The Business of Beautiful Spaces Podcast for Interior Designers | Interior Design Business Pocast

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Business of Beautiful Spaces , Laura welcomes Massimo Ferrera, Account Manager and Stone Master at Cava Surfaces, to demystify the process of incorporating natural stone into interior design projects. With over 27 years of experience in marble sourcing, stone selection, and fabrication, Massimo shares practical guidance for designers who want to feel more co...

Send us Fan Mail Today on The Business of Beautiful Spaces, I’m sitting down with Kate Dickson, Principal Designer and Creative Director of The Dickson Design Group, an award-winning studio known for creating warm, elegant homes that are as functional as they are beautiful. Kate and her team specialize in renovating older homes, and if you’ve ever wondered how to take a space that needs a lot of l...

Send us Fan Mail n this episode, Laura walks you through a “pipeline detox” to help you stop saying yes to almost ideal leads that quietly drain your calendar, energy, and profit. If you feel busy but not truly productive, this is your reset. You’ll learn how to sort every inquiry into three simple categories, Green, Yellow, or Red, so you can quickly spot which leads are aligned, which ones could...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Laura breaks down why a lead tracker is a non-negotiable tool for interior designers who want more consistent revenue and a calmer, more predictable pipeline. A lead tracker gives you visibility and control, so you stop relying on your inbox, DMs, and memory to manage inquiries. It also gives you grace, because when you can see the full timeline of a lead, you sto...

Send us Fan Mail Today’s episode is a Q&A grab bag, packed with the best questions that have come in so far this year. These are the real issues designers are navigating right now, and while some of the questions are too specific to stretch into a full deep dive episode on their own, together they create a powerful, practical conversation. This is the episode to listen to if you want clear dir...

Send us Fan Mail If AI feels like one more thing on your already full plate, this episode makes it simple and practical. You’ll learn how to use AI like a smart assistant to save time, protect profit, and create more consistent client communication, without sacrificing your design standards or your brand. What you’ll learn How to use AI to streamline the repetitive parts of your business while kee...

Send us Fan Mail The Profit Academy for Interior Designers Doors are Now Open, sign up here: https://www.theprofitacademyforinteriordesigners.com/ In this episode of The Business of Beautiful Spaces , Laura Thornton breaks down one of the most powerful numbers in your interior design business: Client Lifetime Value (LTV) . Instead of judging a client by a single project, LTV helps you understand w...

Send us Fan Mail If pricing feels like a stressful guess, this episode will help you price with a clear method so you stop undercharging and start feeling confident in your numbers. In this episode, you will learn Why designers undercharge even when they are talented and booked What it means to price the process, not the tasks How to set a Minimum Viable Fee so you stop saying yes to unprofitable...

Send us Fan Mail Booked and Broke: Two Futures of a Designer If your calendar is full but your profit feels shaky, this episode is for you. We are talking about the two paths most designers end up on: Future A booked and broke, or Future B calm and profitable. The difference is not talent. It is systems. In this episode, you will learn Why being busy is not proof your business is healthy The three...

Send us Fan Mail If you have ever looked up at the end of a project and wondered, “Where did my time go?”, this episode is for you. Laura breaks down 12 common profit leaks that quietly drain revenue in interior design businesses, often disguised as “good service” or “just being helpful.” From extra meetings and endless revisions to showroom visits, rush timelines, and unpaid install days, Laura s...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we’re breaking down the business sayings I live by, and why they work. From “speed to the lead” (because fast response wins the job) to “nobody knows you exist” (because hope is not a marketing plan), I share the real-world strategies and psychology that turn inquiries into booked consults, marketing into momentum, and effort into revenue. We’ll also talk about “r...

Send us Fan Mail Setting your hourly rate as an interior designer can feel confusing, emotional, and honestly a little awkward. In this episode, Laura breaks it down in plain English and shows you how to set an hourly rate that actually supports your business, not just your calendar. You’ll learn why copying what “other designers charge” is a fast track to burnout, what your rate truly needs to co...

