Networking In Interior Design

I started Essajees Atelier in a highly competitive industry, and it nearly broke me mentally because I was: > Hungry for work > Desperate for clients > Didn’t want to say "no" to work So, I took on clients who neither valued my work nor me. Now, with nearly 2 decades of experience, I wish I could tell anyone in my shoes these 6 things: 1. Think like the buyer: Don't chase every client desperately. Instead, look for the right clients. This mindset shift changes everything. You're offering valuable expertise. 2. Your 1 best work is worth 10 bad projects: Quality >>> Quantity, always. So I would tell myself to focus on excellence, not numbers. A single great client can lead to a beautiful portfolio piece and future referrals. 3. Trust your gut feeling: Energy and vibes matter more than you think. Bad matches lead to stress, heartbreak, and subpar work. If something feels off during initial meetings, it probably is. 4. Take your time to interview clients: Ask tough questions and do background checks. Make sure the client's vision aligns with yours. A proper vibe check isn't just nice – it's essential for project success. 5. Being selective isn't a privilege, it's smart: You don't need hundreds of inquiries to be choosy. Even with few options, prioritize clients who resonate with your values. The right fit brings out your best work, regardless of your experience level. 6. Low conversion rates are okay: We now convert very few inquiries into actual clients at Essajees Atelier. This ensures we work only with our ideal clients, leading to better outcomes for everyone. Remember, we're not just selling a service but actually curating experiences and relationships to last years. What's one thing you wish you knew when starting your business? Share below! #Entrepreneur #Interiordesign #Business #Lessons

Last week in my client's 1:1 I shared the networking advice worth €399. Today I share it here for free. Because if I hear again: "Networking is unbearable" "I don't have time" "I don't know where to start" ... I will start blocking people who look for excuses instead of answers. Dont wanna network? Cool. Stay junior forever then. Because from ALL the hires I've ever made, the best ones came through someone who knew someone. If you're a senior designer who "doesn't have time to network"? You are not serious in making the cut in 2025. If you are, but dont know where and how to start, this post will literally change your career trajectory. 1. START WITH YOUR WARM NETWORK Follow exactly these steps: LinkedIn → My Network → Connections → Search → All Filters → Past Companies Choose the ones where you worked. Example for me: N26, Miro. Result: 10+ pages of first-degree connections. These people: → Shared projects with you → Know your work quality → Can introduce you to others → Actually answer your messages But no. You want to cold message CEOs or recruiters instead. 🙄 2. TARGET YOUR DESIRED NETWORK Pick 5 dream companies. Go to their LinkedIn pages → People → Filter by location + role. Example: Berlin + Product Designer Now you have a list of people who: ✅ Work where you want to work ✅ Do what you want to do ✅ Live where you live Revolutionary, right? 3. USE THE "GIVE, GIVE, GIVE, ASK" FRAMEWORK Stop asking for favors immediately. Instead: → Comment on their posts with actual insights → Share relevant articles → Ask SHORT, meaningful questions Make yourself visible BEFORE you need something. 4. THE 15-MINUTE RULE Someone recently sent me a 45-minute meeting link. FORTY. FIVE. MINUTES. Before they even shared what they need. Are you insane? Nobody owes you 45 minutes of their life. Start with 15. Respect people's time. Maybe they'll offer more. If not - make these 15 minutes count. ITS a lot actually if you use this time well. 5. WHAT TO ACTUALLY WRITE ✅ Get their name right (yes, this needs to be said) ✅ "How are you?" - basic politeness opens doors ✅ Skip the autobiography - talk about THEM ✅ Explain WHY them specifically ✅ Clear call to action at the end Not: "I'd love to pick your brain" But: "I'm curious about your transition from IC to management at X - would you be open to a brief chat?" HERE'S THE THING: You don't need to network with 10 people weekly. One meaningful conversation every two weeks? That's 2 new connections monthly. 24 per year. Each knows 10 relevant people. Do the math. And honestly? Those networking conversations might be the most stimulating part of your entire week. I know for me they are. So when you say "I don't have time"... You're really saying "I don't prioritize my career" And that's fine. Just don't complain when your peers get the roles you wanted.

