Advertise on podcast: The Interior Design Business CEO

How do you build a schedule that actually supports the way you work instead of constantly working against you? So many designers try to copy someone else's routine or force themselves into a structure that looks good on paper but falls apart in real life. The result is frustration, inefficiency, and a constant feeling of being behind before the day even begins.   In this episode, I walk you through how to create a daily and weekly rhythm that reflects your workstyle, capacity, and responsibilities as a design CEO. Rather than prescribing a rigid formula, I share the principles and questions I use with my clients to help you design a schedule that bends with the realities of client work, team leadership, creative demands, and personal life. This is about building a framework that supports focus, momentum, and flexibility without burning you out.   Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.desicreswell.com/163   Access the free Get It Done Daily Planner: https://www.desicreswell.com/resources   Sign up for my Monday Mindset email list to get bite-sized insights on topics that you can use to set your week up for success: https://www.desicreswell.com/monday-mindset   Follow along or send me a message on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/desicreswell/

That feeling of always thinking you could have done more, wishing you were farther along, or feeling behind is something many designers experience. In this episode, I'm sharing my own struggle of closing out the year with a clean slate, only to feel like it wasn't enough.    We'll focus on how to manage your time and plan effectively while cultivating the feeling of completeness. You'll learn how to interrupt the emotional patterns that keep you stuck in the "never enough" cycle and why embracing completeness creates momentum. You'll also discover how to become a boss you can trust, one who honors their word and takes time off when promised.    Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.desicreswell.com/162   Sign up for my Monday Mindset email list to get bite-sized insights on topics that you can use to set your week up for success: https://www.desicreswell.com/monday-mindset   Follow along or send me a message on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/desicreswell/

What happens when you set your goals as if the start of the year is a blank slate? In this episode, I am looking at the reality that you are already carrying client work, ongoing commitments, and your personal life into the new year. The key to making steady progress is understanding the whole cost of your goals so you do not overextend yourself or your team.   I am sharing the number one consideration you need before setting your 2026 goals and why the whole cost matters for every decision you make. You will learn how to break goals into manageable steps and choose priorities that match your capacity rather than your wish list. This approach will help you plan with confidence and choose goals that you can follow through on all year long.   Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.desicreswell.com/161   Sign up for Create Your 2026 Roadmap to join us on January 9th and 16th, 2026: https://www.desiid.com/2026roadmap   Sign up for my Monday Mindset email list to get bite-sized insights on topics that you can use to set your week up for success: https://www.desicreswell.com/monday-mindset   Follow along or send me a message on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/desicreswell/

What if you could close out the year with intention, rather than rushing ahead to the next? In this episode, I'm guiding you through a reflection practice that will help you honor the past year before stepping into the next. This isn't just another end-of-year exercise. This practice will directly influence how you set your goals for the coming year by shaping how you see yourself as a business owner.   The exercise I'm sharing is a letter-writing practice to past you, reflecting on everything you've done this year with gratitude. We're not focused on evaluating results or what you missed. This is about appreciating your growth, the challenges you overcame, and the person you've become along the way. By honoring your journey, you strengthen the identity of someone who shows up, creates wins, and evolves as a resilient CEO.   Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.desicreswell.com/160   Sign up for Create Your 2026 Roadmap to join us on January 9th and 16th, 2026: https://www.desiid.com/2026roadmap   Sign up for my Monday Mindset email list to get bite-sized insights on topics that you can use to set your week up for success: https://www.desicreswell.com/monday-mindset   Follow along or send me a message on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/desicreswell/

What do you need to do to achieve your goals in 2026? All of us have set points, what we are comfortable having and doing, and where we hold ourselves back. In this episode, I'm diving into how these invisible barriers show up as "floors and ceilings" in your interior design business. These floors are what you're stuck to or cannot move beyond, while ceilings represent the bigger goals and what you need to break through to reach them.   The identity shifts required to achieve your 2026 goals are an essential part of sustainable business growth. I'm exploring how your past, present, and future self concept directly impacts what you are able to create in your company. While this episode is rooted in mindset, you'll walk away with tangible takeaways you can start using immediately as you dream up what you want to create and achieve in 2026.    Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.desicreswell.com/159   Sign up for Create Your 2026 Roadmap and get early bird pricing until December 16, 2025: https://www.desiid.com/2026roadmap   Sign up for my Monday Mindset email list to get bite-sized insights on topics that you can use to set your week up for success: https://www.desicreswell.com/monday-mindset   Follow along or send me a message on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/desicreswell/

