DESIGNLIFEINC. Interior Design Business Podcast

Are we CRAZY?! 😅
Short answer: maybe.
Long answer: moving provinces, buying a house under pressure, on a tight timeline, in a totally new place was not exactly the master plan… yet, here we are. And we've been slowly making the best of it!

In this episode, I spill the whole story:
👉 how my husband and I moved to Ontario
👉 the house purchase that came with plenty of anxiety attacks, second-guessing, and a few oh no moments
👉 meeting the absolute coolest neighbours (a nice perk!)
👉 uncovering a laundry list of home issues we somehow missed - including some serious Realtor & home inspector oversights
👉 and the plot twist: we’re now becoming clients ourselves as we jump into a renovation we never planned on (slightly freaking out, obviously)

The irony? We intentionally spent more to buy a home that was “already renovated” so we wouldn’t have to do much.
Spoiler alert: we bought the house… and a multi-phase reno. 🙃
So if you’re listening and you’ve survived a home renovation -please do me a favour: drop a comment or send me a message and tell me how it actually went. I need your wisdom.

Stick around, because I’m taking you along for the ride with me.
🛠️ February 9th the hammers start swinging, and ✈️ we hop on a plane to get out of our contractor’s way. Wish us luck - we’re going to likely need some! 😬🍀

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 thriving interior design business, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠designlifeinc.ca⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Do it different. Do it better. Elevate the industry.

Hey, Happy New Year!

I've been a little MIA on here for a while... and let me share why quickly in this episode before I jump right into a few of the things I have planned for 2026... AND then let's get right into the nitty gritty of 3 private coaching calls I recently had with interior designers just like you.

In this episode I talk in more detail about 3 coaching calls I had with designers from both Canada and the United States - we dig deep to the heart of some very common issues & setbacks many designers are facing right now in their own businesses, and the solutions we were able to identify together ASAP.

With actionable, bite-sized steps to work towards, each designer left feeling empowered to make the changes they knew they needed to make, and step into a more confident and inspired role as the leader of their business.

Coaching might seem like some far-off 'thing' that's only for established designers or designers who are already making big the big bucks... but let me tell you this: coaching within the first 1-5 years of your design business is monumental in helping you move the needle in big ways, faster! And it doesn't need to break the bank either.

Wherever you're listening from, I know there's going to be a little nugget in today's episode for you... something you needed to hear to help you shift gears and implement new strategy or tactics in your own biz.

I work 1:1 with new and seasoned designers each month - if you've been thinking of having someone sit down and walk you through (and finally solve!) some of the struggles you're facing in your own business... let this be your sign to book a session with me, today!

Episode Mention: "Furnishings & Procurement for Interior Designers" - Workshop Recording link HERE

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 thriving interior design business, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠designlifeinc.ca⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Do it different. Do it better. Elevate the industry.

Ok 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 expenses
actually pay their overhead and keep their lights on
actually build a profit into their fees

They're randomly guessing at what to charge their clients per hour.

And how do I know this?? Because THIS WAS ME!! This was me for well over 5-7 years in my own business... I was terrified of my numbers and actively avoided figuring out what my run-rate was and what I needed to be charging in order to make my whole life work.

And the whole time I was guessing, I actually thought I was BROKE.... But here's the kicker: once I sat down with some help and finally figured out my numbers, my whole world changed. And I started making some serious money.

This episode is dedicated to the Minimum Hourly Rate - what it is, why you need to know yours (even if you charge flat fee or PSF methods), and HOW we're going to figure out yours together!

GET THE MINI COURSE FOR LESS: as a special thank you for listening to me ramble on about the business of design here every week, I want to offer you 15% OFF the price of the course. Use the code: POD26 at checkout and claim your offer!
Purchase pricing course: HERE

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 thriving interior design business, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠designlifeinc.ca⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Do it different. Do it better. Elevate the industry.

This 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 importance of believing in yourself and how seeking external validation from friends and family - ESPECIALLY right now - might be extremely detrimental to your business and mental health.

Grab a coffee, accept the virtual hug & high-five I'm sending your way, and let's chat for a sec about the dangers of external validation and the freedom that comes with knowing who you are, where you're going, and who's going to be there to cheer you along the way (news flash... it's not who you think!)

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 thriving interior design business, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠designlifeinc.ca⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Do it different. Do it better. Elevate the industry.

If 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 of how she originally left another company to start her own, the mistakes many designers make early on, how she grew her firm with repeat clients and trusted processes, the importance of tracking hours and charging a profitable design fee, her profit academy for interior designers, and so much more!

Grab a coffee and get ready to learn all about running a successful design business with us!

ABOUT LAURA:
FIND Laura online at ⁠⁠⁠www.thorntondesign.com
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FOLLOW Laura on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@thebusinessofbeautifulspaces
LISTEN to the podcast HERE!
TAKE Laura's pricing course: theprofitacademyforinteriordesigners

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 thriving interior design business, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠designlifeinc.ca⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Do it different. Do it better. Elevate the industry.