S5 Ep 184 If You Build It, They Still May Not Come
Designed for the Creative Mind™
Release Date: 06/30/2025
S8 Ep.212 From MTV to High Point: How Rhobin DelaCruz Built a Design Career by Design
Designed for the Creative Mind™
In today’s episode, I’m sitting down with interior designer, creative instigator, and community builder Rhobin DelaCruz. Rhobin has worked with brands like GQ, TED, and MTV, but what really stands out is how intentionally he approaches both design and business. From the way he talks about community to how he shows up at High Point Market, everything he does is rooted in purpose, clarity, and connection. This conversation covers a lot of ground—from career pivots to nonprofit work—and it’s one of those episodes that reminds you how powerful design can really be. In this episode, we...
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S8 Ep. 211 From Design to Staging: The Income Stream You’re Missing with Guest Marianna Cherico
Designed for the Creative Mind™
In this episode of Designed for the Creative Mind, Michelle sits down with home staging coach Marianne Cherico to explore how staging can become a powerful extension of an interior design business. With decades of experience in real estate and staging, Marianne shares practical strategies for building relationships with real estate agents, shifting mindset, and positioning staging as an investment rather than a luxury. You’ll learn how designers can diversify income streams, stand out in a competitive market, and communicate value in a way that attracts long-term clients and...
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S8 Ep.210 When Design, Wellness, and Leadership Collide with Natalie Froom
Designed for the Creative Mind™
In this episode of Designed for the Creative Mind, I’m sitting down with Natalie Froom, founder and principal designer of Studio 180 Design. Natalie and I go way back—she came through the Interior Design Business Bakery shortly after the pandemic, back when she lovingly calls herself a “baby designer.” Fast forward to now, and she’s running a growing studio with a team, a refined process, and big plans for the future. This conversation is one of those full-circle moments I absolutely love. We talk about how Natalie’s background in psychology and nutrition led her to interior...
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S8 Ep.209 How Smart Designers Use Paid Ads to Stay Fully Booked with Shelby Fowler
Designed for the Creative Mind™
In today’s episode of Designed for the Creative Mind, I’m sitting down with Shelby Fowler Moss to talk about something that makes a lot of designers nervous: paid ads. Shelby is a paid ad strategist and sales expert who’s helped businesses generate tens of millions of dollars through advertising, and she brings a refreshingly honest, no-fluff perspective to this conversation. If you’ve ever felt like paid ads are risky, confusing, or something only “big businesses” can afford, this episode is for you. Shelby and I break down what actually makes ads work, why so many business...
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S8 Ep.208 Interior Design Biz Ain't for Punks
Designed for the Creative Mind™
Building a design business doesn’t happen by accident. In this episode, Melissa Fields shares what it really looked like behind the scenes — undercharging, no process, imposter syndrome, and learning the hard way that being busy doesn’t equal being profitable. From $100 consults to hiring her first employee and stepping fully into the CEO role, this conversation is honest, grounding, and incredibly encouraging for any designer in the “figuring it out” phase. IN THIS EPISODE: How Melissa transitioned from a 20-year military career into interior design Why she started in...
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S8 Ep.207 Lessons From Our Biggest Mistakes
Designed for the Creative Mind™
As this year comes to a close, I wanted to have a very honest conversation—one rooted in experience, not perfection. In this episode, I’m reflecting alongside another seasoned firm owner, Katie Decker Erickson, on the mistakes we’ve made, the lessons we learned the hard way, and what actually matters when you’re trying to move your business forward with clarity instead of chaos. This isn’t about beating yourself up for what didn’t work. It’s about looking back clearly—without ego or shame—so you can recalibrate your direction, trust yourself again, and make smarter...
