In this episode, I talk about why collaboration is one of the most powerful—and underutilised—strategies for sustainable growth in interior design studios. If you’ve ever felt like you need to do everything yourself—concepts, drawings, sourcing, admin, installs—you’re not alone. But trying to wear every hat in your business can lead to exhaustion and diluted results.

Instead, I’m sharing how strategic, structured collaboration can lighten your load, elevate your client experience, and help you build a business that grows without burning out. From partnering with builders and architects to stylists, project managers, and documentation experts, this episode is packed with real-world examples of how to create a powerful network that supports your strengths.

Hope you enjoy the episode.
Beth xx

• Why collaboration is a business strategy—not a shortcut
• How to replicate the multidisciplinary strengths of large firms without hiring in-house
• The benefits of having a trusted network for better client outcomes
• Key areas where partnerships can help you scale (without the overwhelm)
• Tips for keeping collaborations professional, clear, and seamless
• What it really means to build a lean, profitable studio that delivers big

. You don’t need a big team—you need the right support
. Structured partnerships improve quality and reduce stress
. Stay in your creative lane and outsource the rest
. Clarity, communication, and values alignment are key to smooth collaboration
. Trial small projects before committing to larger partnerships
. Clients respect and trust you more when you bring in experts

• Building relationships with builders, architects, stylists, and project managers
• Structuring your team like a big studio—without the overhead
• Knowing when to outsource documentation, project management, or styling
• Writing clear scopes and agreements for every collaboration
• How to identify your strengths (and stop winging the rest)

• Interior designers running solo or small studios
• Creatives feeling overwhelmed by doing everything alone
• Business owners looking to increase quality and reduce burnout
• Designers wanting to scale smart, not just busy
• Professionals ready to build strategic partnerships

Quote from Episode:
“Knowing your strength and knowing when to bring in reinforcements is where your maturity as a studio leader really shows.”

Want to work together? Here are the ways I can help you in your business.

1.Sign up to our MAILING LIST where each month you will receive helpful business tips straight to your inbox

2. Start a  HEALTH CHECK today. We will work together for 8 weeks and improve your systems and processes.

I only have 8 spots available every month.

3. Start my course THE PROCESS so you know exactly what to do when in your interior design studio.

4. Have a look at THE RESOURCE STOCKROOM - this is where you will find our short courses and free resources to help you run a better interior design studio

5. Want to use our tool MTTD in your studio? Start your FREE 30 DAY TRIAL today.

In this episode, I sit down with Fiona Killackey — business coach, author, and founder of My Daily Business — to talk about building a business that supports your life, not the other way around. Fiona shares her refreshing take on what it means to run a values-led creative business in 2025, why she’s proudly anti-hustle, and how AI can be used intentionally to support your work (without replacing your creativity). If you’re a designer trying to grow your business while staying true to your values, this conversation will leave you feeling seen, inspired, and ready to do things your own way.

Hope you enjoy the episode

Beth xx

With nearly a decade of experience coaching creatives, Fiona explores how tools like Poppy, Descript, and Canva can supercharge productivity, free up time, and reduce costs—while also acknowledging the ethical, environmental, and emotional considerations that come with emerging tech.

This conversation is a must-listen for any designer, business owner, or creative who wants to stay ahead of the AI curve without compromising their purpose or identity.

. How Fiona helps creatives build businesses that align with their life—not the other way around
. Why AI should be treated as your assistant, not your boss
. The tools Fiona uses daily to run her business (and save $86 on groceries!)
. Ethical and environmental concerns surrounding AI—and what to do about them
. How creatives can deepen client relationships with the time AI frees up
. What the future of connection and community looks like in an AI world

. AI is here to stay—resistance is futile, but intentional usage is powerful
.Curiosity and creativity are irreplaceable—these human traits are your competitive edge
. Question everything—treat AI outputs like junior interns: helpful, but not always right
. Use AI to amplify your values—not overwrite them
. Build your own knowledge base—so your AI tools can reflect your tone, ethos, and expertise

. Use Poppy for organising chaotic ideas across media types (perfect for visual thinkers)
. Turn long-form video or audio into digestible clips with Descript
. Leverage AI to streamline content creation, client communication, and even meal planning
. Protect your tone and voice by creating a brand-specific data bank
. Always review and edit AI-generated work—don’t just “copy and paste.”

