1. LEADING YOUR FIRM TO
PROFIT WHILE
BALANCING YOUR LIFE
JULIANA M. CATLIN, FASID
COURSE #7904

2. CLASS GOALS
 TECHNIQUES TO MAXIMIZE YOUR FIRM’S PROFIT
 EFFECTIVE TIME FOR CLIENTS AND YOURSELF
 KNOWING YOURSELF BETTER TO LEAD BETTER
 FINDING BALANCE IN YOUR LIFE

3. UNDERSTANDING THE INTERIOR
DESIGN MARKET SHARE

4. DESIGNERS HAVE A SMALLER CLIENT BASE THAN MOST BUSINESSES
10% OF THE U.S. ECONOMY CAN AFFORD AN INTERIOR DESIGNER
TOP 10% OF
U.S.
8%
ECONOMY
CAN AFFORD
DESIGN
SERVICES
ONLY 8% OF
90% CANNOT AFFORD
THE 10% HIRE
AN INTERIOR DESIGNER
A DESIGNER

5. AT THE END OF
YOUR YEAR-LONG
EFFORTS,
YOU DO NOT
WANT TO
EXPERIENCE A
FEELING OF
WASTED EFFORT

6. CLARIFYING THE PROBLEM
THE AVERAGE COMPANY LOSES HALF OF ITS
CUSTOMERS EVERY FIVE YEARS
CHALLENGE YOURSELF TO FIND
A CLIENT LIST FROM FIVE YEARS
AGO AND CHECK THE REASONS
WHY THEY ARE NO LONGER
YOUR CLIENT
DO YOU HAVE A PLAN TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH
THEM ON A REGULAR BASIS?

7. PROFIT STATISTICS
 IT COSTS BETWEEN FIVE AND SIX TIMES MORE TO
ATTRACT A NEW CUSTOMER THAN TO KEEP OR
BUILD FROM AN EXISTING ONE
 HAPPY CUSTOMERS TELL 4 TO 5 OTHERS OF THEIR
POSITIVE EXPERIENCE
 DISSATISFIED CUSTOMERS TELL 9 TO 12 PEOPLE
 BUT HOW TO KEEP YOUR CLIENTS HAPPY WHILE
MAINTAINING A BALANCED LIFE?

8. RETAINING YOUR CLIENT BASE
 ACCORDING TO RESEARCH - A COMPANY CAN
BOOST PROFITS FROM 25% TO 125% BY
RETAINING 5% OF ITS CUSTOMERS (BAIN AND CO)
 A 2% INCREASE IN CUSTOMER RETENTION HAS
THE SAME EFFECT ON PROFITS AS CUTTING
COSTS BY 10%
 A RECENT STUDY REVEALED THAT TWO-THIRDS
OF CUSTOMERS DO NOT FEEL VALUED BY THOSE
SERVING THEM

9. WHY FIRMS
LOSE CUSTOMERS
 CUSTOMER DIES – 1%
 CUSTOMER MOVES AWAY— 3%
 CUSTOMER INFLUENCED AWAY BY FRIENDS— 5%
 CUSTOMER LURED AWAY BY COMPETITION— 9%
 CUSTOMER DISSATISFIED WITH PRODUCT/SERVICE - 14%
 CUSTOMER PERCEIVED AN ATTITUDE OF
INDIFFERENCE ON PART OF THE SERVICE PROVIDER -
68%

10. SECRETS TO YOUR FIRM’S PROFITABILITY
KEEPING YOUR TEAM SUPPORTED AND TRAINED
SHARING THE LARGER VISION WITH THOSE AROUND
YOU - DON’T HIDE THE PLANS OR GOALS
BEING YOUR CLIENTS’ ADVOCATE AND
MANAGING THE ENTIRE PROCESS
FIND OTHERS TO DO THE PARTS OF YOUR JOB THAT
YOU ARE NOT GOOD AT OR DO NOT ENJOY

11. KEY TO EXCEPTIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE
 “THE GRANDMOTHER’S RULES”
 DO WHAT YOU SAY YOU ARE GOING TO
 DO IT WHEN YOU SAY YOU ARE GOING TO
 DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME
 DO IT FOR THE PRICE YOU QUOTED

12. BE RECOMMENDATION WORTHY
SERVICE YOUR CLIENTS BEYOND
THEIR EXPECTATIONS -
HAVE THEM TELL YOUR STORY
A SIMPLE COOKIE CAN BE THE KEY TO YOUR
MARKETING PLAN

