You may think that working with your dream client is a once-in-a-lifetime experience but I'm here to tell you it doesn't have to be!

In this episode, I'm sharing tried and true tactics to ensure that I keep the ideal clients coming and the non-ideal clients away. 

I dive into an exercise that I use at the end of every year that brings intention and, more importantly, attention to the traits of my clients and use this information to bring in the ideal clients to me. Some of these tactics may surprise you but I guarantee you that saying NO, keeping open communication, and cultivating the right referrals could revolutionize your client stream!

So take a listen, take some time, and get ready to welcome your dream clients in 2025.

Episode 119 Attracting clients in a slow economy

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➡️ Pre-qualify your clients with my Discovery Call Script

➡️ Stay confident from beginning to end with my Consultation Checklist   

➡️ Looking for a quick infusion of cash? Grab my 4 easy ways of increasing your revenue

Looking to elevate your business? Learn more about our courses

➡️ Want the complete blueprint to calculate your design fee with confidence and ease? Learn more about my Pricing with Confidence course

➡️ Want to be the first to know when Power of Process is returning? Click to learn more about the business blueprint for interior design firm owners.

➡️Want to be the first to know when the next episode drops? Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to the Resilient by Design Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts!

If you only choose one thing to focus on in 2025 let it be this: stop 'people pleasing' your clients!

We're used to the adage that the customer is always right, but I'm here to tell you that to build a sustainable, successful business means not being at the complete beck and call of your clients. After years of hearing stories from fellow designers and my own experience, I've decided on a few approaches that help us avoid bending over backward for clients (which typically does more harm than good anyway)!

Don't run around in circles making yourself crazy for your clients! In this episode, I share some advice, tips, and responses that you can use when establishing healthy boundaries with your clients ensuring that you always come across like the professional you are because you deserve to be in control of your business and as the expert to call the shots.

Episode Resources:

Episode 67 How to deal with unhappy clients

Episode 49 - An Interview with my clients: Why having a process made them choose me

Download our Free Resources

➡️ Pre-qualify your clients with my Discovery Call Script

➡️ Stay confident from beginning to end with my Consultation Checklist

➡️ Looking for a quick infusion of cash? Grab my 4 easy ways of increasing your revenue

Looking to elevate your business? Learn more about our courses

➡️ Want the complete blueprint to calculate your design fee with confidence and ease? Learn more about my Pricing with Confidence course

➡️ Want to be the first to know when Power of Process is returning? Click to learn more about the business blueprint for interior design firm owners.

➡️Want to be the first to know when the next episode drops? Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to the Resilient by Design Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts!

2025: The year to think BIG! 

In this episode, I’m sharing a simple yet powerful goal-setting system designed to help you make 2025 your best year yet. If you’ve reflected on the past year and find yourself asking, “What’s next?”—don’t worry, I’ve got you covered!

Here’s what to do: carve out dedicated time and space to fully engage with this episode. I’ll guide you through 7 actionable steps that will help you take small, intentional actions that can snowball into major results.

This system is all about building habits and creating room to focus on your goals. We'll explore how to identify your professional aspirations, determine the resources you need to succeed, and, most importantly, leverage your calendar to stay committed. Your calendar will be your ultimate accountability partner!

Throughout the episode, I’ll share examples of how I’m approaching my own 2025 goals so you can apply the same strategies to your plans.

Let’s make 2025 the year of thinking big, dreaming bigger, and taking actionable steps to achieve success. It’s time to get excited, set your goals, and get started on your journey toward an incredible year!