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the year-end rush? As the holidays approach, the pressure to finish tasks, meet deadlines, and prepare for the new year can feel intense. But what if you could reduce the stress, stay on top of your business, and still enjoy the season?   In this episode, I'm walking you through a planning strategy to help you wrap up the year with clarity and confidence. I'll share my approach to creating a "bridge plan" that transitions you smoothly from Q4 to Q1, helping you prioritize what needs to be done now and what can wait until January. You'll learn how to create a "soft landing, smooth takeoff," avoiding that last-minute scramble and starting the new year refreshed.    Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.desicreswell.com/158   For the resources mentioned in this episode or to stay tuned for details about Create Your 2026 Roadmap, click here: https://www.desicreswell.com/resources   Sign up for my Monday Mindset email list to get bite-sized insights on topics that you can use to set your week up for success: https://www.desicreswell.com/monday-mindset   Follow along or send me a message on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/desicreswell/

Do you struggle with marketing? Marketing your interior design business requires visibility and connection with potential clients. For introverts who prefer smaller groups and more intimate interactions, traditional marketing advice can feel overwhelming and misaligned with their natural working style. The challenge becomes finding ways to share your work authentically while honoring your temperament and energy levels.   In this episode, I'm exploring how to create marketing strategies that align with your individual strengths and preferences as a business owner. Whether you identify as an introvert, extrovert, or somewhere in between, the key is understanding that effective marketing doesn't require you to be someone you're not. I share personal examples of how I structure my marketing activities to support my introverted nature while still achieving business growth.   Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.desicreswell.com/157   For the resources mentioned in this episode or to stay tuned for details about Create Your 2026 Roadmap, click here: https://www.desicreswell.com/resources   Sign up for my Monday Mindset email list to get bite-sized insights on topics that you can use to set your week up for success: https://www.desicreswell.com/monday-mindset   Follow along or send me a message on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/desicreswell/

Big goals and bold changes often come with a surprising amount of resistance. Whether it's a shift you know needs to happen or a dream you keep putting off, the tug of war between wanting to move forward and feeling frozen can leave you exhausted. That resistance isn't a sign you're unprepared or unmotivated; it's fear doing its job of trying to keep you safe from uncertainty.   In this episode, I'm sharing a coaching tool called a fear inventory that helps you get unstuck, build confidence, and take aligned action on the things you've been avoiding. I walk you through how I've used this process to make some of my biggest business decisions, including shifting the podcast schedule, closing my design practice, and investing in new levels of support, and how this same strategy can help you move through your own pivotal moments with more ease and clarity.   Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.desicreswell.com/156   For the resources mentioned in this episode or to book a strategy session to work 1:1 with me, click here: https://www.desicreswell.com/resources   Sign up for my Monday Mindset email list to get bite-sized insights on topics that you can use to set your week up for success: https://www.desicreswell.com/monday-mindset   Follow along or send me a message on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/desicreswell/

How do you make decisions that honor both your business goals and your energy as the owner? Every decision about where I invest my time, money, and mental bandwidth shapes not only my bottom line but also my day-to-day experience as a business owner. The most sustainable businesses come from taking a holistic approach, listening to both the data and my gut when making decisions.   In this behind-the-scenes episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on my own business to show how I make choices about resources and navigate changes as priorities shift. You'll get a real-world look at strategic decision-making in action. Plus, I share an important announcement about changes to the podcast schedule and how this shift demonstrates exactly how I'm walking my talk when it comes to resource allocation and running toward what I want to create in my business.   Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.desicreswell.com/155   For the resources mentioned in this episode or to book a strategy session to work 1:1 with me, click here: https://www.desicreswell.com/resources   Sign up to my Monday Mindset email list to get bite-sized insights on topics that you can use to set your week up for success: https://www.desicreswell.com/monday-mindset   Follow along or send me a message on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/desicreswell/

