Claim OwnershipThe Business of Beautiful Spaces Podcast for Interior Designers | Interior Design Business Pocast
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Welcome to The Business of Beautiful Spaces, the podcast where interior design matters! As Interior Designers, we understand the power of creating beautiful and functional spaces that not only look good, but also enhance our daily lives. Join us on this journey as we explore the ins and outs of the interior design industry and dive into the business side of things. From one interior designer to another, we'll share our experiences, insights, and lessons learned as we strive to create spaces that not only make a statement, but also make a difference. So sit back, relax, and let's get started on The Business of Beautiful Spaces.
The Business of Beautiful spaces Freebie:
https://the-business-of-beautiful-spaces.ck.page/
Mentorship One on One :
https://theprofitacademyforinteriordesigners.com/mentorship
The Profit Academy for Interior Designers Online Course:
https://theprofitacademyforinteriordesigners.com
You can find us at www.thebusinessofbeautifulspaces.com, email us at hello@thebusinessofbeautifulspaces.com or any social media platform @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces.
164 Episodes
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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 numbers are trying to tell you, where profit leaks hide, and how to set clear goals for next month and...
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 qualification without losing the personal touch clients expect. Together, they dig into modern le...
Send a text 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, decision fatigue, and inconsistent cash flow), and how mentorship, continuing education, and communit...
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 not hustle culture. This is leadership, strategy, and building a design business that funds the lif...
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 weaknessThe most common moments designers need to say no — and why they matterHow over-accommodating leads to burnout, resentment, and lost prof...
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 how she built her seven-figure firm from the ground up, the systems and mindset shifts that made gr...
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 actually sustains a business. They also talk candidly about seasons of life, goal setting in mid-ca...
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, and the real trade-offs behind growth, scaling, and balance. The conversation moves beyond hustle c...
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 of their projects from day one without sacrificing warmth, professionalism, or client trust. If yo...
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 client service, thoughtful design, and a commitment to lifelong learning. She’s also the current pr...
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 strategy shifts can create major business breakthroughs. Listeners will walk away with practical t...
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Business of Beautiful Spaces, Laura breaks down how interior designers can begin using AI in a practical, ethical and non-intimidating way in 2026. Whether you are AI curious, quietly resistant, or already dabbling, this conversation is designed to help you see AI as a supportive team member rather than a threat to your creativity or value. AI cannot replace your intuition, your eye, or the human connection you build with clients, but it can absolutely ...
Send us Fan Mail Laura breaks down why most designers do not have a pricing problem, they have a scope and structure problem. She walks through practical strategies to increase profitability at your current rates, including tightening and clarifying your scope, reclaiming billable hours you are already working, streamlining your process for efficiency, and shifting from selling hours to selling outcomes and expertise. She also walks you through a powerful breakdown of what your hourly rate ac...
Send us Fan Mail In this fun, high value CEO-style episode, Laura shares her favourite business books, podcasts and AI tools that are shaping her strategy and success in 2025. Why business books matter for designers How the right books can reshape the way you think, market, lead and sellHow to turn book insights into systems you use dailyHow AI can help implement the concepts instantlyBook #1: Building a StoryBrand 2.0 by Donald Miller Why StoryBrand is the clearest messaging framework ...
Send us Fan Mail Laura walks you through a guided audit of your year: your numbers, your systems, your clients, your values, and your big-picture goals for 2026 and beyond. If you have been feeling the impact of tariffs, market shifts, rising costs, or overwhelm, this episode will help you turn reflection into strategy. Your books and your numbers Revenue: What came in, from which services, and which projects were truly profitableExpenses: Where your money actually went and where the bleeds a...
Send us Fan Mail Gala Magrina — holistic interior designer; host of Going Beyond Spaces with Gala; creator of the Beyond Spaces methodology and a six-week online course for designers. Gala traces her path from visual merchandising at Diesel to a holistic design practice rooted in meditation, modern feng shui, WELL, and Vastu. We unpack yin vs. yang rooms, the five elements in everyday selections, why science is finally catching up to ancient building wisdom, and how wellness real estate and c...
Send us Fan Mail This week on The Business of Beautiful Spaces, Laura sits down with Charleston-based photographer Candice Brook, whose work behind the lens has helped countless designers turn their finished projects into powerful marketing assets. Candice shares what really goes into a strategic photoshoot — one that not only captures the beauty of a space but also builds visibility, fuels your PR efforts, and drives business growth long after install day. Together, Laura and Candice dive in...
Send us Fan Mail Every designer knows that uneasy, nauseous feeling that shows up right before a big leap—the one that makes you question your sanity and your business plan. In this episode, Laura sits down with designer Casey FitzGerald to talk about what it really feels like to invest in growth when it’s uncomfortable… and why that “sick feeling” might actually be your best sign of progress. Laura and Casey dive into: Taking big, scary steps in your marketing and business investmentsWhy you...
Send us Fan Mail If you’ve ever wondered how to keep your project pipeline full without constantly posting on social media or dropping thousands on ads, this episode is for you. I’m joined by the powerhouse behind Designer Oasis—Kate Bendewald. Kate is a former commercial designer who left the corporate grind to build a design business on her own terms. Within her first year, she scaled to six figures entirelythrough word-of-mouth. No big budget, no trust fund—just clarity, confidence, and a ...
Send us Fan Mail AI isn’t just for big tech companies, it’s quickly becoming one of the most powerful tools for creative businesses, including interior design firms. But with all the hype, it can be hard to know what’s real, what’s useful, and how to actually apply AI in your day-to-day practice. In this episode of The Business of Beautiful Spaces, I’m joined by AI innovator and strategist Matt Kantor, who has spent decades helping businesses use AI to create measurable results. Together, we ...
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