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Welcome to design for the creative mind, a podcast for interior designers and creative entrepreneurs to run their business with purpose, efficiency and passion. Because, well, every design is different, the process should remain the same. Prepare yourself for some good conversations with amazing guests, a dash of Jesus and a touch of the woowoo and probably a swear word or two. If you're ready to stop trading your time for money and enjoy your interior design business. You are in the right place. I'm your host, Michelle Lynn.
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Hello, everybody. I'm Michelle Lynn. And you are listening to the design for the creative mind podcast just in case you're wondering where you are. I have a very special guest today. Melissa Gault. She has three decades leading her own successful residential firm Melissa Gault shows interior design from principles how to earn more, in less time with less stress and love their business. A whole lot more short and sweet. To the point, Melissa is a badass business coach. So welcome, Melissa. Thanks for being here.
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Thanks, Michelle. It's absolutely my treat to be here. I'm
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tickled pink. So y'all might be wondering, okay, Michelle is a business coach, why does she have another business coach on her podcast? If you guys go back, I've had a couple others on the podcast as well. And here's why. Because y'all, you need a business coach. And if it's not me, it needs to be somebody. So I think and you guys, if you've been around for any length of time, you know, I say that there's enough ugly houses for every designer, right? So there's, there's there's business coaches that you need to hire that that align with your needs? Melissa? Let's just dig in a little bit. And let's talk about you had your interior design firm for 30 years. And now you are primarily coaching, tell us about your experience coaching, like what can people expect from you, like, let's just get into a quick commercial.
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I am known as the tough love coach, because I'm incredibly direct. I'm wildly practical. And I really put you in motion very, very quickly. Everything that I teach train coach, guide, direct and encourage on is proven from the trenches of design. There's no part of our business, there's no part of our industry that you can't ask me about. But the beautiful part is, I'm not a one trick pony. And I'm not a one size fits all, I have an arsenal of tools and smart systems and proven processes and strategies that I pull out. And we find the ones that resonate for you and your business and apply those. There are no forced fits. And that's really important to me, because a lot of designers get shy about coaching. Because they're like, well, am I going to have to do this? And I'm like, no, no, if that's not your gig, you're not going to do that. If that doesn't align or resonate. Let's try this or this. The resonance is really important because this creatives, and I'm still a creative, just my creativity is now channeled into business and marketing full time. Yes, love it, too. When when we're creative like that, we want to have our own path. We want to have our own game, we want to have our own business. And every designer is one of a kind. So their firms are one of a kind, their business operations are one of a kind. And they need that one of a kind fit. And they need that flexibility. So it really makes a difference. The funny part about it is Michelle, that I've been coaching for a lot longer than just the official because I didn't meet designers for my first five years in business. I was handling clients, get clients, get clients, get clients, get clients, get
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clients make it pretty get clients make it pretty, yes.
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And when I finally started connecting with designers, you know, over networking and things, we would start sharing numbers, and mine were always, you know, significantly higher. And I was like, Okay, I know some of these folks. I know, it's not my talent. It's my systems. It's my marketing. And so unofficially, because coaching wasn't a thing way back then where I would start to help and provide some guidance here and there because they didn't have any systems. They didn't have any processes. They didn't have marketing engines. And when you create that, it gives you creative freedom. That's the fun yes,
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it totally gives you so much more whitespace in your business. You Does so it's so just by nature, you are a nurturer.
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I am, I am, because I want to see creatives in love with their business in love with their lives. And I, my definition of a successful business is one that informs and inspires, fuels and feeds and serves and supports the whole of your life. It does Allah while you whole, no sacrifice required.
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Amen to that. Amen to that. And it's
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true because as a small business owner, it's easy to just get eaten up by business and in lose sight of so many of the other things that are actually more important, like family and faith and friends, and so forth. I want to back up a little bit, though, and commend you for back in the day, being a friendly place for people to ask questions, because as you know that this has been a very closed industry, when I first got started, that's, that was my motivation. It's like I was pissed off that nobody would help. But in all honesty, like, come on, people, I'm out here drowning. So that is just very indicative of your nature. And that's something that should be treasured and shouted out back before anybody else was getting paid for it. Yeah, I
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appreciate that a whole bunch? I do. Because it's funny. I've had a couple of clients come to me that were new to design but not new to business. They came out of other fields. And I agreed because of that history, I agreed to take them on. And what shocked me was that they were dismissing and discounting all of their previous experience. And I'm like, no, no, let's use that. Let's mine the gold surface it and shine it up in a way that it's going to reflect magnificently on you and be your standout power. Be your superpowers. Because that's really what it is. I
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was one of those I poo pooed my previous experience until it just smacked me in the face. Yeah, right.
