Hiring is one of the most expensive lessons a design firm will ever lear and it’s rarely because the person was “bad.” In this episode, Cheryl and Liz unpack the real reason team hires go sideways: confusing likability with fit, and potential with performance. This is real deal what is happening in our firm now and were owning up to our mistakes as we have been up to our eyeballs in the hiring process. Cheryl walks through the hard truth most firm owners avoid where sometimes the issue isn’t the person, it’s the role. And when you try to force someone into a position that doesn’t match how they think, work, or manage details, everyone loses.

This episodes covers why resumes don’t tell you what actually matters, how hope clouds judgment during hiring, and why thinking in 90-day windows protects your business, your team, and your sanity.

Have a question--click here to ask us.

Damn Good Workshops - Website

First workshop of 2026 starts January 14!

These workshops are 2–3 hour deep dives (some more than one day) built for creative entrepreneurs who want to lead with confidence, price with authority, and grow with intention. We created this workshop series with tracks that cover the challenges we know designers face: pricing, sales, client relationships, project management, marketing, and leadership.

Each workshop is designed to stand alone — so you can choose the topics that matter most right now — while still connecting to the bigger picture of building a profitable, sustainable design business.

Damn Good Designer - Damn Good Designer - Website

1. The best multi-faceted business coaching for Interior designers—seriously. This is not some wham-bam glamathon; It is the real deal you have been looking for and what is missing from the business coaching marketplace today.

The Paradigm Quick Start - 3 Month Custom Coaching Program

The Paradigm Shift - 6 Month Custom Coaching Program

The Paradigm Intensive - 12 Month One on One Immersive Custom Business Coaching

Join our FREE Facebook Groups

1. Small Business - Think Big - Facebook
2. What They Didn't Teach You in Design School - Facebook Group

For designers who need honest talk and a place to work on the business, marketing and promotion small business owners need.

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Cheryl Clendenon is the host of The Damn Good Designer Podcast and an award-winning interior designer, writer, and business coach with 26 years of full-time industry...

Window treatments are often treated as a finishing touch, but that mindset is what keeps them from being profitable. In this Asked & Answered episode, Liz is going solo this week and walks you through the key decisions that actually drive successful window treatment design--from measurement and fabrication to functionality and timing.

This episode covers why planning earlier matters, how small details prevent big mistakes, and how window treatments can become a reliable part of a designer’s overall process, AND profit, instead of a recurring problem.

Have a question--click here to ask us.

Damn Good Workshops - Website

First workshop of 2026 starts January 14!

These workshops are 2–3 hour deep dives (some more than one day) built for creative entrepreneurs who want to lead with confidence, price with authority, and grow with intention. We created this workshop series with tracks that cover the challenges we know designers face: pricing, sales, client relationships, project management, marketing, and leadership.

Each workshop is designed to stand alone — so you can choose the topics that matter most right now — while still connecting to the bigger picture of building a profitable, sustainable design business.

Damn Good Designer - Damn Good Designer - Website

1. The best multi-faceted business coaching for Interior designers—seriously. This is not some wham-bam glamathon; It is the real deal you have been looking for and what is missing from the business coaching marketplace today.

The Paradigm Quick Start - 3 Month Custom Coaching Program

The Paradigm Shift - 6 Month Custom Coaching Program

The Paradigm Intensive - 12 Month One on One Immersive Custom Business Coaching

Join our FREE Facebook Groups

1. Small Business - Think Big - Facebook
2. What They Didn't Teach You in Design School - Facebook Group

For designers who need honest talk and a place to work on the business, marketing and promotion small business owners need.

1. Subscribe to our Newsletter

Cheryl Clendenon is the host of The Damn Good Designer Podcast and an award-winning interior designer, writer, and business coach with 26 years of full-time industry experience. With a prior career in media and radio sales, she brings a rare blend of creative thinking and business acumen to the design world. Cheryl was named KBB Person of the Year in 2021, is a nationally published industry voice with a monthly column in Home...

