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Stuff Interior Designers Need To Know: Insider Industry Advice for Residential Interior Designers

Stuff Interior Designers Need To Know: Insider Industry Advice for Residential Interior Designers

Rebecca West, Interior Design Marketing Strategist & Client Communication​ ​Coach 15 Episodes Aug 8, 2026

Stuff Interior Designers Need To Know is a podcast offering real-talk business and industry advice for residential interior designers. Host Rebecca West, a seasoned interior designer turned marketing and communication strategist, shares insights on topics like creating a design website and managing bookkeeping. The show aims to help new and experienced designers grow their businesses and avoid common pitfalls. Episodes deliver actionable, no-nonsense guidance for running a successful interior design firm.

Episodes

Ep. 15: What’s It Really Like to Open an Interior Design Showroom? With Maison Mischief Co-Founder Katie Gutierrez
Ep. 15: What’s It Really Like to Open an Interior Design Showroom? With Maison Mischief Co-Founder Katie Gutierrez Aug 8, 2026 2771 What does it really take to open an interior design showroom?You may be picturing beautiful windows, fabulous objects, and customers wandering in to admire your impeccable taste.Now add the commercial lease, insurance, accessibility, security cameras, wholesale minimums, damaged shipments, tariffs, returns, music licensing, broken merchandise—and the occasional day when not one person walks throug
Ep. 14: Everything’s Backordered — Now What? Handling Backorders & Lead-Time Chaos with Interior Designer Maggie Griffin
Ep. 14: Everything’s Backordered — Now What? Handling Backorders & Lead-Time Chaos with Interior Designer Maggie Griffin Jun 28, 2026 2534 What do you do when the sofa is delayed, the fabric is backordered, the tariff surcharge shows up after the order is placed, and your client is staring at you like you personally disrupted the supply chain? In this episode of Stuff Interior Designers Need To Know, Rebecca sits down with Maggie Griffin, founder and principal designer of Maggie Griffin Design in Gainesville, Georgia, to talk about o
Ep. 13: How To Outsource Design Drawings with Jessica Marchant of BlueSky Creative
Ep. 13: How To Outsource Design Drawings with Jessica Marchant of BlueSky Creative Apr 20, 2026 3597 Will you be ready when your contractor and trades ask you for buildable plans and detailed construction docs? 😬 In this episode of Stuff Interior Designers Need To Know, Rebecca sits down with Jessica Marchant of Blue-Sky Creative to talk about one of the most important parts of a successful interior design project: technical drawings.Rebecca asks:What are technical construction drawings? 🤔 What i
Ep. 12: Design Documents & Outsourcing with Interior Designer Ronniesha Rivera of Vetted by Design
Ep. 12: Design Documents & Outsourcing with Interior Designer Ronniesha Rivera of Vetted by Design Mar 27, 2026 2212 What actually separates a “pretty ideas” designer from the one contractors trust, clients respect, and projects run smoothly for?In this episode of Stuff Interior Designers Need To Know, Rebecca West sits down with residential interior designer Ronniesha Rivera, founder of Alder & Stone and Vetted by Design, to talk about the unsexy (but wildly powerful) backbone of a successful design busines
Ep. 11: From Intern To Studio Owner: Rachel Went From ‘I Know Nothing’ to Running a Successful Studio
Ep. 11: From Intern To Studio Owner: Rachel Went From ‘I Know Nothing’ to Running a Successful Studio Dec 1, 2025 3208 What does it actually takes to go from “wide-eyed intern” to confident design-firm owner? What does it feel like to be two years into running your own studio?In this very special episode of Stuff Interior Designers Need To Know Rebecca sits down with her former Seriously Happy Homes team member, Rachel Poe, to unpack the real-world lessons she carried from her early days into running her own thriv
Ep. 10: What It Really Takes To Set Up Flat Fees For Interior Design Services with Houston-Based Designer Caron Woolsey