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I've always been a late bloomer.
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Well, I like being a late bloomer, right there with you. It keeps things
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interesting. Okay, so let's talk about you had mentioned that you want designers to feel passionate and still be creative? How can like so talk about how you help others, they are returned to feeling that creative passion, and instead of being burdened by running their business, so there's
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three or four different techniques I use? The first one is a vision board, I require a vision board. And I would say 75% of designers have no issue with that about 25% are lost. And they'll think it involves writing something out. And I'm like, No, this is about pictures. This is about images and write. You know, all I my only requirement is that everything on the board lights you up. I'm not there to judge the board. I'm there to see it. I'm there to look at it and go, Okay, you want this? You want this, you want this. Let's pop some dates on those. Let's move forward on those. And if they get stuck, I've recently been adding in the 100 list. Now 100 list is Do you know the 100 list?
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Is it Steve Harvey 100 list? It's okay. Steve
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Harvey, you may have one I don't know, his. The one I use is literally list one, two 100. And it's the people you want to meet the places you want to go. The purchases you want to make. So aka if you want that vacation, car, you want that pair of red soled shoes, you know, whatever you want, and then the experiences you want to have. And it's a list of factors. And it's most designers again, can do this when I coached non designers many years ago, they would stall out at about 35 or 40 elements. And I said, Go get your kid to make their 100 list and your find out how exciting it can be because kids don't have the limitations.
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Yes, the practicality of oh, I can't do that. Yeah,
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they don't have any of that and it's really gorgeous. So then we take that list and turn it into a vision. And again, I'm okay let's pick your five top priorities. And let's pop some dates. Let's pop some progress on these pieces so you can start to see how you can bring this into reality.
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I love that because your big, hairy, scary goal. Dream doesn't have to manifest itself within the first year. That beach house could be five years down the road. But we start getting so practical. Yeah. And putting so many limits on on it. I love that 100 list. Yeah,
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I remove the limits. The other big piece for me is zone of genius work, uncovering your zone of genius, and zone of genius is really pretty simple. I have clients make a master list of everything they're doing, like a massive brain dump. And then I haven't go back and you're only allowed to highlight, it has to have all three of these features. You're no brainer, brilliant at it. You love doing it. And you're effective, aka fast at it. If it doesn't fit all three criteria, it doesn't get highlighted. Everything else can be delegated or outsourced, or in some cases deleted. Because you're probably doing things you don't need to be doing. Amen. So when we get that going on, and we can get you in your zone of genius, 80% of the time, and 20% not and you do the same thing for your team. productivity goes through the roof, fulfillment and satisfaction accompany that. And everybody's in their zone of genius, rocking and rolling, and making a greater difference, having more fun, and literally turns the business into a playground for profit.
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I love that. And how many times do you come across designers saying, Well, I can't outsource that, because I'm better at it.
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I'll say, here's the reality, you may be better at it in this moment that you can train somebody to be as good because you've told me you're that good at it. But you don't love doing it. Or you're not fast. And I've had designers on the CAD front, especially they'll say, Oh, well, missa Kads heads part of my process. I'm not very fast at it. But as part of my process 30 days into coaching, they come back to me and they go okay, Melissa, I've decided you were right. I'm going to outsource. It's slowing me down. Yes, there's there's a place where they have to have time to internalize, I can make this change. I can I can make this shift. I don't push it. I don't force it. I'm just I want you in joy in your business. Because when you are in joy, you are memorable. Magnetic your enthusiasm is irresistible to ideal clients.
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Yes, I love that the energy that you put out there is returned to you. That's funny. I have to do the same thing with my husband, I just plant a little seed. And then he comes back and says, Oh,
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I just thought about I should do this. That's a great idea, honey, you totally should do that.
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Yeah, the seating really works.
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Yes, that really works.
