Success should feel empowering—not exhausting. But for many interior design firm principals, what looks like "making it" from the outside is actually draining them dry behind the scenes. In this episode, Melissa peels back the curtain on what happens when design success becomes unsustainable, and burnout becomes the price you're paying. If you're constantly juggling all the roles, overwhelmed by client work, and finding that your profits are flatlining despite your growth, this conversation is your wake-up call—and your lifeline.

Melissa shares the five critical steps every overwhelmed designer must take to stop being the bottleneck and start leading like the CEO their firm needs. It's time to let go of heroic solo efforts and embrace the structure, support, and strategy that will get you your life back. You'll learn how to delegate with intention, price with clarity, and lead with outcomes—all while eliminating burnout and creating a business that truly supports the life you want.

In this episode, you'll hear:

(01:08) The silent truth behind your growing design firm: it's not sustainable

(03:03) Why overwhelm isn't failure—it's your business begging you to evolve

(05:25) The hidden reasons your profit isn't growing (and how to fix it)

(09:26) The myth of willpower and why scaling requires real structure

(11:21) The magic trio for deciding what only you should do in your business

(14:39) How to build a business that supports vacations, predictability, and peace

If you're ready to attract better clients, price with confidence, and build interior design marketing strategies that actually work, join me for my complimentary masterclass, "7 Shifts to Grow Your Design Firm Without Burning Out", at melissagalt.com/BestDesignYear or DM me "BEST YEAR" and I'll send the link.

You've got this: I've got you always!

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In this episode, we're dismantling the 12 beliefs quietly sabotaging your interior design business growth, the limiting mindsets about pricing, portfolios, networking, and visibility that keep talented new designers stuck, undercharging, and invisible.

If you're in your first or second year and wondering why marketing feels hard, why clients question your pricing, or why you're still waiting for that "big break," this episode shows you what beliefs to release and how to reframe them for real momentum.

In this episode, you'll hear:

(04:15) Why you don't need an office to hit six figures

(06:30) How to network with intention (not desperation)

(13:30) Stop announcing you're new and lead with confidence instead

(18:22) The pricing trap keeping you undervalued

(23:10) Why your portfolio doesn't need to be perfect to start

(26:45) When certifications become procrastination

(29:15) How boundaries build your brand

(33:42) Why you can work from anywhere (even after moving cities)

(38:55) The one client who brought in $1.5M, and why consistency is your big break

If you're ready to attract better clients, price with confidence, and build interior design marketing strategies that actually work, join me for my complimentary masterclass, "7 Shifts to Grow Your Design Firm Without Burning Out," at melissagalt.com/BestDesignYear, or DM me "BEST YEAR" and I'll send the link.

You've got this: I've got you always!

Connect with Melissa

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In this episode, you'll discover the hidden costs of running an interior design business, the quiet money leaks, emotional spending habits, and overlooked subscriptions that slowly chip away at your profit. Instead of tightening everything to the point of restriction, we walk through how to make more intentional, aligned investments so your business feels lighter, more transparent, and far more sustainable.

If you've been wondering where your profit is going, or why your business feels more expensive than it should, this episode shows you exactly where to look and how to take back control.

In this episode, you'll hear:

(02:18) Why "looking the part" doesn't require overspending

(05:40) How to audit your wardrobe, branding, and personal presentation with intention

(10:12) The silent profit leaks hiding in your tech stack and tools

(14:55) When memberships and associations help, and when they're just noise

(19:43) The difference between appearances and aligned investment

If you're ready to understand the true story your numbers are telling, and build a business that supports your life, book your confidential Design Business Assessment at melissagalt.com/DBA or DM me "DBA" and I'll send the link.

You've got this: I've got you always!

Connect with Melissa

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In this episode, you'll discover what really happens when your creative spark starts to fade, and how to bring it back with intention. Instead of pushing through burnout or hoping inspiration magically returns, you'll learn the simple, practical rituals that help me (and the designers I coach) reconnect to our senses, revive our imagination, and protect the creative energy our work depends on.

If your creativity has felt muted or stretched thin, this episode offers a clear path back to feeling inspired again.

In this episode, you'll hear:

(01:44) What creative burnout really looks like for designers

(04:10) How to build a morning ritual that sparks inspiration

(08:27) The boundaries that protect your creative energy

(12:52) Sensory practices that reconnect you to imagination

(18:36) Why seasonal creative retreats transform your design vision

If you're ready to build a business that supports your creativity, book your confidential Design Business Assessment at melissagalt.com/DBA or DM me "DBA" and I'll send the link.

You've got this: I've got you always!