Episode Resources

10x is easier than 2x

Freebie Worksheet

Related Episodes

• Ep 40. Get your business ready for 2021 part 1

• Ep 41. Get your business ready for 2021 part 2

• Ep 89. Annual company planning part 1

• Ep 90. Annual company planning part 2

• Ep. 137. My 2022 year end review

• Ep. 183. 4 key steps to planning for the year ahead when you have no idea where to go

• Ep 10. Goal setting 101

• Ep 88. Back to Basics! Let’s set some goals

• Ep 200. Try this hack to fast-track your goals

Download our Free Resources

➡️ Pre-qualify your clients with my Discovery Call Script

➡️ Looking for a quick infusion of cash? Grab my 4 easy ways of increasing your revenue

➡️Minimize stress and chaos on Reveal Day, with our Reveal Day Kit Checklist

Looking to elevate your business? Learn more about our courses

➡️ Want the complete blueprint to calculate your design fee with confidence and ease? Learn more about my Pricing with Confidence course

➡️ Want to be the first to know when Power of Process is returning? Click to learn more about my systems building course.

➡️Want to be the first to know when the next episode drops? Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to the Resilient by Design Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts!

Welcome to 2025 and a brand new Season 6!

I know this is going to be our best year yet, I can feel it! Today I share my word for 2025 along with the one main goal I want to achieve above anything else by the end of the year and I invite you all to do the same. Get excited about this upcoming season because it will be thrilling, inspiring, and educational!

Download our Free Resources

➡️ Pre-qualify your clients with my Discovery Call Script

➡️ Looking for a quick infusion of cash? Grab my 4 easy ways of increasing your revenue

➡️ Minimize stress and chaos on Reveal Day, with our Reveal Day Kit Checklist

Looking to elevate your business? Learn more about our courses

➡️ Want the complete blueprint to calculate your design fee with confidence and ease? Learn more about my Pricing with Confidence course

➡️ Want to be the first to know when Power of Process is returning? Click to learn more about my systems building course.

➡️Want to be the first to know when the next episode drops? Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to the Resilient by Design Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts!https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1im8dxtaZHjsa7ssViG0OEOsdf3CbDh89?usp=drive_link

We’re finally here, the last episode of 2024! We wanted to celebrate the year in the best way by rebroadcasting the top episode of the year! 

This episode is all about permitting yourself to leave the 9-5 job that’s dragging you down to start your own interior design business. So before we dive into 2025, give this episode a listen because if you’ve been holding out for a sign to take the career leap, this is it!

We start by talking to Angela Wainscott about how she got her start, why she originally rejected the idea of owning her own business, and the surprising yet quick action she took on the first day of Power of Process! Angela opens up about how her support system, spirituality, and manifesting mindset helped set her on the path to success and the specific ways POP empowered her to take it to the next level. We dive into the world of pairing family and design, and how the entrepreneurial spirit was in her from her childhood days! 

I hope this episode will encourage and inspire those who have been toying with the idea of stepping out on their own and how POP can help in a myriad of ways to get you off the ground.

Find out more from Angela on the UpStaged Design website and on Instagram

Download our Free Resources

➡️ Pre-qualify your clients with my Discovery Call Script

➡️ Stay confident from beginning to end with my Consultation Checklist   

➡️ Looking for a quick infusion of cash? Grab my 4 easy ways of increasing your revenue

Looking to elevate your business? Learn more about our courses

➡️ Want the complete blueprint to calculate your design fee with confidence and ease? Learn more about my Pricing with Confidence course

➡️ Want to be the first to know when Power of Process is returning? Click to learn more about the business blueprint for interior design firm owners.

➡️Want to be the first to know when the next episode drops? Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to the Resilient by Design Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts!

Running a business is full of trial and error, but it’s what we do with those errors that shape our growth. In this episode, I’m opening up about some of the biggest mistakes I made in 2024—sharing more detail than I ever have before. It’s not always easy to admit where we went wrong, but my hope is that by getting real with you, these lessons can inspire you to reflect on your own journey and approach challenges in a fresh, empowered way.

From nitty-gritty miscalculations to bigger missteps, I’m walking you through what happened, how I dealt with it, and the tools and resources that helped me course-correct. I’ll also share the single biggest lesson I learned during what turned out to be a pivotal year of transition.

