In this episode, I explain why interior designers need a "success plan" rather than a traditional business plan. Learn how to create a living, breathing document that defines success on your terms, tracks what matters most to you, and helps you stay focused on building a business that supports the life you actually want to live. This isn't about impressing investors—it's about creating clarity and direction for your unique design journey.

Hope you enjoy the episode

Beth xx

Traditional business plans often feel intimidating and corporate, filled with graphs, charts, and formal language that doesn't reflect how creative businesses actually work. More importantly, they're usually static documents that don't evolve as you grow as a business owner.

I like to think of it as a success plan because that's what we're actually trying to create, a business that's successful by your definition, not someone else's.

Your success plan is a tool for you—to check in with your goals, measure what's working, get back on track when things feel wobbly, and define what success actually looks like for you.

What kind of business are you building? What do you want it to look and feel like in one year, three years, and five years? This isn't just about revenue—it's about the complete picture of your ideal business.

What are your revenue goals, profit margins, and pricing structure? Whatever feels meaningful and motivating to you is what you should be tracking. If you don't track it, you're not going to achieve it.

Who do you love working with? What kind of work lights you up? Getting clear on this helps you make better decisions about which opportunities to pursue and which to pass on.

What tools and processes are helping you now, and what's missing? This includes everything from project management systems to team support to personal boundaries.

This is a big one that designers often get wrong. How are you going to measure success in your business? Are you tracking creative freedom, time off, profit, client satisfaction? Knowing what you value helps you design a business that gives you more of it.

Your success plan isn't set and forget. It should be something you come back to every six months or at any moment when you're feeling unsure or like you've drifted a bit.

You can do it over coffee in a café. It doesn't need to be formal. It needs to feel like you.

The more it feels authentic to you, the more likely you are to actually use it. This document should evolve as you do, reflecting your changing priorities and growing understanding of what you want from your business.

"What does success look like for me in this season?" This one question will help shape everything else in your success plan.

Success might mean three design projects a year and Fridays off. Maybe it's a team of five, multiple revenue streams, and being booked out six months in advance. Both are valid, but your plan should reflect your vision, not a generic template.

When you know your numbers, understand your ideal projects, and have clarity on what success means to you, you can:

• Make intentional choices about opportunities
• Stay focused on what matters most
• Build a business that supports the life you want to live
• Avoid getting caught up in what everyone else is doing

Your future self, the one taking Fridays off or leading a thriving team, is going to thank you for it.

This episode is essential for interior designers who want to build businesses that are not just creatively fulfilling but also aligned with their personal definition of success.

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