. Interior designers, graphic designers, and creatives curious about AI
. Small business owners looking to reduce overwhelm
. Entrepreneurs wanting to align business with life and values
. Anyone feeling unsure (or excited!) about the role of AI in their work

“AI is your assistant, not your identity. It can help you buy back time—but it can’t replace your curiosity, creativity, or connection.” — Fiona Killackey

Website: My Daily Business
Instagram: @mydailybusinesscoach
Podcast: My Daily Business Podcast

Want to work together? Here are the ways I can help you in your business.

1.Sign up to our MAILING LIST where each month you will receive helpful business tips straight to your inbox

2. Start a  HEALTH CHECK today. We will work together for 8 weeks and improve your systems and processes.

I only have 8 spots available every month.

3. Start my course THE PROCESS so you know exactly what to do when in your interior design studio.

4. Have a look at THE RESOURCE STOCKROOM - this is where you will find our short courses and free resources to help you run a better interior design studio

5. Want to use our tool MTTD in your studio? Start your FREE 30 DAY TRIAL today.

Winter Series - The Design Dialogues Podcast is taking a break over the winter holidays - time to regroup and recharge, ready for the rest of 2025. I have selected some of my favourite guests for you to have a second list to as I am sure you will get so much out of them. Our Thursday episodes will be taking a break as well for the next few weeks. We will be back mid July refreshed and ready with some great interviews and lots more business tips.

Thank you so much for your support so far in 2025.

Beth xx

Want to work together? Here are the ways I can help you in your business.

1.Sign up to our MAILING LIST where each month you will receive helpful business tips straight to your inbox

2. Start a  HEALTH CHECK today. We will work together for 8 weeks and improve your systems and processes.

I only have 8 spots available every month.

3. Start my course THE PROCESS so you know exactly what to do when in your interior design studio.

4. Have a look at THE RESOURCE STOCKROOM - this is where you will find our short courses and free resources to help you run a better interior design studio

5. Want to use our tool MTTD in your studio? Start your FREE 30 DAY TRIAL today.

Winter Series - The Design Dialogues Podcast is taking a break over the winter holidays - time to regroup and recharge, ready for the rest of 2025. I have selected some of my favourite guests for you to have a second list to as I am sure you will get so much out of them. Our Thursday episodes will be taking a break as well for the next few weeks. We will be back mid July refreshed and ready with some great interviews and lots more business tips.

Thank you so much for your support so far in 2025.

Beth xx

Want to work together? Here are the ways I can help you in your business.

1.Sign up to our MAILING LIST where each month you will receive helpful business tips straight to your inbox

2. Start a  HEALTH CHECK today. We will work together for 8 weeks and improve your systems and processes.

I only have 8 spots available every month.

3. Start my course THE PROCESS so you know exactly what to do when in your interior design studio.

4. Have a look at THE RESOURCE STOCKROOM - this is where you will find our short courses and free resources to help you run a better interior design studio

5. Want to use our tool MTTD in your studio? Start your FREE 30 DAY TRIAL today.

Winter Series - The Design Dialogues Podcast is taking a break over the winter holidays - time to regroup and recharge, ready for the rest of 2025. I have selected some of my favourite guests for you to have a second list to as I am sure you will get so much out of them. Our Thursday episodes will be taking a break as well for the next few weeks. We will be back mid July refreshed and ready with some great interviews and lots more business tips.

Thank you so much for your support so far in 2025.

Beth xx

Want to work together? Here are the ways I can help you in your business.

1.Sign up to our MAILING LIST where each month you will receive helpful business tips straight to your inbox

2. Start a  HEALTH CHECK today. We will work together for 8 weeks and improve your systems and processes.

I only have 8 spots available every month.

