How Boundaries, Delegation, And Transparency Fuel a Thriving Interior Design Firm with Kateri Babb

Want a behind‑the‑scenes blueprint for growing a creative business without burning out? We sit down with Kateri, founder of Kateri Jane Designs, to unpack the practical playbook that powers her interior design studio: flexible systems, honest communication, and boundaries that actually hold. No fluff—just the exact moves that turn chaotic days into smooth client experiences.

We start with the foundation: how choosing a malleable CRM like Dubsado transformed inquiry to contract with one‑click automations, clean scheduler links, and customizable templates. That operational backbone reduces back‑and‑forth, prevents mistakes, and gives clients a consistent, professional journey from discovery call to install. From there, we dive into hiring in a field everyone wants to join. Katiri shares how she finds self‑starters, trains by learning style, and builds a culture where questions are welcomed and initiative is expected. The payoff is a team that adapts fast, communicates clearly, and keeps projects moving when plans change.

Then we tackle the owner myths. There’s no “free time” windfall when you run a studio—there’s admin, insurance, payroll, and vendor wrangling. The antidote is delegation and transparency. By outsourcing bookkeeping and installs, and by telling clients the truth about budgets, timelines, and trade‑offs, she earns steady referrals and protects her creative focus. The theme that ties it all together is boundary setting: no interior design emergencies after 5 p.m., weekends reserved for life, and workload caps that keep quality high. Those lines don’t scare clients; they attract the right ones.

If you’re a service‑based founder, designer, or creative entrepreneur looking to scale with sanity, you’ll leave with actionable steps: implement a client‑friendly CRM, hire for initiative, document your processes, delegate non‑core tasks, and guard your calendar. We wrap with quick hits on growth, continuous learning, planning without rigidity, finding inspiration everywhere, and committing through daily small steps. Enjoyed the conversation? Follow the show, share it with a builder who needs better boundaries, and leave a review so more entrepreneurs can find us.

Guest Contact info:

[e-mail]

Website: https://www.katerijanedesigns.com/

Thanks for Listening. You may contact me or our team at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!
Bill

Thanks for listening. Please hit the subscribe button, leave us a 5 star review, and share this podcast. You can reach me at [e-mail] or at https://billgilliland.biz/

All the best!

Bill

Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_03 (00:42):
All right, perfect.
All right, welcome to thisweek's episode of Epic
Entrepreneurs.
I am Cliff filling in for BillGilliland with your local
business training and coachingfirm, Action Coach Business
Growth Partners.
I am excited to have Katiri onwith Katiri Bab, Katiri Jane
Designs.
Uh on as the focus for our EpicEntrepreneurs podcast today.

(01:03):
So, Katiri, please introduceyourself and tell us a little
bit about yourself and yourcompany and what primary
products or services you offerthe community.

SPEAKER_00 (01:11):
Well, thank you for having me.
Um, I'm Katiri.
I'm the owner and founder ofKatiri Jane Designs that started
in about 2022.
Um, I offer interior designservices to clients around West
North Carolina and beyond.
Um, do everything from smalllittle consultations to full
house renovations andfurnishings to help clients

(01:33):
bring their vision for theirhome to life.

SPEAKER_03 (01:37):
Very nice, very nice.
I love that.
All right.
So, yeah, so if you had to startyour business from square one,
would you do anythingdifferently?

SPEAKER_00 (01:46):
Oh, that's a hard one.
I'm like, I was I had worked forsomebody for almost eight years,
and I did I did ease intostarting the business when I did
it, um, just so that I couldreset.
And I'm like, there's thinkabout something that I could

(02:08):
change have done differently,maybe have spent a little bit
more time setting up, you know,bus CRM programs, things of that
nature, and you know, standardprocesses a little bit earlier
on than I did.
But other than that, I'm kind ofI'm relatively happy with how I
started it, where I took mytime, made sure I learned a

(02:30):
little bit more, eased into it,took on fewer clients that we
could really get it set up andsituated.

SPEAKER_03 (02:37):
Okay, okay.
Yeah, I love that.
I love that.
So so you say, you know, takingon your CRM.
So what I mean, what CRM do youuse currently?

