Dear Dakota | Is It Okay To Stop Growing My Interior Design Business
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I had a conversation with a designer in our membership, The Studio, earlier this year, and it's something I've been reflecting on a lot lately. I even worked with a business coach over the summer to figure out some things because I had hit an important milestone in my company and then felt slightly off. Like, okay, now what?
The question this designer asked was, “Is it okay to stop growing my business?”
Because I had been going through something similar and have relevant experience to share, I thought you might be experiencing something similar, especially when everything feels like MORE MORE MORE in the entrepreneurship space.
Over the years, this particular designer has built her business from the ground up and has achieved great success. She doesn't want to put in the long hours or the hustle anymore. She is very happy with where her business is. Team, revenue, clients, offers, etc.
She asked, “But if I'm not growing, I'm dying, right?" as the familiar quote goes.
My advice to her was this:
I think there are three phases of business we all go through:
Phase 01 | Startup Phase—this is where you're laying the foundation and building your business from scratch. During this phase, you're working out your services, who your ideal clients are, and how your business will run. It's a lot of 'figuring things out as you go' with some trial and error.
This phase requires you to wear many hats and carries a lot of risk and uncertainty but is VERY exciting because of the possibility.
02 | Growth Phase—once you've got some traction and your business feels more stable, you move into the growth phase. This is where things shift from just 'making it work' to expanding and leveling up. You're focusing on increasing revenue, growing your team, and tightening up how everything runs.
In this phase, you scale what's working, fine-tune your systems, and push for more visibility and profitability.
03 | Maintenance Phase—in this phase, you've reached a point where your business is running smoothly and growth feels steady. The focus shifts from pushing for big growth to sustaining what you've already built. It's all about keeping things efficient, fine-tuning your team's work, and making sure everything stays stable long-term.
In this phase, you maintain client relationships, refine your offers, and continue to make improvements—but without the intense push for growth like before.
We often have a phase we love most or naturally excel at. The energy we pour into that phase comes right back to us in sheer joy and results.
So, part of my advice was to recognize your current phase and understand that the work and effort in each phase will be very different. If you realize you're in maintenance mode, that could be enough to understand WHY you may feel torn or restless about what you should be doing.
As entrepreneurs, we are used to solving problems. It can feel foreign to transition from the startup and growth phase into the maintenance phase. Like, “Huh? What do I do with all this time and energy?”
I've been there, too, and I know many designers and business owners who have experienced the same feelings.
Some advice I received (thanks to my business coach) when I experienced this was:
Be intentional with your time. Make it mean something FOR YOU. As you hit your goals and achieve your vision, the restlessness for us entrepreneurs comes from not having a challenge to solve or milestone to hit. Sure, you can pour your time and energy back into the business, but if you're happy with where things are, that may feel out of alignment (which could be where some of those feelings of burnout start to creep in).
So, if you find yourself with extra time because your business is in maintenance mode, how can you use that time intentionally to enjoy OTHER milestones?
For me, it looks like more reading and writing, more activities with my kids, more exercise, and incorporating pilates a certain number of times a week.
After this conversation, I reflected on some other things, and I wanted to share them because they may be true for you, too.
For a long time, you may have tied your identity to the growth of your business. And it's normal to feel a bit of an identity shift when growth is no longer the focus, and believe me—it's not easy, but it's part of the process.
And, your business may have been the tool by which you could “prove your worth” in a way.
These beliefs require some deeper work to break down, and I often think of the phrase "new level, new devil." Even as we move into a new phase of business, there is still inner work to do.
So, if you've hit your goals and you are happy with where things are, throw out the “shoulds” (I should do this, I should do that, etc.) and think instead about what this can mean for your life, your family, your community, and your clients.
And if you're feeling overwhelmed, maybe reflecting on which of these phases you are in will bring some structure to those feelings. (and if you realize you're in more than one phase, slow it down and focus on ONE phase at a time. We never want to grow or scale on a shaky foundation).
