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

Outdoor spaces aren’t separate from interior design—they’re a powerful extension of it. In this episode, Kimberley Seldon speaks with landscape architect Steve Griggs, who has spent more than 40 years transforming backyards into beautiful, functional sanctuaries. Steve makes a compelling case for why interior designers should integrate landscape design into their scope of work (SOW) and partner with landscape professionals from the very beginning of a project.

By collaborating early with builders and landscape architects, designers can ensure cohesive, elevated results that clients are willing—and eager—to invest in. Steve shares practical insights on budgeting, hardscape planning, and how outdoor spaces can become a profitable addition to your services. If you’ve ever wondered how to expand your offerings or increase project value, this conversation will show you exactly why landscape belongs in the conversation.

In this episode you will learn:

- Why early collaboration between designers, builders, and landscape architects leads to stronger results

- How outdoor spaces function as a natural extension of interior design

- Why you should charge confidently for your expertise—clients will pay for value

- How to approach a blank outdoor canvas starting with hardscape

- When it’s better to delay a project than move forward with an insufficient budget

If your creative brain feels like 42 browser tabs open at once—none playing music you actually like—you’re not alone. In this episode, Kimberley Seldon sits down with Skye Waterson, founder of Unconventional Organisation, to unpack why overwhelm is so common among interior designers and creative entrepreneurs—and why most traditional productivity advice simply doesn’t work for creative minds.

Skye explains why ADHD-style thinking shows up so frequently in entrepreneurship (diagnosis or not), and how understanding how your brain is wired can completely change the way you work. This conversation blends science-backed insights with practical, realistic strategies that help you stop forcing productivity—and start building systems that actually support your creativity.

Expect relatable laughs, permission to work differently, and tools you can use immediately to reduce overwhelm and regain momentum (yes, including why rewards—like ice cream—sometimes come before the work).

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- Why ADHD strategies benefit everyone, especially creative entrepreneurs

- How to start with a brain dump and narrow down what’s truly urgent

- Why rewarding yourself first can create momentum and motivation

- How breaking tasks into micro-steps makes follow-through easier

- How dopamine affects focus—and why your playlist and workspace matter

- Why you’re not lazy—your system might just be broken

- How to give yourself permission to work differently and still succeed

Burnout doesn’t always arrive as a dramatic breaking point. Sometimes it shows up quietly—in the middle of a beautiful project, a full calendar, and a business that looks successful from the outside. In this candid solo episode, Kimberley Seldon shares her personal burnout moment and the pivotal shifts that helped her move from hustle to sustainability.

Kimberley opens up about the emotional cost of chronic over-commitment, saying yes past capacity, and slowly losing the creative spark that drew her to design in the first place. She walks through the practical, often uncomfortable decisions required to reclaim energy, redefine capacity, and restructure a business so it supports—not drains—the person running it.

If you’re exhausted, overbooked, or quietly wondering how long you can keep going at this pace, this episode offers clarity, permission, and a path forward.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- Why burnout doesn’t always look like a breakdown—and often hides in “successful” businesses

- How sustainable change often begins with one small but bold decision

- Why defining and honoring your true capacity is a strategic business move

- How raising your rates can reduce workload while increasing revenue

- Why a signature process saves time, builds confidence, and improves the client experience

- Why protecting your energy isn’t selfish—it’s essential for creativity and long-term success

Sales is one of the most misunderstood—and unnecessarily feared—parts of running an interior design business. In this episode, Kimberley Seldon sits down with sales expert Nikki Rausch to dismantle the myth that selling is pushy, awkward, or “icky.” Instead, Nikki reframes sales as what it truly is: service.

This conversation is packed with practical strategies that help designers approach sales with clarity, confidence, and integrity. From handling rejection without taking it personally, to spotting subtle buying signals and reviving quiet client pipelines, Nikki shares tools that feel good and get results.

Whether your business is booming or you’re feeling a slowdown, this episode will help you reconnect with past clients, strengthen relationships, and show up to sales conversations in a way that aligns with your values—and your expertise.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- Why sales isn’t sleazy—it’s about solving problems your clients already have

- How to reframe rejection and understand why “no” often means “not yet”

- What a client’s “convincer strategy” is and how to follow up effectively

- How to spot buying signals without fear or pressure

- Why past clients are your most valuable sales opportunity

- How to ask for referrals without feeling awkward or self-promotional

- Why soft selling works—and how to always offer a clear next step

Every interior designer eventually encounters a difficult client or an uncomfortable conversation—but how you handle those moments can either erode trust or strengthen it. In this episode, Kimberley Seldon is joined by Dr. Ganz to share a simple, effective technique for diffusing tense situations and regaining control—without confrontation, defensiveness, or emotional fallout.

Using a surprisingly memorable 90’s action-hero metaphor, Dr. Ganz explains how designers can stay calm under pressure, de-escalate escalating conversations, and turn challenging interactions into productive, relationship-building moments. The best part? This approach works just as well with colleagues, friends, and family.

