Today we welcome Rebecca Hay—interior designer turned business coach and host of the Resilient by Design Podcast. In this episode, Rebecca shares how she discovered her passion for design and entrepreneurship and how she built her Toronto-based interior design business from the ground up. We also discuss Rebecca's biggest lessons learned along the way, including the value of systems and structure, how to build an informed and empowered team, and how to manage scope creep before it derails a project.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

• Rebecca's unconventional journey from acting and restaurant work to launching a luxury interior design firm in Toronto
• The "budget client loop" and how referral patterns can quietly cap your growth
• Why systems and repeatable processes reduce decision fatigue and protect your creativity
• How creating SOPs transforms helpers into empowered team members
• The difference between being busy and being intentional in your business
• Why hiring before you feel ready can accelerate growth
• How to turn scope creep into an opportunity instead of a frustration
• Rebecca's transition from running a seven-figure design firm to becoming a full-time business coach

NOTABLE QUOTES

• "Structure doesn't kill creativity like I thought it did. It actually protects it."
• "If you're not following your process, you're following your client's process."
• "If your team relies on you for every decision, you don't have a team, you have helpers."
• "Anytime you hear yourself either in your head or out loud use the word just—don't do it."

SUPPORTING RESOURCES

• Rebecca Hay on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebeccahaydesigns/
• Resilient by Design Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resilientbydesignpodcast/
• Rebecca Hay Designs: https://www.rebeccahaydesigns.com/
• Rebecca Hay Coaching & Programs: https://rebeccahay.com/

SPONSOR LINKS

• Design Manager: https://designspec.com/survivalguide
• Design Biz Power Course – March 25th at Seattle Design Center: https://designbizsurvivalguide.com/interior-design-workshops/