What Interior Designers Wish They Had Known When They Started Their Business
A recent discussion among several experienced interior design business owners during a group consulting call led to a reflection about things designers wished they had known earlier on in their careers.
We all get wiser as we move along life’s journey, and everyone can probably relate to the wish that — had they just had greater insights earlier on — they could have saved themselves significant frustration, anxiety, sleepless nights, or even embarrassment.
So, we wondered, what do interior designers specifically wish they had known sooner to avoid some professional and personal anguish. We asked designers via The Weekly Install™ “What is something you know NOW that you wish you knew when you started your business?” and are so excited to share their responses. (All confidential information has been removed.)
We knew this wasn’t the easiest question to answer and are so grateful for the designers who shared their insights. Here’s a quick snapshot how many years the respondents have been in business:
18% have been in business for 20 years or more
22% have been in business 5-10 years
50% have been in business between 3-5 years
10% have been in business less than 3 years
There were some experienced designers weighing in here so this is definitely a must-read! To glean the insights from business owners who are even just ONE year ahead of you is valuable - but think about 20 years ahead?
Let’s dive in!
Interior Designers Wish They Had Established Streamlined Processes & Services
Twenty two percent of designers said they wished they had devoted more time and attention to establishing streamlined processes and services earlier on in their business operations. One designer talked about needing a solid contract much sooner than anticipated to protect against bad-fit or red-flag clients. Another said she/he should have spent more focus earlier on streamlining the business side, rather than concentrating efforts on social media presence.
My take? If you’re established and in the weeds with client projects, focus on streamlining your processes before you maximize your marketing efforts. You don’t want to bring MORE clients into a system that’s already struggling to keep up.
Another designer responded that she/he now knows how important it is to button up systems and processes, but when just starting out, a person doesn't know what a person doesn’t know. This designer made an analogy with parenting:
“You can read up on parenting skills, but not until you become a parent are you able to understand the importance of your actions. In the same way, a new design business owner may be aware of the need for processes, but not have a full appreciation for the need to ‘get your ducks in a row and understand what the flow should be BEFORE you go down too many expensive rabbit holes’.”
My take? YES! We feel strongly about working with designers in our 1:1 services who have worked with clients before and have a tried and true service. It’s a big reason why we share so many complimentary resources on the blog, via The Weekly Install™, and in The Resource Library - so designers have the information to help them get to a good spot to invest in their companies and then actually leverage those investments.
Another designer responded more specifically that she wished she had devoted more attention to the project management and people management side of the business, as well as the importance of timelines and how to work more effectively with tradespeople. This designer summed it up well by saying: “If you don’t have the tools, resources, and experience to see the project through to completion and manage the client, you really don’t have enough tools in your tool kit.”
My take? Start small in pricing and scope. Then, as you gain more experience, increase your scope, learn, get better, and raise your price. While I agree there are certain risks we must take in business and life, I certainly wouldn’t want to take a risk with someone else’s home. And also, PS, full service full home furnishings full new build projects aren't the only way to be a “real” interior designer.
Interior Designers Wish They Had Been More Diligent And Thorough
Seventeen percent of designers said that they wish they had better understood the need for thoroughness and diligence in running an interior design business. One simply advised: “Track EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!” Another designer stressed “how important it is to plan out allllllll of the finishing details” early on in the design phase to be able to provide thorough direction to subcontractors, and to complete bid packages.
My take? I’m a huge proponent of working efficiently and that’s why I always say, “Touch things once!”. The more times you have to go back and prepare information to aid in implementation or ordering, the more expensive it is for you to do that work. The goal, especially for flat fee designers, is to be as efficient as possible.
One designer highlighted the need to accept that problems will occur, but advised to manage the associated anxiety: “There are always unforeseen problems to solve; make peace with the fact! As long as you are honest with the client and offer solutions, you don’t have to stress about it.”
My take? Interior designers are luxury service providers (whether they work with luxury clients or not, the act of hiring a designer is a luxury) and that means it’s your job to provide excellent customer service. Yes, things will go wrong (you’re responsible for SO much during a project), just have a plan for handling it. I like to take a proactive approach to problem solving.
Several designers shared they wished they had been more clear in what was and more importantly what WASN’T included in their flat fee scopes of work early on. When they were just beginning, they had no idea what all they should include so they ended up working way more than they had planned, resulting in making much less on an hourly basis because it was all included in the flat fee they had originally quoted.
My take? New designers should charge hourly until they have a better understanding of how long things take and all the kinds of services that will be required for a project.
