ideas

8:01 Learning the Business Side of Creativity

9:34 Scaling From a Garage Startup to Global Manufacturing

11:48 How Global Travel Transformed Product Design

15:51 Behind the Scenes of Product Development and Customer Service

20:27 Why Vendor Relationships Matter

21:55 The Value of Trade Shows and Telling Product Stories

24:31 Balancing Design Trends With Elevated Basics

26:48 What Jamie Would Do Differently if Starting Over

Are you intimidated by Revit?

I hear from so many interior designers who are curious about commercial design, multifamily housing, student housing, senior living, or hospitality projects, but feel held back because they don’t have the technical skills employers are asking for. And honestly, that hesitation can keep talented designers from pursuing opportunities they’d genuinely love.

In this episode, I’m joined by Marcy Sagel, creator of Designer Bank, an online learning platform that helps interior designers strengthen their technical and commercial design skills. Marcy shares why Revit has become one of the most valuable skills a designer can learn, how rendering tools like Enscape can dramatically increase your marketability, and why commercial firms are actively looking for designers who can work confidently in these programs.

What I love most about this conversation is that it’s not about becoming a tech expert overnight. It’s about expanding your opportunities. Whether you’re a residential designer curious about commercial projects, a student preparing for interviews, or a designer who feels “rusty” in Revit, this episode will help you see how strengthening your technical skill set can open doors, increase your confidence, and make you more competitive in today’s interior design industry.

Featured Guest

Marcy Sagel is the creator of Designer Bank, an online learning platform that helps interior designers strengthen their technical and commercial design skills. She is also the founder and principal of MSA Interiors, a leading commercial interior design firm specializing in multifamily housing, student housing, senior living, affordable housing, and other complex commercial projects. With more than 30 years of industry experience, Marcy has built a reputation for creating innovative, functional, and aesthetically compelling spaces that align with her clients’ strategic goals.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✳️ Why Revit matters for commercial interior design careers

✳️ How rendering skills increase your marketability

✳️ What commercial firms look for when hiring

✳️ How online Revit training fills industry gaps

✳️ Future trends in multifamily and commercial design

Read the Blog >>> How Revit Can Make You More Marketable As An Interior Designer

NEXT STEPS:

🎯 Join My Design Mentor and start creating a design career you truly love.

👉https://my-design-mentor.mn.co/

Check out our Designer's Playlist!

*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey

*️ From Newbie to Confident Designer

*️ Switching Gears to Interior Design

Grab your freebies:

📺 Watch this free webinar, "From Passion to Profit," and learn the 5 Money Moves to start your interior design business right

📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design

🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my Career

Connect With Me:

📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com

🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign

🌎 Website athttps://rwarddesign.com/https://rwarddesign.com/

Thanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...

Timestamps

0:00 Introduction and Guest Bio

2:30 Marcy Sagel's Recent Projects and Courses

3:15 Revit Courses for Interior Designers

4:19 Rendering with Enscape

7:03 University Partnerships and Online Learning

8:02 Choosing the Right Revit Level

10:31 Expanding Course Offerings

13:42 Trends in Multifamily and Commercial Projects

18:51 Transitioning From Residential to Commercial Design

20:47 AI Integration and the Future of Design Technology

Interior designers naturally focus on aesthetics, layouts, furnishings, and creating spaces that feel beautiful.

But what happens when a client's home is filled with clutter, unfinished systems, and daily chaos that no amount of beautiful design can solve?

The reality is that even the most stunning space will struggle to function if the foundation of organization isn't in place first.

In this episode, I sit down with professional organizer and Organize 365 founder Lisa Woodruff to discuss the critical relationship between organization and interior design. Lisa shares why decluttering and creating household systems should happen before design decisions are made, how mental clutter impacts wellness, and why understanding a homeowner's real-life habits is essential to creating spaces that truly serve them.

If you've ever wondered how to design homes that work as beautifully as they look, this conversation will completely change the way you approach your projects.

Featured Guest

Lisa Woodruff is the founder and CEO of Organize 365, a company dedicated to helping individuals reduce overwhelm, eliminate mental clutter, and create productive household systems. A former teacher turned professional organizer, Lisa has spent more than a decade developing practical solutions for household management, productivity, and organization. She is the host of the highly successful Organize 365 Podcast, which has accumulated more than 24 million downloads, and the author of Escaping Quicksand: 10 Steps to Overcome the Overwhelm of Modern Life. Through her programs, courses, and coaching, Lisa helps people create organized homes and lives that support their goals and well-being.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✳️ Why organization must happen before design decisions

✳️ How mental clutter affects daily productivity

✳️ Systems that simplify household management

✳️ Creating homes that support real-life habits

✳️ Balancing beauty, function, and family life

Read the Blog >>> Designing Homes That Fit Real Life

NEXT STEPS:

🎯 Join My Design Mentor and start creating a design career you truly love.

