Most interior designers start a firm because they have a passion for design, not because they have a passion for running an interior design business. In fact, some would prefer not to have anything to do with the business side of their business.  Even if you think you don’t have a mind or taste for business, you can learn to love it. When that happens, see how fast and how much it can grow.

In today’s podcast, Gail and Erin talk with Matthew Tirschwell, founder of Tirschwell & Co., Inc., Architectural Lighting Design, with offices in New York City and Beverly Hills. In operation for more than 20 years, the firm works in all areas of lighting design, including hospitality, retail, institutional, and residential.

Several years ago, Matthew felt that his business was just treading water. It was very successful but seemed to be running on autopilot. He knew he wanted something more but just didn’t know what or how to move toward it. He was introduced to Gail through a friend who also is a client of Gail’s and signed up for a VIP session.

With Gail’s guidance and encouragement, Matthew was able to develop a business plan and strategy to take the business in a new direction. Matthew admits that at first, he was reluctant to work with a business coach, but realized he needed to get another perspective on his business. “To establish a real direction, you have to get past yourself,” commented Matthew on why he decided to work with Gail. “I knew I needed a guide.” He has been a regular client ever since.

In the first year after that initial session, revenues jumped by 93 percent. Matthew also rediscovered his passion for the business—not the design side but the business side. That is what really excites him now, and he’s looking forward to implementing the 10-year plan that he and his leadership team recently developed, with Gail’s help.

Gail asked Matthew what his biggest challenge was in changing his business. He said, “Paying myself what I’m worth.” Before he was drawing a salary but wasn’t comfortable giving himself a bigger paycheck. Gail congratulated him on recognizing his worth to the company. “You need to make a living and reward yourself for the value that you’re bringing,” she affirmed.

To learn more about Matthew’s journey, why he now loves his business, his plans for the future, and three important lessons he’s learned along the way, listen to the entire podcast.

Mentioned in This Podcast

Matthew mentioned that his go-to book for insights into how to improve his business is Michael Gerber’s The E Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It.  You can find out more about the book and the author at emyth.com.

Erin asked Matthew what were his favorite recent business reads.  He mentioned Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman, and Play Bigger: How Pirates, Dreamers and Innovators Create and Dominate Markets by Al Ramadan, Dave Peterson, Christopher Lochhead, and Kevin Maney.  Both are available in print and ebook from bookstores or online.

Does your interior design business seem stuck in a rut?  Are you dissatisfied with the amount you’re earning for the number of hours you’re working?  Then it’s time to get the help you need to turn your business around.

In today’s podcast, Gail and Erin talk with Amy Leferink, owner and principal designer with Interior Impressions in Woodbury, Minnesota.  Some years ago Amy signed up for a VIP Experience with Gail and has been a regular client ever since.  She is a member of the Gail Doby Coaching & Consulting Boardroom Group 3.  Amy credits Gail for helping her to make her business a success.

Having made a major life change to start her own interior design business, Amy was feeling frustrated and overwhelmed at how poorly it was going.  She was struggling to get by.  After talking with a designer friend who had worked with Gail, she decided to invest in a VIP session.  When Gail asked her to put her numbers up on a whiteboard for them to review, she was shocked to find that after years of working 50 to 60 hours a week, she was earning just 1 percent in profit!  She was eager for whatever help Gail could give her.

Fast forward to about three years later, and now it’s a completely different story.  When Gail checked in with Amy to see how her business was doing, Amy was shocked again—but this time in a good way, because her business had grown by 4000 percent!  At first, she couldn’t believe it, but the figures were correct.

Now, says Amy, “I am 100 percent debt-free, in my business and my personal finances.  I have more money in the bank right now than I’ve ever had in my life.  I feel so much more secure . . . not having to worry all the time, just knowing we’re in a really good place and that we’re going to keep growing and getting stronger.”

Erin asked Amy what are some life lessons that she’s garnered along the way that she would share with other designers.  Amy offered these three:

To hear more from Gail and Amy about overcoming challenges, getting control of your business, and having a vision for the future, listen to the full podcast.

