Resilient by Design with Rebecca Hay

Six years ago, Ching Tan was winging her process, second-guessing herself, and walking into client conversations unsure of what would happen next.

Today, she runs a full-service interior design firm, works with custom builders, and takes on large-scale projects with budgets reaching $1 million+.

So what changed?

In this episode, Ching returns to Resilient by Design to share how building structure behind her talent changed the way she runs her business.

We talk about how she learned to pre-qualify clients, confidently lead conversations with clients and trades, price projects by phase, communicate consistently throughout a project, and stand behind her designs instead of letting everyone else steer the ship.

We also get into working with builders versus homeowners, managing large project budgets, moving into full-service design, and why the process you use today should continue evolving as your business grows.

If you're still winging parts of your projects or waiting until you feel completely confident before taking on bigger work, Ching's story is proof that you don't have to have everything figured out before you begin.

You need a strong foundation you can build from.

Episode Resources:

• Ready to create your own process? Learn more about Power of Process® and build the structure behind a more confident, streamlined interior design business.
• Episode 28: What you need in your business to gain your clients' trust
• Find Ching at www.taninteriors.ca and on Instagram @taninteriorsds

Programa is project management software built specifically for interior designers. It's designed to save you hours every week and reduce the errors that come from managing projects across scattered documents and systems.

Use code RBD25 for 25% off annual Programa plans. Click to learn more.

When is an ideal client a lemon? When you don't have the process to serve them.

Today I'm talking about two very different interior designers. I've been both of them, and maybe you have too.

One is saying yes to every consultation, decorating job, and small project that comes through the door, hoping it will eventually lead to something bigger.

The other already knows she wants to offer full-service design but feels unsure, intimidated, or overwhelmed by everything that comes with it.

Full service isn't a level you "graduate" to as a designer. It's a business model, and it isn't right for everyone.

In this episode, I'm sharing five questions to help you decide whether full-service interior design is actually the business you want to build.

We're talking about the work beyond the design, the kind of client relationships you want, fewer versus higher-volume projects, profitability, lifestyle, and why saying yes to everything can actually keep you from the projects you want most.

I also share how I went from taking on lots of smaller projects to building a full-service firm, and why the biggest shift wasn't better marketing or a prettier portfolio.

It was process.

Because when you can clearly articulate the entire journey, clients can finally trust you to take them on it.

Episode Resources:

• Episode 209: Why Decorating Can Be More Lucrative Than Design
• Episode 222: Tailor Your Business to Your Lifestyle
• Rebecca Hay YouTube Channel
• Learn more about Power of Process: https://rebeccahay.com/powerofprocess

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Programa is project management software built specifically for interior designers. It's designed to save you hours every week and reduce the errors that come from managing projects across scattered documents and systems.

Use code RBD25 for 25% off annual Programa plans. Click to learn more.

What happens when you stop winging your interior design business and start putting real processes behind it?

In this episode, I'm joined by interior designers Ale Cretul, Andrea Krill, and Jocelyn Polce to talk about how dramatically their businesses have changed over the last few years.

From Andrea leaving corporate finance and building a growing design team, to Jocelyn moving from 20+ clients a year toward fewer, larger projects, to Ale realizing she needed to learn the business behind the design, their paths look very different.

But the common thread is clear: they started treating their design businesses like businesses.

We talk about process, hiring, client boundaries, confidence, community, mindset, bigger projects, difficult clients, and the importance of defining what success actually looks like for you.

You'll also hear how the three of them found an unexpected peer support system in one another and why having people around you who understand your goals can completely change the way you navigate business growth.

If you're busy doing the work but still feel like you're figuring out your business one project at a time, this conversation is for you.

EPISODE RESOURCES

• Power of Process is now open for enrollment until October 8th. Learn more here: https://rebeccahay.com/powerofprocess

• 237: Transforming a side hustle into a full-time interior design business with Andrea Krill
• 246: How one POP alum moved from side hustle to full time designer & never looked back with Andrea Krill
• 101: [Bonus] It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to start. The biggest 12 month business transformation with Jocelyn Polce
• 171: The biggest 2 year business transformation with Jocelyn Polce
• 131: High Point Market, is it worth it? Part one Roundtable
• 132: High Point Market, is it worth it? Part Two Roundtable

Guest Websites

• Andrea Krill Interiors
• Ale Cretul Interiors
• August Oliver Interiors

Programa is project management software built specifically for interior designers. It's designed to save you hours every week and reduce the errors that come from managing projects across scattered documents and systems.

Use code RBD25 for 25% off annual Programa plans. Click to learn more.

I didn't go from sourcing $20-a-yard fabric to confidently presenting $300-a-yard fabric overnight.

