Hot Young Designers Club | Interior Design Business Podcast

Today we talk about the elephant in the room that becomes huge and awkward, when no one acknowledges it. That elephant’s name is “money.” In this episode,we are sharing ways you can have honest and comfortable conversations with your clients when it’s time to talk about their budget.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Our personal money stories from the past
• Showing lack of confidence in money conversations
• The types of budget related, questions you should bring up to clients
• Why price is only a factor in the absence of value
• Ripping off the bandaid in less personal interactions
• Having your own minimum standards for your business
• How to react when payments are late or when they bounce

Mentioned:

Hiring & Recruiting Guide

Our links:

Subscribe and leave a review - Apple Podcasts

Like, Comment, & Follow - Hot Young Designers Club Instagram

Rebecca’s Instagram 

Shaun’s Instagram

For more information - Check out the website

Become a “Hottie” member - Support us on Patreon 

In this episode we discuss why having a recruiting process in place will help you get past hiring hurdles. The Hiring & Recruiting Guide will guide you through the whole recruiting process so you can better grow your team and grow your business. 

In this episode, Rebecca and Shaun talk about:

• The two main positions that business owners hire for in the industry
• Getting the right information during interviews
• Offering the position to the candidate 
• What you need for new hire onboarding
• Getting to know your new employees

Mentioned:

Hiring & Recruiting Guide

Our links:

Subscribe and leave a review - Apple Podcasts

Like, Comment, & Follow - Hot Young Designers Club Instagram

Rebecca’s Instagram 

Shaun’s Instagram

For more information - Check out the website

Become a “Hottie” member - Support us on Patreon

Today’s episode is all about reflecting, reviewing, and accessing the year 2022. We chat about the things we need to stop doing, some of our fondest memories, business and personal wins, and what is to come in 2023. Have a Happy New Year, Hotties!

In this episode, we talk about:

• Planning too much versus not planning enough
• Needing a monthly newsletter and delegating more tasks
• The growing community of Hotties and the motivation it brings
• How having an office is a great reason to keep pushing forward
• What type of book keeper is the best
• Figuring out the best website platform to use
• Our specific goals for 2023
• Adapting to feedback from our loyal podcast listeners
• Exciting plans for the podcast in 2023

Our links:

Subscribe and leave a review - Apple Podcasts

Like, Comment, & Follow - Hot Young Designers Club Instagram

Rebecca’s Instagram 

Shaun’s Instagram

For more information - Check out the website

Are you struggling with delegating responsibilities to your assistants, how to accept certain clients, and handling the finances of owning a design firm? We talk about all this with Joy Williams of Joyful Designs Studio.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Wearing many hats but still delegating to others
• Hiring a Design Assistant versus a General Assistant
• Owning where you live and owning where you work
• Why designing show houses is great for creativity but difficult on the wallet
• Joy’s process of bringing on new clients
• Having the right people in place to help with finances and contracts
• Why designers need to educate their clients

Mentioned:

Joy’s Website 

Joy’s Instagram

Our links:

Subscribe and leave a review - Apple Podcasts

Like, Comment, & Follow - Hot Young Designers Club Instagram

Rebecca’s Instagram 

Shaun’s Instagram

For more information - Check out the website

Do you struggle when it comes to developing the presentations you show your clients? Lucky for you, you can stop struggling, because we have already done the work for you! With our Client Presentation Template, you will have an easy to follow, process that you and your clients will understand.

In this episode, Rebecca and Shaun talk about:

• Guiding you quickly and easily before and during the presentation
• Helpful advice on how to present to your clients
• Avoiding a hot mess situation
• An email template to send to the client before the presentation
• Understanding how the template works with an example 
• The benefits a template can bring to you and your team

Mentioned:

Client Presentation Template - 

Our links:

Subscribe and leave a review - Apple Podcasts

Like, Comment, & Follow - Hot Young Designers Club Instagram

Rebecca’s Instagram 

Shaun’s Instagram

For more information - Check out the website

Become a “Hottie” member - Support us on Patreon 

We all have experienced exhaustion as designers in the last few years. With that said, we are grateful for some things that have come out of the challenging time we all have faced. There is nothing like adversity to bring people together. 

