35. Setting Boundaries as an Interior Designer (Without Losing Clients)

Building a design studio is often celebrated as creative freedom, yet many founders discover that without boundaries, success can start to feel unsustainable.In this episode, I sat down with Kate Lawrence, founder of Kate Lawrence Interiors and bedding brand Sleep Ins, to unpack the real story behind building and reshaping a creative business.Kate speaks candidly about:• Saying yes to everything, and what it cost her• The reality of wearing every hat in the business • Navigating complex relationships with architects and trades• The emotional weight that comes with residential client work• The final straw the led her to setting clear boundaries with work• Why and how she started an ecommerce brandIf you are in your early years of practice, feeling stretched between creativity and capacity, or quietly questioning what success looks like for you now, this conversation will resonate.Follow Kate Lawrence Interiors:Business Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katelawrenceinteriors/Business Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katelawrenceinteriorsBusiness Website: https://www.katelawrenceinteriors.com.au/Business Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/katelawrenceproperty/Follow Sleep Ins:Website: https://www.sleepins.com.au/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573166985356Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sleepinsbeddingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sleep__insThreads: https://www.threads.com/@sleep__insChapters 02:35 - Starting an Interior Design Business and Saying Yes to Everything04:20 - Wearing Every Hat and Hitting Burnout06:05 - Client Relationships, Architects and Trade Dynamics09:20 - Managing Design Changes Without Ego10:30 - How Long It Takes to Be Profitable in Design13:55 - Client Boundaries and Being “Too Available”17:55 - The Emotional Weight of Residential Projects19:40 - Pivoting to E-Commerce and Product-Based Business25:55 - Redefining Success as Freedom, Not Just Income