COMPLIMENTARY RESOURCE

A Look Inside How I Plan My Year

Annual planning doesn’t need to be complicated or filled with random questions that don’t really give you answers, or packed with lofty goals you forget by February.

In this complimentary guide, I’m sharing how I personally plan for the year ahead: the thinking, the priorities, and the decisions I consider before I ever touch a to-do list. This isn’t a prescriptive framework or a “do it exactly like this” method. It’s a look into how I think about my business through the lens of an operations consultant and a mom of three girls, all while constantly optimizing for my time and health.

Inside the guide, you’ll see:

01 | Why I stopped using traditional goal-setting and what prompted me to create my own annual planning rhythm instead

02 | A walkthrough of each phase of my planning process, including how I think about capacity, focus, and financial targets (with screenshots of how I map this out in Asana)

03 | Real questions interior designers have asked me about annual planning, money, and priorities and how I think through those decisions in practice

And more.

DESIGNER FEEDBACK

When I originally wrote about this process in The Weekly Install®, designers wanted MORE!

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Text message expressing excitement about planning for 2024. Katie McFarlan Dakota Design Company best client process templates for interior designers

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Who am I to talk about this?

I’m Katie, a business operations consultant for interior designers. Even though annual planning and goal setting isn’t my specific focus, I have followed a traditional annual planning process with both of my businesses - which means I’ve been setting professional life-first goals for more than 15 years!

Now, through 1:1 consulting, group programs, and plug-and-play templates and resources, my all-female team and I work with interior designers to streamline and price their services, create elevated client experiences, and refine processes their teams and clients will appreciate.

I am committed to providing the industry with comprehensive and high-quality resources, articles, and educational content so interior designers can run profitable and sustainable businesses.

MORE DESIGNER FEEDBACK

“An instant game changer. It’s like you’re in my head and know exactly what I need, and it’s such a relief.”

“You rock girl. I’ve looked high and low and there is no one better or more professional.”

“The advice here is top-notch. Somehow Katie always makes it feel like she’s having a conversation with you. It’s personal, direct, and there is always something I can take action on.”

“Dakota Design has the best tips and tricks for operation policies and procedures-even outside her primary audience (I’m a small biz attorney). Katie is incredibly knowledgeable and provides actionable advice so you’re not left googling all night.”