What if I need to design another version again, without getting paid the extra hours?

Marc
08 juli 2022

The uncertainty of ‘not knowing what’ll be the next thing that will happen’ is a feeling that almost any interior designer can relate to. 

To be honest, this was exactly how my daily life looked like a couple of years ago. I was reaching the limit of hours I could spend each day on my passion, on my work, and that didn’t make me happy. At all.
Yes, even if you are almost 15 years in the interior design business you need to deal with all of the daily ‘hassle’ that comes alongside of the actual designing.

There’s so much to joggle when your own an interior design firm

Reaching out to clients, new projects, clients e-mailing or calling you 24/7… Sometimes they even block your best ideas. The uncertainty of not knowing how or where a project will end, having to put in way more time again, just because you want to make it look good! I was working my ass off for my creativity and expertise. And the only thing I want to do, is to create beautiful things…!

I tried solving all of my problems by designing

Version 14.2, version 27.3. I was designing countless different versions, without getting paid the extra hours. And in the mean time I hoped my next project would come with an awesome client.

In 2018 I was heading towards a severe burnout if I’d continue to work like that. You could call it self sabotaging. Until my business coach said: “Stop Marc! Stop running your interior design studio on passion alone. Stop designing interiors. You need to design your business first.” And that’s what I did… but only after she had kicked my ass!   

My lessons:

  • My strong old believe: ‘This is just what it takes to be an interior designer’ was not true.  
  • Just hoping my next projects will come with an awesome client is not a strategy.      
  • Designing your business does NOT mean designing a new website, business cards, etc (unfortunately ; ) 
  • I had to first learn other skills to improve my designer skills.   

I wish I knew this before. That would have saved me me so much time, energy, money and frustration! Do you recognize this? Are you sabotaging yourself? Are you running your interior design studio mostly on passion? Please let me know in the comments.