If you want to show up with authority, protect your energy, and stop letting difficult clients rattle your confidence, this episode delivers practical tools you can use immediately.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- How to calmly diffuse a situation that’s escalating

- Stress-reducing strategies that help you stay grounded during challenging client interactions

- Why working with a coach or psychologist is a sign of strength—not weakness

- How emotional regulation supports better leadership and decision-making

- Five compelling reasons interior designers should charge more for their expertise

Profit doesn’t come from working harder—it comes from working smarter. In this episode, Kimberley Seldon sits down with interior designer Lindsay Kjellberg for a refreshingly honest conversation about what it really takes to build a design business that pays well and feels good to run.

Lindsay shares how she went from nonstop hustle and just $30K in profit on $800K in revenue to working 30 hours a week, taking real vacations, and earning $250K a year—without adding more stress or more clients. The shift didn’t come from doing more; it came from making smarter decisions around pricing, time tracking, consultations, and mindset.

This episode pulls back the curtain on the specific changes Lindsay made after joining Business of Design® and why those changes transformed not just her finances, but her quality of life. If you’re busy, booked, and still wondering where the money is—or how long you can keep going like this—this conversation will show you what’s possible.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- Why profit matters far more than top-line revenue

- How charging for consultations attracts better clients and improves conversions

- Why billing for all your time can dramatically increase income without raising rates

- How higher rates and smarter project selection create more freedom and less stress

- The mindset shifts that unlock real growth, confidence, and control in your business

Business of Design® is officially in full money mode with the launch of a 6-week Financial Intensive—and this episode sets the tone. Kimberley Seldon is joined by Cheryl Horne, Director of Operations at Business of Design®, for a practical, no-nonsense conversation about what it really takes to take control of your business finances.

This episode is for interior designers who are tired of feeling uncertain about pricing, profitability, and cash flow—and who want systems they can actually use, starting now. Cheryl shares real-world strategies that help designers build financial clarity, make smarter decisions, and replace overwhelm with confidence, regardless of where they’re starting from.

If you’ve ever felt busy but unsure, successful but financially uneasy, or intimidated by your numbers, this conversation will show you how to shift from avoidance to ownership—and why doing so changes everything.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- Why understanding your numbers is the foundation of a healthy design business

- Practical ways to build financial clarity and confidence

- How time limits on tasks improve both productivity and profitability

- Why tracking billable hours—and reviewing them regularly—matters

- How separating revenue streams increases insight and income

- The critical difference between salary and profit

- How regular financial check-ins support smarter, calmer business decisions

Financial visibility isn’t about being “good with numbers”—it’s about removing mystery so you can lead your business with confidence. In this episode, Kimberley Seldon gets candid about her own money management journey (including the messy parts) and why learning to truly see your numbers is one of the most powerful growth tools available to interior designers.

Kimberley is joined by Will Leonard, who introduces Zena, a pre-funded spending card designed to simplify expense tracking and make financial organization feel far less overwhelming. Together, they explore how centralizing purchases, categorizing expenses, and doing regular financial check-ins can turn bookkeeping from a dreaded task into a strategic advantage.

If you’ve been avoiding your finances—or managing them in a way that feels reactive and stressful—this episode will show you how visibility creates calm, control, and smarter decision-making across your entire business.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- How centralizing business purchases reduces chaos and increases clarity

- Why a pre-funded spending card like Zena can simplify expense tracking

- How organizing expenses by project saves time and mental energy

- Why expense categories can actually improve profitability

- How real-time tracking supports better decisions without added stress

- A calmer, more strategic way to prepare for tax season

As an interior design professional, you create beauty, function, and transformation for your clients—but are you building the same level of intention into your own business and life? In this episode, Kimberley Seldon is joined by Carla Titus for a powerful conversation about the connection between self-worth and wealth—and how that relationship quietly shapes pricing, profit, and burnout.

Together, they explore why undercharging is rarely just a pricing issue, how overdelivering erodes both confidence and margins, and why true wealth extends far beyond money to include time, freedom, and choice. This episode challenges designers to rethink what success really means and to build a business that supports their creativity and their long-term well-being.

If you’ve ever doubted what to charge, felt stuck on the income treadmill, or wondered why working harder isn’t translating into feeling secure, this conversation will help you see your business—and your value—through a new lens.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- Why undercharging is often rooted in self-worth, not skill or experience

- How wealth includes time, freedom, and choice—not just income

- The hidden costs of burnout and chronic overdelivering

- Practical ways to increase profit margins without sacrificing creativity

- How to reframe your mindset around money, value, and success as a creative professional

A great website isn’t just about looking good—it’s about working hard for your business. Just like an interior design project, a high-performing website needs a clear strategy, a thoughtful process, and intentional design choices. In this episode, Cheryl Horne is joined by website strategist Elle Kwan to break down what actually makes a website effective for interior designers.

Elle shares practical guidance on creating content that speaks to your ideal clients and satisfies Google’s search algorithms, why clearly defining your services is essential for conversions, and how to choose the right website platform based on where you are in business. They also talk about the realities of DIY websites, when “good enough” is the right starting point, and how to stay focused when business feels noisy or overwhelming.

Whether you’re building your first site or refining an existing one, this episode will help you approach your website with confidence, clarity, and a strategy that supports real growth.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- What a strong website strategy looks like for an interior design business

- How to write content that resonates with clients and ranks on Google

- Why clearly defined services are critical for engagement and conversion

- The pros and cons of popular website platforms for designers

- Why starting small with a DIY site is sometimes the smartest move

- How to stay focused and trust yourself through the ups and downs of business