Mentioned in This Podcast

Toward the end of the podcast, Amy mentions a book that Gail recommended to her, The Miracle Morning, by Hal Elrod.  You can find out more about the book as well as other Miracle Morning books, listen to the author’s podcast, and more at MiracleMorning.com.

Amy also mentioned that she recently read the best-selling novel, Where the Crawdads Sing, by Delia Owens, which is widely available in print and ebook at bookstores and online.

Overcoming adversity and rising to the top through strength of character and will is the stuff of fairy tales.  Such stories are always inspiring, even more so when the hero is a fellow interior designer who sees himself as having a lot in common with Cinderella.

In today’s podcast Gail interviews nationally acclaimed interior designer Corey Damen Jenkins, founder of Corey Damen Jenkins & Associates, with studios in Detroit and New York City.  Corey is an inducted member of Architectural Digest’s AD100 and in 2020 was named to Elle Decor’s prestigious  A-List.  His work has been featured in many national design and news publications and has received numerous industry honors.

Every designer has a story to tell about how they started and grew their business, and Gail asked Corey to share his.  The success he enjoys today, said Corey, has come after much struggle and strife.  Having started out doing corporate design in the auto industry in Michigan, he was laid off at the onset of the Great Recession and lost nearly everything.  With no one hiring designers, he took a job in a showroom as a stock boy, but was eventually laid off from that job, too.

Frustrated and wanting to get back to design, he decided to start his own firm, although he had no clients, prospective or otherwise.  Undeterred, he set himself a goal of knocking on 800 doors to find a client.  Door 779 turned out to be the magic number.  A couple gave him his first project to re-do several rooms in their home.

The rest, as they say, is history.  A producer at HGTV saw his work on his website and invited him to try out for a design competition show, which he won.  The national exposure catapulted him to bigger and better projects.  Looking back on the journey he has trod, Corey acknowledged his good fortune but also his tenacity.  “God and the universe bless us,” he said, “after you’ve put in the hard work.”

There is no point at which you reach the top and then relax, noted Corey.  “I have to continue to hustle,” he said, to maintain his success.  In addition to doing projects and managing the firm, he is active on Instagram and Facebook, works with a number of charities, and is featured on podcasts.

Among the challenges he has faced in growing his firm from scratch is that of racial prejudice.  He and Gail talked about issues of race and diversity in the interior design industry and what can be done to begin to improve the situation.  They also talked about the impact of COVID-19 on the industry, another big challenge, and how Corey has kept up his business during the pandemic.

For more details about Corey’s amazing design journey and his thoughts on what drives his success, listen to the entire podcast.

Mentioned in This Podcast

At the end of the podcast, Corey mentions he has a forthcoming book from Rizzoli.  He says he can’t mention the title, but it has since been announced.  It is called Design Remix: A New Spin On Traditional Rooms and is scheduled for release on March 23, 2021.  Corey says it will be unlike any other design book, so keep your eye out for it next spring.  You can read more about it on his website at coreydamenjenkins.com/design-remix/.

What is value?  And how do you offer more value to clients?  It may surprise you to learn that the answer is not by being good a what you do.

On today’s podcast, Gail and Erin talk with Bob Burg, consultant, presenter, and author of a number of books on sales, marketing, and influence. He is perhaps best known as the co-author of the best-selling The Go-Giver and other Go-Giver books, and as host of The Go-Giver podcast.

The essential premise of the Go-Giver philosophy is that shifting one’s focus from getting to giving (constantly and consistently providing value to others) is not only a fulfilling way to live life and conduct business, but the most profitable way, as well.  The more you give, the more you have.  This is the secret behind many of the world’s most successful people.

Entrepreneurs and salespeople, said Bob, need to keep in mind that someone is going to do business with you or buy from you not because of who you are, who you represent, whether they like you, or because you need to make a living, but because they believe it is to their advantage to do so.  Likewise, an employer is going to hire someone because they believe that person can fill a need, not because they need a job or have a commendable work history.  You have to demonstrate that you have something of value that meets their needs, goals or desires.