👉https://my-design-mentor.mn.co/

Check out our Designer's Playlist!

*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey

*️ From Newbie to Confident Designer

*️ Switching Gears to Interior Design

Grab your freebies:

📺 Watch this free webinar, "From Passion to Profit," and learn the 5 Money Moves to start your interior design business right

📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design

🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my Career

Connect With Me:

📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com

🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign

🌎 Website athttps://rwarddesign.com/https://rwarddesign.com/

Thanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...

Timestamps

0:00 Introduction and Guest Bio

2:25 Lisa Woodruff's Journey into Professional Organizing

5:01 Challenges of Starting a Profitable Organizing Business

7:34 Balancing Household Management and Career

10:07 The Importance of Systems in Home Organization

12:20 What Interior Designers Should Understand About Organization

15:15 Practical Tips for Effective Home Organization

17:45 Empty Space, Storage, and Household Clutter

22:32 Letting Go of Perfectionism at Home

25:14 Wellness, Mental Clutter, and Digital Overload

28:43 The Sunday Basket System Explained

29:15 Quarterly Planning for Household Management

31:27 Inside Organize 365

What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeTimestamps

What is it really like to work for an interior designer? And just as importantly, what does it take to build a healthy, balanced employee-employer relationship that lasts?

As I celebrate 200 episodes of Design Curious, I wanted to pull back the curtain and share a candid conversation with someone who knows my business better than almost anyone—my employee, Lillian Janik. Lilly has worked alongside me for eight years, and together we've navigated everything from residential interior design projects and company growth to mentorship programs, commercial work, and the everyday realities of running a creative business.

If you're an aspiring interior designer wondering whether you should work for a design firm or start your own business, this episode offers valuable insight into the employee-employer relationship. We talk about communication, company culture, leadership, career growth, and the mindset shifts that come with being part of a design team.

We also have some fun along the way. Lily turns the tables and interviews me, asking questions about work-life balance, design trends, my personal style journey, and how I manage everything from mentoring designers to running the Sacramento Design Business Community. You'll even get a peek at my love of Art Deco architecture, my obsession with historical plaques, our mission to identify the names of Sacramento alleyways, and how a simple wardrobe redesign became its own creative project.

Whether you're building a creative career, growing a design business, or simply curious about the behind-the-scenes realities of working in interior design, this conversation is full of practical wisdom and honest reflections.

Featured Guest

Lillian "Lilly" Janik brings a thoughtful eye, calm presence, and strong design sensibility to the Rebecca Ward Design team. She is a graduate of CSU Sacramento with a Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design. Lillian first joined the studio as an intern during her final semester and quickly became an essential part of the team. Today, as an Associate Designer, she supports projects through design development, sourcing, documentation, and the many details that help each home feel cohesive and complete.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✳️ Employee versus entrepreneur mindset differences

✳️ Building strong workplace communication and trust

✳️ Creating a positive company culture in design firms

✳️ Work-life balance strategies for busy creatives

✳️ Finding community through mentorship and networking

Read the Blog >>> Secrets to Creating a Strong Employer–Employee Relationship in Interior Design Firms

NEXT STEPS:

🎯 Join My Design Mentor and start creating a design career you truly love.

👉https://my-design-mentor.mn.co/

⁠

Check out our Designer's Playlist!

*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey

*️ From Newbie to Confident Designer

*️ Switching Gears to Interior Design

Grab your freebies:

📺 Watch this free webinar, "From Passion to Profit," and learn the 5 Money Moves to start your interior design business right

📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design

🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my Career

Connect With Me:

📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com

🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign

🌎 Website athttps://rwarddesign.com/https://rwarddesign.com/

Thanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...

Timestamps

0:00 Introduction and Celebrating 200 Podcast Episodes

3:15 Updates After 100 episodes

7:14 Lilly’s Expectations as a New Employee

11:10 Employee vs Entrepreneur Mindset Differences

16:20 Communication and Company Culture Lessons

19:49 Understanding Your Role Within a Design Firm

23:29 Q&A: The Rewards and Challenges of Being A Boss

26:25 Q&A: Art Deco and Emerging Interior Design Trends

29:22 Q&A: Design Leaders Collective and SDBC

34:37 Work-Life Balance Strategies

40:28 Rebecca’s Personal Style Transformation

Have you ever completed a beautiful interior design project, only to reach the final stage and realize the walls still feel unfinished because the art hasn’t been selected yet?

Many designers focus heavily on furniture, finishes, textiles, and architectural details, but art often becomes something clients think about at the very end.

In this episode, I’m joined by Sarah Hurt, founder of Seattle Art Source, to talk about how interior designers can confidently integrate art into their projects, collaborate with local artists, and create more meaningful spaces for their clients. Sarah shares practical advice on art curation, working with an art advisor, selecting pieces that complement a design vision, and helping clients discover artwork they truly connect with.