Connect with Melissa

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In this episode, Melissa takes you beyond the dashboards and metrics and into the heart of what makes your design business truly thrive — your creativity. You'll explore the often-overlooked power of right-brain leadership and how reconnecting with your imagination can be your secret weapon in a data-dominated world. Melissa shares insights on how intuition and emotion drive not just beautiful interiors, but exceptional business decisions and client transformations.

This is your invitation to pause the analytics and remember why you started designing in the first place. You'll learn how to trust your instincts, innovate instead of imitate, and inspire your clients with vision and feeling — not just formulas. Melissa shows you how to blend the precision of data with the magic of creativity to build a business that's not just profitable, but deeply fulfilling.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL HEAR:

• (01:08) Why design is a sensory experience, not a spreadsheet — and why that matters now more than ever
• (03:03) The cost of creative burnout from data obsession — and how one designer found her spark again
• (04:07) How to use your intuition as a powerful business decision-making tool
• (05:32) The role of imagination in leading clients into bold, transformative design choices
• (07:35) Why merging logic and creativity creates a business that's magnetic, original, and profitable
• (08:59) The difference between efficiency and excellence — and how imagination drives both

Do you know exactly what's holding your firm back from those six- and seven-figure projects and the design fees and profit that go with them?

Most interior design firm principals don't. That's why I invite you to schedule your complimentary Design Business Assessment, a confidential 1:1 with me on Zoom. It's the first high-impact step to diagnosing your bottlenecks—from pricing to process—and getting absolute clarity on the bold action required. Stop working harder, start working smarter.

Book today at melissagalt.com/DBA. When you're ready to reveal your firm's growth opportunities and work with me to get there, let's go.

In this episode, you're going to discover how to harness the power of AI to create a "digital twin" — a smart, always-on brand ambassador that mirrors your tone, values, and voice. Rather than fearing technology, you're invited to design with it, intentionally shaping your AI to sound and look like you so it can consistently communicate your design genius even when you're off the clock.

Melissa walks you through how to capture your unique brand DNA — from your tone and vocabulary to your values and visual identity — and teach it to AI tools like ChatGPT, Jasper, or Gemini. You'll learn how to build a core brand library, train your digital systems, and safeguard your brand integrity while leveraging automation for consistency, scalability, and profitability. If you've ever wished you could be in more than one place at once, this is your blueprint.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL HEAR:

• (03:13) What a digital twin really is — and why your design brand needs one
• (05:29) How to define your brand tone, vocabulary, and values for AI use
• (08:06) The secret to identifying your brand DNA with your own content
• (09:59) What belongs in your core brand library to train your AI tools effectively
• (13:27) Automating without losing your voice — how to maintain soul in scale
• (17:29) Why regular audits of your AI-generated content are essential to brand integrity

If you're ready to build your own digital twin — one that reflects your design genius, amplifies your brand voice, and runs while you rest — let's talk.

Head to melissagalt.com/DBA and book your 1:1 confidential Zoom Design Business Assessment. Or DM me with DBA and we'll share a link.

Because your best business partner might not be a person — it might be the smarter, faster, AI-powered version of you, that amplifies your talent to capture better clients, bigger projects and more profit.

You've got this: I've got you always!

In this episode of Design Business Freedom, you're invited to reframe the AI conversation and lean into what makes you irreplaceable as an interior designer. Melissa explores how, in an increasingly automated industry, your real value lies in being profoundly human—tapping into empathy, intuition, and sensory design to create transformation, not just transactions. This episode is a call to deepen your client connections and showcase your unique touch in ways AI can never replicate.

Melissa walks you through the three core areas where the human advantage shines: design discovery, design delivery, and client experience. From reading body language on Zoom to curating sensory design reveals and hosting unforgettable completion celebrations, you'll learn how to make clients feel truly seen, valued, and celebrated. This is how you set yourself apart in a sea of sameness and attract the luxury clients who crave personal connection and presence.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL HEAR:

• (02:14) Why AI can replicate images, but not the emotion or transformation behind your designs
• (03:35) The three stages of your business where your human advantage matters most
• (04:41) How emotional intelligence turns your discovery calls into loyalty-building conversations
• (05:51) Elevating your design delivery through sensory experiences clients will never forget
• (09:03) The power of completion celebrations and how they drive referrals and client advocacy
• (12:06) Where to draw the line between automation and personalization for a high-touch, high-profit business

SUPPORTING RESOURCES:

Do you know exactly what's holding your firm back from those six- and seven-figure projects and the design fees and profit that go with them?

