There’s an easier way to run & grow your interior design business
More ease, money and fun – Let me show you how
Babe, you are way too talented for things to feel this hard
Look, I know you didn’t become an interior designer so you could be overwhelmed by all the ins and outs of running a business.
You want to spend your days creating beautiful spaces — not trying to juggle finances, contracts, hiring, marketing, and processes all on your own. (Not to mention managing clients who don’t seem to understand boundaries.)
The fact of the matter is, you are running a business. And those tasks aren’t going anywhere.
But they can feel a heck of a lot easier.
You don’t have to run your business by the seat of your pants
If you want to spend your days…
- Attracting + delighting high-quality clients who respect your talent and boundaries and can afford the premium rates you deserve
- Running design projects with precision, without ever feeling overworked, overwhelmed, underappreciated, or underpaid
- Loving the way you run your interior design business (instead of it running you), so you can enjoy your career and your life...
Then you need more than an eye for design and blow-your-socks-off talent. You also need to learn how to run a thriving, efficient business.
And that’s where I come in.
I became the interior design business coach I wish I’d had
When I was just getting started, snooty-patooty designers wouldn’t share their business secrets to help me grow, so I built much of my business on trial and error.
“Overdeliver” was my middle name, and I spent far too many hours texting and emailing back and forth with nightmare clients, giving away free advice, and justifying my stupidly low fees.
The was zero standard operating procedure out there for a profitable, thriving interior design business. At least, not one that anyone was willing to share.
So I created my own. And you’d better believe I share it because sharing is caring, friends.
And I care a whole damn lot about your success.
Hi, I’m Michelle!
Business coach for interior designers and owner of the 7-figure firm ML Interiors Group
Which is just a fancy-schmancy way of saying that I spend my days in the interior design trenches, splitting my time between serving my own clients, managing my team, and showing other designers like you how to run a profitable business – and have fun doing it.
(When I’m not chasing a toddler around my house and trying to find 5 seconds to throw on some lipstick and mascara, that is.)
But don’t be fooled into thinking I breezed into where I am now – because it wasn’t always this way.
Frankly, I didn’t always have my crap together
The catalyst for Designed for the Creative Mind came just a few years into my business, when I came home from a client meeting and pretty much collapsed onto the floor in a sobbing puddle.
I’d worked on this project for months, and even though the client most likely wasn’t trying to rip me off in any way, shape, or form…
I was running myself ragged.
I’d allowed for too much scope creep, and even though I was charging by the hour I didn’t have the heart (and by “heart” I mean *cajones*!) to bill my client for those extra tasks.
After yet another meeting full of “Can we just change x?” and “Will you please look for a different y?”, I sat down and added up the extra time I’d spent on this project…
And then I dawned on me...
I’d done the entire design project for the equivalent of minimum wage
Minimum wage, y'all! I was giving away my art, my passion, my design genius, and my time for the same money people earn for flipping burgers. (No disrespect intended to the fast-food workers, but come on!)
And that’s not even the worst of it.
I also realized my business had been losing money for several months, simply because I was acting as a people-pleaser rather than a CEO.
For whatever reason, I truly thought that if I didn’t deliver MORE than I promised, my clients wouldn’t think their money was well spent. What the heck?!
Does my story feel hauntingly familiar?
Whether you’ve ever bawled your eyes out on your living room floor like I did that day… Or you’re sick and tired of working like crazy and still not making “real” money…
Something is wrong with this picture. Not to mention, you deserve better.
What I didn’t know at the time was that my experience was far from unique
Since becoming an interior design business coach, I’ve realized SO many designers don’t charge what they’re actually worth.
In fact, they don’t even believe they’re worth the low prices they’re charging, because the work they do comes so easily to them!
But don’t worry, friend...
My story has a happy ending — and yours can, too.
A blessing in disguise
My breakdown that day felt awful, but it ended up being my turning point.
I picked myself up off the floor that day and decided it was the last time I’d give away my design expertise and my time for the price of a fast-food line cook.
It was time to run my business, instead of letting it run me.
I went back to the drawing board, pulling from my almost two decades of managing multi-million-dollar businesses in Corporate America to create processes and systems that would allow me to actually treat my business like one.
I figured out exactly what was missing in my business to cause me so much headache and lost money. And then I changed everything — from my mindset to my processes — and took back my business, my self-worth, and my personal life.
And it freakin’ worked.
Your roadmap for a thriving interior design business
How Designed For The Creative Mind was born
I’ll never forget the month I spent in Michigan, filing paperwork so we could officially adopt my daughter and bring her home.
And my team didn’t call. Not once.
I had to check in on them to make sure the whole business hadn’t imploded. And the answer, of course, was “Yep. We’re just following the process. Things are cool.”
That’s when I knew I’d figured it out: the roadmap to going from overwhelmed & underpaid to running a thriving design firm — without losing your dang mind in the process.
I also knew it was something I could duplicate and teach others.
The proof is in the pudding, as they say
The Bakery
My signature program, Interior Design Business Bakery, has helped hundreds of interior designers leave their full-time jobs, double their income, and grow the business of their dreams
Featured on
I’ve been featured in Forbes, Texasliving, Dallas Morning News, This Old House, DHome, Scout Guide, Candy’sDirt.com, My Domaine, Style Blueprint, Luxe, and Modern Luxury.
Trusted By
I was invited to be an expert speaker at the Interior Design Society (IDS) National Convention in 2020 and 2021, and the Design Biz Survival Guide Retreat 2020.
Business & Life
I’m happily married, a toddler mom at 50+ years old and am not just surviving but thriving!
As seen in
Think of me as your business sherpa
You’re already on the right path. You just need a guide to tell you what to pack, what to leave behind, and how to navigate the trail so you don’t *figuratively* slide down the mountain and die.
Look, I know you've got options.
And you’ve gotta pick a Sherpa who matches your vibe.
Here’s why it should be me:
01
I’m in the trenches with you
I’m a practicing interior designer too, and I’ve learned how to pivot to meet market needs (helloooo Covid). When you work with me, you get a behind-the-scenes look at the real changes my firm is making to adapt — and you get to come along for the ride.
02
I like to keep it real + BS-free
Surface-level isn’t a word in my dictionary. I believe in being generous with my content, and I don’t hold back when sharing what’s worked for me. From pricing to marketing strategies to processes, I’ll make sure you have everything you need to succeed.
03
I keep it business, baby
Confidence, mindset, and wealth all come into play. But my focus is on your business. I rely on two decades of experience in Corporate America to show you how running your business can be profitable and fun — not the overwhelming circus you feel caught in now.
Let out that breath you’ve been holding, babe
You’re finally in the right place
- If you feel overwhelmed and undervalued in your business…
- If you’re feeling tired and burnt out from giving away more than you’re getting…
- If you feel like you’re just one “can you just do this for me real quick” request away from sobbing on your living room floor…
Then I’m so glad you’ve found your way here.Because I’d love to help you turn your business around, too.
Just like me, you can run a 6 or 7-figure interior design business like clockwork — without the mountain of overwhelming responsibility.
Ready to find out how?
Let's do this thing!
Join the Interior Design Business Bakery
A 12-month group coaching program where designers learn to grow their businesses with profits baked in — no marketing or business degree required!
Join our free Facebook Community
This is our free space for interior designers, where you’ll learn to overcome the overwhelm, find time to thrive, and make a profit in your design business.
Apply for 1:1 Coaching with Michelle
Looking for personalized support to transform your business? My 1:1 coaching is limited to a small handful of clients each year.
