Six Figure Designer

Hosted by Pam Durkin

Arts Design

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Episodes

173

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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About the show

Struggling to find great clients and design projects? Not making enough money and struggling to manage the projects you have? This is the show for YOU!

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60 recent

August 31, 202612 min

Ep 172: Do you really need more clients? [Try this first]

FREE WORKSHOP 9/30: From Scrambling for Clients to In Demand. Grab your seat >> HERE https://luxuryclientacademy.com/free-workshop If you want better clients for your interior design business, taking every project that lands in front of you may be the very thing keeping you stuck. In this episode, I’m challenging the automatic “I need more clients” response and asking you to look at whether you actually need more work, or better opportunities. This is for interior designers who are busy, tired, and still wondering why the calendar isn’t translating into enough profit. When opportunities feel rare, it’s easy to talk yourself into projects that are too small, poorly matched, underpriced, or loaded with red flags. But when you have a steady rhythm of inquiries, you get something most designers don’t think enough about: choice. In this episode, you’ll learn: • Why “more clients” can simply create more of the same problems • How to tell whether small projects are actually leading to larger, better-fit work • Why inconsistent inquiries make you more likely to chase, discount, or ignore warning signs • How a steadier flow of opportunities can change the way you price and evaluate projects • Why project fit, profitability, and creative satisfaction matter more than filling every open spot • The question to ask before saying yes just because an opportunity is in front of you Related Resources If this episode hit a nerve, these two resources will help you keep thinking about fit instead of sheer volume. More Referrals Aren’t the Answer If They’re Not a Good Fit: https://pamela-durkin.com/marketing-by-design/more-referrals-arent-the-answer-if-theyre-not-a-good-fit/ Ep 109: How to sign more GREEN FLAG clients!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwzSlOYYJ4Y 9/30 FREE WORKSHOP: From Scrambling for Clients to In Demand. Grab your seat >> HERE https://luxuryclientacademy.com/free-workshop

August 24, 202627 min

Ep 171: A Client Brought AI Images to the Interview. Now What?

A potential client walks into your consultation with AI-generated images of exactly what they think they want. Do you get defensive? Feel like you need to prove your value? Start explaining all the reasons AI can’t replace a designer? In this episode, I’m talking about why that reaction is probably getting in your way, and why the bigger issue has nothing to do with AI and everything to do with how well you qualify your clients. 9/30 FREE WORKSHOP: From Scrambling for Clients to In Demand. Grab your seat >> HERE https://luxuryclientacademy.com/free-workshop

August 17, 202624 min

Ep 170: Does Your Interior Design Business Have Hot Potato Syndrome?

Have you ever noticed how quickly you start backpedaling when a conversation gets even slightly uncomfortable? In this episode, I’m talking about “hot potato syndrome” ,that reflex to soften the ask, explain the fee, loosen the boundary, or offer another option before anyone has actually said there’s a problem. Sometimes the rejection hasn’t even happened; you’ve simply sensed the possibility of it and started reacting. We’ll look at how this shows up around money, boundaries, referral relationships, and asking for what you really want. Because growing into the business you want isn’t just about better strategy. It’s also about becoming the designer who can state the fee, hold the boundary, make the ask, and stay there long enough to let the other person respond. 9/30 FREE WORKSHOP: From Scrambling for Clients to In Demand. Grab your seat >> HERE https://luxuryclientacademy.com/free-workshop

August 10, 202625 min

Ep 169: 4 Business Lessons I Learned From a Puppy

Apparently, all I needed to sharpen a few business lessons was a puppy who had never seen grass, hated his harness, and needed to be taken outside approximately 700 times a day. In this episode, I’m sharing four surprisingly useful reminders our new puppy gave me about business. If you’ve been feeling buried under everything you still need to fix, learn, or figure out, this is your reminder that growth rarely happens all at once. Sometimes the smartest move is to stop looking ten steps ahead. 9/30 FREE WORKSHOP: From Scrambling for Clients to In Demand. Grab your seat >> HERE https://luxuryclientacademy.com/free-workshop

August 4, 202621 min

Ep 168: The Best Project I Never Took

On paper, it looked like the perfect project. An 8,000-square-foot home, a major renovation and all new furnishings. Exactly the kind of opportunity most interior designers dream about. But I walked away. In this episode, I'm sharing the story behind one of the most important business decisions I ever made and why saying "no" had nothing to do with the budget and everything to do with protecting my process. If you've ever been tempted to bend your pricing, skip steps, or change the way you work because you're afraid to lose the project, this conversation is for you. You'll learn why the projects you decline can shape your reputation just as much as the ones you accept, and why becoming a sought-after designer starts with trusting the way you do your best work. In this episode, we discuss: Why not every dream project is the right project The red flags I recognized before saying yes Why your process is one of your greatest business assets The mistake so many designers make when they're afraid to lose an opportunity How protecting your process builds trust, confidence, and a stronger reputation The mindset shift that helped me stop chasing projects and start choosing them intentionally 9/30 FREE WORKSHOP: From Scrambling for Clients to In Demand. Grab your seat >> HERE https://luxuryclientacademy.com/free-workshop