SPEAKER_00 (02:45):
Currently, I'm using Dub Sato.
Um, I had investigated manyothers, but Dub Sato was the
right fit for in an interiordesign firm.
So it worked out well.

SPEAKER_03 (02:57):
Okay, okay, great, great.
Any features in that programthat you use that you really
like?

SPEAKER_00 (03:03):
It has a really nice um automated setup.
So, like it's very intuitive.
So a client can fill out aninquiry on my website to have us
reach out to them.
We can send them a discoverycall email, an investment guide,
all of that.
And all we have to do is press abutton.
Um, and then from there, like wecan send our contracts.

(03:25):
So there's a lot of things thatdomino in that program, and you
can either have them automatedthat they automatically send it,
or you have the option tobasically push it through, which
gives a lot of flexibility.
Um, the program in general isvery malleable for anybody.
Like they get you have theoption for templates, but they

(03:45):
pretty much start with you witha blank slate, and then you can
create it, build it up as muchas you want, or as little as you
want.
Um, but it definitely made it alot easier to streamline and not
have people trying to scheduleappointments too, because they
do scheduler on there.
Um, because otherwise, peopleare texting or emailing

(04:05):
constantly trying to coordinatean appointment, and instead they
can go on there or we send thema scheduler link to make it
really easy.

SPEAKER_03 (04:13):
Okay, okay.
Yeah, that sounds like a really,really good streamlined uh CRM.
I have to look into it.
Um, so what have your bigbiggest learning, you know,
learnings been as an owner andemployer since you started your
business?
Like you've kind of talked aboutit here a little bit, just a
little bit earlier, but whatwould you say are even more your
biggest learnings that you'velearned as an owner of a
business?

SPEAKER_00 (04:33):
I think the biggest learning one pieces that have
come into play are like whenhiring somebody, um, because the
design field is so specific, buteveryone and their mom kind of
wants to be a part of it at thispoint because of like HGTV.
Um so it's been interesting tosee the uh I've had a few
different design assistants andmultiple at a time, um, the

(04:56):
different uh levels and trainingthem and you know figuring out
their best learning, like waythey learn in general, because
some people are like visual,some people are better just you
know, hands-on things of thatnature, or they want to watch
videos and read the whole time.
Um that's been a little bit,that's definitely been a

(05:16):
learning curve for sure, becauseI have to uh morph to whatever
learning style that person needsso that I can make sure that
they get up to speed and arehelpful to the company, but also
I'm not they're not bored andthey're excited to do what we're
doing.
So that's probably that'sprobably the top one, besides

(05:36):
like having the stream, likegetting this the protocols in
place and things of that nature.
Um, yeah, like the employee partprobably is a little tricky, but
I keep it flexible, which I Iknow some places don't.
Um I kind of let it be like anorganic process.
Um, like there's certain thingsthat we go over, but at the same

(05:58):
point, um, we definitely leaveit, let it be a little bit more
fluid because on the average daythings change constantly in the
office or out of the office forthe design team in general.

SPEAKER_03 (06:11):
Yeah.
Now what would you say is yourownership or management style?

SPEAKER_00 (06:16):
I'm so I'm pretty laid back.

SPEAKER_03 (06:20):
Um, yeah, you seem pretty laid back.

SPEAKER_00 (06:22):
Yeah, I had worked in a place where the person was
very rigid and um it was it madeit difficult for employees to
like kind of grow and learn andalso like feel safe enough to do
that.
And so I keep it definitely veryflexible.
Um, I expect people, I do setthe expectation that they need

(06:44):
to be a self-starter and be ableto do things and take
initiative, but other than that,I keep it pretty open
communication that it's morelike almost family-like and or
friend-like, that they don'tfeel uncomfortable asking
questions, they don't feeluncomfortable requesting
something.
I mean, I've not had anybodyabuse it so far.
Um yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 (07:05):
I mean, I yeah, at the end of the day, we're I
mean, everyone's an adult,right?
And if you need constantmicromanaging, if I have to keep
reminding you to do something,then you probably shouldn't be
around, right?
You know what I mean?
Like it's that does that makesense?

