Welcome to The DTS Files for Interior Designers
The DTS Files is a library of expert insights for interior designers who want to grow their businesses. Articles are human written and based on real-world consulting experience, strategies I've personally implemented in design businesses across the US and Canada, and a perspective most business educators can't offer: I've been on both sides of the table, as a business consultant and as a luxury design client. Read more below.
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ACTIONABLE BUSINESS STRATEGIES
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ARTICLES PUBLISHED WEEKLY
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EXPERT INSIGHTS & ADVICE FOR INTERIOR DESIGNERS
| ACTIONABLE BUSINESS STRATEGIES I ARTICLES PUBLISHED WEEKLY | EXPERT INSIGHTS & ADVICE FOR INTERIOR DESIGNERS
The Business Shifts Interior Designers Can’t Ignore in 2026
Each year, we compile insights and tips from interior design industry experts to help make the year ahead more seamless and profitable. We gather these contributions into our annual playbook, and in this blog, we’re sharing one individual expert insight pulled directly from that resource.
These are tips from an operations consultant specializing in client experience and process design for interior designers, with experience supporting 100+ firms across the U.S. and Canada.
What I’m Saying Goodbye to in 2026 (and a look back at 2025)
2025 will be a milestone year for me, God willing, because it is the year I will turn the same age my dad was when he lost his very short battle with cancer.
He died when I was 17, and back then, 44 seemed SO old. My dad owned a popular restaurant and catering business and a beautiful home, had five kids, was happily married to my mom, and was a powerful, charismatic presence.
Now, as I approach the same age, I realize just how young he was and how his life was really just beginning.
Losing him at such a young age has given me a unique perspective on how precious my time is and has majorly impacted my priorities. It is also why I spend time every Friday reflecting on how I spend my time every single week.
As I plan for 2025, I reviewed all my notes over the past year and noticed some consistent themes of things I didn’t enjoy or realizations I had that I ignored for MONTHS.
And this is NOT the year for me to hold onto anything that does not serve me.
So, in honor of my dad, one of my all-time favorite humans in the entire world and the person who has had the most significant impact on who I am today, here are the 11 things I’m saying BYEEEEE to in 2025. (in no particular order) …
How to Market Paid Design Advice Consultation Services Nationally
Many designers offer consultation services, and they are a great way to offer value to a wider range of clients on a smaller scale. Now, let me clarify what I mean by consultation services. There are two instances when a design may have a consultation with a client. Read the blog to find out more.
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Dear Dakota: Should Interior Designers Create Construction Documents?
Recently, we offered a brand new training on how to create and format construction documents and spec books. If you missed it, be sure to add your name to the waitlist here to know when we’re hosting it live again..
In the live training, we covered:
Industry standards for formatting CD sheets, and numbering and sequencing sheets within a construction document set
Utilizing recognized drafting symbology appropriately, and ways to format construction and fabrication notes on construction drawings
Standard formatting for plans, elevations, sections, and detail drawings, and how to cross-reference related drawings between sheets in a CD set
How to distribute appropriate materials and finish information between schedules on a CD sheet, and within a Spec book
The most thorough and efficient ways to format information and links within a spec book
How to document your process and standards for CD and spec production so you can more easily outsource that work
One designer who attended the training provided this feedback:
“The level of detail discussed in this training was 🔥. I had no idea an interior designer should be producing documents at the same level as an architect. I earned a certificate in interior design, so none of this was ever taught. I am thankful that my eyes have been opened to what I should really be doing.”
We thought this was a great opportunity to discuss the differentiation between an architect’s role and an interior designer’s role, and the competencies an interior designer should have regarding construction documentation.
Join me inside The DTS Files for insights based on my work with hundreds of interior design businesses.
Seven Traits of Confident Interior Designers (That Have Nothing to Do with Being Extroverted or Perfect)
They’re not louder. Not flashier. But they’ve built businesses that back them up—and it shows.
In this new article, I’m breaking down the seven specific traits I see time and time again in the most confident interior designers (and how you can work your way toward having them).
Quiet confidence? Sign.me.up!
Join me inside The DTS Files for insights based on my work with hundreds of interior design businesses.
HEAR FROM SOME OF OUR READERS:
Really just here to figure out your pricing?
PRICING PLAYBOOK for INTERIOR DESIGNERS
The Complete Guide to Pricing Your Design Services
Grab my pricing playbook, The Complete Guide to Pricing your Interior Design Services, to learn:
the six most common pricing models for designers
who each one is best for, and
how to know if your pricing model is broken
NEED BUSINESS SUPPORT ASAP?
SHOP TEMPLATES
Plug-and-play templates, questionnaires, processes, and guides for interior designers who want to stop reinventing the wheel with every new project.
The Design Library helps you streamline client communication, set clear expectations, and protect your time—so you can spend less time in your inbox and more time designing. Inside, you’ll find:
✔ Professionally written client emails and marketing guides for every step of the process.
✔ SOPs to standardize service delivery and create a seamless, high-end experience.
✔ Contract templates with sample scopes to protect you, your team, and your clients.
What took me years to refine can be in your inbox in minutes.
*for interior designers only, not interior design business coaches, consultants, mentors, strategists.
SHOP WORKSHOPS & TRAININGS
Learn from me and my team (comprised of industry experts and educators) all the things they don’t teach in design school. And we know because two of the women on my team went to interior design school and are professors!
After consulting with and doing hands-on implementation for over 100 interior design business owners, I’ve seen what works (and doesn’t) across every business model imaginable. We are familiar with various software types, team structures of 1 to 20, and the challenges that are coming, whether you’re on your way to your first $100,000 or already making multiple millions.
On-demand and live step-by-step trainings for your busy schedule.
*for interior designers only, not interior design business coaches, consultants, mentors, or strategists.
COMPLIMENTARY QUIZ FOR INTERIOR DESIGNERS
You don’t need to overhaul everything. You just need to fix the right thing.
This 2-minute quiz will help you identify what’s holding you back and how to fix it.
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