🎙 EPISODE TITLE: The 90% Rule: How Doing Less Can Make You More

✨ SHOW DESCRIPTION: Hey y’all, it’s Michelle Lynn! Let’s talk about something that’s gonna ruffle a few perfectionist feathers—the 90% Rule. It’s my way of saying that doing less is actually the fastest way to make more.

Perfectionism might feel like a badge of honor, but babe, it’s a profit killer. In this episode, I’m breaking down how overdelivering and chasing “perfect” are draining your time, your energy, and your money—and how to flip that into efficiency, profit, and freedom. I’ll walk you through how to decide where to give your full 100% and where 90% is more than enough. Because guess what? Your clients can’t tell the difference—and they’re already wowed.

🔍 IN THIS EPISODE, I TALK ABOUT:

• What the 90% Rule is (and why it works)

• Why perfectionism is not service—it’s self-sabotage

• How “overdelivering” confuses clients and eats your profit

• The difference between excellence and perfection

• Real stories from ML Interiors Group (and how one change saved us 10–15 hours per project!)

• Where to give 100%: client experience, communication, and installation

• Where 90% is plenty: backend systems, sourcing, and social media consistency

• How the 90% Rule frees you to take on better clients, protect your creativity, and actually enjoy your business again

💡 WHY THIS MATTERS: You don’t have to give 110% everywhere to build a wildly successful design business. You just need to know where it counts. When you stop trying to perfect every detail and start focusing on what actually drives results, you make more money, get more energy back, and give your clients a smoother, more confident experience.

📎 LINKS & RESOURCES:

• Learn more about The Interior Design Business Bakery → designbakehouse.com

• Free Workshop: Rolling in the Dough → [Insert Link]

• Check out Sidemark, our sales and marketing tool for designers → [Insert Link]

• Connect with me on Instagram → [Insert Link]

 

Scope creep is the silent killer of profit in our industry. Most designers don’t lose money because they undercharge—they lose it because they can’t hold their boundaries. And I get it. Saying no feels uncomfortable. You don’t want to sound difficult. You want your clients to love you. But here’s the truth: boundaries aren’t walls. They’re leadership.

In this episode, I’m walking you through exactly why boundaries matter and giving you word-for-word scripts you can use the next time a client asks for “just one more thing.” Whether it’s another rendering, a quick showroom stop, or after-hours access, I’ll show you how to hold your line with confidence—without sounding pushy or rigid.

 IN THIS EPISODE, I TALK ABOUT:

• Why small “freebies” add up to thousands in lost profit

• How boundaries protect your profit, your time, and your sanity

• The people-pleasing and scarcity traps that keep designers saying yes

• Real-life scripts you can use when clients push for more than they paid for

• A case study of a student who went from burnout to respected professional with one simple shift

Boundaries aren’t about being mean—they’re about being clear. They create trust, stability, and respect in your client relationships. And when you stick to them, you stop leaking profit and start running a business that sustains you instead of drains you.

 

Download my free Client Boundaries Script Pack → designbakehouse.com/boundaries-script

 

RESOURCES:

 

INTERIOR DESIGN BUSINESS BAKERY - Our year-long mentorship and coaching program:

https://thedesignbakehouse.com/interior-design-business-bakery

 

SIMPLIFY YOUR MARKETING, SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE. All-in-one software that organizes sales, marketing, and business services all in one convenient location.

https://mysidemark.com/

 

MARKETING MEMBERSHIP - Join our hands on marketing & visibility program, no contract, only $59/month.

https://thedesignbakehouse.com/lead-lab

 

Stay in touch with Michelle on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/thedesignbakehouse/

 

Join our Free Facebook Community:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/idbizlaunchpad 

 

Get clarity on your next best step today! https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/reviewguide

 

Have ideas or suggestions or want to be considered as a guest on the show? Contact me! https://www.DesignedForTheCreativeMind.com/contact

 

Being the most talented designer doesn’t automatically make you the most successful—influence does. And I’m not talking about Instagram followers or being Insta-famous. Influence in business is about how your market perceives you: as the authority, the one they can trust, the one they want to work with before they even meet you.

In this episode, I’m breaking down what influence really means for interior designers, why it multiplies your results, and the quiet power moves that help you stop chasing clients and start attracting them. I’ll share lessons from the IDS National Conference in New Orleans, stories from my own experience, and a real student transformation that proves influence—not just visibility—is what changes everything.