In the early years of my business, I wanted to create elevated, custom spaces, but I was constantly trying to save my clients money. Cheaper fabric here. Retail instead of custom there. And eventually, the design I had envisioned would get watered down.

In this episode, I'm sharing what actually helped me break out of that cycle.

We're talking about knowing your numbers, setting realistic client expectations, presenting higher-end options with confidence, giving clients fewer choices, having a backup ready, and getting comfortable with the fact that sometimes your client is going to say no.

Because if you want to move your design business upmarket, you can't wait until you magically find clients who are already asking for $300-a-yard fabric.

Sometimes, you have to be the one willing to put it on the table first.

Listen in for the behind-the-scenes story of how I learned to do exactly that.

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If you're ready to move beyond clients who question every dollar and start booking better-fit, bigger-budget projects, join me for my free workshop:

3 Mistakes Standing Between You & The Full-Service Design Business Of Your Dreams

I'm breaking down the common mistakes that can keep talented designers from booking dream clients, plus the practical shifts I used to build a more professional client experience, present proposals with confidence, and grow my own design firm.

Save your spot for the free workshop → rebeccahay.com/dream

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Programa is project management software built specifically for interior designers. It's designed to save you hours every week and reduce the errors that come from managing projects across scattered documents and systems.

Use code RBD25 for 25% off annual Programa plans. Click to learn more.

Where do you find premium design clients?

I think that might be the wrong question.

In this episode, I'm breaking down why you don't simply "find" better clients. You have to become the designer they want to hire.

I'm sharing my own experience getting stuck in the budget client referral loop, why your portfolio can either reinforce that loop or help you break out of it, and what I've learned about the way premium clients actually make decisions.

You'll hear why professionalism matters beyond beautiful design, how your website, photography, offers, and process influence the calibre of projects you attract, and why premium clients often want fewer choices and more confident leadership.

I'm also explaining an important distinction: a big budget does not automatically equal a premium client.

If you're ready for bigger projects but feel like your current inquiries aren't reflecting where you want your business to go, this episode will help you identify what may need to change.

Resources:

• Learn more about the Consultations that Convert Bootcamp: https://rebeccahay.com/bootcamp
• Learn more about Power of Process

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Programa is project management software built specifically for interior designers. It's designed to save you hours every week and reduce the errors that come from managing projects across scattered documents and systems.

Use code RBD25 for 25% off annual Programa plans. Click to learn more.

What do you do when the big design projects aren't coming in as quickly as they used to?

In this episode, Rebecca sits down with interior designer and business owner Karin Bennett for a candid conversation about the decisions that help keep a design firm profitable when the market shifts.

They talk about when it makes sense to take on smaller projects, why Karin continues investing in marketing during slower seasons, and how she balances keeping her team busy with protecting the standards of her firm.

Then they get into the numbers: flat fees, tracking hours, implementation fees, and why your pricing model needs to evolve as your services and projects change.

You'll also hear why Karin prefers hiring experienced team members, how that has made delegation easier, and what she wishes she had understood about hiring much earlier in her business.

If you're navigating a slower season, questioning your pricing or trying to make smarter decisions about what your design business needs next, this conversation will give you plenty to think about.

Episode Resources

• Learn more about the Consultations that Convert Bootcamp: https://rebeccahay.com/bootcamp
• Episode 71: Focus on your strengths and take back control of your business with Karin Bennett
• Learn more about Karin at her website and follow her on Instagram.

Programa is project management software built specifically for interior designers. It's designed to save you hours every week and reduce the errors that come from managing projects across scattered documents and systems.

Use code RBD25 for 25% off annual Programa plans. Click to learn more.

Want more design clients?

Before you focus on generating more leads, take a closer look at what happens once you actually get a potential client on the phone.

In this episode, I'm breaking down how to run a discovery call that helps you pre-qualify the right clients, communicate your value, talk confidently about investment, and move the conversation toward a paid consultation.

And a lot of it comes down to what happens in the first two minutes.

We're talking about why designers need to stop winging discovery calls, why listening is more powerful than pitching, how to set expectations from the beginning, what to say when it's time to ask for the next step, and why you should never end the call with a vague "let me know."

I'm also sharing one number I want every designer to start tracking: your discovery call conversion rate.

Because your discovery call isn't just a sales conversation. It's the beginning of your client experience.

Episode Resources:

• Learn more about the Consultations that Convert Bootcamp: https://rebeccahay.com/bootcamp
• Ready to create repeatable systems throughout your design business? Learn more about Power of Process.
• Pricing with Confidence Course

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Programa is project management software built specifically for interior designers. It's designed to save you hours every week and reduce the errors that come from managing projects across scattered documents and systems.

