Business of Design® Podcast | Grow a Profitable Interior Design Business with Kimberley Seldon

High Point Market is where interior designers discover what’s new, meet vendors, and source the pieces that bring projects to life. But what happens after the order is placed? Procurement, freight, receiving, storage, damages, and installation can quickly become some of the most time-consuming—and expensive—parts of a project.

In this episode, Kimberley Seldon talks with Kathy Kuo, founder of Kathy Kuo Home and one of this year’s High Point Market Trend Spotters, about the business side of procurement. They discuss the hidden costs of shipping and receiving, why drop-shipping directly to clients can create major headaches, and how better systems can protect both the client experience and your profit margin.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why drop-shipping directly to clients can create costly problems

• The hidden costs of freight, receiving, storage, damages, and claims

• Why procurement needs to be part of your project pricing strategy

• How outsourcing procurement can give interior designers valuable time back

• How to protect your profit margin without giving up vendor relationships

• Why better procurement systems create a better client experience

Why do interior designers always feel like there’s more to do? In this episode, Kimberley Seldon talks with Sierra Collins about why even highly motivated, successful designers can struggle to stay on top of their work. The problem isn’t a lack of effort—it’s often a lack of structure.

For interior designers juggling clients, projects, sourcing, emails, contractors, team members, and the countless details of running a design business, it’s easy to spend the day reacting instead of making meaningful progress. Sierra shares practical strategies for taking back control of your workday, protecting your focus, and creating systems that help you get important work done.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

- Why interior designers feel perpetually behind

- How task switching drains productivity

- How to structure your workday around your energy

- Why vague to-do lists create decision fatigue

- How to identify your “Big Three” priorities

- Why goals need systems to succeed

500 episodes. One big question: Can good interior design save a life?

To celebrate this milestone episode of Business of Design®, Kimberley Seldon takes a playful, detective-style look at what interior designers really do. Because clients may think they’re hiring you to choose finishes, but the clues in their homes often reveal much bigger problems: stress, disconnection, sensory overload, conflict, and spaces that simply aren’t working for the people who live in them.

From meaningful art and neurodivergent-friendly environments to thoughtful planning and the impact of cared-for spaces, Kimberley explores the powerful ways design can influence mood, behavior, connection, and wellbeing. The goal isn’t just to create beautiful rooms—it’s to create better human experiences.

And as we celebrate 500 episodes of Business of Design®, we’re reminded why this work matters. Interior design isn’t superficial. The spaces you create can change how people feel, how they interact, and how they experience their everyday lives.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

- Why interior designers are really problem-solvers—and how to look for the clues your clients may not see themselves

- How meaningful art and personal objects can create emotional connection, belonging, and a sense of calm

- How thoughtful design can support people with neurodivergent and sensory needs without attempting to diagnose or “fix” them

- Why neglected and thoughtfully cared-for spaces can influence behavior, safety, and connection

- How better space planning can reduce everyday stress and improve the way families live together

- Why designers may be underestimating the profound impact their work has on the lives of their clients

Not every client needs a whole-house renovation—but that doesn’t mean you have to turn them away.

In this episode, Kimberley Seldon talks with interior designer and entrepreneur Miranda Cullen about her approach to “micro design” projects: smaller jobs that can easily become a lot of work for not enough money. Miranda shares how she created a separate line of business for these projects, allowing her firm to capture revenue, serve clients at different stages, and give designers on her team more opportunities to lead.

They also explore how small projects can become future larger projects, why creating structure around your services matters, and how delegating smaller work can help business owners step away from working in the business and start building a company that can thrive without them.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

- How to determine whether small interior design projects can be profitable for your firm

- Why creating a separate service or division can help you protect your high-end brand while capturing additional revenue

- How to use smaller projects to develop designers, increase their client-facing experience, and create leadership opportunities

- Why serving clients at different price points can lead to repeat business and larger projects in the future

- How strategic delegation can free the principal to focus on higher-value work and build a business that doesn't depend entirely on them

Indecision is expensive—and in an interior design business, it can cost you far more than time.

In this episode, Kimberley Seldon talks with interior designer Jodi Cook Monts about the power of making decisions quickly and confidently. They explore how hesitation can affect profitability, project timelines, client relationships, and business growth—and why indecision is often a symptom of a deeper lack of trust and confidence.

Jodi also shares how she expanded her design business beyond her local market, why existing clients are one of the best sources of new opportunities, and how a collaborative mindset can transform relationships with builders and other project partners.

In this episode, you'll learn:

- Why indecision is often a trust and confidence problem—and how it can cost your interior design business time and money

- How making decisions earlier can protect project timelines, profitability, and client relationships

- Why your existing clients may be the best source of second homes, vacation properties, and commercial design projects

- How to successfully work on projects outside your local market—and why strong systems become even more important as you expand

- Why approaching builders and project partners as collaborators, rather than adversaries, can lead to better projects and stronger relationships

Where is your interior design business leaking time, profitability, and client trust?