 IN THIS EPISODE, I TALK ABOUT:

• Why talent alone doesn’t guarantee success (and what does)

• What Jeffrey Shaw’s keynote taught me about how clients make decisions

• The myths about influence (it’s not followers, charisma, or luck)

• The four business habits that build influence:

  1. Consistency in pricing and positioning

  2. Clear and confident communication

  3. Showing up and staying visible (online and in-person)

  4. Delivering on your promises every time

• The habits that erode influence—like apologizing for your pricing, changing your services constantly, or ghosting your market until you need something

• A student case study: how cleaning up her positioning, pricing, and consistency completely shifted her reputation and results

When you build influence, everything in your business gets easier—clients trust your recommendations, pricing conversations feel smoother, vendors and contractors treat you as a priority, and referrals multiply. Influence shortens your sales cycle, strengthens your reputation, and reduces how much effort it takes to land the right projects.

RESOURCES:

 

INTERIOR DESIGN BUSINESS BAKERY - Our year-long mentorship and coaching program:

https://thedesignbakehouse.com/interior-design-business-bakery

 

SIMPLIFY YOUR MARKETING, SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE. All-in-one software that organizes sales, marketing, and business services all in one convenient location.

https://mysidemark.com/

 

MARKETING MEMBERSHIP - Join our hands on marketing & visibility program, no contract, only $59/month.

https://thedesignbakehouse.com/lead-lab

 

Stay in touch with Michelle on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/thedesignbakehouse/

 

Join our Free Facebook Community:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/idbizlaunchpad 

 

Get clarity on your next best step today! https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/reviewguide

 

Have ideas or suggestions or want to be considered as a guest on the show? Contact me! https://www.DesignedForTheCreativeMind.com/contact

 

Indecision is one of the most expensive habits you can have in business. Every time you delay—whether it’s raising your rates, hiring help, or investing in the support you need—you’re leaving money, time, and momentum on the table. In this episode, I’m sharing why overthinking costs you far more than mistakes do, how to build decision speed as a profitable skill, and the tools I use (and teach my students) to stop spinning and start moving forward.

IN THIS EPISODE, I’M TALKING ABOUT:

• The four traps that keep designers stuck: perfectionism, scarcity thinking, people-pleasing, and over-researching

• Real stories from my own business where delayed hiring and decision-making cost me big

• Why 80% clarity is more than enough to move forward

• Tools to help you make decisions faster: setting deadlines, running the numbers, the regret test, and the 80/20 rule

• A student success story that proves indecision costs more than action ever will

Business growth doesn’t come from perfect choices—it comes from consistent, timely ones. Every month you delay raising your rates, every time you put off hiring, every program you “wait until later” to join—that delay is costing you thousands. Indecision doesn’t keep you safe, it keeps you small.

RESOURCES:   INTERIOR DESIGN BUSINESS BAKERY - Our year-long mentorship and coaching program: https://thedesignbakehouse.com/interior-design-business-bakery   SIMPLIFY YOUR MARKETING, SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE. All-in-one software that organizes sales, marketing, and business services all in one convenient location. https://mysidemark.com/   MARKETING MEMBERSHIP - Join our hands on marketing & visibility program, no contract, only $59/month. https://thedesignbakehouse.com/lead-lab   Stay in touch with Michelle on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedesignbakehouse/   Join our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/idbizlaunchpad    Get clarity on your next best step today! https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/reviewguide   Have ideas or suggestions or want to be considered as a guest on the show? Contact me! https://www.DesignedForTheCreativeMind.com/contact

 

Hey y’all, in today’s episode I’m pulling back the curtain on the silent profit killers that sneak into your design business and quietly drain thousands from your bottom line. These aren’t the big, obvious issues like not charging enough or overhead being too high—these are the sneaky, day-to-day habits that fly under the radar but add up fast.

I’m sharing where I’ve personally lost money (yep, guilty), where I see designers leaking profit all the time, and most importantly, how to patch those leaks so you can keep more of the money you’re already working so hard to earn.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL HEAR ABOUT:

• The everyday ways scope creep hides as “little extras”

• Why untracked time is one of the biggest drains on your profit

• How inefficient procurement and vendor management quietly eat away at your margins

• The real cost of client decision delays (and how to stop them)

• Why discounting out of guilt isn’t serving you—or your clients

• Practical fixes you can implement right now to protect your bottom line

Profit leaks don’t show up neatly in QuickBooks. They don’t wave a red flag. They just quietly chip away at your hard work until one day you realize your revenue looks amazing on paper… but your take-home isn’t where it should be. Plugging these leaks is often easier and more profitable than landing five new clients—and it will completely change how you feel about running your business.

