Imagine starting your mornings without stress—just coffee, a quick workout, maybe a quiet moment with your kids—before diving into focused work hours you set. Your calendar feels manageable because you’ve planned ahead: 🗓️ client meetings on Tuesdays and Thursdays 🎨 creative work (like mood boards or sourcing) on Wednesdays ✍️ admin or content creation from home on Mondays 🚙 Fridays off or just light work so you can hit a yoga class, run errands, or unwind.
You love what you do.
You’ve got time for family.
And you still get to pour into your creative passion.
Feels pretty amazing, right?
Well, it’s possible. You can create a career that supports the life you actually want, not the one the industry tells you to chase.
In this episode, I’ll show you how to build a business that aligns with your values, goals, and lifestyle.
🎧 If you’re ready to ditch the hustle and define success on your own terms, hit play now. Let’s start designing a life you love.
Why you’ve got to check out today’s episode
Learn how to design your design career or business like a project, with purpose and clarity
Identify your non-negotiables so you can set a schedule that works for you
Break free from hustle culture and redefine success on your own terms
Check out these episode highlights
01:52 Default vs. Designed Career Paths
- Business by default means accepting every project without direction
- Business with a “designed path” involves having a clear plan aligned with personal and professional goals
02:30 Intentionality in Career Planning (Plan with the End in Mind)
- Visualize your ideal future—5 to 10 years ahead. Example: if you want to raise a family, build your business now in a way that can accommodate that.
- Be flexible and intentional in setting work hours and work-life balance
- Set boundaries early: you don’t have to work 60 hours/week to be successful
05:07 Rebecca’s Personal Work Schedule
- How she works from home two days a week and uses the rest for studio work
- Tailored her week based on when she’s most productive and when she needs flexibility
Reminder: “This is your life! Design your business to support it.”
07:45 Ideal Week and Lifestyle Alignment
- Reflect on your non-negotiables like family dinners, kids’ soccer games, or self-care routines
- Consider a 4-day workweek, school-friendly hours, or working only mornings
Recommendation: Align your career structure with your values for sustainable joy and fulfillment.
09:30 Reverse Engineering Your Business Model
- Map out the life you want, then structure your business around it. Examples: take summers off; use automation for discovery calls; avoid trading hours for dollars.
- Introduces value-based pricing, tiered pricing, digital products, and passive income as smart strategies
11:04 Common Mindset Blocks
- Guilt for doing business differently from peers
- Fear of saying no or disappointing others by setting boundaries
- Imposter syndrome when creating unconventional schedules
Core truth: Boundaries create excellence. Clarity invites trust. Rest fuels creativity.
12:26 4 Action Steps To Design a Career with Purpose
- Write down your top 3 lifestyle values
- Sit down and sketch your ideal weekly schedule
- Identify what needs to change in your business to support that vision
- Consider joining the My Design Mentor program for further guidance
Recommendation: Plan your life and career as if you were working on a design project.
Next Steps
- Join the My Design Mentor to kickstart a successful career in interior design!
Grab your freebies:
- Furnishings Investment Guide
- Remodel Budget and Timeline Guide
- Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design
- 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my Career
Take a Quiz!
- Find Your Perfect Interior Design Style if you are curious about your design style
- Find Out What Type of Interior Designer You Should Be!
Join the My Design Mentor to kickstart a successful career in interior design!
Check out the best books every interior designer should have here.
Email me at [email protected] if you have suggested topics
DM me on Instagram at @rwarddesign if you have a burning question
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Thanks for listening. I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week…