Throughout the years, most of my interior design clients have come to me frustrated and frazzled, primarily from all the hard work they’ve put into their businesses with very little profit to show for it. I have been where they are.
Ultimately, I found a formula to attain the levels of success I dreamed of. I wanted to inspire and guide others to reach their own pinnacles of success, so I created my customized and tailored group coaching program, Profit Insiders for Interior Designers.
Among the hundreds of Interior Designers that have experienced exponential success through this program, I’ve had the pleasure of coaching Amy TerMarsch, CEO and Principal Designer of Amy Elizabeth Designs, Gloria Staats, Founder and Principal Designer of Peace of Mind Design, and Meghan Sullivan, CEO and Principal Designer of Carriage House Interiors. In their own words, see how the program helped to transform their businesses.
Amy TerMarsch, Amy Elizabeth Designs
“I work on taking the stress out of our clients’ projects, we partner with them from the moment they dream up their design until the very last detail of the project is complete,” says TerMarsch.
What’s the first business improvement you experienced as a result of the program?
My first and most impactful improvement when working with Nancy was her suggestion for making a profit through furniture sales. She suggested I work with a buying group and that catapulted me into a profitability I had not previously had!
What was your biggest “aha” moment during your participation in the program?
My biggest “aha” moment was (as simple as this sounds) that this was my business. Meaning, I had a say in who I worked with and who I didn’t, what I charged and how I ran my business processes.
Which component of the program was the most helpful for your business growth and profitability?
Hands down, Nancy’s Business Help Line! There were so many times I was out on a job site and just felt stuck without anyone to run an idea or problem past. The Business Help Line took that “stuck with no help” feeling away. I was able to quickly run things past Nancy. Her quick responses and direct answers cut through all the noise of what to do and brought clarity to so many situations. It helped a ton with jobs! I loved her no-nonsense answers. Her advice was easy to follow and apply to every situation.
What impact did your time in the program have on your profitability and overall business success?
My goodness, the impact coaching with Nancy has had on my business is tremendous! I went from running my business in my home with a part-time student assistant and always wondering if I was doing the right thing, to now running a business where I currently own design studio space of 2,500 square feet with three full time employees, a national commercial account, countless large-scale residential design projects, learning how to delegate to my lead designers, embracing my role as the CEO and creative director, and handing off the implementation part of design and project management to them. Other goals in place moving forward are a short TV show in the works, a Podcast with pdf deliverables, my recent launch of a local female entrepreneur networking group, and goals of doing my own business coaching and starting a school that offers classes for recently graduated design students to teach them how to run their own successful and profitable design businesses.
Nancy helped me realize I had this in me all along, but just needed the confidence to stand in it. Nancy taught me that these things were and are possible when you are intentional about how you want to run your business: direct in your communication and focused on your repeatable processes that ensure you are working as efficiently as possible to free yourself up to do more of what you love.
How has working with Nancy impacted your personal and business confidence?
I’ve always been a confident person in my personal life, but in business I thought I had to know everything and do it all perfectly. I was always scared that clients, vendors or trades were going to figure out I didn’t have all the answers. Coaching with Nancy gave me the confidence to do the things I loved and was the best at and then delegate the rest so my whole business could be run with excellence.
At one point I reached out to her and said I was so happy to be learning how to hand things off that I knew I wasn’t great at or didn’t love to my newly hired designer. I told her there was such freedom and confidence in handing those things off. To which she responded, well, it’s because you’re learning how to be a CEO and delegate! It was an amazing moment of confidence knowing I didn’t need to have all the answers that I could delegate — and that freed me up to do more of what I loved, which was sell, come up with the big picture design and run the business!
Gloria Staats, Peace of Mind Design
“As a designer, I take the time to get to know my clients to help them achieve their own goals when designing their space. My goal is to guide them to achieve harmony, comfort and functionality,” Staats says.
What’s the first business improvement you experienced as a result of the program?
The items that I put into action right away were at the Marketing level. I learned many specifics on ways to improve my social media presence. I also learned about the importance of blogging and email communications.