SPEAKER_00 (07:17):
Yes, it's like I already babysit, uh I already
babysit on design jobs as isthat I don't need an employee
that I have to babysit.
Um, but most of every personI've hired, um, even if they've
been temporary, they have allbeen like self-starters or
creatives and they want to learnor they are able to pick up the

(07:40):
material quickly and rock androll and you know, follow like
see how we work, see how the Iwork in general, and then
they're able to morph to that tobe able to be benefit helpful,
but also they can learn and havea little bit of fun in the
design field without getting toostuck or something, or me being
like, no, no, no, we have to doit this way.

SPEAKER_03 (08:02):
Like, yeah, yeah.
And and that and that's a uh atribute to to you, which you do.
I mean, obviously you're youhave a keen eye for hiring the
right people, so that's awesome.

SPEAKER_00 (08:10):
Yeah, it's very it's in it's a difficult industry to
hire in for sure.
Um because like I said, so manypeople want to be a part of it
and have no background in it,um, or have no, like they
they've never even done anythingwith it.
Um, but I seem to they seem tocome to me.
I've gotten numerous, a few thatlike literally were cold

(08:34):
emailed, cold emailed me or coldcalled me and was like, hey,
like I want to work for adesigner.
Are you open to that?
And um, I'm always willing tohave an open conversation and at
least, you know, not totallyshut someone down.
And if I don't have the capacityto take them on, I I try to send
them in direction, like givethem some options of places

(08:56):
locally that might be.
Um, so keep it I I I try to keepit's like I keep it open
communication in general, and Ido that even when someone's
interested in working with us,so it makes it a little bit
easier.

SPEAKER_03 (09:11):
Yeah, yeah.
No, I love that.
I love that.
So, what are some commonmisconceptions about running a
business and how do you addressthem?

SPEAKER_00 (09:18):
Oh, we have all we have more free time and that our
schedules are a little bitlooser.
That one's a good one.
Um, okay, okay.
Everyone's like, oh, you ownyour own business, you can do
whatever you want, and you cantake off and go on vacation for
a month.
And it's like, no, no, I can't.
I mean, technically I can, butthe amount of uh admin work, I

(09:43):
think sometimes people don'trealize the amount of background
things that have to becompleted, administration, like
like with the bills and youknow, insurance and all that.
People think it's a lot simplerthan that, um, or even payroll.
Um I think people just don'trealize all the nitty-gritty

(10:06):
that comes with owning your ownbusiness.
It's definitely it.
I mean, I wouldn't do it, Iwould not go back.
Um, and I know a lot of peopleare a lot, a lot of people that
have started their own companiesand businesses.
Once you go out on your own, yougenerally don't want to go back
working for somebody else.
Um even with all of the item,the whole list of things you

(10:29):
have to complete on a regularbasis and maintain.
Um, but also realizingdelegating is I think some
people think they have to do allof it um from the every little
tiny thing.
And in reality, it's better youcan delegate.
Delegation is your friend.

(10:51):
Um, yeah.
So um I've I've been learningthat's one learning thing that
I've been working on over thelast uh four years.
Um, is learning to delegate somethings a little bit more.
Um, because I feel like mostentrepreneurs to some degree are
are a little bit of controlfreaks.
Um just because we can't have tobe.

SPEAKER_03 (11:13):
Yeah, I think you kind of have to be to be a
business owner a little bit.
Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 (11:16):
Yeah.
And so delegation is definitelya for is definitely a friend.
Um, and learning to delegate theappropriate, you know, tasks to
even outsourcing them to otherlocal companies just so that you
can give yourself a little bitmore space to do the part of the
business that you love and thereason you started the business.
Um, it's not gonna hurt you.

SPEAKER_01 (11:37):
So yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 (11:38):
And I know a lot of people get get nervous about
doing that.
So um, and I've heard that fromwhen I feel like when you're a
business owner, uh you end upbecoming friends with a lot of
other business owners.
It just like attracts like.
Um, and so I have a friend thatowns another company, and she
her and I are constantly pingingideas.

(12:00):
She actually worked for me for ayear as my design assistant.
Um, okay, while she was gettingher business up and running.
And her and I always are pingingup, she's pinging ideas off of
me.
And like, I'll give herresources and be like, hey, you
should totally delegate that toan actual bookkeeper or you
know, pass this off, things ofthat nature to lessen the load

(12:21):
and let her do the things shelikes within her company.
Yeah, um, okay.
So it's definitely, I thinkthat's that's the probably
that's probably the best bestone of the two would be that.

