Self-leadership as a business owner is something I discuss often with my clients, and it’s a key step in the Out of Overwhelm process. Whether it’s your level of confidence, how you plan, or make decisions, leading with your future self has a well of wisdom, guidance, and reassurance to offer, but you first have to learn how to tune into her.

Effective problem-solving is a vital skill you must cultivate as an interior design business CEO. Whether you’re currently facing a derailed calendar or not, learning how to save yourself time and create space in your business will always serve you, and today, I’m showing you how to be prepared for any obstacle that comes your way because the truth is, it’s inevitable.

On this special episode, I’m speaking to my Out of Overwhelm client, Isabella Patrick. Isabella is the CEO of Isabella Patrick Interiors Inc.: a woman-owned and women-led full-service residential interior design and decorating firm located in Manhattan. I invited her on to celebrate her growth with all of you, and she’s offering her thoughts on how Out of Overwhelm transformed her experience of being a business owner.

The more you rehearse a story about yourself, the more ingrained it becomes, and the more you automatically begin to take action from that place. In essence, your stories become self-fulfilling prophecies. If your stories are producing outcomes and experiences you don’t want, it’s time to consider dropping them, and I’m showing you how.

The truth is, a business that runs like a well-oiled machine always starts with you and how you manage your time. There’s more to effective time management than just using a particular planner, app, or tool. Time management is the first foundational pillar of running a thriving interior design business, so if you know this is an area you’re struggling with, listen in.

Did you know that the average interior designer spends two to three hours per day in their inbox? Email communication can get chaotic and sloppy very quickly. If you resonate with that feeling of being weighed down by your email inbox and it seems like they pile up every time you look away, you’re in the right place.

Our assumptions are not the same as universal truths, even though they might feel like it. This is great news because if the assumptions you’re making aren’t serving you, meaning they’re creating unnecessary issues and challenges, you get to change them. What if the only thing holding you back from running your business in the way you want is just a faulty assumption?

Time tracking is the secret to making your business a joy to run. It’s a simple way to ensure you’re in control of not only your time but the amount of money you create in your business, as well as the level of enjoyment you experience of your clients and projects. However, time tracking is a habit many interior design business CEOs feel resistant to, and it’s hindering them in more ways than one.

While playing the short game gives us dopamine hits that feel amazing, the truth is that the trade isn’t worth it when you’re working towards a goal in your business. Instead, the long-game mindset is the secret to any type of success you want to create in any area of life or business, and I’m showing you how to adopt this approach.

The truth is, conditions and circumstances in our lives rarely align perfectly. We’re almost guaranteed to have obstacles come up in our schedule or not be in the mood to do what we know we want or need to do. And if you’re always waiting or wishing for perfect conditions to arrive, you’re going to be waiting a long time.

Feeling energized by new ideas but finding it hard to access that excitement in your day-to-day routine is a common pattern business owners go through. Whether you feel like you’re on the back foot because you haven’t taken action or are overwhelmed by all the possibilities, it’s time to stop the pattern of consuming without action because it’s definitely not moving you closer to your goals.

Whether you’re worried about getting started with systems in your business, think you don’t have the time, or aren’t sure if your team will get on board with new software and procedures, you’re in the right place. This week, I’m here with Katie McFarlan from Dakota Design Company to debunk three systems myths that are preventing you from implementing and using systems to their fullest potential.

Whether your flavor of procrastination looks like choosing to do anything but work, or what I call “procrasti-working,” I’m here to empower you with tools for navigating procrastination so you can notice it and stop it in its tracks. There are a few reasons you might be tempted to procrastinate, and I’m laying them out on this episode.

If you find that you never actually let yourself enjoy the success you’ve created, you have likely fallen prey to a term called arrival fallacy. This term explains the illusion that “there,” wherever that might be for you, is better than here. It's a cycle of belief that can be challenging to opt out of, but the good news is we can learn to work with its presence, and I’m showing you how this week.

My clients often have some idea of what they desire. They know there is more that they want to achieve, but their vision isn’t crystal clear or specific enough for them to begin taking deliberate action. Add to that the inevitable doubt that comes with wanting to bring a bigger vision to life, and they can find themselves stuck, lacking inspiration, and operating from survival mode.

While to-do lists are extremely common, I often see a variety of misconceptions and inefficiencies around how they’re used, so it’s time to clear a few things up. As the CEO of your interior design business, you might be unwittingly turning your to-do lists into an enemy, when in fact, it can be an amazing partner in making effective use of your time.

Between drawings, contracts, emails, and conversations, both written and verbal, with staff, clients, and vendors, communication is a crucial part of your business and bringing your projects to life. I took several communication classes when studying for my degree, but I know this isn't the case for everyone. On this episode of the podcast, I'm sharing four tips specifically designed to help interior designers streamline interactions and communicate more effectively.

Even though we know that all designers miss the mark or have oversights sometimes, we secretly hope it never happens to us. You can do your absolute best and still have things go wrong, and the truth is, this is just part of running a business. If you’re holding yourself to a standard of perfection or believe you can plan enough to avoid all problems, listen in.

We know that resisting and avoiding annoyances isn't the most productive use of our time. What can we do when we experience those humps that keep us stuck? Is it possible that we might be making the challenges in our business even more annoying? And what becomes possible when we learn to anticipate, acknowledge, and accept those obstacles? Join me this week as I give you the answers to these questions.

Listen in this week as I share four birthday reflections from the past year and how you can take these lessons and apply them to your own life and business. Hear the value of encountering the same lessons time and time again and how to decide what you want to do with them when they emerge in your life.