Whether you are a new designer building your creative career or an experienced designer looking to elevate your client experience, this conversation will help you rethink the role art plays in creating complete, intentional interiors.

Featured Guest

Sarah Hurt is the founder of Seattle Art Source, a company dedicated to connecting interior designers, clients, and local artists through meaningful art experiences. After starting Seattle Art Source as a second career, Sarah built a bridge between artists and buyers by helping designers curate artwork that enhances everyday life. She works with designers on residential and commercial projects, offering art sourcing, commissions, installations, and advisory support.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✳️ Why art belongs in the initial design package

✳️ How to confidently curate art selections

✳️ Ways to collaborate with local artists

✳️ How to manage client art preferences

✳️ Building stronger design relationships through art

Read the Blog >>> How to Integrate Art Into the Interior Design Process

NEXT STEPS:

🎯 Join My Design Mentor and start creating a design career you truly love. 👉https://my-design-mentor.mn.co/

Check out our Designer's Playlist!

*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey

*️ From Newbie to Confident Designer

*️ Switching Gears to Interior Design

Grab your freebies:

📺 Watch this free webinar, "From Passion to Profit," and learn the 5 Money Moves to start your interior design business right

📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design

🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my Career

Connect With Me:

📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com

🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign

🌎 Website athttps://rwarddesign.com/https://rwarddesign.com/

Thanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...

Timestamps

0:00 Introduction and Guest Bio

2:49 Sarah Hurt's Journey into the Art Industry

6:34 How Seattle Art Source Works

8:59 Integrating Art into the Design Process

10:31 Making Art Approachable for Clients

14:23 Handling Client Art Preferences

19:10 Renting Art for Photography

21:21 Building Confidence in Art Selection

Are you working harder, taking on more projects, and increasing your revenue—but still wondering where the profit is going?

Many creative entrepreneurs start their interior design business because they love the work, but over time, they find themselves overwhelmed by the administrative side, unpredictable income, and the pressure to constantly create more.

In this episode, I’m joined by business strategist Sallie Ogden, founder of Brimm and creator of Brimm Capital, to talk about why more revenue does not always equal more freedom. Sallie shares how shifting your focus from chasing revenue growth to building predictable profit can completely transform the way you run your business.

If you want to simplify your interior design business, create stronger business systems, improve operational efficiency, and build a clear plan for long-term profitability, this conversation will help you rethink how you approach scaling. Sallie breaks down why intentional planning, smart automation, AI tools, and niching down can help you grow a sustainable creative career without burning yourself out.

Featured Guest

Sallie Ogden is a business strategist, founder of Brimm, and creator of Brimm Capital, a framework designed to help female entrepreneurs build real profit—not just revenue. After scaling her own company to multiple seven figures and experiencing the challenges of unsustainable growth, Sallie became focused on helping business owners create smarter systems, predictable profit, and sustainable growth. Through consulting and coaching, she helps entrepreneurs simplify sales, improve operations, leverage AI tools, and build businesses that protect their time while creating wealth.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✳️ Why profit matters more than revenue growth

✳️ How to build scalable business systems

✳️ Ways AI tools simplify daily operations

✳️ Why niching down creates business growth

✳️ How to create predictable profit plans

Read the Blog >>> 4 Ways to Simplify Your Interior Design Business and Create More Profit

NEXT STEPS:

🎯 Join My Design Mentor and start creating a design career you truly love.

👉https://my-design-mentor.mn.co/

Check out our Designer's Playlist!

*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey

*️ From Newbie to Confident Designer

*️ Switching Gears to Interior Design

Grab your freebies:

📺 Watch this free webinar, "From Passion to Profit," and learn the 5 Money Moves to start your interior design business right

📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design

🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my Career

Connect With Me:

📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com

🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign

🌎 Website athttps://rwarddesign.com/https://rwarddesign.com/

Thanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...

Timestamps

0:00 Introduction and Guest Bio

3:09 From Corporate Law to Founding Her Own Business

5:58 Shift from Chasing Revenue to Protecting Profit

8:02 Brimm Capital’s Profitability Framework

10:04 The Five Pillars of Business Systems

11:19 How Interior Designers Can Use AI

17:34 AI Tool Recommendation for Interior Designers

22:34 Mistakes to Avoid When Scaling a Business

26:48 The Power of Niching Down

Are you struggling to decide where to spend your time, energy, and money as you build your interior design business? I got you!

One of the biggest challenges I see aspiring and emerging designers face is knowing when—and how—to invest in themselves and their business.

Many creatives hesitate to spend money on education, systems, coaching, legal support, or professional expertise because it feels risky. But what if not investing is actually costing you more?

