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

Most interior designers don’t avoid their numbers because they’re bad at math—they avoid them because no one ever explained the financial system in a way that actually made sense. In this episode, Kimberley Seldon sits down with Hannah Cole, artist turned tax expert, to dismantle the myth that creatives “just aren’t good with money” and reveal the real issue: running a business while guessing instead of knowing.

This conversation takes a clear-eyed look at what happens when smart, capable designers disengage from their financial reality. From payroll blind spots to the false comfort of being “busy,” Hannah reframes financial literacy as a visibility problem, not a math problem. You’ll learn why nonstop work doesn’t guarantee profit—and how simple habits like time tracking can quickly restore clarity and confidence.

If you’ve ever felt uneasy about money despite working around the clock, this episode will help you understand why—and show you where to start fixing it.

What You’ll Learn in this episode:

- Why creatives aren’t bad at numbers—they’re bad at operating in mystery

- How being “busy” can hide serious profitability issues

- Why payroll is the most dangerous expense designers underestimate

- The difference between gut-feel decisions and data-backed leadership

- When it makes sense to DIY your finances—and when it doesn’t

- How basic tax literacy protects your business and future income

- Why time tracking is one of the fastest paths to financial clarity

Business of Design® is the leading business training platform for interior design professionals. Our proven programs give you the systems and structure you need to run a profitable, process-driven design business.

Ready to build a business that supports your talent?

Join us at Business of Design®.

https://businessofdesign.com

Most interior designers don’t have a branding problem—they have a brand drift problem. As your skills, confidence, and fees evolve, the brand you built early on can quietly fall out of alignment with who you are now. And when that happens, it doesn’t just feel off—it actively repels the clients you want to attract.

In this candid conversation, Kimberley Seldon sits down with brand strategist Puja Malhotra to unpack what designers get wrong about branding—and what actually matters. From that subtle hesitation you feel before sharing your website, to the hidden cost of inconsistency, this episode reframes branding as a strategic business tool, not a creative indulgence.

If your work has leveled up but your brand hasn’t kept pace, this episode will put language to that uneasy feeling—and show you exactly what to do next.

What You’ll Learn in this Episode:

- Why brand hesitation signals misalignment, not insecurity

- How experienced designers outgrow DIY branding without realizing it

- The difference between being visually “interesting” and truly memorable

- Why consistency builds trust faster than creativity

- How your website should function as an employee—not a portfolio graveyard

- When to audit your brand—and when it’s time to bring in professional help

- Why timeless branding matters if you plan to grow, scale, or trademark

Interior designers often find themselves defending beautiful, well-considered ideas to hesitant clients. But what if that hesitation isn’t resistance—it’s biology? In this episode, Kimberley Seldon speaks with designer and BOD™ Member, Martha Lowry about neuro-aesthetics and how the brain responds to space long before logic or language catch up.

This conversation reframes how designers understand client reactions, decision-making, and emotional buy-in. You’ll learn why a room can be technically perfect and still feel “wrong,” how colour and materials trigger powerful subconscious responses, and why deeper, more thoughtful client questioning leads to smoother projects and fewer revisions.

By understanding how memory, emotion, and lived experience influence perception, designers can reduce friction, build trust faster, and create interiors that feel as good as they look.

What You’ll Learn in this Episode:

- Why clients respond emotionally to space before they can articulate preferences

- How neuro-aesthetics explains hesitation, resistance, and indecision

- Why “good design” doesn’t always equal emotional comfort

- How memory and lived experience shape reactions to colour and materials

- The role of biophilia in creating calm, restorative interiors

- How deeper client questioning builds trust and reduces revisions

Interior design businesses don’t fail for lack of talent—they struggle because the business plan is too vague, too complicated, or never gets implemented. In this episode, Kimberley Seldon shares a simple, actionable framework any interior designer can use to improve profitability, attract more ideal clients, and run a more efficient design firm.

Kimberley breaks down the three strategic levers that determine every design firm's success:

- Demand (attracting ideal clients)

- Margin (pricing, profitability, and scope control)

- Efficiency (systems, process, and team capacity)

You’ll learn how to identify the lever that will make the biggest difference in your business this year—and the specific commitments that support real progress. No wishful thinking. No complicated binders. Just a practical plan you can start using today.

Whether you want to increase revenue, raise your rates, improve project management, or regain control of your workload, this episode gives you the clarity and direction you’ve been missing.

In this episode we learn:

- Why a real business plan goes beyond revenue—and includes capacity, systems, and leadership

- The three levers that drive demand, margin, and efficiency in every interior design business

- How to choose the right lever based on your current bottleneck

- Practical commitments that move the needle for each lever

- Why aligning your business plan with your calendar is the key to implementation

- How quarterly reviews prevent overcorrection and keep you focused

- The mindset shift designers must make to lead with confidence this year

Most interior designers want more profit, more stability, and less financial stress—but the idea of “saving more” often feels overwhelming. In this episode, Danielle Hendon breaks down a simple, sustainable strategy that any design professional can start today: saving just 1% of all revenue and putting it out of sight, where it can quietly grow into a real financial buffer.

It may sound small, but this habit builds confidence, financial resilience, and a margin of safety your business desperately needs. Danielle explains how this 1% shift changes your behavior—helping you become more intentional with spending, more strategic with pricing, and more disciplined in how you manage cash flow.

If you’ve ever avoided looking at your numbers or felt anxious about unexpected expenses, this conversation offers a doable first step toward a more profitable, stable design business.

