Interior DesignHer

Interior DesignHer
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Welcome to the Interior DesignHer Podcast Are you an interior designer or own an interior design business looking to elevate your success? Look no further! Join us on the Interior DesignHer Podcast, where we bring the absolute best, real-world business education to interior designers. Hosted by Douglas Robb, a business nerd and interior design fanboy, each episode brings you invaluable insights and strategies to thrive in the competitive landscape of interior design. From mastering operations to dominating marketing, public relations, and social media content, we cover it all. And none of it is fluff. We push each of our guests to share the stuff that actually works. We don't talk about design trends and color palettes. We're all about the business side of things. Get ready for candid conversations with top-notch business experts from diverse niches. Whether you're a seasoned designer or just starting out, our goal is simple: to empower you with the knowledge and tools to build a thriving interior design empire. But…the hard part is up to you. Implementing all that knowledge and putting it to work to take your business / career to the next level. Tune in every Monday for your weekly dose of inspiration, education, and actionable tips. Don't miss out on your chance to transform your passion for design into a wildly successful interior design business. Subscribe now to the Interior DesignHer Podcast and let's make your interior design BUSINESS dreams a reality!

  1. 1D AGO

    AI Without Context Is Useless

    AI Without Context Is Completely Useless: The 6-Phase Evolution Genius without context is useless. That principle explains everything about AI in 2025. Imagine hiring the world's smartest marketing manager. Unparalleled genius who knows everything about marketing, branding, social media, and client psychology. On day one, you tell them "update our marketing campaign." What happens? They produce generic garbage. Not because they're not smart—because genius without context is useless. AI works exactly the same way. The 6-Phase Context Evolution Framework: I've identified six distinct phases in how AI companies have approached the context problem. Understanding these phases changes how you evaluate every AI tool. Phase 1: Low Context (ChatGPT Launch, 2022-2023) When ChatGPT launched, we treated it like Google. Short questions, immediate answers. For six months, this was mind-blowing. After that? We realized the responses were surface-level and basic. Without context, AI matches generic patterns and delivers generic answers. This is when we all learned that AI without context is useless. Phase 2: Prompt Engineering (2023)AI experts told us the problem was our questions. We needed to become "prompt engineers." Better prompts would get better answers. For a while, prompt engineering was positioned as the career of the future. The underlying issue remained: we were trying to cram context into every single prompt. Unsustainable and inefficient. Phase 3: Specialized Tools (2023-2024) AI companies realized they could pre-load context into specific tools. Image generators like DALL-E and Midjourney. Video generators like Sora. Website builders and app creators. These tools have context built in—you don't need to engineer prompts because the tool already understands its specific purpose. This was the first major breakthrough in solving the context problem. Phase 4: Contextual Containers (2024) Custom GPTs from OpenAI. Claude Projects from Anthropic. Gemini Gems from Google. These tools let you load context once and have the AI reference it forever. You don't have to re-explain your business, your preferences, or your situation in every conversation. The AI remembers. This solved the "forgetting problem" and made AI dramatically more useful for ongoing work. Phase 5: AI Agents (2024-2025) The difference between a custom GPT and an AI agent: agents take action. You ask, they do. They rely on the context you've given them, then go execute tasks. They don't just answer questions—they perform work based on contextual understanding of your needs. Phase 6: Hold Context / Socratic AI (Emerging 2025) The future phase most AI companies aren't implementing yet because it's complicated and resource-intensive. Instead of just storing your context or waiting for you to provide it, the AI actively pulls context from you through intelligent questioning. Socratic AI asks follow-up questions to extract nuanced understanding before answering. This dramatically improves results but requires significant AI processing power. What Every Phase Has In Common: Look at all six phases. What do you see? Incremental improvements on context. AI companies are either: Making it easier to provide context (custom GPTs, Claude Projects) Pre-loading context into specialized tools (DALL-E, Sora) Extracting context intelligently (socratic questioning systems) OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google all realize the same thing: the gap between AI's super intelligence and your specific needs closes through better context delivery. Every evolution of AI so far has involved improving how context gets captured, stored, referenced, and utilized. Why This Framework Matters: Next time you use ChatGPT, Claude, or any AI tool and don't get the answer you wanted, realize the problem isn't the AI's intelligence. It's the context you gave it. You have four options: Get better at prompting (free, requires skill development) Use custom GPTs and Claude Projects (costs money, much better results because context persists) Find socratic AI tools that pull context from you (expensive, best results, limited availability) Wait for AI companies to build better context into existing tools (they're actively working on this because they know context is the problem) The Underlying Principle: AI companies understand that genius without context is useless. That's why every major AI advancement focuses on solving the context problem. Understanding the six-phase evolution puts you ahead of almost everyone using AI because you can evaluate tools based on how they handle context. When AI fails, it's almost always because it doesn't have the context it needs about your specific situation, your business, or the question you're asking. Now that you understand that, you can fix it.Episode #39 - s03e03 Next Episode: AI sycophancy (AI glazing). Anthropic just released content about this that's worth examining critically.

