Designed for the Creative Mind™

Hey y'all — welcome back to the Design for the Creative Mind podcast! Today we're talking about something that might surprise you… when it's actually smart to break your own rules. Your rules exist for a reason — they protect your time, your profit, and your sanity. But sometimes, breaking one intentionally can lead to big opportunities. In my case, one rule I broke turned into hundreds of thousan...

Hey y'all, it's Michelle Lynn! Let's talk about something that's gonna ruffle a few perfectionist feathers—the 90% Rule. It's my way of saying that doing less is actually the fastest way to make more. Perfectionism might feel like a badge of honor, but babe, it's a profit killer. In this episode, I'm breaking down how overdelivering and chasing "perfect" are draining your time, your energy, and yo...

Scope creep is the silent killer of profit in our industry. Most designers don't lose money because they undercharge—they lose it because they can't hold their boundaries. And I get it. Saying no feels uncomfortable. You don't want to sound difficult. You want your clients to love you. But here's the truth: boundaries aren't walls. They're leadership. In this episode, I'm walking you through exact...

Being the most talented designer doesn't automatically make you the most successful— influence does. And I'm not talking about Instagram followers or being Insta-famous. Influence in business is about how your market perceives you: as the authority, the one they can trust, the one they want to work with before they even meet you. In this episode, I'm breaking down what influence really means for i...

Indecision is one of the most expensive habits you can have in business. Every time you delay—whether it's raising your rates, hiring help, or investing in the support you need—you're leaving money, time, and momentum on the table. In this episode, I'm sharing why overthinking costs you far more than mistakes do, how to build decision speed as a profitable skill, and the tools I use (and teach my...

  Hey y'all, in today's episode I'm pulling back the curtain on the silent profit killers that sneak into your design business and quietly drain thousands from your bottom line. These aren't the big, obvious issues like not charging enough or overhead being too high—these are the sneaky, day-to-day habits that fly under the radar but add up fast. I'm sharing where I've personally lost money (yep,...

Hey, hey, hey! In this episode we're talking about something that feels scary but will absolutely change your business: saying no before you feel ready. I know how hard it is to turn down a project—what if the right one doesn't come along? What if word gets around that you turned someone down? I've had all those same fears. But here's the truth: every time you say yes to the wrong project, you're...

Hey, hey, hey! In this episode of Design for the Creative Mind , we're talking about something that feels scary but will absolutely change your business: saying no before you feel ready. I know how hard it is to turn down a project—what if the right one doesn't come along? What if word gets around that you turned someone down? I've had all those same fears. But here's the truth: every time you say...

Season 6: Off the Record: The Hidden Curriculum of Design Business   They didn't teach you this in design school. You won't hear it in a CEU course. And most business coaches wouldn't dare say it out loud. This season of Designed for the Creative Mind is your backstage pass to the unspoken skills, strategic instincts, and hard-won wisdom that separate hobbyists from high-earning design business ow...

  Hey hey hey! I'm so glad you're here with me today on Designed for the Creative Mind . Whether you're listening from your studio, your car, or curled up with a glass of wine (not in the car, please), you're in for a really insightful conversation. I brought on the fabulous Mina from Duke Renders to talk about all things renderings—especially how they can help you build a strong portfolio even if...

Today, we're crossing the pond! I had such a fun and inspiring chat with one of our fabulous  Bakery graduates, Marta Rosato , who built her thriving interior design business all the way from Bristol, UK. Her story is filled with courage, creativity, and a whole lot of clarity — and I know you're going to love hearing it. Marta didn't start out in interior design. She spent 20 years working across...

Hey, hey, hey y'all! We're back with  Part 3 of our "Booked by Accident vs. Booked by Design" series —and today we're tackling something that stings a little ... but only for a second. You know that feeling when someone tells you there's food in your teeth?  Yeah. It's kind of like that. Awkward for a moment, but ultimately a gift. Because once you know , you can fix it. Same goes for today's topi...

  Hey friend—this episode is for you if you've ever had a dry inbox and wondered, Where the heck are my dream clients? I've been there. Back when I started ML Interiors Group, I hustled hard, did great work, and just hoped the right clients would find me. And for a while… it worked. Kind of. But behind the scenes? Total chaos. In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on what I call being "boo...

