3 Interior Design Business Tips That Transformed My Work (and My Sanity)

Interior design business tips for struggling interior designers from Lesley Myrick

When it comes to running a successful interior design firm, a few small things can make all the difference. These are the interior design business tips that helped me become more profitable, serve my clients better, and finally ditch the burnout.

If you’re a designer who feels overworked, overwhelmed, or underpaid, I want to let you in on the three shifts that transformed my business (and life!) for the better.

(Prefer to watch instead of read? Check out the video of this blog post here.)

Colorful home office designed by Lesley Myrick

Interior Design Business Tip #1: Implementing ‘Profit First’

In 2017, I made a huge financial mistake – I overspent and didn’t have enough cash to pay a vendor. That embarrassing, gut-punch moment forced me to rethink everything I thought I knew about managing money as a creative business owner.

Enter: Profit First.

I implemented the Profit First method on my own, and it completely changed how I run my finances. I now keep client COGS (cost of goods sold) funds separate from my operating budget, I pay myself consistently, and I have a financial cushion built into my business (because sometimes, sh*t happens!). It’s not just about making more money – it’s about having clarity and confidence with where every dollar is going.

We now teach this system inside the Profit Insiders Academy, a coaching program I’m part of that supports interior designers in building financially healthy, sustainable businesses.

Desk setup with planner and laptop for interior design business planning and writing weekly email updates to clients.

Interior Design Business Tip #2: Sending Weekly Client Updates

In 2021, I learned a simple strategy from a business coach that’s become one of the best things I’ve ever done for my client experience: weekly email updates.

Every Friday, my clients get a short, bullet-point update through their personalized client dashboard that includes:

  • What we accomplished this week
  • What’s coming up next week
  • Upcoming meetings or deadlines
  • An update on project hours
  • A link to book a call with me if there’s anything they need to discuss

This quick, proactive communication has made a big difference. Clients feel informed and confident throughout the process, and they ask fewer questions because they already know what’s happening. One of my clients, a CEO of a commercial construction company, found it so valuable that she invited me to speak to her team about using this format in their own client communications.

It’s a small system with a big impact.

Bold and beautiful interior design emphasizing fabulous, not perfect philosophy

Interior Design Business Tip #3: Choosing “Fabulous, Not Perfect”

This one’s a mindset shift – and it’s been key to keeping my business (and brain) running smoothly.

Back in 2017, when I first hired business coach Nancy Quinn (formerly Nancy Ganzekaufer), she shared a piece of advice I’ve never forgotten: “Your job is to create a fabulous room – not a perfect one.” I wrote it on a post-it and stuck it on my office wall, and still have it tacked up 8 years later.

As designers, we’re often people-pleasers. We feel obligated to exhaust every option to find the perfect piece. But that pressure is exhausting, time-consuming, and unrealistic.

This phrase gave me permission to let go of perfection. My job isn’t to chase an unattainable ideal – it’s to design spaces that are bold, beautiful, and functional. Fabulous is the goal. Always.

Now, I teach this same approach to other designers with Nancy in the Profit Insiders Academy, because it’s not just about great design – it’s about protecting your time, energy, and creative drive.

Learn about financial planning for interior designers using the Profit First method

If you’re a designer who’s feeling stretched thin or wondering how to make this business actually work for you, you’re not alone. These three interior design business tips – financial structure, proactive communication, and a mindset rooted in reality – were major turning points for me.

They helped me grow a business I’m proud of. And I hope they’ll inspire the same for you.

About Lesley Myrick

Interior designer Lesley Myrick brings bold style to a bright, modern kitchen in Macon, Georgia. With crisp white cabinetry, striking geometric pendant lights, and a statement blue backsplash, this space blends classic charm with fresh, playful energy—just like her signature design approach.

Lesley Myrick is an adventurous, intuitive, and exceptionally organized interior designer specializing in designing distinct “forever homes”. She works with high-achieving professionals to create playful, personality-driven and family-friendly spaces that are as functional as they are unique.

At Lesley Myrick Interior Design, we make the typically confusing design process seamless. Our high-touch, deeply engaged design process means that we accept just 6 large-scale remodeling projects per year. 

Learn more about our full-service interior design and inquire here to start your design project.