What you need to know before starting an interior design Business

In today's episode, I am answering a listener question for our #dearkate entries! This question comes from Melissa, who wants to know about starting their own business. Melissa says

"Interior design has been a part of my life for decades. But I haven't worked in this field professionally. After graduating from an interior design program, I'm considering going right for it and opening my own design firm. I feel confident in my ability to design for clients. However, I feel uneasy not having any real world professional experience. I want to do right by my clients and enjoy my second career as much as possible. What do you think I need to know before deciding to go for it? PS thank you so much for sharing valuable specific insights on the podcast. I have learned so much from you. And I'm so grateful."

I always think it's a good idea to go work for someone first as there are so many valuable insights you can learn that you just simply can't learn from school. I believe this allows you to avoid making potentially very expensive mistakes that come from trying to figure it all out yourself. That being said, if you're eager to jump in and have taken the time for self-reflection, you may be ready to jump right in. I have thought about the list of qualities that you really need to start and build a successful interior design business.

1. Being Well-Organized

You don't need to be Marie Kondo or Clea and Joanna, although that definitely doesn't hurt. You need to have the ability to organize thoughts, spaces, projects, timelines, products, and ideas (often at the same time). If you are not a naturally organized person, you need to work on developing systems and strategies that can help you stay organized. I believe this strongly and otherwise, you are at risk of making costly mistakes.

2. Having Grit

To start an interior design business you should be ready to dig deep for perseverance and have passion as this is a long-term process to reach your goal. There will be times when you'll have deadlines, a plan gets unraveled, and days when every turn presents a challenge. You need to have the ability to take a bird’s eye view and remember the big picture, rather than getting stuck in the weeds of each project. Building a business takes time and dedication. If you aren't willing to give yourself a year or more, there is a good chance you'll end up walking away from the business.

- You might also like: 3 Mindset Shifts to Grow a Successful Interior Design Business -

3. Building Resilience

Along with grit, you need to have the ability to adapt and withstand challenges. You will make mistakes and you'll need to be able to own them and fix them. You'll also work with clients who are upset with you and/or setbacks with projects. If you don't build up resilience, it is easy to get stuck in a negative spiral thinking you aren't good enough. (More on Resilience)

4. Cultivating Curiosity

Good business owners are naturally curious about the world, people, things, how stuff works, and how people work. Being the kind of business owner who asks “why” and “how” is key to building a thriving interior design business.

5. Attention to Detail

Your attention to detail in your interior design work is what sets you apart from the client. A client/homeowner doesn't think about things like transitioning between floor types, the sheen of paint in bathrooms vs bedrooms, how to frame certain types of artwork to make sure the art pops and so much more. Attention to detail doesn't stop with design. It should also show up in your design process, in creating an experience that clients talk about, how you communicate with clients, how you send proposals/invoices, and in your deliverables (drawing sets/presentations/specifications/etc.).

6. Ability to Make Decisions

A good business owner needs to have the ability to be able to analyze options, make a decision, and move on. You can't get distracted by shiny object syndrome. I say this as someone who identifies as an overthinker myself so I have to constantly be on alert and aware of my thoughts. Otherwise, you'll get stuck in a web of overthinking when you need to make a decision and move on.

7. Being a Creative Problem Solver

Good design is all about solving problems, you need to apply that same creative problem-solving to the way you approach your business. You may even need to get creative with hiring. The ability to brainstorm, ideate, and ask hypothetical questions to support your business and changes in projects is key.

8. Connect with Others

When it comes to building a successful interior design business you can't hide behind your computer or in your home office. Building meaningful connections anywhere is useful. This could be at soccer practice, a coffee shop, book club, anywhere! Get out of your house, live your life, and when opportunities present themselves, be willing to talk about what you do in a way that showcases your excitement and love for helping people through design. You don't want to be your town's best-kept secret!

9. Business Sense and Numbers

Repeat after me “I cannot put my head in the sand about numbers! You don't need to know everything but you do need to be willing to learn. You need to understand your P&L (Profit and Loss Statement), how to make projections, and know where your money is and how it will be used.

All of this takes practice but you can't just say, "I'm a Creative, I'm not good with numbers or math". You don't need to be good at math. That's what calculators are for. You do need to have a clear understanding of where things are in your business financially.

You don't need to have all of this figured out from day one. So much of business is learning to fail with grace and get comfortable making mistakes. Remember that it's okay to walk first! Next time you're scrolling through Instagram and you see a designer that you perceive to be "successful" remember this - Nobody got to where they are alone and without falling and picking themselves back up. What you're seeing is often the most polished version of someone. Not the nitty gritty, behind-the-scenes, messy middle.

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