Ep. 10: What It Really Takes To Set Up Flat Fees For Interior Design Services with Houston-Based Designer Caron Woolsey Oct 29, 2025 3181 Grab a drink and get ready for the most real talk, spill-the-tea convo, not just about what it takes to set up a flat fee billing system, but also about the reality of leading a team, growing a design firm, saying no, and marketing a small business. In this candid conversation, Rebecca sits down with Texas-based designer Caron Woolsey of CW Interiors to unpack the real-world journey from hourly bi
Ep. 9: Updating Her Website Copy Helped Interior Designer Amanda Welch Attract Ideal Clients
Ep. 9: Updating Her Website Copy Helped Interior Designer Amanda Welch Attract Ideal Clients Oct 1, 2025 1637 What happens when an interior designer finally gets crystal clear about who she works with—and who she doesn’t? In this episode, interior designer Amanda Welch of Brooksvale Design (Woodinville, WA) shares how refining her website copy, clarifying her process, and boldly posting pricing transformed her business.Amanda tells us why it was scary (but powerful) to put pricing on her website, how addi
Ep 8: Make your Contractor Your Best Referral Partner: How-To Tips for Contractor-Friendly Interior Design Files
Ep 8: Make your Contractor Your Best Referral Partner: How-To Tips for Contractor-Friendly Interior Design Files Mar 18, 2025 3512 Want your contractor to rave about you (and send you referrals)?Turns out, the secret isn’t great design—it’s great design files! You know: floor plans, elevations, and material lists. They aren’t just nice to have. They are essential to a smooth project!In the latest episode of Stuff Interior Designers Need to Know, Rebecca chats with general contractors Chris and Lisa of Raincap Construction (Se
Ep 7: Don't Give Away The Rights To Your Name! and Other Essential Legal Advice About Licensing, Trademarks, & Copyright from Lawyer Nicole Dolgon
Ep 7: Don't Give Away The Rights To Your Name! and Other Essential Legal Advice About Licensing, Trademarks, & Copyright from Lawyer Nicole Dolgon Jan 31, 2025 3134 Want to Be the Next Joanna Gaines or Nate Berkus? Here's What You Need to Know About Licensing Your NameEver wondered what it takes to build a brand like Joanna Gaines, Nate Berkus, or Jonathan Adler—the kind that turns your name into a household one (and a revenue stream)? You’re not alone!In this episode of Stuff Interior Designers Need to Know, we’re diving into the world of licensing, tra
Ep 6: A Logo Is NOT A Brand! and Other Essential Interior Design Marketing Advice from Website Designer Robyn White
Ep 6: A Logo Is NOT A Brand! and Other Essential Interior Design Marketing Advice from Website Designer Robyn White Nov 25, 2024 2397 In this episode of Stuff Interior Designers Need to Know we enjoy a masterclass on marketing strategies for interior designers with Robyn White of RDW Design Studio, a website design firm dedicated to Interior Designers. She may have come to the industry thanks to an embarrassing addiction to HGTV <cue the cringe lol> but she's since learned exactly what it actually takes to be a profes
Ep 5: What Can You Learn From Someone Who Used to Write For Elle Decor? Straight Talk for Interior Designers with Copywriter Kamala Nair
Ep 5: What Can You Learn From Someone Who Used to Write For Elle Decor? Straight Talk for Interior Designers with Copywriter Kamala Nair Oct 31, 2024 3211 In this episode of Stuff Interior Designers Need to Know I sit down with Kamala Nair, CEO of  Kamala Nair, Inc, a copywriting firm dedicated to Interior Designers,  to help us understand when - and how - to work with a professional copywriter. Having worked for Elle Decor Magazine as a content writer, and West Elm as a copy writer, she's got behind-the-scenes knowledge on what it takes to rea
Ep 4: Stop Charging Your Clients For Credit Card Fees! And Other Smart Advice From Interior Design Bookkeeper Natalie Spears of Vintage Grey
Ep 4: Stop Charging Your Clients For Credit Card Fees! And Other Smart Advice From Interior Design Bookkeeper Natalie Spears of Vintage Grey Sep 19, 2024 3611 In this episode of Stuff Interior Designers Need to Know I sit down with Natalie Spears, CEO of  Vintage Grey, a bookkeeping firm dedicated to Interior Designers,  to reveal the bookkeeping essentials every designer needs. From the often-ignored legal pitfalls of co-mingling funds (it’s not just a bookkeeping nightmare!) to those dreaded credit card processing fees (and why avoiding them might act

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