Strategic Shifts to Hit 7-Figures as an Interior Designer

Feeling stuck at the same revenue year after year, no matter how hard you work? You’re not alone, and you’re not the problem.

The reality is, most interior designers hit plateaus. But those who scale beyond them don’t do it by working harder. They achieve multiple six and seven figures by shifting how they lead, price, and think.

In this episode of Design Business Freedom™, I’m revealing the exact breakthroughs designers must make to move past the most common revenue ceilings: $300K, $500K, and $750K. Whether you’re a principal designer doing it all yourself or already managing a team, there’s a clear unlock at each stage.

Let’s dive into what it takes to scale.

The $300K Breakthrough: Hire and Delegate 

At the $300K level, most interior designers are still wearing all the hats: designer, bookkeeper, admin, marketing lead, and errand-runner. It’s exhausting. And it’s unsustainable.

The unlock? Delegate and outsource.

Start small. Hire an intern to handle pickups, deliveries, and those endless gopher tasks. Bring in a bookkeeper so you can build a solid financial foundation. One of the designers I coach hired a client concierge first and it transformed her firm’s growth trajectory by elevating client care from day one.

This approach mirrored my own early days. I hired an intern in my first 30 days after opening my doors and I always kept one on board. There’s a lot of physical movement in design, and I quickly realized my genius wasn’t being used wisely running between job sites, showrooms, and client meetings.

Having an intern freed me up and allowed me to selectively stay involved where it mattered most. That system worked well. The design assistant managed the intern, and I kept my focus on what really moved the needle.

Then, consider a design assistant or project manager, and put systems in place to streamline your workflow. Tools like Dubsado and Motion are popular favorites among design firms.

Action Step: At the end of each day, jot down what you wish you could’ve delegated. After a couple of weeks, you’ll have a job description ready to hire.

And if hiring feels scary, if you’re afraid to let go or think you’ll lose control, let’s talk. I’ve helped design principals double, triple, and even quadruple their revenue in under a year with the right team and systems.

The $500K Breakthrough: Pricing for Profitably 

Designers earning around $500K aren’t stuck because of talent or creativity. They’re stuck because their pricing isn’t profitable.

You may still be charging hourly. Maybe you’re undercharging for procurement or project management, or not charging at all.

The unlock? Move to flat fees and adopt a profitability mindset.

Start by reviewing 2–4 past projects. Apply flat fee formulas to them. Compare those numbers to your actual (and probably discounted) hourly rates. You’ll likely discover you’re leaving tens of thousands on the table.

Recently, a designer and I reviewed one of her past projects. When we ran the flat fee numbers, she was stunned. They were significantly higher than what she had earned hourly. She admitted, “I didn’t know I could have made that.” Why? Because she had gone through the invoice and discounted it. This is a common trap. Designers discount their own worth. Flat fees eliminate that and return hours of your life.

Build in consistent procurement and project management fees. And stop apologizing for your rates.

Remember, your design is serving your clients beautifully 24/7/365 for the next 15 to 20 years. Your fees should reflect that long-term impact.

When you price properly, you stop working for less than you’re worth and you create the financial freedom to grow strategically.

The $750K Breakthrough: Step into Leadership and Release Control 

At $750K, you’re not doing it all yourself anymore. But there’s a new problem: You’re micromanaging.

You’re redoing your team’s work. You’re stepping in too often. You’re stuck in the weeds.

The unlock? Step fully into CEO mode.

This means hiring strategically for your next stage of growth. It means building a culture of training and trust. It means letting go so you can focus on what’s next.

To scale past $750K and hit 7-figures and multiple 7-figures, you need to lead boldly. Craft a big-picture vision, then develop the plan and systems to bring it to life. This is where a mentor can be invaluable, to expand your thinking, challenge your comfort zones, and give you proven frameworks to grow with confidence. 

The Million-Dollar Breakthrough: Cultivate a CEO Mindset

Scaling isn’t just about strategy; it’s about identity.

At 7-figures, you’re not the doer. You’re the leader. You set the creative direction. You drive business development. You build relationships and cast the vision. You invest your time where it generates the most long-term value.

Ask yourself:

Am I still thinking like a designer trading time for money, or like a CEO building a sustainable, scalable firm?

Every Revenue Plateau Has a Breakthrough

• $300K? Hire and delegate.
  
• $500K? Price properly and profitably.
  
• $750K? Lead boldly and let go.
  

If you’re stuck, it’s not because you’re not good enough…it’s because you haven’t evolved into the next version of yourself yet.

Growth demands transformation. It requires risk. It calls for new thinking, new systems, and a new level of self-leadership.

That 7-figure interior design business? It’s not a dream. It’s your next reality. Let’s unlock it together.

Ready to break through your next revenue ceiling? Let’s map out your path to 7 figures.

Book your complimentary Design Business Assessment now.