Hot Young Designers Club | Interior Design Business Podcast

As we enter 2024, there are some things that we do not wish to bring with us into this year, and we want to make some changes in our lives and businesses. Today, we share our no-more list for 2024 and discuss the 6 changes (3 from each of us) we want to make in our businesses. Some of these changes will resonate with you, Hotties, and your businesses. In this episode, we discuss: Shaun and Rebecca...

It’s the last episode of 2023, so today, we did some year-end reflections and highlights. From doing over 100 episodes of the podcast to contributing our designs and opinions, we achieved so many things this year. While there were certain challenges along the way, today, we’re taking time to reflect on some of our wins and accomplishments of 2023 instead of just frustrations. In this episode, we d...

We're back with another installment of our Just Stop series to call out some things that just need to stop, like relying too much on trade discounts and not building relationships directly with manufacturers, being fair-weather sales reps, using a personal email like Gmail or Yahoo for business, etc. In this episode, we discuss: Importance of Pinterest for businesses Avoid using "just" when client...

Our guest today is Pinterest expert Leah Reinert. We dive deep into our Pinterest For Interior Designers Masterclass and show you how to properly optimize your Pinterest presence and use it as a lead generation tool for your businesses. Leah also shares some cool ways to use Pinterest. In this episode, we discuss: About Pinterest For Interior Designers Masterclass Leah's journey of discovering the...

What is the most challenging part of your business? What percentage of your projects involve working with a designer? How do you vet clients before getting into pre-construction? Rebecca and Shaun sit down with Steve and Heather Tankersley, owners of Tankersley Construction, to discuss their business. In this episode, Rebecca and Shaun speak with Steve and Heather to discuss: The most successful a...

How do you manage your design business? What are your criteria for accepting a prospect as a client, and do you often turn clients away? How do you share the progress of the project with clients? How do you structure your fees and payments from clients? In this episode, Rebecca and Shaun speak with Max Humphrey to discuss: The challenges of finding the right clients and managing client relationshi...

Pinterest is not just for inspiration anymore. It can actually be used strategically to gain new clients! Learn more about our Pinterest for Interior Designers Masterclass at: shop.hotyoungdesignersclub.com

This episode is a recap of our experience at Fall 2023 High Point Market. Join us as we walk through the showroom floors, share our observations on new trends, and break down some of the top looks that caught our eye. We'll also share exclusive updates from favorite vendors like Four Hands, their new products, and some exciting technology improvements they're making. In this episode, we discuss: T...

In this enlightening episode of the Hot Young Designers Club Podcast, hosts Rebecca Plumb and Shaun Crha unravel the challenges and joys of design and project management. Advocating for adaptability and success, they delve into the realities and diversity of the field, offering a blend of humor and insight. Discussing the multifaceted aspects of design, such as bookkeeping, marketing, and trades,...

Welcome to the Hot Young Designers Club podcast! Hosted by Rebecca Plumb and Shaun Crha, they explore the world of interior design with humor. In this episode, they celebrate reaching episode 101 and reflect on their journey. Rebecca and Sean discuss how hitting 100 episodes felt like a milestone and their commitment to the podcast. They express gratitude for their Patreon community, talk about up...

Today we are celebrating 100 episodes of the Hot Young Designers Club Podcast! As we look back at the last three years, we think about the best pieces of advice we have received, what’s changed over the past three years, and some cringe-worthy moments of the show. We also share an amazing giveaway that we will be doing in honor of our 100th episode! In this episode, we discuss: Our amazing giveawa...

What makes your interior design business different and how can you showcase that effectively? When should you hire a social media assistant and how long should you expect to see results? How can you make sure you are effectively networking in order to build relationships and grow your business?  In this episode, Rebecca and Shaun speak with Ali Faulkner of AEF Interiors, to discuss: Keeping i...