13. BUILDING YOUR REPUTATION
A REPUTATION TAKES A LIFETIME; ONE DAY AT A TIME,
ONE DECISION AT A TIME
ALWAYS DO THE RIGHT THING. IF IT’S YOUR MISTAKE
ADMIT IT QUICKLY
ALWAYS CONSIDER THAT YOUR CLIENT’S OPINION IS
THE ONLY ONE THAT MATTERS
TO MAINTAIN BALANCE YOU MUST EMPOWER
OTHERS IN YOUR QUEST TO SATISFY CLIENTS WHILE
FINDING TIME FOR YOUR LIFE BALANCE

14. CLASSIC
CUSTOMER DESIRES
 QUALITY—AN EXCEPTIONAL FINAL OUTCOME ON
PRODUCT OR SERVICE
 PRICE—BEST POSSIBLE VALUE FOR THE PRODUCT
OR SERVICE
 SPEED—AS FAST AS POSSIBLE WITHOUT
COMPROMISING QUALITY

15. REALITIES
OF INTERIOR DESIGN
 QUALITY IS ALWAYS THE GOAL, BUT
REGARDLESS OF EFFORT EXPENDED, NOTHING
IS EVER PERFECT
 PRICES ARE SHOCKING, EVEN TO US
 ITEMS USUALLY TAKE A MINIMUM OF 12-16
WEEKS. SUPPLIERS ARE LIMITED THAT FIT
CLIENTS’ DESIRES AND SCHEDULES
 SOME SUPPLIERS ARE NOT AS TRUST-WORTHY
IN THE NEW ECONOMY

16. THE REAL PROBLEM
 WE ARE MUCH BETTER AT
PLANNING OUR CLIENTS
LIVES THAN OUR OWN
 YOU DO NOT HAVE TO
WORK IN THE SAME WAY
YOU HAVE IN YOUR PAST
TO GET THE SAME WORK
DONE
 START THE PROCESS OF
THINKING HOW TO LIVE
FREE OF THE USELESS AND
ONLY DO THE USEFUL AND
PROFITABLE

17. WORK OVERLOAD
88% OF EMPLOYEES REPORT A HARD TIME
BALANCING WORK AND LIFE
61% OF AMERICANS CHECK THEIR EMAIL ON
VACATION
56% OF AMERICANS REPORT ANXIETY IF THEY
CANNOT GET ACCESS TO THEIR EMAIL
53% OF AMERICANS WOULD OPT FOR A
PERSONAL ASSISTANT OVER A PERSONAL
TRAINER

18. OUR LIVES ARE BUSIER
AMERICANS WORK
APPROXIMATELY 8 WEEKS
A YEAR MORE PER YEAR
THAN THEY DID IN 1969
THIS HAS HAPPENED IN A SINGLE
GENERATION

19. UNDERSTANDING R.O.W.E.
GETTING PAID IN YOUR PYJAMAS
RESULTS-ONLY WORK ENVIRONMENT
NEW WAY OF WORKING AND THINKING.
BEST BUY HEADQUARTERS HAS WORKED THIS WAY
FOR TEN YEARS AND EXPERIENCED A 72% REDUCTION OF
VOLUNTARY QUITTING.
SO THINK FREE OF HOW YOU WORKED AND DOES YOU
CLIENT CARE WHERE YOU WORK? IF THE WORK GETS
DONE.... ON A BEACH, ON A DECK BY A LAKE?

20. PLAN YOURSELF PEACEFUL
KNOW YOUR
WEAKNESSES
AND STRENGTHS
SPENDTIME ON
RELATIONSHIPS
FIND YOUR TEAM
REMEMBER TO
CELEBRATE &
THANK

21. KNOW YOURSELF
USE TOOLS TO UNDERSTAND YOUR STRENGTHS
AND WEAKNESSES
MYERS BRIGGS,
MOST DETAILED, EXTENSIVE
DISC - QUICKER OVERVIEW
KNOW YOUR NEEDS FOR TEAMING
GET YOUR TEAM AND FAMILY TO KNOW THEIR TRAITS AND
PLAN ACCORDINGLY
ALWAYS HIRE/ OUTSOURCE TO YOUR WEAKNESSES

22. HAVE A PLAN FOR YOU
DOYOU ENJOY WHERE
YOU ARE HEADING?
YOU CAN BE STRATEGIC
IN HOW TO WORK
SMARTER AND LESS
LIFE
IS NOT AS HARD AS
WE SOMETIMES MAKE IT,
YOU CAN TAKE TIME TO
ENJOY YOUR LIFE

