Profit Is A Choice

With me today is Kelsey McGregor, founder and lead designer of Kelsey Leigh Design Co., a nationally renowned interior design firm based in Oklahoma City specializing in new construction, renovation, and full-service furnishings. Known for her elevated rustic-modern aesthetic, Kelsey creates spaces that balance refined architectural detail with warmth, approachability, and timeless appeal.

Kelsey is also the owner of Heritage House, a home furnishings and décor retail store that reflects her signature style. In today's conversation, we're talking about how she has structured her business differently from the traditional model—and how paying her team well and sharing in the company's success has created greater joy, loyalty, and fun in the workplace.

This is an inspiring conversation about building a profitable business while also creating a culture where people feel valued, supported, and excited to contribute

• Intentionality in protecting family and personal time while pursuing your passion is key.
• It is possible to create a strategy for charitable giving from the beginning.
• Flexible work time for all employees is possible.
• Time tracking provides the information necessary for team pay and for invoicing.
• People over profits.

• Email: [email protected]
• Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting
• Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL
• Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com
• LinkedIn: Michele Williams

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.kelseyleighdesignco.com
• Instagram: @kelseyleighdesignco
• Facebook: @kelseyleighdesignco
• TikTok: @kelseyleighdesignco
• Pinterest: @kelseyleighdesignco

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On today's podcast, we're doing something a little different. You're going to hear a pre-recorded conversation I had with Ceil DiGuglielmo, host of the Sew Much More podcast. This time, Ceil turned the tables and interviewed me about my trademarked course, Pricing Without Emotion.

I've been teaching Pricing Without Emotion since 2010, helping business owners understand not only how to price for profitability, but also how their mindset and relationship with money can influence the way they price.

I'm especially excited to share this conversation as we prepare to launch the next Pricing Without Emotion course at Scarlet Thread on October 8, 2026.

As Ceil says in her introduction, even if you have no intention of taking the course, there is plenty in this conversation that you can apply to your business right now. So as you listen, I invite you to think about your own pricing journey, the emotions that may be influencing your decisions, and ultimately, your relationship with money.

Enjoy the conversation!

• Pricing using empirical data

• Emotion applied to the process not the payment

• Good pricing principles

• Email: [email protected]

• Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting

• Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL

• Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com

• LinkedIn: Michele Williams

• Work with Me

• The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today

• CFO2Go

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Back with us today is Courtney Bramlett of The Good Sower. Courtney specializes in helping companies develop marketing strategies and, just as importantly, put those strategies into action.

Today, we're answering the question: What is the first marketing system a design firm should build?

We'll talk about the connection—or sometimes the disconnect—between your marketing efforts and your overall business strategy, and why your marketing systems should support where you actually want your company to go.

If you've ever felt like you're doing a lot of marketing but aren't sure it's moving your business forward, this conversation is for you. Listen in as we explore how to build a more intentional and strategic approach to marketing your design firm.

• Marketing Challenges

• Marketing Strategies

• Marketing Systems

• Good marketing is an investment of time and money.

• One of the biggest challenges is to start marketing without a clear strategy or desired outcome.

• Predictable and scalable strategies for business and marketing create growth and provide visibility even in a downturn.

• Focus on strong local visibility before worrying about national visibility.

• Email: [email protected]

• Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting

• Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL

• Website: scarletthreadconsulting.com

• LinkedIn: Michele-Williams

• Email: [email protected]

• Website: https://www.thegoodsower.com

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtneybramlett_

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-bramlett-revenue-driver/

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With me on the podcast today is Ed Sedgley. He has spent over 20 years founding and scaling technology and marketing businesses across global markets. His expertise lies at the intersection of emerging technology and commercial growth – specifically, how the right tools can meaningfully accelerate sales.

As CEO and Founder of Viewa, Ed leads a business at the forefront of 3D, Augmented Reality and Artificial Intelligence visualization software for retailers and manufacturers of home goods. We are going to talk about how utilizing such software can shorten the sales process, lead to better outcomes and make expectations much more clear.

• AI Visualization Tools

• Consumer Behavior

• Augmented Reality

• Augmented reality became a necessary technology during COVID.

• Good AI can enhance realism and light/shade effects.

• 80% of people now conduct research online before buying.

• Visualizer tools keep web visitors engaged for longer on the site.

• Email: [email protected]

• Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting

• Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL

• Website: scarletthreadconsulting.com

• LinkedIn: Michele-Williams

• Email: [email protected]

• Website: https://www.viewa.com/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raleighworkup

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sedgley/

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Welcome to the Monday Minute with Michele—your quick hit of strategy, insight, and actionable ideas to help you move your business forward one small win at a time.

Today the topic is profit doesn't happen by accident.