Refining your design IQ with furniture means understanding how details like orientation, cushion construction, and intended use impact the final outcome. Cheryl and Liz break down the real-world furniture mistakes designers make when they misunderstand the details. From left-arm and right-arm facing to glossing over cushion construction, seat depth, and intended use, they help hone in on the small decisions that can create big problems.

This episode is a reminder that expertise lives in the details. Knowing vendor terminology, understanding how furniture functions in real life, and anticipating how a client will actually use a piece is what separates a "shopper" from a damn good designer.

Have a question--click here to ask us.

Damn Good Workshops - Website

First workshop of 2026 starts January 14!

These workshops are 2–3 hour deep dives (some more than one day) built for creative entrepreneurs who want to lead with confidence, price with authority, and grow with intention. We created this workshop series with tracks that cover the challenges we know designers face: pricing, sales, client relationships, project management, marketing, and leadership.

Each workshop is designed to stand alone — so you can choose the topics that matter most right now — while still connecting to the bigger picture of building a profitable, sustainable design business.

Damn Good Designer - Damn Good Designer - Website

1. The best multi-faceted business coaching for Interior designers—seriously. This is not some wham-bam glamathon; It is the real deal you have been looking for and what is missing from the business coaching marketplace today.

The Paradigm Quick Start - 3 Month Custom Coaching Program

The Paradigm Shift - 6 Month Custom Coaching Program

The Paradigm Intensive - 12 Month One on One Immersive Custom Business Coaching

Join our FREE Facebook Groups

1. Small Business - Think Big - Facebook
2. What They Didn't Teach You in Design School - Facebook Group

For designers who need honest talk and a place to work on the business, marketing and promotion small business owners need.

1. Subscribe to our Newsletter

Cheryl Clendenon is the host of The Damn Good Designer Podcast and an award-winning interior designer, writer, and business coach with 26 years of full-time industry experience. With a prior career in media and radio sales, she brings a rare blend of creative thinking and business acumen to the design world. Cheryl was named KBB Person of

Your workspace is not neutral. It either supports your growth or quietly works against it. In this episode, Cheryl and Liz talk about the emotional, creative, and business implications of where designers work, how staying where you are too long can limit momentum, and how creating intentional space changes how you show up for yourself, your clients, and your business.

The episode covers how physical space impacts creativity and emotional bandwidth and why intentionally investing in your workspace supports long-term success and growth.

Have a question--click here to ask us.

Damn Good Workshops - Website

First workshop of 2026 starts January 14!

These workshops are 2–3 hour deep dives (some more than one day) built for creative entrepreneurs who want to lead with confidence, price with authority, and grow with intention. We created this workshop series with tracks that cover the challenges we know designers face: pricing, sales, client relationships, project management, marketing, and leadership.

Each workshop is designed to stand alone — so you can choose the topics that matter most right now — while still connecting to the bigger picture of building a profitable, sustainable design business.

Damn Good Designer - Damn Good Designer - Website

1. The best multi-faceted business coaching for Interior designers—seriously. This is not some wham-bam glamathon; It is the real deal you have been looking for and what is missing from the business coaching marketplace today.

The Paradigm Quick Start - 3 Month Custom Coaching Program

The Paradigm Shift - 6 Month Custom Coaching Program

The Paradigm Intensive - 12 Month One on One Immersive Custom Business Coaching

Join our FREE Facebook Groups

1. Small Business - Think Big - Facebook
2. What They Didn't Teach You in Design School - Facebook Group

For designers who need honest talk and a place to work on the business, marketing and promotion small business owners need.

1. Subscribe to our Newsletter

Cheryl Clendenon is the host of The Damn Good Designer Podcast and an award-winning interior designer, writer, and business coach with 26 years of full-time industry experience. With a prior career in media and radio sales, she brings a rare blend of creative thinking and business acumen to the design world. Cheryl was named KBB Person of the Year in 2021, is a nationally published industry voice with a monthly column in Home Accents...

