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In this episode of The Business of Beautiful Spaces, I’m joined by hiring strategist Jamie Van Cuyk, founder of Growing Your Team. Jamie shares her expertise on how interior designers can confidently hire their first (or next) team member, avoid costly mistakes, and build a supportive, productive team that fuels business growth. From crafting the right job posting to onboarding effectively, she offers practical tips for hiring with intention and creating a team culture that reflects your values.

Whether you’re overwhelmed and need help, or you're ready to expand your business, Jamie’s advice will help you make smarter hiring decisions and delegate without fear. If you've been holding off on growing your team, this conversation is the encouragement and roadmap you’ve been waiting for.

Be sure to follow along on Instagram @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces + @thorntondesign to stay up to date on what we're talking about next week. If you love our podcast, please, please, please leave us a review. If you have any questions or topic ideas OR you wish to be a guest email us thebusinessofbeautifulspaces@gmail.com or find us on instagram @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces

Laura Thornton is the principle designer of Thornton Design Inc, located in Kleinburg, ON. Since founding the company in 1999, Laura has been committed to creating a new kind of interior design experience for her clients. Thornton Design is an experienced team of creative talents, focused on curating beautiful residential and commercial spaces in the Toronto, Ontario area and beyond. Now sharing all the years of experience with other interior designers to create a world of collaboration and less competition.

The Business of Beautiful Spaces I @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces
Thornton Design I @thorntondesign

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In this episode of The Business of Beautiful Spaces, we’re uncovering the often-overlooked details that can make or break your bottom line as an interior designer. From light bulb installation to crown moldings, cleaning services to designer switches — these seemingly “small” extras can add up to significant lost revenue if you’re not pricing them properly.

Laura walks you through a checklist of commonly forgotten line items that not only increase your profits but also enhance your client experience. By quoting smarter and more thoroughly, you’ll build a reputation for excellence while running a more financially sustainable design business.

Whether you’re a seasoned designer or just starting out, this episode will help you see quoting through a more profitable lens.

Be sure to follow along on Instagram @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces + @thorntondesign to stay up to date on what we're talking about next week. If you love our podcast, please, please, please leave us a review. If you have any questions or topic ideas OR you wish to be a guest email us thebusinessofbeautifulspaces@gmail.com or find us on instagram @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces

Laura Thornton is the principle designer of Thornton Design Inc, located in Kleinburg, ON. Since founding the company in 1999, Laura has been committed to creating a new kind of interior design experience for her clients. Thornton Design is an experienced team of creative talents, focused on curating beautiful residential and commercial spaces in the Toronto, Ontario area and beyond. Now sharing all the years of experience with other interior designers to create a world of collaboration and less competition.

The Business of Beautiful Spaces I @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces
Thornton Design I @thorntondesign

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In this episode of The Business of Beautiful Spaces, I’m joined by Nicole Fisher, principal of BNR Interiors, a New York-based luxury residential design firm known for its layered, editorial approach to interiors. Nicole shares her fascinating journey from working on fashion editorials and styling with Lady Gaga’s team to curating timeless, soulful interiors filled with vintage treasures and bespoke pieces. Her eye for detail, honed through years in the fashion world, now shapes every space she designs—creating homes that feel as artful as they are livable.

We dive into what it really means to scale a creative business without sacrificing style, vision, or authenticity. Nicole opens up about the processes and strategies that have helped her grow BNR Interiors while staying true to her brand ethos. From building the right team to leveraging social media and sourcing globally for one-of-a-kind pieces, this conversation is packed with insight for any designer looking to grow intentionally and profitably.

Website: https://www.bnrinteriors.com/

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

Be sure to follow along on Instagram @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces + @thorntondesign to stay up to date on what we're talking about next week. If you love our podcast, please, please, please leave us a review. If you have any questions or topic ideas OR you wish to be a guest email us thebusinessofbeautifulspaces@gmail.com or find us on instagram @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces

Laura Thornton is the principle designer of Thornton Design Inc, located in Kleinburg, ON. Since founding the company in 1999, Laura has been committed to creating a new kind of interior design experience for her clients. Thornton Design is an experienced team of creative talents, focused on curating beautiful residential and commercial spaces in the Toronto, Ontario area and beyond. Now sharing all the years of experience with other interior designers to create a world of collaboration and less competition.

