Trade Tales: How Evan Millard Used Showhouses to Launch His Design Career

Podcast: Trade Tales by Business of Home
Host: Kaitlin Petersen
Guest: Evan Millard
Episode Date: January 28, 2026

Overview

In this episode, Kaitlin Petersen (Editor in Chief, Business of Home) sits down with interior designer Evan Millard to explore how he strategically leveraged showhouses to accelerate the launch of his independent design career. Millard discusses his journey from childhood passion to solo designer, shares insights into creative and business growth, and reflects on finding integrity, transparency, and personal fulfillment as an entrepreneur. Key themes include building a distinct brand, navigating the financial side of design, cultivating client relationships, and fueling creativity over the years.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Early Inspirations & Career Path

• From Legos to Landscapes:
  Millard traces his creative roots back to childhood:

  "I can remember becoming interested in design the first time that I actually picked up a set of Legos... Then I remember becoming obsessed with being a landscape architect. Every holiday, every birthday, I would ask for plants and topsoil and rocks..."
  (02:19)

• Pivot from Graphic Design:
  While Millard initially studied graphic design, he found it lacked interpersonal interaction, leading him to pivot to design school.

  "...I realized during that internship that it did not have enough interaction with individuals... lacking that interpersonal communication."
  (02:54)

• Forming and Leaving a Design Partnership:
  After gaining experience with Nashville and Chicago designers, Millard co-founded a firm with two classmates, each bringing diverse skills (graphic design, psychology, finance). Four years later, driven by a desire for autonomy and embracing new opportunities, he launched his solo practice.
  (04:49–05:38)

2. Showhouses as a Launchpad

• Seizing Showhouse Opportunities:
  Millard credits his proactive approach in taking on showhouse projects—even when others hesitated—to his growth:

  "...if I think an opportunity is presented and if I don't know how it will... how I'll make it happen, I just say yes. And I hustle very hard on the back end. And so far, it's paid off." (06:22)

• Showhouse Results:
  Participating in multiple showhouses, often back-to-back, significantly raised Millard’s industry profile:

  "After my first show house... I was named... top 15 by House Beautiful for, like, the next wave class of designers... It's kind of skyrocketed." (09:23)

• Strategic Showhouse Participation:
  Millard emphasizes being present in his rooms, forging relationships, and leveraging these spaces as engines for creating business opportunities and brand awareness—though not always direct client leads.

  “...it's being there every day the door is open, because no one can tell your story and sell you as a brand like you can yourself.” (08:40)

• Beyond Clients: Extended Opportunities:
  Showhouses led to unexpected avenues, like a plumbing line for KBIS 2026 and designing retail vignettes for Paragould stores. (10:22–10:50)

3. Navigating the Financials & Transparency

• Managing Showhouse Investment:
  Millard shares his learning curve on showhouse spending:

  "The first show house... we spent a very large amount of money. The second time... I spent about half... due to cultivating relationships and thinking strategically." (11:12)

• Building Partnerships:
  He recommends structuring sponsorship pitches to emphasize mutual benefits, such as producer exposure or photography usage rights. (11:44–12:04)

• Business Structure and Policy:
  Upon establishing his solo firm, Millard invested in consultants to systematize operations, creating templates for everything from service agreements to client communications:

  "Now, being... three, four years down the road, it has saved so much time and just made everything so... organized." (15:24)

• Flexibility & Client Variation:
  While Millard values structure and clear policies, experience taught him the need for flexibility with different project and client types. (16:23–16:49)

• Transparency as a Principle:
  A core goal for Millard is for every financial transaction to be client-accessible and in line with service agreements:

  "At any given time, if my client were to come to me and ask to see the books... every single transaction... would be according to the service agreement, down to the penny." (20:40)

• Charging Structure:
  Millard prefers flat fees with detailed scopes of work for transparency and efficiency, but tracks hours for unique project types as learning benchmarks.

