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Listen "Is Your Interior Design Business Running You? (Corey Greenburg)"
Episode Synopsis
Are you running your interior design business, or is it running you? Between managing clients, tracking expenses, handling purchasing, and keeping up with tax filings, the financial side of an interior design firm can be overwhelming. But what if you could streamline your processes and free up time to focus on what you do best: designing beautiful spaces?
In this episode of the Creative Genius Podcast, host Erin Weir sits down with Corey Greenburg, Director of Sales and Marketing at DesignerAdvantage, to discuss the essential financial systems that interior designers need to succeed. With over a decade of experience helping designers optimize their bookkeeping, purchasing, and business operations, Corey shares valuable insights into how designers can run a more profitable and efficient business.
Corey shared a wealth of knowledge about running your business, including bookkeeping. “The key is to have a system, and that system may look different for every designer out there, but you need to establish that strong system and stick to it.” Corey emphasizes that whether you use QuickBooks, Studio Designer, or another software, consistency is crucial. From falling behind on bank reconciliations to neglecting sales tax filings, Corey outlines the most common financial missteps and how to avoid them.
Corey also discussed:
How to make time tracking work for you: Whether you bill hourly or use flat fees, tracking your time effectively can help you identify inefficiencies, improve profitability, and scale your business. Corey suggests tools like Harvest and time-blocking strategies to make the process easier.
The power of outsourcing: “A designer’s hours are precious,” Corey explains. He shares how outsourcing administrative tasks like bookkeeping, purchasing, and even social media can free up time for designers to focus on higher-value activities.
How to build strong vendor relationships: Interior designers rely heavily on vendors, and Corey explains why treating them as partners rather than just suppliers can lead to better pricing, improved service, and a more seamless design process.
Scaling your business the right way: Corey shares a real-world success story of a designer who went from $300,000 in annual revenue to over $10 million by streamlining her operations and leveraging outsourcing to scale her firm.
Mindset shifts for financial success: Many designers are comfortable with the creative side of their business but hesitant about the numbers. Corey explains why viewing financial management as a tool for growth (rather than a dreaded task) is a game-changer for long-term success. "If you run the business right, interior design can be extremely profitable.”
To book a call with Corey, you'll find his calendar link here.
If you're listening on your favorite podcast platform, view the full shownotes here: https://thepearlcollective.com/s13e2-shownotes
Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
Studio Designer, QuickBooks, Harvest: Software tools for financial tracking and time management
Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy: A book on productivity and prioritization
Financial Masterclass at Pearl Collective: A quarterly workshop to help designers master their finances. Check out our events page to see if we're hosting one soon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sj7hvbZrBp8&pp=ygUYcGVhcmwgY29sbGVjdGl2ZSBwb2RjYXN0
Episode Transcript
Note: Transcript is created automatically and may contain errors.
Click to show transcript
Well, Cory, thank you so much for being with us today. Welcome to the Creative Genius Podcast.
That's my pleasure to be here. Thanks so much, Aaron.
Yeah, so why don't we just get started with you just telling a little bit about yourself and your company and what you guys do for interior designers.
Yeah, I'd be happy to. And it's such an honor to be with you guys today. I think there's a lot of need in the industry for designers to get more data and just best pra...
In this episode of the Creative Genius Podcast, host Erin Weir sits down with Corey Greenburg, Director of Sales and Marketing at DesignerAdvantage, to discuss the essential financial systems that interior designers need to succeed. With over a decade of experience helping designers optimize their bookkeeping, purchasing, and business operations, Corey shares valuable insights into how designers can run a more profitable and efficient business.
Corey shared a wealth of knowledge about running your business, including bookkeeping. “The key is to have a system, and that system may look different for every designer out there, but you need to establish that strong system and stick to it.” Corey emphasizes that whether you use QuickBooks, Studio Designer, or another software, consistency is crucial. From falling behind on bank reconciliations to neglecting sales tax filings, Corey outlines the most common financial missteps and how to avoid them.
Corey also discussed:
How to make time tracking work for you: Whether you bill hourly or use flat fees, tracking your time effectively can help you identify inefficiencies, improve profitability, and scale your business. Corey suggests tools like Harvest and time-blocking strategies to make the process easier.
The power of outsourcing: “A designer’s hours are precious,” Corey explains. He shares how outsourcing administrative tasks like bookkeeping, purchasing, and even social media can free up time for designers to focus on higher-value activities.
How to build strong vendor relationships: Interior designers rely heavily on vendors, and Corey explains why treating them as partners rather than just suppliers can lead to better pricing, improved service, and a more seamless design process.
Scaling your business the right way: Corey shares a real-world success story of a designer who went from $300,000 in annual revenue to over $10 million by streamlining her operations and leveraging outsourcing to scale her firm.
Mindset shifts for financial success: Many designers are comfortable with the creative side of their business but hesitant about the numbers. Corey explains why viewing financial management as a tool for growth (rather than a dreaded task) is a game-changer for long-term success. "If you run the business right, interior design can be extremely profitable.”
To book a call with Corey, you'll find his calendar link here.
If you're listening on your favorite podcast platform, view the full shownotes here: https://thepearlcollective.com/s13e2-shownotes
Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
Studio Designer, QuickBooks, Harvest: Software tools for financial tracking and time management
Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy: A book on productivity and prioritization
Financial Masterclass at Pearl Collective: A quarterly workshop to help designers master their finances. Check out our events page to see if we're hosting one soon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sj7hvbZrBp8&pp=ygUYcGVhcmwgY29sbGVjdGl2ZSBwb2RjYXN0
Episode Transcript
Note: Transcript is created automatically and may contain errors.
Click to show transcript
Well, Cory, thank you so much for being with us today. Welcome to the Creative Genius Podcast.
That's my pleasure to be here. Thanks so much, Aaron.
Yeah, so why don't we just get started with you just telling a little bit about yourself and your company and what you guys do for interior designers.
Yeah, I'd be happy to. And it's such an honor to be with you guys today. I think there's a lot of need in the industry for designers to get more data and just best pra...
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