The Business of Beautiful Spaces I @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces
Thornton Design I @thorntondesign

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REPLAY:

Starting off a presentation on the right foot is key.

An interior design presentation package should be a visually engaging and comprehensive set of documents and visual aids that communicate the designer's ideas and concepts clearly and effectively to clients.
By incorporating a range of visual and interactive elements into their presentation package, interior designers can elevate their presentations and help clients better understand and appreciate their designs. The key is to use the elements that best suit the project and the client's needs, and to communicate the design in a clear, compelling way.

Be sure to follow along on Instagram @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces + @thorntondesign to stay up to date on what we're talking about next week. If you love our podcast, please, please, please leave us a review. If you have any questions or topic ideas OR you wish to be a guest email us thebusinessofbeautifulspaces@gmail.com or find us on instagram @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces

Laura Thornton is the principle designer of Thornton Design Inc, located in Kleinburg, ON. Since founding the company in 1999, Laura has been committed to creating a new kind of interior design experience for her clients. Thornton Design is an experienced team of creative talents, focused on curating beautiful residential and commercial spaces in the Toronto, Ontario area and beyond. Now sharing all the years of experience with other interior designers to create a world of collaboration and less competition.

The Business of Beautiful Spaces I @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces
Thornton Design I @thorntondesign

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n this inspiring episode of The Business of Beautiful Spaces, Laura chats with Laurie Laizure, founder of the Interior Design Community and host of the To-The-Trade Podcast. Laurie is a connector, a cheerleader for designers everywhere, and a true thought leader in the interior design industry. With over 94,000 members worldwide, IDC has become a trusted space for designers to share, learn, laugh, and grow—especially during times of industry change.

Together, Laurie and Laura dive into the power of community, how designers can lean into connection and collaboration, and why Laurie believes that no matter where you’re from—Boston or Bangladesh—we’re all navigating similar challenges. From tech tools and social media to global trends and daily struggles, this episode is packed with encouragement and insights to help you feel supported, inspired, and ready to keep building your beautiful design business.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why community is essential for the future of interior design
• How IDC has evolved and adapted with the industry
• The biggest challenges facing designers today—and how to overcome them
• The value of authentic connection in a digital world
• Tips for staying informed, inspired, and supported as a designer

Connect with Laurie Laizure:

• Instagram: @interiordesigncommunity
• Website: www.interiordesigncommunity.com
• Podcast: To-The-Trade Podcast

Mentorship One on One :

https://theprofitacademyforinteriordesigners.mykajabi.com/mentorship

The Business of Beautiful Spaces Presets:

https://theprofitacademyforinteriordesigners.mykajabi.com/preset-collection

The Profit Academy for Interior Designers Online Course:

https://theprofitacademyforinteriordesigners.mykajabi.com/

Be sure to follow along on Instagram @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces + @thorntondesign to stay up to date on what we're talking about next week. If you love our podcast, please, please, please leave us a review. If you have any questions or topic ideas OR you wish to be a guest email us thebusinessofbeautifulspaces@gmail.com or find us on instagram @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces

Laura Thornton is the principle designer of Thornton Design Inc, located in Kleinburg, ON. Since founding the company in 1999, Laura has been committed to creating a new kind of interior design experience for her clients. Thornton Design is an experienced team of creative talents, focused on curating beautiful residential and commercial spaces in the Toronto, Ontario area and beyond. Now sharing all the years of experience with other interior designers to create a world of collaboration and less competition.

The Business of Beautiful Spaces I @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces
Thornton Design I @thorntondesign

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This episode couldn’t be more timely. As many of us are navigating a major shift in our businesses—grappling with pricing pressures, uncertain clients, and the ever-growing noise around tariff talks—it can be hard to stay positive, charge what we’re truly worth, and hold firm on the value we bring. That’s why I’m so excited to welcome today’s guest, Andrea Liebross.