This is a deeply personal episode, and it’s all about embracing imperfection, learning from our stumbles, and turning them into stepping stones for an incredible 2025. So settle in, grab your favorite notebook, and let’s kick off Season 6 by facing our mistakes head-on—together. Here’s to learning, growing, and thriving in the year ahead!

Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/H_1RZBMb7M8

Download our Free Resources

➡️ Pre-qualify your clients with my Discovery Call Script

➡️ Stay confident from beginning to end with my Consultation Checklist   

➡️ Looking for a quick infusion of cash? Grab my 4 easy ways of increasing your revenue

Looking to elevate your business? Learn more about our courses

➡️ Want the complete blueprint to calculate your design fee with confidence and ease? Learn more about my Pricing with Confidence course

➡️ Want to be the first to know when Power of Process is returning? Click to learn more about the business blueprint for interior design firm owners.

➡️Want to be the first to know when the next episode drops? Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to the Resilient by Design Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts!

Designers, it’s time to toss out those preconceived notions about sales! This episode will completely transform how you approach selling your services, discussing money, and guiding potential clients to say “yes.” I’m joined by the incredible Kirsten Schmidtke, a certified coach and sales expert, who is here to ease the pressure of sales, shift your mindset, and arm you with the best questions to sign new clients confidently.

Grab your notepad and settle into your favorite spot because Kirsten is about to drop a wealth of wisdom and actionable advice you can implement today. Her unique perspective on sales starts with mindset—she explains how the right outlook can influence every corner of your business. You’ll also discover Kirsten’s secret to successful sales: leaning into curiosity, active listening, and genuine connection.

But that’s not all—Kirsten dives into the nitty-gritty with powerful tools and strategies, including her one-of-a-kind approach to job interviews, networking tips, and the importance of crafting a killer 30-second pitch. You won’t believe the fresh insights she shares about building connections and positioning yourself for success.

And don’t miss her final piece of wisdom—it's a game-changer! By the end of this episode, you’ll feel inspired and ready to elevate your mindset, your sales game, and your business.

This episode is extra special because it marks a major milestone: Kirsten is the *first* guest I’ve interviewed in person, right here in my studio! 🎉 Want to see the magic happen? Head over to YouTube to watch our conversation and catch all the behind-the-scenes vibes.

Learn more about Kirsten Schmidtke at her website and follow her on Instagram or on LinkedIn.

Download our Free Resources

➡️ Pre-qualify your clients with my Discovery Call Script

➡️ Stay confident from beginning to end with my Consultation Checklist   

➡️ Looking for a quick infusion of cash? Grab my 4 easy ways of increasing your revenue

Looking to elevate your business? Learn more about our courses

➡️ Want the complete blueprint to calculate your design fee with confidence and ease? Learn more about my Pricing with Confidence course

➡️ Want to be the first to know when Power of Process is returning? Click to learn more about the business blueprint for interior design firm owners.

➡️Want to be the first to know when the next episode drops? Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to the Resilient by Design Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts!

Like many creatives, I tend to avoid looking at my business numbers but that’s not going to be true after this conversation! Danielle Hendon of 4Corners CFO empowers and encourages entrepreneurs to get their heads out of the sand and confront their numbers - including me during our conversation.

Danielle shares her fascinating career origin story, the effect the pandemic had on its trajectory, and why she is dedicated to increasing livelihoods and legacies instead of shareholder value. We commiserate about not being able to outsource our brains, being avoidant of money talk but still needing to strategize. She talks about money and an end-of-year review not being a judgment tool but a way to understand the story of your business. 

You'll end this episode with advice, insights, and immediate actionable steps for this end-of-year season as she shares the exercise she takes her clients through, the true goal of a budget, and the types of clients she prioritizes. It's an episode you don’t want to miss!

