Mastering the Business of Interior Design: Success by Design

Katie Decker-Erickson, Business Coach for Interior Designers
  • 5.0 (11)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

As an interior designer, do you find yourself caught between your love for design and the realities of running a profitable business? Whether you're launching your firm or scaling to new heights, the business side of interior design can be complex—and often overwhelming. That’s where Katie Decker-Erickson comes in. As a business coach for interior designers and the founder of a multimillion-dollar design firm, she knows firsthand what it takes to build a thriving, sustainable business while staying true to your creative vision. With nearly 20 years in the industry and a Master’s degree in Business Administration, Katie is actively in the trenches—elevating her own firm while helping other designers master the business of design. We’ll answer questions like: How do I get more interior design clients? What should I charge for interior design services? What are the best marketing strategies for interior designers? How can I grow my interior design business? How do I build a brand as an interior designer? How can I scale my interior design business? What systems do I need to run a successful interior design business? How do I create a client onboarding process for my design firm? Is it worth hiring a coach for my interior design business? This show delivers actionable tips on how to grow an interior design business with smart, sustainable strategies. You'll get insights on marketing your interior design services, building a strong brand, streamlining your systems, and scaling your firm—without burning out. If you're an interior designer, firm owner, or creative entrepreneur ready to build a profitable, passion-filled business, you're in the right place. Tune in, and let’s grow your interior design business—together.

  1. 5d ago

    125. The Business Advice I’d Ignore If I Were Growing a Design Firm Today

    Send Katie a Text Message!! If your interior design firm is already making six figures, multiple six figures, or seven figures, the business advice that helped you get established may not be the advice that gets you to the next level. In this episode, I'm breaking down what I would stop listening to if I were strategically growing an established design firm today. We're talking about why more revenue isn't always better revenue, why being busy isn't a hiring strategy, why more marketing won't fix weak positioning, and why a good opportunity can still take your company in the wrong direction. I'm also sharing the six areas I would prioritize instead if I wanted to build a more profitable, scalable, and strategically valuable firm. In This Episode  Why established firms should prioritize better revenue over more revenue  When adding services creates unnecessary operational complexity  Why being busy isn't enough reason to hire  Where founder involvement creates value—and where it limits growth  Why positioning should come before increasing your marketing  How to evaluate whether an opportunity is strategically useful  Why established firms should price from their own financial data  How existing client relationships can become a powerful growth engine  Why standardization needs to happen before scaling  The six levers I'd prioritize for the next stage of growth Once your business is established, the goal isn't to get busier. It's to identify the decisions, relationships, processes, and areas of expertise that create disproportionate value. If you're ready to figure out where that leverage exists in your own business, book a complimentary Problem-Solving Call at FixMyDesignBiz.com. Connect with Katie LinkedIn Business Strategy Sessions for Interior Designers Free Resources for scaling your interior design firm Website

    125. The Business Advice I’d Ignore If I Were Growing a Design Firm Today

  2. Aug 19

    124. Before You Hire: What Your Interior Design Business Actually Needs

    Send Katie a Text Message!! If you're overwhelmed in your interior design business, hiring someone can feel like the obvious next step. But bringing another person into a business with unclear processes, weak financial visibility, or undefined responsibilities doesn't remove the chaos. It can actually create more of it. In this episode, I'm breaking down how to know whether your design firm is truly ready to hire and why "I need help" isn't enough information to create a job description. We'll look at how to identify what's really consuming your time, determine whether you need an employee at all, understand the true financial cost of hiring, and build the systems a new team member needs to succeed. In This Episode  Why overwhelm doesn't automatically mean you need an employee  How to identify the work that actually needs to leave your plate  Why an assistant designer may be the wrong first hire  The financial numbers you need to understand before adding payroll  The hidden costs of hiring beyond salary or hourly rate  When fractional or part-time support makes more sense  Why systems need to exist before delegation can work  How to define ownership and decision-making for a new role  Why early-career hires often require more capacity before they create it  The difference between adding employees and building capacity Before you ask, Who can help me?, ask a better question: What does my business actually need? That shift can be the difference between adding another expense and intentionally building the team that takes your firm forward. If you're considering your next hire and want help figuring out what your business actually needs, book a complimentary Problem-Solving Call at FixMyDesignBiz.com. Connect with Katie LinkedIn Business Strategy Sessions for Interior Designers Free Resources for scaling your interior design firm Website

