Damn Good Designer - In Detail Interiors

A MULTI-FACETED INTERIOR DESIGN BUSINESS STRATEGY PROGRAM

Work with Cheryl Clendenon – Interior Design Business Coach, Damn Good Designer®, CEO of Working Design Firm & Retail Showroom, Industry Writer, Speaker, Founder of the Design Paradigm™ & Damn Good Designer®

The best business coaching for Interior designers—seriously. This is not some wham-bam glamathon; It is the real deal you have been looking for and what is missing from the business coaching marketplace today. Join Cheryl for the most unconventional and dynamic interior design business and marketing coaching.

The reinvention starts here!

For more Cherylisms & honest talk, join our free Facebook group
“Small Business Think Big”

The Design
Paradigm

The Design Paradigm™ is for designers who are serious about running a profitable business and being the expert in the room.

A year-long, powerful, and comprehensive group coaching program for creative entrepreneurs. This is the real deal in running a successful business with a proven model. This program is not like any other out there. If you do the work with us, then The Design Paradigm philosophy will deliver.

We want to see you there–and we’ll be right along your side–a partner in your growth.

Stand Alone Sections

For a smaller commitment and topic focused reinvention, we offer certain sections of The Design Paradigm throughout the year. This is your opportunity to discover The Design Paradigm without the annual commitment to answer the needs of designers that are not wanting to reinvent the entire wheel of their business.

Disruptive Reinvention

Run a successful business that does not run you. Stay on top of all the things–because Cheryl is going to make sure you know the news, how it impacts you, and her experienced but frank take on it. Then we are going to talk about it—in a select group setting of your peers, in monthly town hall meetings and in private podcasts that are too hot for public ears.

Coaching Intensives

Meet with Cheryl and do a deep dive into your business needs.

If you are part of my Facebook group – Small Business Think Big- you know I am honest to a fault. Just as I do with our clients, I think you should get what you are paying for—honesty and truth as seen via my business lens. My desire to help is real–there is a huge high for me helping other small business owners; it is a drug and addictive.

I offer one-on-one coaching opportunities for interior designers, one-time strategy session, or a longer partnership program.

A bit about Cheryl and Liz

Cheryl Kees Clendenon

Poobah, Shopkeep, Interior Designer, Rainmaker, Small Business Owner, Business Coach

2021 KBB Person of the year 2021 Design Studio winner Dallas Arts Awards 2021 Changemaker Design Hounds

200 or so years ago a child came roaring into the world feet first ready to show up and argue a cause. Just because. Her mother still maintains the story is- she was screaming-“why”- from the minute she landed wrong side up and slapped the doctor for disturbing her afternoon nap.

And to this day does not give “it” a rest except when she is sleeping. Which is where you will find her only between the hours of 2am and 7:30am. A belligerent non-smoker (in case you were wondering) and a frequent challenger of anything that resembles “normal” or desired by the masses, Cheryl is a natural born contrarian who talks faster than 2x speed on a podcast.

She gravitates towards wanting to help clients and designers who are the square pegs in a world of round holes, lose earrings impossibly frequently, fall off of platform shoes and are unapologetically saucy. Relaxing is not in the skill set. Life begins and ends with family.

Her sacred words are: Why, Percipient, Whizbang and Profit.

But please do not say the words: Package, Blocks, Red Flag, Overwhelm or Picked. Hives break out and it gets ugly.

Known for her creative “what if” approach to all facets of design and an unrelenting search for the best solutions, creating homes from the inside out is her passion. But the flow, function and visualization of the future plan is her super power. Running a successful and dynamic business follows as a close second.

Her favorite hobby is research. Reference the “why” upon birth and it makes sense.

She has two daughters, one husband, one Earl, two dogs and lives on a tiny barrier island on the gulf coast of Florida-and yes- keeps a hoodoo voodoo doll buried in the sand protecting against hurricanes.

Liz Lapan

VP of Everything, Interior Designer, Work Wife, Team Cook, Unicorn

One day about 8 years ago Cheryl had to squeeze in some interviews for a gal friday/assistant on a Saturday. In the middle of a (paid!) styling gig for HGTV and off to London in two days, the ever efficient Cheryl asked the two ladies to accompany her on a high level shopping sojourn to Home Goods for HGTV props.

Liz was wrapped up in a heavy scarf like a New Hampshire El Taco burrito—-in the fall ya’ll—-fall in Florida is spelled H O T. Ignoring the side eye sent her way over the odd Yankee behavior, Liz quickly established herself as the heir apparent and Nosey Rosie was given the magic wand to rule the land.

People ask, when did you KNOW you had found your ideal work wife- Cheryl will reply ” When she drew me 8 different cacti on her 3rd day because I said -find me a damn cactus”.

The woman who has never been through an airport without being extended an invitation to stop and play show and tell with the contents of her backpack, can single handedly plow snow with a rake and rescue her boss in a snowstorm in Arizona.–yes, I said Arizona–after sleeping all night in a tuna can of a rental car.

They don’t make ’em like this anymore folks. (by the way she is completely tethered up with air tags so do not even think about it) The dedication is real and she extends this to her clients in too many ways to mention.

