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

You already invested in the project. You hired the photographer. The installation is complete. Then, like so many interior designers, you treat the photoshoot as the final checkbox instead of what it really is: a marketing asset designed to attract your next ideal client.

In this episode, Kimberley Seldon is joined by Candice Brooke to discuss why photography is far more than documentation—and how strategic visual content directly impacts the quality of clients and projects you attract.

From editorial planning to SEO, Pinterest, social media, and relationship marketing, this conversation reframes photography as a long-term business growth strategy rather than a one-time expense.

If you’ve ever wondered why your projects aren’t attracting the level of client you want, this episode may completely change how you approach photography and content creation.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- Why iPhone photos often attract lower-budget, less committed clients

- How professional photography impacts the quality of inquiries you receive

- The difference between simply “taking photos” and building a marketing strategy

- How to create an editorial calendar that extends the life of one project for months

- What designers should plan before a photoshoot to maximize ROI

- How to capture content for your website, Pinterest, SEO, and social media simultaneously

- Why answering client questions through visual content increases engagement

- Why social media is only one part of an effective marketing strategy

- How relationship-building and strategic outreach continue to outperform posting alone

Ready to build an interior design business that supports your talent?

Join us at Business of Design®.

https://businessofdesign.com

How do you make smart business decisions when there’s no obvious right answer?

In this episode, Kimberley Seldon is joined by Andrea Liebross to explore how interior designers can make clearer, more confident decisions—even when uncertainty, fear, or overthinking get in the way.

From hiring and pricing to growth and leadership, every business owner faces moments where the next step feels unclear. Andrea shares a practical framework to help you separate facts from emotion, identify your true priorities, and make decisions that support long-term growth instead of self-sabotage.

If decision fatigue or second-guessing is slowing your momentum, this episode will help you think and lead more like a CEO.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- How to separate facts from fear and emotion in business decisions

- Why every interior design business needs one clear priority at a time

- How hidden beliefs influence hiring, pricing, and growth decisions

- Why confidence comes from taking action—not waiting for certainty

- How to break overwhelming decisions into clear, actionable next steps

- How to lead your business with greater clarity and intention

Ready to build an interior design business that supports your talent?

Join us at Business of Design®.

https://businessofdesign.com

Paint color. Clients think it’s the easiest decision. Designers know it’s one of the hardest.

In this episode, Kimberley Seldon is joined by Susan Jamieson, founder of Bridget Berri Designs and author of Color Rules, to unpack why paint carries so much visual weight—and why even experienced designers can struggle to get it right.

From undertones to lighting to sequencing decisions correctly, this conversation reframes how to approach paint color with clarity and confidence.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- Why paint color is often harder than selecting furniture or finishes

- Kimberley’s five key principles for choosing paint with confidence

- How defining the mood of a space narrows your color options

- Why fixed elements should guide your paint decisions

- How undertones impact color more than the name on the sample

- Why testing larger samples in the actual space is critical

- Why paint should be one of the final decisions—not the first

Ready to build an interior design business that supports your talent?

Join us at Business of Design®.

https://businessofdesign.com

A room without art isn’t finished—it’s staged furniture waiting for a point of view.

In this episode, Kimberley Seldon is joined by Sarah Hurt to tackle one of the most common confidence gaps in interior design: making decisive art selections. Too often, designers defer to the client—hoping they’ll “find something meaningful”—and in doing so, weaken their authority and stall the project.

This conversation reframes art as an essential part of the design process, not an afterthought. From sourcing original pieces to guiding clients with confidence, you’ll learn why strong designers don’t wait—they lead.

If you want your projects to feel complete, be published, and stand out, it’s time to make the art call.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- Why deferring art decisions weakens your authority as a designer

- The difference between decorative “tourist art” and original, collectible work

- How to guide clients toward discovering their personal art preferences

- Why final art decisions should happen in the home—not the gallery

- How to curate multiple pieces into a cohesive, intentional collection

- Opportunities in the emerging art market under $10,000

- How partnering with an art consultant can strengthen your expertise

Ready to build an interior design business that supports your talent?

Join us at Business of Design®.

https://businessofdesign.com

Struggling to get clients for your interior design business?

You’re not alone—and it’s probably not a talent issue.

In this episode, Kimberley Seldon sits down with Elizabeth Rees to break down what actually works when it comes to marketing for interior designers. Because the designers landing projects aren’t necessarily more skilled—they’re simply more visible, more consistent, and more willing to take action before they feel ready.

If you’ve been relying on referrals, posting on social media without results, or waiting for the “right time” to put yourself out there, this conversation will change how you approach growth.

This is a practical, no-fluff look at how to build traction, generate leads, and create momentum in your interior design business—without waiting for perfection.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- Why referrals alone won’t sustain long-term growth in your interior design business

- How to get interior design clients—even if you have no network

- The real purpose of networking and how to use it to generate opportunities

- Why visibility matters more than perfection in your marketing strategy

- How to measure ROI beyond immediate revenue and short-term wins

- The difference between being busy and being strategically visible

- How to repurpose content to increase reach without extra work

- Why in-person networking is still one of the fastest ways to grow

- How rejection helps you build momentum and resilience

- What “scrappy marketing” looks like when scaling your design business

“It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure… that just ain’t so.”

In this episode, Kimberley Seldon sits down with entrepreneur and author Jill Salzman to unpack the hidden thinking patterns that keep interior designers stuck—financially, professionally, and mentally.

Because most of the time, the issue isn’t a lack of strategy.

It’s the beliefs you’ve built your business on.

From pricing and profitability to clients and growth, designers often operate from assumptions that feel true—but quietly limit progress. This conversation challenges those assumptions and helps you see where your thinking—not your effort—is holding you back.

