Design Curious | Interior Design Career and Business Podcast

If you've ever found yourself staring at your bank account hoping the number magically went up overnight, or waiting until December to figure out what — if anything — you get to pay yourself this year, this episode is going to feel like a direct message just for you.So many of the designers I work with are talented, passionate, and completely in the dark about the financial side of their business. And here's the thing: that's not a character flaw. It's an education gap. But it is your responsibility to close it — and that's exactly what today's conversation is all about.In this episode, I sit down with Carla Titus, a fractional CFO and financial consultant with over 17 years of experience in corporate financial planning and business strategy. Carla breaks down the practical financial planning strategies every interior designer needs, from simple two-week cash flow forecasting to building financial reserves, paying yourself consistently, and knowing exactly when it's time to bring in a fractional CFO.Whether you're just starting or ready to scale, this conversation will shift the way you think about money in your business — and give you real tools to move forward with confidence and financial stability.Featured GuestCarla Titus is a finance expert with more than 17 years of experience in corporate financial planning, analysis, strategy, and online business operations. As the founder of Wealth & Worth Within, she provides Fractional CFO services, financial consulting, bookkeeping support, and strategic financial planning for entrepreneurs who want to grow their businesses profitably. Carla's mission is to help business owners achieve financial clarity, improve cash flow, and make confident decisions that support sustainable growth and long-term success.What You’ll Learn in This Episode✳️ Why cash flow is your business's oxygen✳️ Simple two-week cash flow planning strategies✳️ How to build financial reserves without overwhelm✳️ When to hire a fractional CFO✳️ How to pay yourself consistently and intentionallyRead the Blog >>> Cash Flow Management for Interior DesignersNEXT STEPS:🔸 Save your seat! June 24 FREE Webinar: Are You Ready to Start Your Interior Design Business? How to Know for Sure (and What It Really Costs to Launch)🎯 Join the Summer '26 Launch Your Business Bootcamp🎯 Join My Design Mentor and lock in the lower rateCheck out our Designer's Playlist!*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey *️ From Newbie to Confident Designer *️ Switching Gears to Interior Design Grab your freebies:📺 Watch this free webinar, "From Passion to Profit," and learn the 5 Money Moves to start your interior design business right 📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my CareerConnect With Me:📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign 🌎 Website at rwarddesign.comThanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...Timestamps0:00 Introduction and Guest Bio5:43 Cash Flow Explained7:19 Practical Processes for Maintaining Healthy Cash Flow10:18 Building Cash Reserves and the “Buckets” System11:23 When to Consider Hiring a Fractional CFO13:37 Strategy-First, Numbers-Second Approach to Business Growth15:14 Common Money Mindset Challenges Business Owners Face17:38 The “Hoarder” vs. “Spender” Business Owner Spectrum19:34 How to Create a Habit of Paying Yourself21:45 About Wealth and Worth Within: The Story and Services24:01 The Best Time to Seek Fractional CFO Services

The moment you file your LLC… the moment you accept your first client payment… the moment you start working with vendors or contractors…You are no longer “just a creative.” You are the CEO of your business.As Danielle Hayden and I discuss in this episode, one of the biggest mistakes interior designers make is thinking they can outsource their financial understanding to bookkeeping services, financial automation, or even AI tools like QuickBooks integrations or ChatGPT.Here’s the truth: AI is powerful, but it cannot replace CEO responsibility.With automation and financial tech, many designers assume their systems are handling everything correctly. But inaccurate bookkeeping, duplicated transactions, or improperly reconciled accounts can quietly damage your financial health — and no AI tool will raise a red flag. Instead, it will confidently analyze flawed data and give you misleading conclusions.If you want sustainable business growth, better business decisions, and long-term business protection, you must understand your numbers. In this episode, Danielle shares a powerful framework to help you step into your CEO role with clarity — without doing everything yourself.Featured GuestDanielle Hayden is the co-founder and CEO of Kickstart Accounting Inc., a bookkeeping and accounting firm dedicated to helping female entrepreneurs understand their financials through bookkeeping, financial analysis, and strategic support. With a background as a CFO, Danielle’s mission is to equip business owners — from six figures to beyond — with the tools and insights they need to build profitable and sustainable businesses.What You’ll Learn in This Episode✳️ Why CEOs must understand their business financials✳️ AI limitations in financial analysis and decision-making✳️ Hidden risks inside QuickBooks financial automation systems✳️ Danielle’s framework for deciding when to become an S Corp✳️ Four essential roles for a strong money teamRead the Blog >>> Financial Confidence for Design CEOs with Danielle HaydenNEXT STEPS:📺 Watch this free webinar, "From Passion to Profit," and learn the 5 Money Moves to start your interior design business right 👉https://rwarddesign.myflodesk.com/5moneymoves🎯 Join My Design Mentor and start building a design career with clarity, confidence, and support👉https://rwarddesign.com/my-design-mentor⁠ Check out our Designer's Playlist!*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey *️ From Newbie to Confident Designer *️ Switching Gears to Interior Design Grab your freebies:📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my CareerConnect With Me:📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign 🌎 Website at rwarddesign.comThanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...Timestamps0:00 Introduction and Guest Bio2:51 The Hidden Risks of Financial Automation and QuickBooks6:27 Why AI Cannot Replace Financial Expertise9:45 Embracing Your Role as CEO10:14 3-Step Framework for Becoming an S Corp13:42 When to Hire Bookkeeping Services15:08 The 4 Essential Roles on Your Money Team20:00 The CEO Dashboard and Financial Clarity21:33 Building a Sellable Business23:29 Getting the Right Support as a Business Owner