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S7 Ep.206 The Myth That You Need Design School To Succeed In Business
Designed for the Creative Mind™
In today’s episode of my MythBuster series, I’m talking about one of the most persistent beliefs in the interior design industry: that you need design school to succeed. This one hits close to home for me, because I didn’t go to design school — and for a long time, I carried that quietly, wondering if it would eventually expose me as someone who didn’t belong. What I’ve learned over the years, though, is that this myth doesn’t just affect designers without formal education. It affects everyone. What I see again and again is this gap — the gap between learning how to design...
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S7 Ep.205 Myth: It’s All About the Money — Clients Just Want to Save Money
Designed for the Creative Mind™
In today’s episode, I’m continuing my myth-busting season and tackling one of the biggest beliefs holding designers back: the idea that clients only care about money. If you’ve ever taken pricing questions personally or felt pressure to lower your rates just to keep projects moving, this conversation is for you. I’m breaking down what’s really happening when clients push back on price — and why it’s almost never about trying to save a few dollars. In this episode, I talk about: Why clients aren’t price shoppers — they’re confidence and clarity shoppers How money...
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S7 Ep.204 The Myth of “Helping People Means Keeping My Prices Low”
Designed for the Creative Mind™
In today’s episode, I’m breaking down a myth that keeps so many designers stuck on the burnout hamster wheel: the belief that “helping people means keeping my prices low.” I see this all the time in our industry — designers who genuinely want to serve end up undercharging, overdelivering, and attracting clients who don’t respect their expertise. And it’s not because they lack talent. It’s because they’ve tied generosity to their pricing instead of their business structure. This entire conversation was sparked by a listener who shared that she gives white-glove service but...
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S7 Ep.203 The Myth of “If My Clients Love Me, They’ll Refer Me”
Designed for the Creative Mind™
Early in my design career, I thought referrals were the ultimate sign of success. A happy client, emotional reveal, or heartfelt thank-you note — surely that meant more business was on the way, right? I quickly learned the truth: referrals are unpredictable behavior, not a reflection of love, skill, or value. In this episode, I’m sharing why relying on referrals alone creates a fragile business and what you can do to build momentum that’s intentional and sustainable. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN: • Why referrals are not a love language — they’re inconsistent and circumstantial...
info_outlineWelcome back to Designed for the Creative Mind, the podcast where we get real about what it actually takes to build a beautiful and profitable interior design business. In this episode, Michelle kicks off a brand-new series called Booked by Accident vs. Booked by Design—a must-listen if you’ve ever wondered why your dream clients still aren’t showing up, even though you’re doing “all the right things.”
Michelle unpacks what’s really going on in today’s economy and why relying on referrals, a pretty Instagram feed, or a solid reputation alone just isn’t enough anymore.
Here’s what she covers:
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Why “just do good work and the clients will come” is outdated advice
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The difference between visibility and actual connection
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How to market like a guide, not a design hero
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Why marketing to your peers is a trap
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What clients are actually looking for (hint: it’s not a waterfall edge)
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The truth about consistency vs. constant content creation
If your leads have slowed down, are inconsistent, or just aren’t aligned, you’re going to want to hear this.
Free Live Workshop Invitation:
Michelle is also inviting you to a free three-day live workshop called Booked by Design—specifically created for interior designers who are ready to attract aligned, consistent clients.
Here’s what you’ll learn over three days:
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Day One: How to nail your message and communicate your value
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Day Two: Marketing strategies that actually work right now (without reels or burnout)
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Day Three: A live Q&A and action-planning session so you know exactly what to do next
The workshop runs August 4–6 at 12 p.m. Central Time, and it’s completely free.
You can register at thedesignbakehouse.com under the Events section, or click the link in the show notes.
Coming Up Next Week:
Michelle dives into why relying on referrals isn’t a real marketing strategy—and what you can do instead. If you’ve been clinging to word-of-mouth alone, this one’s for you.
Final Thought:
You can build a business that gets booked consistently.
You can create marketing that doesn’t feel overwhelming.
You can attract dream clients without burning out.
But it won’t happen by accident. It happens by design.