This week, I'm pausing to share a powerful question for you to journal or think through. I also suggest revisiting a past episode with a fresh perspective for new takeaways.    Next Wednesday, I'll be back with a big announcement about the podcast and a behind-the-scenes look at how I'm navigating changes in my business.   For the resources available to you or to book a strategy session to work 1:1 with me, click here: https://www.desicreswell.com/resources

Sometimes the smallest tasks create the biggest mental weight. That pile of papers on your desk, the drawer you've been meaning to organize, the business process that needs updating – they sit there, taking up space in your mind every single day. The energy you spend thinking about these undone tasks often exceeds the energy required to actually complete them.   In this pep talk episode, I share a simple four-step process for moving past avoidance and procrastination to finally tackle those lingering tasks. Using my own closet overhaul as a real-world example, I walk through exactly how I shift from endless postponement to actual completion. The same process works for personal projects and business tasks that keep getting bumped to next week's to-do list.   Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.desicreswell.com/154   For the resources mentioned in this episode or to book a strategy session to work 1:1 with me, click here: https://www.desicreswell.com/resources

How do you protect creative time when you're balancing a design business, family life, and a packed calendar? For designer CEOs, carving out dedicated time to create the vision for new projects isn't just a luxury; it's essential for project success and team clarity. In this follow-up to last week's listener Q&A, I'm diving into the practicalities of defining and honoring creative time as part of your regular workflow, even while managing team delegation and project reviews.   I'm also reflecting on my own summer slowdown, including what went right, what didn't, and the lessons learned along the way. From perfectionism showing up in unexpected ways to finding powerful personal growth before summer even began, I'm pulling back the curtain on my experience. You'll learn how to manage expectations, re-decide on your plans without guilt, and set boundaries that actually stick. Plus, I'll share the phrase that's helped me extend the same grace to myself that I naturally give to others.     Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.desicreswell.com/153   For the resources mentioned in this episode or to book a strategy session to work 1:1 with me, click here: https://www.desicreswell.com/resources

How do you manage growing pains when bringing on a new employee while keeping your business running smoothly? That's the question one listener asked, and it's one many designers face when adding their first junior designer. Stepping into leadership, delegating effectively, and staying productive can feel like a delicate balance, especially when client projects and daily design work don't pause for training.   This episode kicks off a two-part Q&A series following CEO Summer School. I dive into practical strategies for onboarding and managing a new team member, pinpointing where delegation often breaks down, and building systems that actually work. I also tackle how to make major business decisions when multiple exciting paths are available, whether that's growing your current business, pivoting to support other designers, or niching down further.     Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.desicreswell.com/152   For the resources mentioned in this episode, click here: https://www.desicreswell.com/resources

How do you build trust with clients before they even start the inquiry process? For designers, this foundation often determines whether a project becomes a smooth collaboration or a series of stressful negotiations. I'm joined by Melissa Oholendt, founder of Oho Interiors and one of House Beautiful's 2025 Next Wave designers.   Melissa has mastered creating client relationships that run deep. You'll discover how showing behind-the-scenes parts of your work on Instagram builds credibility, why documenting client preferences can transform project outcomes, and how taking full accountability for mistakes can strengthen relationships. Melissa also shares how thoughtful touches in design create lasting connections with clients.   Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.desicreswell.com/151   For the resources mentioned in this episode, click here: https://www.desicreswell.com/resources

What if the key to moving your business forward isn't having all the answers, but making the right decisions and committing to them? In this episode, we wrap up the CEO Summer School series by exploring why strong decisions are the wheels that drive your business. Every choice you make, from your fees and services to how you spend your time, shapes the trajectory of your business.   I break down what makes a decision strong versus weak, why commitment matters more than certainty, and how to stop straddling two mountains with one foot on each. You'll learn how to make choices that create momentum, use your decisions as a tool for learning and growth, and develop the self-leadership that allows you to steer your business toward your vision.   Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.desicreswell.com/150   For the resources mentioned in this episode, click here: https://www.desicreswell.com/resources