As your business coach, I’m here to help you design and run a wildly successful and sustainable design practice. And to do that, you need to build an interior design business mindset that fuels your success.
Episode Highlights
- 00:01 – Introduction to mindset shifts and the importance of defining success.
- 02:10 – Visualization and the power of seeing success before it happens.
- 05:30 – Understanding your “why” and creating a work-life fusion.
- 08:45 – Fear, failure, and growth mindset explained.
- 12:30 – The value of finishing projects, measuring success, and adopting gratitude.
Talent will only get you so far – it’s the way you think, plan, and execute that takes you to the next level. These 21 mindset hacks are crafted with you in mind—each designed to inspire, guide, and challenge you to achieve your highest potential.
Let’s dive in!
1. Define Your Vision of Success
Success isn’t one-size-fits-all. What does it look like for you? Is it hitting seven figures, launching a product line, or becoming the go-to designer in your market? Write it down and make it real. Vision boards aren’t optional here – every designer I coach creates one. Seeing your goals daily makes all the difference.
2. Set Ambitious Goals with Milestones
Big goals are exciting, so let’s make them actionable. I love bold, audacious goals – the kind that stretch you – and detail them into small, manageable steps. Don’t “break them down” (I hate that phrase – it sounds destructive). Think of it like creating design layers, not tearing things apart.
3. See It to Believe It
Visualization isn’t fluff – it primes your brain for success. Picture yourself landing that dream client or seeing your designs in print. Developing a strong interior design business mindset starts with believing in your potential. If you can’t see it first, doubts will take over. Walt Disney built his empire on this idea. If he hadn’t visualized Disney World, none of us would have ever seen it.
4. Harness Your Superpowers
Stop wasting energy on fixing weaknesses. Double down on what you’re naturally great at. Your time is better spent there. Delegate or delete the tasks that pull you away from your zone of genius.
5. Ask for Guidance
Why go it alone when others have already paved the way? Reach out to mentors, coaches, and designers who’ve been where you are. Learn from their wins and their mistakes. It’ll save you years of frustration.
6. Uncover Your Why
Dig deep – what’s driving you? Is it creating beauty, building financial freedom, or transforming lives through design? Your “why” will keep you anchored when things get tough. Get clear on it and keep it front and center.
7. Create Work-Life Fusion
Forget balance. Balance is overrated, and let’s be honest – hard to achieve. I’m talking about designing a business that informs and inspires, serves and supports and fuels and feeds the whole of your life, not the other way around. A successful design practice delivers the time and the resources for your extraordinary life.
8. Master the Art of Connection
Connection is currency. Your ability to listen, engage, and genuinely care about clients will make or break your business. The better your relationships, the stronger your bottom line.
9. Build a Dream Team
You are the sum of the people you surround yourself with. Building a team that aligns with your interior design business mindset ensures you’re surrounded by people who lift you up and reflect the direction you’re heading. If the people around you aren’t inspiring you to grow – it’s time to reevaluate.
10. Conquer Your Fears
Fear is a liar, plain and simple. Picture the worst-case scenario and create a plan to handle it. Once you know you can handle the “what ifs,” fear loses its grip.
11. Embrace Failure as a Lesson
Failure is feedback – nothing more. If something doesn’t go your way, learn from it and keep moving forward. The only real failure is repeating the same mistakes.
12. Adopt a Growth Mindset
Challenges are just opportunities in disguise. Stay flexible, open to feedback, and excited about growth. I know it feels impossible sometimes, but keep going. Growth lives on the other side of your comfort zone.
13. Celebrate Different Perspectives
Bring in different voices and viewpoints – they’ll push your creativity to the next level. Don’t shy away from collaboration. Diverse perspectives are where the magic happens.
14. Be True to Yourself
Authenticity isn’t negotiable. Be honest, fair, and real in everything you do. Clients can smell inauthenticity a mile away. The real you is your biggest selling point.
15. Done Beats Perfect
Perfection is a moving target. Done projects are what grow your business – not ones that sit unfinished because you’re chasing perfection. Set deadlines and wrap them up. Your clients will thank you.
16. Cultivate Gratitude
Gratitude changes the game. Appreciate the progress you’re making, celebrate your team, and recognize how far you’ve come. It shifts your focus to what’s working, and trust me – that matters.
17. Adopt an Abundance Mentality
There is plenty of work to go around. Adopting an interior design business mindset rooted in abundance means focusing on what you’re uniquely good at instead of comparing yourself to others. When you do this, the right clients will find you, and opportunities will flow.
18. Measure What MattersDefine Your Vision of Success
If you’re not tracking your numbers, you’re flying blind. Review your P&L every month, set metrics for growth, and know exactly where your money is going. The numbers won’t lie.
19. Be the Expert Everyone Trusts
Pick your niche and own it. Whether it’s high-end luxury, sustainable design, or bold transformations – become the go-to expert. The more you invest in growing your expertise, the stronger your business will become.
20. Zoom Out to See the Big Picture
Don’t get lost in the details. Keep the vision in mind and delegate the rest. Your interior design business mindset thrives when you focus on the big picture, allowing space for your creativity to think and dream.
21. Stay Curious
Curiosity is your secret weapon. Never stop learning. Explore new ideas, take on exciting projects, and seek out opportunities for growth. This is what keeps your designs fresh and your business growing.
Key Takeaways
You’ve got the talent, the vision, and now the mindset. Which one of these shifts are you going to put into action first? Let’s make it happen – together.
When you’re ready to increase your interior design practice profits, work exclusively with ideal clients, and enjoy the time and resources for your extraordinary life, explore your coaching options. We’ve got your back in the business of interior design.