Learn more about Danielle Hendon at her website and follow her on Instagram.

https://4cornerscfo.com/resilientbydesign 

Download our Free Resources

➡️ Pre-qualify your clients with my Discovery Call Script

➡️ Stay confident from beginning to end with my Consultation Checklist   

➡️ Looking for a quick infusion of cash? Grab my 4 easy ways of increasing your revenue

Looking to elevate your business? Learn more about our courses

➡️ Want the complete blueprint to calculate your design fee with confidence and ease? Learn more about my Pricing with Confidence course

➡️ Want to be the first to know when Power of Process is returning? Click to learn more about the business blueprint for interior design firm owners.

➡️Want to be the first to know when the next episode drops? Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to the Resilient by Design Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts!

The best plans are made ahead of time! Even though 2024 is not over yet, it’s the perfect time to take a look back at the year, assess, and start planning for a successful 2025 now! 

In this episode, I list key questions that will help you review your year in business as a business owner and human. Your end-of-year review should not only look at your financials but also your livelihood, because what’s the point of running your own business if you aren’t growing and making positive changes in your life? 

You’ll determine what worked and what didn’t in 2024 and use those insights moving into 2025. I share some of my own answers, a few more vulnerable than others, and how I'm using that introspection to inform my business next year. 

Some of these questions will be easier than others, but each one is worth taking the time to answer because I believe digging into those can only benefit us in the long run as long as we concentrate on progress over perfection.

Before the end of the year, I encourage you to take time to reflect, question, and assess so you are better prepared for a successful year in business in 2025. 

Get your pen and paper ready because this episode has some notes and homework for you to do!

Episode Resources:

• Ep 40. Get your business ready for 2021 part 1

• Ep 41. Get your business ready for 2021 part 2

• Ep 89. Annual company planning part 1 

• Ep 90. Annual company planning part 2 

• Ep. 137. My 2022 year end review

• Ep. 183. 4 key steps to planning for the year ahead when you have no idea where to go

Download our Free Resources

➡️ Pre-qualify your clients with my Discovery Call Script

➡️ Looking for a quick infusion of cash? Grab my 4 easy ways of increasing your revenue

Looking to elevate your business? Learn more about our courses

➡️ Want the complete blueprint to calculate your design fee with confidence and ease? Learn more about my Pricing with Confidence course

➡️ Want to be the first to know when Power of Process is returning? Click to learn more about the business blueprint for interior design firm owners.

➡️Want to be the first to know when the next episode drops? Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to the Resilient by Design Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts!

You’re in for a treat with this episode. It's Resilient by Design LIVE! 

This episode is the panel discussion I hosted with three talented and experienced designers at Fall 2024 High Point Market, Renee Biery, Dina Holland, and Jamie Merida, all about the complexity of our business and its profitability. 

We had an incredibly candid discussion about what works, and what doesn't, tipping points in their business journeys along with lessons and insights about pricing and profitability in different interior design businesses. Each guest shared what is fundamental to their brands, billing essentials, and structures, and how they identify clients from right and wrong for their businesses. 

Stay tuned as there are truly a few gasp-worthy moments before getting into some nitty-gritty thoughts about hiring.  This episode is one for the books, so I recommend you grab a paper and a pen to take notes because you’ll end the episode with lots to think about depending on how you want to run your interior design business.

Learn more about these designers here:

Renee Biery - Only Girl on the Jobsite Podcast

Dina Holland - Honey and Fitz

Jamie Merida - Jamie Merida Interiors

Download our Free Resources

➡️ Pre-qualify your clients with my Discovery Call Script

➡️ Looking for a quick infusion of cash? Grab my 4 easy ways of increasing your revenue

Looking to elevate your business? Learn more about our courses

➡️ Want the complete blueprint to calculate your design fee with confidence and ease? Learn more about my Pricing with Confidence course

➡️ Want to be the first to know when Power of Process is returning? Click to learn more about the business blueprint for interior design firm owners.

➡️Want to be the first to know when the next episode drops? Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to the Resilient by Design Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts!