DESIGNLIFEINC. - Podcast Details

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DESIGNLIFEINC. Interior Design Business Podcast#26: I Thought I Was Broke! | Calculate Your Hourly RatesOk so here's the deal... there's a little secret I'm going to share with you: I will wager a guess that over 85% of interior designers out there right now - EVEN the ones that have been in business for several years - have zero clue what it takes to:actually pay their living & lifestyle expensesactually pay their overhead and keep their lights onactually build a profit into their feesThey're randomly guessing at what to charge their clients per hour.And how do I know this...2025-03-3119 min

DESIGNLIFEINC. Interior Design Business Podcast#25: Clap For Your Damn Self | The Truth About External ValidationThis episode is a little different than all the other episodes I've launched so far... but f*ck it - I feel this message couldn't come at a better time for us interior designers...I've talked to so many designers in the past two months and so many are feeling somewhat defeated and down-right depressed by the slowdown of our industry in Q1, 2025.Not to take this lightly - I'm weathering the cooling-of-the-market-storm right there with you - but I wanted to share this little pep talk about the...2025-03-2610 min

DESIGNLIFEINC. Interior Design Business Podcast#24: The Secrets To Running A Successful Design Business with Laura ThorntonIf you could ask a rock-star interior designer ANYTHING about the secrets behind running a highly successful design business... you'd do it, right!!??You're in luck! My guest today has over 20+ years of experience under her belt, and is no stranger to the Canadian design scene... Laura Thornton of Thornton Design just north of Toronto sits down to discuss the ups and downs of running an interior design firm, and all of the juicy tidbits and strategies she's established throughout her lengthy career.We dive deep into the weeds...2025-03-1749 min

DESIGNLIFEINC. Interior Design Business Podcast#23: Leaving Teaching To Launch An Interior Design Biz with Laura FendleyI meet the most AMAZING people through social media (don't we all!!)... some of the most inspiring and tenacious designers who've jumped right into launching their interior design businesses - the personal journey stories I learn about my followers are so incredible!In this episode, I chat with Laura Fendley of Laura Fendley Design - her story begins in small-town Ontario, establishing an early career as TEACHER first, and then eventually following her passion and leaving the profession to pursue her own interior design business.We chat about pushing...2025-03-101h 01

DESIGNLIFEINC. Interior Design Business Podcast#22: The "No-Client Monday/Friday" Hack That Changed My LifeHey listeners!! I'm back... thanks for hanging out while we were away in February, I'm so excited to release the next batch of interviews in the coming weeks!This short episode is all about the "NO CLIENT" hack that literally changed my business and how I run my life...So, I don't book clients on Monday's or Friday's.Yup. You read that correctly.In order to reduce the amount of anxiety and stress during my weeks, I decided several years back that...2025-03-0307 min

DESIGNLIFEINC. Interior Design Business Podcast#21: SketchUp Made Easy for Interior Designers with Andrea TruMy guest today is a bad ass visionary, successful digital creator, and fellow interior designer! But don't let her soft-spoken nature fool you... she single-handedly took on one of social media's biggest platforms and created a huge knowledge-based community for interior designers, design students, & architects all on her own!With over 35k followers and 1.5M+ views on YouTube, Andrea Trujeque - or Andrea Tru as she's more commonly known to her loyal design fans - sits down with me in this episode to share her journey from newly graduated interior designer to inspiring digital...2025-01-2746 min

The Business of Beautiful Spaces, Interior Design PodcastEp. 103 - Let's Talk About the Journey to a 20+ Year Career of Entrepreneurship in Design with Crispin ButterfieldSend us a textToday’s guest is Crispin Butterfield—an interior designer who has been running her own thriving design business for over two decades. We’re going to dive into the ins and outs of building a successful firm: how she started from scratch, the moment she decided to grow her team, and the challenges she faced along the way. Now, with a wealth of experience under her belt, Crispin is dedicated to giving back to the interior design community, sharing her insights through mentoring, downloadable templates, and a host of other resources. I can’t wait t...2025-01-2742 min

DESIGNLIFEINC. Interior Design Business Podcast#20: Breaking Into the Interior Design Industry with Melissa HeamanSo this episode is one from the Life Chat (Youtube series) archives - but it's a good one! I chat with a former mentor client of mine, someone who didn't come from a formal design background but grabbed life by the horns anyway and broke into the design industry on her own. Melissa Heaman is the founder and principal designer of Harbour Mill Design. Focusing on an artistic approach of mixed design aesthetics centred on natural elements and functional living, Melissa tailors her design process for each individual client’s...2025-01-2049 min

DESIGNLIFEINC. Interior Design Business Podcast#19: Retainers, People-Pleasing, & Managing Trade Discounts with Michelle Binette - Pt 2She's Baaaaaaack........ we pick back up right where we left off in Part 1 (episode #16) for Part 2 of our sit down/catch up together! I just love this incredible soul - today's guest is one of the most genuine and authentic people I've yet to meet in this industry - who rocks at roller derby and manifested her way onto ⁠The Marilyn Denis Show⁠ twice! We first crossed paths several years ago when I attempted a quasi-rescue from the comments section of an online designer group (more on that in episode #16 - Pt 1)... 2025-01-061h 00

DESIGNLIFEINC. Interior Design Business Podcast#18: Curtain Calls to Client Calls | Inside The Design Journey of Anthony BrunoMeet Anthony Bruno, the creative force & mastermind behind Anthony Bruno Interiors, a New Jersey-based residential interior designer with a flair for drama... literally! Before transforming homes across the United States, Anthony was once a theatre kid turned director and set designer, weaving incredible stories on stage. But as the pandemic hit in 2020, the universe handed him a new script: launching his own design business. In this episode, we dive into Anthony’s journey from curtain calls to client calls, how he embraced the challenge an...2024-12-101h 07

DESIGNLIFEINC. Interior Design Business Podcast#17: Clauses Every Top Interior Designer Has in Their ContractI'm not too proud to admit that I didn't actually use a contract in my interior design business for EASILY the first 5 years I was working with clients... what was I thinking!? But over the years, and after finding valuable mentorship of my own, I realized just how dangerous (and stupid!) not having a contract or Terms of Service was. In this episode I dive into all things interior design contracts, and review several of the clauses I have in my own design contract & why you should consider adding...2024-11-2621 min

DESIGNLIFEINC. Interior Design Business Podcast#16: Growing a Design Business & PSF Pricing Methods with Michelle Binette - Pt 1We met online! (But it's not exactly what you think).I just love this incredible soul - today's guest is one of the most genuine and authentic people I've yet to meet in this industry - who rocks at roller derby and manifested her way onto The Marilyn Denis Show twice! We first crossed paths several years ago when I attempted a quasi-rescue from the comments section of an online designer group (more on that in the episode)...Michelle Binette - self-taught interior designer, avid puzzler, & tenacious implementer of...2024-11-1949 min

DESIGNLIFEINC. Interior Design Business Podcast#15: It Doesn't Happen Overnight | The Evolution of My Interior Design BusinessRaise your hand if you thought you'd be further along in your interior design journey by now when you first started out... (I'll raise my hand with you!)In this episode I'm sharing the chronological evolution of my own interior design business to help dispel some of the myths social media and hustle-culture has fed us about what the timeline of a "successful" business should look like... spoiler alert: it's bullsh*t.The one crucial thing I've realized later on in my own career is just how much perspective...2024-11-1215 min

DESIGNLIFEINC. Interior Design Business Podcast#14: Leaving The Family Business & Starting His Own with Justin KandolaI LOVE hearing & learning about other entrepreneurial journeys...especially when it's about people I know and enjoy working with myself! In this episode I sit down with my friend Justin Kandola - supporter of local business initiatives, avid golfer, and the man behind the wheel at DK Modern Furnishings, right here in beautiful Kelowna, Bristish Columbia. He takes me through the tough decision to leave the family business and start his own, the importance of forging your own path, just what exactly happened to the furnishings industry during the...2024-11-0539 min

DESIGNLIFEINC. Interior Design Business Podcast#13: Funky Things Interior Design Clients Say & What They MeanThis episode is a few parts humour, mixed with a few parts reality... and for any real-life clients out there listening, know we LOVE! you, but sometimes you say the wildest things. I've compiled 12 different statements & questions clients commonly bring up during a project that might make you cringe, and what they actually mean for you as the interior designer. DESIGNLIFEINC.: FOLLOW on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@designlifeinc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ JOIN the private interior designer community on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ MENTORSHIP - If you're looking for high-level 1:1 mentorship opportunities, expertly designed templates, guides & resources, and courses on how to elevate your...2024-10-2915 min

DESIGNLIFEINC. Interior Design Business Podcast#12: Overcome Price Objection As an Interior Designer with 4 Simple StatementsIn this short but super impactful episode, I teach you exactly how to counter price objections from potential clients about your design fee... it's not complicated! Listen to find out exactly how to challenge the narrative the next time a client says they've already talked with another designer who said they can do it for less. DESIGNLIFEINC.: FOLLOW on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@designlifeinc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ JOIN the private interior designer community on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ MENTORSHIP - If you're looking for high-level 1:1 mentorship opportunities, expertly designed templates, guides & resources, and courses on how to elevate your business game and create a thri...2024-10-2206 min

DESIGNLIFEINC. Interior Design Business Podcast#11: When To Say No | 7 Major Warning Signs Design Clients Are Sending Your WayWhat's the saying... "One bad apple can ruin the bunch?" Over the past 21 years working with many questionable interior design clients myself, I've learned to spot a bad apple or two! In this episode I get right into why you shouldn't work with everyone, how red flag clients can actually hurt your design business, and the 7 red flag archetypes I've come to recognize over the years that make me seriously pause to consider even taking on a project right at the very start of my discovery & on-boarding process... I...2024-10-1531 min

DESIGNLIFEINC. Interior Design Business Podcast#10: What They Didn't Teach Us In Design School & The Power of The Pivot with Tiff ChengIn this episode I chat with Tiff Cheng - inspiring, multi-faceted entrepreneur and face of By Tiff C based in Vancouver. We first connected on Instagram (she slid into the DM's!), and both share an absolute love of supporting and nurturing other creatives in business! We waste no time getting right into the sh*t show of going through an interior design degree (what they did and DIDN'T teach us!), the chaos of jumping into a design career as a new designer, and the freedom that comes with honouring & following your passions and embracing...2024-10-081h 00

DESIGNLIFEINC. Interior Design Business Podcast#09: How To Manage a Furnishings Project | Installs, Styling, & Photo Shoot DayIt is currently the end of September - which means it's CRUNCH time!! We're right in the middle of the end-of-project-completion-prep-for-photos-&-awards-submissions phase, and I am definitely feeling the burn & pressure this time of year tends to bring... but we're pushing on through and it will all be worth it in the end! In this episode, I take you through my own process of on-boarding a client, getting through the design phase, moving through the furnishings & procurement phase, all the way down to installs, styling, and what happens the...2024-09-3025 min

DESIGNLIFEINC. Interior Design Business Podcast#08: The Power of Connection | The Designers Common with Leah Penner"True belonging doesn't require you to change who you are; it requires you to be who you are" - Brene Brown. In this episode I chat with fellow interior designer & The Designers Common founder, Leah Penner! Experiencing design school through the middle of the pandemic (online and disconnected) fostered a deep need for connection and collaboration once she completed her program... thus emerged The Designers Common: a community providing support, inspiration, and learning opportunities for interior designers in Lower Mainland, BC and Okanagan valley area through in-person and online events. 2024-09-2350 min