 

 

 

RESOURCES:   INTERIOR DESIGN BUSINESS BAKERY - Our year-long mentorship and coaching program: https://thedesignbakehouse.com/interior-design-business-bakery   SIMPLIFY YOUR MARKETING, SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE. All-in-one software that organizes sales, marketing, and business services all in one convenient location. https://mysidemark.com/   MARKETING MEMBERSHIP - Join our hands on marketing & visibility program, no contract, only $59/month. https://thedesignbakehouse.com/lead-lab   Stay in touch with Michelle on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedesignbakehouse/   Join our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/idbizlaunchpad    Get clarity on your next best step today! https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/reviewguide   Have ideas or suggestions or want to be considered as a guest on the show? Contact me! https://www.DesignedForTheCreativeMind.com/contact

Hey, hey, hey! In this episode we’re talking about something that feels scary but will absolutely change your business: saying no before you feel ready. I know how hard it is to turn down a project—what if the right one doesn’t come along? What if word gets around that you turned someone down? I’ve had all those same fears. But here’s the truth: every time you say yes to the wrong project, you’re blocking space for the right one.

I’ll share the hidden costs of saying yes to everything, how to recognize the red flags early, and the exact scripts you can use to say no without burning bridges (because you don’t need to feel like the bad guy)

 

 IN THIS EPISODE, I COVER:

• Why we wait too long to say no (hello, FOMO + people pleasing )

• The financial, creative, and emotional costs of taking on bad-fit clients

• A simple red-flag checklist to spot a “no” before you’re in too deep

• My favorite word tracks that let you say no kindly and confidently

• A student story: how saying no freed her calendar and brought in higher-value clients

Saying no isn’t risky—it’s a growth strategy. When you protect your time and energy, you create space for projects that light you up, clients who respect your process, and a business that actually feels good to run.

 

RESOURCES:   INTERIOR DESIGN BUSINESS BAKERY - Our year-long mentorship and coaching program: https://thedesignbakehouse.com/interior-design-business-bakery   SIMPLIFY YOUR MARKETING, SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE. All-in-one software that organizes sales, marketing, and business services all in one convenient location. https://mysidemark.com/   MARKETING MEMBERSHIP - Join our hands on marketing & visibility program, no contract, only $59/month. https://thedesignbakehouse.com/lead-lab   Stay in touch with Michelle on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedesignbakehouse/   Join our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/idbizlaunchpad    Get clarity on your next best step today! https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/reviewguide   Have ideas or suggestions or want to be considered as a guest on the show? Contact me! https://www.DesignedForTheCreativeMind.com/contact

Hey, hey, hey! In this episode of Design for the Creative Mind, we’re talking about something that feels scary but will absolutely change your business: saying no before you feel ready. I know how hard it is to turn down a project—what if the right one doesn’t come along? What if word gets around that you turned someone down? I’ve had all those same fears. But here’s the truth: every time you say yes to the wrong project, you’re blocking space for the right one.

I’ll share the hidden costs of saying yes to everything, how to recognize the red flags early, and the exact scripts you can use to say no without burning bridges (because you don’t need to feel like the bad guy).

IN THIS EPISODE, I COVER:

• Why we wait too long to say no (hello, FOMO + people pleasing )

• The financial, creative, and emotional costs of taking on bad-fit clients

• A simple red-flag checklist to spot a “no” before you’re in too deep

• My favorite word tracks that let you say no kindly and confidently

• A student story: how saying no freed her calendar and brought in higher-value clients

Saying no isn’t risky—it’s a growth strategy. When you protect your time and energy, you create space for projects that light you up, clients who respect your process, and a business that actually feels good to run.

 

Season 6: Off the Record: The Hidden Curriculum of Design Business   They didn’t teach you this in design school. You won’t hear it in a CEU course. And most business coaches wouldn’t dare say it out loud. This season of Designed for the Creative Mind is your backstage pass to the unspoken skills, strategic instincts, and hard-won wisdom that separate hobbyists from high-earning design business owners. From reading between a client’s words, to knowing exactly when to say no (and how to do it without burning bridges), to spotting profit leaks before they sink you — these are the lessons I wish I’d learned sooner. I’m sharing the real stories, the actual scripts, and the business-building shortcuts I teach inside The Interior Design Business Bakery and The Lead Lab — so you can skip the fluff and build a business that’s profitable, sustainable, and still lights you up creatively. Because running a design business isn’t just about talent. It’s about knowing the rules no one talks about… and when to break them.

