Hiring can feel overwhelming — especially when you're not sure if you're setting things up the right way.

In this rebroadcast episode, Rebecca sits down with HR expert Laura Tolhoek to break down the key decisions every design business owner needs to make when hiring.

They cover subcontractors vs employees, what needs to be in your contracts, and how to avoid the common mistakes that can create problems later.

If you're thinking about hiring or want to refine your approach, this episode will give you the clarity you need.

Episode Resources:

• Essential HR

• Essential HR Canada on LinkedIn

• Essential HR on Instagram

Hiring someone in your design business should make things easier… but sometimes it does the opposite.

Tasks get misunderstood. Expectations feel unclear. And before long you're wondering if you made a bad hire.

But what if the problem wasn't the person you hired?

In this episode, I'm sharing why many hires fail in small design firms and how a simple 30-60-90 day onboarding plan can completely change the outcome.

I walk through how to structure the first 90 days, define success clearly, and create an onboarding process that builds confidence for both you and your new team member.

If you've ever felt burned by a hire that didn't work out, this episode will shift how you think about leadership, delegation, and building your team.

Episode Resources:

• Get on the waitlist for my new Designer's Room
• This episode is sponsored by Dovetail Furniture

In this episode, I sit down with Sarah St. Amand to talk about how she's built a design business that serves different types of clients without discounting her expertise or compromising her brand.

We talk about smaller design packages, profitability, client communication, team structure, and why designers need to stop equating beautiful work with business success.

If you've ever wondered how to stay true to your aesthetic while still building a profitable, sustainable business, this episode is for you.

In this episode, we cover:

• Serving different client budget levels without diluting a luxury brand

• Offering smaller design packages with strong boundaries

• Why profitability has to be part of every design decision

• How to communicate clearly with clients from the start

• The role of team and operations in supporting growth

Connect with Sarah:

Instagram: @sarahstamandinteriordesign
Website: stamanddesign.com

Episode Resources:

• Learn more about Designers Room: A new coaching experience for interior designers: https://rebeccahay.com/waitlist
• Episode 34: How to serve your luxury clients with Sarah St. Amand

Construction projects shouldn't be your biggest stressor — or your biggest money leak.

In this episode, Rebecca sits down with construction management expert Renee Biery to talk about:

• Flat fees vs hourly billing

• Charging in advance

• Procurement on renovation projects

• Allowances and contractor negotiations

• Liability myths designers believe

• How construction stabilizes your income

If you've ever felt burnt out on renovations or unsure how to price them profitably, this conversation will shift how you think about construction entirely.

Episode Resources:

• To learn more about Renee Biery visit her website, follow her on instagram and listen to her podcast, The Only Girl on the Jobsite.
• Episode 158: Managing a Construction Job Site with Renee Biery
• Episode 256: Live At High Point Market | Money Matters: Expert tips from a profitable business with Renée Biery, Dina Holland & Jamie Merida

One month your design business feels calm and steady.
The next, it feels chaotic and uncertain.

If you've ever experienced that swing, this episode is for you.

Rebecca Hay unpacks the recurring cycle almost every interior designer faces: expansion followed by contraction. She explains why inconsistency doesn't mean you're failing and how a lack of structure, not a lack of talent, is usually the real issue.

You'll learn how to stop reacting to slow seasons, build systems that support you year-round, and shift from panic into leadership.

Because calm in business isn't constant momentum.
It's grounded structure.

• Join the Waitlist for Rebecca's new Program!

If your design business feels harder than it should, you're not alone.

In this episode, Rebecca shares the three essential systems every successful interior design business needs: process, profitability, marketing, and leadership.

You'll hear real stories from her own journey, including what happened when she was booked out but losing money, why hiring didn't work at first, and how building structure created confidence and ease.

Talent isn't enough. Instagram isn't enough. Referrals aren't enough.

Sustainable success comes from strengthening the right systems.

Which one have you been avoiding?

Episode Resources:

• Save your spot in my new free workshop: The Predictability Framework: https://pop.rebeccahay.com/free-workshop/
• Episode 49: An Interview with my clients: Why having a process made them choose me with Kelly & Glen Patchet
• Join the Waitlist for my new Program!

Luxury isn't louder. It's calmer, quieter, and more confident.

In this episode, Rebecca shares what she learned designing a home that sold for over $12 million and working for luxury designer Steven Taylor for five years. This isn't about expensive finishes. It's about premium service, trust, leadership, and building a process that makes clients feel taken care of.

Rebecca also reflects on Steven's passing in late 2025 and the lasting business lessons he left behind.

Episode Highlights:

• Why luxury is really about service
• How premium clients think (and what they don't care about)
• Why "trust is the currency" in high-end design
• What to stop over-explaining in presentations
• How a team makes you look more professional
• The mindset shift that helps you level up your clientele

What's one small change you could make to level up your service this month? A better process, a part-time hire, clearer boundaries, or simply going the extra mile in how cared for your clients feel?

Resources:

• Looking for a place to start the podcast? Download the most-listened Resilient by Design episodes at rebeccahay.com/listen.

HGTV Flea Market Flip winner and luxury designer Sarah Trop joins Rebecca for a candid conversation about owning your niche and building a design business that doesn't follow the rules.

Sarah shares how she turned her love of upcycling and storytelling into a thriving luxury design firm, why taking risks changed everything for her career, and how biophilic design helps create calmer, more meaningful homes.

In this episode, they discuss risk vs. reward, working with different client personalities, designing with intention instead of trends, and why curated, sustainable spaces are becoming the new definition of luxury.

This episode is a must-listen for designers who want to stand out, trust their instincts, and build a business rooted in purpose, creativity, and community.

Episode Resources

• Learn more about Sarah Trop on her website and follow her on social media.
• Looking for a place to start the podcast? Download the most-listened Resilient by Design episodes at rebeccahay.com/listen.