profile

The Design Clarity Weekly

Reverse engineering the business (and life) you actually want

Published 3 months ago • 1 min read

Design Clarity Weekly

Helping Design Professionals Streamline, Simplify & Succeed

Hey Lovely!

This week, we’re diving into a powerful strategy that I’ve used in both my life and business—and one I share often with my coaching clients:

👉 Reverse engineering.

Last fall, after a series of big life transitions, I took a hard look at what I truly wanted my days, my business, and my energy to look like. I mapped out what my ideal lifestyle would be, then worked backwards to design the business structure, services, and schedule that would support it.

And it worked.

I’m sharing this with you because I know how easy it is to build a business that looks good on paper, but doesn’t actually feel good to live. Reverse engineering flips the process—and helps you build with intention.

Here’s how you can start:

Tips, Tools & Takeaways for Designers

3 Tips: How to Use Reverse Engineering in Your Business

  1. Start with the big picture. What do you want your life to look like 6–12 months from now? Think about your schedule, your energy, your income, your family, and your creativity. Start there—not with your current service list.
  2. Map the numbers + structure that support it. What kind of income supports that lifestyle? How many projects (and what kind of projects) do you need? What’s your ideal client volume and offer mix?
  3. Build the offers, workflows, and marketing around that. Only now do you get into the details. Structure your offers, availability, pricing, and messaging to support the life you mapped in step 1. You’ll be amazed at how focused everything becomes.

​

2 Resources to Check Out

📌 Business Audit Guide​
If you haven’t grabbed this yet, this quick tool helps you spot what’s working (and what’s draining you). A perfect starting point before reverse engineering your next steps.

📌 Podcast episode – How to Plan the Business and Life You Dream About(Goal Digger Ep. 844)​
You can’t just think it—you’ve got to build it, step by step, strategy by strategy, action by action.

1 Question for You

🤔 What would your ideal week look like—if you weren’t basing it on your current clients or workload?

Hit reply and share. I’d love to hear.

Want More Support?

That’s it for this week, friend. I'm heading to the island to celebrate my 20th wedding anniversary with my best friend, biggest cheerleader and life partner. I hope this week's email helped you pause and reflect on the direction you’re headed—not just in business, but in life.

If you’re ready to reverse engineer your next chapter and want some support doing it, my VIP Strategy Session might be the perfect next step.
👉 [VIP Session link]

With Clarity and Ease.💛

Warmly,​
Marsha

113 Cherry St #92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2205
​Unsubscribe · Preferences​

The Design Clarity Weekly

Marsha Sefcik

Sent every Friday, this quick 5-minute read is packed with actionable tips to help you streamline your design business. Written by Marsha Sefcik, a trusted business strategist for design professionals, you'll learn how to simplify workflows, master client onboarding, and improve your design-related copy. Join hundreds of design professionals who already benefit from this free, weekly resource!

Read more from The Design Clarity Weekly
A circular logo with the text "The Design Clarity Weekly" at the top and "Marsha Sefcik" at the bottom. Inside the circle is an illustration of an open envelope on a laptop screen, suggesting communication or a newsletter theme.

Design Clarity Weekly Helping Design Professionals Streamline, Simplify & Succeed Hey Lovely! In my early years of business, I fell hard into the feast and famine cycle. I’d pour myself into client projects, disappear from marketing while I was busy, and then panic when the projects wrapped and the phone was quiet. I learned the hard way that consistency—not hustle—is what keeps the work flowing. Today, I show up for my clients in ways that plant seeds for the future, and I keep a steady...

6 days ago • 2 min read
A circular logo with the text "The Design Clarity Weekly" at the top and "Marsha Sefcik" at the bottom. Inside the circle is an illustration of an open envelope on a laptop screen, suggesting communication or a newsletter theme.

Design Clarity Weekly Helping Design Professionals Streamline, Simplify & Succeed Hey Lovely! There are a lot of moving parts in our design business. Mishaps will happen—it’s inevitable. What sets you apart isn’t whether everything always goes perfectly (spoiler: it won’t), but how you respond. The way we treat our vendors, trades, and clients in those moments says more about us than the wins. Strong, respectful, solution-oriented relationships are the foundation of a business that grows with...

about 1 month ago • 1 min read
A circular logo with the text "The Design Clarity Weekly" at the top and "Marsha Sefcik" at the bottom. Inside the circle is an illustration of an open envelope on a laptop screen, suggesting communication or a newsletter theme.

Design Clarity Weekly Helping Design Professionals Streamline, Simplify & Succeed Hey Lovely! I’ve become much more intentional with my mornings. For years, I dove straight into work—coffee in hand, inbox open, and already chasing the day. Recently, I started delaying my workday by just one hour (gasp- guess what the world did not come to an end), and the difference has been remarkable. That small shift has created space for clarity: time to stretch, journal, check in with my priorities, and...

about 1 month ago • 2 min read