Have you ever had a client hit you with, “You get that for how much?” If so, you’re not alone — and today we’re talking about one of the most common (and most avoidable) pricing mistakes in interior design: oversharing your trade pricing.

In this episode, I break down why being too open about your pricing creates confusion, resentment, and profit erosion — and how you can confidently communicate your value without overexplaining or apologizing for making a profit.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• Why oversharing trade pricing puts you in a weaker position

• The difference between trade pricing and a discount (and why it matters)

• How to talk about pricing confidently without overexplaining

• Why your clients are paying for your expertise, not your shopping skills

• The mindset shift that will help you own your margins without guilt

• How to handle it if you’ve already shared too much about your pricing

• Why transparency doesn’t mean exposure — and how to draw the line

If this episode hits home, take it as your invitation to start owning your pricing like the CEO you are. You are allowed to make a profit. You are allowed to set margins that support your business. And you can do it with clarity, confidence, and professionalism. Want help making it happen? Inside the Interior Design Business Bakery, we’ll teach you exactly how to price, structure, and communicate your offers so you can stop fumbling and start thriving. Check it out at thedesignbakehouse.com. And if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with another designer who could benefit, and don’t forget to rate and review — it helps more than you know.

Podcast Website and Resources:

Get more info about our year-long mentorship and coaching program: https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/business-bakery

Text BESTIE to 855-784-8299 for business tips, encouragement, and all our DFCM updates.

SIMPLIFY YOUR MARKETING, SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE. Sidemark is an all-new, all-in-one software that organizes sales, marketing, and business services all in one convenient location. Join mysidemark.com to help grow your interior design business.

Stay in touch with Michelle

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designedforthecreativemind/

Join our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/idbizlaunchpad

Get clarity on your next best step today! https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/reviewguide

Have ideas or suggestions or want to be considered as a guest on the show? Contact me! https://www.DesignedForTheCreativeMind.com/contact

A Podcast Launch Bestie production

Ever feel like you’re wearing all the hats in your interior design business and still answering client texts at 8 PM about grout colors? You might be stuck in what I call DIY Designer Syndrome: a mix of perfectionism, people-pleasing, and a dash of martyrdom that has you doing everything yourself.

In this episode, I’m sharing how this mindset hurts your business (and your life), why “being busy” is not a badge of honor, and how to start building healthier boundaries and systems that actually support your creativity and profitability.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• Why trying to “do it all” is rooted in fear and control, not smart business

• How being constantly available creates unrealistic expectations with clients

• Simple boundary-setting phrases you can use today

• What to automate, delegate, and systematize so you can focus on what matters

• Why boundaries are a sign of professionalism — not punishment

• The truth about hustle culture and why it leads to burnout, not success

• How to shift from being a bottleneck to being the CEO of your business

If today’s episode hits home, take it as your permission slip to make a change. You didn’t start your own business to be everyone’s assistant or to burn yourself out recreating corporate hustle in a prettier office. You started it for freedom, creativity, and fulfillment. And you deserve to build a business that honors that vision.

If you want support setting boundaries, building systems, and creating a business that works for you, check out the Interior Design Business Bakery -the link is in the show notes. And as always, if you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate, and review the podcast to help spread the word to more designers. Thanks for listening, I’ll catch you next time.

Get more info about our year-long mentorship and coaching program: https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/business-bakery

Text BESTIE to 855-784-8299 for business tips, encouragement, and all our DFCM updates.

SIMPLIFY YOUR MARKETING, SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE. Sidemark is an all-new, all-in-one software that organizes sales, marketing, and business services all in one convenient location. Join mysidemark.com to help grow your interior design business.

Stay in touch with Michelle

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designedforthecreativemind/

Join our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/idbizlaunchpad

Get clarity on your next best step today! https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/reviewguide

Have ideas or suggestions or want to be considered as a guest on the show? Contact me! https://www.DesignedForTheCreativeMind.com/contact

A Podcast Launch Bestie production

Hey friend, welcome back to Design for the Creative Mind! I'm so glad you're here. If you’re new around here, this season is all about Rookie Mistakes & Real Talk—a behind-the-scenes look at the most common missteps interior designers make in business (and how to bounce back when you make one).

In today’s episode, I’m sharing a hard lesson I learned the painful way—what happens when you don’t have a strong contract… or worse, when you do and you don’t enforce it.

If you’ve ever had a client overstep, ask for something totally out of scope, or shop your selections online… this one’s for you. I’ve been there (like, deeply), and I want to help you avoid the stress, the loss, and the awkward convos I had to navigate back when I didn’t know better.

