To-The-Trade S2E26 Design, Coaching, and Business: A Conversation with Katie Decker-Erickson

Show Summary:

Laurie Laizure and Nile Johnson of To The Trade chat with Katie Decker-Erickson, an interior designer with an MBA who has made the shift to coaching fellow designers. Their discussion spans Katie’s path from teaching to leading a multimillion-dollar design firm, and ultimately to coaching. They touch on the challenges and advantages of naming a business after oneself, the significance of incorporating business education in design curricula, and the need for scalable systems. Katie stresses the importance of community involvement, actionable steps for achieving financial security, and planning for sustainable business growth. The conversation also underscores the emotional and financial merits of distinguishing personal identity from business accomplishments while offering tactics such as networking, forming B2B partnerships, and utilizing local market insights. Furthermore, they tackle today’s economic hurdles, including rising interest rates and recession anxieties, providing practical recommendations for designers to navigate these challenging conditions.