CEU 26-1 The Business of Design

The Business of Design 
A three-part financial series for interior design firm owners

You became a designer because you're good at it. But somewhere between your first client and your first hire, you also became a business owner, and nobody handed you a manual for that part. This series closes the gap. In three 60-minute sessions, you'll learn to read your numbers, price your work for actual profit, and make confident decisions about what's next. No jargon, no overwhelm, just practical financial literacy built for the way design businesses actually work.

Who it's for: Interior design firm owners who want to run their business with the same confidence they bring to a client project.

Format: Three 60-minute presentations, each with a worked example and Q&A

Session 1: Price It Right Stop guessing.
Start charging what your work is actually worth.

Most designers undercharge, not because they lack confidence, but because they've never built their pricing from the ground up. This session walks through the three main pricing models used in interior design, how to calculate your true floor rate including everything you're currently absorbing, and how to structure proposals so scope creep stops costing you money before a project even starts. We'll walk through a real project priced three different ways so you can see exactly what lands in your pocket under each model.

You'll leave knowing: Whether your current pricing model supports a profitable business, and how to defend your rates with clients.

Purchase - members $45

Purchase - non-members $60

Session 2: What Your Numbers Are telling you

Your bookkeeper sends reports every month. Here's how to read them.

A profitable business can still run out of cash. Understanding why, and catching it before it becomes a crisis, starts with knowing how to read your financial statements. This session demystifies the three core reports (P&L, balance sheet, cash flow), explains the line items designers most often misread, and gives you a simple benchmark for what healthy looks like at your revenue stage. We'll walk through a real set of statements and identify what's working and what needs attention.

You'll leave knowing: How to open your financials, understand the story they're telling, and ask better questions of the professionals you're already paying.

Purchase - members $45

Purchase - non-members $60

Session 3: Can You Actually Afford It?
Hiring, raising your pay, investing in something new. Here's how to decide.

The hardest financial decisions aren't about the past, they're about the future. This session covers the simple forecasting framework that turns big decisions from gut calls into informed ones. You'll see how to calculate the real cost of a new hire, what runway means and how to measure yours, and which leading indicators to watch so you're never blindsided by a slow quarter. We'll model a hiring decision three ways to show what changes, what stays fixed, and at what point it actually makes sense.

You'll leave knowing: How to evaluate any major business move using your own numbers.

Purchase - members $45

Purchase - non-members $60