Interior Designers Wish They Had Managed The Design Presentation Process Better
Two designers noted they learned how to better manage design presentations over time. One advised against giving the client too many options when presenting choices: “They hired you to give them answers, not overwhelm them!” The other designer learned that it is far better to present one complete and thorough design concept, rather than in bits and pieces, or by dragging the client through a myriad of disjointed selections over time, which will just confuse them.
My take? You know I am all about the one concept design process. Your clients don’t want options. There is nothing luxurious or streamlined about hiring a professional to help you solve a problem and then that professional presenting you with 32 different ways the problem could be solved, thus putting the work right back in your lap…even though you hired them to take it off your plate. No thanks.
Interior Designers Wish They Had Prioritized Understanding Their Financials
On a range of other topics, designers noted the need to understand the business’ financials, and that without that analysis, there may still be some lucky outcomes, but there won’t be any positive outcomes resulting directly from deliberate planning efforts (because you aren’t doing any financial analysis!)
Designers shared about mistakes made with their bookkeeping (or lack thereof) that cost them thousands in clean up fees OR overpayment of sales tax or income tax. EEK. They wished they had prioritized setting up their chart of accounts, booking transactions properly, and having a streamlined process for order management, weekly reconciliations, and month end reporting.
My take? The numbers don’t lie. If you know finances aren’t your strong suit, create a fortress of protection around you to handle them - product management software, financial management software, a bookkeeper, a CPA. I strongly suggest hiring someone who specifically works with interior designers. Being able to run an accurate P&L at any time of the month is HUGE for making decisions and investments in your company. You know we love Business By the Book.
PS: We’ve heard from a few clients about a rogue bookkeeping company that works specifically with interior designers that has taken up front retainers for ongoing services and then disappeared off the face of the earth. When the designers requested their money back, the company never responded.
I can’t publicly say the name, but if you are in the process of hiring a bookkeeping company but haven’t made the initial payment to them yet, be wary and be sure to pay with your credit card in case you need to dispute the charge for fraud.
Interior Designers Wish They Had Realized How Long Things Take
As a business owner, it’s only natural in the beginning (and even along the journey) to think, “It will be quicker if I do it myself”. But many designers shared they wished they’d handed over parts of their workload sooner, outsourced to professionals, or used templates to save time. One designer wished she had invested in a high quality website template, and that — although the website she had developed from scratch was exactly to her liking — it was much more time-consuming and costly to produce than it could have been.
Another designer shared that she wishes she knew then how long everything REALLY took, because after years of experience, she knows everything takes longer than you think it will, so you have to really budget your time properly and add in a buffer otherwise you’ll burn yourself out early on.
My take? If you’re ordering products for clients, my recommendation is to get yourself out of the order placement and management process as quickly as possible by hiring a design assistant or purchasing coordinator to manage that entire part of your company.
And, when you invest in templates and resources, make sure they were created specifically for interior designers (our templates are!). There is no other industry like this one and general service provider stuff rarely applies.
Interior Designers Wish They Had Given Themselves More Grace
Several designers stressed the importance of giving yourself grace and acknowledging the expertise you bring to a project. One designer wished she/he had realized “That I have value and shouldn’t be afraid to be the expert.” Another noted the need to “focus on my zone of genius.”
Another advised, “Try things. Don’t be afraid to try a new service or a new Instagram post, you can always change things later.” Another shared, “No one is watching as closely as you are. Your mistakes may feel enormous to you, but not to anyone else.”
And finally, one designer wished she could tell her younger self, “Know your worth, and don’t be afraid to charge for it. Set your boundaries and follow them, and only work on projects with people who light you up.”
My take? While I don’t believe it’s humanly possible to charge your worth (your worth is not defined by dollars - you are priceless), you should recognize the insane value and expertise you bring to a project. You save clients time, help them avoid costly mistakes, minimize their stress, reduce the number of decisions they make AND you also create a beautiful space they will enjoy forever!! That is priceless!
Additional Insights from Interior Designers
Then there were some comments submitted that ran the gamut, for instance, I wish I had known….:
How to price
How difficult it was going to be to find quality and consistent contractors
How hard it is to turn off your brain when you’re not actually working!
To NOT share my trade discounts!
For goodness sake, to not use PayPal for invoicing.
To say no to projects right away that I knew weren’t a good fit rather than let them into my pipeline and have them essentially “poison” the whole company
Thanks so much to the designers who participated in this conversation. And thank you for allowing us to share your insightful thoughts and sound advice with the Dakota Design Company audience. It is always so beneficial to hear from those who have been on a similar journey.
Want to be included in our next designer interview series? Join The Weekly Install™ and watch for our next topic.
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