 

We’ve all been told to go “above and beyond” for clients—but in your design business, overdelivering isn’t a flex. It’s a recipe for burnout, lower profits, and clients who constantly expect more for free. In this episode, I’m breaking down exactly why overdelivering backfires, how to set healthy boundaries, and the phrases I use to stop scope creep in its tracks (without feeling like the bad guy).

 IN THIS EPISODE:

• The hidden financial cost of “just one more thing” for clients

• Why overdelivering trains your clients to expect freebies

• How to shift from giving extras out of ego to creating consistency that builds trust

• Scripts you can use when clients ask for something out of scope

• A real-life success story from one of my students who stopped overdelivering and started making more money

If you’ve ever found yourself exhausted, resentful, or quietly frustrated because you’re doing more than what was agreed to, this episode will hit home. Overdelivering feels good in the moment, but it creates long-term problems for your business. By learning how to deliver exactly what you promised—exceptionally well—you’ll protect your profits, your client relationships, and your peace of mind.

 

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Hey hey hey! I’m so glad you’re here with me today on Designed for the Creative Mind. Whether you’re listening from your studio, your car, or curled up with a glass of wine (not in the car, please), you’re in for a really insightful conversation.

I brought on the fabulous Mina from Duke Renders to talk about all things renderings—especially how they can help you build a strong portfolio even if you don’t have a single professionally photographed project. If you’ve been holding off on putting your work out there because you’re waiting for the “perfect” photos, this episode is going to change everything.

Mina shares how Duke Renders came to be after she had frustrating experiences outsourcing renderings as a designer herself. What started as her husband and his brother helping her out turned into a full-blown, high-touch rendering studio that truly understands the needs of interior designers.

We also talk about the process (which I completely loved working with), why outsourcing your renderings isn’t as scary as it seems, and how even the biggest names in design (yes, we mention Shea McGee) dealt with team resistance before seeing the light.

If you’re at the beginning stages of your business or pivoting into a new niche, Mina explains how renderings allow you to showcase the kind of work you want to be hired for—even if you haven’t landed those ideal clients yet. We talk about creating a portfolio based on your dream aesthetic, using renderings to fill the gap when photography isn’t possible, and why this investment often brings a bigger return than advertising or getting published.

The biggest takeaway? Renderings aren’t just pretty pictures—they’re a powerful business tool. They can help you land higher-end clients, speed up your design process, and most importantly, give you the confidence to put your work out there.

This episode is a must-listen if you’ve ever felt stuck because your portfolio isn’t “there yet.” Renderings might just be your new secret weapon.

Thanks for tuning in. You’ve got this, and I’m so excited for what you’re building.

 

Resources Mentioned:

• Duke Renders

• Follow Mina and the Duke Renders team on Instagram: @dukerenders

Stay Connected: You can always find me on Instagram @michellynninteriors. Shoot me a DM—I'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode!

 

Today, we’re crossing the pond! I had such a fun and inspiring chat with one of our fabulous Bakery graduates, Marta Rosato, who built her thriving interior design business all the way from Bristol, UK. Her story is filled with courage, creativity, and a whole lot of clarity — and I know you’re going to love hearing it.

Marta didn’t start out in interior design. She spent 20 years working across Europe in project management and event organizing, and later as a marketing strategist for sustainable tourism. But after moving to the UK and becoming a full-time mom, she had a moment — you’ll hear all about it — that led her to totally change direction.

With a background in design consulting, marketing, and project planning (and after blogging her own home renovation during the pandemic), Marta started getting requests from customers who wanted more than just help picking a sofa. So she leaned into her passion, launched Marta Rosato Interiors, and hasn’t looked back.

We talk about:

• How she transitioned into design after becoming a mom

• Why Bristol was the perfect place to start her business

• The exact moment she knew it was time to invest in herself

• What happened when her “dream client” project didn’t pan out — and why that was a blessing in disguise

• How the Bakery gave her the confidence and tools to launch a business she’s proud of

Marta’s story is a beautiful reminder that it’s never too late to pivot, build a business you love, and trust your gut (even across time zones).

Thanks for tuning in, and I hope this conversation leaves you feeling just as energized and encouraged as it did me.