Send us Fan Mail Most interior designers and small business owners believe cybersecurity is something they will deal with later or that their business is simply too small to be of interest to hackers. That assumption is no longer true. In this episode of The Business of Beautiful Spaces , Laura sits down with Jason deCourcy , founder of Xoomler , to uncover the real reason small businesses, solo e...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Business of Beautiful Spaces , Laura sits down with Jamie Young of Jamie Young Co. for a conversation about longevity in business , what it really takes to build a brand that evolves through changing trends, shifting markets, and new seasons of growth while still staying grounded in timeless style and strong values . Jamie shares how she’s protected the core...

Send us Fan Mail If Q1 felt busy but the profit did not match the effort, this episode is your CEO reset. In today’s episode of The Business of Beautiful Spaces , Laura Thornton walks you through a simple, repeatable Q1 business review designed specifically for interior designers who want more profitability, better systems, and a lot less chaos. You will learn exactly what to review, what the numb...

Send us Fan Mail Laura Thornton sits down with Darilyn Coles, CEO of Selocity, for a practical conversation on how interior designers can adopt AI in a way that actually strengthens their business. Darilyn explains why technology only works when the underlying process is clear first, and she shares how designers can use AI to streamline operations, improve speed-to-lead, and support stronger lead...

Send us Fan Mail If you’re running an interior design studio, you’re not “just” the creative you’re also the CEO, the project manager, the salesperson, and the money manager. In this episode, Laura Thornton breaks down why investing in yourself and your business isn’t a luxury… it’s a strategy. You’ll learn how to spot the hidden costs of trying to do it all alone (like undercharging, scope creep,...

Send us Fan Mail If you are booked, busy, and still wondering where the money went, this episode is your roadmap. Laura Thornton breaks down the mid shift every designer must make: moving from creative operator to CEO leader. You’ll learn how to stop guessing, build a profit-first business model, understand the numbers that drive real sustainability, and create capacity without burnout. This is no...

Send us Fan Mail From scope creep and unrealistic timelines to unlimited revisions and 24/7 availability, this conversation is all about how setting boundaries isn’t about being difficult — it’s about being clear, confident, and professional so your business can truly thrive. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Why saying “no” is a leadership skill, not a weakness The most common moments designers need...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Business of Beautiful Spaces , Laura sits down with the brilliant Donna Hoffman, multi-award-winning luxury designer, business strategist, and founder of Impeccably Designed Homes , to talk about one of the most important (and often misunderstood) topics in the design industry: how to scale your business sustainably and profitably. Donna shares the story of...

Send us Fan Mail Part 2 of this conversation goes deeper into the internal side of long-term entrepreneurship. Less about tactics, more about judgment, intuition, systems, relationships, and the realities that only show up after decades in business. The group explores how decision-making evolves with experience, when to trust your gut versus your data, and why profitability, not optics, is what ac...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Business of Beautiful Spaces , Laura sits down with three long-time colleagues and friends from very different industries to talk candidly about what entrepreneurship actually looks like over decades, not highlight reels. Together, they unpack the misconceptions people have about their businesses, the pivotal career moments that changed their trajectories, a...

Send us Fan Mail Client Relationships 101: How to Set Boundaries, Stay in Control & Create Happy Clients Strong client relationships don’t come from being overly flexible or available 24/7. They come from clear leadership, well-defined processes, and confident boundaries . In this episode of The Business of Beautiful Spaces , Laura breaks down exactly how interior designers can stay in control...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Business of Beautiful Spaces , I sit down with Andria Cowan Molyneaux , founder and principal designer of ACM Designs , for a deeply honest conversation about what it truly takes to build a design business that lasts. Andria is a designer who leads with integrity, intention, and quiet confidence. She’s built a respected, enduring firm grounded in exceptional...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Business of Beautiful Spaces , Laura dives into the real-world lessons behind building a profitable, sustainable interior design business—without sacrificing creativity or personal boundaries. Drawing from decades of hands-on experience, she shares candid insights into what designers often get wrong, what actually moves the needle, and how small mindset and...