Profit Is A Choice

127: The Belief That Could Be Killing Your Design Business WITH MICHELE WILLIAMS

Today on the podcast, we are going to talk about the saying, “You Are Enough”. Just to be clear, I think that is a lie stated like that. And it is a lie that keeps us down, trapped, feeling less than and encouraging the imposter syndrome to grow larger in our minds. Listen in as I tell you why I believe this to be a lie, and I balance it with some truth.

Topics Mentioned: 

• Need

• Team

• Accountability

• Community

Key Thoughts:

• I do a review of the people I work with. Michele (04:58)  

• Now let’s talk about finances. Michele (11:29)   

• Own the decisions and the choices that you make. Michele  (17:49)  

 

Contact Michele:

• Email: [email protected]

• Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting

• Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL

 

References and Resources:

• The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today

• Create a Board of Directors that Supports You - Ep 58 with Jennifer Smith

126: Top Ways to Define Your Interior Design Brand Beyond Your Style with Katie Saunders

With me today is Katie Saunders of Pop and Grey. Katie is a brand strategist and website designer who partners with interior designers to elevate their strategic brand design and messaging so that their brand presence reflects their style and story in every unique detail. Katie is a southern girl, so get ready for the double southern accents between the two of us.  

We are going to discuss why our style is not our brand, how we start to define a brand, and why it matters.  Enjoy the podcast. 

Topics Mentioned:

• Style

• Brand

• Niche

• Logo

Listen to the Episode Key Thoughts:

• As your business has grown over the last 9 or 10 years, what are one or two things that have been the most instrumental in helping you be more profitable? Michele (7:52)

• It’s important to realize your brand can grow with you. Katie (19:40) 

• Digging into her ideal client you might discover the ones you love to work with are more philanthropic in nature. Michele ( 30:57) 

• One of the things that stop people from moving forward is fear, but the other one is ignorance. It's the belief that it's always been that way. Michele (42:39)

Contact Michele:

• Email: [email protected]

• Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting

• Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL

Contact Katie:

• Website: popandgrey.com

• Facebook: Pop and Grey

• Instagram: @popandgrey

• Pinterest: Pop and Grey

• Email: [email protected]

References and Resources:

• The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today

125: Top Reasons Every Interior Designer Should Know Her Why WITH MICHELE WILLIAMS

Why is Why So Important? 

Jack Canfield wrote the book, “The Success Principles” in 2005. I remember reading the book and just being blown away by the title of the first chapter, which was “Take 100% Responsibility for Your Life.” I will just let that one sit with us for a minute.

Topics Mentioned: 

• Why

• Values

• Alignment

• Decision Making

Key Thoughts:

• I do a review of the people I work with. Michele (04:58)  

• Now let’s talk about finances. Michele (11:29)   

• Own the decisions and the choices that you make. Michele  (17:49)  

 

Contact Michele:

• Email: [email protected]

• Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting

• Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL

 

References and Resources:

• The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today

• The Success Principles - by Jack Canfield

• Who's in Your Room: The Secret to Creating Your Best Life by Ivan Misner, Ph.D., Stewart Emery L.H.D., Rick Sapio

• Start with Why by Simon Sinek

• Millionaire Success Habits by Dean Graziosi

124: Hindsight Brings Clarity to Your Business with Ceil DiGuglielmo

For the third year, Ceil DiGuglielmo, of the Sew Much More podcast is joining me to review the year we have just had, what made it different, how we approached moving forward, and lessons learned. Make sure to go back and listen to the last two-year end recaps, they all have something to teach. I hope you enjoy!