Many designers, noted Gail, have difficulty demonstrating and charging for their value.  How can they address that?, she asked Bob. He said there are two main steps to defining one’s value.

First, make a study of your own value.  Really understand what you bring to the table.  It’s not your interior design skills, talent and knowledge that create your value.  That is baseline.  You wouldn’t be in business otherwise.  It’s all the other things that you bring that define your unique value, such as your excellence, your consistency, your attention to detail, your empathy, your gratitude and appreciation for your client’s business, trust and delight in what you deliver.

If you sell at low price, you’re looked at as a commodity.  If you sell at high value, you’re looked at as a resource.  — Bob Burg

Second, make a study of prosperity.  Many people have unconscious negative attitudes toward money and wealth.  Without being aware, they sabotage their own success because they are uncomfortable with making too much money or with asking to be compensated for what they are truly worth.  There are many good books on the subject which can help one to get past those feelings and replace them with more healthy, realistic attitudes toward achieving success.

Gail, Erin and Bob also discussed how to approach someone you’d like to have as a mentor and what it takes to be a successful influencer.  For those topics, three key takeaways you can apply to your business right away, and Bob’s explanation of The Five Laws of Stratospheric Success, listen to the entire podcast.

Mentioned in This Podcast

To learn more about Bob and his work, read his blog, and listen to The Go-Giver podcast, go to his website at www.burg.com.  You can also find Bob on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, and listen to his podcast via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, and iHeart Media.

For more information about the Go-Giver philosophy, the Go-Giver books (including the new The Go-Giver Influencer and Endless Referrals, mentioned by Gail) and where to buy them, to download a copy of The Five Laws of Stratospheric Success, and to request a free copy of the special report Endless Prospects the Go-Giver Way, visit the Go-Giver website at thegogiver.com.  On the home page you can register to access Bob’s free four-video mini-course “Selling the Go-Giver Way” and get more information about his other video course, “Endless Referrals: The Go-Giver Way.”

Bob cited a quote from international performance consultant Dondi Scumaci:  “Compliance will never take you where commitment will go.”  You can learn more about her at dondiscumaci.com.

Were you not able to attend Fall Market 2020 at High Point?  Neither were Gail and Erin, but they know some designers who did.  Here’s your chance to find out what you missed.

In today’s episode, Gail and Erin take a back seat as a select panel of designers relate their experiences at this year’s revamped Fall Market, sharing insights, trends and favorite products.  This discussion was recorded from a post-show “Masters of Market” event live-streamed at an earlier date.

Featured Panelists (in order of appearance)

Kate, who co-moderated the panel with Erin, reported that although, understandably, traffic was down, overall Fall Market was a success, with ordering very strong.  Pre-market ordering was the highest on record.  She also announced that a new initiative, High Point by Design, was launched in September, that is working toward having showrooms open year-round, either by appointment or during events, and eventually would include opening showrooms to the public.

All the panelists commented that indeed there were far fewer attendees this year, but that made it easier and faster to visit showrooms and get a good look at the latest products.  Those who did attend came to shop, whether for current or future projects.  Most came for just a few days, as per the new schedule, and plotted their strategy in advance to make the most of their time on the ground.

Among the notable trends cited by the panelist were

In addition to fashion and products trends, Nancy spoke about the problems designers are having with availability and timeliness of receiving goods.  One rep explained to her that besides manufacturing delays due to the pandemic, in some cases, especially in Asia, there are not enough cargo containers available due to shipping backlogs, so goods cannot be loaded and shipped out.  At this time, she said, “there is no end in sight as to when the situation may be resolved.”

For further insights and to find out which new products caught our panelists’ eyes, listen to the entire podcast.  You can access it wherever you get your podcasts.

What is the future you want for yourself and your business? When you think ahead three, five, or ten years, where do you want to be and who is the person you want to be? How will you get there?

In today’s episode, Gail and Erin talk with organizational psychologist Dr. Benjamin Hardy, creator of the Future Self Program, author of Personality Is Not Permanent and Willpower Doesn’t Work, and a regular contributor to Inc. and Psychology Today. Dr. Hardy’s blogs have been read by over 100 million people and are featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Fortune, CNBC, Cheddar, and many others.