    124. Before You Hire: What Your Interior Design Business Actually Needs

  3. Aug 12

    123. When Your Successful Design Business Stops Feeling Successful

    Send Katie a Text Message!! What happens when you build the interior design business you spent years dreaming about—and realize you don't really enjoy running it anymore? In this episode, I'm talking about a stage of business ownership that doesn't get nearly enough attention: when your business looks incredibly successful from the outside but no longer feels successful to you. You have the projects, revenue, team, and recognition you wanted, yet you're still carrying every major decision, checking email on vacation, and wondering why growth hasn't created the freedom you expected. This doesn't necessarily mean you don't love design anymore. You may simply have outgrown your current role inside the business. In This Episode  Why revenue growth doesn't automatically create more freedom  How to tell when you've scaled activity without scaling autonomy  Why your greatest strengths can eventually create owner dependency  How to separate business success from personal satisfaction  Auditing the role you currently play inside your design firm  Deciding what responsibilities should still belong to you two years from now  Why growing businesses need a "stop doing" strategy  How to test whether your company can operate without you  Redefining what success means in your next stage of business You don't have to tear down the successful interior design firm you've built just because the current version no longer works for you. Sometimes the next stage of growth isn't about making your business bigger. It's about making it better to own. If you know something needs to change but you're too close to the business to see exactly what that should be, book a complimentary Problem-Solving Call with me at FixMyDesignBiz.com. Connect with Katie LinkedIn Business Strategy Sessions for Interior Designers Free Resources for scaling your interior design firm Website

    123. When Your Successful Design Business Stops Feeling Successful

  4. Aug 5

    122. The Business Decisions I Wish More Interior Designers Made Sooner

    Send Katie a Text Message!! Some of the most important decisions you'll ever make in your business won't feel urgent. There won't be a client demanding an answer or a deadline forcing your hand. Instead, they'll be the quiet leadership decisions that determine how resilient, profitable, and sustainable your business becomes over time. In this episode, I share six strategic decisions every interior designer should make before they're absolutely necessary. We discuss reducing client concentration, protecting intellectual property, documenting institutional knowledge, strengthening your portfolio strategy, planning for continuity, and building a business that creates more choices for your future. In This Episode  Why mature businesses protect optionality  How to reduce hidden risk inside your firm  The dangers of client concentration  Why organization isn't the same as strategy  Protecting your intellectual property  Building a portfolio that supports your future  Creating continuity plans before you need them  The difference between building a business and building yourself a job The strongest businesses aren't simply successful today. They're intentionally designed to remain strong tomorrow. Connect with Katie LinkedIn Business Strategy Sessions for Interior Designers Free Resources for scaling your interior design firm Website

    122. The Business Decisions I Wish More Interior Designers Made Sooner

  5. Jul 29

    121. Overwhelmed Doesn't Mean It's Time to Hire

    Send Katie a Text Message!! Feeling overwhelmed is one of the most common experiences for growing interior design business owners. When projects begin piling up and every decision seems to depend on you, hiring can feel like the obvious next step. But what if overwhelm isn't actually telling you that you need another employee? In this episode, I explore why hiring is often used to solve the wrong problem. We discuss how to identify whether you're facing a true capacity issue or whether your business is really asking for stronger systems, better processes, clearer boundaries, or improved delegation. Before you write a job description, learn how to think like a CEO and diagnose the real source of the pressure. In This Episode  Why overwhelm is information, not a hiring strategy  The difference between capacity problems and systems problems  How to identify what's really creating pressure in your business  Why organizing work should come before creating a position  Choosing the right level of support for your business  Preparing your business for delegation and future growth  Thinking like a CEO when making hiring decisions Hiring isn't about escaping overwhelm. It's about creating the right support at the right time for a business that's ready to grow. Connect with Katie LinkedIn Business Strategy Sessions for Interior Designers Free Resources for scaling your interior design firm Website

    121. Overwhelmed Doesn't Mean It's Time to Hire

  6. Jul 22

    120. The Client Email That Can Make Or Break Your Profit

    Send Katie a Text Message!! What happens after a client asks you to expand the scope of a project? For many interior designers, this is where profitable projects begin to lose momentum. Without a clear process, additional work can quickly turn into unclear expectations, shrinking margins, and unnecessary stress. The way you respond in that moment says far more about your business than the email itself. In this episode, I break down the one email I wish every interior designer would send when a client wants to add another room or phase to a project. More importantly, I explain the systems, contracts, communication, and leadership that need to exist behind that email if you want to build a profitable, scalable design firm. In This Episode  Why project expansion should never feel chaotic  The client email every designer should have ready  How to confidently manage additional services  Why contracts should support long-term client growth  Turning expanded scope into profitable opportunities  The systems that create trust and strengthen client relationships  How professional firms make growth feel seamless Business growth doesn't come from constantly finding new clients. It comes from serving your existing clients so well that they continue choosing you again and again. Connect with Katie LinkedIn Business Strategy Sessions for Interior Designers Free Resources for scaling your interior design firm Website

