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business advice

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May 16, 2023

The economy is scaring off my clients. Should I pull back on business too?

Creative business coach Sean Low explains why an economic slowdown is not a time to compromise your vision, but instead double down on understanding the value you deliver as a designer.

business advice

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May 2, 2023

My clients are fuming over damaged product, but it’s not my fault. Help!

Clients are entitled to their frustration and your empathy, but not your integrity or your wallet—no matter how bad the product damages are, says creative business coach Sean Low.

business advice

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April 18, 2023

I can’t trust my staff to troubleshoot. How do I help them take charge?

Creative business coach Sean Low helps one designer figure out how to reframe their internal and external communications for a successful project production flow.

business advice

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April 4, 2023

Will charging a big design fee upfront help me level up?

Sean Low is the go-to business coach for interior designers. In his BOH advice column, he answers designers’ questions—this time, how to structure your business to reflect your expertise—even if that means charging a big fee from the start.

business advice

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March 21, 2023

How can I use the design of my own home to launch my design career?

Many interior designers use their personal space as a portfolio-builder to show their skills, but the most successful ones do it with a strategy, says creative business coach Sean Low.

business advice

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March 7, 2023

My big-spending client got cold feet. Is it unethical to hold them to the contract?

Creative business coach Sean Low helps one designer figure out how to respond to an affluent client who’s suddenly balking at the (approved) project budget because of the shifting economy.

business advice

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February 21, 2023

Should I stretch my budget to bring my assistant to High Point?

Creative business coach Sean Low explains to one designer why investing in their own career growth must come before investing in their assistant’s professional development.

business advice

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February 7, 2023

How do I justify the cost of traveling to far-flung industry events?

Watching international trade shows unfold from afar, one designer asks creative business coach Sean Low whether she’s missing more than just a good time. (Spoiler—yes.)

business advice

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January 24, 2023

I don’t want to be the boss anymore. What now?

After spending years building a business and staff, one reader is ready to renounce all that in favor of pure design. Creative business coach Sean Low lays out the essential questions to answer before taking the leap.

business advice

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January 10, 2023

Is it time to leave my senior designer job to start my own firm?

Logistically happy but creatively unfulfilled, one reader asks creative business coach Sean Low for guidance on how to know whether it’s time to take the leap into entrepreneurship.

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