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

Interior design is a complex, demanding profession—and if you’ve ever felt behind despite working hard, you’re not imagining it. In this live episode from IDS Toronto, Kimberley Seldon speaks directly to the reality many designers face: exceptional creative training paired with little to no preparation for running a business.

Some designers leave school without learning the fundamentals of profitability, contracts, or delegation. Others work for years—sometimes decades—without the systems, procedures, and strategies required to build a sustainable firm. This episode addresses that gap head-on.

Kimberley breaks down what it actually takes to run a successful interior design business, from getting paid properly to attracting ideal clients and building a team you can trust. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start leading your business with intention, this episode lays the foundation.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- How to enjoy the real perks of business ownership, including profitability

- How to satisfy clients and generate repeat and referral business

- How to attract ideal clients and grow projects that support long-term wealth

- Why clear policies and procedures protect your time and income

- How to create a standardized contract that works across projects

- How to hire the right people and delegate effectively

- How to confidently manage clients, trades, and your team

- How to step fully into the role of expert and business owner

Ready to build a business that supports your talent?

Join us at Business of Design®.

https://businessofdesign.com

After a decade designing private jet interiors, Lisa Morton hit a breaking point. Burnout took a toll on her health and well-being—and forced her to reconsider not just how she worked, but why. That moment led her to the study of Feng Shui, a holistic design practice that now shapes her work as a master teacher and educator.

In this episode, Kimberley Seldon sits down with Lisa to explore how Feng Shui principles can support wellness, intentionality, and longevity in interior design. As younger generations place increasing value on well-being, designers who understand how environments affect energy, mood, and stress are better positioned to meet evolving client needs.

This conversation offers both philosophy and practical application—showing how ancient principles translate into modern, client-centered design decisions.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- Why intentional design choices reduce “fast furniture” and increase lasting value

- How the front door influences a home’s energy and first impression

- How water elements improve flow and focus in workspaces

- Why earth elements like brick, stone, and clay help ground stressed clients

- How fire elements add warmth, energy, and seasonal balance to interiors

Ready to build a business that supports your talent?

Join us at Business of Design®.

https://businessofdesign.com

By the time a business is truly in trouble, the warning signs have usually been flashing for a while. In this solo episode, Kimberley Seldon draws a powerful parallel between her recent experience being evacuated during the LA fires and what happens when interior designers miss early indicators that their business is heading toward trouble.

Kimberley breaks down the subtle (and not-so-subtle) signals designers often overlook—until it feels urgent and overwhelming. From financial visibility to inquiry patterns, this episode reframes preparedness as a leadership skill and shows how paying attention early gives you options instead of panic.

If you want to lead your business proactively instead of reactively, this episode will help you recognize the signs, understand what they mean, and take action before things escalate.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- Why most business crises are preceded by missed warning signs

- How your P&L can serve as an early warning protection system

- Why tracking incoming inquiries is your most important assessment tool

- How to strengthen your business early through client retention and growth

- What to focus on before a situation becomes dire

Ready to build a business that supports your talent?

Join us at Business of Design®.

https://businessofdesign.com

Experience is one of the most valuable teachers in business—especially when it’s shared honestly. In this episode, Dane Austin hosts a candid conversation with fellow long-time Business of Design® member Kristin Apicerno, covering the real lessons learned from years of running design firms.

From the importance of mentorship and process development to committing to consistent marketing and financial habits, Dane and Kristin discuss what actually makes a design business work over time. They also explore why collaboration beats competition, how to identify your strengths, and why practicality matters just as much as perfection.

If you’re looking for grounded advice from designers who’ve learned by doing, this conversation offers perspective, reassurance, and plenty of encouragement.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- Why learning from experienced professionals accelerates growth

- How a strong design process streamlines work and elevates results

- Why scheduling time for marketing and finances is non-negotiable

- How clear contracts set expectations and prevent issues

- How to identify and leverage your unique strengths

- Why practicality matters more than perfection in design

- How putting yourself out there leads to opportunity

Ready to build a business that supports your talent?

Join us at Business of Design®.

https://businessofdesign.com

If your marketing feels predictable—or worse, invisible—it might be time to try something different. In this episode, Kimberley Seldon is joined by Heather Peterson to explore how a playful, intentional, and novel approach to marketing can help interior designers stand out without shouting.

Heather explains why the most effective marketing doesn’t try to appeal to everyone. Instead, it speaks clearly to a specific audience, creates repeated connection points, and makes it easy for the right clients to say yes. From thoughtful gifting to creative formats like books, this conversation reframes marketing as an opportunity to have fun—while staying strategically focused.

If you’re ready to move beyond generic outreach and build marketing that’s memorable, personal, and effective, this episode offers fresh inspiration you can act on.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- Why speaking to fewer people creates stronger connections

- How being specific about your work attracts the right clients

- How frequent, intentional touchpoints keep you top of mind

- Why a book can be a powerful way to reconnect with past clients

- How planting multiple seeds outperforms one blanket campaign

- Why thoughtful packaging helps your marketing stand out

- How making your offer easy to share increases conversions

Ready to build a business that supports your talent?