Her sacred words are: “Are you kidding me Cheryl”, “Mamma mia” and “I can’t believe it’s Friday”

An accomplished designer in her own right with an amazing sense of color and pattern, Liz can wear the designer hat in the morning, the project manager hat at noon and return to the office being the ultimate manager of all the things. Client’s love her, Subs respect her and the team adores the woman who gets “it” done-whatever “it” may be.

People Talk

"I was charging randomly. No set way and every project was different. Very inconsistent. We would have large projects here and there but they weren’t steady and the smaller projects filled in. Now we have 12 employees (3 designers, purchasing/expeditor, design manager, retail staff, marketing) and 3 contract staff support people. We moved into a 3500 sq ft office in Oct of ‘21 and are already bursting at the seams. On average 35-40 projects and I charge flat fee with min spend 90% of the time. We work with numerous builders on their spec homes and for their prospects. The biggest takeaway from projecting profit and fees is that you can’t scale up in any capacity without it. Just not a possibility. If you can’t project then you can’t know when to hire more people, order inventory or even take a vacation. Without Cheryl's coaching I’d probably have run my shop and company into the ground. So serious about that! So fortunate to have met her."

–Cristi Holcombe Cristi Holcombe Interiors

"We worked with Cheryl both in one on one coaching and her group coaching program and quickly realized that we were not charging enough to cover our operating expenses and pay ourselves what we were hoping to make at the time. She helped us understand how to calculate our profit margin, account for all of our expenses for the year, and work backwards to know how many clients we needed to have and how much we needed to charge for that work to make what we wanted to make. We also do design for custom new builds and use Cheryl's model to come up with design fees for those projects. Being able to project our income has changed everything, but it started with understanding how much income we actually needed to run our business. Until I shifted my mindset to understand exactly what the design fees needed to cover, I didn't charge appropriately. I am so thankful that I met you Cheryl, you changed my life and my business. I knew I was drawn to how you were thinking about business as compared to all the other designers I was following and how they were doing it. I'm building an empire, and you taught me how to actually be profitable doing it. Thank you."

–Shandy Arend, Collected Living Design

I got this surprise Christmas gift from my favorite person ever!!! #damngooddesigner Cheryl’s guidance and no BS advice has been the saving grace of my business!! I went from an ok business w a sh*tty partner to totally owning the business I started, making more money, managing my costs, tracking my profits and margins to make the most out of every dollar. I now have a team of 5, a full calendar and opening a second shop. I COULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT YOU!! Read that again... Thank you for the kickass cap and THANK YOU for my kickass business.

–Christina Woody VanBlake, Home Design Furnishings Decor

As a design firm looking to hone our skills and identify our blind spots, we started working with Cheryl on a consulting basis. We won the lottery with her generosity, innovative ideas, and expert sales knowledge. Seriously, she is THE sales guru! I found myself mumbling "genius..." after a few sessions. The cherry on top is her delivery. She is approachable, direct and fearless. We were able to apply much of our new knowledge towards measurable goals.

–Heather Mauldin, Heather Mauldin Interior

“I do not have a team at this point. I took the whole Design Paradigm Course that Cheryl offers. I have studied it and implemented it. To give you the data, 3rd quarter of 2023 to date every offer that we have closed on has because of the processes I have learned in this course. I know this because once we sign contract, one of questions I like answered is why they decided to go with us even though according to them our prices have been at least 18-28 percent higher. The answers since implementing TDP has been ‘That scope of work’, ‘you were so detailed right from discovery call’, ‘my friend said your regular communication through out the project was very honest and transparent’ The entire TDP program had changed my business. Every section is gold. I can say this in comparison, because I have taken multiple courses from award winning designers. None come as close as The Design Paradigm.”

–Sunita Sapru, House of MDC

“You’re so thorough and your passion for what you do and for helping others succeed is remarkable.”

–Krista Shugars - TDP 2024 Designer

Cheryl is one of the smartest people I know. From the job site to the retail shop to the conference table. Cheryl has been there, done that and successfully navigated the waters of our ever changing industry. She is out there doing the work and practicing what she preaches, every day. I strive to be as organized as she is and run my projects with her level of creativity and precision. ( and to charge for it as she does!) Cheryl is like your smart and cool big sister who can be a little hard on you at times because she wants you to be the best version of yourself. From the biggest of big picture planning to the smallest nuts and bolts details , Cheryl's advice and commentary on Small Business Think Big is inspiring, invaluable, challenging---and 100% spot on.

–Christopher Kennedy, Christopher Kennedy Inc Designer Resources Products

"The reason we invested in your program was due largely because of your very hands-on approach and the fact that you are ACTIVELY running a design firm. You felt like US… or the US we’d like to be in a year.”

- TDP 2023 Designer

“You’re the best! No other coach is in the trenches with us”

– Heather Ball - TDP 2023 Designer

“I just wanted to let you know I signed my biggest project to date. Thank you so much for all of your help getting me here!”

– Colleen Langdon - TDP 2023 Designer

Previous slide

Next slide

FOLLOW ALONG