In this episode we learn:

- How taking 1% of all revenue and putting it in a separate account builds financial strength

- Why training your brain to operate without that 1% increases creative problem-solving

- How to build a consistent savings habit—even if you’ve struggled with it before

- When (and how) to increase from 1% to 2% once the habit feels easy

- Why always putting your own needs last leads to burnout and financial vulnerability

- The three profit levers you can pull in your interior design business to increase sustainability

What would it take for your interior design business to run smoothly—without you being involved in every decision, every email, every crisis? In this episode, Kimberley Seldon shares how she went from burnout and bottlenecks to spending a full month in Barcelona while her business continued to operate beautifully in her absence.

This is not a story about working harder. It’s about installing repeatable systems, clear responsibilities, and structured communication so your firm stops depending on you for every answer. Kimberley walks through the exact frameworks that replaced overwhelm with clarity and turned a chaotic workflow into a consistent, predictable, profitable design business.

If your goal next year is more freedom, less micromanaging, and a business that finally supports the life you want, this episode offers both inspiration and practical direction.

In this episode we learn:

- How systems—not hustle—took Kimberley from burnout to a month of freedom in Barcelona

- How the BOD™ 15 keeps every interior design project on track without constant oversight

- How the Trade Partner Agreement eliminates confusion, empowers trades, and reduces interruptions

- Why a Client Communication Framework is the secret to repeat work, referrals, and conflict-free projects

- The essentials of a profit protocol that ensures sustainable earnings on every job

- Why your business can’t thrive until you stop being indispensable—and how systems make that possible

If your marketing plan for your interior design business feels like “post more” or “try harder,” this episode is the reset you need. Kimberley Seldon and marketing strategist Daniela Furtado break down a practical, high-impact 12-month marketing plan designed specifically for interior designers who want more visibility, more ideal clients, and more consistent inquiries.

This roadmap cuts through the noise and replaces random, reactive marketing with a clear, strategic approach you can actually maintain. From choosing a profitable niche to improving your Google Maps ranking, optimizing your website, and turning case studies into client-magnet content—Daniela and Kimberley show you what to do, when to do it, and what you can safely ignore.

If you’re ready to stop guessing and start marketing like a CEO, this episode gives you the structure and clarity you’ve been missing.

In this episode you will learn:

- Why most marketing plans fail after 3.7 months—and the simple fix

- How to analyze past clients to identify your most profitable niche

- The easiest way to increase visibility using Google Maps reviews

- How to design a service page that Google actually ranks

- Why case studies are your most powerful tool for attracting better clients

- What to focus on each month to build steady, predictable growth

- How to forecast your marketing plan like a CEO—not a guesser

What if the key to earning more in your interior design business was doing less? In this electric conversation, Kimberley Seldon sits down with entrepreneur and former Google Ads mogul Kasim Aslam, who scaled and sold an eight-figure business by mastering one skill designers desperately need: making himself irrelevant.

Kasim explains why most creative professionals trap themselves in jobs instead of building real companies—and how to break that cycle by letting go of control, leveraging your team, and building systems that generate revenue without your constant involvement. His take is blunt, funny, and packed with insights that will challenge everything you believe about work, success, and growth.

If you’ve ever said, “I can’t find good help,” “no one works like I do,” or “I don’t have time to scale,” this episode will shake you awake and show you a different path—one where your business thrives because you’re no longer in the center of every task.

In this episode we learn:

- Why you must stop trading time for money to grow your design business

- The four leverage points that create scalability: programs, processes, people, and products

- How to hire top talent without fearing they’ll outgrow you

- How to build systems that generate revenue while you’re away

- Why the goal isn’t to be “redundant” but to become irrelevant in the best possible way

- How to negotiate more boldly—in business and in life

What if the secret to a more profitable interior design business is doing less, not more? In this inspiring episode, Kimberley Seldon reconnects with designer and former BOD™ member Lori Steeves, who made a bold shift: stepping away from high-stress renovation projects and choosing the work she genuinely loves. The result? More creativity. More joy. More profit.

Lori shares how she reframed success, stopped glorifying busyness, and rebuilt her business around fulfillment, not frenzy. With systems that support her, a team she trusts, and the courage to say no strategically, she created a design practice that protects her time, energy, and passion.

For interior designers who feel stretched thin, burned out, or stuck in the cycle of “more, more, more,” this conversation will show you a new model of success—one where your business works for you, not the other way around.

In this episode you will learn:

- Why busyness is not a badge of honor—and how to stop measuring success by hours worked

- How focusing on the work you genuinely love increases profitability and joy

- Why systems are not constraints but the foundation for creative freedom

- How strategic delegation frees your time and empowers your team

- Why saying no is a business superpower

- How profitability relies on margin, not top-line revenue

- How to design a business that supports the life you want

Great clients don’t want endless options—they want a confident expert who can guide them to the right solution. In this episode, Kimberley Seldon sits down with celebrated designer Laura Stein to explore why offering too many choices dilutes your authority, slows down projects, and leaves clients feeling overwhelmed.

Laura shares how narrowing your focus, standing firmly behind your design decisions, and aligning your brand voice with the clients you want to attract can completely transform your client experience. From asking smarter questions to understanding true motivations, this conversation shows you how to lead with clarity, conviction, and professionalism.

If you’ve ever struggled with clients second-guessing you, requesting endless revisions, or treating you like a decorator instead of a strategic partner, this episode will give you the tools to step into your authority—without sacrificing warmth, creativity, or collaboration.

In this episode you will learn:

- Why clients want solutions, not a buffet of options

- How to stand confidently behind your design choices

- How to align your brand voice with your ideal client

- The questions that reveal a client’s true motivations

- How to build systems and hire to complement your weaknesses

- Why guiding—not overwhelming—your clients leads to smoother projects and stronger relationships