Resilient by Design with Rebecca Hay

Are you avoiding the numbers in your interior design business? In this rebroadcast episode, I revisit my conversation with Danielle Hendon of Four Corners CFO about profit, cash flow, financial planning, and why your bank account balance is not the full story. If you've ever wondered why you're making more money but still feeling stressed, or why your business feels busy but not necessarily profit...

Are you busy… or are you actually profitable? In this rebroadcast episode, I'm revisiting an important conversation for interior designers who want to build a more sustainable business: how to choose a pricing model based on real numbers, not guesses. I share why revenue and profit are not the same thing, how to look at the different ways money comes into your business, and why your most profitabl...

Have you ever sent a proposal to a potential client and then heard nothing back? In this rebroadcast episode, I'm revisiting an important conversation about pricing pushback, client objections, and the confidence it takes to talk about money in your interior design business. I share a personal lesson from my early days of testing a fixed-fee pricing model and what it taught me about communication,...

Taking time off from your business should not mean cramming your calendar before you leave, checking emails from the dock, and coming back to complete chaos. In this episode, I dive into what it actually means to take time off from your interior design business without mentally carrying it with you the entire time. This is a conversation about boundaries, leadership, communication, and building a...

Are you making business decisions based on facts, or are you guessing and hoping things will work out? In this episode, I'm talking about how to build a six-month runway for your interior design business. This is one of the simplest ways to understand what it really costs to keep your business running and whether you have the financial stability to make decisions with confidence. I walk through th...

What would happen if you took a week off from your business? Would projects continue moving forward, or would everything pause until you returned? In this episode, I explores one of the most common growth challenges for interior design business owners: becoming the bottleneck. From decision-making and client communication to process documentation and team leadership, I share three powerful shifts...

In this episode, Rebecca sits down with Jennifer Dewhirst, Director of Brand and Merchandising at Dovetail Furniture, for a behind-the-scenes look at how wholesale furniture collections are built for designers. Jennifer shares how Dovetail develops new collections twice a year, what goes into preparing for High Point Market, and how the team balances trendy pieces with timeless, well-made furnitur...

The effect Trade Day had on my business, the way this initial onboarding event sets the expectations and tone for the whole project cannot be overstated. But, take it from me, there are certain dos and don'ts that you need to take into account for it to be a real success. When done right, Trade Day can be your secret weapon but when done wrong, it can have far reaching consequences. I share a less...

If your pipeline feels inconsistent, your inquiries have slowed down, or you keep putting marketing on the back burner while you focus on client work… this episode is for you. In today's solo episode, I'm breaking down why overthinking your marketing may actually be hurting your business more than helping it. I'm sharing: Why your business operates on a lag The real reason feast-or-famine cycles h...

Talking about money can feel uncomfortable, but it's one of the most important skills to master as a design business owner. In this episode, I'm joined by Dina Holland to talk about why designers struggle with pricing conversations and how to build real confidence around your numbers. We cover: Why "no" is actually a sign of growth How to stop undercharging and start owning your value What changes...

If your business feels like a constant cycle of busy seasons followed by slow ones, this episode is for you. I'm breaking down why so many interior designers get stuck in the feast-or-famine cycle and what's really behind that inconsistency. Because the truth is, your current workload didn't happen overnight. It's a result of what you were doing 3 to 6 months ago. In this episode, I walk you throu...

There are three types of design firm owners, and most designers are stuck in the first two. If your business feels busy but unpredictable… If you're constantly adjusting, tweaking, and still not seeing consistent growth… This episode will help you understand why. In this episode, I break down the three business identities I see most often: The Resourceful Designer The Adaptable Designer The Confid...

There was a time when I felt chained to my inbox, constantly reacting, jumping between tasks, and always playing catch-up. That changed when I started time blocking. In this rebroadcast episode, I'm sharing three simple, actionable tips you can start using right away to improve your focus, reduce overwhelm, and manage your time more intentionally. Before you dive in, I encourage you to take a step...

Your project budgets aren't totally wrong—but they don't feel solid either. In this episode, I break down why that happens (even after you've gained experience) and how to fix it. We're talking about: Why early budgets should be ranges, not detailed breakdowns When the real budgeting work actually begins How to validate your numbers with trades and real data The mistake that quietly erodes client...

There comes a point in business where what once worked no longer feels aligned. In this episode, I'm sharing a big decision: after years of teaching my signature program, Power of Process, I will not be launching it again. This isn't about walking away from something that didn't work. It's about recognizing when you've outgrown something that did. We're talking about the stages of business growth,...

Hiring can feel overwhelming — especially when you're not sure if you're setting things up the right way. In this rebroadcast episode, Rebecca sits down with HR expert Laura Tolhoek to break down the key decisions every design business owner needs to make when hiring. They cover subcontractors vs employees, what needs to be in your contracts, and how to avoid the common mistakes that can create pr...

Hiring someone in your design business should make things easier… but sometimes it does the opposite. Tasks get misunderstood. Expectations feel unclear. And before long you're wondering if you made a bad hire. But what if the problem wasn't the person you hired? In this episode, I'm sharing why many hires fail in small design firms and how a simple 30-60-90 day onboarding plan can completely chan...

In this episode, I sit down with Sarah St. Amand to talk about how she's built a design business that serves different types of clients without discounting her expertise or compromising her brand. We talk about smaller design packages, profitability, client communication, team structure, and why designers need to stop equating beautiful work with business success. If you've ever wondered how to st...

Construction projects shouldn't be your biggest stressor — or your biggest money leak. In this episode, Rebecca sits down with construction management expert Renee Biery to talk about: Flat fees vs hourly billing Charging in advance Procurement on renovation projects Allowances and contractor negotiations Liability myths designers believe How construction stabilizes your income If you've ever felt...

One month your design business feels calm and steady. The next, it feels chaotic and uncertain. If you've ever experienced that swing, this episode is for you. Rebecca Hay unpacks the recurring cycle almost every interior designer faces: expansion followed by contraction. She explains why inconsistency doesn't mean you're failing and how a lack of structure, not a lack of talent, is usually the re...

If your design business feels harder than it should, you're not alone. In this episode, Rebecca shares the three essential systems every successful interior design business needs: process, profitability, marketing, and leadership. You'll hear real stories from her own journey, including what happened when she was booked out but losing money, why hiring didn't work at first, and how building struct...

Luxury isn't louder. It's calmer, quieter, and more confident. In this episode, Rebecca shares what she learned designing a home that sold for over $12 million and working for luxury designer Steven Taylor for five years. This isn't about expensive finishes. It's about premium service, trust, leadership, and building a process that makes clients feel taken care of. Rebecca also reflects on Steven'...

HGTV Flea Market Flip winner and luxury designer Sarah Trop joins Rebecca for a candid conversation about owning your niche and building a design business that doesn't follow the rules. Sarah shares how she turned her love of upcycling and storytelling into a thriving luxury design firm, why taking risks changed everything for her career, and how biophilic design helps create calmer, more meaningf...

Scaling a design firm eventually forces a decision: keep controlling everything, or build a team that can run without you in every detail. In this rebroadcast, Rebecca Hay talks with Regan Baker about the mindset shift and the operational structure that helped Regan step into the CEO role. They cover role clarity, team structure, meeting rhythms, documentation standards, and why record-keeping is...

Premium clients aren't attracted by bigger portfolios, more followers, or higher prices. They're attracted by leadership. In this episode, Rebecca breaks down why good designers often get stuck working with budget-conscious clients and how a clear, structured process is the real driver behind attracting premium ones. You'll learn the key differences between budget and premium clients, why money is...