EP 495 | The Profit Killers Hiding in Your Interior Design Business with Erin Hackett Nordholt

Are you running a profitable interior design business—or are you simply hoping you are?

In this candid conversation, Kimberley Seldon sits down with interior designer and former financial advisor Erin Hackett Nordholt to discuss one of the biggest challenges facing design firm owners: protecting profit. Together, they unpack the hidden habits that quietly erode profitability—from underestimating freight and absorbing unexpected costs to avoiding project post-mortems and convincing yourself that “breaking even” is good enough.

If you’ve ever hesitated to look closely at your numbers or assumed a project was profitable because it felt successful, this episode will challenge you to think differently. Because building a thriving interior design business isn’t about staying positive—it’s about facing the numbers, learning from every project, and creating systems that protect your bottom line.

In this episode we learn:

• Why “toxic positivity” may be the biggest threat to your interior design business
• How hidden costs like freight, tariffs, and procurement mistakes quietly destroy profit margins
• Why every design firm should conduct a post-project financial review to improve future profitability
• How understanding your numbers leads to better pricing, stronger systems, and more confident business decisions
• Why profitable interior designers stop apologizing for making money—and start protecting their margins
• How small financial improvements compound into a stronger, more sustainable design business

DESIGN INTERVENTION

You can’t fail if you don’t quit.

Entrepreneurship is full of challenges you’ve never faced before. Every obstacle is an opportunity to grow. Stay committed, keep learning, and remember that persistence—not perfection—is what builds a successful interior design business.

About Erin Hackett Nordholt

After leaving a career in finance, Erin Hackett Nordholt traded spreadsheets for floor plans –but kept her systems and process thinking in-tact. As founder of Hackett House Studio, she combines a rigorous design process with a quietly timeless aesthetic to create homes that are as functional as they are beautiful. She believes our surroundings influence how we think, feel, and live, and that great design should make everyday life a little easier…and a lot more meaningful.

www.hacketthousestudio.com

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Thank you to our podcast sponsor, Daniel House Club!

Stop managing logistics and get back to designing. Daniel House Club gives interior designers a dedicated Concierge to handle procurement and sourcing across 200+ brands—saving time and helping you increase your margins.

Plus, receive 15% off your first custom order from exceptional lines like Wesley Hall, Rowe, Thayer Coggin, Ambella Home, Massoud, Theodore Alexander, and more.

Visit danielhouse.club/bod and use code BOD2026 to save on your Signature Membership.