The Process Driven Designer

Join me in talking to Paul Balint the owner of Structure and Tree Outdoor Lighting. We discuss tips and tricks for better lighting design and installation in addition to some of our favorite fixures.

I have some really exciting new offers as well as some gratitude to share with all of my fellow designers.

Check out the Designer Shop for offerings and use the code podcast23 for a discount.

Remember to tag @theprocessdrivendesigner on your Instagram post 'When I was a newbie'

Suggested episodes:

Rebecca West is an Interior Designer, Author, and Business Coach. She joins me to discuss how designers regardless of industry can really hone in and best communicate to their clients what their niche and services are.

Contracts are an integral part of our businesses. It is not only essential to have but also to review and revise on a regular basis. Naomi Goodman of Firecracker recently went through the process of updating her contracts and shares the approach she took and the key elements she advises all designers to look at for their contracts.

Maintaining engagement is so much more than follow-up, it creates opportunities to continue to serve our clients and provide value. Continually showing up in a consistent manner builds trust and develops lasting relationships. Mardi Dover founder and principal of Gardens by Mardi shares her process and some great insight into being of exceptional service to her clients and maintaining engagement.

Contracts- What are the common methods for presentation and what elements should be included? Most important is when to get an attorney involved to ensure your contract is written properly and provides you with the legal coverage you are looking for.

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Join me in discussing the design process from the client's perspective. Kathleen and I talk about process, empowerment, decision-making, and values. Kathleen is a fellow business owner and one of my clients. She runs a divorce coaching business and draws some great connections between the role of a coach and a designer.

Well, we all know that you unfortunately cannot learn through osmosis but you can set up your environment to get exposure to many learning opportunities. Setting up your physical and mental environment for success can boost productivity and inspiration. The power of influence that the people you surround yourself with also impacts your everyday life. Suggested episodes:

First things first - Go Cougs! ....The role of education is to teach us the foundational basics and teach us the tools to put to use in practice. There is a reason that many certified or licensed professions require both education and professional practice to become certified. You spend a few years learning the foundations principles and tools then you go out into the real world and have to prove that you can put those skills to use effectively.

Suggested episodes:

Just starting out? business a little slow? not sure where to look to find new clients... I have found there are 2 reliable ways to build exposure and bring in new work.

Related episodes:

Here is a sneak peek of my upcoming webinar through The Landscape Expo.

Part 2 as Lisa Nunamaker joins me to discuss how she got into the landscape industry, her perspectives on teaching and empowering designers, and so much more. She delves into some of her favorite resources and some people who inspire her.

Lisa Nunamaker joins me to discuss how she got into the landscape industry, her perspectives on teaching and empowering designers, and so much more. My favorite quote from this first segment of our conversation is 'It's your imperfections that make your work really cool'! We talk about getting over perfectionism and owning who you are as well as learning to say what you are thinking and not being afraid to speak up regardless of your experience level compared to the remainder of the room. Her work and perspectives are so inspiring. please find out more by visiting her website and be sure to tune in for part 2.

Most if not all solopreneurs work from home. There are many benefits to having a home office but on the flip side of that, there are some great benefits to having a dedicated (out of your home) office as well. One of the most compelling perks of a home office is not having the rent expense of office space. What does your ideal workspace look like?

Connected episodes:

No matter how big or small your business is, teamwork is a vital ingredient to your success. Even for those of you that are solopreneurs, you may not have a team of employees, but you still have a team of collaborators that make your business run smoothly. There is a lot of business advice out there from seasoned business people wisely advising us to hire out the skills we lack or the tasks we don’t enjoy doing. For most entrepreneurs that can be a difficult thing to pinpoint because most of us think we can do everything and anything. I could do likely do a lot and do well by myself but I would be limited and I know that with a great team around me, we can all achieve so much more and I find that inspiring and exciting. Connected episodes:

Join me in talking with Courtney Olander of Olander Garden Design. We discuss everything from shifting careers and how to find transferable skills to making connections and networking. Courtney discusses the importance of composition and imagery in the design industry and how she used those skills from her previous career to kickstart her business. 

Here are some of the designers she is inspired by that were mentioned in the episode

They say your potential is influenced by the 5 people you spend the most time with. I won't dispute that there is truth in that, but I also think the net of influence spans more than 5 people. It is often said that entrepreneurship is lonely. It can be but it doesn’t have to be. The kicker is you have to be vulnerable and put yourself out there. 

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Confidence is an important part of your brand and is a key ingredient to success and happiness. Confidence is a state of feeling certain or a feeling of self-assurance arising from one’s appreciation of one’s own abilities or qualities. Confidence is built over time through experience. Each time you do that you grow, and it builds your skills and the inner knowing that you not only can do that thing but that you can step out of your comfort zone and learn new things. I position myself as the leader of the design process by stating the process and leading a client through that process. To be the leader of the process you have to have the confidence to do so. Especially with contractors. Remember, If it is clear that you know the way they will be more inclined to follow you.