Contrary to what many people believe, says Dr. Hardy, we are not born with a certain personality nor do we develop a personality and then stick with it for the rest of our lives. We are always changing, and who we will be three or five years from now will be different from who we are today, because that person will have new knowledge, new experiences and new perspectives.

Therefore, Dr. Hardy explains, we need not limit or define ourselves by our past. Look at your former self as a different person and the past as something you can use to help you grow and move forward. He quotes his colleague, strategic coach Dan Sullivan: “The starting point to making your future bigger is by making your past better.”

Dr. Hardy refers to the work of psychology researcher Dr. Carol Dweck, author of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, who proposes people have one of two basic established sets of attitudes, either a “fixed” mindset (you believe you are who you are and that will never change) or a “growth” mindset (you see yourself as a work in progress). Fixed mindset people go through life trying to avoid challenge and failure. Growth mindset people are always on the lookout for new opportunities and ways to grow. However, people can choose to change their mindset. You can imagine a different future self and grow into that self, says Dr. Hardy.

Gail and Dr. Hardy go on to discuss how people can cultivate the motivation and drive to change, how they can overcome trauma and turn the past into something positive, the most effective and proven ways to effect radical change, and much more. Listen to the entire podcast to learn how to begin creating your future self.

Gail wraps up by asking Dr. Hardy to share three takeaways that listeners can apply to effect change in their lives. He says:

You can find more information about Dr. Benjamin Hardy, his Future Self Program, and his books, and read a selection of his articles on his website at Benjamin Hardy.

A natural progression for many new businesses is to add staff bit by bit as you have a need for more help or new expertise. A downside is that you can end up with the team you have instead of the team you want. There is a better way.

In today’s episode, Gail and Erin talk with Lisa Kahn, lead designer and CEO of Lisa Kahn Designs in Naples, Florida, who specializes in creating peaceful, nurturing sanctuary spaces that harmonize the built environment, the natural world, and the human spirit.

In this episode, Gail and Erin talk about:

Like many independent interior designers, Lisa started out as a sole practitioner and then eventually hired a bookkeeper, then an assistant, and so on—“hiring to fill a hole,” as she puts it. In time, she realized that she needed not just to build a team but to build a culture for her firm. She and her husband, who serves as the director of marketing, wrote a culture statement, which guides what they do, who they work with, and who they have on their team. “I am now more discriminating, focused, and intentional in my hiring practices,” says Lisa.

In 2008, when the economy fell into recession and she was going through a difficult period personally, the business shrank and Lisa scaled back her staff. Later, when conditions improved, she decided to scale her business back up so that it could support the life she envisioned for herself, being careful to hire only those individuals who would support and contribute to the firm culture.

In a free-flowing conversation, Gail and Erin ask Lisa to talk about the journey her business has gone through and her plans for the future. She recounts how she is taking her passion for improving people’s lives and wellbeing through sanctuary spaces in new directions, both within and outside interior design. Gail comments that she and Erin talk about what they call “beyond business” with their Boardroom group, that your business can give you the means and opportunities to do other things and fulfill other aspects of yourself.

Before parting ways, Gail and Erin asked Lisa for three insights she has gained from her business that listeners could take away with them and apply to their firms. She says:

Lisa had a lot more to say about how her vision for herself is taking her in new directions. It makes for inspiring listening. Press “PLAY” now.

To find out more about Lisa, her firm, and her vision for sanctuary spaces, go the firm’s website at Lisa Kahn Designs.

Lisa mentions a book Gail advised her read, The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph by Ryan Holiday. You can get more information on his website at Ryan Holiday.

Gail refers to a quote from Dr. Benjamin Hardy. You can find out more about him and his writings on achieving your ideal self at Benjamin Hardy.

If you’re curious about the sanctuary spaces Lisa mentioned, you can find entries on Wikipedia for Carl Jung’s Bollingen Tower in Switzerland and Rudolf Steiner’s Goetheanum.

Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds nought and six, result misery.
— Mr. Micawber in Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield

By some estimates, 50 percent of all small businesses fail within the first year, and fewer than 1 in 10 is likely to survive 10 years. Why? A major reason is that they fail to earn a profit. Small Business Trends reports only 40 percent of U.S. small businesses are profitable, while 30 percent break even and 30 percent continue to lose money year after year. If your firm is not making a profit (i.e., netting more income than expenses), here’s what you can do to turn it around.

In this episode, Gail and Erin discuss the following important tips:

In today’s episode, Gail and Erin discuss adjusting your business model when you see that your current model isn’t working. “You can tell pretty quickly whether your model is working by reviewing the bottom line on your monthly profit and loss statement. If you’re losing money month after month, something is wrong and you have to fix it.” Says Gail.

How much profit should you be earning? A recent report, Gail notes, shows the current industry average is around 8 percent, down from 10 percent a year or two ago. Gail and Erin suggest you should be earning at least 10 percent net profit, and somewhere between 10 and 20 percent is good.

From their experience working with clients to improve their businesses, Gail and Erin have come across quite a few firms that are not earning a profit. Two areas in particular that erode profitability are high operating costs and not knowing how to price services properly. They explain how to correct those and describe the various components that make up a successful business model.

Crucial to the success of any business is knowing who you want to work with and why they would want to work with you. If you’re not clear about that, you need to listen to your clients. They will tell you what they want and what they need. Keep in mind that you need to serve that client in the way they want to be served. Don’t work with clients who don’t value you or your services, but be flexible in how you work with each client.

To get more tips on developing and adjusting your business model, listen to the full podcast.

Mentioned in This Podcast
For more statistics on why small businesses often fail, check out this infographic from Small Business Trends: https://smallbiztrends.com/2013/03/infographic-failed-small-businesses.html

How do you scale a new business up quickly? How do you find the people you need to make your business grow and succeed? What do you do if things start to go wrong?

In this episode, Gail and Erin talk with designer extraordinaire Garrison Hullinger, founder and principal designer of Studio Garrison in Portland, Oregon, specializing in residential, commercial, and hospitality design.

In this episode, Gail, Erin, and Garrison discuss the following advice:

About ten years ago, Garrison was a successful project manager with Old Navy, which he helped to create, when he suffered a work-related brain injury that required him to relearn how to walk, read and write. During his recovery, on the advice of his physical therapist, he undertook a small home remodeling project and discovered he had a passion for design. He started offering design services out his attic, and today is one of Portland, Oregon’s most sought-after interior designers, with a team of 17 employees. Gail and Erin asked him how he was able to grow his business so quickly.

“Hire experts,” says Garrison. “Gather and collect the people who support you,” such as a bookkeeper or CAD specialist. “Create an organization that you hold accountable, and then deliver on what you promise to clients.”

While at Old Navy, Garrison was responsible for hiring more than 3,000 employees. Gail asked him what was the most important lesson he learned from that experience that he applies to hiring in interior design. The three qualities he looks for most in a candidate, says Garrison, are compatibility, the determination to follow through, and accountability. He added that it’s not necessary to hire everyone as full-time staff. “There is value in hiring someone whose talent or expertise you need for only a measured amount of time.”

Having overcome adversity and accomplished so much, Gail asked Garrison what was the biggest life lesson that helps him to run his business the way he does. “Move forward,” he says, “take risks. You have to put fear in the corner where it belongs. You can’t always react, so pro-act.”

In a lively and far-ranging conversation, Garrison had a lot more to share about how to lead a successful business and team. Listen to the full podcast for more great insights.

You can find out more about Garrison, his firm, and his projects at the Studio Garrison website.

At the start of their conversation, Gail and Erin mention that on a visit to Garrison’s studio in Portland they took in a performance by Darcelle XV (aka Walter Cole, age 89), recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s oldest drag queen. To learn more about him and the historic 1896 Queen Anne home where he resides, check out this recent article, Can Darcelle, The World’s Oldest Drag Queen Still be Fabulous …, from The Oregonian.