    120. The Client Email That Can Make Or Break Your Profit

  7. Jul 15

    119. Why Small Interior Design Projects Might Be Your Biggest Opportunity

    Send Katie a Text Message!! Are you turning away small projects because they don't seem profitable enough? You may be missing one of the biggest opportunities in your business. In this episode, I challenge the common belief that designers should only pursue large, full-service projects. Instead, I explain why evaluating the client—not just the project—can lead to stronger relationships, more repeat business, and greater long-term profitability. We also dive into customer lifetime value, profitable entry offers, scope management, and how to create a business that grows through relationships rather than constantly chasing new leads. In This Episode, We Cover:  Why small projects aren't always small opportunities  The difference between hiring the project and hiring the client  Understanding customer lifetime value in an interior design business  How to create profitable entry-level design services  Why scope growth isn't always scope creep  Building contracts that support additional services  Creating repeat clients instead of constantly finding new ones  The mindset shifts that lead to sustainable business growth The goal isn't simply to book bigger projects. It's to build relationships that create value for years to come. Connect with Katie LinkedIn Business Strategy Sessions for Interior Designers Free Resources for scaling your interior design firm Website

    119. Why Small Interior Design Projects Might Be Your Biggest Opportunity

  8. Jul 8

    118. Why Referral-Only Is Holding Your Business Back

    Send Katie a Text Message!! Referrals are one of the best compliments your business can receive—but they shouldn't be the only way you're attracting clients. In this episode, Michelle Lynn and I unpack one of the biggest myths in the interior design industry: that being "referral only" is the ultimate sign of success. While referrals are an incredible source of business, relying on them alone creates an unpredictable pipeline and makes it difficult to confidently grow your firm. We dive into what it actually takes to build a sustainable sales and marketing system—from blogs and SEO to email marketing, social media, and creating a repeatable sales process that supports long-term growth. In This Episode, We Cover:  Why referral-only businesses often struggle with consistency  The difference between referrals and a true marketing strategy  How to create a predictable pipeline of ideal clients  Why consistency matters more than constantly creating new content  How blogs, SEO, Pinterest, email marketing, and social media work together  Why every interior designer needs a documented sales process  The importance of building a business that supports the life you actually want  How intentional marketing creates more freedom and stability If you've ever wondered why your business feels like it's constantly riding the highs and lows of referrals, this episode will help you shift your thinking and build a more intentional approach to growth. Because referrals are a wonderful bonus. They're just not a business strategy. Connect with Katie LinkedIn Business Strategy Sessions for Interior Designers Free Resources for scaling your interior design firm Website

    118. Why Referral-Only Is Holding Your Business Back
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About

As an interior designer, do you find yourself caught between your love for design and the realities of running a profitable business? Whether you're launching your firm or scaling to new heights, the business side of interior design can be complex—and often overwhelming. That’s where Katie Decker-Erickson comes in. As a business coach for interior designers and the founder of a multimillion-dollar design firm, she knows firsthand what it takes to build a thriving, sustainable business while staying true to your creative vision. With nearly 20 years in the industry and a Master’s degree in Business Administration, Katie is actively in the trenches—elevating her own firm while helping other designers master the business of design. We’ll answer questions like: How do I get more interior design clients? What should I charge for interior design services? What are the best marketing strategies for interior designers? How can I grow my interior design business? How do I build a brand as an interior designer? How can I scale my interior design business? What systems do I need to run a successful interior design business? How do I create a client onboarding process for my design firm? Is it worth hiring a coach for my interior design business? This show delivers actionable tips on how to grow an interior design business with smart, sustainable strategies. You'll get insights on marketing your interior design services, building a strong brand, streamlining your systems, and scaling your firm—without burning out. If you're an interior designer, firm owner, or creative entrepreneur ready to build a profitable, passion-filled business, you're in the right place. Tune in, and let’s grow your interior design business—together.

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