3. Start my course THE PROCESS so you know exactly what to do when in your interior design studio.

4. Have a look at THE RESOURCE STOCKROOM - this is where you will find our short courses and free resources to help you run a better interior design studio

5. Want to use our tool MTTD in your studio? Start your FREE 30 DAY TRIAL today.

Winter Series - The Design Dialogues Podcast is taking a break over the winter holidays - time to regroup and recharge, ready for the rest of 2025. I have selected some of my favourite guests for you to have a second list to as I am sure you will get so much out of them. Our Thursday episodes will be taking a break as well for the next few weeks. We will be back mid July refreshed and ready with some great interviews and lots more business tips.

Thank you so much for your support so far in 2025.

Beth xx

Want to work together? Here are the ways I can help you in your business.

1.Sign up to our MAILING LIST where each month you will receive helpful business tips straight to your inbox

2. Start a  HEALTH CHECK today. We will work together for 8 weeks and improve your systems and processes.

I only have 8 spots available every month.

3. Start my course THE PROCESS so you know exactly what to do when in your interior design studio.

4. Have a look at THE RESOURCE STOCKROOM - this is where you will find our short courses and free resources to help you run a better interior design studio

5. Want to use our tool MTTD in your studio? Start your FREE 30 DAY TRIAL today.

Winter Series - The Design Dialogues Podcast is taking a break over the winter holidays - time to regroup and recharge, ready for the rest of 2025. I have selected some of my favourite guests for you to have a second list to as I am sure you will get so much out of them. Our Thursday episodes will be taking a break as well for the next few weeks. We will be back mid July refreshed and ready with some great interviews and lots more business tips.

Thank you so much for your support so far in 2025.

Beth xx

Want to work together? Here are the ways I can help you in your business.

1.Sign up to our MAILING LIST where each month you will receive helpful business tips straight to your inbox

2. Start a  HEALTH CHECK today. We will work together for 8 weeks and improve your systems and processes.

I only have 8 spots available every month.

3. Start my course THE PROCESS so you know exactly what to do when in your interior design studio.

4. Have a look at THE RESOURCE STOCKROOM - this is where you will find our short courses and free resources to help you run a better interior design studio

5. Want to use our tool MTTD in your studio? Start your FREE 30 DAY TRIAL today.

In this episode, I explain why interior designers need a "success plan" rather than a traditional business plan. Learn how to create a living, breathing document that defines success on your terms, tracks what matters most to you, and helps you stay focused on building a business that supports the life you actually want to live. This isn't about impressing investors—it's about creating clarity and direction for your unique design journey.

Hope you enjoy the episode

Beth xx

Traditional business plans often feel intimidating and corporate, filled with graphs, charts, and formal language that doesn't reflect how creative businesses actually work. More importantly, they're usually static documents that don't evolve as you grow as a business owner.

I like to think of it as a success plan because that's what we're actually trying to create, a business that's successful by your definition, not someone else's.

Your success plan is a tool for you—to check in with your goals, measure what's working, get back on track when things feel wobbly, and define what success actually looks like for you.

What kind of business are you building? What do you want it to look and feel like in one year, three years, and five years? This isn't just about revenue—it's about the complete picture of your ideal business.

What are your revenue goals, profit margins, and pricing structure? Whatever feels meaningful and motivating to you is what you should be tracking. If you don't track it, you're not going to achieve it.

Who do you love working with? What kind of work lights you up? Getting clear on this helps you make better decisions about which opportunities to pursue and which to pass on.

What tools and processes are helping you now, and what's missing? This includes everything from project management systems to team support to personal boundaries.

This is a big one that designers often get wrong. How are you going to measure success in your business? Are you tracking creative freedom, time off, profit, client satisfaction? Knowing what you value helps you design a business that gives you more of it.

Your success plan isn't set and forget. It should be something you come back to every six months or at any moment when you're feeling unsure or like you've drifted a bit.

You can do it over coffee in a café. It doesn't need to be formal. It needs to feel like you.

The more it feels authentic to you, the more likely you are to actually use it. This document should evolve as you do, reflecting your changing priorities and growing understanding of what you want from your business.

"What does success look like for me in this season?" This one question will help shape everything else in your success plan.

