a note from my desk....
This week, I had one of those days where, on paper, I talked to people all day.
I started at a bathroom project that’s about to begin demolition. I was onsite with my clients for a preliminary walkthrough, talking them through what the next week would look like and meeting with the GC to make sure he had everything he needed to get started.
From there, I headed to a paint consultation.
In the middle of all of that, I had my weekly check-in with a designer I support who is navigating a difficult client situation. My role in that conversation was to help her sort through what was happening, think clearly, and decide how she wanted to lead the situation.
And I also attended my weekly Profit in Practice class.
So by the time I wrapped up my day, I had talked to clients, a contractor, another designer, and a room full of business owners.
I had been around people all day.
And yet, as I was walking into the grocery store at the end of it, I had this unexpected thought:
I feel lonely.
Not lonely in the sense that I had no one to talk to.
Lonely in the way that can happen when you’re the person carrying the responsibility.
When you’re the one making decisions.
When clients are looking to you for answers.
When another designer is looking to you for guidance.
When you’re building something that matters deeply to you — and so much of that building happens inside your own head.
I think this is something we don’t talk about enough in the design industry.
You can have a very people-filled business and still feel alone in it.
And I suspect a lot of designers know exactly what I mean.
That’s why I think community, mentorship and having people who truly understand this work matters so much.
Not just people who appreciate pretty interiors.
People who understand what it feels like to price the project, hold the boundary, manage the client, question the decision, watch the numbers, solve the problem and still show up creatively the next morning.
You don’t have to build your business alone just because you own it alone.
Let's dive in! 🌊
This Week Inside the Method
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This Week's Blueprint
📐Build a business community on purpose don’t wait for support to magically appear.
If you work for yourself, especially as a solo designer or small studio, you have to be intentional about creating places where you can connect with people who understand the work.
That’s one of the reasons I started my monthly conversations and webinars.
The next one is October 6 at 1 PM ET — Beyond the Mood Board: What Every Interior Designer Wishes They Knew.
This isn’t a polished sales presentation disguised as education.
It’s a casual conversation.
A chance to hear from other designers, talk honestly about the industry, share experiences, and have the kinds of conversations we often don’t get to have when we’re busy running our businesses.
Sometimes community starts with simply putting yourself in the room.
And if you’ve been feeling a little isolated in your business lately, I’d love for you to join us.
📐Find people who understand the business, not just the design there’s a difference between talking finishes and talking pricing, difficult clients, profitability, capacity and confidence.
📐Stop treating support like a weakness — having people to bounce things off doesn’t mean you can’t lead; it often helps you lead better.
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This Week's Workshop
🛠️ Build Your Business Support Map List who you currently go to for creative advice, business advice, emotional support, technical help and accountability. Where are the gaps?
🛠️ Make One Connection This Week Message one designer, join one conversation, attend one event, reconnect with someone, or schedule a business coffee.
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CEO Reflection
☕Who do I have in my business life that I can be completely honest with and if the answer is no one, what am I going to do about that?
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📐 Keep Building
I think one of the strangest parts of running your own business is that you can spend an entire day surrounded by people and still feel like you’re carrying so much of it alone.
That doesn’t mean something is wrong.
It means leadership can be lonely.
You’re the one making the call, holding the vision, solving the problem, reassuring the client, figuring out the numbers, deciding what comes next.
And sometimes what you need isn’t another strategy.
You need a room where you don’t have to be the one with all the answers.
A conversation. A sounding board. A reminder that other people are navigating this too.
That’s one of the reasons I’m so intentional about creating opportunities for designers to connect.
Our next Beyond the Mood Board conversation is October 6 at 1 PM ET, and then on October 13, I’m hosting our next monthly business workshop; dedicated CEO time to step away from client work and work on the business itself.
If you’ve been feeling isolated, stuck in your own head or like you’ve been carrying too much alone, come join us.
Because you don’t have to build your business alone just because you own it alone.
A thoughtfully designed business isn’t only about better systems or stronger processes.
It’s also about making sure you have support around you while you build it.
I'm grateful you're here.
Until next Friday, 💛
Marsha
Helping interior designers build businesses as thoughtfully designed as the homes they create.