What was your biggest “aha” moment during your participation in the program?
My confidence has grown exponentially. I have learned not to be afraid to charge my worth, which has also grown as I work with Nancy. Her training on the Discovery Call, the script and the nonverbal tricks to feeling and projecting professionalism and confidence — I use it all on a daily basis.
Which component of the program was the most helpful for your business growth and profitability?
I have learned a lot from the group sessions. Having weekly tasks during the program was also extremely helpful. Moving forward, I have found the Business Help Line very helpful, being able to reach out when I feel “stuck” in a specific scenario is a true blessing.
What impact did your time in the program have on your profitability and overall business success?
I now charge three times what my fees were when I met Nancy. I feel confident that I know what my priorities are when growing my business. I speak confidently to others, and I am truly proud to share. I know that I am a professional Interior Designer. I look back, and I was barely over the “hobby” level - I realize now that it was mostly due to a lack of confidence.
How has working with Nancy impacted your personal and business confidence?
Funny, I feel like I have been using the word confidence since the first question, and I did not read all the questions ahead of time. Learning about marketing and sales, to appreciate the value that I bring to my clients, and improving the way I communicate with them have brought confidence that will propel me moving forward.
Meghan Sullivan, Carriage House Interiors
“I LOVE a good design,” says Sullivan. “I have re-designed my life, turning my dream into my reality. Dreams definitely come true, and I love helping my clients realize theirs!”
What’s the first business improvement you experienced as a result of the program?
It’s hard to isolate just one thing. I had just sold my interest in a large commercial contracting firm and was confident in my overall skills in terms of cash flow management and strategic financial planning, as well as the everyday business operations.
I was finding it difficult to extrapolate those skills into, what was for me, a new landscape — the residential market (and client). Identifying my target client was a huge breakthrough. Participating in the program offered me the clarity to build a niche ladder of services and how to best price and sell the *value* of those services to my target client. The program gave me the confidence to execute these basic but important building blocks.
What was your biggest “aha” moment during your participation in the program?
My “aha” moment was realizing that I AM the value-add to my services. There are so many amazing designers in our industry, but I bring a very specific value of 25+ years of architectural and construction knowledge to my clients’ projects. Realizing my value was paramount to my confidence going forward and the positive financial impact that brought to my design firm.
Which component of the program was the most helpful for your business growth and profitability?
I really enjoyed (and still miss!) the group sessions. The group was a very manageable size and each member brought their own helpful insight to each session’s discussion. There were no “off-limit” topics, and we helped each other so much by sharing information and experiences. I still keep in touch with most of the members from my group and it’s really wonderful to see each of them succeed.
What impact did your time in the program have on your profitability and overall business success?
I walked away with the confidence to quickly locate my target client and charge appropriately for my services and their value. My system allows me more time and profit because my target client is happy to pay me for my time and is not interested in haggling over details — whether related to design or project costs. I am confident in the services that I sell, what they cost, what value they bring to my clients, as well as my systems that I use to execute client projects. That confidence is in turn felt by my clients, and my time is freed up for other activities like developing new business opportunities.
How has working with Nancy impacted your personal and business confidence?
I never realized how little personal confidence I previously had. I could easily play the part, but down deep I did NOT feel confident at all. Professionally, I knew that I was not the confident CEO of my own design firm that I wanted to be. My confidence in all aspects of my life has grown exponentially through this process. I recently realized a big dream, relocating from Oregon to Charleston, SC, to start a new personal chapter and establish a second location for Carriage House Interiors.
We are bi-coastal now! Five years ago, no one could have convinced me I would be writing this. I still have big goals for my company, but I’m armed with confidence to plan and execute anything I want to accomplish. I owe Nancy and her program immense gratitude for that.
As an entrepreneur, you begin your journey to success when you take that first step from your own unique starting point. With customized guidance that meets you where you are today, you can shape and grow your business to any level of success you desire! The transformation from mediocrity to mind-blowing is there for the taking. Reach out and grab it.
