Posts by Melissa Galt
The One Word That’s Sabotaging Your Interior Design Profits
Your talent is not what decides the size of your projects. Your words are. I have watched gifted designers undersell, under-charge, and talk themselves out of the very projects they most wanted and deserved. Not because of their portfolio. Not because of their process. Because of the vocabulary they carried into the room. I taught…
Read MoreErnst Gombrich. The Story of Art
The most comprehensive history of world art, from prehistoric works to contemporary performances and installations Over 1,100 colour reproductions of world masterpieces All art forms: from painting and sculpture to conceptual art This book is not merely an album of pictures, but a fascinating account of how perceptions of beauty, power, faith and creativity have…
Read MoreThe Founding of YouTube A Short History
YouTube is one of the most influential platforms in modern media, but its origin story is surprisingly simple: a small team wanted an easier way to share video online. In the early 2000s, uploading and sending video files was slow, formats were inconsistent, and most websites weren’t built for smooth playback. YouTube’s founders focused on removing…
Read MoreStop Hiding in Your Interior Design Business: How to Get Seen, Found, and Hired
Here’s something I see in interior design businesses all the time, and it has nothing to do with your talent. You’re hiding in your business. Not on purpose. But you’re hiding all the same. And hiding means you’re not being seen, you’re not being found, and you’re not getting hired. Let me share how I…
Read MoreThe Perfect Design Contract: Protect Your Profit, Your Practice, and Your Peace of Mind
I have seen too many designers flying without a net. That is what I call it when you work without a contract, or when you work with one that has no real protection in it. I understand why. Agreements can feel scary and uncomfortable, mostly because they are written in legalese instead of plain English.…
Read More9 Proven Ways to Fill Your Interior Design Pipeline with Ideal ClientsÂ
Most designers run their business job to job, project to project, client to client, with no wait list and no queue. That puts you on a potentially very unpleasant roller coaster. Roller coasters belong at Six Flags. They are no fun at all when the ride is your cash flow and your profit. Your pipeline…
Read MoreAttracting Ideal Interior Design Clients: The 4 Intel Types Most Designers Miss
If you are not marketing specifically to your ideal client, you are marketing to a population. And marketing to a population is profoundly ineffective. For the first five years of my design practice, I took every client who showed up. I was not selective. I was not discerning. My workload was insane, 80-plus hours a…
Read MoreInterior Design Client Experience: 4 Things That Matter More Than Your Talent
Your client needs four things from you. Not at the end of the project. Not at the big reveal. From the very first interaction through every phase, every update, every decision, and every challenge along the way. They need to be Heard. Understood. Valued. Cared for. It sounds simple. It is profoundly nuanced. And when…
Read MoreHow Interior Designers Can Work with Contractors Without Losing Their Sanity
You cannot do design without contractors (and this includes installers of all kinds). Unless you are strictly furnishing and accessorizing, contractors are an integral part of every remodel, renovation, and new build. And even when your client hires them directly, you still must work with them. The challenge is finding quality ones, vetting them properly,…
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