Join us at Business of Design®.

https://businessofdesign.com

Experience is valuable—but only when it doesn’t turn into complacency. In this solo episode, Kimberley Seldonchallenges interior designers to take a hard look at the habits, assumptions, and systems they’ve been relying on for years—and ask whether they’re still serving the business they want today.

Just because something has “worked” doesn’t mean it’s the best or most effective approach. Kimberley explores how designers often settle for familiar processes, even when better options are available, and why resisting change quietly limits growth. This episode is a reminder not to surrender to so-so when amazing is closer than you think.

If you’re feeling stuck, plateaued, or resistant to change without knowing why, this conversation will help you identify what needs to evolve—and how new systems can fast-track better results.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- The most common assumptions designers need to replace

- How to recognize when it’s time to abandon a familiar method of working

- Why upgrading your systems accelerates success and confidence

- How small changes in approach can unlock bigger opportunities

Ready to build a business that supports your talent?

Join us at Business of Design®.

https://businessofdesign.com

As the new year approaches, Kimberley Seldon considers getting a tattoo—not just for fun, but as a metaphor for the business lessons worth carrying forward. In this reflective solo episode, Kimberley pulls together the most powerful insights from the season’s best podcast conversations and distills them into clear, memorable truths for interior designers.

These aren’t trendy ideas or motivational fluff. They’re practical principles about systems, boundaries, client management, and intentional design—lessons that hold up year after year. If you’ve ever wished for a shortlist of phrases and perspectives to guide you through tricky client moments and business decisions, this episode delivers exactly that.

Think of it as a reset, a reminder, and maybe a few rules you’ll want to keep close—tattoo optional.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- Why systems remove friction instead of complicating your life

- Why “no” is a complete sentence—and when to use it

- How “let me look into that” protects you from rushed decisions

- Why designing with intention matters more than designing for attention

- How to recognize whether a problem is truly insurmountable

- Why trying to speak to everyone guarantees you connect with no one

- Why client wish lists never align perfectly with budgets—and how to handle it

- Why toxic positivity can undermine good leadership

- Why you should never care more about your client’s money than your own

- How 15 seconds of discomfort can lead to better client outcomes

Ready to build a business that supports your talent?

Join us at Business of Design®.

https://businessofdesign.com

Your vendors aren’t just suppliers—they’re an extension of your brand. In this live episode from High Point Market, Kimberley Seldon sits down with interior designers, in partnership with Daniel House Club and Sunpan, to explore how stronger vendor relationships lead to greater profitability and less friction in your business.

This conversation reframes vendors as strategic partners whose expertise can save you time, reduce mistakes, and improve outcomes for clients. When designers learn to work with vendors instead of around them, the result is better service, higher margins, and a more sustainable business.

If you want to work less while earning more—and build partnerships that support your brand promise—this episode shows you where to start.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- How relying on key vendor expertise helps you work less

- Why vendors should be treated as strategic partners, not transactions

- How working in harmony with vendors increases profitability

- Why strong vendor relationships strengthen your brand and client experience

Ready to build a business that supports your talent?

Join us at Business of Design®.

https://businessofdesign.com

What if starting with the client’s budget is actually holding your design—and your business—back? In this live episode from High Point Market, Kimberley Seldon, in partnership with Daniel House Club and Four Hands, challenges designers to rethink how they approach budgets, specifications, and leadership.

Kimberley explains why leading with the best solution—not the least expensive one—positions you as an expert, elevates your brand, and creates better outcomes for clients. This conversation encourages designers to go beyond the brief, trusting that clients often don’t know what’s possible until it’s shown to them.

If you’ve ever felt constrained by budgets or hesitant to propose what you truly believe is right, this episode will help you shift from order-taker to trusted authority.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- How ignoring the budget initially can strengthen your brand

- Why proposing the best option builds trust and confidence

- How better specifications lead to better client experiences

- Why going beyond the brief often serves clients best

Ready to build a business that supports your talent?

Join us at Business of Design®.

https://businessofdesign.com

A thoughtfully designed space does more than look good—it can support calm, clarity, and even healing. In this episode, Kimberley Seldon is joined by designer Sara Robinson, who shares a deeply personal story of how her own breast cancer diagnosis transformed the way she thinks about design.

Sara explains how even the most overlooked spaces—yes, including toilets—play a critical role in the human experience. Drawing from healthcare design, lean principles, and post-occupancy evaluation, this conversation explores how balancing efficiency with emotion creates environments where people function better, feel safer, and heal more effectively.

For interior designers, the challenge isn’t choosing a style—it’s creating balance. This episode offers a powerful reminder that great design supports both movement and meaning, regardless of aesthetic.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- How Motion + Emotion = Experience shapes trust, calm, and efficiency

- Why balanced environments support better healing and well-being

- How lean principles eliminate waste and improve functionality

- How thoughtful design supports both efficiency and the human experience

- Why reframing “mundane” spaces leads to better outcomes

- How post-occupancy evaluation and feedback strengthen future designs

Ready to build a business that supports your talent?

Join us at Business of Design®.

https://businessofdesign.com