There are a million tools and methods available for organizing your interior design business—and, in our 1:1 consulting and software implementation services, we’ve helped interior designers set up many of them. What I’ve learned through my years of operations consulting and owning two businesses is that it doesn’t matter what tools you use or how robust they are.

What matters is if you are using them consistently (and properly).

As a team, our favorite business management tools for interior designers are Asana, Google Drive, HoneyBook, Flodesk, Loom, and Zapier.

✏️ Want to see how Asana can streamline your interior design business? Grab our complimentary Asana Blueprint for Interior Designers here.

If you’re looking for my favorite software to manage your product library and sales, that’s a separate conversation.

When interior designers come to me and say they are using any of these tools, my team and I jump for joy because I know there are SO many ways they can integrate these tools to elevate and streamline their client-facing and behind-the-scenes operations.

When I had my wedding design and planning business, I used my website and blog, a reputable directory site, and client and vendor referrals to grow my business. My biggest focus back then was sharing valuable resources on my blog (I posted a new blog every.single.morning), serving my clients well, consistently asking for testimonials, and sending handwritten letters to every client and vendor I worked with (I even sent cards to the parents of the couples I worked with).

Back then, Asana and Google Drive literally didn’t even exist yet!

😱😱😱

So, how did I run a multi-state business with multiple high-touch service offerings in the luxury market?

Paper checklists.

I had a multi-page checklist for each service I offered for each new client. This checklist was printed out and then went into the top of each client binder, and I would work through that list and check things off as I went for each project.

Once the wedding or event was over, it didn’t stop there. I had about twenty items on my post-wedding checklist, and I never missed a thing.

I also kept a communication log to document who I spoke to or met with and what we discussed. This allowed me to remember all the to-dos and details for various clients.

This meant all of my business management documents were created in Microsoft Office (Google Drive wasn’t a thing yet!) and then printed on paper. Even when it was busy wedding season and I was working with brides in multiple states, this system worked well because I consistently used it with every project.

While it matters what software you use based on your specific needs, it matters more that you use your software consistently and to the fullest.

🔑 Read the rest inside The DTS Files — my members-only collection of advanced strategies, industry insights, and behind-the-scenes advice for running a profitable, elevated design firm.

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Imagine this: You finally book an appointment at a high-end salon, expecting a seamless, luxury experience. Instead, from the moment you walk in, it’s a series of awkward missteps, confusion, and missed opportunities that leave you feeling anything but pampered.

I recently had this exact experience—and trust me, it was bad. But here’s the thing: it didn’t have to be. With just onesimple email and one internal process tweak, this salon could have turned a forgettable (and frustrating) visit into an experience worth raving about.

If you offer any kind of premium service, you need to read this. I’m breaking down the 10 biggest mistakes this salon made—mistakes that could be costing you repeat business—and how to fix them with a streamlined, high-touch client experience.

Join The DTS Files to unlock the full post and learn how to create a client experience so good, people can’t wait to book with you again.

In my last post, I talked about some things you could take control of right now to optimize your client experience and business during a pandemic.

I felt like I still had so much to say, so here is part two of things you can be doing RIGHT NOW in your business.

Join The DTS Files to find out the FOUR things I recommend doing during a slow time or when there is a crisis (like Covid).

My clients are used to “emergency” situations and thinking on their feet when on the job. Furniture arrives from the receiver with damages, the cake arrives and it’s sinking. As a former wedding planner, I have had to put out fires (thankfully, only one literal fire) on job sites and at event sites.

It was 100% in my nature to have a backup plan for bad weather, for speeches that are going off the rails, and for problematic family members who have maybe had one too many drinks. For my interior design clients, they have standard policies and procedures for when issues arise that spell out exactly how they will handle them. If they have good relationships with their vendors, it’s usually just a matter of a few emails to get the problem sorted out for a client. Damage control is in our nature.

Nevertheless, no line of work can really prepare you to take your business online overnight in a crisis like Covid and I wanted to share a few things I have implemented for my clients to help them take care of their clients and their business during this time.

Join The DTS Files for my advice and insights.