Most interior design firm principals don't. That's why I invite you to schedule your complimentary Design Business Assessment, a confidential 1:1 with me on Zoom.

It's the first high-impact step to diagnosing your bottlenecks—from pricing to process—and getting absolute clarity on the bold action required. Stop working harder, start working smarter.

Take the assessment today at melissagalt.com/DBA. When you're ready to reveal your firm's growth opportunities and work with me to get there, let's go.

AI isn't here to replace you—it's here to release you from the repetitive, time-sucking tasks that drain your creativity and cut into your margins. In this episode, you'll discover how the most successful designers are already leveraging AI to reclaim hours in their week, streamline operations, and ignite their creative process—all while keeping the human touch at the forefront of their design business.

Melissa breaks down the 15 most impactful ways you can use AI right now across four essential areas of your practice: design discovery, administration, marketing, and design delivery. You'll walk away with actionable strategies and inspiring ideas to automate smarter, serve your clients better, and create more space to enjoy your life and business. AI isn't the future—it's your secret weapon now.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL HEAR:

• (01:23) How AI can enhance your design discovery process without losing your personal intuition
• (07:32) Why admin is costing you time, energy, and profit—and how AI can take it off your plate
• (16:33) An invite to the VIP Designer Branding and Marketing Reboot Retreat in Scottsdale
• (18:21) The best AI tools for content ideation, SEO, and video script support that match your tone
• (24:40) How AI can accelerate rendering and visualization while enhancing your design process
• (29:11) Use AI for FF&E specs and product recommendations to save hours on sourcing

SUPPORTING RESOURCES:

• Inbox Zapper
• Unroll.Me
• VIP Designer Branding and Marketing Reboot Retreat

When you're ready to step into a bigger vision in your design business and create exceptional results and celebrations, book-a-call to explore how coaching can take you there faster, with a solid plan, proven process, and smart strategies.

In this essential episode, you're diving into the new frontier of AI-powered search and learning exactly how to make your interior design firm not just visible but preferred by ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and other AI search tools. Melissa walks you through why traditional SEO is no longer enough and shares the top 10 strategies to ensure your design business shows up when future clients ask AI who the best designer in their city is.

You'll discover the importance of authority language, consistent branding, optimized metadata, and content that educates (not just inspires). Melissa also shares how to audit your online presence and provides a simple way to test your current AI visibility. With the rapid evolution of AI, you've got a narrow window to get ahead—and this episode is your roadmap to owning that competitive edge.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL HEAR:

• (04:08) Why AI search is fundamentally different from Google—and what it means for designers
• (07:37) The 10 keys to getting your design firm found by AI, starting with brand positioning
• (09:00) How weak language (like "help") is killing your credibility and visibility
• (14:19) The power of location anchoring and why geography now matters more than ever
• (15:13) How press and media mentions now signal authority to AI tools
• (23:43) Why AI-readable assets like transcripts and consistent formatting boost your searchability

SUPPORTING RESOURCES:

• MelissaGalt.com/events — VIP Designer Branding Retreat and Marketing Reboot in Scottsdale, November 12–14, 2025

When you're ready to step into a bigger vision in your design business and create exceptional results and celebrations, book-a-call to explore how coaching can take you there faster, with a solid plan, proven process, and smart strategies.

In this insightful episode of Design Business Freedom, Melissa challenges the growing trend of over-automation in interior design businesses. While automating certain processes can be a major time-saver, she reminds you that design is a high-touch, sensory-driven, and deeply personal service. Melissa walks you through how automation can subtly erode client trust and connection if you're not using it with intention.

You'll learn how to strike the right balance between efficient systems and meaningful moments that foster client loyalty and emotional impact. From the three critical phases where automation should take a back seat to her powerful Five Senses Framework, this episode is your call to reintroduce the magic of real human connection in your design process.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL HEAR:

• (01:01) Why automation should enhance efficiency—not erase intimacy—in your design business
• (02:34) The truth behind what clients are really investing in (hint: it's not convenience)
• (03:13) Three high-touch phases in your process where automation should step aside
• (04:43) How to use personal check-ins, video walkthroughs, and voice notes to deepen client connection
• (07:09) The Five Senses Framework to elevate every reveal and create unforgettable client experiences
• (11:07) A simple 10-minute audit to evaluate if you've gone too far with automation

SUPPORTING RESOURCES:

• VIP Designer Branding Retreat and Marketing Reboot – November 12–14, Scottsdale, AZ

When you're ready to step into a bigger vision in your design business and create exceptional results and celebrations, book-a-call to explore how coaching can take you there faster, with a solid plan, proven process, and smart strategies.