SPEAKER_03 (12:31):
Yeah, no, I love it.
Yeah, that's great.
That's great.
So, what do you attribute yourgrowth to so far?

SPEAKER_00 (12:38):
Consistency and my transparency with my clients.
Um my transparency with myclients uh started because I was
trying to re basically thecompany I worked for was not
very transparent 100% of thetime with the clientele.
Um, and so I wanted my clientsto feel heard and have the open

(13:03):
communication.
And so, because of the fact thatI've had constant referrals and
things of that nature, I've beenable to bring on design
assistants, admin assistants,um, some installers, um, to be
able to let the business grow alittle bit.
Uh, so it makes it, I think theclient having good our client

(13:25):
base being so solid and aconstant referral flow has made
it easier to grow because I'mlike, I need somebody, I can't
do this by myself.

SPEAKER_03 (13:37):
Yeah, yeah.
No, you're you're very you'revery quick to delegate things,
it sounds like so.
And that's and that's good tokind of, yeah.
So, next question, I guess,would be, you know, how do you
balance your personal life withthe demands of running a
business?
And you kind of went into this alittle bit earlier, but how do
you how do you balance yourpersonal life with the demands
of running your business?

SPEAKER_00 (13:55):
So I'm big on trying to maintain that work-life
balance.
Um, at the end of the day, toknow it's like there is no such
thing as an interior designemergency.
I'm sorry.
I love my job, I love my work,but there is no interior design
emergency that would land on me.
Um, like if it's someone's watersituation, that's the plumber.

(14:18):
But I've made, I've definitelyput in hard boundaries with
people.
Clients know that if they textme past five o'clock, there's a
chance I'll respond, but alsodon't expect me to respond.
Um I draw the line very hardwith that.
I also, you know, if I have, ifI feel like I have we have
family in town come like,because both um my sister-in-law

(14:41):
and my sister and her husband,they all all of them live in
California.
So when they come to visit, Itry I immediately am like, okay,
I'm not gonna work a full day,I'm gonna leave my schedule
open.
Um and I communicate that withthe clients that are current so
they're aware that we're notworking.

(15:01):
I have family in town.
Um, and then making sure thatlike if my husband and I decide
to take a day off, because healso owns his own business,
we're one of those crazyhouseholds.
Um you know, both of us areglutton for punishment on that
one.
Um we'll, you know, we make surewe have time and we take our

(15:22):
weekends very seriously.
So we don't work on theweekends.
It's a very rare occasion that Iwill I will, if I'm unless it's
like on me and I choose to, I weshut off for the weekend.
I don't respond to emails.
I don't really I try not tocheck them.
Um, and I think even just thatlittle bit of saying weekends

(15:45):
are sacred, they're for thefamily, they're for us to do fun
things, they're for you know, usto go to the farmers market, go
get coffee, um, hang out withthe dogs.
It's a boundary that my at leastmy clients understand.
Um, like even a week ago, I toldthem I was like, I'm taking off.

(16:06):
I went to a work event that wasthrough the weekend, and my
birthday was the following.
And I was like, I'm taking theweek off.
I need a break.
I'll I'm not available.
Every single client was like,Great, you deserve it.
Take the time, decompress, talkto you next week.
Every single one.
I was like, oh my gosh, this iswhat this is why I do what I do,

(16:28):
this is why I pick the clients Isign on with.
Um, just because that's what wetry to attract, is people that
understand that like we havelives too.
Um, and at the end of the day,no, you don't want to be laying
on your deathbed, which I tellmy friend this who owns the
business as well.
You don't want to be laying out,you're not gonna lay on your
deathbed saying, I wish I workedmore.

(16:50):
You're gonna be laying theregoing, I wish I spent more time
with my friends or my family ormy dogs.
Like, yeah, so I always havethat running through my head
that I don't need to work myselfinto the ground.
Um, and we also cap like we tryto cap our workload in the
office in general, so that evenif my like my assistant has

(17:11):
family come into town and she'slike, Hey, I don't know what
we're planning.
We keep it.
I'm like, fine, you don't haveto work this week.
Go do that stuff.
Um, so I de it's very importantto me.
And I have a few other peoplethat I like work and uh
coordinate, like collaboratewith, and they're very much like
about one person she finisheswork at one o'clock on Fridays.