23. WE CHANGE LIVES
THROUGH DESIGN
EVERYDAY
WE HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON
THE QUALITY OF PEOPLES’
LIVES
REMEMBER TO PLAN YOUR LIFE WITH THE SAME
TOOLS YOU USE EVERYDAY

24. START AS YOU WOULD ANY PROJECT
ANALYZE WITH S.W.O.T.
 STRENGTH
 WEAKNESSES
 OPPORTUNITIES
 THREATS
YOUR WEAKNESSES ARE ONLY A
PROBLEM IF YOU DO NOT RECOGNIZE
THEM AND FIX THE PROBLEMS THEY
CAUSE YOU AND THOSE AROUND YOU

25. PROFIT WILL FOLLOW YOUR JOY
FINDING YOUR PASSION AND DOING WHAT YOU
ENJOY AND DO WELL IS ALWAYS PROFITABLE TO A
FULL LIFE
A PROFITABLE LIFE IS MORE THAN JUST MONEY
YOU MUST LET GO OF THE OLD WAY YOU WORK
TO FIND A NEW PATH FOR SUCCESS
COMMIT TO REMOVE SOMETHING YOU NO
LONGER ENJOY AND EMBRACE THAT TIME FOR
LIFE LONG PASSIONS

26. CHARGING FOR YOUR PASSION IS
HEALTHY AND EXPECTED
DO NOT FEEL SQUEAMISH ABOUT CHARGING
FOR YOUR VALUE AND YOU CAN DO THAT
WORK IN AN ENJOYABLE PLACE AND TIME THAT
WORKS FOR YOU
CONSIDERFEE-BASED DESIGN WHERE YOU
CAPTURE DOLLARS FOR THE TIME YOU WORK
SMART
HOURLY WORK CAN MAKE YOU A SLAVE TO
MORE HOURS FOR LESS PROFIT

27. WHAT PROBLEM IS NAGGING AT YOU
TODAY?
MOST PROBLEMS THAT NAG AT US - DO NOT GO AWAY
WITHOUT DECISIONS
PUTTING OFF YOUR DECISION ONLY
PROLONGS MISERY FOR ALL INVOLVED.

28. WHEN FACED WITH A PROBLEM
FACE IT HEAD ON
BOATS TURN INTO A STORM
OWN YOUR SIDE OF MISTAKES
ITIS NEVER TOO EARLY TO FIX
A PROBLEM
ASLONG AS YOU LEARN AND
CHANGE ACCORDINGLY,
MISTAKES ARE JUST GROWING
PAINS
MAKE THE HARDEST CALL IN
THE EARLIEST IN YOUR DAY

29. EMPOWER OTHERS TO FIX PROBLEMS
YOU ARE MUCH LIKE A SERVICE CENTER
AT A CAR DEALERSHIP
THEDEALER DOES NOT HAVE TO BE
THERE FOR YOU TO OBTAIN SERVICE
THE LONGER THE TIME TO RECEIVE AN
APOLOGY, THE LONGER THE MEMORY
OF THE PROBLEMS

30. OUR MOTTO IN A CRISIS IS:
“WE’RE
SORRY
AND
WE’LL FIX
IT”
EVERYONE IS TO SAY THAT
IMMEDIATELY WHEN A PROBLEM
ARISES WITH A CLIENT

31. YOUR LIFE MUST BE FED BY
THE PASSIONS WITHIN YOU
WORK IS A TOOL IN YOUR LIFE,
NOT YOUR LIFE ITSELF!

32. COURSE TITLE:
LEADING YOUR FIRM TO PROFIT
WHILE BALANCING YOUR LIFE
COURSE NUMBER:
#7904
1.O HOURS

33. PERSONALITY TESTS
 DISC TEST (SHORT VERSION)
HTTP://WWW.NETJOBS.CO.UK/JOB-DISC.HTM
 MYERS BRIGGS (SHORT TEST)
WWW.HUMANMETRICS.COM
GREAT ONE WEEK COURSES BY ‘THE CENTER FOR
CREATIVE LEADERSHIP’

34. RECOMMENDED READING
 LEADERSHIP IS AN ART BY MAX DEPREE
 WHO MOVED MY CHEESE BY SPENCER JOHNSON
 THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER BY PH.D. KENNETH BLANCHARD AND
M.D. SPENCER JOHNSON
 THE FOUR HOUR WORK WEEK BY TIMOTHY FERRIS
 THE FIVE DYSFUNCTIONS OF A TEAM: A LEADERSHIP FABLE BY
PATRICK LENCIONI