    8 min

  2. DEC 12

    AI Education - Stop Focusing on Tools

    Between interviews, I'm sharing my unfiltered takes on AI and business—starting with why most AI education is setting you up for failure. In This Episode: [00:00] Why tool-centric AI education is completely stupid [00:30] Point 1: AI tools change, AI principles don't [01:41] Point 2: You're getting mediocre results with zero barrier to entry [02:27] Point 3: Your confusion is their business model [03:04] Point 4: Speed without judgment is professional malpractice [04:04] Point 5: Pattern recognition isn't education [05:00] Point 6: Tool education creates technicians, not artisans [05:42] Point 7: AI tools are context agnostic (and that's not good) [06:55] Point 8: You become a brand ambassador for tools that limit you [07:52] What's the alternative to tool-centric AI education? [08:30] Coming next: AI glazing—the topic no one talks about The Core Argument: Every week there's a new AI tool. Every time that happens, another tool goes into the AI landfill. Tool-focused AI education has a shelf life of six months or less. You're memorizing tool-specific tricks instead of learning transferable principles. When the next tool launches, you start from scratch. Eight Problems With Tool-Centric AI Education: Tools change, principles don't - Learning MidJourney never taught you Nano Banana. Learning Nano Banana won't teach you the next generation. You're building on sand. Zero barrier to entry means mediocre results - Everyone has access to the same tools. You're paying for knowledge freely available in documentation. Being great at AutoCAD never made someone the best interior designer. Being great at one AI tool won't make your business better. Confusion is the business model - AI educators profit from your anxiety. Every tool launch creates marketing opportunity: "You're falling behind. Your competitors are learning this now." It's subscription revenue disguised as education. Speed without judgment is malpractice - Tool education emphasizes "do it faster, save time, work like a team of four." This trains you to optimize for output volume rather than quality. Speed doesn't always win. Pattern recognition isn't learning - You memorize recipes without understanding cooking. When the recipe fails in new context, you're lost. When tools change pricing, interface, or capabilities, you're back to square one. You were trained to follow steps, not make decisions. Creates technicians, not artisans - It's easier to record screen tutorials showing button clicks than teach decision-making frameworks. Knowing how to use a tool doesn't make you an expert. I can swing a hammer, but you don't want me as your carpenter. Context agnostic education for infinite context problems - Generic "how to use ChatGPT for interior design" courses can't account for your specific client base, market position, design philosophy, or business model. Success is measured by "did you learn the interface?" not "did this improve your business?" You become a brand ambassador - Once you've invested time and money learning ChatGPT, you resist switching to Claude even if it's objectively better. The education creates switching costs that benefit vendors but limit your flexibility. You're stuck. The Alternative: Learning how to think with AI, not just click buttons. Understanding what your specific business needs, what your clients actually value, and how to get AI to understand your unique context—not generic context, but your approach, your markets, your clients. That's not a tool tutorial. That's a completely different type of AI education. Next Episode: AI glazing—the AI topic almost no one talks about. Resources: Interior DesignHer Podcast - https://www.interiordesignher.com/podcast Subscribe for more unfiltered takes on AI and business Leave a review to help the algorithm show this to more people

    9 min

  3. NOV 12

    Interior Designers: Make Your Website Findable

    Episode 37Season 3 Episode 1:Interior designers with beautiful websites often wonder why they're not generating inquiries. Digital marketing expert Daniela Furtado, founder of Findable Digital Marketing, reveals the gap between aesthetic excellence and search visibility and how to bridge it without compromising your design. In This Episode You'll Discover: Why interior designers who've built successful businesses on word of mouth for 7-8 years are seeing declining referrals and struggling with inconsistent marketing The specific example of Zoe Feldman's website redesign - how a top US designer balanced beautiful minimalist aesthetics with the strategic content Google needs Why "hidden pages" targeting specific cities (Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Alexandria) were ugly but necessary in Zoe's old site - and how her new design elegantly integrates SEO The portfolio storytelling approach that transforms photo galleries into keyword-rich project narratives that both humans and search algorithms understand How top designers use text hierarchy, punchy headings, and strategic photo placement to add more content without looking "stuffy and robotic" Why the interior design industry resists basic marketing principles that every other business sector considers "the ABCs" - and how this creates opportunities for early adopters The pattern Daniela sees in struggling design firms: 7-10 years in business, beautiful professional photography, sporadic social media, zero consistent business development Why firms that are thriving treat marketing as ongoing strategy rather than "punctual projects" like website redesigns or magazine features The adaptability factor: successful designers aren't just consistent with marketing, they've also adapted their services (design days, virtual consultations, small projects) Daniela's track record of doubling client inquiries through holistic strategies combining SEO, social media, email newsletters, and portfolio optimization Key Insight: The designers building sustainable practices in 2025 aren't necessarily more talented - they're strategic about being findable when clients are searching. Connect with Daniela Furtado: Website: findabledigitalmarketing.com Instagram: @findable_digital_marketing Email: hello@findabledigitalmarketing.com Resources Mentioned: Zoe Feldman Design (website case study example) Studio McGee (portfolio storytelling example) Findable Digital Marketing Services: Bimonthly workshops (starting at $50) One-hour consultation with 12-month marketing blueprint ($800) Full-service agency support ($3,000-$5,000/month)