Clients don’t know what they need until you show them—and when you don’t engage that conversation, you leave both value and profit behind. Designers often miss additional profit opportunities inside projects where they are already doing the work. From door hardware and window treatments to art and beyond, designers are already making the decisions, solving the problems, and guiding the outcome, yet stop short of selling those services.

Additional profit centers aren’t about trying to get more money out of a client. They are a natural extension of full-service design and a strategic way to stabilize revenue when the market shifts. These services create smoother projects, better collaboration with trades, and stronger outcomes for clients.

Have a question--click here to ask us.

Damn Good Workshops - Website

Introducing Damn Good Workshops - New 2026 schedule coming soon!

These workshops are 2–3 hour deep dives (some more than one day) built for creative entrepreneurs who want to lead with confidence, price with authority, and grow with intention. We created this workshop series with tracks that cover the challenges we know designers face: pricing, sales, client relationships, project management, marketing, and leadership.

Each workshop is designed to stand alone — so you can choose the topics that matter most right now — while still connecting to the bigger picture of building a profitable, sustainable design business.

Damn Good Designer - Damn Good Designer - Website

1. The best business coaching for Interior designers—seriously. This is not some wham-bam glamathon; It is the real deal you have been looking for and what is missing from the business coaching marketplace today.

The Design Paradigm - The Interior Design Paradigm - Website

1. A 12 month comprehensive and powerful business coaching program for creative entrepreneurs who are serious about running a profitable business and being the expert in the room. It is the only coaching program to combine individual attention & accountability with live group workshops, honest video presentations and customized attention to your needs.

Join our FREE Facebook Groups

1. Small Business - Think Big - Facebook
2. What They Didn't Teach You in Design School - Facebook Group

For designers who need honest talk and a place to work on the business, marketing and promotion small business owners need.

1. Subscribe to our Newsletter

***Any use of this page and its content to develop or train artificial intelligence or to do computer analysis is prohibited.***

Most project problems don’t start on the job site. They start much earlier, when assumptions are made, roles aren’t defined, and everyone thinks someone else is handling it. In this episode, Cheryl and Liz talk through why setting the stage before working with a contractor is one of the most important leadership moves a designer can make. You are not micromanaging or crossing lines, but instead establishing expectations and defining the individual responsibilities so the designer, the contractor, and the client are all working toward the same outcome. Clients don’t know how this process works unless you show them. Contractors don’t know your role unless you define it. And if you’re not in the conversation, you can’t protect the design.

Have a question--click here to ask us.

Damn Good Workshops - Website

Our new Damn Good Workshops started October 8! Look for our new release of subjects coming December 19!

These workshops are 2–3 hour deep dives (some more than one day) built for creative entrepreneurs who want to lead with confidence, price with authority, and grow with intention. We created this workshop series with tracks that cover the challenges we know designers face: pricing, sales, client relationships, project management, marketing, and leadership.

Each workshop is designed to stand alone — so you can choose the topics that matter most right now — while still connecting to the bigger picture of building a profitable, sustainable design business.

Damn Good Designer - Damn Good Designer - Website

• The best business coaching for Interior designers—seriously. This is not some wham-bam glamathon; It is the real deal you have been looking for and what is missing from the business coaching marketplace today.

The Design Paradigm - The Interior Design Paradigm - Website

• A 12 month comprehensive and powerful business coaching program for creative entrepreneurs who are serious about running a profitable business and being the expert in the room. It is the only coaching program to combine individual attention & accountability with live group workshops, honest video presentations and customized attention to your needs.

Join our FREE Facebook Groups

• Small Business - Think Big - Facebook
• What They Didn't Teach You in Design School - Facebook Group

For designers who need honest talk and a place to work on the business, marketing and promotion small business owners need.