Welcome back to  Designed for the Creative Mind , the podcast where we get real about what it actually takes to build a beautiful and profitable interior design business. In this episode, Michelle kicks off a brand-new series called Booked by Accident vs. Booked by Design —a must-listen if you've ever wondered why your dream clients still aren't showing up, even though you're doing "all the right...

Babe, let's get real — leads are slow right now. The inbox is quiet, the DMs are empty, and that "just post a pretty picture" strategy? It's not cutting it anymore. But here's the kicker: what's haunting your business might not be the algorithm. It's probably the marketing you didn't do six months ago. In this episode, we're talking about: The hidden cost of inconsistent marketing (and how it crea...

Have you ever had a client hit you with, "You get that for how much?" If so, you're not alone — and today we're talking about one of the most common (and most avoidable) pricing mistakes in interior design: oversharing your trade pricing. In this episode, I break down why being too open about your pricing creates confusion, resentment, and profit erosion — and how you can confidently communicate y...

Ever feel like you're wearing all the hats in your interior design business  and still answering client texts at 8 PM about grout colors? You might be stuck in what I call DIY Designer Syndrome: a mix of perfectionism, people-pleasing, and a dash of martyrdom that has you doing everything yourself. In this episode, I'm sharing how this mindset hurts your business (and your life), why "being busy"...

Hey friend, welcome back to  Design for the Creative Mind ! I'm so glad you're here. If you're new around here, this season is all about Rookie Mistakes & Real Talk—a behind-the-scenes look at the most common missteps interior designers make in business (and how to bounce back when you make one). In today's episode, I'm sharing a hard lesson I learned the painful way—what happens when you don't ha...

Today's episode is one that's coming straight from the heart (and maybe a little from the edge of a breakdown). We're talking burnout—not the cute kind that gets fixed with a latte and a nap, but the crispy, crunchy, why-did-I-say-yes-to-this kind of burnout that so many interior designers are quietly dealing with. I'm calling it Burnout Bake Out—yes, it's on brand with our new Bake House theme, b...

Hey there, welcome back to Designed for the Creative Mind ! Today we're diving into a topic that hits way too close to home for so many designers — the dreaded "time trap". Yep, I'm talking about hourly billing and the never-ending stress of tracking every bathroom break like you're auditioning for TaskRabbit. If you've ever stayed up late trying to remember how long that third round of tile edits...

Hey y'all, welcome back to  Design for the Creative Mind — the podcast where we dive into the business side of interior design with strategy, heart, and zero fluff. Today's episode is a big one because I'm giving you a behind-the-scenes look at some major changes we've been cooking up. I'm thrilled to share that my coaching platform has officially rebranded! While the podcast will keep its name (...

  Hey, hey, hey – welcome back to Design for the Creative Mind ! This season, we're talking all about rookie mistakes and real talk – the stuff that's keeping so many talented designers stuck. And today? We're hitting a big one: shopping retail. Yep. I'm talking about that habit of ordering from Pottery Barn, HomeGoods, or West Elm, skipping your trade vendors, and sending clients links instead of...

Sure! Here's a set of conversational, first-person podcast shownotes based on your transcript: Hey, hey! Welcome back to The Designed for the Creative Mind podcast. I'm Michelle Lynne, and y'all are in for a treat today. I sat down with the incredibly talented Bekah Hernandez, the founder and principal of Rebekah  Nicole Interiors here in the Dallas-Fort Worth area—and this conversation is such a...

  Hey y'all, welcome back to the Designed for the Creative Mind Podcast! I'm so glad you're here. We're kicking off a brand new season: Rookie Mistakes and Real Talk — where I'm mixing up business blunders and behind-the-scenes truths from running an interior design firm. Today's episode is for every designer who's ever said "yes" when they really wanted to scream "oh hell no" — and then paid the...

  Hey there, welcome back to the podcast designed for creative minds and interior designers like you. You're already a pro at creating stunning spaces, but let's talk about your Instagram. If your content isn't attracting the right clients and turning them into paying customers, we've got a problem. That's why I'm so excited to bring on Angelyn Horrell today. She's the co-owner of Next Chapter Soc...