Let’s talk about networking. Most designers do it wrong. → They DM random people asking for referrals. → They connect without context. → They treat LinkedIn like a vending machine. “Press connect, get job.” That’s not networking. That’s vending machine thinking. Here’s how I teach it instead — and how I got first-round interviews without applying cold: 1. Start with trust, not asks Don’t start with “Can you refer me?” Try: “Hey [Name], I admire your work at [Company]. Would love to hear your journey — especially how you navigated the switch from [X to Y].” It’s human. Curious. Non-transactional. 2. Focus on alumni — they already trust you → Shared school = instant bridge. → Shared bootcamp = shared pain. → Shared hometown = unspoken rapport. Reach out as a peer — not a pitch. 3. Lead with insight, not requests Referrals work best when you earn them. Try a UX audit: → Find one UX gap in their product. → Mock up a fix. → Share it with context. “I noticed [X]. Here’s a 3-slide breakdown of how I’d approach it.” That one message? Will get you a reply. Because you’re not asking for help. You’re offering value. Be honest — are you networking for trust… or begging for access? Start with relationships. End with referrals.

How one design post generated 6 client inquiries (and what you can learn from it) Last December, I designed a conceptual social connection app where I experimented with bold colors and Apple's glass morphism UI. I shared it on LinkedIn, not expecting much beyond portfolio documentation. The result? 5 freelance client inquiries and multiple project opportunities with cool payout. Beyond the quality of the design itself, I've reflected on what made this post resonate with potential clients. Here's what I believe made the difference: 1. I led with narrative, not just visuals Instead of posting isolated screens, I walked viewers through my design decisions. I explained the problem I was solving, my approach, and the rationale behind specific choices. Clients don't just want to see what you made, they want to understand how you think. 2. Strategic timing matters While every creator's optimal posting time differs, I've found these windows work well for reaching Nigerian professionals: 6:30 AM – 8:00 AM (morning commute) 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM (lunch breaks) 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM (evening wind-down) 3. I included an interactive prototype Static screens show outcomes. Prototypes demonstrate thinking. Clients consistently respond more positively when they can interact with the design and experience the flow themselves. 4. I'd invested in audience building This wasn't an overnight success. I'd been consistently sharing insights, engaging authentically, and providing value long before this post. Your network compounds over time, don't underestimate the power of showing up regularly. 5. I created momentum through updates I didn't just post once and disappear. I shared design iterations, behind-the-scenes decisions, and progress updates. Each new post brought renewed attention to the previous ones, creating a compounding visibility effect. Great work is essential, but how you present it, when you share it, and the context you build around it significantly impacts who sees it and how they respond. Your next portfolio piece could be your next business opportunity, treat it that way. What's worked for you when sharing design work? I'd love to hear your experiences in the comments.

I made $170k in my first year of full-time freelancing. Here are some of my thoughts: - A successful freelance cycle needs 3 things. A good portfolio, the right connections, and being good to work with. If you’re struggling getting or keeping clients then it’s probably one of these 3 things. - Your portfolio is going to be your biggest seller. You could be so great to work with and have lots of great connections, but if your portfolio doesn’t exude good design principles then you’ll get clients who don’t care about design. You attract the type of work you publish. No matter what type of designer you are, your market is saturated. But 90% of the saturation is Fiverr level quality. Clients will notice when a portfolio feels premium. - You could have a great portfolio and be great to work with, but if you’re not where your audience is then no one is ever going to know. What type of work do you want to do? Find people in those industries and connect. But don’t just pitch slap them as soon as they accept. Think of it in the long-term. Start posting work that is in their industry. Do passion projects that show what you’re capable of. They’ll notice. - And if you have a good portfolio and good connections but are terrible to work with, you’ll get a lot of one-off projects but no one will return as a client. You don’t need to bend over backwards to be good to work with. Be fair. Try to under promise and over deliver. If you have a deadline, meet it or exceed it. Over communicate, people hate being left in the dark. Come with ideas, contribute to the project more than pushing pixels. Remember you’re a business, give people a good and fair experience and they’ll come back. I’ve had the benefit of working in-house and building connections with really talented people that have been able to give me work and refer me to others. I can only speak from my experience but I would say the easiest way to get clients freelance is to work with them first. If you don’t have that luxury then start passion projects. Make the cool work you want to be doing. Connect with other designers. People will notice if you make good work. And don’t just follow tutorials, make original work. The more distinct your voice the easier it will be to find your clients.

