The Business of Beautiful Spaces Podcast for Interior Designers
Welcome to The Business of Beautiful Spaces, the podcast where interior design matters! As Interior Designers, we understand the power of creating beautiful and functional spaces that not only look good, but also enhance our daily lives. Join us on this journey as we explore the ins and outs of the interior design industry and dive into the business side of things. From one interior designer to another, we'll share our experiences, insights, and lessons learned as we strive to create spaces that not only make a statement, but also make a difference. So sit back, relax, and let's get started on The Business of Beautiful Spaces. The Business of Beautiful spaces Freebie: https://the-business-of-beautiful-spaces.ck.page/ Mentorship One on One : https://theprofitacademyforinteriordesigners.com/mentorship The Profit Academy for Interior Designers Online Course: https://theprofitacademyforinteriordesigners.com You can find us at www.thebusinessofbeautifulspaces.com, email us at hello@thebusinessofbeautifulspaces.com or any social media platform @thebusinessofbeautifulspaces.
Episodes
If you’ve ever wondered how to keep your project pipeline full without constantly posting on social media or dropping thousands on ads, this episode is for you.
I’m joined by the powerhouse behind Designer Oasis—Kate Bendewald. Kate is a former commercial designer who left the corporate grind to build a design business on her own terms. Within her first year, she scaled to six figures entirelythrough word-of-mouth. No ...
AI isn’t just for big tech companies, it’s quickly becoming one of the most powerful tools for creative businesses, including interior design firms. But with all the hype, it can be hard to know what’s real, what’s useful, and how to actually apply AI in your day-to-day practice.
In this episode of The Business of Beautiful Spaces, I’m joined by AI innovator and strategist Matt Kantor, who has spent decades helping bus...
Let’s talk about photography—not just taking it, but actually using it to move the needle in your design business.
In today’s episode of The Business of Beautiful Spaces, I’m joined by Lauren Anderson, founder of Sen Creative and a pro at helping interior designers turn beautiful images into strategic business tools. Lauren’s here to show us how to go beyond the portfolio—how to use your photos to build authority, boos...
In this episode, Christine and I dig into how you can build authority and visibility in your business—even if your marketing budget is limited. She shares practical frameworks, mindset shifts, and tactical tools to help you get seen, heard, and trusted in your field.
Key topics include:
- Christine’s journey: from broadcast journalist to Expert Authority Coach
- The power of authentic visibility and how vulnerability can...
If you’re tired of chasing clients on social media and want your dream clients to come to you, this episode is going to shift the way you think about marketing.
I’m joined by Julia Bocchese, an SEO and Pinterest strategist who works with creative entrepreneurs to get their businesses found through powerful organic search tools. Julia breaks down what SEO really is (spoiler: it’s not as technical or intimidating as it s...
In this episode, I’m joined by the incredibly talented Marcy Sagel, founder and principal of MSA Interiors. Since launching her firm in 2004, Marcy has led her team with a strong belief in collaboration—partnering with developers, architects, and builders to create spaces that are both beautiful and deeply functional. With a portfolio that spans multifamily housing to healthcare environments, Marcy shares how design b...
Too often, interior designers fall into the trap of undervaluing themselves and, by extension, our entire industry. In today’s episode of The Business of Beautiful Spaces, I’m opening up about why it’s time to change that narrative—because we aren’t just creating beautiful spaces, we’re building businesses that deserve respect, profitability, and longevity.
I’ll share a personal story about the moment I chose design ov...
Entrepreneurship in interior design is exciting but let’s be real, it can also feel overwhelming and lonely. The truth is, you don’t have to figure it all out by yourself. In this episode, Laura Thornton shares why mentorship and community are essential for building a thriving design business and how they can help you skip years of trial and error.
Laura dives into:
✨ The real perks of mentorship, speed, accountabi...
If you’ve ever second guessed your pricing, shaved hours off an invoice, or wondered how other designers confidently charge what they’re worth, you’re not alone.