In this episode, we talk about:

• The improvements vendors have made in the last few years
• Making choices based on the ease of ordering
• Loving 3D walkthrough showrooms on vendor websites
• The immersion of life and work
• Grateful to have more deep connections in person
• Why a room unphotographed, is a room failed
• Setting terrible expectations for the clients
• Problems in shipping
• Going to Las Vegas for KBIS

Mentioned:

KBIS

Our links:

Subscribe and leave a review - Apple Podcasts

Like, Comment, & Follow - Hot Young Designers Club Instagram

Rebecca’s Instagram 

Shaun’s Instagram

For more information - Check out the website

Become a “Hottie” member - Support us on Patreon 

You need to stop comparing yourself to other designers out there. You don’t have to be published with all the accolades, in order to be considered a good designer. 

In this episode, we talk about:

• The Full Service Approach - You need to experience it to understand it
• Comparing yourself to other designers
• Taking on a client is like a dating game
• Knowing who you are as a designer makes it easier to find the right client
• Figuring out your unique selling point and leaning into it 
• Finding your own motivation and intention
• Comparing a designers portfolio page versus the magazine they designed for

Our links:

Subscribe and leave a review - Apple Podcasts

Like, Comment, & Follow - Hot Young Designers Club Instagram

Rebecca’s Instagram 

Shaun’s Instagram

For more information - Check out the website

Become a “Hottie” member - Support us on Patreon 

In this episode we discuss why having a specific time to review your year is vital to you and your business. Your Year In Review Workbook will guide you in creating a business retreat. The workbook also offers an easy-to-use, revenue planning calculator to help you figure out realistic numbers for your business.

• In this episode, Rebecca and Shaun talk about the Self-Guided Business Retreat workbook
• Taking a day to retreat from your normal routines and location 
• Giving yourself space to think, access, plan and celebrate 
• Effectively reviewing a year of your business 
• Figuring out revenue, expenses, and business goals

Our links:

Download the Self-Guided Business Retreat workbook in our shop

Subscribe and leave a review - Apple Podcasts

Like, Comment, & Follow - Hot Young Designers Club Instagram

Rebecca’s Instagram 

Shaun’s Instagram

For more information - Check out the website

Become a “Hottie” member - Support us on Patreon 

Wouldn’t it be great to live down the street from your showroom, have a collaborative team environment with multiple designers working for you, and take summers off to focus on family time? Sounds like a fantasy for us designers, but it is reality for Susan Wintersteen of Savvy Interiors. 

In this episode, we talk about:

• Which financial numbers are the most important to focus on in your business
• What the Savvy Interiors design process looks like and why it’s beneficial
• Outsourcing the tasks that don’t give you joy
• Preparing for recessions and how to act quickly in response to a bad economy
• Why she avoids doing design projects outside of her local area
• Being innovative and trying new things
• Susan’s nonprofit that designs healthy and functional rooms for children with cancer
• Partnering with Make A Wish Foundation so designers can give back

Mentioned:

Savvy Interiors Website

Savvy Interiors Instagram

Savvy Giving By Design

Cool Tile Mirror Trick

Our links:

Subscribe and leave a review - Apple Podcasts

Like, Comment, & Follow - Hot Young Designers Club Instagram

Rebecca’s Instagram 

Shaun’s Instagram

For more information - Check out the website

Become a “Hottie” member - Support us on Patreon 

Have your creative juices run dry? Are you feeling utterly exhausted? You may be burning out. This happens to everyone at one point or another, so just know that you are not alone.

In this episode, Rebecca and Shaun talk about:

• Absorbing the energy of everyone around you
• Helping others get it together when you don’t even have it all together
• Not forgetting our own mental health
• Recalibrating and reaccessing your work volume
• Changing up your routine
• Taking personal time for yourself - day outings and longer vacations
• Being the designer of your own life

Mentioned:

Hottie Shoutout - Meagan Blau

Check out Megan's Website

Check out Megan’s Instagram

Our links:

Subscribe and leave a review - Apple Podcasts

Like, Comment, & Follow - Hot Young Designers Club Instagram

Rebecca’s Instagram 

Shaun’s Instagram

For more information - Check out the website

Become a “Hottie” member - Support us on Patreon