Running an interior design business means juggling clients, projects, and endless admin tasks—which can be time-consuming and overwhelming. Luckily, there are software solutions to help streamline these processes so you can focus more on designing beautiful spaces.

Two of the top client management tools for interior designers are HoneyBook and Dubsado. In our 1:1 services, we implement both, depending on the client’s needs. But which one is the right fit for your business?

In this post, we’ll compare HoneyBook and Dubsado, breaking down their key features, pricing, and ease of use so you can decide which platform suits your design business best.

Join The DTS Files for my advice and insights.

For interior designers, having passive income streams can be a great way to generate revenue. In a passive income scenario, you can literally earn money while you sleep. BUT LET ME MAKE THIS VERY CLEAR. Generating passive income does NOT mean no effort. Typically, a great deal of effort is required initially to create and set up. The key is in the timing, click here to read more!

The last time I opened up my waitlist, I had the pleasure of speaking with  several designers who were interested in working together. Something a lot of clients and potential clients share with me is that they've already tried a variety of things, and many of them haven’t been effective.

Or, they invested in a program for interior designers, only to realize after a year and $10k, it wasn't helpful, and they were learning more from my blog posts. 

Here's the thing:

Join The DTS Files for my advice and insights.

As summer approaches, you might be thinking of ways to slow down so you can enjoy the beautiful weather, more unstructured days, and time outdoors. Or if you're like me, you might realize you only have SEVEN summers left with your oldest, and you cannnnnnnnnnnnot even think of that, so you want to soak up every moment before they leave for college. This is why I schedule a summer slowdown every year (read about how I take summers off or what I learned from my last summer slowdown).

Either way, summers are a great time to bring on some additional help in your business to either take your own “summer slowdown” or to get caught up and organized while everyone is moving at a slower pace. 

Join The DTS Files for my advice and insights.

Does it feel like you're always working in your interior design business, and even when you stop, the to-do list in your head and the urge to do “this one last thing” are always there? 

As an entrepreneur, it's common to be consumed with your business, especially in the beginning when you have adrenaline and excitement running through your veins at the thought of what’s possible, giving you that boost to persevere and accomplish so much. But eventually, the excitement lapses a bit and you get into a groove with the day-to-day operations of working with clients and running your business (two separate things; don’t miss the second part). 

And then, the to-do list gets longer, the inbox fills up, project scopes increase, responsibilities quadruple, and the constant pressure makes it feel like you’ve created a monster. 

I get that.  

So what do you do when you have more work in a week than you have time for? 

While I can teach you everything I know about the business side of design: like structuring and pricing your services, developing and implementing effective software and systems, hiring and delegating to a team, marketing to attract dream clients (and repel the red flag ones), and setting boundaries to build a business you love, I am not a trained interior designer.

If you are looking to expand your knowledge within certain project types, or you want to validate the high level of expertise you already possess, pursuing a recognized interior design industry certification may be something to consider. 

Below is a listing of the most well-established and widely respected certifications for interior designers written by my in-house tenured interior design professor and certified interior designer, so you can decide whether pursuing any would be helpful to your professional development.

I see a lot of designers who put this question on their contact form…and I think it’s a bad idea. You miss out on SO MUCH GOOD INFO and the ability to instantly determine whether a client will be a good fit. Not to mention you’re just clogging up your contact form when the goal is to make it as easy as possible for someone to submit an inquiry.

The question to ask on the phone (not in your contact form):