As interior designers, we regularly ask clients to trust our expertise. We encourage them to invest in professional guidance because we know it saves them time, prevents costly mistakes, and helps them achieve a better outcome. The same principle applies to building a successful design business. If you want clients to value your expertise, you must learn to value expertise yourself.

In this episode, I explore the investment mindset that separates hobbyists from serious professionals. I share why adopting a CEO mindset, making intentional investments, and planning for business growth can help you avoid burnout, build client trust, create stronger business systems, and ultimately develop the career and business you've always wanted.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✔️ Why an investment mindset fuels long-term business growth

✔️ How time investment builds your business foundation early

✔️ Questions to ask before every strategic business investment

✔️ Why NOT investing often costs more long-term

✔️ How professional expertise scales as your business grows

Read the Blog >>> Building a Strong Interior Design Business Foundation Through Intentional Investment

NEXT STEPS:

🎯 Join the Summer '26 Launch Your Business Bootcamp

🎯 Join My Design Mentor and lock in the lower rate

Check out our Designer's Playlist!

*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey

*️ From Newbie to Confident Designer

*️ Switching Gears to Interior Design

Grab your freebies:

📺 Watch this FREE webinar, "From Passion to Profit," and learn the 5 Money Moves to start your interior design business right

📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design

🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my Career

Connect With Me:

📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com

🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign

🌎 Website athttps://rwarddesign.com/https://rwarddesign.com/

Thanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...

Timestamps

0:00 Introduction to Investment Mindset

4:18 Investing Throughout Every Career Stage

8:55 Investing Time Before Investing Money

10:40 Questions to Evaluate Business Investments

12:53 Making Decisions Using Data, Not Emotions

14:05 Why Hiring Experts Accelerates Growth

17:19 The Hidden Costs of Underinvesting

19:30 Developing the CEO Mindset for Success

21:31 Final Call for Summer Boot Camp and Pricing Reminder

If you've ever found yourself staring at your bank account hoping the number magically went up overnight, or waiting until December to figure out what — if anything — you get to pay yourself this year, this episode is going to feel like a direct message just for you.

So many of the designers I work with are talented, passionate, and completely in the dark about the financial side of their business. And here's the thing: that's not a character flaw. It's an education gap. But it is your responsibility to close it — and that's exactly what today's conversation is all about.

In this episode, I sit down with Carla Titus, a fractional CFO and financial consultant with over 17 years of experience in corporate financial planning and business strategy. Carla breaks down the practical financial planning strategies every interior designer needs, from simple two-week cash flow forecasting to building financial reserves, paying yourself consistently, and knowing exactly when it's time to bring in a fractional CFO.

Whether you're just starting or ready to scale, this conversation will shift the way you think about money in your business — and give you real tools to move forward with confidence and financial stability.

Featured Guest

Carla Titus is a finance expert with more than 17 years of experience in corporate financial planning, analysis, strategy, and online business operations. As the founder ofWealth & Worth Within, she provides Fractional CFO services, financial consulting, bookkeeping support, and strategic financial planning for entrepreneurs who want to grow their businesses profitably. Carla's mission is to help business owners achieve financial clarity, improve cash flow, and make confident decisions that support sustainable growth and long-term success.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✳️ Why cash flow is your business's oxygen

✳️ Simple two-week cash flow planning strategies

✳️ How to build financial reserves without overwhelm

✳️ When to hire a fractional CFO

✳️ How to pay yourself consistently and intentionally

Read the Blog >>> Cash Flow Management for Interior Designers

NEXT STEPS:

🔸 Save your seat! June 24 FREE Webinar: Are You Ready to Start Your Interior Design Business? How to Know for Sure (and What It Really Costs to Launch)

🎯 Join the Summer '26 Launch Your Business Bootcamp

🎯 Join My Design Mentor and lock in the lower rate

Check out our Designer's Playlist!

*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey

*️ From Newbie to Confident Designer

*️ Switching Gears to Interior Design

Grab your freebies:

📺 Watch this free webinar, "From Passion to Profit," and learn the 5 Money Moves to start your interior design business right

📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design

🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my Career

Connect With Me:

📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com

🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign

🌎 Website athttps://rwarddesign.com/https://rwarddesign.com/

Thanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...

Timestamps

0:00 Introduction and Guest Bio

5:43 Cash Flow Explained

7:19 Practical Processes for Maintaining Healthy Cash Flow

10:18 Building Cash Reserves and the “Buckets” System

11:23 When to Consider Hiring a Fractional CFO

13:37 Strategy-First, Numbers-Second Approach to Business Growth

15:14 Common Money Mindset Challenges Business Owners Face

17:38 The “Hoarder” vs. “Spender” Business Owner Spectrum

19:34 How to Create a Habit of Paying Yourself

21:45 About Wealth and Worth Within: The Story and Services

24:01 The Best Time to Seek Fractional CFO Services