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

Most marketing fails for one simple reason: our brains are wired to ignore anything that feels familiar, predictable, or irrelevant. In this episode, Kimberley Seldon sits down with author and entrepreneur advocate Mike Michalowicz to explore why so many interior designers struggle to get traction—and what it actually takes to break through the noise.

Mike introduces his antidote to being “highly ignorable”: get different. That doesn’t mean louder, flashier, or more complicated—it means being intentional, strategic, and unmistakably you. This conversation dives into how designers can identify their best clients, focus marketing efforts where they actually matter, and test ideas without wasting time or money.

If you’re tired of posting, promoting, and pitching without seeing real results, this episode will challenge how you think about marketing—and give you practical ways to stand out without selling out.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- How to organize clients by revenue and “crush factor” (who you love working with)

- Where to find your ideal clients—and how to market where they already gather

- Why being “highly ignorable” is the biggest threat to your marketing

- How to perform simple R&D (rip off and duplicate) without copying blindly

- Why leaning into who you really are strengthens your marketing

- How to choose the right marketing mediums intentionally

- Why the method matters just as much as the message

- How to introduce “keys” that tell you whether your marketing is actually working

Marketing doesn’t need to be complicated—but it does need to be intentional. In this rapid-fire episode, Kimberley Seldon welcomes back marketing strategist Daniela Furtado to tackle the most common marketing questions interior designers ask at Business of Design®.

From referrals and website strategy to pricing visibility and talking about money, Daniela cuts through the noise and delivers clear, practical answers designers can actually use. This episode is perfect if you’ve ever wondered whether your marketing is working, how to evaluate return on effort, or what really belongs on your website.

If you want straightforward guidance instead of theory—and marketing decisions that feel confident instead of confusing—this conversation delivers exactly that.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- What actually qualifies as a good marketing return

- How to build a referral strategy that consistently works

- How to manage multiple offerings on your website without confusion

- Whether or not you should list prices on your website

- Why talking about money early (and often) leads to better clients

What are interior designers really wrestling with behind the scenes? In this episode, Kimberley Seldon is joined by Cheryl Horne, Director of Operations at Business of Design®, to answer the real, unfiltered questions members are asking right now.

Because Cheryl speaks with BOD® members daily, she has a front-row seat to the challenges designers face as they grow—how to increase project size without burnout, how many jobs is actually the right number, and how to quiet the inner worrier that shows up when it’s time to bill confidently. This conversation is practical, grounded, and full of insight designers can apply immediately.

If you want clarity instead of guesswork—and answers rooted in real-world experience—this episode delivers exactly that.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- How to identify which projects are truly the most profitable

- Why training new staff with BOD™ modules sets them up for success faster

- The three profit levers to pull when your business hits a famine phase

- What to do when a client wants to shop for items themselves

- Which Business of Design® course new employees should take first

When business slows down, it’s easy to panic—or worse, freeze. In this timely solo episode, Kimberley Seldon, Advocate-in-Chief at Business of Design®, shares five smart, strategic moves interior designers can make when work feels quiet, uncertain, or stalled.

Rather than waiting things out or scrambling for quick fixes, Kimberley reframes slow seasons as powerful opportunities to strengthen your business from the inside out. From reconnecting with former clients to finally documenting your systems, these are practical steps that help you regain momentum, sharpen your skills, and emerge stronger than before.

Whether you’re in a genuine slow season or simply craving a reset, this episode is equal parts strategy and encouragement—the reminder that quieter periods can be catalysts for real growth.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- Why former clients are your most valuable leads—and how to reconnect without feeling salesy

- What belongs in a strong operations manual and how it transforms your business

- The systems you finally have time to implement that pay off all year long

- How to use slow periods to sharpen your skills and expand your value

- Why it’s okay to raise your rates even when business feels slow

- How mindset shifts during quiet seasons can lead to powerful breakthroughs

Do more of what you love and less of what you don’t. It sounds simple—but implementing it inside a growing interior design business is where most designers struggle. In this episode, Kimberley Seldon is joined by leadership expert Brad Farris to explore the concepts of flowing and anchoring and why understanding the difference can transform how you lead.

Brad explains how designers unintentionally anchor themselves to work they shouldn’t be doing, why unclear delegation pulls owners back into the weeds, and how staying in your zone of genius creates better results for both you and your team. This conversation challenges the belief that leaders need to be everywhere—and replaces it with a smarter, more sustainable way to run your business.

If you want to protect your energy, reduce overwhelm, and lead with clarity instead of control, this episode offers a practical mindset shift you can apply immediately.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- How to stay in your zone of genius by delegating work you’re not meant to do

- Why anchoring yourself to the wrong tasks limits growth and leadership

- How clear roles create flow for you and your team

- Why the boss should have the fewest emails—not the most

- How intentional delegation frees up time, energy, and focus

Leaving a stable corporate career to start an interior design business takes more than talent—it takes courage, clarity, and a willingness to risk comfort for fulfillment. In this episode, Kimberley Seldon sits down with Alexis Vitale, who made the bold leap from the corporate craft beer world into running her own interior design studio.

