Business of Design® | Grow a Profitable Interior Design Business with Kimberley Seldon

Kimberley Seldon
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Business of Design® is the leading business training platform for interior design professionals. Our proven programs give you the systems and structure you need to run a profitable, process-driven design business. Ready to build a business that supports your talent? Join us at Business of Design®. https://businessofdesign.com

  1. 6D AGO

    EP 468 | Beyond Beautiful: Why Interior Design Now Carries Responsibility with Megan Reilly

    Design doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It responds to real life — and sometimes, real loss. In this thoughtful conversation, Kimberley Seldon sits down with Megan Reilly, co-founder of WestEdge Design Fair, to explore how the role of interior designers is evolving beyond aesthetics and into responsibility. They discuss how design shows up during disruption and rebuilding, why resilience and smarter material choices are becoming non-negotiable, and how industry platforms like WestEdge are adapting to support designers who want to do meaningful, relevant work without sacrificing business sustainability. This is not about burnout, martyrdom, or working for free — it’s about clarity, education, and community. If you’ve been feeling the pull toward more impact but aren’t sure how to balance that with running a healthy business, this episode offers a grounded, honest perspective on what it means to be a designer right now — and how to step into a bigger role with intention. What you’ll learn in this episode: - Why design has consequences far beyond aesthetics - How designers can contribute meaningfully during rebuilding and recovery - What resilience, sustainability, and smarter material choices look like in practice - Why in-person events and industry platforms matter more than ever - How designers can expand their impact without diluting their business model - Why education and community are strategic advantages — not “extras”

    32 min

  2. FEB 9

    EP 467 | Capacity Ceiling: Why More Work Isn’t the Answer for Interior Designers with Megan Dahle

    Your calendar can look reasonable and still leave you exhausted. Your team can be busy and still underperform. Your revenue can grow while your sanity quietly erodes. That disconnect isn’t a motivation problem — it’s a capacity problem. In this episode, Kimberley Seldon sits down with financial strategist Megan Dahle to unpack why so many interior designers hit an invisible ceiling in their business without realizing it. Capacity isn’t about how much work you want to take on — it’s about how much your current business structure can actually support without degrading profit, time, or the client experience. Together, they explore how decision load, responsibility, and constant context-switching drain capacity far faster than hours worked — and why adding more clients or more staff often makes things worse. This conversation isn’t about pushing harder. It’s about seeing clearly, identifying the real constraint in your business, and making calmer, more strategic decisions because of it. If growth feels heavier instead of easier, this episode will help you understand why — and what to change next. What you’ll learn in this episode: - Why feeling overwhelmed isn’t a time-management failure - How decisions, responsibility, and context-switching drain capacity faster than hours worked - How to identify your real capacity ceiling without complex spreadsheets - Why adding more clients or more staff often amplifies stress instead of solving it - How understanding capacity reframes pricing, staffing, and leadership decisions - Why protecting your attention turns time into a luxury product — without blindly charging more

    34 min

  3. FEB 3

    EP 466 | When Experience Becomes an Advantage: Evolving Your Interior Design Firm with Michael Abrams & Gina Valenti

    After decades in business, many interior designers reach a quiet crossroads: Is this as good as it gets? In this thoughtful, grounded conversation, Kimberley Seldon sits down with Michael Abrams and Gina Valenti to explore what it really looks like to evolve a design firm after 25 years—without chasing trends or reinventing yourself for attention. Michael and Gina share how experience becomes a competitive advantage when paired with clarity, alignment, and intention. From earning partnership and planning succession to protecting your reputation and learning to say no without apology, this episode offers a real-world roadmap for designers who are successful—but restless. If you’re thinking about what’s next for your firm, your role, or your legacy, this episode gives you both permission and practical insight to design a future that can truly carry you forward. What You’ll Learn in this episode: - Why rebranding later in your career can be a strategic advantage - How partnership is earned—not granted—inside a mature design firm - What healthy disagreement looks like in long-standing professional relationships - Why trust, not talent, is the true currency with clients - How to spot red flags before they cost you time, money, or sanity - Why saying no protects your brand more than saying yes ever could

    43 min

  4. JAN 27

    EP 465 | Frustrated in Your Design Business? It’s Not You—It’s the Missing Systems with Kimberley Seldon

    Frustration in your design business isn’t a personal failing—it’s information. And if the same frustrations keep showing up in different forms, they’re not exceptions. They’re patterns. In this episode, Kimberley Seldon unpacks the most common frustrations interior designers face—working nonstop yet feeling financially uneasy, absorbing problems instead of fixing them, guessing instead of knowing—and explains why these challenges persist even in “successful” firms. The issue isn’t talent, confidence, or effort. It’s operating without the systems that make a business stable, predictable, and sustainable. Kimberley shares hard-earned insights from her own career, including why fixing problems with memory, vigilance, or hustle is exhausting—and why real relief only comes when frustration is replaced with structure. From financial visibility and owner compensation to capacity planning and decision-making, this episode reframes frustration as a signal that you’ve outgrown how you’ve been running your business. If you’re busy, booked, and still uneasy—or successful but restless—this episode will help you understand why and show you where to start fixing it. In this episode we learn: - Why recurring frustration is a systems problem, not a personal flaw - How treating issues as “one-offs” keeps designers stuck in survival mode - Why managing your business by instinct—especially money—always feels unsafe - The difference between coping strategies and real, structural fixes - Why financial clarity depends on visibility, not revenue alone - How proper systems remove emotion from hiring, spending, and time off - Why capacity—not effort—is the missing link for exhausted designers - The mindset shift from “How do I manage this better?” to “What should already be in place?”