What I cover in this episode:

• The (cringey but honest) story of how I lost thousands early in my career

• Why a one-page contract does not make you client-friendly—it makes you vulnerable

• Common red flags to watch for, like the “just one more thing” request or the feedback that takes forever

• Exact phrases you can use to set boundaries with clients who are overstepping

• What to do when your contract doesn’t cover something

• How I present contracts now to prevent miscommunication and build trust

• The recent updates I made to my own contract after a few client hiccups

I know contracts aren’t the sexiest part of our business—but they are absolutely essential. They’re not just paperwork—they’re your business armor. And when you know how to use them confidently, you lead your business instead of reacting to chaos.

So grab your coffee, take a deep breath, and let’s talk about the contract catastrophe that changed everything for me—and how you can avoid it.

Podcast Website and Resources:

Get more info about our year-long mentorship and coaching program: https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/business-bakery

Text BESTIE to 855-784-8299 for business tips, encouragement, and all our DFCM updates.

SIMPLIFY YOUR MARKETING, SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE. Sidemark is an all-new, all-in-one software that organizes sales, marketing, and business services all in one convenient location. Join mysidemark.com to help grow your interior design business.

Stay in touch with Michelle

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designedforthecreativemind/

Join our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/idbizlaunchpad

Get clarity on your next best step today! https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/reviewguide

Have ideas or suggestions or want to be considered as a guest on the show? Contact me! https://www.DesignedForTheCreativeMind.com/contact

A Podcast Launch Bestie production

Today’s episode is one that’s coming straight from the heart (and maybe a little from the edge of a breakdown). We’re talking burnout—not the cute kind that gets fixed with a latte and a nap, but the crispy, crunchy, why-did-I-say-yes-to-this kind of burnout that so many interior designers are quietly dealing with.

I'm calling it Burnout Bake Out—yes, it’s on brand with our new Bake House theme, but also because when you’re fried and flaking apart at the seams, it’s not just burnout, babe. That’s what happens when the oven’s been on too long and no one remembered to set a timer.

In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on what burnout really looks like for us as designers—taking on too much, ghosting ourselves, and losing sight of why we started our businesses in the first place. If you've ever fantasized about quitting and moving to a goat farm (yes, I’ve been there), this one’s for you.

What we cover in this episode:

• The rookie mistake most designers make that leads straight to burnout

• Why saying yes to every project is not a badge of honor

• The difference between being busy and being profitable (they are not the same)

• How I ended up juggling six full-home projects and almost lost my mind

• The exact script you can use when you need to reset expectations with a client

• Why clients aren’t hiring you to be perfect—they’re hiring you to lead

• How to bake in rest, white space, and recovery time into your business

• Practical ways to protect your energy and say “hell yes” only to the right projects

Let’s be real for a second...

Burnout is not your business model. Working yourself into the ground isn't a sign of success—it’s a sign that your systems, pricing, or boundaries need some love. And I want you to know: you’re allowed to rest. Renegotiating timelines doesn’t make you flaky—it makes you a pro.

If this episode hit home, send it to a fellow designer who’s just one “sure, I can do that” away from burnout. Let’s normalize the hard conversations, the boundaries, and the brave decision to pause when needed.

And if you’re ready for more support, tools, and some breathing room in your design business, come hang out with us over at thedesignbakehouse.com. There’s something waiting for you there.

Until next time, Protect your energy. Trust your gut. And remember—you’re baked for this.

Podcast Website and Resources:

Get more info about our year-long mentorship and coaching program: https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/business-bakery

Text BESTIE to 855-784-8299 for business tips, encouragement, and all our DFCM updates.

SIMPLIFY YOUR MARKETING, SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE. Sidemark is an all-new, all-in-one software that organizes sales, marketing, and business services all in one convenient location. Join mysidemark.com to help grow your interior design business.

Stay in touch with Michelle

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designedforthecreativemind/

Join our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/idbizlaunchpad

Get clarity on your next best step today! https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/reviewguide

Have ideas or suggestions or want to be considered as a guest on the show? Contact me! https://www.DesignedForTheCreativeMind.com/contact

A Podcast Launch Bestie production

Hey there, welcome back to Designed for the Creative Mind! Today we’re diving into a topic that hits way too close to home for so many designers — the dreaded “time trap”. Yep, I’m talking about hourly billing and the never-ending stress of tracking every bathroom break like you're auditioning for TaskRabbit.

If you've ever stayed up late trying to remember how long that third round of tile edits took… this episode is for you.

