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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
Welcome to The DTS Files for Interior Designers
Business analysis, advice, CLIENT INSIGHTS and field notes for interior designers
The DTS Files is a library of expert insights for interior designers who want to work in a more streamlined, efficient way. Articles are 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.
What If I Don’t Have Time to Train Someone To Help My Interior Design Business
You Need Help—But You Have Zero Time to Hire or Train. Here’s the Solution.
You know you can’t keep running your interior design business alone. The client load, the admin work, the back-and-forth—it’s all too much. But the thought of hiring, onboarding, and training someone? That feels just as overwhelming.
The good news? You don’t have to figure this out alone.
In this article, I’m sharing:
The biggest mistake designers make when hiring (and how to avoid it)
Real stories of two interior designers who resisted hiring—until they saw the ROI
How to bring on the right person without spending hours on training
If you want to get the right help in place without wasting time, join The DTS Files to unlock my advice.
How to Set Up a Client Waitlist for Your Interior Design Business
Nervous to Move to a Waitlist? Here’s How to Do It Without Losing Clients.
Worried that putting potential clients on a waiting list will send them straight to a competitor? You’re not alone. Many designers hesitate to implement a waitlist, fearing it will slow business down—but in reality, a well-managed waitlist increases demand, prevents burnout, and keeps your schedule full.
The key? You need a strategic waitlist process that keeps potential clients engaged while they wait without extra effort on your part.
In this article, I’m sharing how I’ve helped 6 & 7 figure interior designers with:
How to know when it’s time to move to a waitlist
What to say to potential clients so they’re excited to wait for you
Implementing the must-have email sequence that keeps clients engaged before their project starts
If you’re ready to implement a high-converting waitlist without losing leads, join The DTS Files to unlock the full post.
Ouch! How to Recover After Making a Mistake on a Client’s Interior Design Project
Made a Mistake on a Client Project? Here’s How to Recover—Without Losing Trust (or Your Reputation).
It happens. You drop the ball on a client’s interior design project, and now you have to own up to it. The difference between keeping that client’s trust—or losing them forever—comes down to how you handle the mistake.
Most designers panic, shift blame, or avoid the conversation altogether. But the right approach? It actually strengthens client relationships and sets you apart as a true professional.
In this post, I’m breaking down:
The 8-step framework for handling mistakes with confidence
How to prevent a small error from turning into a major issue
What to say (and what not to say) when owning up to a mistake
Mistakes don’t define your business—how you handle them does.
Want to know the best way to recover from a client issue and prevent future problems? Join The DTS Files to unlock the full post.
Who to Hire First in your Interior Design Business
Feeling Stretched Too Thin in Your Interior Design Business? Here’s How to Hire the Right Help—Without Wasting Time or Money.
You know you need help. Your projects are dragging on, marketing feels overwhelming, and the thought of taking on more clients makes you panic. But hiring? That feels just as impossible.
Who do you hire first? How do you afford them? And how do you find the time to train them when you're already maxed out?
In this post, I’ll show you:
How to figure out exactly what tasks to outsource
Why most designers waste money hiring the wrong person—and how to avoid it
A step-by-step breakdown of roles, responsibilities, and pay rates
If you want to hire with confidence so you can free up your time for the work you love, join The DTS Files to read the full post.
Elevate your Interior Design Client Experience Process: Nail Your Sales Calls
One of the benefits of having a streamlined client experience process for your interior design business is that it will help you to feel confident during sales calls so you can book more dream clients. In this post, I’m going to share tips for how to structure your sales calls with potential interior design clients.
Join The DTS Files for my advice and insights.
How to Qualify your Interior Design Leads (and screen out the tire kickers)
Stop Wasting Sales Calls on Potential Clients Who Expect Free Advice
Ever hopped on a call, only to realize the potential client thought it was a free consult or assumed they could start the project immediately?
One of the biggest mistakes designers make is jumping on calls too soon—before setting clear expectations. The result? Wasted time, price shoppers, and frustrating conversations that don’t lead to bookings.
In this post, I’ll share:
The key mistake costing you time and leads
How to filter out the wrong clients before the call
The simple fix that turns sales calls into booked projects
Join The DTS Files to read the full post and start talking only to ready-to-book dream clients.
Organize Your Interior Design Client Experience Workflow: Your Services and Pricing Guide
Still Wasting Time on Unqualified Leads? Here’s How to Fix It Fast.
You wouldn’t walk into a luxury store without knowing the price tag, so why should potential clients expect anything different when inquiring about your services?
Yet, so many business owners waste hours every week on calls with leads who can’t afford them, aren’t ready to invest, or—worst of all—just want to “pick their brain.” The fix? A polished, professional Investment Guide that does the heavy lifting for you.
In this post, I’ll walk you through exactly how to craft a high-converting Investment Guide that streamlines your inquiry process, protects your time, and makes it easy for dream clients to say YES. Want to see the step-by-step breakdown? Join The DTS Files to access the full post.
Organize Your Interior Design Client Experience Workflow: The Inquiry Phase
Your Client Experience Starts Before They Even Hire You—Are You Losing Leads Without Realizing It?
“It’s not worth doing if it’s not worth doing well.” That’s been my mantra for as long as I can remember, and it’s exactlywhy I help my clients refine their interior design businesses to run smoothly, efficiently, and profitably.
Because here’s the truth: If your process leaves potential clients confused, frustrated, or unsure of what to do next, they’ll focus more on their uncertainty than the results they could be getting from working with you. And when that happens? You risk losing the very people you worked so hard to attract.
Your client experience starts the second someone reaches out—not after they sign a contract. If you don’t have clear, seamless workflows in place, you’re making it harder (and less appealing) for clients to move forward with you. But with just a few simple tweaks, you can set expectations, establish trust, and position yourself as the obvious choice—before you even hop on a discovery call.
I’m walking you through the exact steps to create a client experience that makes your business feel polished, effortless, and high-end—starting with the very first inquiry. Want to get it right? Join The DTS Files to access the full post.
HEAR FROM SOME OF OUR READERS:
Looking for help with pricing?
PRICING PLAYBOOK for INTERIOR DESIGNERS
Start with The Complete Guide to Pricing Your Design Services
Learn the most common pricing models used by interior designers, where each works best, and how to spot the signs that your current pricing structure needs to change.
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SHOP TEMPLATES
Need the documents behind a streamlined process?
The Design Library includes the client-facing investment guides, proposal templates, welcome guides, SOPs, questionnaires, contracts, and business tools we use and recommend for interior design firms.
SHOP WORKSHOPS & TRAININGS
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. The Workroom houses our focused trainings for interior designers on pricing, construction, service structure, business operations, and other areas we teach inside design firms
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