How to transform mental chaos into documented systems that work automatically, so you can focus on design while your business runs profitably

You know that feeling of juggling everything mentally - client details, project timelines, vendor information - while trying to focus on actual design work? You're not alone, and you're definitely not imagining how exhausting this approach has become.

Interior design is a crazy business with bazillions of intricate details, and when you're keeping all your processes locked up in your head, you're making it harder on yourself while limiting how much your business can grow. In this episode of the Interior DesignHer podcast, interior design staffing & operations expert Jessica Harling reveals how interior designers can get all those mental checklists out of their heads and into systems that work automatically.

Jessica identifies the critical challenge most designers face: you went to school to learn design, not business operations. After working in her family's fourth-generation window covering business and combining that experience with theater training that taught her how people think, Jessica discovered that creative minds need structured approaches to business management - they just need systems that make sense for how designers actually work.

Business reality confirms it - while you're incredibly talented at creating beautiful spaces, keeping operational processes in your head creates stress, limits growth, and makes it nearly impossible to train team members effectively. The designers who build sustainable, profitable practices get their processes documented and systematic.

"The biggest mistake is thinking you have to keep everything in your brain," Jessica explains. "When I work with designers, we pull all those processes out of their heads and turn them into visual maps they can follow and teach to others. That's when businesses really start to scale."

Whether you're currently managing everything solo or struggling to train new team members, Jessica's strategic insights will transform how you approach your business operations - and ultimately, how much time you have to focus on the design work you actually love.