• Why charging by the hour feels “responsible” but wrecks your profits (and sanity)

• How hourly pricing turns you into a technician instead of a trusted expert

• Why your efficiency should be rewarded, not penalized

• How to handle clients who want a minute-by-minute breakdown

• A real-life example of switching to a flat fee (and how it changed everything)

• How value-based pricing builds trust, boundaries, and breathing room for creativity

I’m walking you through my own journey of breaking free from hourly billing — the mistakes I made, the lessons I learned, and how I now coach other designers (like my client “Jess”) to make this shift with confidence.

Clients are paying for your genius, not your time. It’s time to stop selling hours and start selling transformation.

If you’re ready to ditch the time trap and step into your role as a creative professional (with pricing that reflects it), let’s chat. Book a call with me or my team and let’s get you out of hourly hell.

Remember — you're not alone. And you don’t have to stay stuck.

Until next time, keep rising — one decision at a time.

Podcast Website and Resources:

Get more info about our year-long mentorship and coaching program: https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/business-bakery

Text BESTIE to 855-784-8299 for business tips, encouragement, and all our DFCM updates.

SIMPLIFY YOUR MARKETING, SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE. Sidemark is an all-new, all-in-one software that organizes sales, marketing, and business services all in one convenient location. Join mysidemark.com to help grow your interior design business.

Stay in touch with Michelle

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designedforthecreativemind/

Join our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/idbizlaunchpad

Get clarity on your next best step today! https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/reviewguide

Have ideas or suggestions or want to be considered as a guest on the show? Contact me! https://www.DesignedForTheCreativeMind.com/contact

A Podcast Launch Bestie production

Hey y’all, welcome back to Design for the Creative Mind — the podcast where we dive into the business side of interior design with strategy, heart, and zero fluff. Today’s episode is a big one because I’m giving you a behind-the-scenes look at some major changes we’ve been cooking up.

I’m thrilled to share that my coaching platform has officially rebranded! While the podcast will keep its name (Design for the Creative Mind), everything else now lives under a new and very on-theme umbrella: The Design Bakehouse.

If you’ve been around for a while, you know that Design for the Creative Mind wasn’t just a podcast — it was also the name of my entire coaching business. But as things have grown and evolved (just like your design business!), it became clear that we’d outgrown that structure. Our community has expanded, our content has deepened, and we're now supporting designers at every stage — from launching to scaling past six figures.

It was time for a brand that reflected the power of this work.

Yes, I went all in on the baking theme — you know I love a good theme! The Design Bakehouse is now the home for all of our coaching programs, digital tools, and community. Think of it as a fully baked business ecosystem designed to help you rise.

Inside The Bakehouse, you’ll find:

• The Interior Design Business Bakery – our signature mentorship program

• Design From Scratch – for those starting fresh and ready to do it right

• The Key Ingredients – essential foundations for a thriving design business

• Our expanding product shop – with tools, digital resources, and freebies

And yes, everything got a major glow-up — the branding, the clarity, the delivery. It’s so pretty, y’all.

To celebrate the launch, I’ve put together a delicious freebie for you: The Sampler Box. It’s a curated preview of what The Bakehouse has to offer, and you can grab it at thedesignbakehouse.com.

A bakehouse isn’t just where bread is made. It’s where craftsmanship meets mastery, where recipes are refined, and where the best in the business perfect their skills. That’s exactly the kind of environment we’re creating — but instead of flour and sugar, we’re working with strategy, sales, and systems to help interior designers build profitable, sustainable, and fulfilling businesses.

So my question for you is: Are you ready to rise?

Whether you’re brand new or fully booked, if you’re craving structure, support, and a plan that actually works, The Bakehouse was baked just for you.

Design for the Creative Mind — the podcast — will stay right here, continuing to bring you honest conversations about the business of interior design every single week. But now, it’s cozily nestled inside The Design Bakehouse.

Thanks for being here. I built this for designers just like you, and I cannot wait to see what we create together inside The Bakehouse.

Until next time, keep rising.

Podcast Website and Resources:

Get more info about our year-long mentorship and coaching program: https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/business-bakery

Text BESTIE to 855-784-8299 for business tips, encouragement, and all our DFCM updates.

SIMPLIFY YOUR MARKETING, SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE. Sidemark is an all-new, all-in-one software that organizes sales, marketing, and business services all in one convenient location. Join mysidemark.com to help grow your interior design business.

