Podcast
Six Figure Designer
Hosted by Pam Durkin · EN
Struggling to find great clients and design projects? Not making enough money and struggling to manage the projects you have? This is the show for YOU!
39episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Replay: The V.I.P. Path to Your Highest Design Fee
2d ago01:09:58Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Pam walks you through The V.I.P. Path to Your Highest Design Fee and explains why bigger projects, more qualified leads, and stronger design fees usually do not start at the proposal. They start much earlier, in how you are known, who is introducing you, and how you lead the opportunity before you price it.If this episode helps you see that you do not just need more information and you need help implementing this in your actual business, Pam also shares how the Luxury Client Academy supports designers through customized 1:1 coaching.For a limited time, designers who apply and join Luxury Client Academy can also receive The Design Fee Snapshot, a private review of your current design fees, service offerings, project mix, or active proposal to help identify where you may be undercharging, over-delivering, missing scope, or selling the wrong project container.Listen in to learn where your path may be breaking down, and what needs to shift so better projects and higher design fees become less random.Apply for Luxury Client Academy: www.luxuryclientacademy.comWatch the replay for a limited time: V.I.P Path Zoom LinkEnrollment in the Luxury Client Academy is now OPEN! Apply here: www.luxuryclientacademy.comLIMITED TIME BONUS: Designers who apply and join Luxury Client Academy by Friday, June 26th, receive The Design Fee Snapshot, a private review of your current design fees, service offerings, project mix, or active proposal to help identify where you may be undercharging, over-delivering, missing scope, or selling the wrong project container.
Transcribe →Ep 164: More Referrals Aren't the Answer if They're Not a Good Fit
4d ago00:30:12Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Pam closes out the V.I.P. Method series by explaining why more referrals are not always the answer if they are the wrong fit. She shares how designers can have referrals coming in and still feel frustrated when those opportunities are too small, too vague, too late, or not aligned with the level of work and fees they want. Pam explains why referral quality matters more than referral quantity, how past clients and industry partners may need clearer language about what kind of work to send your way, and why better-directed referrals can lead to stronger opportunity conversations, better proposals, and higher design fees. This episode leads into Pam’s free live workshop, The V.I.P. Path to Your Highest Design Fee, happening June 24th at 12 PM Eastern.Enrollment in the Luxury Client Academy is now OPEN! Apply here: www.luxuryclientacademy.comLIMITED TIME BONUS: Designers who apply and join Luxury Client Academy by Friday, June 26th, receive The Design Fee Snapshot, a private review of your current design fees, service offerings, project mix, or active proposal to help identify where you may be undercharging, over-delivering, missing scope, or selling the wrong project container.
Transcribe →Ep 163: Proposal: Stop Quoting Too Soon - Start Shaping the Opportunity
1w ago00:44:15Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Pam breaks down the “P” in her V.I.P. Method: Proposal. She explains why one of the fastest ways designers undercharge is by pricing too soon, before the real scope, timeline, client expectations, builder responsibilities, and level of support are fully understood. Whether the request comes from a client or a builder, vague language like “we just need help with selections” can hide a much bigger responsibility. Pam shares why asking clarifying questions does not make you look inexperienced...it makes you look professional, in control, and more like a business owner. You’ll learn why your proposal should not be a reaction to a vague request, but a clear recommendation based on the opportunity you have shaped before you price it.Enrollment in the Luxury Client Academy is now OPEN! Apply here: www.luxuryclientacademy.comLIMITED TIME BONUS: Designers who apply and join Luxury Client Academy by Friday, June 26th, receive The Design Fee Snapshot, a private review of your current design fees, service offerings, project mix, or active proposal to help identify where you may be undercharging, over-delivering, missing scope, or selling the wrong project container.
Transcribe →Ep 162: What If They Say I’m Too Expensive?