Topics Mentioned:

• Gift

• Clarity

• Pride

• Focus

Key Thoughts:

• I need you to have an 8, 10, 12-week plan. Michele (07:12)) 

• The gift of 2020. Michele (16:55)

• I'm trying to help other people get through it Ceil (31:44)

• It's been interesting to me to watch people in our industry make changes in their businesses Ceil (46:20)

•  Seek first to understand then to be understood. Michele (1:01:58)

Contact Michele:

• Email: [email protected]

• Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting

• Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL

Contact Ceil:

• Website: The Sew Much More Podcast

• Website: The Curtains and Soft Furnishings Resource Library

• Facebook: The Sew Much More Podcast

• Facebook: The Curtains and Soft Furnishings Resource Library

• Instagram: @ceildi

• Instagram: @csf_resource_library

• Email: [email protected] 

References and Resources:

• The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today

• E-Myth Revisited - by Michael Gerber

• The High Cost of Fear in a Creative Business - PIAC EP 001 with Ceil DiGuglielmo

• Year in Review with a Look Forward - PIAC Ep 020 with Ceil Diguglielmo

• Committed to the Pursuit - EP 072 with Ceil Diguglielmo

   

123: Merging Architecture and Interior Design in Business with Anastasia Harrison

With me today is Anastasia Harrison, Principal Architect of AHD and Co. Through her extensive experience in complete home design, Anastasia has created a unique niche for her design firm incorporating architecture and interior design together. Her team strives to help clients live beautifully through outstanding design and to provide complete custom spaces that set a mood throughout the entire home.

In addition to running AHD & Co, Anastasia heads up the New Jersey chapter of Savvy Giving by Design, creating safe and cheerful environments for medically fragile children to heal.

Our conversation is going to focus on how she created a firm that mixes architecture and interior design as well as the steps she is taking to grow her firm with intention. Enjoy the podcast.

Topics Mentioned:

• Architecture

• Interior Design

• Linear Process

• Team Building

Key Thoughts:

• We have to think about how we present ourselves. Anastasia (10:24) 

• You're taking pieces and putting them together into something that is new.  Michele (21:15) 

• Start to think about time as a currency and money as a currency. Michele (30:02) 

• All the planning in the world sometimes doesn't give you what you need. Anastasia (42:03) 

Contact Michele:

• Email: [email protected]

• Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting

• Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL

Contact Anastasia:

• Website: www.ahdandco.com

• Facebook: AHD and Co Design Studio

• Instagram: @ahdandco

• Twitter: @AHDandCo

• Pinterest: AHD & Co

• Houzz: AHD & Co

• Email: [email protected]

References and Resources:

• The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today

• E-Myth Revisited - by Michael Gerber

122: Scaling a Drapery Workroom with Tracie Bresnahan

Joining me on the podcast today is Tracie Bresnahan of Custom Creations. Tracie owns a full service, turn-key, to-the-trade workroom supporting designers. Tracie is the President of the Window Coverings Association of America (WCAA) and she is sharing with us today some of her challenges in scaling a workroom. As you all know, these are the same challenges in many cases that we have no matter the business type. Listen in as we discuss changing locations, hiring, adding project management solutions, and the timing of it all.

Topics Mentioned:

• Hiring

• Location

• Project Management

• Timing

Key Thoughts:

• It forced me to get to know people. People that I knew would help my business. Tracie (08:05) 

• Volunteering makes you determine what's really important, and only do that and do it better.  Michele (10:51) 

• Nice to know what you are evaluating against. Michele (31:23) 

• Having the right butt in the right seat doing the right work. Michele (40:49) 

• Go through a research phase of what technology works. Michele (59:51)

• Writing down and tweaking the things that you want to do better. Michele (01:15:08)

Contact Michele:

• Email: [email protected]

• Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting

• Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL

Contact Tracie:

• Website: mycustomcreations.com

• Facebook: Custom Creations

• Instagram: @custom_creationstb

• Email: [email protected]

References and Resources:

• The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today

• E-Myth Revisited - by Michael Gerber

• HIVE - Project Management Resource

121: Year End Planning for HR, Marketing and Finances for your Design Firm WITH MICHELE WILLIAMS

This is the third episode I am dedicating to going through a year-end review. I believe this process is instrumental in creating a business plan that we desire and doing it with intention. Today we will focus on some of the review process necessary in the areas of human resources, marketing, and financials.