In this episode, Kimberley Seldon sits down with Sheilah MacSporran, CEO of DesignFiles, to uncover four common business leaks that quietly create chaos for interior designers. From starting every project from scratch to juggling disconnected tools, these inefficiencies can cost you hours, reduce profitability, and create unnecessary stress for you and your clients.

Drawing on more than a decade of experience observing how interior designers work, Sheilah shares practical ways to plug these leaks through templates, connected systems, automation, and streamlined workflows. Kimberley also shares a hard-earned lesson from her own design career: difficult clients aren't always the problem. Sometimes, it's the chaos created by a business without consistent systems.

If you're spending too much time on busywork, managing too many tools, or answering questions your systems should answer, this episode will help you identify what's slowing your interior design business down.

In this episode, you'll learn:

- The four common business leaks that cost interior designers time, profitability, and client trust

- Why starting every project from scratch is a major efficiency and profit killer

- How disconnected software and repetitive data entry create unnecessary work

- Why templates, systems, and automation create consistency and protect profitability

- How better systems create a better client experience—and a more efficient, profitable interior design business

Lighting is one of the most powerful design tools available—yet it's often one of the most overlooked.

In this guest-hosted episode, DuVäl Reynolds sits down with architectural lighting designer Sarah Richter to explore how thoughtful lighting transforms the way clients experience their homes. Together, they unpack the difference between decorative and architectural lighting, explain why layered lighting is essential to great design, and discuss how interior designers and lighting designers can collaborate to create more beautiful, functional spaces.

If you've ever wondered whether bringing a lighting designer onto your project is worth it, this conversation may change the way you approach every project going forward.

In this episode, you'll learn:

- Why layered lighting creates homes that are both beautiful and highly functional

- The difference between decorative lighting, architectural lighting, and lighting design

- Exactly where a lighting designer fits into the BOD™ 15 Step Project Management Strategy—and why involving them early leads to better project outcomes

- How interior designers and lighting designers work together to elevate a project

- Why lighting should be considered from the earliest stages of the design process

- How thoughtful lighting enhances architecture, showcases interiors, and improves everyday living

- Practical ways to incorporate lighting expertise into your next residential design project

Are you running a profitable interior design business—or are you simply hoping you are?

In this candid conversation, Kimberley Seldon sits down with interior designer and former financial advisor Erin Hackett Nordholt to discuss one of the biggest challenges facing design firm owners: protecting profit. Together, they unpack the hidden habits that quietly erode profitability—from underestimating freight and absorbing unexpected costs to avoiding project post-mortems and convincing yourself that "breaking even" is good enough.

If you've ever hesitated to look closely at your numbers or assumed a project was profitable because it felt successful, this episode will challenge you to think differently. Because building a thriving interior design business isn't about staying positive—it's about facing the numbers, learning from every project, and creating systems that protect your bottom line.

In this episode we learn:

- Why "toxic positivity" may be the biggest threat to your interior design business

- How hidden costs like freight, tariffs, and procurement mistakes quietly destroy profit margins

- Why every design firm should conduct a post-project financial review to improve future profitability

- How understanding your numbers leads to better pricing, stronger systems, and more confident business decisions

- Why profitable interior designers stop apologizing for making money—and start protecting their margins

- How small financial improvements compound into a stronger, more sustainable design business

Building a successful interior design business isn't just about attracting great clients—it's about building a team that allows your firm to grow without relying on you for every decision.

In this candid conversation, Kimberley Seldon sits down with leadership coach Shelli Warren to explore what it really takes to lead a high-performing interior design team. From hiring and delegation to defining roles, building trust, and creating systems that support long-term growth, this episode is filled with practical strategies for designers who want to scale their business without becoming the bottleneck.

If you're ready to step out of the day-to-day, empower your team, and lead your interior design firm with confidence, this episode is for you.

In this episode, you'll learn:

- Why so many interior designers become accidental leaders—and how to lead with confidence

- How to hire the right people and build a team that supports business growth

- Why delegation and clearly defined roles are essential for scaling your design firm

- How to create systems that maintain quality without micromanaging your team

- The mindset shifts that help you stop being the bottleneck in your business

- Why great leadership leads to stronger teams, higher profitability, and a more enjoyable business

You've read the books. Listened to the podcasts. Taken the notes. So why doesn't your interior design business feel any different?

In this episode, Business of Design® Director of Operations and Business Coach Cheryl Horne explores one of the biggest obstacles keeping interior designers from building more profitable, organized, and enjoyable businesses: confusing learning with progress.

Drawing on nearly 20 years of coaching hundreds of interior designers, Cheryl explains why information alone won't transform your business—and how small, consistent actions create lasting change. If you've been searching for better systems, higher profits, stronger boundaries, or more control over your time, this episode will help you turn knowledge into results.

What you'll learn in this episode:

- Why learning more doesn't always lead to business growth

- How implementation—not information—creates a more profitable interior design business

- Simple strategies for turning ideas into systems you actually use

- Why accountability is essential for lasting change

- How small, consistent improvements lead to better projects, happier clients, and greater profitability

- The one question every interior designer should ask before consuming more business advice