Use code RBD25 for 25% off annual Programa plans. Click to learn more.

What happens when the market changes and the way you've always run your design business isn't working quite the same anymore?

In this episode, I'm joined by Sascha Lafleur, co-founder of West of Main, for an honest conversation about adaptability, growth, structure, and what it really takes to build a sustainable interior design business.

Sascha shares how West of Main has evolved through different economic cycles, from expanding into furniture and décor services and hourly consulting to building e-commerce, retail, and a designer trade program.

We talk about why adding more services isn't always the answer, why smaller firms need to protect their capacity, and how financial data and strong systems allow you to make smarter decisions when the market feels uncertain.

You'll hear:

• How to recognize when your design business needs to pivot
• Why different revenue streams perform differently depending on the market
• The hidden operational cost of launching something new
• Why structure becomes increasingly important as your business grows
• How to choose what deserves your time and attention
• Why knowing your numbers gives you more freedom as a business owner
• How West of Main is supporting designers through its trade program

If the design market feels different right now, this episode is a reminder that changing course doesn't mean something has gone wrong. Sometimes adapting is exactly how you build a business that lasts.

Resources:

• Learn more about the Consultations that Convert Bootcamp: https://rebeccahay.com/bootcamp
• Episode 68: Scaling your business & virtually servicing your clients with Sascha Lafleur
• Learn more about Sascha Lafleur at her website and follow her: @westofmain & @westofmainshoppe.
• Designer Trade Program Discount code: enter code resilientbydesign at checkout

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Programa is project management software built specifically for interior designers. It's designed to save you hours every week and reduce the errors that come from managing projects across scattered documents and systems.

Use code RBD25 for 25% off annual Programa plans. Click to learn more.

Welcome back to the Resilient by Design Podcast. We are back and kicking off a spectacular Season 8!

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Have you ever looked at your interior design business and thought, How did something I love become this exhausting?

Between client requests, invoicing, hiring, managing a team, keeping projects moving, and constantly being the person everything comes back to, it's easy to become so focused on running the business that you lose touch with why you started designing in the first place.

I've experienced my own version of that this year.

In the first episode of Season 8, I'm taking you behind the scenes of some major changes I made in my business, including stepping away from design projects, changing my business model, and retiring an offer I was known for.

And I'm sharing what I got wrong.

We're talking about burnout, scaling, systems, becoming the bottleneck, changing your mind, and why trying something that doesn't work is not the same thing as failing.

Most importantly, I want you to ask yourself:

"Am I actually building an interior design business that I want to run?"

Because the goal isn't just more clients, a bigger team, or more revenue, it's building a profitable, sustainable business that gives you the freedom to spend more time doing the work you're actually great at.

I'm also sharing what I'm changing next, why Power of Process is returning, and what you can expect from this new season of Resilient by Design.

Resources:

• Learn more about the Consultations that Convert Bootcamp: https://rebeccahay.com/bootcamp
• Join the Power of Process Waitlist for its 2026 Fall Return as you've never experienced before: https://rebeccahay.com/pop-waitlist/

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Programa is project management software built specifically for interior designers. It's designed to save you hours every week and reduce the errors that come from managing projects across scattered documents and systems.

Use code RBD25 for 25% off annual Programa plans. Click to learn more.

Are you avoiding the numbers in your interior design business?

In this rebroadcast episode, I revisit my conversation with Danielle Hendon of Four Corners CFO about profit, cash flow, financial planning, and why your bank account balance is not the full story.

If you've ever wondered why you're making more money but still feeling stressed, or why your business feels busy but not necessarily profitable, this episode will help you start looking at your numbers differently.

Danielle explains why revenue and profit are not the same thing, why designers need to understand their project profitability, and how your finances can become a tool for better decision-making instead of something you avoid.

We also talk about bookkeeping, tracking time, understanding expenses, preparing for feast-or-famine cash flow, and using your numbers to build a stronger, more sustainable business.

This is the final rebroadcast before the podcast takes a short summer break. New episodes will be back soon.

Episode Highlights:

• Why designers tend to avoid their numbers
• Why your bank account balance is not enough information
• The difference between revenue, profit, and cash flow
• How to think about revenue-generating costs versus operating expenses
• Why tracking your time matters for pricing
• How to review your year and plan ahead with more confidence
• Why understanding your numbers helps you lead like a CEO

Episode Resources:

• Learn more about Pricing with Confidence: For the designer who's done guessing, undercharging, or dreading "the money talk" and wants to start pricing profitably in just a few hours.

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Help shape Season 8! Take our quick 2-minute listener survey and tell us what you want to hear more of on Resilient by Design: https://forms.gle/gy2d6Kbay4n2FWEL8