Have you ever walked into a space and immediately felt calmer, without knowing why? Or noticed how a room flooded with natural light just feels better to be in? That’s not an accident. It’s your nervous system responding to your environment, and it’s exactly why biophilic design matters more than ever in interior design today.In this episode, I’m sitting down with returning guest and seasoned residential designer Martha Lowry to unpack what biophilic design really is — beyond the buzzword. We’re talking about how bringing elements of the natural environment indoors can dramatically improve emotional well-being, mental health, creativity, and even how clients experience their homes daily. This conversation is especially important for interior designers who want to design spaces that don’t just look beautiful, but truly support the people living in them.If you’ve ever struggled to explain why certain design choices feel right — or you want to add more depth, science, and intention to your client communication — this episode will help you understand how natural light, plants, color psychology, organic shapes, and neuro-aesthetics work together to create homes that heal, calm, and inspire. Biophilic design isn’t about trends. It’s about designing with the human experience in mind.Featured GuestMartha Lowry is a residential interior designer with over three decades of experience and a unique balance of analytical and creative expertise. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and a Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design, and she is a member of the Design Leaders Collective. Based in North Carolina, Martha’s work focuses on creating emotionally supportive, beautifully intentional homes rooted in biophilic design, neuro-esthetics, and a deep understanding of how people experience space.What You’ll Learn in This Episode✳️ What biophilic design is and why it matters✳️ How natural light impacts mood, energy, and well-being✳️ Using plants and materials to bring nature indoors✳️ Color psychology and emotional responses in interior design✳️ How designers apply biophilic principles for healthier homesRead the Blog >>> 5 Biophilic Design Elements for Healthier, Calmer HomesNEXT STEPS:🎯 Join My Design Mentor and start building a design career with clarity, confidence, and support, 👉https://rwarddesign.com/my-design-mentor⁠ Check out our Designer's Playlist!*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey *️ From Newbie to Confident Designer *️ Switching Gears to Interior Design Grab your freebies:📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my CareerConnect With Me:📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign 🌎 Website at rwarddesign.comThanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...Timestamps0:00 Introduction and Guest Bio2:51 What Is Biophilic Design?4:54 Impact of Natural Light and Color in Biophilic Design8:02 Live Plants vs. Silk Plants9:05 Emotional Connection to Nature and Biophilic Design12:16 Incorporating Nature-Inspired Elements in Design16:25 Resources for Learning More About Biophilic Design17:04 Advice for Designers Incorporating Biophilic Design