LinkedIn isn't just for job seekers. It's a goldmine for designers looking to build lasting client relationships and valuable connections Here's how you can leverage it to grow your brand and revenue 🧵 1/10 As a designer, your LinkedIn profile is your digital portfolio. Showcase your best work, and highlight your skills. Make sure your profile is complete and visually appealing. 2/10 Optimize your headline and summary. Don't just list your job title. Use these spaces to clearly communicate your unique value proposition and/or the specific design services you offer. 3/10 Consistently share valuable content. Post your latest designs, share industry insights, and offer tips for fellow creatives. This positions you as a thought leader in your field. 4/10 Engage with others' content. Like, comment, and share posts from potential clients and other designers. This increases your visibility and helps build relationships organically. 5/10 Join relevant LinkedIn groups. Participate in discussions, offer advice, and showcase your expertise. This can lead to valuable connections and potential client opportunities. 6/10 Use LinkedIn's search features to find potential clients. Look for businesses in industries you want to work with and connect with decision-makers. 7/10 Personalize your connection requests. Mention why you're interested in connecting and how you might be able to help them. This personal touch can make a big difference. 8/10 Leverage multimedia content. As a designer, use LinkedIn's features to showcase your work through images, videos, and presentations. One of my favorite was the PDF format resembling a carousel. 9/10 Build relationships through direct messages. Once connected, engage in meaningful conversations. Offer value before asking for anything in return. 10/10 Remember, building client relationships on LinkedIn is a long-term strategy. Be patient, consistent, and always focus on providing value. Your network will grow, and so will your client base. So, TLDR; Showcase your work, build your personal brand, and connect with potential clients. Repeat this daily for a few months, and I guarantee you will see a huge difference.

I cannot overstate the importance of this note for folks who want to eventually start subcontracting and growing their freelance business: Find subcontractors before you need them. Why? Because the last thing you want to be doing is looking for a collaborator when you’re on the clock. If you start looking for the right person after a client has already paid the deposit and the schedule has started, you’re wasting precious production time on the search, and you’re setting yourself up for a potential major failure at the end of the project if you hire the wrong person. Ok, so how do you find these folks if you don’t have a job to offer them at the moment? You find them the same place your clients go to find you. Are you a designer? Dribble or Instagram might be a good place to look. Animator? Behance could be an option. And of course, there’s always UpWork! Once you’ve located someone who you think would be a good collaborator, make contact! Send them a message or an email saying that you’d love to find an excuse to work with them this year. Ask if they have 15 minutes for a call to get on the same page about what they’d need from you on a project in terms of runway, assets, budget etc. When asking about their typical fee, I always preface with the disclaimer: “I know every project’s different, I won’t hold you to any of these numbers, I just want to make sure I’m never wasting your time with something.” Are you going to start subcontracting this year? What are some of your questions?