2w ago00:37:49Tap to summarizeIn this episode, I talk about one of the biggest fears designers face when they start thinking about higher design fees: “What if they say I’m too expensive?” This fear often causes designers to shrink, soften, discount, or overexplain before the client has even objected and the real issue may not be about price at all. Sometimes “too expensive” is actually a clarity problem, a scope problem, a fit problem, or a sign that the opportunity was priced too soon. This episode is part of the V.I.P. Method series leading up to my free live workshop, The V.I.P. Path to Your Highest Design Fee, happening June 24th at 12 PM Eastern.Enrollment in the Luxury Client Academy is now OPEN! Apply here: www.luxuryclientacademy.comLIMITED TIME BONUS: Designers who apply and join Luxury Client Academy by Friday, June 26th, receive The Design Fee Snapshot, a private review of your current design fees, service offerings, project mix, or active proposal to help identify where you may be undercharging, over-delivering, missing scope, or selling the wrong project container.
Transcribe →Ep 161: Invitation: Stop Waiting for Referrals and Start Creating Access
2w ago00:32:39Tap to summarizeIn this episode, I breaks down the “I” in the V.I.P. Method: Invitation. If reaching out makes you feel like you’re chasing, begging, or being cringey, this episode will help you see it differently. I explain why better opportunities often come through relationships, why people forget about you when you’re not top of mind, and why staying connected in a thoughtful, personal way is a key part of creating access to higher-fee projects. You’ll also hear why the phone not ringing with the right opportunities does not mean you’re not good enough, it may simply mean the right people don’t know what to invite you into yet. I share how to make outreach feel curious, personal, and relevant instead of cookie-cutter, plus I give you one simple exercise to help you reconnect with someone this week. This episode is part of the V.I.P. Method series leading up to the free live workshop, The V.I.P. Path to Your Highest Design Fee, happening June 24th at 12 PM Eastern. Grab your seat with the link below!Enrollment in the Luxury Client Academy is now OPEN! Apply here: www.luxuryclientacademy.comLIMITED TIME BONUS: Designers who apply and join Luxury Client Academy by Friday, June 26th, receive The Design Fee Snapshot, a private review of your current design fees, service offerings, project mix, or active proposal to help identify where you may be undercharging, over-delivering, missing scope, or selling the wrong project container.
Transcribe →Ep 160: Visibility: Are You Known for the Work That Can Support Bigger Fees?
2w ago00:27:01Tap to summarizeThis episode is part of the V.I.P. Method series leading up to my free live workshop:The V.I.P. Path to Your Highest Design Fee: 3 Shifts to Get Seen, Invited, and Paid for Bigger Design ProjectsJoin me live on June 24th at 12 PM Eastern.Register for the free workshop here: luxuryclientacademy.com/vip-method Your highest design fee does not start when the proposal goes out. It starts much earlier — with what you are known for, who is inviting you into the conversation, and how clearly the opportunity is shaped before you ever present a number. In this episode, we’re diving into the V in the V.I.P. Method: Visibility. Many designers are showing up, posting, sharing their work, and even getting referrals — but they are not always becoming known for the kind of projects that can actually support bigger fees. Visibility by itself is not enough. The real question is: Are you visible for the right work?Because if people do not know what kind of projects to send you, they may send you anything...or nothing at all. In the next episode, we’ll talk about the I in V.I.P.: Invitation.Once you know what you want to be known for, the next question is: who is already near the clients, projects, and opportunities you want?Enrollment in the Luxury Client Academy is now OPEN! Apply here: www.luxuryclientacademy.comLIMITED TIME BONUS: Designers who apply and join Luxury Client Academy by Friday, June 26th, receive The Design Fee Snapshot, a private review of your current design fees, service offerings, project mix, or active proposal to help identify where you may be undercharging, over-delivering, missing scope, or selling the wrong project container.
