Want a behind‑the‑scenes blueprint for growing a creative business without burning out? We sit down with Kateri, founder of Kateri Jane Designs, to unpack the practical playbook that powers her interior design studio: flexible systems, honest communication, and boundaries that actually hold. No fluff—just the exact moves that turn chaotic days into smooth client experiences.

We start with the foundation: how choosing a malleable CRM like Dubsado transformed inquiry to contract with one‑click automations, clean scheduler links, and customizable templates. That operational backbone reduces back‑and‑forth, prevents mistakes, and gives clients a consistent, professional journey from discovery call to install. From there, we dive into hiring in a field everyone wants to join. Katiri shares how she finds self‑starters, trains by learning style, and builds a culture where questions are welcomed and initiative is expected. The payoff is a team that adapts fast, communicates clearly, and keeps projects moving when plans change.

Then we tackle the owner myths. There’s no “free time” windfall when you run a studio—there’s admin, insurance, payroll, and vendor wrangling. The antidote is delegation and transparency. By outsourcing bookkeeping and installs, and by telling clients the truth about budgets, timelines, and trade‑offs, she earns steady referrals and protects her creative focus. The theme that ties it all together is boundary setting: no interior design emergencies after 5 p.m., weekends reserved for life, and workload caps that keep quality high. Those lines don’t scare clients; they attract the right ones.

If you’re a service‑based founder, designer, or creative entrepreneur looking to scale with sanity, you’ll leave with actionable steps: implement a client‑friendly CRM, hire for initiative, document your processes, delegate non‑core tasks, and guard your calendar. We wrap with quick hits on growth, continuous learning, planning without rigidity, finding inspiration everywhere, and committing through daily small steps. Enjoyed the conversation? Follow the show, share it with a builder who needs better boundaries, and leave a review so more entrepreneurs can find us.

Guest Contact info:

kateri@katerijanedesigns.com

Website: https://www.katerijanedesigns.com/

Thanks for Listening. You may contact me or our team at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!
Bill

Thanks for listening. Please hit the subscribe button, leave us a 5 star review, and share this podcast. You can reach me at williamgilliland@actioncoach.com or at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!

Bill