Furnishings Designers, Are You Waiting To Be Discovered?? That's not a strategy. That's hope. After almost 20 years of securing corporate design jobs and now more than 20+ securing relationship based freelance work — and watching others struggle to — here's is what I have learned actually moves the needle: 1. Your Portfolio is Just the Opener, Not the Whole Pitch It's your proof that you can illustrate ideas . The pitch is the conversation you have before you show it. Most designers lead with work. The ones who get hired lead with a question: "Tell me about the problem you're trying to solve." The portfolio closes the deal. It doesn't open the door. 2. What Really Gets You Hired Clients and employers evaluating if you fit in and can reduce their overall risk. Every client or hiring manager is asking: Will this person make my life easier or harder? Will they get me to where I want to go faster? Your job in any first conversation is to make the answer obvious. Specificity, reliability, and calm confidence can do more work than a beautiful portfolio of work. (Especially in the new world of AI !) 3. Happy Clients and Completed Project are your Best Sales Team Every significant project I've landed came from someone who worked with me before, or someone they told, or someone I reached out to to have a simple conversation. Which means the work doesn't end when the project ships — it ends when the client feels genuinely looked after. That feeling is what gets passed on. 4. Apply to less. Pursue more. There's a difference between applying for work and pursuing it. Applying is passive — you respond to what's posted. Pursuing is active — you identify the three manufacturers or studios whose work you respect, understand their gaps, and start a real conversation before there's a job to apply for. Most opportunities worth having are never posted. Here is an even bigger concept - YOU create the opportunity. 5. Visibility that is Genuine Compounds. The designers I know who don't struggle for work have one thing in common: they share what they know, consistently, over time. Not to show off. To demonstrate how they think. A post, an article, a talk, a conversation at a trade show — every one of these puts your thinking in front of someone who might need exactly that thinking in six months. Getting work is a skill. It can be learned. Most design schools just don't teach it. I'm building a community to discuss such things as this. Interested? DM me below and I will keep you posted as to when it goes live! In the meantime, what's the single best thing that's ever led to a new client or job for you? #FurnitureDesign #InteriorDesign #interiordesign #interiors #furnituremanufacturing #furniture #productdesign #ProductDevelopment #DesignTrends2026 #designschool

This is how I turned freelancing into a half-a-million-dollar consultancy business—by doing one thing: nurturing my network. Since my first corporate job, I made it a point to build real relationships with my managers, their bosses, my direct reports, even the folks who sold ads to me or pitched me ideas. I stayed connected. I checked in. I remembered birthdays. I gave help without being asked. Most importantly, I was always advocating for them when they weren't in the room. Because I’ve always believed this: Your network is your net worth. So when I got laid off—while pregnant—I DEF PANICKED (lol) but then through tears in my eyes, I wrote down 10 people's names on a sheet of paper. And I reached out to them because they had seen me in action at one point in my career. They knew my work ethic, my ideas, my integrity. And because those relationships were built on real trust, they showed up for me. They referred me, vouched for me, and most importantly advocated for me. So if you’re thinking about freelancing, do this before you build a portfolio or update your website: Make a list of the 5–10 people who’ve seen your work up close and would go to bat for you without question. If you can’t think of 5, that’s your first step. You’re not ready yet. Start there. Build trust. Give more than you ask. Answer texts. Be someone they want in their corner, too. Because when the time comes, and you do make that first call, you’ll be surprised at how ready your network is to catch you. And to the people who answered my first call, you know who you are.....I will always, always show up for you in return. 💛

I was exhausted from all the meetings, but it changed everything." - Melinda Browning Interior Design, Interior Designer A fascinating story about how a simple challenge transformed a design business: When Melinda's business coach challenged her to make 5 meaningful connections daily, she thought it was overwhelming. But here's what happened: • Breakfast with architects • Lunch with realtors • Coffee with vendors • Drinks with contractors 5 years later, she's STILL getting referrals from those 6 months of networking in 2018. Here's how I've adapted Melinda's strategy for 2025: 1. Create a "Dream 100" list: - 25 architects you admire - 25 realtors in your ideal neighborhoods - 25 contractors who align with your quality standards - 25 vendors who match your aesthetic 2. Strategic Scheduling: - Block 2 connection meetings every Tuesday/Thursday - Use Mondays for follow-ups - Schedule quarterly check-ins with key contacts 3. Value-First Approach: - Share project insights - Connect them with other professionals - Offer genuine support before asking for anything Remember Melinda's words: "It's not just about getting clients. It's about building a community that supports each other's growth." What's your most successful networking strategy? #InteriorDesign #ArchitectureBusiness #DesignCommunity