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And those are very applicable tools. I don't want to say they're simple, maybe not easy tools to implement to really reframe and reignite the passion that we have for our businesses. Yeah, I wish I knew you. 10 years ago,
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I would have loved to have known you 10 years ago. I'm lucky to know you now.
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So I know. This is so fun. This is so fun meeting new
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friends over over zoom. So let's talk about what do you what have you seen in your years of experience? Both as a designer and then coaching other designers? By the way? How long have you been coaching officially 15 years? Okay, so you've seen quite a few people come through, what would you say are some must have qualities to be a successful designer? Can you list off a couple? Yeah,
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I think the number one is listening. You really need to be able to listen very, very nicely done, Michelle. You need to be able to listen and you need to be able to listen between the lines. So when you hear a client stating their needs, translate their needs into wants, because when you can translate needs to wants you're going from brain to heart, and from my dreaded b word budget to wallet and investment. And that will absolutely open the doors to a larger project a greater outcome a more satisfied client because a need is a chair. That chair could be from target for goodness sakes. That's not what they want. What they want. Is that gorgeous antique leather with the nail head trim from I'll just say Baker, and they've been dreaming about it but that's not their need. But if you can tap from need to want if you move them from need to want it's the most valuable thing you can Do and it just opens up the doors to opportunity without pushing without selling and without manipulation, as I don't believe in any of those things, when it doesn't feel icky. No, it doesn't. Because what's happened is, you've gotten your client out of their head, which is their limitation space. This is their budget space, you move them into their heart. When we buy emotionally, we buy without reason. Yeah, we can without limit
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test to that.
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We've all done I did it. The other day, I went to celebration of art here in Scottsdale. And I was there on partly a mission because there was one artist that I've been watching for the last three years. And I'd seen a piece a month or so ago. And I was like, if it's still there, it's meant to be right. And then I got that. But then when I got into the place where I was buying it, there was another piece from another artist that I really admired. And I was like, Ah, I'm gonna get this one to
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find a place for it, I love it, I will find a place
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for it, it didn't come from my head at all. You know, if it had come from my head, I would have been like I'm out of walls, you know, I have no place to put it. I didn't, I didn't go there. So move clients into here because this is this is the space of the home. Home is their external heart. And so as such when a client is, is bringing a designer their home, it's kind of like bringing their heart in their hands and saying, Can you help me with this? That's a big deal. And there's only four things they want. They want to feel heard, understood, valued and cared for. That's the listening pace.
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I love that. And it's such a it's a it's a free tool.
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It is a free tool. But it's priceless. And it's your gift to them. And too many designers are truncating their processes. They're short circuiting, they're skipping the business of design part, they're skipping the trust and rapport building, and they're trying to leap straight to the creativity. The trouble is, if you skip that piece, you don't get to be as creative. You don't get to actually engage and make the difference that you can. So
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what I hear you saying is that increasing the investment, stretching the budget is actually a good way to land a project. Yeah, it's
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a really good way to land a project.
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It sounds backwards,
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it does sound backwards. But when you open up my my design discovery process that I teach that I lived for many, many years is very unique. And it's not a 1520 minute, free zoom. I don't use the term Free I use the term complimentary because complimentary is your gift, and therefore priceless, or screens, no value. So if you're gifting them this process, and you really build trust and rapport, they are inviting you into their life, that's a big deal. And they want your help. And you're not designers only one of your 36 hats. I mean, let's face facts, there are 36 Hats you're wearing at any given time. That
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explains that explains my brain.
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Really all of
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our brains, it's tough, I'm glad I've been able to hang up a few of them, I really feel very blessed for that. But being able to wear those different hats with them. And one of those is problem solver. They will pay more for a problem solver all day long, they'll pay for a designer, and if designers can get more fluid in problem solving, and they can also understand what is the client's pain? And what was their trigger? Because nobody wakes up on any given Tuesday and says let's remodel. Right? It's not what happens. There's something that triggered them to go. We've got to remodel now or we've got to we've got to get the new house under construction now or we've got to make over the living room now. Right? Find out what that is. That becomes your talisman your touchdown, your place that you keep going back to to keep them on track and opening the opportunity and opening the opportunity. So they really get a transformation that will carry them 1520 years or in the Midwest or in the New Englanders it's 2030 years.
