EP 216 | Persistence & Growth for Interior Designers with Kate Hougen

April 6, 2021

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What does it really take to grow a successful interior design business?

In this episode, Kimberley Seldon is joined by Kate Hougen to discuss how persistence, goal setting, collaboration, and adaptability contribute to long-term success in the design industry.

Building a thriving business rarely happens overnight. Kate shares how staying open to opportunities, refining your niche, and consistently raising your standards can help create momentum and sustainable growth over time.

If you’ve been questioning your direction or waiting for the “perfect” opportunity, this episode is a reminder that persistence and clarity matter more than perfection.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why there is enough work and opportunity to go around
• How collaboration strengthens successful projects
• The importance of setting aside time for goals and intention-setting
• Why clear goals create greater focus and momentum
• How identifying your niche helps position your business
• Why raising your rates is essential for growth
• How flexibility around project types can expand opportunities
• The value of finding the right systems and business structure for your firm

 

DESIGN INTERVENTION

It’s okay to say NO – and it’s okay to tell clients they have to wait.

 

TAKE AWAYS

Some of my favorite projects are those in which a designer came to me and said, “can you do this?”.

Examples:

  1. a Great Pyrenees custom wallpaper design for a powder room in Minneapolis.
  2. custom crab wallpaper design for an interior designer’s project near the Chesapeake Bay
  3. a custom colorway for an interior designer’s project in Arlington, VA.

ABOUT KATE HOUGEN

Kate’s background is in Studio and Fine Arts. She moved around internationally, as a child. The result? She is passionate about textile design and creating spaces that evoke a sense of place and make houses and interior spaces feel like homes; spaces that mix just the right amount of texture and color.

Five years ago, Kate took the plunge and left a full-time career in marketing and communications to launch a boutique textile line, Mira Jean Designs. The line combines her passion for design and fabrics with her love of nature. Designs are printed in the U.S. and on natural and organic fabrics and environmentally friendly papers.

The collection has been featured in Traditional Home – print edition, The Washington Post, DC by Design, Pattern Observer, Home & Design, Alexandria Stylebook, Arlington Magazine and more. Most recently, Mira Jean Designs wallpaper won Editor’s Pick for 2021 via Arlington Magazine’s “Best of Arlington” annual awards – an award entirely based on word of mouth and local recognition, at the editor’s discretion. (I still can’t believe it!).

In 2018, she began offering interior decorating services . . . and she hasn’t looked back since.

www.MiraJeanDesigns.com

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Legal Disclosure | This podcast is for educational purposes only and provides general business advice for interior designers and design professionals. It is not intended as individual legal, accounting, or professional guidance. Kimberley Seldon and Business of Design® make no guarantees regarding accuracy and are not liable for how information is used. Strategies shared may not apply to every situation—listeners should seek qualified legal, financial, or professional advice before making business decisions. References and resources mentioned may change over time.

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