149- Let's Talk About our Year in Review

Laura walks you through a guided audit of your year: your numbers, your systems, your clients, your values, and your big-picture goals for 2026 and beyond. If you have been feeling the impact of tariffs, market shifts, rising costs, or overwhelm, this episode will help you turn reflection into strategy.

Your books and your numbers

• Revenue: What came in, from which services, and which projects were truly profitable
• Expenses: Where your money actually went and where the bleeds are hiding
• How to renegotiate recurring costs and keep more of what you earn

AI in your workflow

• Where AI can streamline your admin, content, and communication
• How to use AI as a support tool (not a replacement for your design brain)
• Ideas for integrating AI in 2025 to reclaim time and energy

Tariffs, volatility and margins

• How this year’s tariff rollercoaster impacted pricing, vendors, and timelines
• What to build into your proposals and contracts going forward
• Why smart designers now plan for uncertainty instead of around it

Your favourite themes from the podcast this year

• Pricing, profitability, client experience, boundaries, leadership, and marketing
• A reflection on which episodes moved you to action and why that matters

Goals vs. actions

• The honest question: did your actions match your goals this year
• Behaviour and boundaries that may not align with what you say you want
• What needs to change in 2026 for you to achieve different results

Mission, values, ideal client, and BHAGs

• Updating your mission so it reflects who you are now
• Ensuring your core values are lived, not just written

In just one focused hour, we’ll dive into whatever you need most—pricing strategies, client management, attracting high-end clients or building repeat business. You’ll get clarity, strategy, and expert advice based on my 27+ years of running a thriving, seven-figure design firm.

This is your chance to get real answers to the questions you’ve been dying to ask—from someone who’s actually been there.

Book your session as you need it—no strings attached.

Step-by-step guides, AI Chat GPT Made Simple and Claude Made Simple, start at the very beginning and then walk you through building your own role-based AI assistants, complete with prompts, checklists, and plug-and-play workflows you can implement immediately. 
Get both guides (and more designer resources) here: https://thebusinessofbeautifulspaces.com/designer-resources

Be sure to follow along on Instagram @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces + @thorntondesign to stay up to date on what we're talking about next week. If you love our podcast, please, please, please leave us a review. If you have any questions or topic ideas OR you wish to be a guest email us thebusinessofbeautifulspaces@gmail.com or find us on instagram @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces

Laura Thornton is the  principle designer of Thornton Design Inc, located in Kleinburg, ON.  Since founding the company in 1999, Laura has been committed to creating a new kind of interior design experience for her clients. Thornton Design is an experienced team of creative talents, focused on curating beautiful residential and commercial spaces in the Toronto, Ontario area and beyond. Now sharing all the years of experience with other interior designers to create a world of collaboration and less competition. 

The Business of Beautiful Spaces  I @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces
Thornton Design                                      I @thorntondesign