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Founders & Friends
Founders & Friends is where interior designers and creative entrepreneurs come for real conversations about building a business—and a life—that feels good.
Hosted by a designer-turned-founder, each episode dives into honest, behind-the-scenes stories from industry leaders, creative thinkers, and bold business owners who are shaping the design world on their own terms. We talk about the big wins, the hard lessons, the financial truths, and the messy middle of entrepreneurship.
Whether you're just starting out or scaling something big, this podcast is your reminder that you're not doing it alone—and that success can look a lot of different ways.
Come for the insights, stay for the community. This is Founders & Friends—where business gets personal, and conversations get real.
Founders & Friends
22. Top Money Mistakes Interior Designers Make (and How to Fix Them) with Carleen Lamay
In this episode of Founders and Friends, Ronniesha Rivera sits down with Carleen Lamay, founder of C2 Accounting — a financial powerhouse serving over 60 clients, nearly half of them interior designers.
Carleen shares the real story behind C2 Accounting’s growth from a part-time solo venture into a multi-member firm with a strong niche in the interior design industry. She breaks down why so many designers struggle with bookkeeping, the risks of DIY finances, and how to avoid costly mistakes with sales tax, software syncing, and categorizing expenses.
Together, Ronniesha and Carleen explore:
- Why designers must hire financial support earlier than they think
- The difference between bookkeepers, accountants, and CFOs
- How niching down helped C2 Accounting become a trusted go-to for designers
- The power of effective delegation and team leadership
- C2 Accounting’s new “Monthly Foundations Review” tier for newer or smaller firms
- The financial habits that set profitable design businesses apart
Carleen also shares tactical insights on multi-state sales tax, software like Design Files and MyDoma, and how designers can build confidence by understanding the numbers behind their business.
This episode is a must-listen for designers ready to grow, get organized, and stop operating in the financial dark.
You can find Carleen at:
https://www.c2-acctg.com/
https://www.instagram.com/c2accounting/
This Episode was brought to you by Vetted by Design
If you are looking to outsource anything in your design business check out Vetted by Design to find some amazing highly vetted pros you can trust to help you grow your business.
www.vetted-bydesign.com
https://www.instagram.com/vettedbydesign/
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