If you’ve ever thought, this should be working by now, this episode will hit home.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- Why the problem you think you have is often not the real problem

- How beliefs about money and clients quietly limit business growth

- The difference between being busy and being truly profitable

- Why designers stay stuck in “good enough” instead of building great

- How fear of success shows up as overwork, undercharging, or avoidance

- The role of vulnerability in making real business changes

- Why the wrong peer group can keep your business small

- The difference between a coach, consultant, and true thinking partner

- How to recognize when your thinking—not your strategy—is the issue

Some episodes are about systems. Some are about mindset. This one is about what happens when life changes everything.

In this deeply personal conversation, Kimberley Seldon sits down with interior designer Jodie Carter to talk about loss, resilience, and what it takes to keep going after unimaginable grief. Jodie shares the story of losing her 12-year-old son, Hamish, after years of bullying—and how she found her way forward as a mother, a business owner, and a human being.

This episode is honest, moving, and unexpectedly practical. Because even in the hardest moments, there are lessons about boundaries, pricing, purpose, and the role your work can play in rebuilding a life.

At its core, this is a conversation about returning to your business—and your self—with more clarity, stronger conviction, and a deeper understanding of your value.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- Why grief doesn’t follow a straight line—and neither does recovery

- How to continue meaningful work, even in the face of profound loss

- Why interior design remains an act of service, even for affluent clients

- How stronger boundaries and better pricing transform client relationships

- Why raising your rates can increase trust, respect, and profitability

- The role community plays when life becomes overwhelming

- Why sometimes the most important business lesson is also a life lesson: stick to the plan

Ready to build a business that supports your talent?

Join us at Business of Design®.

https://businessofdesign.com

What does it take to build an interior design firm that can withstand economic uncertainty, shifting markets, and hesitant clients?

In this episode, Kimberley Seldon speaks with Andria Cowan-Molyneaux, owner of a thriving 18-person, $4M+ interior design firm located in a town of just 17,000 people. In a seasonal economy with no luxury boom to rely on, Andria has built a business designed to stay strong during turbulence rather than react to it.

Instead of pulling back during uncertain times, Andria doubled down on strategy, marketing visibility, community involvement, and operational discipline. The result is a resilient design firm that continues to grow even when the market wobbles.

This conversation is a masterclass in leadership, profitability, and long-term thinking for interior design businesses.

In this episode we learn:

- Why marketing only when you’re slow is the fastest way to stay slow

- The difference between advertising and brand-building — and why it matters for interior designers

- How philanthropic campaigns can outperform paid advertising in ROI

- Why design awards strengthen credibility, especially in smaller markets

- The real math behind growth: consistently feeding the overhead machine

- How in-house manufacturing improves margin, control, and design differentiation

- Why charging $250/hour in a rural community is not bold — it’s responsible business

- How professional associations shorten the learning curve and prevent costly mistakes

- Why competitors can become collaborators — especially in uncertain economic times

If you’re building an interior design firm that needs to grow, adapt, and stay profitable in changing markets, this episode will show you the quiet systems and strategies that make resilience possible.

Ready to build a business that supports your talent?

Join us at Business of Design®.

https://businessofdesign.com

What happens when an experienced interior designer hits a creative wall—and nothing is working?

In this solo episode, Kimberley Seldon walks through a real-time creative block inside a design project: the false starts, overthinking, “good enough” decisions that aren’t good enough, and the creeping doubt that follows.

But this isn’t about talent or burnout.

It’s about process.

Kimberley breaks down exactly what went wrong—and how skipping foundational steps like reviewing client input, defining direction, and working within constraints led to weeks of stalled progress. More importantly, she shows how returning to those same steps unlocked clarity and momentum.

This episode is a practical reset for interior designers who want to move past creative blocks and design with intention, structure, and confidence.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why creative blocks happen to experienced interior designers (and why it’s not about talent)

• How relying on inspiration instead of process leads to stalled progress

• Why “I don’t hate it” is a dangerous standard in design decisions

• The real cost of skipping foundational steps in your design process

• How AI and efficiency tools can accidentally remove critical thinking time

• Why revisiting client notes and inspiration is key to moving forward

• How constraints (not freedom) lead to stronger design solutions

• How to break overwhelming projects into smaller, solvable pieces

• Why presenting multiple options reduces pressure and increases clarity

• The difference between reactive designing and intentional design leadership

If you’ve ever felt stuck mid-project, this episode will show you how to get unstuck—without waiting for inspiration to return.

Ready to build a business that supports your talent?

Join us at Business of Design®.

https://businessofdesign.com

Want to know what’s really behind under-earning, decision fatigue, and burnout in design businesses? It’s not pricing, marketing, or even workload — it’s the decisions designers make long before a project ever begins.

Kimberley Seldon is joined by life coach Andrea Liebross to explore why hesitation is so costly, how “nice” projects quietly drain CEO energy, and what it looks like to lead your business with clarity instead of hope.

Together they unpack how designers end up negotiating with themselves, saying yes when their instincts say no, and taking on work that slowly erodes time, margin, and focus. Andrea shares a practical decision filter you can use to evaluate opportunities quickly and confidently — without burning relationships or shutting doors.

If you’ve ever felt stuck between yes and no, this episode will change the way you make decisions in your business.

In this episode we learn:

- Why “maybe” is more dangerous to your business than “no”

- How to evaluate opportunities using a simple 3-step decision check: ROI, alignment, and capacity

- The difference between revenue and real profit — and why hope is not ROI

- How decision fatigue leads to burnout, under-earning, and leadership exhaustion

- A practical grid to sort opportunities into Hell Yes, Absolute No, Delegate, Delay, Delete, or Do with Changes

- Language for declining or reshaping a project without damaging the relationship

- Why strong design businesses are built on clean decisions, not good intentions