As we approach the end of a very uncertain year and plan for 2026, we have three choices:

1. Wait to see what happens and react.
2. Do more of the same things we did this year.
3. Pause to think, strategize and create an aggressive plan for growth.

The designers who choose the first option tend to drift from project to project and wonder where the next will come from. They ride the roller coaster of panic and excitement. They live in fear.

Those who choose the second option rely on word-of-mouth and hope for manna from God to shower them with good business. They grow incrementally. They are complacent, and they trust that the next project will come when they need it.

The rock stars who choose the third option don’t wait for things to happen—they make things happen. They grow their firms even when everything around them is unpredictable. They are confident and proactive.

Blueprint for success
Let’s dissect what the rock stars do that others don’t. To start, they run a business, not a practice. What are the characteristics of a successful business?

1. A clear vision
2. A great culture
3. Documented processes for key company activities that are followed by all
4. A well-oiled machine with the right people in the right seats
5. A strong right-hand employee and/or a leadership team
6. Team members who understand their roles and responsibilities and are accountable for results
7. A focused marketing strategy that is consistently executed
8. Visibility, credibility and a great reputation
9. A three-year strategic plan, starting with a financial model that is monitored daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annually
10. A defined client experience that inspires trust and leads to referrals

Successful leaders don’t focus on what’s outside of their control. They make plans and relentlessly pursue their goals. Do they have doubts and wonder where the next project is coming from? Only occasionally. Successful businesspeople quickly focus on what creates positive results and then take massive action. They do not rely on “hope” marketing. They get professional advice and implement it.

This year, 18 of our current and past clients surpassed $1 million in net profit. Were they perfect? No. They had challenges, but they made tough decisions without wobbling. My advice for designers who are struggling and fearful?

1. Act even when you aren’t “feeling it.”
2. Take time to think.
3. Evaluate what worked and what didn’t this year.
4. Create a plan and schedule the work on your calendar.
5. Go to your current and past clients to see if they are considering additional projects. That’s the best source of business when things are sluggish.

For example, one of my clients penned 50 handwritten notes to past and current clients, and it restarted her pipeline. The takeaway: If business is slow, get moving. Take massive action.

Let me know how it works out for you!

____________

Gail Doby is co-founder of Pearl Collective (formerly Gail Doby Coaching & Consulting), an interior design business consultancy that helps designers, architects and other creatives increase their profitability. Doby ran her own design firm in Denver for nearly 20 years and has a degree in finance and banking. Since 2008, she has been helping designers scale their businesses profitably and reach financial freedom. As a coach, mentor and business transformation specialist, she shares innovative ways to overcome the roadblocks, challenges and detours creative entrepreneurs face. She is also the bestselling author of Business Breakthrough: Your Creative Value Blueprint to Get Paid What You’re Worth. Her goal is to empower design industry clients to differentiate themselves, drive measurable results, achieve business projections, and create personal satisfaction through game-changing strategies and business practices.