    24 min

  5. JAN 19

    EP 464 | Why Interior Designers Struggle With Numbers (and How to Fix It) with Hannah Cole

    Most interior designers don’t avoid their numbers because they’re bad at math—they avoid them because no one ever explained the financial system in a way that actually made sense. In this episode, Kimberley Seldon sits down with Hannah Cole, artist turned tax expert, to dismantle the myth that creatives “just aren’t good with money” and reveal the real issue: running a business while guessing instead of knowing. This conversation takes a clear-eyed look at what happens when smart, capable designers disengage from their financial reality. From payroll blind spots to the false comfort of being “busy,” Hannah reframes financial literacy as a visibility problem, not a math problem. You’ll learn why nonstop work doesn’t guarantee profit—and how simple habits like time tracking can quickly restore clarity and confidence. If you’ve ever felt uneasy about money despite working around the clock, this episode will help you understand why—and show you where to start fixing it. What You’ll Learn in this episode: - Why creatives aren’t bad at numbers—they’re bad at operating in mystery - How being “busy” can hide serious profitability issues - Why payroll is the most dangerous expense designers underestimate - The difference between gut-feel decisions and data-backed leadership - When it makes sense to DIY your finances—and when it doesn’t - How basic tax literacy protects your business and future income - Why time tracking is one of the fastest paths to financial clarity Business of Design® is the leading business training platform for interior design professionals. Our proven programs give you the systems and structure you need to run a profitable, process-driven design business. Ready to build a business that supports your talent? Join us at Business of Design®. https://businessofdesign.com

    34 min

  6. JAN 13

    EP 463 | Has Your Brand Outgrown You? A Branding Wake-Up Call for Interior Designers with Puja Malhotra

    Most interior designers don’t have a branding problem—they have a brand drift problem. As your skills, confidence, and fees evolve, the brand you built early on can quietly fall out of alignment with who you are now. And when that happens, it doesn’t just feel off—it actively repels the clients you want to attract. In this candid conversation, Kimberley Seldon sits down with brand strategist Puja Malhotra to unpack what designers get wrong about branding—and what actually matters. From that subtle hesitation you feel before sharing your website, to the hidden cost of inconsistency, this episode reframes branding as a strategic business tool, not a creative indulgence. If your work has leveled up but your brand hasn’t kept pace, this episode will put language to that uneasy feeling—and show you exactly what to do next. What You’ll Learn in this Episode: - Why brand hesitation signals misalignment, not insecurity - How experienced designers outgrow DIY branding without realizing it - The difference between being visually “interesting” and truly memorable - Why consistency builds trust faster than creativity - How your website should function as an employee—not a portfolio graveyard - When to audit your brand—and when it’s time to bring in professional help - Why timeless branding matters if you plan to grow, scale, or trademark

    33 min

  7. JAN 6

    EP 462 | Neuro-Aesthetics: How the Brain Shapes Client Decisions in Interior Design with Martha Lowry

    Interior designers often find themselves defending beautiful, well-considered ideas to hesitant clients. But what if that hesitation isn’t resistance—it’s biology? In this episode, Kimberley Seldon speaks with designer and BOD™ Member, Martha Lowry about neuro-aesthetics and how the brain responds to space long before logic or language catch up. This conversation reframes how designers understand client reactions, decision-making, and emotional buy-in. You’ll learn why a room can be technically perfect and still feel “wrong,” how colour and materials trigger powerful subconscious responses, and why deeper, more thoughtful client questioning leads to smoother projects and fewer revisions. By understanding how memory, emotion, and lived experience influence perception, designers can reduce friction, build trust faster, and create interiors that feel as good as they look. What You’ll Learn in this Episode: - Why clients respond emotionally to space before they can articulate preferences - How neuro-aesthetics explains hesitation, resistance, and indecision - Why “good design” doesn’t always equal emotional comfort - How memory and lived experience shape reactions to colour and materials - The role of biophilia in creating calm, restorative interiors - How deeper client questioning builds trust and reduces revisions

    35 min

  8. 12/28/2025

    EP 461 | The Interior Designer’s Business Plan for a Better Year with Kimberley Seldon

    Interior design businesses don’t fail for lack of talent—they struggle because the business plan is too vague, too complicated, or never gets implemented. In this episode, Kimberley Seldon shares a simple, actionable framework any interior designer can use to improve profitability, attract more ideal clients, and run a more efficient design firm. Kimberley breaks down the three strategic levers that determine every design firm's success: - Demand (attracting ideal clients) - Margin (pricing, profitability, and scope control) - Efficiency (systems, process, and team capacity) You’ll learn how to identify the lever that will make the biggest difference in your business this year—and the specific commitments that support real progress. No wishful thinking. No complicated binders. Just a practical plan you can start using today. Whether you want to increase revenue, raise your rates, improve project management, or regain control of your workload, this episode gives you the clarity and direction you’ve been missing. In this episode we learn: - Why a real business plan goes beyond revenue—and includes capacity, systems, and leadership - The three levers that drive demand, margin, and efficiency in every interior design business - How to choose the right lever based on your current bottleneck - Practical commitments that move the needle for each lever - Why aligning your business plan with your calendar is the key to implementation - How quarterly reviews prevent overcorrection and keep you focused - The mindset shift designers must make to lead with confidence this year

    26 min
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4.6
out of 5
200 Ratings

About

Business of Design® is the leading business training platform for interior design professionals. Our proven programs give you the systems and structure you need to run a profitable, process-driven design business. Ready to build a business that supports your talent? Join us at Business of Design®. https://businessofdesign.com

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