Measuring is a pain. It requires a lot of time and physical energy. No one likes it. Thankfully, we have discovered a much better way to measure, that saves us time and saves our clients money.  This episode is sponsored by Canvas. In this episode, we discuss: Scaling - it’s weird and complex The headaches we had in the past when getting measurements  Using Canvas.io to scan the client’s...

Today we cover our upcoming plans for High Point Market this fall, an exciting giveaway for our listeners, recent struggles and lessons learned in our businesses, as well as some new trends we noticed at Vegas Market this summer.  In this episode, we discuss: Giving a hotspot tour at High Point Market later this year How you can win free products from our online shop Feeling very depressed an...

How do you get your work featured in your favorite design magazines? When is the right time to hire a publicist? What should you do if you can’t afford to hire a PR professional? In this episode, Rebecca and Shaun speak with Rich Pedine of Rich Pedine Public Relations, to discuss: Channeling a passion for interior design into his PR career What magazines are looking for  The best time to cont...

As a designer, you need to keep a list of tradespeople in your back pocket. Today, we go over what that list should look like. In this episode, Rebecca and Shaun discuss: The joy of being part of the live Hottie Hangouts Receiving a rotten sausage in the mail Going to 2023 Highpoint from Oct 14 to Oct 16  Asking your vendors who their preferred clients are  Feeling icky about charging a...

We believe it is important to stay informed on news and trends within the design space. That’s why we invited Fred Nicolaus, executive editor of Business of Home, to the podcast. Business of Home is the home industry’s leading business media brand, delivering essential news, analysis and insights to interior designers and industry professionals. In this episode, Rebecca and Shaun speak with Fred N...

It can be so frustrating when clients start shopping for products on their own, when it’s your role as the designer to do the buying. While this is common and very annoying, there are some things you can do to prevent it. And if you can’t totally prevent it, you can still resolve the issue when it does happen.  In this episode, Rebecca and Shaun discuss:  Why clients who shop may not und...

How should you respond to clients when you really don’t want to do the project? How do you set boundaries in your business and train others how to respect them? Should you stop charging a flat rate and start charging by the hour?  In this episode, Rebecca and Shaun speak with Kate Lester of Kate Lester Interiors, to discuss: Why Kate quit her six figure job in corporate America to become an i...

When business gets slow, do you feel like the scarcity mindset kicks in, and you start freaking out about how you are going to generate more money? Feeling anxious and helpless about finances won’t solve your problems. It’s time to stop sulking in bed, take back the power, and make some changes to generate new forms of revenue.  In this episode, Rebecca and Shaun discuss:  Not letting fe...

How do you overcome FOMO when you have to say “no” to new opportunities that come your way? How do you develop your self-concept, when you were accustomed to working in a strict, corporate environment before becoming a designer? What should you expect when going to trade show events, like High Point Market? In this episode, Rebecca and Shaun speak with Rachel Moriarty of Rachel Moriarty Interiors,...

AI is here and it’s here to stay. If you’ve been ignoring everything artificial intelligence can do, we think you really need to start paying attention. Today, we chat about ways AI is changing the design industry and how your work may be affected. In this episode, Rebecca and Shaun discuss:  A recent article from Business of Home Why E-designers and illustrators should be worried Exploring a...

Are you confusing clients by offering too many options and services? What do you do when the design is twice the original budget? How many projects can you realistically manage without employees? Today, we will be answering these questions along with some others.  In this episode, we talk about: Shifting your mindset when it comes to positioning your services Making the proposal specific to t...

How do you stand out in a sea of other designers that do similar work? How do you get more comfortable having money conversations with clients? How do you get better at selling and pricing your projects? We chat about this and more, with professional trainer and coach, Shannyn Lee. In this episode, we talk about: The things holding many designers back  How you can be meaningfully different fr...

Today we offer our thoughts on the emotional rollercoaster clients go through during renovations. As designers, we can’t control the rollercoaster, but we can definitely help keep the ride from going completely off track.  In this episode, we talk about: How podcasting is like having a whole other business Advising clients on the approximate timeline of the entire project Why we want to inves...