The first time I saw Kimberley Seldon speak at a designer event (approx. 5 years ago) she polled the room and asked “Who here is charging less than $100 per hour?” At the time I was charging $75 so I raised my hand along with a few others, and she responded “Shame on you! Do you think you have less responsibility than a plumber?” From that day on, I increased my rates and never looked back.
This past Friday I attended her book launch party at Salari Carpets in Kerrisdale, where she signed my copy of her new book, ‘The Business of Design Part 1’. Inside, Kimberley clearly outlines exactly what it takes to run a design business and her position is clear; design is 80% business and 20% creative, and that is exactly right.
Kimberley also talks about systems in her book and how to create them. I love this story: “McDonalds is often the gold standard of an orderly business model. The hamburgers are consistent each and every time regardless of which province, state or country you are visiting. That’s because Ray Kroc, the creator of the McDonald’s empire, worked on the business, not in the business. In other words, he didn’t make a single hamburger or tie an apron around his waist. Instead he created a system for making a very specific product – a McDonald’s hamburger. The system was so detailed and specific any teenager could follow it and produce consistent results each and every time.” Business of Design Part 1
What I love about Kimberley is how warm, funny and authentic she is. She is a great speaker and has lots of compassion for creative people and the trials and tribulations of running a business. And in her book, she’s really straight about creating systems to have Satisfaction by Design rather than the fallible system of Satisfaction by Luck. It’s a textbook and a workbook all in one, for how to do it right from the start. By the way, if you want to know how to double knot your pearls like mine, click here for a short video tutorial by my stylist Angie at You Look Fab.
Kimberley also talks about being responsible and how blaming the client allows you to ignore your part in the breakdown by focusing on someone else’s behaviour which robs you of the most valuable opportunity you’ll ever have to improve your business practices. This part I learned on my own from years of participating in Landmark courses. And it’s why I can count on one hand how many ‘bad experiences’ I have had with clients. Whenever a breakdown occurs I immediately look to see where I might have (as Kimberley says) “made a better choice, taken a more decisive action or circumvented a problem”. Kimberley has a great way of explaining how to take ownership in Section 3: Ignore the Spark and Get Burned.
Kimberley also has 6--not to be missed--sections devoted to ‘Charging for Services’ which is always a challenge when first starting your design or decorating business. Also don’t miss the ‘working business hours’ section, needed by those who work too hard trying to fit your schedule around your client’s instead of setting normal business hours.
The best part of this book is that it’s also a workbook. There’s a chapter on how to create your own personal ‘design for living’ which focuses on your dreams and goals. She encourages us to “Ask for everything you want. Even if you don’t know how it’s going to happen”. Every one knows that goal setting is the easiest and fastest way to achieve what you want in your life but when you’re self employed it sometimes takes a book like this (or hiring a coach as Kimberley did) to get straight about your life and how you want it to look! Click here to buy your copy!
Photography by Luukas Junttila (my talented nephew)
I had a great time at Kimberley’s book launch, wish you were there!
If you would like your home to fill you with happiness every time you walk in, contact me for on-line or in-person decorating and colour.
Related posts:
Interior Design may look Easy; It’s Not! (an article from Style at Home that Kimberley wrote)
5 Ways to know if you should quit your Day Job to Become a Designer
Design Lessons from Elizabeth Stevenson
Why you should be Nice to your Suppliers
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