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Welcome to The DTS Files for Interior Designers

The DTS Files is a premium content hub for interior designers who want to grow their businesses with expert-backed strategies, real-world consulting insights, and proven frameworks.

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ACTIONABLE BUSINESS STRATEGIES

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MEMBERS-ONLY ARTICLES PUBLISHED WEEKLY

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PRIVATE LIBRARY OF EXPERT INSIGHTS & ADVICE FOR INTERIOR DESIGNERS

| ACTIONABLE BUSINESS STRATEGIES I MEMBERS-ONLY ARTICLES PUBLISHED WEEKLY | PRIVATE LIBRARY OF EXPERT INSIGHTS & ADVICE FOR INTERIOR DESIGNERS

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CLIENT EXPERIENCE, SYSTEMS & OPS Katie McFarlan CLIENT EXPERIENCE, SYSTEMS & OPS Katie McFarlan

How to Protect your Interior Design or Luxury Service Business during COVID Part Two

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).

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CLIENT EXPERIENCE, SYSTEMS & OPS Katie McFarlan CLIENT EXPERIENCE, SYSTEMS & OPS Katie McFarlan

How to Optimize your Interior Design Business During a Crisis

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.

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ACCESS A PRIVATE LIBRARY OF EXPERT ADVICE for INTERIOR DESIGNERS

My strategies have shaped the way thousands of interior designers and luxury service providers do business.

Inside The DTS Files, you’re getting the original insights straight from the source—tested, refined, and backed by my experience working with 100+ design firms.

And because this is a members-only space, I can go deeper than ever before—sharing the real strategies that help designers build profitable, sustainable businesses with confidence.

HEAR FROM SOME OF OUR MEMBERS:

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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.

Katie McFarlan Dakota Design Company Premium Client Process templates for Interior Designers

*for interior designers only, not interior design business coaches, consultants, mentors, strategists.

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SHOP WORKSHOPS & TRAININGS

Learn from my team (comprised of industry experts and educators) and me 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!

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 trainings for your busy schedule.

Katie McFarlan Dakota Design Company Premium Client Process templates for Interior Designers

*for interior designers only, not interior design business coaches, consultants, mentors, or strategists.

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JOIN 16,000 DESIGNERS EVERY FRIDAY

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Proven strategies and tools to streamline and elevate your interior design business.

COMPLIMENTARY QUIZ FOR INTERIOR DESIGNERS

Feeling stretched thin in your design business?

You’re busy—but is your business actually working for you? If you’re constantly putting out fires and second-guessing what to focus on next, this 2-minute quiz will show you exactly where to start.