You can be “so busy”… and still not be moving forward.

If that line hits a little too close to home, you are not alone.

In today’s episode, we do something we have never done on Design Dash before. Instead of a polished, hindsight-style interview with someone who already has it all figured out, we pull back the curtain and do a real-time coaching session with Houston-based designer Alexandra “Sandy” Hartley of Alexandra Hartley Interiors.

Sandy is talented, thoughtful, client-focused, and right at the crossroads so many solo designers know too well. Do I hire? Do I stay solo? Where should I invest my money so I’m not just busy, but actually growing? And how do I scale without blowing up the parts of the business I genuinely love?

We get honest about the “in-between” season of business growth, including:

If you are a solo designer who is drowning in admin, stuck in evenings of invoicing, and quietly thinking, “I can’t stay here forever, but I don’t know what next looks like,” this conversation will give you something you can actually use.

Not inspiration. Not theory. Clarity. Language for what you are feeling. And a decision framework for what to do next.

And maybe the biggest takeaway: growth is not linear, and being at the crossroads does not mean you’re failing. It means you are right on time.

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We tried to start the year with a guest… and the tech gods said “absolutely not.” So instead, you get just us, and honestly? We’re coming in hot.

Welcome to our actual first episode of 2026 (call it episode 1.25 if you want). It’s a solo kickoff, and we’re talking candidly about what it really feels like to start a new year when you’re already knee-deep in the work. Real talk about planning, hiring, imposter syndrome, optimism (borderline delusion), and why waiting for things to be perfect is the fastest way to stay stuck.

Why we moved our annual planning to January and how that shift changed the way we start the year

What we’re genuinely excited about in 2026, from High Point to big, long-term projects and new Design Dash offerings

Hiring conversations we’re having right now, who to hire, when to hire, and why fear is part of the process

The imposter syndrome that shows up when you’re growing a team (and why it’s more common than you think)

Why your processes don’t need to be perfect before you hire, and how the right people help you build them

The tension between being optimistic and being realistic as a business owner

Marketing, social media, and why doing something imperfect is always better than doing nothing

Our recurring theme for the year

If you’re a firm owner thinking seriously about your next hire, your next phase of growth, or how to create more freedom in your business without sacrificing quality, this episode will meet you right where you are.

2026 is already underway. The question is whether you’re leading it, or letting it lead you.

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Happy New Year! Yes, we know… this episode was supposed to be our final one of 2025. And yes, you are listening to it after the New Year. Consider this our way of easing into January—no rushing, no panic, just one last look back because the conversation was too good not to share.

In this episode, we reflect on the year that was, what challenged us, what surprised us, and the people who genuinely shifted how we think about design, business, and leadership. After nearly 40 conversations in 2025, we noticed some powerful through lines: risk, confidence, candor, and the quiet strength it takes to keep showing up and building something meaningful.

We talk about the guests who left a mark on us, from product designers and builders to operators, creatives, and even members of our own team. We unpack why honesty beats “everything’s great” energy, why saying no can be more powerful than saying yes, and why sometimes the biggest growth comes from not chasing the next shiny thing.

This episode isn’t about resolutions or big promises for the year ahead. It’s about perspective. About staying the course. About learning from people who are willing to be real about what works, what doesn’t, and what they’ve learned along the way.

So even if it’s a little late, we hope this conversation meets you exactly where you are, grounded, reflective, and maybe even a little optimistic about what’s ahead. Thanks for being here, and here’s to a great year.

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What if everything you think you know about the art world is actually what’s keeping you out of it?

This week on the Design Dash Podcast, we sit down with the wildly insightful and refreshingly down-to-earth Elise Arnoult Miller, founder of Arnoult Fine Art, who’s celebrating 15 years of helping people connect with art in ways that feel personal, intentional, and totally un-intimidating. If you've ever felt like the art world is a velvet-roped mystery, reserved for insiders with secret passwords, this conversation is your VIP pass.

In This Episode, We Dive Into:

How a love of beauty, anthropology, and even luxury hotels unexpectedly led Elise to launch her own art advisory.

Why designers shouldn’t try to be experts in everythingan, d how calling in a specialist can actually make you look smarter, not weaker.

The subtle mistakes almost everyone makes with art (think: color, scale, hanging height) and how to start seeing them instantly.

What really matters more than “trend” when you’re spending serious money on art.

The quiet power of art as long-term value, emotional anchor, and cultural storytelling.

If you’ve ever felt unsure about navigating the art world or sensed there’s more depth available if you knew where to look, this episode will meet you exactly there.

Check out our website too:

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If you’ve ever reached December and felt torn between slowing down and catching up, this episode is exactly what you need.

The truth is, December quietly determines how strong your next year will be. Most people treat it like a soft landing. We treat it like the month that sets the entire tone for the next twelve. Not with hustle. Not with burnout. With clarity, intention and smart cleanup that creates space for real growth when January arrives.

In this episode, we walk through the five specific moves we make every December to stabilize our business, sharpen our systems and position ourselves for a calm, powerful start to the new year. These aren’t theoretical ideas. These are the actual processes we use inside our design firm, the ones that consistently keep us organized and ahead of schedule instead of blindsided and overwhelmed.

How we use December as a quiet strategic advantage while everyone else is mentally checked out

The way we evaluate our potential-client pipeline so we aren’t carrying unnecessary weight into the new year

The review that instantly shows us what next year will look like across projects, timelines and workload

The simple method we use to understand where our team or ourselves need support before problems grow

How we build Q1 visibility and marketing with intention so January doesn’t feel like guesswork

The one action each of us would prioritize above everything else if time was limited

This episode is thoughtful, practical and deeply honest about what truly matters behind the scenes of a design firm at year’s end. If you’re a business owner who wants to enter next year organized, confident and genuinely prepared, you will take something meaningful from this conversation.

