Ep. 176 Retail Rookie - Why Shopping Like a Client Costs You

Hey, hey, hey – welcome back to Design for the Creative Mind! This season, we’re talking all about rookie mistakes and real talk – the stuff that’s keeping so many talented designers stuck. And today? We’re hitting a big one: shopping retail.

Yep. I’m talking about that habit of ordering from Pottery Barn, HomeGoods, or West Elm, skipping your trade vendors, and sending clients links instead of curated presentations. Sound familiar?

I get it. I’ve been there myself—and I’ve coached hundreds of designers who’ve struggled with the same thing. Whether it’s the fear of clients balking at markups, the desire to be “helpful,” or the looming fear of liability… retail feels like the easy button.

But babe—it’s not. It’s costing you big time.

What I cover in this episode:

• Why retail shopping chips away at your profits, your positioning, and your authority

• How sending links is training your clients to bypass you

• Why markup is NOT a dirty word (and how to confidently talk about profit)

• Real talk from a designer named Lindsay who learned this the hard way

• The difference between being a personal shopper vs. a professional designer

• How to shift your business model so sourcing becomes a strength—not a stressor

• The mindset shift that leads to a more profitable, scalable, and luxury-level business

Here’s the truth: when you rely on retail, you lose control—of the quality, of the client experience, and of your income. Your design becomes replicable. Your service looks DIY. And your value? Flattened.

But when you embrace trade sourcing, you gain back authority, margin, and process. And yes, you can absolutely educate your clients about it without apologizing.

So ask yourself: where are you defaulting to retail out of fear or convenience? And what would shift—financially, creatively, emotionally—if you trusted yourself to lead like a CEO?

You’re not selling stuff. You’re selling an experience. A transformation. A feeling when someone walks into a room and says “Wow.” And that? That’s worth protecting.

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