Hiring for the first time and delegating tasks can be daunting at first, but the benefits of hiring an assistant can far outweigh the hurdle! In this episode, I speak with Gina Cotner of Athena Executive Services about what the role of an executive virtual assistant can look like and the innumerable possibilities hiring one can open both personally and professionally. Learn why hiring qualified people that you can “coach and correct” will be the most valuable investment in your business as you empower others to free up your bandwidth. Gina shares a myriad of ways these coordinators can take th ..read more

Are you looking to take the plunge into entrepreneurship? Let’s talk about the truths behind being self-employed! In this shorty, I dive into a few of the pros and cons of self-employment. I share 4 key lifestyle changes that happen once you become your own boss. From the perk of making your own schedule to the responsibility of having to own sales and financials, I cover it all. You’ll discover the freedom and flexibility that comes with being your own boss, but also the challenges that come with managing every aspect of your business.  I’ll break down the excitement of building somethin ..read more

If you suffer from chronic stress or are looking to improve your quality of life as a business owner and complete human, you are going to want to tune in to this important and inspiring episode! I speak with movement facilitator and anatomy educator, Kathy Richardson, about her work and her multifaceted approach to absolute embodiment. She shares how following her curiosity led to a career as an educator and manual therapist in Costa Rica and why arming people with information about their bodies and internal systems is incredibly empowering. She educates me a little on what the nervous system ..read more

Have you ever thought about what makes your interior design business stand out in a crowd?  This shorty is aimed to get you thinking about what makes you unique! I call this finding your core differentiators. You should highlight and celebrate these core differentiators to stand out from the crowd and become immediately distinguishable to your ideal client. Through the episode, I provide a resource, a few examples from my own business, and the one thing you need to ask yourself to figure out what makes you and your business exceptional.   Blue Ocean Strategy   Download our Free ..read more

If you’re an interior designer with your own business, you’ve likely dealt with clients who were less than ideal - and some that were just toxic to work with!  Even though toxic clients are not the norm, they are out there and when you encounter them it can strongly affect your business, team, personal life, and even your mental health. In this episode, I share exactly what I define as a “toxic client”, and ways I’ve used my process to identify, manage, and prevent them altogether! I share some of my own misadventures that have taught me which red flags to look out for and how to dea ..read more

I used to be chained to my inbox, running from one task to a completely different one, always reactive, always full of anxiety with the giant TO-DO list, and just constantly playing catch up.  This was before time blocking! Time blocking was a huge game changer for my focus, my efficiency, and the success of my business. You may have heard me talk about it before but today I'm sharing 3 actionable tips you can implement right now! I explain why organizing your tasks into” buffer”, “focus”, and “free days” will be beneficial to you (and your team) so that you can start lessening the anxiet ..read more

I’m bringing back a popular episode from our very first season! An oldie but goodie! If you’re a designer struggling with getting clients to trust, who has clients that micromanage or ask a million questions and you’re feeling exhausted because you can’t get ahead, this episode is for you! Cynthia Soda of Soda Pop Design dives into managing client expectations and getting clients to trust us as design professionals!  —   We dig deep into the pain points in our businesses when it comes to: Hiring trades The reality of designing for TV vs. Real life How to guide your clients to s ..read more

So many of us have experienced the dreaded scope creep and all of the complications that come with it! I'm here to tell you that you can embrace this as an actual potential revenue source. Listen to this episode to learn how you can make scope creep work for you! Over the decade running my interior design business, I've had my fair share of clients trying to get more work out of me and my team than we originally signed on for, and I’ve really seen how that affects my profitability and efficiency!  In this episode, I'm sharing steps you can take that will ensure you clearly define and comm ..read more

We all need to take breaks to recharge, step away, and get re-centered and part of that break is ignoring your inbox. In this episode, I’m diving into the importance of an OOO or an Out of Office Email. Business does not stop just because you aren't in the office, but you deserve a real chance to pause and step away. I share my own experiences of what I used to do versus what I do now when I'm incommunicado so that my clients and I both are aware of (and stick to!) boundaries and expectations. I walk through what details to keep in mind in this OOO and even when it can be useful outside of vac ..read more

Have you ever looked in your closet and thought "I have nothing to wear"? If so, my guest is going to rock your world. Angela Foster is a style coach for high-achieving women and has made it her mission to assist them in creating and claiming a consistent, visible brand image through their personal style. She shares an overview of the step-by-step process she takes clients through as well as the tools, tips, and exercises that will assist in re-narrating one's style while keeping it authentic.  We dive into talking about trends, color pops, and matching personal and design styles as well ..read more