Transcribe →Ep 159: Your Highest Design Fee Starts Before the Proposal
3w ago00:38:05Tap to summarizeJoin me for my FREE live workshop, The V.I.P. Path to Your Highest Design Fee, where I’ll show you the three shifts that help designers get seen, invited, and paid for bigger design projects.Wednesday 6/24, 12pm Eastern.👉Save your seat at luxuryclientacademy.com/vip-method Your highest design fee does not start when you send the proposal. It starts much earlier, with the opportunities you attract, the people inviting you into the conversation, and the way you shape the scope before pricing it. In this episode, Pam introduces the V.I.P. Path to Your Highest Design Fee: Visibility, Invitation, and Proposal.Enrollment in the Luxury Client Academy is now OPEN! Apply here: www.luxuryclientacademy.comLIMITED TIME BONUS: Designers who apply and join Luxury Client Academy by Friday, June 26th, receive The Design Fee Snapshot, a private review of your current design fees, service offerings, project mix, or active proposal to help identify where you may be undercharging, over-delivering, missing scope, or selling the wrong project container.
Transcribe →Ep 158: The $20,000 Refrigerator Was Just the Beginning
May 2500:45:48Tap to summarizeIn this episode, I’m debriefing the Naples Experience (my Signature in-person event), but not in the way you might expect. Yes, there was a $20,000 refrigerator, a private chef that works with the cast of Yellowstone, luxury showrooms, a private sunset cruise, and homes ranging from $8 million to $84 million. But the REAL transformation happened when the designers stepped away from the endless client requests and daily to-do lists and immersed themselves in a room full of smart, driven, curious women who are building businesses at the next level. In this episode, I'm talking about why luxury has to be experienced before it can be confidently sold, how proximity and exposure demystify the high end, and why unforgettable client experiences are what create raving fans.Enrollment in the Luxury Client Academy is now OPEN! Apply here: www.luxuryclientacademy.comLIMITED TIME BONUS: Designers who apply and join Luxury Client Academy by Friday, June 26th, receive The Design Fee Snapshot, a private review of your current design fees, service offerings, project mix, or active proposal to help identify where you may be undercharging, over-delivering, missing scope, or selling the wrong project container.
Transcribe →Ep 157: When the Dream Project Is No Longer a Yes For YOU
May 1800:43:39Tap to summarizeIn this episode, we’re talking about the surprising growth moment when a project you once dreamed of is no longer an automatic yes. After a coaching call inside the Luxury Client Academy, I’m sharing the story of a designer who was presented with a large, exciting project that looked incredible on paper, but the builder quality, client expectations, reuse requests, and overall project conditions didn’t feel aligned. This conversation became a powerful example of what happens when your standards evolve, your discernment sharpens, and you stop making decisions from urgency. We’ll explore how to recognize when hesitation is actually information, how to qualify projects beyond size and budget, and why turning down a “dream” project can be one of the clearest signs that your business has grown.Enrollment in the Luxury Client Academy is now OPEN! Apply here: www.luxuryclientacademy.comLIMITED TIME BONUS: Designers who apply and join Luxury Client Academy by Friday, June 26th, receive The Design Fee Snapshot, a private review of your current design fees, service offerings, project mix, or active proposal to help identify where you may be undercharging, over-delivering, missing scope, or selling the wrong project container.
Transcribe →Ep 156: If You Say This Word, I GUARANTEE You’re Undercharging
May 1100:29:51Tap to summarizeIn this episode, we’re talking about one tiny word that could be quietly costing you thousands in your design business: “just.” If you’ve ever said, “It’s just a small bathroom,” “It’s just a few finishes,” or “It’s just a consultation,” you may be unintentionally minimizing the expertise, decision-making, and professional value you bring to your projects. I’ll unpack why designers use this word, how it affects your pricing, and why work that feels easy to you is often the exact thing your clients need most. Plus, you’ll learn how to catch yourself before you undercharge and start describing your work in a way that reflects the true value of your experience.Enrollment in the Luxury Client Academy is now OPEN! Apply here: www.luxuryclientacademy.comLIMITED TIME BONUS: Designers who apply and join Luxury Client Academy by Friday, June 26th, receive The Design Fee Snapshot, a private review of your current design fees, service offerings, project mix, or active proposal to help identify where you may be undercharging, over-delivering, missing scope, or selling the wrong project container.
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