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That's a true statement. I'd really like our audience to hear that is that when you increase the budget, you have more freedom to create a memorable, comforting, transformative space for your client. Oftentimes, and I don't know about you, but Oftentimes, my students, they're afraid to talk about budget to begin with. So just getting over that hump is one thing, and then telling them that they need more money to get what their desire is, is is also sometimes awkward. But by describing it that way, it makes more sense. It's like, Do you want a Mercedes? Or do you want a Mazda, you're gonna get a car,
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and using a car analogy is a really good way to go. Michelle, that's super valuable are those analogies? And understanding what the client drives can be enormously helpful? Yes, because often, they have a 50 70,000 $100,000 car, in their garage, they're going to flip every three to five years. But they're unwilling to invest that much in a room until you point out how much time they spend in the room versus the car. And then the light bulb goes off. Yeah, so design is a short term investment with a very long ROI.
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Absolutely. And I think that once designers understand that what we're good at inherently has a very solid value attached to it and not take for granted, or take what we do naturally and undervalue it because it does come natural. It's no big thing. The
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beautiful part is, what's the easiest for you. What feels the most no brainer, brilliant, is what you should make the most money out. Not what you should give away. You
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know, my dad used to tell me that when I was dating,
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don't give it away. Is awesome dating advice? Okay, internalize it. I needed to hear that today.
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I always joke because a lot of business is so much like dating. It can run parallel, and I'm happily married. We're hitting 16 years in April. So life is good, but I mean, who hasn't dated in their life? For
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this design best ever is courtship? It's worship and wooing. And if you skip that, and you propose too soon, you're gonna get a hard now?
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Yeah. Yeah, there you go. So we can start teaching courses on dating.
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What to do and what not to do. Yeah, we'll have the Eminem. Eminem dating guide podcast. Date, like a true designer? Perfect. Oh, okay.
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So let's Okay, so because we both have our own personality, as designers, as coaches, let's talk about bringing personality to, to your business. And just being art your own unique self? How do you go about extracting that from your students? Or teaching it to them? Or, or do you think you did? I
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absolutely do. Because the one thing that there's two things that plague designers at every level of the market, and it's really interesting to me that this is so prevalent, one is hiding inside their business. And I know you've seen this, sometimes
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do it. They're like, Oh, okay,
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guilty, and you're doing all the work, but they're not being seen. They're hiding. It's really, really fascinating. I've done it a bit in my own life at times, and I have to catch myself when I do it. But the hiring and then confidence, those are the two big, big challenges they face. And, you know, I always joke with mine, I'm like, Look, unless you're going to tell me the UPS man or the amazon prime driver is going to be your ideal client, you're going to need to leave the house. Yes, you're going to need to physically step out of hiding, get out and connect with humanity connect with people. The hard part about our digital age is as allegedly connected as we are. We are profoundly disconnected and disengaged,
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because people can be so mean behind the keyboard, it means that we're not connected, because you wouldn't say some of that stuff to somebody in person. Yeah, it's yeah, it's so true. Well, that and I also think the imposter syndrome. impostor syndrome is huge. We're looking at comparing ourselves to others and I just said, You know what Be your own badass self. Nobody else is like you. Imagine trying to bake a cake without a recipe. You kind of know what the ingredients are, but you don't know how to put it all together. After lots of hard work and trying different combinations, all you are left with is a sticky situation and a stomachache behave. Reading an interior design business can feel exactly that same way. That is why created the interior design business bakery. This is a program that teaches you how to bake your interior design business cake and eat it too. If you don't want to figure out the hard way, and you want guidance to follow a recipe that has already been vetted, someone that has already been there and done it, and will help you do it too, then check out the year long mentorship and coaching program, the interior design business bakery. If your interior design business revenue is below 300,000. Or if you're struggling to make a profit and keep your sanity, this is the only program for you. You can find that information at designed for the creative mind.com forward slash business dash bakery, check it out. You won't regret it.
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Yeah, and that's the key is understanding that you are a one of a kind, unique, original, no one has your combination of education, experience, expertise, personality, hobbies, interests and talent. No one. And therefore if you're not bringing your gifts, and I say this to clients, because if they're not bringing their gifts, their gifts will be lost forever. They are the only ones that can deliver the transformation that they deliver 10. So there's what deliver 10 other different transformations.