Success might mean three design projects a year and Fridays off. Maybe it's a team of five, multiple revenue streams, and being booked out six months in advance. Both are valid, but your plan should reflect your vision, not a generic template.

When you know your numbers, understand your ideal projects, and have clarity on what success means to you, you can:

• Make intentional choices about opportunities
• Stay focused on what matters most
• Build a business that supports the life you want to live
• Avoid getting caught up in what everyone else is doing

Your future self, the one taking Fridays off or leading a thriving team, is going to thank you for it.

This episode is essential for interior designers who want to build businesses that are not just creatively fulfilling but also aligned with their personal definition of success.

Want to work together? Here are the ways I can help you in your business.

1.Sign up to our MAILING LIST where each month you will receive helpful business tips straight to your inbox

2. Start a  HEALTH CHECK today. We will work together for 8 weeks and improve your systems and processes.

I only have 8 spots available every month.

3. Start my course THE PROCESS so you know exactly what to do when in your interior design studio.

4. Have a look at THE RESOURCE STOCKROOM - this is where you will find our short courses and free resources to help you run a better interior design studio

5. Want to use our tool MTTD in your studio? Start your FREE 30 DAY TRIAL today.

In this Q&A episode, I answer real questions from interior designers covering the challenges we all face in building sustainable design businesses. From pricing confidence and marketing strategy to speaking opportunities and avoiding burnout, this episode tackles the practical issues that keep designers up at night. If you've ever wondered about charging what you're worth or felt stuck between beginner and expert, this conversation offers both validation and actionable guidance.

Hope you enjoy the episode

Beth xx

A designer reached out feeling stuck between charging what she thinks her services are worth versus what she thinks clients will pay. This common struggle often comes down to confidence in your systems and processes. The first part of this is about mindset and about how you think of yourself as a designer and a business owner, but you can't really have good mindset around this without having strong systems and processes to have the business set up beneath you as a strong foundation.

The key insight: There can be two designers who are equally talented, but the one who provides a seamless client experience is perceived as having greater value. Part of our role is creating a process that is stress-free, with clear communication and professionalism.

A Perth-based designer doing corporate work (office fit-outs, hair salons) was spending significant time on Instagram without seeing results. The disconnect? Her clients weren't finding her through Instagram—they were coming through word-of-mouth referrals within the industry. We got talking about thinking when it comes to marketing, am I talking to my potential clients in the space where they are at?

The lesson: Consider how many leads you actually need per year and whether your current marketing efforts can realistically generate that number. Sometimes a targeted approach works better than trying to be everywhere.

When a designer was approached to speak at an expo but wasn't sure if it was the right fit, my advice was clear: unless it's obviously wrong for you, say yes.

You never know who is listening and who is watching. If you get approached to do a speaking gig or maybe on a panel or on a podcast, I really encourage you to take it because it's a great opportunity to show your skill and build your authority in the space.

A designer feeling stuck between beginner and expert asked how to reach the next stage of running a confident business. The answer involves several key elements:

Mindset: Having confidence that you're good enough and that opportunities will come your way for a business of that level.

Mentorship: Finding someone who can help you build your business to the next step, whether through formal coaching or informal relationships.

Investment: Putting money into business-building tools like better photography, branding, or systems that you couldn't afford when starting out.

Systems and Processes: There is absolutely no business that can go to the next level if their systems and processes are not in place. Having bad systems and processes or no systems and processes in place is absolutely putting a ceiling on your business.

A Townsville designer whose business had grown significantly was feeling exhausted and starting to resent it. The solution involves several strategies:

Throughout this Q&A, one theme emerges clearly: There's no one perfect way to run a design business, but there are shared experiences. There is wisdom in community, and there's so much power in hearing someone say, 'me too.'

This episode demonstrates that the challenges you're facing aren't unique to you—they're part of the journey of building a design business. The key is having the right support, systems, and mindset to navigate them successfully.

Want to work together? Here are the ways I can help you in your business.

1.Sign up to our MAILING LIST where each month you will receive helpful business tips straight to your inbox

2. Start a  HEALTH CHECK today. We will work together for 8 weeks and improve your systems and processes.

I only have 8 spots available every month.