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I think I am most drawn to this idea of living seasonally because I find so much beauty in the natural changes of the seasons and it always brings a sense of anticipation. We are part of the system naturally, we have contrived our own system that runs very separate from the natural seasonal shifts but it's always there in the background and occasionally eeks its way up and through our artificial system. The most significant benefit I see to incorporating the idea of living more seasonally and embracing the fluctuations and flow better is that I see it helping me to be more present and to allow myself better time to rest and rejuvenate to refuel for the next season of production and growth.

Connected episodes:

For those of you in the pacific northwest, you know that the annual northwest flower and garden show is coming up. Yes, the gardens and many of the vendor booths are stunning but not many people know what goes into their creation. For those of you who have been part of the creation of a show garden you know what goes into it. the months of planning, the countless late nights, and crossed fingers. It is a lot of work and that experience helps you to admire and appreciate the gardens so much more. Listen to get a glimpse of what it takes to design, construct, and deconstruct a garden at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

Relevant Links:

Join me for a great conversation with Sara Meier owner of GreenThumb SAM. We discuss everything from the markers she uses and the processes she has in place to create her stunning drawings to balancing life as a mom and business owner. She shares her tips for organization and workflow to maximize efficiency as well as some self-care tips and rules she has in place to keep her on task and loving what she does. Her drawings are truly works of art- if you don't already her Instagram is a must-follow!

In the very broad field of landscape design, there are multiple credentials you will come across. At the end of someone's signature line on their email you will see many different acronyms- Some of them are assigned as being part of an association like APLD or ASLA, and others are for the various credentials, licenses, or certifications they hold. Anyone can call themselves a landscape designer. There is no requirement of experience, education, or aptitude to call yourself a designer or to deliver those services in the residential sector. But boy is there a difference in the range of experience and knowledge amongst landscape designers. I think that the primary reason any of us seek out certification is to distinguish ourselves from the crowd and be able to put a name to the level of experience and skill that we have.

Connected episodes:

Each design you deliver is a work of art. In my opinion, color is what brings a plan to life. it doesn’t matter if you hand draft or use a cad program. Color is what really makes your drawings have a wow factor. Color can be incorporated in a few different ways. Let's discuss the options for process, deliverables, and the cost associated with your time and the cost of printing.

Connected episodes:

Building a brand is so much more than just a logo and a color scheme. Brand is what you stand for and why you do what you do. The passion you have is the driving force in building your brand. Whether you are a business owner or an employee, as a creative anything, you bring a critical piece to the brand that you serve and sell. Most of my colleagues are solopreneurs meaning they run a business of 1.  Their business brand is also their personal brand. They are selling themselves as much as they are selling the service. One cannot be distinctly separated from the other. Most creative fields regardless of business size are like this. Just as your life and career are a journey and an evolution, brand is as well. With each step you take each new layer of growth and experience evolves the brand of your business.

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For a long time, I embraced perfectionism as a badge of honor as many of you likely have at some point. But I found myself asking at what cost perfectionism was worth. I still hold myself to very high standards, yet I no longer strive for perfection. The weight of the expectation of perfect is a bit much. The design industry runs on the constant chase of beauty and beauty and perfection are placed on a pedestal that we all look up at in awe. Striving to be perfect can be very stressful and can breed a lot of critical self-evaluation. I do not have the power to change societal expectations, but I can change my own. For me, goal setting is often framed around balancing my ambition and expectations.

Connected episodes:

Lisa Bauer is a landscape designer, certified professional horticulturalist, and the owner of Chartreuse Landscape Design. We discuss design process and inspiration along with our favorite plants, the use of natives and the common misnomer regarding hardy tropicals in the PNW. Her designs play with the composition of clean crisp lines of the hardscape elements contrasted with big bold lush foliage. Listen in to hear how she brings it all together.

Lisa Bauer is a landscape designer, certified professional horticulturalist, and the owner of Chartreuse Landscape Design. We discuss design process and inspiration along with our favorite plants, the use of natives and the common misnomer regarding hardy tropicals in the PNW. Her designs play with the composition of clean crisp lines of the hardscape elements contrasted with big bold lush foliage. Listen in to hear how she brings it all together.

Kevin Monohan is the owner of Avalon NW a premier landscape installation company in Seattle. We discuss the contractor's perspective on the role of the designer through the installation of a landscape and his evolution of business. Construction is often a very high pace, high-stress endeavor. I found his insight into finding a balance of schedule, services, and crew size to achieve a comfortable balance point inspiring. Kevin and I also discuss the importance of saying no to make yourself available to say yes and building trust by being of value and offering help to colleagues and collaborators.

