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!
44episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Ep 169: 4 Business Lessons I Learned From a Puppy
6d ago00:25:03Tap to summarizeApparently, all I needed to sharpen a few business lessons was a puppy who had never seen grass, hated his harness, and needed to be taken outside approximately 700 times a day. In this episode, I’m sharing four surprisingly useful reminders our new puppy gave me about business.If you’ve been feeling buried under everything you still need to fix, learn, or figure out, this is your reminder that growth rarely happens all at once. Sometimes the smartest move is to stop looking ten steps ahead.Want to connect with me and learn more about my coaching program? You can find me here:Instagram: @pameladurkinCoaching: www.pamela-durkin.com/coaching
Transcribe →Ep 168: The Best Project I Never Took
2w ago00:21:44Tap to summarizeOn paper, it looked like the perfect project.An 8,000-square-foot home, a major renovation and all new furnishings. Exactly the kind of opportunity most interior designers dream about. But I walked away. In this episode, I'm sharing the story behind one of the most important business decisions I ever made and why saying "no" had nothing to do with the budget and everything to do with protecting my process. If you've ever been tempted to bend your pricing, skip steps, or change the way you work because you're afraid to lose the project, this conversation is for you. You'll learn why the projects you decline can shape your reputation just as much as the ones you accept, and why becoming a sought-after designer starts with trusting the way you do your best work.In this episode, we discuss:Why not every dream project is the right projectThe red flags I recognized before saying yesWhy your process is one of your greatest business assetsThe mistake so many designers make when they're afraid to lose an opportunityHow protecting your process builds trust, confidence, and a stronger reputationThe mindset shift that helped me stop chasing projects and start choosing them intentionally Want to connect with me and learn more about my coaching program? You can find me here:Instagram: @pameladurkinCoaching: www.pamela-durkin.com/coaching
Transcribe →Ep 167: Why Inspiration Isn’t Enough: The Business Conversations Designers Need
3w ago00:35:24Tap to summarizeIn this episode, I’m joined by Jen Atkinson, founder of NEDCON, to talk about why designers need more than inspiration to build strong, sustainable businesses. We discuss the conversations our industry often avoids: money, profitability, sales, leadership, and implementation, and why Jen created a more intimate conference experience centered on practical education and honest business growth. I’m also sharing why I said yes to speaking at NEDCON and what I hope designers take away from my session, Money Lessons I Wish I Knew Sooner.To get all the info and tickets to NEDCON, visit www.nedconference.comWant to connect with me and learn more about my coaching program? You can find me here:Instagram: @pameladurkinCoaching: www.pamela-durkin.com/coaching
Transcribe →Ep 166: Is Your Website Sending the Right Signals to Luxury Clients?
4w ago00:41:00Tap to summarizeYour website may be beautiful, but is it actually making affluent clients feel confident enough to take the next step? In this episode, I’m joined by Robyn White of RDW Design Studio to talk about what luxury clients are really looking for when they land on an interior designer’s website and why trust, clarity and a sense of safety matter more than words like luxury, bespoke or elevated. We also discuss how to position your portfolio for the work you want next, create a dedicated page for referral partners, and make your inquiry page feel like the beginning of a personalized client experience, not just another contact form. This episode will help you look at your website with fresh eyes and identify the signals that may be building confidence or quietly creating doubt.Robyn is offering to provide those interested with a free Luxury Client Website Appraisal! You can sign up here: https://rdwdesignstudio.com/luxury-client-website-appraisal/ Want to connect with me and learn more about my coaching program? You can find me here:Instagram: @pameladurkinCoaching: www.pamela-durkin.com/coaching
Transcribe →Ep 165: Did the Nonsense Sneak Back In? The Mid-Year Reset for Designers
Jul 1300:10:13Tap to summarizeAt the beginning of the year, we talked about doing things differently, creating space, getting lighter, and deciding what no longer deserves access to you. But halfway through the year, it is easy for the old ways to sneak back in. In this episode, I’m talking about the mid-year reset so many designers need, especially when you are tired from being “on” for clients, contractors, vendors, family, and the business itself. This is not about creating a massive new plan but taking a breath, looking honestly at what is working, what needs to be refined, and what needs to be removed before you carry it into the second half of the year.Want to connect with me and learn more about my coaching program? You can find me here:Instagram: @pameladurkinCoaching: www.pamela-durkin.com/coaching
Transcribe →Replay: The V.I.P. Path to Your Highest Design Fee
Jun 2401:09:58Tap 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
Jun 2200:30:12Tap 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.Want to connect with me and learn more about my coaching program? You can find me here:Instagram: @pameladurkinCoaching: www.pamela-durkin.com/coaching
Transcribe →Ep 163: Proposal: Stop Quoting Too Soon - Start Shaping the Opportunity
Jun 1800:44:15Tap 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.Want to connect with me and learn more about my coaching program? You can find me here:Instagram: @pameladurkinCoaching: www.pamela-durkin.com/coaching
Transcribe →Ep 162: What If They Say I’m Too Expensive?
Jun 1500:37:49Tap 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.Want to connect with me and learn more about my coaching program? You can find me here:Instagram: @pameladurkinCoaching: www.pamela-durkin.com/coaching
Transcribe →Ep 161: Invitation: Stop Waiting for Referrals and Start Creating Access
Jun 1100:32:39Tap 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!Want to connect with me and learn more about my coaching program? You can find me here:Instagram: @pameladurkinCoaching: www.pamela-durkin.com/coaching
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