DESIGNLIFEINC. Interior Design Business Podcast#07: Pro's & Con's | 3 of The Most Common Pricing Methods for Interior DesignersThis episode is a clip from my Price Like A Pro: Insider's Guide To Calculating Fees & The Per-Square-Foot Method micro course! I get into 3 of the most common pricing methods for interior designers, the pro's and con's of each, and my experiences pricing projects with each... Spoiler alert: I DON'T use any of these to price my jobs now (I share how I price projects in an upcoming episode, stay tuned!) Interested in taking my pricing course? Find it HERE: micro course DESIGNLIFEINC.: FOLLOW on...2024-09-1616 min

DESIGNLIFEINC. Interior Design Business Podcast#06: She Hired Me As Her Designer Because I Did This One Thing | Money Talks with Amy BellThis episode is a cool one - I chat with Chartered Investment Manager, Amy Bell... who ALSO happens to be a former client of mine! We get into why she decided to hire me for her projects, the importance of being comfortable talking about the 'money piece' from the very beginning with clients, and how to grow your own money confidence as women and interior designers. Amy is no stranger to the money game - and now works with other female entrepreneurs on building their financial futures so they too can experience the freedom...2024-09-1647 min

DESIGNLIFEINC. Interior Design Business Podcast#05: A Major Failure That Helped Shaped My Design CareerWhat else can I say... the road to success is paved with failure. Lots of it! In this episode I pull back the curtain on my own start in the industry, the limiting beliefs I created for myself all the way back in design school, stepping (and crashing hard) into entrepreneurship... and the beautiful gifts & lessons I've learned that have brought me right here to mentorship and DESIGNLIFEINC. today. FIND MORE DESIGNLIFEINC.: *Follow on Instagram ⁠@designlifeinc *JOIN the private interior designer community on Facebook DESIGNER ME...2024-09-1517 min

DESIGNLIFEINC. Interior Design Business Podcast#04: Is This One Thing Preventing Your Ability To Thrive As an Interior Designer?As interior designers in business, we're always on the lookout for ways to improve our processes, our profits, our presentations... you name it. But have you ever truly stopped for a moment to consider the one thing I consider to be even more important than all of those combined: your mindset? In this episode I talk about the absolute importance of overhauling your personal beliefs and auditing the things you tell yourself about your ability to be a successful and profitable interior designer... and how many of us fail to nurture this one key...2024-09-1513 min

DESIGNLIFEINC. Interior Design Business Podcast#03: How I Found More Clients As a New Interior DesignerWhat is one of the most stressful things about being an interior designer in business?... NOT knowing where your next clients are coming from! I moved provinces in 2014 - after running a successful design business for 11 years - and figured whatever I did to gain my first clients starting out would naturally work again in a new and much larger city. BOY, WAS I WRONG. People didn’t know this, but for nearly 2 years I struggled to find clients and build my network, and I began to wonder if we had made a huge mistake re...2024-09-1528 min

DESIGNLIFEINC. Interior Design Business Podcast#02: The Power of Social Media for Interior Designers with Megan ShallowAre you truly showing up on social media to showcase your interior design talents, nurture your audience, and grow your client base!? You SHOULD be!!! On this episode I sit down and talk all-things social with Megan Shallow - founder and CEO of BNL Media Consulting - a boutique marketing agency based in Coquitlam, British Columbia that works with startups through to mid-size companies on levelling up their online marketing presence & reach. Megan and I first connected while volunteering on the board of Kelowna Women in Business back in 2017, and I experienced first-hand the talent she has for online...2024-09-0942 min

DESIGNLIFEINC. Interior Design Business Podcast#01: Intro to The DESIGNLIFEINC. PodWelcome!!! Today is LAUNCH day - stay tuned as I begin uploading NEW and pre-recorded episodes all about creating your very own thriving interior design business to the podcast… so happy you’re here!! - Crispin FIND high-level mentorship & interior design business coaching resources at: designlifeinc.ca FOLLOW on Instagram: @designlifeinc Do it different. Do it better. Elevate the industry.2024-09-0800 min