Alexis shares what her corporate background gave her—structure, sales skills, and business acumen—and what it couldn’tprovide: creative fulfillment and ownership of her future. This conversation explores what really matters when making a major career transition, how to manage fear without letting it lead, and why relationships play a critical role in building a successful design business.

If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s too late—or too risky—to make a change, this episode offers both perspective and encouragement from someone who’s done it.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- Why taking a calculated risk is less dangerous than staying stuck in fear

- Why being “just okay” isn’t enough when you’re capable of more

- How relationship-building fuels opportunity and long-term success

- Why consistent networking matters more than perfect timing

- What helped make the transition from corporate life to design ownership successful

Ready to build a business that supports your talent?

Join us at Business of Design®.

https://businessofdesign.com

Some of the most powerful forces holding interior designers back aren’t external—they’re internal. In this solo episode, Kimberley Seldon takes a direct look at the quiet, persistent negative self-talk that undermines confidence, decision-making, and long-term success.

These stories often sound reasonable—even protective—but over time they erode momentum and keep designers stuck in familiar patterns. Kimberley explores how these internal narratives form, why they’re so convincing, and how changing the message can immediately shift the way you show up in your business.

If you’ve ever felt capable but hesitant, ambitious but restrained, this episode will help you recognize what’s really getting in the way—and how to move forward with clarity and confidence.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- How negative self-talk quietly sabotages business growth

- The real cost of staying stuck in unchallenged mental loops

- How to identify the limiting stories you keep repeating

- What it takes to shift your mindset and reclaim momentum

Ready to build a business that supports your talent?

Join us at Business of Design®.

https://businessofdesign.com

Are small projects worth the time—or are they a distraction from landing bigger, better clients? In this episode, Kimberley Seldon is joined by marketing strategist Daniela Furtado to challenge the all-or-nothing thinking that keeps many interior designers financially exposed.

Daniela explains how a balanced mix of large, medium, and small projects creates more consistent cash flow, reduces risk when big clients fall through, and supports long-term growth. This conversation reframes smaller projects as strategic tools—when they’re priced correctly, scoped intentionally, and positioned properly within your overall business model.

If you’ve been turning away smaller opportunities out of fear they’ll dilute your brand or drain your time, this episode will help you rethink what “worth it” really means.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- How to create a revenue mix that improves financial stability and reduces risk

- How to establish profitable base rates for smaller projects

- Why discounting hurts—and adjusting scope works instead

- How small projects can support strategic business growth

- Why marketing should highlight large and medium projects, even if you take small ones

- How small projects can generate cash flow that fuels consistent marketing

- How to nurture smaller leads and upsell them into larger opportunities

Ready to build a business that supports your talent?

Join us at Business of Design®.

https://businessofdesign.com

Healthy client relationships don’t start with better clients—they start with better thinking. In this episode, Kimberley Seldon sits down with Janine Aurichio to explore how internal mindset patterns quietly shape external client dynamics, and why lasting change requires more than just better systems.

While strong processes absolutely improve communication and outcomes, this conversation goes deeper into what’s happening between our ears. Janine introduces practical mindset tools that help designers shift negative thought patterns, navigate conflict with confidence, and build more cooperative, respectful client relationships over time.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in recurring client challenges—even when your systems are solid—this episode will help you see where mindset may be undermining your best efforts, and how to correct course.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- How the “10% right” principle supports healthier conflict resolution

- How applying a 3:1 positive ratio improves client interactions and outcomes

- How to consult your elder, wiser self when facing difficult decisions

- Why celebrating small wins creates momentum and lasting change

Ready to build a business that supports your talent?

Join us at Business of Design®.

https://businessofdesign.com

Succession planning can feel like a distant concern—but in reality, it’s one of the smartest ways to strengthen your design business right now. In this episode, Kimberley Seldon sits down with attorney Wendy Estela to unpack what intellectual property really means for interior designers and why protecting it is essential to long-term value.

Wendy explains how thinking about succession early—whether or not you plan to sell—forces clarity around ownership, worth, and structure. A business designed to be transferable is also a business that’s more resilient, more profitable, and less dependent on you personally. This conversation is a wake-up call for designers who give too much away, undervalue their expertise, or delay protecting what they’ve built.

If future-proofing your business is on your mind—or should be—this episode will help you understand where to start and why it matters.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

- What intellectual property really means in an interior design business

- How to recognize and protect your value as a designer

- Key succession planning options and when to start thinking about them

- Why building a sellable business makes your business stronger today

- How knowing what a “good deal” looks like prevents long-term regret

Ready to build a business that supports your talent?

Join us at Business of Design®.

https://businessofdesign.com