(17:34):
That's her cutoff.

SPEAKER_03 (17:35):
Um I no, I love that.
No, I love that.
I mean, that's and I mean it'strue, right?
I mean, you know, I I getbasically at 5 p.m.
on Fridays, you guys are done.
Oh, yeah, and that's it untilthe until Monday morning.
So yeah, I love hearing that.
Yeah, no, it's it's good becauseyou you do have to have a
work-life balance, right?
I mean, it's huge because likeyou said, you know, you want to

(17:57):
leave a legacy in this life, anda legacy doesn't have to be all
attributed to work, right?
It can be attributed to whatyou're doing outside of work,
like you said, with your family,with your dogs, and doing having
experiences, getting out of thehouse.
And yeah, I really, I really dolike that.
I believe that as well.
Um, all right, perfect.
So, what qualities do you lookfor in employees and how do you
foster a positive and productivework environment?

SPEAKER_00 (18:18):
So I'm like, I always look for someone that's
like a self-starter, which seemsto be the case because they all
come to me for some reason.
They reach out and I'm like,they they've obviously got a
little bit of guts on that part.
Um they it's like theself-starter.
They let's think.
I'm like, I made a list likerecently because I was talking

(18:41):
to somebody else.
Um can take an, I meanself-starter, but also like
takes initiative, doesn't needto be handheld necessarily after
they've had some of thetraining.
Um is willing, like is prettyflexible, like they don't need a
rigid setup because even mydesign assistant, week by week,

(19:02):
we go, okay, what days do youwant to work next week?
Do you want to do half day?
Do you want to do full day?
Um, just because the business isso like ever-changing that if
they can't just like somewhatfly by the seat of their pants,
they it it it can be a littlejarring for someone that you

(19:23):
know needs like I need it to benine to five, structured, give
me my list of honeydew lists andI'll get it done.
Um but most of them like peoplethat are easy that are open
communicators are like accuratecommunicators, even my current
assistant.
She her the first email I gotfrom her, I was like, dang, this

(19:45):
girl knows how to write a goodemail.
And so I was like, okay.
Um, yeah, I'm like, even andthen just like having some
creative aspects that they looklike are into.
Um and also that they, you know,they want that work-life
balance.
It's it's like it's verydependent on each person.

(20:07):
Um because I'm one of thosepeople that like I generally can
get a feel for somebody, uh, andsee like, but pretty much
self-starter and takinginitiative, doesn't need a
babysitter, um, willing tolearn, willing to pick it up
quick, like willing to figure itout themselves, but also are are

(20:27):
not afraid to ask questions.
Um yeah.

SPEAKER_03 (20:32):
Okay, okay, yeah.
No, I love that.
I love that.
So um, so yeah, so basically nowI'm gonna go through a quick
fire round.
So um it's gonna be quick, quickquestions, just give me the
first thing that comes to yourmind.
Um so it's gonna be B, bring theenergy.
So yeah, that's basically theacronym right there.
So, what would you say for whatwords of advice would you offer

(20:54):
other business owners who arelooking to grow?

SPEAKER_00 (20:57):
Looking to grow.
I mean, you just gotta take thefirst step.
I mean whatever it is, if you'relike I I'm contemplating hiring
someone, just throw it outthere.
Put the job listing out, reachout to your network, like just
do it.
You know, especially if you canif your workload can handle it

(21:18):
and your finances and all that,just do it.
Just make the step uh in thatdirection.

SPEAKER_03 (21:25):
Okay, okay, perfect, perfect.
All right, so education.
What would you say?
What would you what would yougive other people advice about
as far as education and owning abusiness?

SPEAKER_00 (21:36):
Educating, like learning while you're still in
the business or correct whileokay.
Um definitely beneficial.
I would highly recommend it.
Um, every industry is different,so you know, just keep learning
because it's gonna allow you to,it'll let you grow more um as a
business owner and a leader inyour company in general, and

(21:59):
also give you fresh perspectivethat you might not have thought
of.
Um, because when you're in thedaily grind of running the
business, you can kind of gettunnel vision.
So having doing CEUs, dependingon what industry you're in, or
you know, even just listening toa new podcast or reading new
books that have come out.

