8 Ways Self-Doubt Sabotages Your Interior Design Business

Let’s talk about something most people won’t admit aloud, especially not successful, ambitious interior designers like you. I call it the silent killer of your business. It doesn’t show up as an obvious failure. It doesn’t scream. It whispers.

It’s self-doubt.

And when you let it go unchecked, it erodes your confidence, caps your creativity, drains your bank account, and delays your dreams. The worst part? It often disguises itself as logic, caution, or “not the right time.”

Let’s rip the mask off. 

Here are eight ways self-doubt could be sabotaging your success and what you can do to take back control, momentum, and profit.

#1 Avoiding Hiring Because You Don’t Trust Your Judgment 

Hiring is one of the scariest decisions for a designer-owner to make. What if you choose wrong? What if they mess up your systems? What if you can’t afford it?

So you stay buried in admin, juggling every task from project management to bookkeeping, even though it’s draining your creativity and capping your revenue.

You are not meant to do this alone. You cannot scale if you are the business.

Start before you’re ready. I did. I opened my design firm with an intern. It wasn’t perfect, but it moved me forward. And that’s the point. Even designers I coach with a background in finance outsource their bookkeeping. Why? Because they want their focus back on design, where they shine brightest.

The longer you delay hiring, the more you bottleneck your business.

#2 Second-Guessing Your Design Choices 

Endless samples. Reselections. Sourcing spirals. If you’ve been stuck in this loop, you’re not alone.

But let’s call it what it is: self-doubt. And it shows.

Your client notices when you waffle. And when you’re uncertain, they become uncertain. That’s a fast track to delayed decisions and diminished authority.

Early in my design career, I gave clients too many options. Five, sometimes ten. It felt like I was being thorough. In reality, it overwhelmed them and slowed everything down. When I shifted to presenting one solid, confident choice (with a backup in my back pocket), my clients trusted me more, and the projects closed faster.

Confidence isn’t just a feeling; it’s a service you deliver.

#3 Saying Yes to Projects That Keep You Small 

You say yes to projects that don’t light you up because business is slow, or you feel like you should. But here’s the truth: every time you accept work that doesn’t align with your talent, you dilute your brilliance.

Designers thrive when challenged by projects that excite them. If a client doesn’t want to be led, they’re not your client. Walk away.

One of my Inner Circle designers came to me recently with a list of behind-the-scenes tasks she’d been working on. Website tweaks, workflow documents, lots of “getting ready.” I told her, “Great work. Now stop hiding.”

She wasn’t putting herself in the rooms where her dream clients were: wine events, charity galas, book clubs, golf tournaments. Even once or twice a month can open doors. That’s how you align with clients who actually value your talent. It’s about more visibility. It’s about being magnetic.

Don’t apologize for your genius. Apply it fully, or not at all.

#4 Undercharging Because You Question Your Worth 

Let’s get brutally honest. Are you undercharging? Discounting before your client even pushes back? Avoiding procurement fees or management charges because you’re uncomfortable talking numbers?

Stop.

This is one of the most expensive trust gaps I see. Designers leave tens of thousands on the table and end up resentful, exhausted, and stuck in a cycle of under-earning.

Your fees reflect the transformational value you deliver. That value doesn’t disappear when the project ends; it lives on for years, even decades.

Your worth isn’t up for debate. Say the number. 

#5 Losing Authority from People Pleasing  

I’ve seen it too many times…a designer lets the client lead because they’re trying to be agreeable or avoid conflict. And what happens? The project spirals. 

When you hesitate to take the lead, your client grabs the wheel. And let’s be real, they aren’t qualified to drive.

They override your process, source on their own, and expand the scope. You avoid enforcing boundaries, and suddenly, you’re exhausted, behind schedule, and redoing work for free.

You are the expert. This is your domain. The client journey only works when you are guiding it.

They hired you to lead. So lead.

#6 Micromanaging Instead of Trusting Your Team 

Micromanagement is a symptom of self-doubt. You redo work. You hesitate to delegate. You become the default cleaner-upper of every dropped ball.

And the kicker? Your team doesn’t grow, because you won’t let them.

Leadership doesn’t mean doing it all, it means setting the vision and letting others rise to it. When I hire, I make it clear: you can make any mistake once. Twice, we talk. Three times, you’re out. That gives people permission to learn. And when they feel that freedom, they flourish.

Trust isn’t blind, it’s built. But it starts with you.

#7 Talking Yourself Out of Bigger Goals 

This is the mindset trap. You set a bold revenue target, then instantly talk yourself out of it. “Not now. Not me. Not yet.”

Let me stop you right there. That voice in your head? It’s a hallucination.

You haven’t been there yet, so you lack evidence. That doesn’t mean it’s not possible. It means you need to build belief through visualization, action, and surrounding yourself with those who are already where you want to be.

You can’t soar with eagles if you’re nesting in the chicken coop.

#8 Playing It Safe 

Say yes to the new build. Take on the kitchen project. Invest in the system or coach that will move your business forward.

I’ve worked with countless designers who hesitated and stayed stuck. One designer was spending hours on kitchen and bath details that weren’t her strength. I connected her with a specialist, and everything changed. Profit, freedom, and better results.

Every bold move starts with one decision: trust.

Stop stalling. The support is out there. The profit is waiting. You are ready.

So, What’s Self-Doubt Really Costing You?

Let’s tally it up.

• In business: wasted time, delayed hires, and drained creativity
  
• In money: lost revenue and undervalued services
  
• In leadership: chaos, confusion, and too much cleanup
  
• In growth: hesitation, plateaus, and deferred dreams
  

Trust is not a luxury. It’s a necessity.

So this week, choose one place to lean into it. Quote your real fee. Make that hire. Say yes to the big project.

The cost of doubt is too high. And you, my friend, are worth so much more.

If the sun or moon should ever doubt, they’d both go out.

You’ve got this. I’ve got you, always.

Book your complimentary Design Business Assessment today and get clear on your next bold move. This is your first step to building a more profitable, fulfilling, and creatively aligned interior design business.

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