Trade Tales Podcast Summary
Episode: How Michelle Gage Built the Team That Helped Her Escape Burnout
Release Date: July 30, 2025
Host: Kaitlin Petersen, Editor-in-Chief of Business of Home
Introduction
In this compelling episode of Trade Tales, Kaitlin Petersen delves into the transformative journey of Michelle Gage, an accomplished interior designer who overcame severe burnout by restructuring her business and building a supportive team. This detailed conversation offers invaluable insights into the challenges of entrepreneurship, the importance of effective team dynamics, and strategies for maintaining both personal well-being and business success.
Michelle Gage’s Journey into Interior Design
Michelle's passion for interior design ignited early, inspired by HGTV and hands-on projects like refurbishing neighborhood furniture. Her dedication became clear in high school when she recognized interior design as a viable career path.
“I started collecting furniture that my neighbors would put at the curb and seeing how I could hack them and do different things to them to make them look really nice and beautiful...”
— Michelle Gage [02:31]
She pursued this passion academically, earning a degree in Interior Design from Virginia Tech, followed by an internship at Anthropologie’s corporate office in Philadelphia—her dream job at the time.
Transition from Corporate to Freelancing and Starting Her Own Business
Despite climbing the corporate ladder, Michelle realized her long-term aspirations extended beyond her role at Anthropologie. Dissatisfied with the limitations and unaligned growth opportunities within the company, she decided to leave her corporate position without a concrete business plan but armed with numerous ideas and goals.
“I did a lot with Home Polish in there. In between time I wrote for Houzz a little bit, some apartment therapy, I did some freelance styling...”
— Michelle Gage [04:24]
Her initial freelance work provided financial stability, ensuring she did not take a step back financially despite leaving her stable corporate job.
Experiencing Burnout and the Decision to Hire
By mid-2018, just a year and a half after officially launching her firm, Michelle faced severe burnout. Managing every aspect of the business—from finance and purchasing to project management—led to overwhelming stress and emotional exhaustion.
“I had poured so much into the business, and it just became bigger than I could wrap my arms around. I embarrassingly had, like, fits where I just was like, I can't do this anymore...”
— Michelle Gage [05:56-09:28]
Realizing that she could not sustain this pace alone, Michelle decided to revamp her business structure by delegating responsibilities and building a dedicated team.
Hiring the Right Team and Implementing Systems
Michelle’s first step towards recovery was hiring, albeit her initial attempt was unsuccessful. She admits making a horrendous first hire by trying to duplicate herself, which quickly led to terminating that employee within a month.
“I was hiring for all the wrong reasons. I was hiring the right reason was I needed help. What I was looking for was another me, and that's not the right thing to hire.”
— Michelle Gage [11:24]
Learning from this mistake, Michelle refined her hiring strategy by focusing on specific roles that complemented her strengths and addressed her weaknesses. She emphasizes the importance of setting clear boundaries and implementing robust systems to manage the business effectively.
A pivotal moment came after reading "Rocket Fuel" by Gino Wickman, which helped Michelle and her husband define their roles as visionary and integrator, respectively. This clarity fostered better collaboration and reduced friction in both their professional and personal lives.
“It really coached me to say, he's the expert in that area. His job is not going to be enjoyable if you keep telling him how to do it.”
— Michelle Gage [31:58]
Her team expanded to include five key members:
- Michelle Gage – Creative Director
- Alex Gage – Operations Manager (Michelle’s husband)
- Nicole – Senior Designer
- Muriel – Junior Designer
- Shay – Brand Manager
Each team member plays a crucial role, ensuring that responsibilities are appropriately distributed, and the business operates smoothly.
Adjusting the Business Model and Billing Practices
Michelle identified that hourly billing was becoming unsustainable and unenjoyable. To address this, she shifted to a flat fee structure, aiming to eliminate the stress associated with tracking and billing hours.
“I got sick of sending hourly invoices... We've only for the past year done flat fee.”
— Michelle Gage [36:07]
While the transition to flat fees is still under evaluation, Michelle reports that clients have generally appreciated the simplification, experiencing less focus on billing and more on the design process.
Current Challenges and Market Changes
Recently, Michelle has observed a shift in client preferences. Unlike the earlier pandemic period when clients were eager for full-service, comprehensive projects, many now seek more flexible, smaller-scale collaborations. This change poses a challenge to Michelle's business model, which thrives on structured, large-scale projects.
“A lot of our inquiries are stating that what we offer is a little bit too much for them... We want to give clients a say, but we have to guide them as experts.”
— Michelle Gage [37:59]
Despite these challenges, Michelle remains optimistic, emphasizing the importance of proactive problem-solving and maintaining team cohesion to navigate fluctuating market demands.
Future Goals and Vision
Looking ahead, Michelle aims to:
- Maintain a stable, medium-sized team that fosters creativity and efficiency.
- Attract projects that align with the firm’s expertise and allow for creative fulfillment.
- Continue refining client acquisition strategies to ensure a steady influx of ideal projects.
- Achieve a balance between personal life and business growth, ensuring long-term sustainability and team happiness.
“I really want the inquiries are just at a steady state and we are just grabbing all the good ones.”
— Michelle Gage [49:06]
Michelle also expresses a desire to revisit and possibly integrate her earlier goals, such as developing the "COVID of Domino", reflecting her commitment to continual growth and adaptability.
Defining Success
For Michelle, success is multifaceted, encompassing both personal well-being and professional achievements. She values:
- Creative fulfillment in projects.
- Maintaining a healthy work-life balance for herself and her team.
- Building and retaining a talented, cohesive team.
- Achieving business milestones that reflect her vision and values.
“When you interviewed me for the 50 States project, I talked about having a really great personal life and that being the measure of success. And it still is.”
— Michelle Gage [50:50]
Michelle emphasizes that a successful interior design firm is one where she can focus on designing while her team efficiently manages other business aspects, ensuring high-quality outcomes and sustained passion for their work.
Conclusion
Michelle Gage's journey illustrates the critical role of team-building, clear role definitions, and adaptive business practices in overcoming burnout and fostering business growth. Her story serves as an inspiring blueprint for interior designers and entrepreneurs striving to balance personal well-being with professional success.
For more insights and stories from industry leaders, visit Business of Home and tune into the latest episodes of Trade Tales.