252. What Contractors Know That Designers Don't

This episode is a special one for me, and frankly, one I never thought I would be recording, because this marks my fifth anniversary of this podcast, Only Girl on the Jobsite, which just is surreal, shocking, overwhelming, and humbling, all mixed in together. To mark the occasion, I invited my 3 design school besties, my design school friends, the girls, who have walked this path alongside me in different ways; they have been my support system, and my community. And that community started way back when, in 1992, when I started at the New York School of Interior Design. And I met three of the most incredible, dynamic, magical people. Whether you're just starting out or years into your design career, this candid discussion will remind you that your journey is unique, your evolution is valuable, and community makes all the difference. Tune in for real insights, shared wisdom, and a celebration of how far we've all come.   Mentioned in this episode: In honor of celebrating our 5-year anniversary here on Only Girl On The Jobsite, if you rate and review this podcast on any platform you are listening to, screenshot your review and email it to me at [email protected] and I will send you a link to schedule a call with me. Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance   Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/5-year-anniversary-designer-roundtable 

Today I'm sharing the story of how I built a design business that doesn't just rely on constant marketing, that next inquiry call, or that lucky referral. I don't go looking for new clients, and I haven't had to in years. My next project almost always comes from a client I've already worked with or from one of the contractors, architects, or realtors in my network. So today I'm breaking down exactly how that happens and, more importantly, how you can start building the same kind of stability and predictability in your own firm. Mentioned in this episode: Find out all the details about The Designer's Edge here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/construction-management-interior-designers  Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/why-i-never-have-to-go-looking-for-new-clients   

So you've probably noticed this before: you've noticed that contractors never apologize for their prices. They walk into a meeting, they set their number and paperwork on the table, and then they wait. There are no disclaimers. There's no, I hope this seems reasonable, Mrs. Smith. It's just, this is what it costs. Meanwhile, we as designers are still over-explaining, discounting, or defending what we charge. But here's the question I want you to think about today: What if the difference between how contractors and designers price has absolutely nothing to do with money and everything to do with mindset? Because the truth is, they're not just better at math. They're better at leadership. Mentioned in this episode: Sign up for The Pricing Fix workshop on November 6th, 12:30 PM EST:  https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/the-pricing-fix Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance   Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/contractor-pricing-vs-designer-pricing 

Have you ever wrapped up a project, looked at your hours, your profitability, what you built, what you spent, and figured out that you were actually working at maybe $47 an hour? You knew the project was beautiful, the clients were thrilled, but somewhere between your proposal and that final invoice, the math just stopped making sense. And the worst part is you knew something was off. You knew you were undercharging, but at the time, it felt reasonable. That good reason is usually one of the three lies we tell ourselves to make undercharging feel okay. And today, we're going to break it down. What those lies are, why they keep us stuck, and more importantly, what to do instead, so you can finally price your construction projects with confidence and clarity. Mentioned in this episode: Sign up for The Pricing Fix workshop on November 6th, 12:30 PM EST:  https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/the-pricing-fix   Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance   Find the full shownotes at:  https://devignierdesign.com/three-lies-designers-tell-themselves-about-pricing 

Last week, I talked about invisible work, all of those small, well-intentioned tasks that quietly chip away at your profits. This week, I want to continue that conversation with one simple question: if you've switched to flat fees, are they actually flat enough? Because I see this all the time. Designers move away from hourly billings thinking, finally, no more time tracking, no more nickel and diming, no more surprises. But then the project ends, the designer is exhausted, the profits are thin, and they're wondering where all of their time went. And it's not that your number was wrong, it's that your flat fee wasn't flat enough.   Mentioned in this episode: Sign up for The Pricing Fix workshop on November 6th, 12:30 PM EST:  https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/the-pricing-fix Join the wait list for my course, The Designers Edge: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/construction-management-interior-designers Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance Sign up here to join my panel discussion at High Point: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/meet-the-podcasters-tickets-1657193372989?aff=oddtdtcreator Sign up for my weekly newsletter: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/from-the-jobsite   Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/why-your-flat-fee-isnt-flat-enough  

Today, I want to dive into the invisible work that's eating away at your profits. I think you know what I mean, right? They're the hours that never make it into a proposal, the tiny tasks that keep piling up, the "quick things" that somehow take all day. So if you've ever ended a project feeling like you worked twice as much as you got paid for, you probably did. I have been there many times, and I can tell you exactly where the money is slipping through the cracks. Mentioned in this episode: Join the wait list for my revamped course, The Designers Edge: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/construction-management-interior-designers Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance Sign up here to join my panel discussion at High Point: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/meet-the-podcasters-tickets-1657193372989?aff=oddtdtcreator Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/invisible-work-eating-your-profits 

I talk a lot about profitability on these episodes because, of course, we do this for a living. But today, I invited someone to talk with more authority about our finances in general. And I understand it is not always easy to look at our finances, especially if they aren't where we want them to be. But Carla Titus has over 17 years of combined corporate financial planning, analysis strategy, and online businesses experience. She works with interior designers and she understands and provides fractional CFO services and consulting to business owners like us who are looking to grow their business profitability, which is what we all want. Her mission with Wealth and Worth Within is to empower business owners like you to achieve financial clarity and peace of mind so that they can get back to what they enjoy.  In today's episode, you'll learn how designers can master their money mindset, set profitable margins, and think like a CEO—so your business grows with confidence and sustainability. Find out more about Carla here: Website: www.wealthworthwithin.com  Facebook: www.facebook.com/wealthworthwithin  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wealthworthwithin   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wealthworthwithin/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wealthworthwithin  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wealthandworthwithin   Mentioned in this episode: Join the wait list for my revamped course, The Designers Edge: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/construction-management-interior-designers Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance  Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/interior-designers-guide-to-growth   

Today, we're going to talk about the hard truth: that many of the challenges that we face on construction projects aren't just coming from contractors, architects, or the clients. A lot of them are coming from us, from the way we've been taught to see ourselves, from the way we approach our work, and from the stories we've quietly absorbed about what it means to be an interior designer managing construction. The good news is also the bad news, because if we're the ones doing it to ourselves, we're also the ones who can stop it. Mentioned in this episode: Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance  Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/designers-jobsite-mistakes-mindset-shift 

Last week, I talked all about proposals and how designers often present themselves in ways that just don't stack up next to the concise professional proposals from architects and contractors, also known as our colleagues. And I said something then that I want to build on today, that the way we present ourselves to our clients matters. Because it's not just in proposals, it's also in how we charge. And the truth is, a lot of designers are unintentionally making themselves look expendable as well as different from our colleagues, architects, and contractors. And all in the wrong way when it comes to fees. So today, I want to talk about whether you feel stuck charging small consult fees when you could be landing six-figure projects.  Mentioned in this episode: Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance  Find the full shownotes at:  https://devignierdesign.com/interior-design-pricing-flat-fee-vs-hourly

Are your proposals costing you projects and profit? In this episode, I break down the common mistakes designers make in their scopes of work, why vague language leads to scope creep, and how to write proposals that protect your bottom line and earn respect on the job site. Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/proposal-mistake-costing-interior-designers-projects-profit