Mastering the Business of Interior Design: Success by Design
As an interior designer, do you find yourself caught between your love for design and the realities of running a profitable business? Whether you're launching your firm or scaling to new heights, the business side of interior design can be complex—and often overwhelming.
That’s where Katie Decker-Erickson comes in. As a business coach for interior designers and the founder of a multimillion-dollar design firm, she knows firsthand what it takes to build a thriving, sustainable business while staying true to your creative vision. With nearly 20 years in the industry and a Master’s degree in Business Administration, Katie is actively in the trenches—elevating her own firm while helping other designers master the business of design.
We’ll answer questions like:
How do I get more interior design clients?
What should I charge for interior design services?
What are the best marketing strategies for interior designers?
How can I grow my interior design business?
How do I build a brand as an interior designer?
How can I scale my interior design business?
What systems do I need to run a successful interior design business?
How do I create a client onboarding process for my design firm?
Is it worth hiring a coach for my interior design business?
This show delivers actionable tips on how to grow an interior design business with smart, sustainable strategies. You'll get insights on marketing your interior design services, building a strong brand, streamlining your systems, and scaling your firm—without burning out.
If you're an interior designer, firm owner, or creative entrepreneur ready to build a profitable, passion-filled business, you're in the right place.
Tune in, and let’s grow your interior design business—together.
Episodes
129 episodes
Ep. 127 The 5 Things That Actually Grow an Interior Design Business | The Design Business Diagnostic
What if the thing you're trying to fix in your interior design business isn't actually the problem?I've had designers tell me they need more clients when the real issue is profitability. I've had designers convinced they need another emp...
126. If I Wanted to 10X My Design Firm, Here’s Where I’d Start
If I wanted to 10X the revenue of my interior design firm, I wouldn't start with marketing, higher prices, bigger projects, or another revenue stream. I'd start by asking whether the business I've built could actually handle ten times the work....
125. The Business Advice I’d Ignore If I Were Growing a Design Firm Today
If your interior design firm is already making six figures, multiple six figures, or seven figures, the business advice that helped you get established may not be the advice that gets you to the next level.In this episode, I'm breaking d...
124. Before You Hire: What Your Interior Design Business Actually Needs
If you're overwhelmed in your interior design business, hiring someone can feel like the obvious next step. But bringing another person into a business with unclear processes, weak financial visibility, or undefined responsibilities doesn't rem...
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123. When Your Successful Design Business Stops Feeling Successful
What happens when you build the interior design business you spent years dreaming about—and realize you don't really enjoy running it anymore?In this episode, I'm talking about a stage of business ownership that doesn't get nearly enough...
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122. The Business Decisions I Wish More Interior Designers Made Sooner
Some of the most important decisions you'll ever make in your business won't feel urgent.There won't be a client demanding an answer or a deadline forcing your hand. Instead, they'll be the quiet leadership decisions that determine how r...
121. Overwhelmed Doesn't Mean It's Time to Hire
Feeling overwhelmed is one of the most common experiences for growing interior design business owners. When projects begin piling up and every decision seems to depend on you, hiring can feel like the obvious next step. But what if overwhelm is...
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120. The Client Email That Can Make Or Break Your Profit
What happens after a client asks you to expand the scope of a project?For many interior designers, this is where profitable projects begin to lose momentum. Without a clear process, additional work can quickly turn into unclear expectati...
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119. Why Small Interior Design Projects Might Be Your Biggest Opportunity
Are you turning away small projects because they don't seem profitable enough?You may be missing one of the biggest opportunities in your business.In this episode, I challenge the common belief that designers should only pursue la...
118. Why Referral-Only Is Holding Your Business Back
Referrals are one of the best compliments your business can receive—but they shouldn't be the only way you're attracting clients.In this episode, Michelle Lynn and I unpack one of the biggest myths in the interior design industry: t...
117. The Trade-Offs No One Talks About When Growing a Design Firm
Growing your business should feel exciting—but if you've ever wondered why success suddenly feels heavier, this episode is for you.One of the biggest misconceptions in the design industry is that growth automatically creates more freedom...
116. Booked Out, Busy, and Still Not Profitable Enough?
Most interior designers think they have a revenue problem.But what if the real issue isn't how much money is coming in?What if it's how much money is quietly leaking out?In this episode, Katie breaks down one of the biggest...
115. A Profitable Design Business Is Not the Same as a Scalable Design Firm
One of the biggest misconceptions I see in the interior design industry is the belief that profitability automatically means your business is healthy.It doesn't.You can have beautiful projects, happy clients, stro...
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114. Your Business Doesn’t Need You As Much As You Think It Does
What if the biggest thing holding your business back isn't your team, your workload, or your schedule?What if it's the fact that your business still depends on you for everything?In this episode, I'm diving into one of the biggest...
113. The Art Of The Principle: The Hard Conversations No One Talks About That Will Save Your Business
In this special joint episode of Success by Design and Design for the Creative Mind, Michelle Lynne and I kick off a new series called The Art of Being the Principal. We dive into what it really takes to lead a succes...
112. The Hidden Cost of Saying Yes to the Wrong Projects
What if the project draining your energy, your time, your profit, and your team was never actually the problem? What if the bigger issue is that you said yes to it in the first place?In this episode of Success by Design, I’m tal...
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111. The Decision That Will Either Grow or Stall Your Business This Year
If you’ve ever finished a project and immediately moved on to the next one, this episode is going to hit a nerve—in the best way.Because what if the thing keeping your business stuck isn’t your clients, your pricing, or your workload… bu...
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110. What I’d Fix First If I Took Over Your Interior Design Business Today
In this episode, I’m walking you through exactly what I would fix first if I stepped into your interior design business and helped you scale to seven figures. And here’s the truth most people won’t tell you—you don’t need to work more, take on ...
109. Lessons from High Point Market: How Interior Designers Actually Attract Better Clients
In this episode, I’m sharing a conversation I recently had with designers at High Point Market—and it’s one I couldn’t wait to bring to you here because it hits on something so many of you are experiencing right now.If you’ve been saying...
108. Scaling an Interior Design Business Takes More Than Bigger Goals
In this episode, I’m unpacking something I see all the time in design businesses—and it might surprise you. It’s not that you need to think bigger. It’s that your business may not be built to support the growth you say you want.I know ho...
107. The Smarter Way Interior Designers Increase Profit (Without More Clients or Higher Prices)
In this episode, I’m joined by Heather McManus, founder of The Designers Collaborative, and we’re diving into a conversation that challenges what most designers believe about profitability. Because if you’ve been told the only way to make more ...
106. The Hiring Mistake Keeping Interior Designers Overworked
If you’ve been feeling stretched thin and thinking, “I just need to hire another designer,” this episode might shift everything for you. I’m breaking down why hiring an assistant designer is often not the solution you think it is—and what’s act...
105. Why You Don’t Have a Million-Dollar Interior Design Business Yet
If you’ve ever thought, “I want more in my business, but I don’t know if I can handle more,” this episode is for you. Today I’m breaking down one of the biggest reasons interior designers struggle to scale—and it’s not your talent or your work ...
104. Why Being Busy Isn’t Growing Your Interior Design Business
If you feel busy all day but your interior design business still isn’t growing, this episode is going to hit home. I’m breaking down why constant hustle isn’t the problem—and why your business might actually be designed to keep you stuck.
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103. Why Your Interior Design Projects Keep Going Over Budget
Have you ever wrapped up a project and thought… how did we get here again?You started with a clear vision, a solid plan, and a client who seemed aligned. But somewhere between the mood board and install day, the budget unraveled. Now the...
