EP 142 | Working ON Your Business with Annie Elliott

December 9, 2019

Listen Now

To run a successful business, it’s vitally important to make time to work ON the systems and protocols that keep ensure projects run efficiently and effectively. DC designer Annie Elliott took this advice to heart and transformed her business—one system at a time.

In this episode we learn:

make time to work ON your business.
a good bookkeeper is your partner in financial matters
select a software program can tell you what your gross, net and profit margin
follow your own rules
small projects take just as much time and effort as large ones, but they are far less profitable
review job descriptions from time to time
take time to analyze the income from past projects and spot the patterns
plant seeds of interest with the press

Design Intervention

The best piece of advice I ever received was, “Don’t make decisions for your clients.” I’m an overthinker. Too often, I try and anticipate what the client will agree to rather than what the best solution is. Almost every time I’ve taken a risk and proposed a crazy-but-awesome fabric, wallpaper, or piece of furniture, the client has gone for it. Even if it was budget-busting.

Take Aways

The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It

Stemper & Associates

Thank you to our amazing sponsor!

Annie is a recovering art historian who developed her eye and aesthetic sensibilities studying 20th-century art and working in some of the nation’s top museums. After her thousandth exhibition sponsorship pitch, Annie threw caution to the wind and decided to pursue the career she always wanted: interior design. She did some coursework at the Corcoran College of Art + Design, then she took her love of color and pattern and her art history training in matters of scale, balance, and proportion, and opened for business in 2004. When she was 3 months pregnant with twins. Because that’s how she rolls.

Annie is an Associate Member of ASID, and her design work and insights have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Washingtonian, The Wall Street Journal, and other local and national publications.

www.annieelliottdesign.com

Legal Disclosure | This podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be used for any legal decisions. Kimberley Seldon Design Group, Kimberley Seldon Productions Inc., Kimberley Seldon Design and Media, Inc., Business of Design™, or any of its affiliated companies or staff is not responsible for any errors or omissions effecting accuracy in any content, and they will not be held liable for the use or misuse of information, facts, details or any other aspects should there arise any defects, errors, omissions or perhaps inaccuracies. Extensive research has been conducted to put this podcast together for the purpose of educating our industry in order to better serve the public. Care has been taken to acknowledge ownership of copyrighted material. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is offered with the understanding that we do not render any legal, accounting or other professional advice. Seek the advice of a lawyer and/or other competent professional person in all matters of law. Further, listeners should be aware that internet websites mentioned may change or disappear between when this was recorded and when it was listened to.

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