What if the fear holding you back isn’t failure—but the thought of never trying at all?In this episode, I sit down with Elliot James, founder of a multi–award-winning international interior architecture studio, to talk honestly about what it takes to build a creative career that spans countries, cultures, and markets. Elliot didn’t follow a traditional path. He didn’t wait until everything felt “safe.” Instead, he followed his curiosity, his ambition, and his passion for design—sometimes with nothing more than a laptop, a website, and a willingness to knock on doors.If you’re an interior designer (or aspiring designer) who dreams of bigger projects, international opportunities, or breaking into luxury residential, hospitality design, wellness-focused environments, or commercial projects—but you’re afraid of getting it wrong—this conversation is for you. We talk about persistence, risk-taking, networking, word-of-mouth referrals, and how adapting to different cultures can open doors you never knew existed.This episode is a reminder that creative careers aren’t built by waiting. They’re built by moving forward—one bold decision at a time.Featured GuestElliot James is the founder of Elliott James Interiors, a multi–award-winning international interior architecture studio specializing in luxury residential projects, hospitality design, and wellness-focused environments. With studios in Singapore, Dubai, and London, Elliot’s work blends bespoke furniture design, thoughtful client experience, and cultural adaptability to create spaces that function as true sanctuaries.What You’ll Learn in This Episode✳️ How to follow passion without fearing creative failure✳️ Building an international interior design career strategically✳️ Networking strategies that lead to word-of-mouth referrals✳️ Taking smart risks to grow your design business✳️ Adapting to cultures in luxury and hospitality marketsRead the Blog >>> 5 Lessons on Building an International Design CareerNEXT STEPS:🎯 Join My Design Mentor and start building a design career with clarity, confidence, and support, 👉https://rwarddesign.com/my-design-mentor⁠ Check out our Designer's Playlist!*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey *️ From Newbie to Confident Designer *️ Switching Gears to Interior Design Grab your freebies:📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my CareerConnect With Me:📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign 🌎 Website at rwarddesign.comThanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...Timestamps0:00 Introduction and Guest Bio2:05 Elliot’s Creative Background and Early Influences4:44 Transitioning From Furniture Design to Interior Architecture6:30 Building the Design Business in Singapore11:33 Expansion to Dubai and International Markets13:09 Adapting to Different Cultures and Business Styles14:18 Wellness, Luxury, and the Future of Residential Design20:28 Advice for Aspiring Designers

As interior designers, we spend so much time thinking about how a home looks, but what if the real question we should be asking is how a home feels?If you’ve ever walked into a space that was beautiful on paper but somehow felt off, heavy, or uninspiring, this episode is for you.I sit down with feng shui expert Amanda Gibby Peters to explore how interior designers can intentionally work with energy, layout, and environmental cues to create homes that genuinely support their clients’ lives. We talk about why clutter isn’t just visual noise, how bedrooms quietly reveal how someone values themselves, and why the front door might be the most overlooked design opportunity in a home.If you’ve been curious about incorporating feng shui into your interior design process, but worried it would feel too “woo,” too rigid, or too disconnected from modern design, Amanda breaks it down in a way that feels practical, intuitive, and deeply aligned with how designers already think. This episode will help you design spaces that don’t just function well, but feel grounded, supportive, and truly reflective of the people who live there.Featured Guest:Amanda Gibby Peters is the founder of Simply Shui, a modern, mission-driven approach to feng shui that helps people design spaces that support their highest potential. With a master’s degree in professional communication and over two decades of experience, Amanda is known for making feng shui practical, intuitive, and accessible. She is the author of Simply Shui for Every Day and the host of the top-ranked podcast House Therapy.What You’ll Learn in This Episode✳️ Why feng shui is not about rules, superstition, or “fixing” bad energy✳️ How interior designers can use feng shui as a filter for prioritizing design decisions✳️ The three most influential spaces designers should focus on first✳️ How bedroom design reveals self-worth and impacts daily energy✳️ Why furniture placement, light, and flow matter more than décor trends✳️ How to collaborate with clients’ goals using environmental metaphors✳️ Simple feng shui principles designers can apply immediately in client projectsRead the Blog >>> Modern Feng Shui for Interior DesignersNEXT STEPS:🎯 Join My Design Mentor and start building a design career with clarity, confidence, and support, 👉https://rwarddesign.com/my-design-mentor⁠ Check out our Designer's Playlist!*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey *️ From Newbie to Confident Designer *️ Switching Gears to Interior Design Grab your freebies:📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my CareerConnect With Me:📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign 🌎 Website at rwarddesign.comThanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...Timestamps0:00 Introduction and Guest Bio2:50 Amanda’s Skeptical Path Into Feng Shui8:36 Feng Shui in Design Projects11:47 Practical Feng Shui Tips for Designers21:03 Balancing Energy in Client Spaces26:39 Common Feng Shui Misconceptions29:48 The Role of Feng Shui in Modern Design32:24 Amanda's Resources and Offerings