• Intentionality in strategy and tactics

• Profitability goes beyond simple finances

• Know what you need your money to do

• Email: [email protected]

• Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting

• Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL

• Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com

• LinkedIn: Michele Williams

• Work with Me

• The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today

• CFO2Go

• Strategy2Go

On the podcast today is Hilaire Martin, founder of Raleigh Workup—a space created for interior design entrepreneurs and creatives to turn ideas into action. It's a community built on genuine support, shared wisdom, and meaningful connection, where beautiful ideas are given the space to grow and flourish.

In today's conversation, we're talking about the importance of community, the reality of feeling alone in business, and what it looks like to be vulnerable enough to take the next step. This is a thoughtful and encouraging episode for anyone building a creative business and looking for connection along the way.

• Co-working spaces

• Flexibility and scaling in office space

• Building intentional community

• Co-working spaces can cater to entrepreneurs at different stages of their business.

• Co-working provides scalability up and down and business changes.

• There are benefits to shared workspace.

• Building intentional community through shared spaces can foster a sense of belonging and support.

• When in community, business growth can accelerate.

• Email: [email protected]

• Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting

• Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL

• Website: scarletthreadconsulting.com

• LinkedIn: Michele-Williams

• Email: [email protected]

• Website: www.raleighworkup.com

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raleighworkup

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/raleigh-workup/

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Joining me today is Porsche Williams, Founder and CEO of The Prototype, a business operations and client experience firm exclusively for designers. Porsche is passionate about helping design businesses streamline growth by refining their processes and elevating the client journey.

In today's episode, we're diving into client experience and lead qualification—two critical areas that can make or break your profitability. Porsche shares where the hidden profit leaks happen before projects even begin and how you can tighten your systems to create a more efficient, profitable business.

• Communication

• Efficiency

• Business Operations

• Three key patterns in lost leads: lack of follow-up, inconsistent communication, and avoidable mishaps during project execution.

• Consistent communication with clients builds satisfaction and trust in the design process.

• If you don't have follow up sequences for leads, focus on this before going after more leads.

• Focus on quality over quantity with leads.

• Email: [email protected]

• Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting

• Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL

• Website: scarletthreadconsulting.com

• LinkedIn: Michele-Williams

• Email: [email protected]

• Website: https://www.theprototype.net/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theprototypelifestyle/

  • https://www.linkedin.com/in/porsche-williams/

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Welcome to the Monday Minute with Michele—your quick hit of strategy, insight, and actionable ideas to help you move your business forward one small win at a time.

Today the topic is when to hire and when to restructure Instead.

• Hiring vs. restructuring

• Limiting growth

• Efficiencies in work

• Email: [email protected]

• Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting

• Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL

• Website: ScarletThreadConsulting.com

• LinkedIn: Michele Williams

• Work with Me

• The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today

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• Metrique Solutions

Back with me on the podcast today is Erin McGhee, a financial strategist and accountant who has dedicated her career to building bookkeeping and CFO-level services specifically for the interior design industry.

In today's conversation, we're looking beyond the financial reports and focusing on the inputs that drive your numbers long before they ever reach QuickBooks or your accounting software. Erin shares how the decisions, processes, and systems throughout your business directly impact profitability—and where hidden profit leaks are most likely to occur.

Our hope is that this episode inspires you to take a closer look at one area of your business, uncover opportunities for improvement, and strengthen the financial health of your company.

• Backend business operations

• Alignment of financial workflows

• Financial system of record

• Organizing the backend of the business with the design process allows work to flow smoothly.

• Business processes are changing due to technology and our internal process needs to change as well to support.

• Be clear on where the detail for your financials lives.

• Keeping your project management system and financial systems aligned is critical for success.

• Be clear on when your company recognizes revenue.

• Email: [email protected]

• Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting

• Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL

• Website: scarletthreadconsulting.com

• LinkedIn: Michele-Williams

• Email: [email protected]

• Website: https://www.mcgheefinancials.com

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mcgheefinancials

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With me today is Lauren DeLoach of Lauren DeLoach Interiors, an Atlanta-area designer known for embracing timeless Southern design with a fresh, elevated approach.

In today's episode, we're talking about Lauren's entrepreneurial journey—what worked well, what created challenges along the way, and how she recognized when something was no longer supporting the growth of her company. Lauren shares the mindset shifts and business changes that helped her continue moving forward with clarity and intention.

It's an honest and insightful conversation about growth, resilience, and building a business that truly aligns with your vision.

• Creating boundaries with clients

• Finding the right balance between creative and business-minded roles

• Intentional business growth

• Formative experiences and mentorship can play a crucial role in shaping your path.

• Balancing a business with raising a family can be difficult.

• Gaining confidence in the value of the design work paired with proper compensation helps prevent burnout.

• Hire team members who align well with the company vision and who have a strong work ethic.

• Email: [email protected]

• Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting

• Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL

• Website: scarletthreadconsulting.com

• LinkedIn: Michele-Williams

• Email: [email protected]

• Website: https://www.laurendeloachinteriors.com

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurendeloachinteriors

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