Stop winging it. Time is money-for you AND your client. This guide explains my best practices and checklist of questions to NOT FORGET when it comes to maximizing your initial discovery call and then your full consultation.  Clients are most likely making their decision of whether to hire you in the first few seconds of your conversation. Seal the deal with an organized flow, poignant questions, and time-saving clarifications.

Presentation is everything. When you invest the time to make your materials stand out, clients trust you more - meaning fewer revisions and higher satisfaction. Stop wrestling with Canva and grab this template instead. It’s easily edited, brandable, and exudes a level of polish and professionalism that will truly blow your client’s mind.

Endless revisions are not only your nightmare- it's your clients' too. Get ahead of the process, and have them complete a "Style Survey" before your full Consultation. It will give the meeting so much more value, and will force the client to really dig deep into their ideal aesthetic and functional roles. Also, it sounds a whole lot more professional than, "Send me your Pinterest!” (But I do have a space for that in the Survey as well 😉 )

Ok, THIS is a game changer. If you're new to creating renderings, you may have noticed that the standard rendering software's library is full of bland, boxy, dated pieces. This is a working list of SketchUp files, that have been drawn for many different designer-level projects. The list contains roughly 80 models from popular vendors such as Pottery Barn, Rejuvenation, West Elm, Crate and Barrel, and CB2. I've organized them by category and by retailer, so you can select pieces with style right off the bat for your renderings, instead of endless scrolling through default, library options. Even if these models aren’t the exact ones the client ends up choosing, they are current, on-trend and designer-selected. In addition, you may always, of course, edit all dimensions and finishes in order to help the client clearly see your vision.

STOP killing your efficiency using Google to source your products- you are going to burn yourself out and burn through your client's money. While design is an art form, it is also a BUSINESS.  This list is my real, collected, and vetted list of sources including small businesses, to mid range vendors, to high-end designer exclusive brands. It's taken me over 3 years to compile, and I've organized it so you can filter by price range, whether the vendor allows designer discounts, whether the vendor gives LTK commission, etc. Not to mention you can edit, and add your own when you find new ones you love! Also, I will continue adding to this list periodically and will email you those updates whenever I do. That way, when I discover new vendors, so will you! No additional fee for those continual updates.

Before entering an agreement with any client, it is imperative to be on the same page. The number one reason designers get sued is lack of transparency and/or communication. Skip the fancy legal jargon (that no one understands anyway) and opt for a contract that is approachable, easy to read, and acts as protection for yourself and your client! The main goal is to establish expectations, and set appropriate boundaries. If this is skipped, you’re bound to never ending revisions, burn-out, and unhappy customers- all completely avoidable scenarios when topics are clearly and fairly presented upfront.