“A good website really should be qualifying your inquiries and increasing them as well.”Does your website actually do that? Or does it simply exist as a gallery of pretty images while you continue to explain yourself over and over again in emails, DMs, and discovery calls?If you’ve ever hesitated before sending someone your website link, or felt a little cringe when a potential client says they want to “check out your site,” this episode is for you.Today, I’m sitting down with Elle Kwan to unpack what separates a beautiful website from a high-converting interior design website — one that supports your business, filters your inquiries, and reflects the true level of your work.She shares about what should actually be on your website, the most common mistakes designers make with their online presence, and how to know when it’s time for a website redesign. If you want your website to feel like a confident extension of your brand — and a tool you’re proud to share — you’ll want to listen closely.Featured Guest:Elle Kwan is a website designer and copywriter who works with interior designers whose work deserves the spotlight but whose websites aren’t fully reflecting their expertise. With a background in journalism and luxury publishing, Elle brings together strategy, storytelling, and design to create elevated online presences that attract dream clients, larger budgets, and meaningful opportunities.What You’ll Learn in This Episode✳️ Why most interior design websites fail to convert visitors into inquiries✳️ The essential criteria of a high-converting website for interior designers✳️ How storytelling, case studies, and testimonials build trust and authority✳️ The difference between Instagram marketing and website strategy✳️ Common website mistakes that create confusion and low-quality leads✳️ When it’s time for a website redesign and how to recognize the signs✳️ What questions to ask before hiring a website designerRead the Blog >>> Core Elements Every High-Converting Interior Design Website NeedsNEXT STEPS:🎯 Join the My Design Mentor to kickstart a successful career in interior design!Check out our Designer's Playlist!*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey *️ From Newbie to Confident Designer *️ Switching Gears to Interior Design Grab your freebies:📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my CareerConnect With Me:📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign 🌎 Website at rwarddesign.comThanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...Timestamps0:00 Introduction and Guest Bio2:30 Elle Kwan’s Background8:01 What Should Be In an Interior Design Website10:51 How Can Your Website Help You Stand Out as a Designer16:12 Common Website Mistakes Designers Make18:39 Signs It’s Time for a Website Redesign20:33 What to Ask Before Hiring a Website Designer24:28 Elle’s 3S Framework for Website Consultations

If you’re an interior designer who feels deeply creative but secretly anxious about sales, pricing, or talking about your value, this episode is for you.Too many designers believe that great work should “sell itself,” only to find themselves undercharging, overdelivering, and wondering why their business still feels financially fragile. If you’ve ever felt uncomfortable talking about money, struggled to raise your design fees, or worried that niching down will limit your opportunities, you are not alone.In this episode, I sit down with interior design business coach Donna Hoffman for a powerful, honest conversation about what it really takes to monetize creativity. We talk about sales strategy for creative brains, why marketing clarity matters more than talent, and how designers can confidently communicate their value without feeling salesy or inauthentic. Donna shares real-world examples from her own seven-figure luxury design firm and explains why selling design is just as important as designing itself.If your goal is to run your design business like a confident CEO while still honoring your creative sensitivity, this conversation will help you take that next step.Featured Guest:Donna Hoffman is a seasoned interior design business coach and the founder of a seven-figure luxury interior design firm launched during the 2008 Great Recession. Known as the “master of words,” Donna specializes in branding, sales strategy, marketing strategy, and mindset support for creative entrepreneurs. Her work helps designers clarify their niche, confidently communicate value, and build profitable, resilient businesses that honor both creativity and well-being.What You’ll Learn in This Episode✳️ Why interior designers don’t design for a living✳️ How to niche your interior design business without closing yourself off to opportunities✳️ The difference between being a generalist and having a compelling point of difference✳️ How to use a pitch deck to educate clients and increase project scope naturally✳️ Why creative sensitivity affects pricing confidence and sales conversations✳️ How to raise your design fees strategically without sabotaging your mindset✳️ The importance of selling furnishings and products as part of a profitable design businessRead the Blog >>> How Designers Build Profitable Design BusinessesNEXT STEPS:🎯 Join the My Design Mentor to kickstart a successful career in interior design!Check out our Designer's Playlist!*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey *️ From Newbie to Confident Designer *️ Switching Gears to Interior Design Grab your freebies:📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my CareerConnect With Me:📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign 🌎 Website at rwarddesign.comThanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...Timestamps0:00 – Introduction and Guest Bio3:55 – Donna’s Story: Launching a Design Business During the 2008 Recession5:51 – How Sales and Marketing Experience Shaped Donna’s Early Success7:21 – Why Investing in Business Coaching Matters9:06 – The Truth About Sales, Niching, and Being a Design CEO14:24 – How to Sell Your Design Service15:56 – What a Pitch Deck Is and When to Use It21:05 – Selling Design Fees and Furnishings With Confidence26:54 – The Creative Brain, Sensitivity, and Mindset Support30:54 – Donna's Coaching Program