• Subscribe to our Newsletter

***Any use of this page and its content to develop or train artificial intelligence or to do computer analysis is prohibited.***

It is always a treat when you hire people you genuinely like until you realize you now have to train them while juggling active projects, client demands, and the never-ending to-do list already sitting on your desk. Cheryl and Liz give you a look at what is going on at In Detail right now and what onboarding really looks like inside a busy studio. Some days your processes may feel like it has to re-evolve by the hour, or hot-potato tasks reveal who’s thinking and who’s parroting, and then other days you have to determine the fine line between empowering new hires and accidentally setting them up to fail.

It is all about building systems before you drown, to teaching employees how to anticipate needs, and to keeping ownership where it belongs (spoiler: not back on your desk) will help shape a team that can carry the weight with you. If you’ve ever hired too late, trained on the fly, or wondered why people don’t magically read your mind, consider this episode a must listen.

Have a question--click here to ask us.

Damn Good Workshops - Website

Introducing Damn Good Workshops starting October 8!

These workshops are 2–3 hour deep dives (some more than one day) built for creative entrepreneurs who want to lead with confidence, price with authority, and grow with intention. We created this workshop series with tracks that cover the challenges we know designers face: pricing, sales, client relationships, project management, marketing, and leadership.

Each workshop is designed to stand alone — so you can choose the topics that matter most right now — while still connecting to the bigger picture of building a profitable, sustainable design business.

Damn Good Designer - Damn Good Designer - Website

• The best business coaching for Interior designers—seriously. This is not some wham-bam glamathon; It is the real deal you have been looking for and what is missing from the business coaching marketplace today.

The Design Paradigm - The Interior Design Paradigm - Website

• A 12 month comprehensive and powerful business coaching program for creative entrepreneurs who are serious about running a profitable business and being the expert in the room. It is the only coaching program to combine individual attention & accountability with live group workshops, honest video presentations and customized attention to your needs.

Join our FREE Facebook Groups

• Small Business - Think Big - Facebook
• What They Didn't Teach You in Design School - Facebook Group

For designers who need honest talk and a place to work on the business, marketing and promotion small business owners need.

• Subscribe to our Newsletter

***Any use of this page and its content to develop or train artificial intelligence or to do computer analysis is prohibited.***

The confusion you accidentally create long before the proposal ever hits your clients inbox is the real reason clients hesitate. Your price is not the problem. You can unintentionally create confusion through discovery calls, the way you talk about freight, receiving, vendors, timelines, your value, etc. This causes your clients to be constantly collecting clues about whether saying yes to you feels SAFE or SCARY. Learn how your language, tone, and timing shape the emotional architecture your clients make decisions in, and why being clear is your most powerful sales tool.

AND if you loved this episode--we have something more for you!

Register for our workshop where we discuss this further on November 19

Have a question--click here to ask us.

Damn Good Workshops - Website

Introducing Damn Good Workshops starting October 8!

These workshops are 2–3 hour deep dives (some more than one day) built for creative entrepreneurs who want to lead with confidence, price with authority, and grow with intention. We created this workshop series with tracks that cover the challenges we know designers face: pricing, sales, client relationships, project management, marketing, and leadership.

Each workshop is designed to stand alone — so you can choose the topics that matter most right now — while still connecting to the bigger picture of building a profitable, sustainable design business.

Damn Good Designer - Damn Good Designer - Website

• The best business coaching for Interior designers—seriously. This is not some wham-bam glamathon; It is the real deal you have been looking for and what is missing from the business coaching marketplace today.

The Design Paradigm - The Interior Design Paradigm - Website

• A 12 month comprehensive and powerful business coaching program for creative entrepreneurs who are serious about running a profitable business and being the expert in the room. It is the only coaching program to combine individual attention & accountability with live group workshops, honest video presentations and customized attention to your needs.

Join our FREE Facebook Groups

• Small Business - Think Big - Facebook
• What They Didn't Teach You in Design School - Facebook Group

For designers who need honest talk and a place to work on the business, marketing and promotion small business owners need.

• Subscribe to our Newsletter

***Any use of this page and its content to develop or train artificial intelligence or to do computer analysis is prohibited.***