In this episode of Why My Business Works, Megan sits down with designer and longtime friend Susan Yeley to talk about the power of proximity, authentic connection, and leading a company that genuinely takes care of its people.

Susan built her firm the same way she builds homes: with curiosity, presence, and a deep respect for the humans involved. She shares how her business grew alongside her young family, why she hires by “letting the universe reveal the right people,” and how supporting her team through real-life challenges became one of the most meaningful parts of entrepreneurship.

They talk about joy as a business tool, design as a form of storytelling, and how integrating work and life can make you a better leader and a more grounded creator. If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like to run a business that is both beautiful and deeply human, this episode will feel like a warm, steadying breath.

• Why proximity shapes everything from creativity to capacity

• How Susan built her team through trust, intuition, and genuine affection

• The moment she decided to put employees on payroll and what that commitment really meant

• Her design philosophy and why “we do not discard our histories in our homes”

• How joy, rest, and presence fuel better creative output

• The privilege of design work and her dream to bring good homes to underserved communities

• What it looks like to prioritize people in the real moments — illness, babies, transitions, life

• Why everything really is a metaphor, and how it shapes the way she leads

Susan Yeley Homes

Prospect Refuge

Heather Peterson

Robins Architecture

Reath Design

Jessica Helgeran

1% Project

Zoey Feldman (scroll down for her Giving Back section)

Susan is the founder of Susan Yeley Homes, a Bloomington-based design firm known for thoughtful, layered, deeply personal spaces. Her work blends art, heart, and structure, and her leadership centers on care, generosity, and building a team that thrives together. Explore her work at susanyeleyhomes.com.

Subscribe to the show, share it with a friend who treasures her people, and leave a review to help more heart-led business owners find us.

Music licensed by Audiio

Note: This episode includes occasional adult language.

What happens when you stop contorting yourself into whatever clients want and start showing up as the sun in your business? In this first episode of Why My Business Works, Megan sits down with holistic interior designer Gala Magriña to talk about claiming your niche, valuing your work, and building a business that feels aligned from the inside out.

Gala shares the moment a business coach told her she was “turning into the moon” on sales calls, and how stepping into her full voice changed everything. They dive into flat-fee pricing, transparent money conversations, the power of a small-but-mighty team, and the spiritual roots of Gala’s design philosophy. If you’ve ever doubted your value or hesitated to stand firm in your process, this episode will feel like a mirror and a megaphone.

• Why “pretzeling” for clients erodes your value (and your joy)

• How Gala attracts the right clients by going all in on her niche

• Flat-fee pricing, transparency, and why she ditched markups

• Building an aligned team and leading as a grounded, human-first CEO

• The origins of holistic design and how it’s reshaping the industry

• The power of designing a business that works for your soul

Gala's Podcast

Sean Low

Hasani Reyes

Flack Studio

Kelly Behun

Gala is a holistic interior designer, speaker, and founder of Gala Magriña Design. She blends beauty, function, and wellness to create spaces that support mind, body, and soul. She also hosts the Talk Purpose Podcast, where she explores the deeper meaning behind how we live and work.

Subscribe to the show, share it with a friend who needs the reminder to stand in her power, and leave a review to help more right-sized, heart-led business owners find us.

Music licensed by Audiio

Content note: Contains strong language used for emphasis and honesty.