Check out our website too:

https://designdash.com/

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Every once in a while, you sit down with someone who doesn’t just talk about design… they embody it. And in this episode, Rebekah Zaveloff proves she’s one of those rare voices you don’t forget.

In this episode we sit down with Rebekah Zaveloff, co founder and creative director of Imparfait Design Studio. If you don’t know her yet, you’re about to understand why so many people in the design world consider her one of the sharpest minds in the room. Rebekah takes us behind the curtain of a twenty year journey filled with hospitality grit, creative evolution, brand equity, naming nightmares, client psychology, and the real tension between what you want to build and what the market thinks you are.

If you’ve ever wrestled with evolving your brand, redefining your identity, or figuring out how to grow without losing yourself, this conversation is going to feel uncomfortably familiar in all the best ways.

We also unpack the real story behind building Kitchen Lab, spinning off Imparfait, and navigating the messy, exhilarating middle where most of us live. And let me tell you, this isn’t a polished highlight reel. It’s honest. It’s gritty. It’s unexpectedly funny. And it’s loaded with the kind of insight that only comes from two decades of trial, error, and refusing to settle.

• The surprising place Rebekah says taught her more than design school ever did

This episode is a reminder that design isn’t just about rooms. It’s about identity. It’s about evolution. It’s about learning to trust your gut even when the safe option is staring you right in the face.

If you’re growing a business, building a brand, or figuring out the next version of yourself, Rebekah’s story will hit you in the best possible way. It’s one of those conversations you think about long after it ends.

Check out our website too:

https://designdash.com/

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What happens when life completely derails, and somehow lands you right where you were meant to be?

That’s exactly what today’s guest, Libby Langdon, discovered after one of the biggest pivots of her life. From actress and TV producer to one of the most recognizable names in design, Libby’s story is equal parts grit, humor, and pure creative drive.

In this episode of Design Dash, Melissa and Laura sit down with Libby to unpack how she built her powerhouse brand, one that now spans furniture, lighting, and art collections with industry heavyweights like Fairfield Chair, Krystorama, and Paragon Art.

We get into:

The real work that goes into High Point Market (and what most designers don’t see)

How heartbreak launched a thriving design career

The unfiltered truth about licensing, what makes it profitable, what doesn’t, and how to actually make it last

Why being approachable might just be the secret ingredient to long-term brand success

And how setting goals on paper (yes, actually writing them down) became the framework for every major leap in her career

It’s part business masterclass, part personal reinvention story, and all the inspiration you didn’t know you needed this week.

Hit play, and you’ll see why Libby’s mantra, “easy, elegant, everyday style” is more than a design philosophy; it’s a roadmap for how to live and build something lasting.

Check out our website too:

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What happens when “exquisitely livable luxury” meets real-world grit?

In this episode of Design Dash, Melissa and Laura sit down with South Africa–born designer Nikki Levy, who built her namesake Boca Raton studio from the edge of her bed, literally, and turned it into a thriving brand now shaping homes (and hearts) across the world.

You’ll hear how Nikki:

Took her first leap from a kitchen-table startup to a luxury design powerhouse

Built a team culture rooted in trust, freedom, and creative safety (that actually keeps her people coming back)

Balances the chaos of business ownership with the calm of design intuition

Translates storytelling, culture, and imperfection into her version of luxury living

Uses honesty and Instagram to attract dream clients and million-dollar projects

From the “ugliest fabric” that became her favorite design statement to the team members who left and later returned, Nikki’s story is full of lessons for anyone trying to grow something meaningful without losing the soul that started it all.

If you’ve ever wondered how to scale a creative business and stay human in the process, this conversation will give you the blueprint.

Check out our website too:

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In this episode our guest is Brittny Button, founder of Button Atelier, an interior design studio in Los Angeles. Brittny has built a reputation for creating spaces that feel both calm and timeless, drawing inspiration from Spanish revival architecture, European details, and old Hollywood romance.

We talk about her unexpected path into design after leaving a modeling career, how renovating a Palm Springs home while pregnant became her crash course in construction, and what it really takes to start a design firm from scratch. She shares the lessons learned from business partnerships, why antiques and vintage finds shape so much of her work, and how she’s preparing to launch her first furniture collection with major retailers.

You’ll also hear Brittny’s thoughts on where true inspiration comes from, what it’s like to balance creativity with raising two young kids, and the confidence it takes to put your work into the world even when imposter syndrome creeps in.

If you’ve ever thought about making a big career pivot, chasing a dream project, or simply want to know how a designer turns vision into reality, this conversation is full of insights you can take with you.

Check out our website too:

https://designdash.com/

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What makes a project catch an editor’s eye?

Is it the styling? The story? The angle of the photo? Or is it something much less obvious?

This week on Design Dash, we sit down with Andrea Lillo, the Executive Editor of Designers Today. She’s the one shaping the stories and covers that end up defining the conversation in our industry. And she was generous enough to share exactly what goes into those decisions.

We covered a lot, but here are a few moments that stood out:

The contract story that revealed just how many designers overlook one of the most important tools in their business.

Why cropping out a single detail in your photos could change whether your work gets published.

The future of wellness and accessible design, and why both are becoming impossible to ignore.

What really happens behind the Power List and the new 40 Under 40.

It’s one thing to create beautiful work. It’s another to know how to get that work noticed.

Andrea gives us an honest look at both.

If you’ve ever wondered what editors are really thinking when they look at your projects, this episode is worth your time.

Check out our website too:

https://designdash.com/

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