In the design industry, clarity is power. Whether you’re running a firm with a business partner, leading a solo practice with or without a team, or collaborating with your spouse, like today’s guests, how you divide tasks can make or break your projects and your business. Marli Jones and Michael Kreuser share how they define their roles, delegate responsibilities like procurement and project management, and rely on trusted team members to keep every project running smoothly. There’s real value in having clear job descriptions—for project managers, operations managers, and even for yourself—so that creativity can flourish without chaos.

In this episode:

- Establish clear roles and responsibilities—clarity eliminates confusion.

- Define ownership and decision-making authority from the start.

- Use contracts and agreements to keep partnerships clean and professional.

- Build systems and processes before you delegate.

- Separate creative work from operations for balance and efficiency.

- Foster a culture that accepts mistakes and learns from them.

- Choose clients based on fit, not just project size or budget.

- Let process create space for creativity and innovation.

- Empower your team with trust, autonomy, and shared accountability.

- Nurture strong relationships with clients, trades, and vendors.