(22:20):
Um just keep doing it, keeplearning because things are ever
changing in every business.
So it'll keep you fresh and keepyour perspective, like keep you
a little bit open to newperspective on it as things
change in the world in general.

SPEAKER_03 (22:36):
Okay, okay.
Now planning.
What uh advice would you givefor planning?

SPEAKER_00 (22:46):
Definitely have a plan at the start.
I'm like, don't just be like,I'm gonna start a business and
have no plan.
Have some sort of plan,otherwise you're gonna be
backtracking for sure.

SPEAKER_03 (22:59):
Yeah, yeah.
Okay.
Inspiration.

SPEAKER_00 (23:03):
I was gonna say, look for it everywhere.
I'm like, if you're asking, andof course you're asking someone
that's in the creative industry.
So like I take inspiration fromeverything.
I mean, even just like lookingat you know, other people's
websites or following someone'sInstagram of like a company that
you're trying that you like andlike how they're it appears

(23:24):
they're rolling, you know, ortalk to people in your network
that business-wise either alignwith the kind of where you're
trying to aim with your valuesfor your company, like just look
for it everywhere.
I mean, you never know whereyou're gonna find it.

SPEAKER_03 (23:38):
Yeah, no, you you're right, you're right.
I'm personally for me, I I'm amusician, so um, in my spare
time, so I can hear likesometimes I'll like hear a song
on the radio or I'll hear a songthat's you know somebody else is
playing and I'll getinspiration.
I'll be like, man, I want tomake a song now, you know, or I
I want to get down and get onthe keyboard and start playing.
Like, you know, it's just I takeinspiration from anything, and

(23:59):
it usually has to do with music.
So that's my my personal thing.
But um now what would you sayfor commitment?

SPEAKER_00 (24:07):
I mean, you can't you can't really, you know, you
gotta you gotta be you gotta becommitted you gotta be a hundred
percent in, or even you know,200% in.
And sometimes you don't feellike you are, and you might be
nervous, but you just have to goget at it every day.
Like every day wake up, even ifit's a small thing, you're like,

(24:28):
okay, I'm going to work on mywebsite, or I'm going to try to
find a lead, like just even ifit's the smallest little baby
step, just that's still that'sstill committing.
You're committing that day to doyour job, to do what your
business is, things of that, andall of that, you know.

(24:50):
It's just you just gotta, it'slike you just gotta take that
one step.

SPEAKER_03 (24:54):
Yeah, okay, okay.
And what's the next big thingfor your business?

SPEAKER_00 (25:01):
Uh probably at some point in the next I want to say
three years, trying to bringanother interior designer on.
I'm like, because I'm the onlyone on the team right now.
So um, but that's been uh in theworks and conversations are in
motion, but nothing's fullystuck or committed to at the

(25:26):
moment, uh bringing on anotherdesigner so we can handle a
little bit more uh projects andhelp more clients make their
home feel a little bit more likethem.
So yeah.

SPEAKER_03 (25:42):
Okay, perfect, perfect.
And lastly, what's the best wayfor someone to reach you or or
get in touch with you?

SPEAKER_00 (25:48):
Um, it would probably be my website or even
um Instagram.

SPEAKER_03 (25:53):
Okay, so that's the best way to reach you.
Is a website or Instagram?
All right, perfect.
And what's the Instagram?

SPEAKER_00 (25:58):
Instagram is at Katier Jane Designs.

SPEAKER_03 (26:01):
Okay, perfect.
Perfect, perfect.
All right, that's uh yeah,that's pretty much it.
Fantastic.
Thank you so much for being apart of this community and for
all you're doing.
Uh, we certainly wish youcontinued success.
Anything else?
Anything last you'd like to say?
That's pretty much the recordingright there.

SPEAKER_00 (26:17):
Nope.
I think I'm good.

SPEAKER_03 (26:19):
Okay, all right, perfect.

SPEAKER_02 (26:30):
All right, perfect.