Seven Traits of Confident Interior Designers (That Have Nothing to Do with Being Extroverted or Perfect)
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When I think about the most confident designers I know and have worked with, a few things stand out. Something I think is interesting? They’re often not the loudest or the most “put together.” But they show up with conviction and clarity because their business is structured to reinforce confidence because they get to stay in their zone of genius.
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Here’s what they all have in common:
01. They lead with data, not drama.
Confident designers don’t rely on gut checks alone. They know their close rates, their expenses, their margins, and how long things actually take. They don’t guess. They measure. Then they use that data to adjust.
02. They stay in their zone of genius.
They’ve built businesses that allow them to do what they do best. They design. They lead. They guide the vision. How did they do that? By defining their process and their revenue generating work, then automating, templatizing, and delegating. Confidence grows because they get to keep doing the thing they’re really good at, day in and day out.
03. They know their value and don’t dilute it.
They have minimums. Boundaries. A process that’s non-negotiable. Not because they’re rigid but because they’ve learned (usually the hard way 😰) what happens when they give in too often. They learn their lessons and do what works best for them, their clients, and their businesses. <- Yup, they are allllways in service of getting their clients the best results.
04. They make decisions quickly (because they know data = gold).
They’re not asking five group chats for advice. They’re not consuming 11 podcast episodes before making a move.
They know what they want and they move toward it … even if it might flop, even if people are watching 👀, even if they might look not-smart (we don’t say the S-word - rhymes with cupid - in our house).
They know action gives them information. And information gives them clarity.
Action > Ideas.
05. They put their blinders on.
They don't consume every podcast or sign up for every webinar. They focus on one gap at a time. One real business problem. They solve it, implement the fix, and move on. They don’t need more information; they need execution.
06. They build strong support around them.
They know what they’re good at, and what they’re not. So they INVEST in good hires. They put time and energy into developing solid processes and training their team on them. They delegate.
Because of this: they can trust their team and don’t need to micromanage. They get to focus on their zone of genius which keeps leading to more and more confidence.
(Sensing a theme here? Whatever allows you to stay in your zone of genius will increase your confidence!!)
07. They take calculated risks.
They put themselves out there. They send the big proposal. They push back on the GC. They raise their rates. They launch the thing. They invest in their business.
And if it doesn’t go perfectly? They handle it.
Being confident isn’t about being fearless. It’s about knowing you’ll figure it out either way. And removing your identity from the outcome. ← this has been huge for me personally as a business
Want To Increase Your Confidence as an Interior Designer?
Start by building a business that feels legit, polished, efficient.
Don’t guess.
Nail down your process. Implement it with clients. Adjust as needed. And use tools that make it easier to stay in your zone of genius.
If I were you, I’d start here:
Full Service Residential Contract Template (includes two sample scopes of work - one designer told us this helped her finally figure out how to structure her pricing)
Emerson Templates (our client experience guides that walk your clients through the entire process and arm you with EXACTLY what to do during all the “what ifs”)
Pricing + Proposals Workshop (this will help you nail your fees, set minimums, and present your pricing to clients)
Then, add your name to the waitlist for our signature program, The Designed to Scale® Method.
Bundle $1,800 or more and save 20% with code BUNDLE20.
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