6 Business Practices of the Most Successful Interior Designers | A Well Designed Business Podcast with LuAnn Nigara
Updated August 2023
I'm so excited and honored to be LuAnn Nigara's Power Talk Friday guest once again (you can check out our previous episode here), on her podcast, A Well Designed Business Podcast (the #1 podcast in the interior design industry).
As many of my designers know, LuAnn is a thought leader in the interior design industry (as well as a podcast host, author, speaker, and business owner). She and I had such a great conversation about how data can help you run a successful interior design business
I'd love for you to listen here.
Here’s what LuAnn wrote about the episode, from her website:
What does it take to be successful? We talk about it week in and week out on the show. There are so many details, so many facets to business success. But there are a handful of business practices that every successful designer puts into place—the things that set them apart from those who struggle. Today, Katie McFarlan of Dakota Design Co joins me to share the six business practices she believes are key to a well-designed business.
Pick it apart:
[11:54] Katie breaks down why setting a project minimum is important and the different ways to do it.
[22:57] LuAnn and Katie discuss the value of clear service offerings and processes.
[32:57] Katie shares why investing in yourself is vital.
[47:42] LuAnn and Katie talk about professional photography and why it matters even if you don’t have projects yet.
[51:28] Katie highlights how setting boundaries helps with business success.
LuAnn and Katie McFarlan’s Ah-ha moments:
“The more clarity you can put around things, the less opportunity there is for designers to complain about “scope creep.” If you didn’t define what it is that you do, how is the client supposed to know that it’s out of the parameters?” -LuAnn Nigara
“When you do the same thing over and over again, it’s good at getting you to be more efficient and working out the kinks. Your clients will enjoy working with you more when they know what to expect.” -Katie McFarlan
