Ep 245: Nobody Warned Me About This Part: When Growing Your Design Firm Changes Your Job

You started your interior design business because you love design. You wanted to create beautiful spaces, work with clients, and build something of your own. But somewhere along the way, the business grew… and your job changed. Suddenly, you're spending less time designing and more time managing people, making financial decisions, building processes, and carrying the responsibility for everything happening inside your firm. And nobody really warned you that this was part of the deal. In this first episode of my new series, Nobody Warned Me About This Part, I'm getting honest about what happens when the business you built around your talent starts requiring something entirely different from you. I'll share my own evolution from doing everything myself at by Michelle Lynn to leading ML Interiors Group, why stepping away from design was both liberating and surprisingly emotional, and what it really means to transition from being the designer to being the business owner. Because here's the thing: Growth isn't just more clients, bigger projects, or a larger team. It's a transfer of responsibility. And the work doesn't disappear just because someone else is doing the designing. We'll talk about: - Why the role of the owner changes as an interior design firm grows. - The emotional challenge of stepping away from the creative work that built your reputation. - Why leadership, pricing, processes, and capacity planning are not overhead. They're the work. - The uncomfortable middle stage where you have a team but still feel responsible for every decision. - How staying involved in every detail can unintentionally turn you into the bottleneck. - The difference between having high standards and communicating those standards effectively. - Why hiring more people doesn't automatically create freedom. - How to determine whether you actually want to lead a larger firm or prefer a business that keeps you closer to the design work. - The questions every interior design business owner should ask before pursuing the next level of growth. The question to consider: If your business doubled over the next two years, how would your daily job change? And would you actually want the life that comes with it? Because there is no one-size-fits-all definition of success. You get to decide what kind of business you want to build.   ### Ready for Support? If you're navigating the transition from designer to business owner and need help figuring out your role, your team, or what comes next for your firm, private coaching with Michelle Lynne can help you get clarity and create a business that supports the life you actually want. Explore Private Coaching with Michelle Lynne at https://thedesignbakehouse.com/private-coaching.   ### Connect with Michelle Follow Michelle Lynne here at the Designed for the Creative Mind podcast for more honest conversations about the business behind the beautiful designs. This is the part nobody warned us about. And it's worth talking about.