Andrea is a business and mindset coach who works with unapologetically ambitious women entrepreneurs across a variety of industries—women just like you and me, who are juggling the complexities of life, business, and big dreams. She's also the host of the Time to Level Up podcast and author of the upcoming book She Thinks Big: The Entrepreneurial Woman’s Guide to Moving Past the Messy Middle and into the Extraordinary, coming out this fall.

Andrea has helped nearly 10,000 women shift from stuck to unstoppable by blending big-picture thinking with the kind of systems and strategies that create time, money, and energy freedom. Today, she’s here to help us break through the messy middle, stay grounded in our value, and continue building businesses that don’t just survive—but truly thrive. Let’s dive in.

Website: https://andrealiebross.com/

Be sure to follow along on Instagram @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces + @thorntondesign to stay up to date on what we're talking about next week. If you love our podcast, please, please, please leave us a review. If you have any questions or topic ideas OR you wish to be a guest email us thebusinessofbeautifulspaces@gmail.com or find us on instagram @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces

Laura Thornton is the principle designer of Thornton Design Inc, located in Kleinburg, ON. Since founding the company in 1999, Laura has been committed to creating a new kind of interior design experience for her clients. Thornton Design is an experienced team of creative talents, focused on curating beautiful residential and commercial spaces in the Toronto, Ontario area and beyond. Now sharing all the years of experience with other interior designers to create a world of collaboration and less competition.

The Business of Beautiful Spaces I @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces
Thornton Design I @thorntondesign

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Elle is an avid reader, ocean lover and Brit-girl born to travel.

She's also obsessed with helping interior designers stand out and get paid. Elle spent 10 years writing for luxury magazines, and today she blends rich storytelling and editorial design into results-driven websites for interior designers. She lives in Hong Kong and has two kids and a very naughty chihuahua. Follow Elle on Instagram at @imellekwan or contact her through her website at https://ellekwan.com/services

Be sure to follow along on Instagram @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces + @thorntondesign to stay up to date on what we're talking about next week. If you love our podcast, please, please, please leave us a review. If you have any questions or topic ideas OR you wish to be a guest email us thebusinessofbeautifulspaces@gmail.com or find us on instagram @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces

Laura Thornton is the principle designer of Thornton Design Inc, located in Kleinburg, ON. Since founding the company in 1999, Laura has been committed to creating a new kind of interior design experience for her clients. Thornton Design is an experienced team of creative talents, focused on curating beautiful residential and commercial spaces in the Toronto, Ontario area and beyond. Now sharing all the years of experience with other interior designers to create a world of collaboration and less competition.

The Business of Beautiful Spaces I @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces
Thornton Design I @thorntondesign

Send us a text

In today’s episode, we’re diving into a topic that so many interior designers and decorators wrestle with—how to get help without the pressure of hiring full-time staff. I’m joined by the incredible Ronniesha Rivera, founder of Vetted by Design, who specializes in helping creatives streamline their businesses with the support of skilled virtual assistants.

We’ll explore how VAs can become a powerful extension of your team—allowing you to delegate with confidence, reclaim your time, and finally loosen the grip on those tasks you just don’t need to do yourself. Whether you’re overwhelmed by admin, struggling with social media, or simply looking to grow without burnout, Ronniesha shares practical tips and real talk on how to make virtual support work for your business. You don’t want to miss this one!

Be sure to follow along on Instagram @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces + @thorntondesign to stay up to date on what we're talking about next week. If you love our podcast, please, please, please leave us a review. If you have any questions or topic ideas OR you wish to be a guest email us thebusinessofbeautifulspaces@gmail.com or find us on instagram @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces

Laura Thornton is the principle designer of Thornton Design Inc, located in Kleinburg, ON. Since founding the company in 1999, Laura has been committed to creating a new kind of interior design experience for her clients. Thornton Design is an experienced team of creative talents, focused on curating beautiful residential and commercial spaces in the Toronto, Ontario area and beyond. Now sharing all the years of experience with other interior designers to create a world of collaboration and less competition.

The Business of Beautiful Spaces I @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces
Thornton Design I @thorntondesign