  “For my personal business... it’s been beneficial... to bill at a flat fee with a very detailed scope of work.” (22:31)

4. Creative Process and Client Relationships

• Portfolio & Room Selection:
  Millard chooses showhouse spaces based on what will enrich his own portfolio and honors the building’s existing architecture. (13:35–14:12)

• Collaborative vs. Hands-off:
  He tailors his design process’s level of collaboration to each client’s preference, always beginning with the question:

  “How involved would you like to be?” (29:51)

• Meaningful Personalization:
  A hallmark of Millard’s work is weaving clients' memories and smiles into their spaces:

  “What makes you smile? ...It’s more than just a beautiful room... I want my clients to be reminded of great times and great memories on a daily basis.” (30:57)

• A Memorable Example:
  He shared building a custom-lit purple china closet for a client’s cherished teacups, integrating a picture of her great-grandmother. (31:01–31:27)

• Defining Success:
  For Millard, business fulfillment comes from integrity, keeping promises, and exceeding expectations:

  "I define success knowing that I did everything that I could possibly do, went above and beyond keeping my word, and really led every facet of my business with integrity." (41:35)

5. Business Structure & Growth

• Solo Practice & Outsourcing:
  Millard appreciates the flexibility and reduced pressure of solo entrepreneurship, outsourcing specialist tasks (CPA, bookkeeper, contract workers).

  “I am a one man show.” (17:38)
  “I really enjoy the flexibility... it lessens the pressure to always take on new projects... creative mind some space to breathe.” (17:43–18:15)

• Growth Mindset, But Not Empire-Building:
  While open to employing small team in the future, Millard isn’t chasing rapid-scale growth:

  “But I am not in a rush to build, to build an empire. If it happens and falls out of the sky, I would probably say yes.” (19:41)

6. Pricing, Educational Exercises & Project Selection

• Setting Client Expectations:
  Clients often underestimate project costs. Millard has clients “shop” online and create wish lists to understand realistic budgets:

  "They thought it was going to be $10,000, but it’s actually close to 50..." (24:58)

• Willingness to Phase Projects:
  If a client wants a certain look beyond their immediate budget, Millard phases installations to accommodate. (26:25–26:47)

• Choosing Projects:
  For Millard, enthusiasm and narrative are as important as scope:

  "The projects that I know I will automatically take... are those that tell a story and those where the client is just as excited."
  (27:08)

7. Keeping the Creative Spark Alive

• Industry Community & Peer Exposure:
  Millard finds rejuvenation in viewing other designers’ work firsthand and chatting with peers.

  "...seeing it through someone else’s eyes who’s also in the industry."
  (39:28–39:47)

• Showhouses as Ongoing Inspiration:
  Participating, attending, or even volunteering in showhouses continue to feed his creativity. (39:48–41:17)

• Valuing the Trades:
  He was moved by a recent showhouse builder publicly honoring all contributors:

  "It gave me a really great feeling that he recognized them and that fed my... creative soul..."
  (41:17)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Financial Transparency:

  "At any given time, if my client were to come to me and ask to see the books... that every single transaction had to do with money... according to the service agreement, down to the penny."
  —Evan Millard (20:40)

• On Showhouses as Brand Catalysts:

  "No one can tell your story and sell you as a brand like you can yourself."
  —Evan Millard (08:40)

• On Defining Success:

  "I define success... knowing that I did everything that I could possibly do, went above and beyond keeping my word, and really led every facet of my business with integrity."
  —Evan Millard (41:35)

• On Project Selection:

  "...the projects that I know I will automatically take... are those that tell a story and those where the client is just as excited."
  —Evan Millard (27:08)

Key Timestamps

• 02:19 – Evan’s first design inspirations
• 04:49 – Launching a firm with classmates
• 06:22 – Seizing showhouse opportunities
• 09:23 – Showhouse benefits and industry recognition
• 10:22 – New opportunities from showhouse networking
• 11:12 – Financial learning curve on showhouses
• 15:24 – Creating systems and policies as a new solo business
• 17:38 – The benefits of solo entrepreneurship
• 20:40 – Commitment to financial transparency
• 22:31 – Flat fee billing and client confidence
• 24:58 – Client budget reality check exercise
• 27:08 – Choosing projects based on story and client enthusiasm
• 30:57 – Personalization and what makes clients smile
• 39:28 – Peer inspiration and industry community
• 41:35 – Personal definition of success

Tone and Language

Evan Millard is earnest, detail-oriented, passionate, and honest—sharing both the challenges and joys of building a design practice. He brings a deep sense of integrity, care for clients, and appreciation for industry peers and tradespeople. The conversation is supportive, transparent, and encouraging to fellow interior designers seeking both creative and business fulfillment.

Summary

Evan Millard’s appearance on Trade Tales is a master class in entrepreneurship for creative professionals. He demonstrates how saying "yes" to big opportunities—especially showhouses—can rapidly accelerate brand development and open adjacent business avenues. Through a blend of creative audacity, thoughtful financial management, a client-first approach, and a commitment to transparency, Millard has overcome industry growing pains while remaining deeply fulfilled and true to his values. This episode is indispensable listening for emerging and seasoned designers alike.