    55 min

  4. OCT 8

    Interior Designers: Stop Doing EVERYTHING Yourself

    Season 2 Episode 27:Ronniesha Rivera, founder of Vetted by Design, shares her journey from interior design business owner to platform creator. After a costly bookkeeper mistake led to a government audit, she realized the need for a curated marketplace of business professionals vetted specifically for interior design expertise. Key Discussion Points: The specific tax filing error that triggered a government audit Why general business experts fail interior design clients The vetting process for ensuring professional competency How to overcome the fear of delegation and hiring Building trust with service providers who understand your industry The platform economics that keep it free for designers Guest Background: Ronniesha owns Alder and Stone Interiors and founded Vetted by Design in January 2025. The platform features vetted business professionals across categories like bookkeeping, marketing, virtual assistance, and project management - all specifically experienced with interior design businesses.

    1h 24m

  5. OCT 1

    Interior Designers: Mood Boards vs 3D Rendering

    Season 2 Episode 26:Interior designers are losing projects to competitors with inferior portfolios but superior presentation technology. Jessica Lacerda, founder of Be Live 3D, reveals how 3D visualization has become essential for winning luxury design projects. Key insights include: In Brazil, 3D visualization is considered mandatory for professional credibility - "if you don't have it, you are not a good designer" Clients make design decisions based on what they can see, not what designers can explain through words or mood boards Visualization changes actual client preferences - Jessica's client switched from light to dark colors after seeing renders The process requires only floor plans, measurements, and specifications - visualization partners handle technical execution Successful designers treat visualization as a business partnership, not just a service provider relationship Future technologies like AR/VR will make current mood board presentations obsolete for luxury clients The presentation gap between traditional methods and visualization technology is creating winners and losers based on client experience, not design talent.

    54 min

  6. SEP 24

    Interior Designers: Stop Working Weekends

    Season 2 Episode 25:Tired of managing invoices instead of designing beautiful spaces? Interior design business owner Gina Cotner explains the difference between virtual assistants and executive assistants - and why understanding this distinction can transform your design practice. In This Episode: Why interior designers get trapped in administrative work instead of design work The real difference between virtual assistants and executive assistants How to break the feast-famine cycle that plagues most design businesses Delegation strategies that work for creative professionals ROI calculations that justify executive assistant investment Finding and vetting high-caliber administrative support Guest Bio: Gina Cotner is the founder of Athena Executive Services, a firm that provides high-caliber executive assistants to small business owners. After spending her early career at IBM, Gina became an entrepreneur before recognizing the need for corporate-level administrative support in small businesses. For nearly 10 years, she's helped business owners - including interior designers - escape administrative overwhelm and focus on their core expertise. Connect with Gina: Athena Executive Services LinkedIn: Gina Cotner Keywords: executive assistant, virtual assistant, interior design business, delegation, administrative support, feast famine cycle, design business operations

    54 min

  7. AUG 28

    The Unseen Exchange: Protecting Your Interior Design IP from AI

    Season 2 Episode 24: Interior Designers: How to Protect Your Intellectual Property from AI

    13 min

  8. AUG 20

    Interior Designers: AI Tech is Changing Fast - Are You Ready?

    Season 2 Episode 23: Interior Designers: AI Tech is Changing Fast - Are You Ready - Industry Research Deep Dive

    16 min
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5
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About

Welcome to the Interior DesignHer Podcast Are you an interior designer or own an interior design business looking to elevate your success? Look no further! Join us on the Interior DesignHer Podcast, where we bring the absolute best, real-world business education to interior designers. Hosted by Douglas Robb, a business nerd and interior design fanboy, each episode brings you invaluable insights and strategies to thrive in the competitive landscape of interior design. From mastering operations to dominating marketing, public relations, and social media content, we cover it all. And none of it is fluff. We push each of our guests to share the stuff that actually works. We don't talk about design trends and color palettes. We're all about the business side of things. Get ready for candid conversations with top-notch business experts from diverse niches. Whether you're a seasoned designer or just starting out, our goal is simple: to empower you with the knowledge and tools to build a thriving interior design empire. But…the hard part is up to you. Implementing all that knowledge and putting it to work to take your business / career to the next level. Tune in every Monday for your weekly dose of inspiration, education, and actionable tips. Don't miss out on your chance to transform your passion for design into a wildly successful interior design business. Subscribe now to the Interior DesignHer Podcast and let's make your interior design BUSINESS dreams a reality!

Information

  • Creator
    Interior DesignHer
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    36
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024 The Interior DesignHer Podcast. All rights reserved. No part of this podcast may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, contact douglas@interiordesignher.com.
  • Show Website
    Interior DesignHer