Stay in touch with Michelle

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designedforthecreativemind/

Join our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/idbizlaunchpad

Get clarity on your next best step today! https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/reviewguide

Have ideas or suggestions or want to be considered as a guest on the show? Contact me! https://www.DesignedForTheCreativeMind.com/contact

A Podcast Launch Bestie production

Hey, hey, hey – welcome back to Design for the Creative Mind! This season, we’re talking all about rookie mistakes and real talk – the stuff that’s keeping so many talented designers stuck. And today? We’re hitting a big one: shopping retail.

Yep. I’m talking about that habit of ordering from Pottery Barn, HomeGoods, or West Elm, skipping your trade vendors, and sending clients links instead of curated presentations. Sound familiar?

I get it. I’ve been there myself—and I’ve coached hundreds of designers who’ve struggled with the same thing. Whether it’s the fear of clients balking at markups, the desire to be “helpful,” or the looming fear of liability… retail feels like the easy button.

But babe—it’s not. It’s costing you big time.

• Why retail shopping chips away at your profits, your positioning, and your authority

• How sending links is training your clients to bypass you

• Why markup is NOT a dirty word (and how to confidently talk about profit)

• Real talk from a designer named Lindsay who learned this the hard way

• The difference between being a personal shopper vs. a professional designer

• How to shift your business model so sourcing becomes a strength—not a stressor

• The mindset shift that leads to a more profitable, scalable, and luxury-level business

Here’s the truth: when you rely on retail, you lose control—of the quality, of the client experience, and of your income. Your design becomes replicable. Your service looks DIY. And your value? Flattened.

But when you embrace trade sourcing, you gain back authority, margin, and process. And yes, you can absolutely educate your clients about it without apologizing.

So ask yourself: where are you defaulting to retail out of fear or convenience? And what would shift—financially, creatively, emotionally—if you trusted yourself to lead like a CEO?

You’re not selling stuff. You’re selling an experience. A transformation. A feeling when someone walks into a room and says “Wow.” And that? That’s worth protecting.

Podcast Website and Resources:

Get more info about our year-long mentorship and coaching program: https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/business-bakery

Text BESTIE to 855-784-8299 for business tips, encouragement, and all our DFCM updates.

SIMPLIFY YOUR MARKETING, SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE. Sidemark is an all-new, all-in-one software that organizes sales, marketing, and business services all in one convenient location. Join mysidemark.com to help grow your interior design business.

Stay in touch with Michelle

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designedforthecreativemind/

Join our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/idbizlaunchpad

Get clarity on your next best step today! https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/reviewguide

Have ideas or suggestions or want to be considered as a guest on the show? Contact me! https://www.DesignedForTheCreativeMind.com/contact

A Podcast Launch Bestie production

Sure! Here's a set of conversational, first-person podcast shownotes based on your transcript:

Hey, hey! Welcome back to The Designed for the Creative Mind podcast. I'm Michelle Lynne, and y’all are in for a treat today. I sat down with the incredibly talented Bekah Hernandez, the founder and principal of Rebekah Nicole Interiors here in the Dallas-Fort Worth area—and this conversation is such a gem, especially if you're in the early years of growing your interior design business.

Bekah launched her firm in the middle of the 2020 pandemic (yes, that 2020!) and has grown it into a soulful, elevated brand known for furnishings and cosmetic updates—no major renos here. She’s built her business around what brings her joy, and she’s proof that you can do design your way and still build something thriving and profitable.

What we cover in this episode:

• How Bekah went from studying in Australia to building her dream design firm in Texas

• Why she chose to specialize in furnishings and styling (and how it's brought her the most joy)

• The difference between cosmetic updates vs. full-scale renovations—and how she's made it work

• How she built a business model around a la carte and virtual services to stay profitable year-round

• Her approach to building a lean, supportive team (hint: she found some folks from this very podcast!)

• Tips for using smaller projects as both “paid marketing” and portfolio builders

• How she trusts her intuition to make smart business decisions

Bekah is living proof that you can build a design business on your own terms. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to pivot into a more joy-filled business model, I know you're going to take away so many gems from this one.

Podcast Website and Resources:

Get more info about our year-long mentorship and coaching program: https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/business-bakery

Text BESTIE to 855-784-8299 for business tips, encouragement, and all our DFCM updates.

SIMPLIFY YOUR MARKETING, SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE. Sidemark is an all-new, all-in-one software that organizes sales, marketing, and business services all in one convenient location. Join mysidemark.com to help grow your interior design business.

Stay in touch with Michelle

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designedforthecreativemind/

Join our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/idbizlaunchpad

Get clarity on your next best step today! https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/reviewguide

Have ideas or suggestions or want to be considered as a guest on the show? Contact me! https://www.DesignedForTheCreativeMind.com/contact

A Podcast Launch Bestie production