In this episode, I will take you through how I modify my typical presentation process for a virtual meeting. With the pandemic, we all got thrown into virtual meetings whether we liked it or not. For me it was a great thing- now that life is more normal I don’t conduct a lot of virtual meetings anymore but I am delighted to offer them, especially for those clients that are not always able to coordinate time away from work to meet with me. the conference room on their lunch break gives them more flexibility to meet with me to review plans within my working hours. I had thought of it for years but never had the need to make it happen until the pandemic. Silver linings!

Connected episodes:

Year-end planning is not just about the end of the year but about the start of a new year. The calendar changes and so with it the tracking of business financials (for tax purposes anyways). But most of all it is a mindset shift. The new year provides a clean slate, a set point upon which to build. It is easy to set goals at the beginning of the year- the challenge is keeping the momentum. Join me in walking through my year-end planning process. 

Each client will approach your business with expectations based on their desires and past experience. Those expectations will be either confirmed, denied, or transformed at each touch point they have with your business. This is obvious, the not-so-obvious piece is that the expectations need to be confirmed or denied across the board. If one touch point fails, it can take down the entire experience. Setting and managing expectations is essential at every step of the way. Intentionally designing the experience of each touch point a client has with your business will set the foundation for the remainder of your communication. . Consistently delivering a clear message and vision will over time become your brand.

Connected episodes:

Especially as a designer, aesthetics are essential every step of the way. How you walk clients through the documents sets the tone and serves as a filter for which they digest the information provided. How you deliver and present your ideas is part of the entire design experience. It is one of the most valuable touchpoints you have with your client. It proves or disproves to your client your knowledge, talent, and dedication to them as your client. Each client wants to feel like they are your top priority and your presentation skills can convey to them how important to you they are.

Join me in a conversation with fellow landscape designer and business owner Sarah Van Sanden owner of SVS Landscape Design on the decision to take the leap into entrepreneurship, building a business, being part of a support group, hiring, and business vision and goals. 

Most of the construction industry and even the design industry is dominated by men. I have never been bothered by being one of few or the only woman and have been very fortunate to gain a lot of valuable exposure to the industry in an open, welcoming, and non-judgmental environment. I have had many mentors throughout my career that fostered that experience. I am fortunate and am not directly confronted with sexism often, mostly because of the fantastic contractors and crews that I work with. When we work together and collaborate we raise the industry as a whole higher. Your positive influence and support help guide and influence the interactions around you.

Why is defining your ideal client important? Well, it all circles back to intentionally creating a business that you love. If you work on projects and with clients that inspire and invigorate you it will make work more enjoyable. I also find when I am in the sweet spot, I am more creative and more efficient and the workflow feels much smoother and I accomplish tasks with ease.

Planning for an ideal workflow is super important not only for financials but also for my sanity. Like I said it doesn’t always work out as planned but I do put a lot of effort into planning my project flow.

Planning helps to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of your time because we all know that busyness does not necessarily equal effectiveness. Planning your ideal workflow is balancing ambition and wellbeing and designing how your business fits within your life and your personality rather than the other way around. Last but not least have trust in yourself. Trust in your ability to react. You will not be able to be proactive on everything and have to be proactive and reactive to keep things flowing.

Balance is a widespread topic lately. It seems everyone is talking about work-life balance. But there isn’t really a quantifiable definition of what that really means. That is because it will be different for everyone. Many times it feels like one side has to suffer to achieve this balance but it doesn’t. it is all about developing the mindset and sticking with it knowing that the outcome is totally worth it.

One thing you can’t consistently do is say yes to everything. it is ok and actually really good to say no sometimes and show yourself some love. Having good boundaries is essential to be able to ensure that you can sustainably show up without burning out. consistency only works when it can be maintained over a long period of time. 

How do you charge for your creativity, what do you charge, and are you charging too much or too little? The hard questions creative entrepreneurs often find themselves asking. 

Why do you show up in your business or job every day? It is not just to punch a time clock and earn a paycheck. It is often so much more than that.  For creatives like us, it is often quite complex. But it boils down to a balance of finances and passion. So, how do you charge enough to be profitable in a creative business? In my opinion, it all comes down to efficiency and your efficiency is a product of your processes. Join me to discuss how defining your offering and developing systems and templates can help guide you in determining your billable rate and increase your efficiencies to be profitable. Profitability as a designer is not just how great you are at what you do but how efficient and effective the services and products you offer are and your ability and willingness to do the homework to ensure you are refining your processes and billing strategy to support what you do.

Referrals can be a potent tool for building a business. Join me in discussing how I acquire and develop my referrals, which have led to the success of the first few years of my business. Starting a business during a global pandemic may sound scary and daunting but given a lot of luck and some gratitude and good intentions it has been a blast.