Topics Mentioned: 

• Human Resources

• Marketing

• Financials

Key Thoughts:

• I do a review of the people I work with. Michele (04:58)  

• Now let’s talk about finances. Michele (11:29)   

• Own the decisions and the choices that you make. Michele  (17:49)  

 

Contact Michele:

• Email: [email protected]

• Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting

• Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL

 

References and Resources:

• The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today

• Backwards Financials for the Win - Episode 11 with Tracie Taylor

• 6 Pre-Planning Tips for Your New Design Year - Episode 116 with Michele Williams

• 4 Year-End Steps to Prepare Your Interior Design Business - Episode 118 with Michele Williams

• Aim With Intent Methodology

• Pricing without Emotion®

• Understanding Your Financials™

• Master Your Profit® Course

120: How to Determine Which Project to Take for Your Design Firm WITH KRISSY PETERSON

Joining me on the podcast today is Krissy Peterson of K. Peterson Design located in Seattle, Washington. Krissy offers full-service design to her clients and today we are going to tackle a business challenge she is having. My guess is that each of us has had a similar question at some point, and this one has a very detailed answer. Take notes, because there is a lot to untangle.   

Topics Mentioned:

• Profitability

• Analysis

• Time

• Net Profit

Key Thoughts:

• Never lose the excitement of somebody calling to say they want to work with your company. Michele (8:59) 

• Backwards financials help you walk through your financials.  Michele (20:47) 

• Then we look at your expenses to get the gross profit. Michele (30:10) 

• It's been really helpful and valuable to break down all of those things to be able to actually see what those numbers are. Krissy (44:02) 

• It is helpful to think through some of these other things, be able to go back now and look at some of these other projects. Krissy (51:11)

Contact Michele:

• Email: [email protected]

• Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting

• Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL

Contact Krissy:

• Website: kpetersondesign.com

• Facebook: K. Peterson Design

• Instagram: @kpetersondesign

References and Resources:

• The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today

• Backwards Financials for the Win - Episode 11 with Tracie Taylor

119: Building a Leadership Focus for Your Design Firm WITH KRIS PLACHY

On the podcast today is Kris Plachy of Kris Plachy Coaching. Kris’s focus is to guide leaders through the tricky path of learning to lead a team. We talk about her Five-Step Management System on the podcast as well as many other aspects of leading, coaching, and managing a team. This is such a great topic because many of you are growing your teams and focusing on this aspect of your business. Kris and I think alike on these topics so it was fun to dig in.  

Topics Mentioned:

• Leadership

• Accountability

• Assessments

• Feedback

118: 4 Year-End Steps to Prepare Your Interior Design Business WITH MICHELE WILLIAMS

This podcast is part of a series to assist you in planning for the new year in your business. We are going to jump in and talk about a SWOTT analysis, goal planning, how to preserve our energy, and how to say no.

Topics Mentioned: 

• Planning

• SWOTT analysis

• Goals

• Energy

Key Thoughts:

• The first thing that I would have you do, is start with a SWOTT analysis. Michele (01:35)  

• Choose one big goal each quarter, make it SMART. Michele (06:14)   

• Go back and think about what energizes you and what drains you. Michele  (10:12)  

 

Contact Michele:

• Email: [email protected]

• Facebook: Scarlet Thread Consulting

• Instagram: @ScarletThreadATL

 

References and Resources:

• The Designers' Inner Circle - Become a Member Today

• Who's in Your Room: The Secret to Creating Your Best Life by Ivan Misner, Ph.D., Stewart Emery L.H.D., Rick Sapio

• 12-Week Year - by Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington

• Setting Goals that Matter - Episode 20 with Jennifer Dawn

• Committed to the Pursuit - Episode 72 with Ceil DiGuglielmo

• 6 Pre-Planning Tips for Your New Design Year - Episode 116 with Michele Williams