3. Start my course THE PROCESS so you know exactly what to do when in your interior design studio.

4. Have a look at THE RESOURCE STOCKROOM - this is where you will find our short courses and free resources to help you run a better interior design studio

5. Want to use our tool MTTD in your studio? Start your FREE 30 DAY TRIAL today.

In this episode, I reveal why systems are the secret sauce behind every confident, growing design studio. Learn what systems actually are (hint: it's not complicated tech stacks), discover the top three systems every interior designer needs, and understand how creating repeatable processes transforms your business from chaotic to scalable.

If you've ever thought "I'm so busy but don't know where my time is going," this episode is for you.

Hope you enjoy the episode

Beth xx

In this essential episode, Beth reveals why systems are the secret sauce behind every confident, growing design studio. Learn what systems actually are (hint: it's not complicated tech stacks), discover the top three systems every interior designer needs, and understand how creating repeatable processes transforms your business from chaotic to scalable. If you've ever thought "I'm so busy but don't know where my time is going," this episode is for you.

Let's demystify systems because they don't mean complicated tech stacks or having your office look perfect with lots of folders and everything organised.

A system is a simple, repeatable way of doing something in your business. That might be how you onboard a client, how you request trade quotes, how you name your files, or even how you brief your VA each Monday. It's about doing things in a consistent, thoughtful and documented way so you're not reinventing the wheel every time.

If you're aiming for growth—whether that's taking on more clients, growing your team, or just creating more space in your week—systems are what make that possible.

You cannot scale when you can't repeat. Here's why systems are behind every confident growing studio:

When you know what needs to happen and how, you cut down on decision fatigue, double handling, and client miscommunication. Less faffing around, more designing.

You can't hand over your inbox or client onboarding or FF&E tracking if it only lives in your head. Systems let other people step in and help without everything falling over.

If every install day has a checklist and every sourcing doc follows a process, you're far less likely to forget the small things. Your future self will love you for the systems you put in place.

Clients notice when things feel clear and organised. A streamlined onboarding, consistent communication, and tidy invoicing equals a better client experience, which equals more referrals.

You don't need hundreds of standard operating procedures to start seeing results. Here are three foundational systems that every interior design studio should have:

1. Clear and Concise Onboarding System
   This includes welcome email templates, service agreements and invoice process, key dates or project milestones, and a way to educate the client on how you work. This sets the tone from day one and immediately puts you in the driver's seat.

2. Repeatable Project Workflow
   Map out your design phases: concept, development, documentation, procurement, install. Then outline what happens at each stage. What's delivered? What's needed from the client? What internal steps happen?

3. Communication System
   How do clients contact you? When do they get updates? Is there a regular check-in or presentation rhythm? You're allowed to set boundaries and expectations. When you communicate consistently, you don't just manage the work, you manage the relationship.

Yes, setting up systems does take time upfront. But you know what takes more time? Chasing unpaid invoices, digging through old emails to find that spec, answering the same client question over and over again.

Systems pay you back every single day. They are your team before you have a team, and they're the foundation for every future version of your business.

If you're feeling maxed out or dreaming of scaling or just sick of doing the same things over and over, start with one system. One repeatable process you can tighten up, template, and streamline.

Because growth isn't about doing more, it's about doing the right things in the right order with less friction. And systems, they're the secret to that.

This episode is essential for interior designers who want to move from chaos to clarity and build a business that can grow without burning them out.

Want to work together? Here are the ways I can help you in your business.

1.Sign up to our MAILING LIST where each month you will receive helpful business tips straight to your inbox

2. Start a  HEALTH CHECK today. We will work together for 8 weeks and improve your systems and processes.

I only have 8 spots available every month.

3. Start my course THE PROCESS so you know exactly what to do when in your interior design studio.

4. Have a look at THE RESOURCE STOCKROOM - this is where you will find our short courses and free resources to help you run a better interior design studio

5. Want to use our tool MTTD in your studio? Start your FREE 30 DAY TRIAL today.