July 27, 202635 min

Ep 167: Why Inspiration Isn’t Enough: The Business Conversations Designers Need

In this episode, I’m joined by Jen Atkinson, founder of NEDCON, to talk about why designers need more than inspiration to build strong, sustainable businesses. We discuss the conversations our industry often avoids: money, profitability, sales, leadership, and implementation, and why Jen created a more intimate conference experience centered on practical education and honest business growth. I’m also sharing why I said yes to speaking at NEDCON and what I hope designers take away from my session, Money Lessons I Wish I Knew Sooner. To get all the info and tickets to NEDCON, visit www.nedconference.com 9/30 FREE WORKSHOP: From Scrambling for Clients to In Demand. Grab your seat >> HERE https://luxuryclientacademy.com/free-workshop

July 20, 202641 min

Ep 166: Is Your Website Sending the Right Signals to Luxury Clients?

Your website may be beautiful, but is it actually making affluent clients feel confident enough to take the next step? In this episode, I’m joined by Robyn White of RDW Design Studio to talk about what luxury clients are really looking for when they land on an interior designer’s website and why trust, clarity and a sense of safety matter more than words like luxury , bespoke or elevated . We also discuss how to position your portfolio for the work you want next, create a dedicated page for referral partners, and make your inquiry page feel like the beginning of a personalized client experience, not just another contact form. This episode will help you look at your website with fresh eyes and identify the signals that may be building confidence or quietly creating doubt. Robyn is offering to provide those interested with a free Luxury Client Website Appraisal! You can sign up here: https://rdwdesignstudio.com/luxury-client-website-appraisal/ 9/30 FREE WORKSHOP: From Scrambling for Clients to In Demand. Grab your seat >> HERE https://luxuryclientacademy.com/free-workshop

July 13, 202610 min

Ep 165: Did the Nonsense Sneak Back In? The Mid-Year Reset for Designers

At the beginning of the year, we talked about doing things differently, creating space, getting lighter, and deciding what no longer deserves access to you. But halfway through the year, it is easy for the old ways to sneak back in. In this episode, I’m talking about the mid-year reset so many designers need, especially when you are tired from being “on” for clients, contractors, vendors, family, and the business itself. This is not about creating a massive new plan but taking a breath, looking honestly at what is working, what needs to be refined, and what needs to be removed before you carry it into the second half of the year. 9/30 FREE WORKSHOP: From Scrambling for Clients to In Demand. Grab your seat >> HERE https://luxuryclientacademy.com/free-workshop

June 22, 202630 min

Ep 164: More Referrals Aren't the Answer if They're Not a Good Fit

In this episode, Pam closes out the V.I.P. Method series by explaining why more referrals are not always the answer if they are the wrong fit . She shares how designers can have referrals coming in and still feel frustrated when those opportunities are too small, too vague, too late, or not aligned with the level of work and fees they want. Pam explains why referral quality matters more than referral quantity, how past clients and industry partners may need clearer language about what kind of work to send your way, and why better-directed referrals can lead to stronger opportunity conversations, better proposals, and higher design fees. This episode leads into Pam’s free live workshop, The V.I.P. Path to Your Highest Design Fee , happening June 24th at 12 PM Eastern. 9/30 FREE WORKSHOP: From Scrambling for Clients to In Demand. Grab your seat >> HERE https://luxuryclientacademy.com/free-workshop

June 18, 202644 min

Ep 163: Proposal: Stop Quoting Too Soon - Start Shaping the Opportunity

In this episode, Pam breaks down the “P” in her V.I.P. Method: Proposal . She explains why one of the fastest ways designers undercharge is by pricing too soon, before the real scope, timeline, client expectations, builder responsibilities, and level of support are fully understood. Whether the request comes from a client or a builder, vague language like “we just need help with selections” can hide a much bigger responsibility. Pam shares why asking clarifying questions does not make you look inexperienced...it makes you look professional, in control, and more like a business owner. You’ll learn why your proposal should not be a reaction to a vague request, but a clear recommendation based on the opportunity you have shaped before you price it. 9/30 FREE WORKSHOP: From Scrambling for Clients to In Demand. Grab your seat >> HERE https://luxuryclientacademy.com/free-workshop

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