Hiring is one of the most expensive lessons a design firm will ever lear and it’s rarely because the person was “bad.” In this episode, Cheryl and Liz unpack the real reason team hires go sideways: confusing likability with fit, and potential with performance. This is real deal what is happening in our firm now and were owning up to our mistakes as we have been up to our eyeballs in the hiring process. Cheryl walks through the hard truth most firm owners avoid where sometimes the issue isn’t the person, it’s the role. And when you try to force someone into a position that doesn’t match how they think, work, or manage details, everyone loses.

This episodes covers why resumes don’t tell you what actually matters, how hope clouds judgment during hiring, and why thinking in 90-day windows protects your business, your team, and your sanity.

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Damn Good Workshops - Website

First workshop of 2026 starts January 14!

These workshops are 2–3 hour deep dives (some more than one day) built for creative entrepreneurs who want to lead with confidence, price with authority, and grow with intention. We created this workshop series with tracks that cover the challenges we know designers face: pricing, sales, client relationships, project management, marketing, and leadership.

Each workshop is designed to stand alone — so you can choose the topics that matter most right now — while still connecting to the bigger picture of building a profitable, sustainable design business.

Damn Good Designer - Damn Good Designer - Website

1. The best multi-faceted business coaching for Interior designers—seriously. This is not some wham-bam glamathon; It is the real deal you have been looking for and what is missing from the business coaching marketplace today.

The Paradigm Quick Start - 3 Month Custom Coaching Program

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The Paradigm Intensive - 12 Month One on One Immersive Custom Business Coaching

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ABOUT US:

Cheryl Clendenon is the host of The Damn Good Designer Podcast and an award-winning interior designer, writer, and business coach with 26 years of full-time industry experience. With a prior career in media and radio sales, she brings a rare blend of creative thinking and business acumen to the design world. Cheryl was named KBB Person of the Year in 2021, is a nationally published industry voice with a monthly column in Home Accents Today, and regularly speaks on pricing, scope, process, and profitability. Known for her fast pace, contrarian instincts, and practical insight, Cheryl helps established design firms build stronger businesses and define success on their own terms.

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