112. The Hidden Cost of Saying Yes to the Wrong Projects

Send Katie a Text Message!!

What if the project draining your energy, your time, your profit, and your team was never actually the problem? What if the bigger issue is that you said yes to it in the first place?

In this episode of Success by Design, I’m talking about the subtle “wrong projects” interior designers take on all the time — the ones that seem fine at first. The budget looks decent, the client seems nice enough, and the space has potential. But somewhere along the way, the project starts pulling your business in a direction you never intended.

I’m unpacking why these projects create so much stress, how they quietly weaken your boundaries and positioning, and why saying yes to the wrong fit can completely reshape your business over time. We’re also talking about the hidden costs designers don’t always recognize — from scope creep and emotional labor to team confusion, burnout, and opportunity cost.

Inside this episode, I’m sharing:

• Why wrong projects are usually a positioning problem, not just a client problem
• The hidden cost of saying yes to misaligned work
• How weak filters lead to exhausting projects
• The difference between high-touch service and unlimited access
• Why pricing, boundaries, and process all act as client filters
• The 7-question framework I use to evaluate whether a project is truly the right fit
• How to stop building a business around fear-based yeses

If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in a project that looked good on paper but felt heavy in real life, this episode is going to hit home. Because the goal is not just to stay booked and busy. The goal is to build a design business that actually supports your life, your leadership, and your long-term vision.

Connect with Katie

LinkedIn

Business Strategy Sessions for Interior Designers

Free Resources for scaling your interior design firm

Website