In this special episode of The Business of Beautiful Spaces, I’m pulling back the curtain on Profit Academy for Interior Designers, my 6-week online course designed to help you master the financial side of your design business.
But this isn’t just about pricing...
From Start-Up to Profitability with Suzanne Robson
In this replay episode, Laura sits down with interior designer Suzanne Robson, one of the very first students of The Profit Academy for Interior Designers. Together, they dive into the real challenges of launching and running an interior design business—from navigating pricing to setting boundaries with clients—and how Susan was able to build a profitable practice righ...
Today, we’re talking about one of the most important yet often overlooked aspects of running a design business: contracts. I’m thrilled to have Erica Canas, Esq., a Florida licensed attorney and interior design enthusiast, join us for this important conversation.
Erica is the founder of ID Law Shop, where she creates “best-practices” legal templates specifically for interior designers and architects. Her journey b...
Welcome to the grand finale of our four-part Profitable Design Series with Laura Thornton!
In this essential episode, Laura helps you shift from just designing beautiful spaces to designing a truly profitable business. Learn why reviewing your numbers regularly is more important than any brand board—and how to spot what’s really working for your bottom line, even if it’s not the “sexiest” project in your portfolio.
Disc...
Welcome to Part Three of our special four-part series on building a profitable interior design business with Laura Thornton!
In this episode, Laura brings together everything you’ve learned so far—understanding your numbers, tracking your time, and getting lean on spending—and reveals how to turn efficiency into profit that’s yours to keep. If you’ve invested in your systems, process, and team, you deserve to be reward...
In this episode of The Business of Beautiful Spaces, Laura Thornton sits down with financial therapist Aseel El-Baba to dive deep into the hidden challenges creatives and designers face around money, self-worth, and pricing. Aseel shares her inspiring personal journey from growing up in Lebanon and immigrating to Canada, to becoming a Bay Street financial advisor, and ultimately shifting to a holistic practice as a fi...
Welcome back to The Business of Beautiful Spaces! This is Part 2 of our special four-part series on building a profitable interior design business with Laura Thornton.
In this episode, Laura shares why tracking your time is one of the smartest—yet most underused—profit strategies for designers. From eye-opening stories about flat fees gone sideways to actionable tips on building better habits, Laura breaks down how und...
In the first episode of our special four-part series, Laura Thornton—founder of Thornton Design and The Profit Academy for Interior Designers—shares the essential financial foundations every designer needs to run a truly profitable business. Drawing from her own journey and real-world client stories, Laura breaks down the difference between revenue, profit, fixed and variable costs, and tackles the age-old designer di...
In this episode of The Business of Beautiful Spaces, I’m joined by Gabriela Eisenhart of Silo Studios to discuss how interior designers can confidently add construction management to their offerings—and boost profitability in the process. Gabriela shares how designers can start integrating construction-related services, improve communication with contractors and clients, and take more control over project outcomes.
We ...
Some are fortunate enough to discover their passion when they are young — Caron Woolsey is one of them. A native Texan, growing up Caron spent the summers visiting her grandparents in New Orleans, Louisiana. This is where her love of interior design, historic homes, and her appreciation for Creole and French Colonial architecture was born. After graduating Summa Cum Laude from Texas Tech, Caron embarked on a career in...
In this episode of The Business of Beautiful Spaces, Laura Thornton reveals why accessories are the secret weapon for both designers and clients—and how they can turn “nice” rooms into wow-worthy homes and boost your profit margins. Learn how to educate clients who think they only need the basics, why accessories matter for every project (and photo shoot!), and the business strategies that can turn those finishing tou...
Are your leads or clients suddenly silent? You’re not alone! In this episode of The Business of Beautiful Spaces, Laura Thornton shares practical strategies for what to do when you’ve been “ghosted” by a client or prospect. From using systems and trackers to sending the perfect “magic email,” Laura explains how to stay proactive, get clarity, and keep your design business moving forward—without the stress or self-doub...
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