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It's very selfish. If we start playing small, yep. Or not authentic to our unique DNA, we are robbing our clients have that potential? Yes. I think that's just an I had to learn that myself. You know, all the little voices in my head, I call them the committee telling me I'm not good enough. I don't run in those circles, or I didn't get trained in design, bla bla bla bla bla, like, insert all those stupid lies that we all tell ourselves. It's not true. And you see the same thing? It's not true. Yeah,
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it's not true. It's fascinating. And it does jar a number of the designers who are formally trained. They don't love this part. But there are plenty of designers out there without formal training that do very, very well. Because it is as always attitude that governs your altitude, not aptitude. Ooh, that's a good one. Now, that's not even mine original. I can't remember who said that originally first, but it was probably a Zig Ziglar or somebody along those lines. Yeah, it's attitude that really takes you because the clients of mine that really get that it's their point of view that matters, their attitude, how they're showing up every single day, and are willing to really bring they're all and embrace it in the creative process. It makes the biggest difference. And it's so much more fun. It is more fun. It is more fun. Bringing your personality to play in your business delivers infinitely more profit.
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Oh my gosh, once I let loose of my weirdo.
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Yeah, I mean, the doors opened up, I was like holy cow.
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Well, because people want you, they don't just want design, they want you. That's super valuable.
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I want to transition that and kind of go full circle as to where we started. And let's talk about coaching. And like the differences, like we talked about this a little bit before I hit record, and how today, you can throw a stone and hidden interior design coach on a corner. Right? Back when you started 15 years ago, there was like, like as a dam that I didn't find you. And then when I started five and a half years ago, when Genevieve was born, we were starting to see more. But what would you advise people look for when they are looking for a coach? The first
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thing I suggest is that you don't follow everyone. You find the voice that you resonate with, and you look for all of their materials. So if it's their Facebook group, their podcast, so that you aren't getting conflicting strategies, conflicting advice, and you're actually able to make some progress because if you get too much input and no output, you're just going to wind up gumming up the works and getting stuck. And there's so much out there. Listen for the one that you resonate with. It may not be the one that your friend resonates with that you're Colleagues resonate with it, your peer group resonates with, follow your own gut, trust your heart who speaks to you. And if somebody doesn't speak to you let them go. You don't have to listen to him ever again. It's really and truly important that you feel that resonance, and you're not just Well, I gotta find a coach. So here's a coach, put a stake in the ground. Take,
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like a personal trainer that can, yeah, towards you by by the session. Yeah,
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I mean, and everybody works differently as well. I mean, I do a lot of private coaching, I have some small groups, I have a virtual group. And I'm shifting and evolving all the time, as are you, as are all the coaches out there, they're always creating new opportunities. So find what works, I think the individual coach is the most important piece instead of what they're teaching, because you got to have that kind of resonance.
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Right. And a good coach would also advise whether or not they are a good fit. Oh, yeah. Or what they're looking for. So even if they resonate with you or me, I, I'm not designed to take them into multimillion dollars. I'm not designed to do one on ones.
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Yeah. And I and I am, and I love it that way. And it works really, really well. And I'm not designed for the real newbie level, which is where you're playing at. And again, that's my sweet spot. It is intended, and you're and you're doing really cool stuff with it the sugar and spice thing. Yeah. Um, so it is important. And I will always tell somebody, I have referred folks to the interior design business bakery. Absolutely. Because I was like, You're not a fit for me, or I'm not a fit for you. But here's an option for you, you know, explore, explore. I don't want anybody being left without support without guidance. So I want everybody getting coached. And when I'm not the right fit, here's a couple of others to explore.
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And they, what I have found is that people will circle back around. So you know, once they've gone through the bakery, and they're into multiple, six figures of revenue, profitably, then they could very well be a perfect fit for you to coach them one on one to take them to the next level. So I think that as, as y'all are listening, and you're looking for coaches, I also think check some references, talk to people that have gone through the program, and and get that feedback. It's just the same thing as when you're hiring a new employee, you're hiring a coach, it's, you're hiring an accountant, I want to talk to somebody who's had good experience with them as well.
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Yeah, that can be really valuable. Just finding out how they work. It's one of the reasons I do a six month commitment instead of a full year to start with. And that's unusual. Most coaches require a full year and I choose not to do that, because I know where I can take you in six months. And then if you want to renew and I want you to renew, we continue on.
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So yeah, that makes sense. And it does. Yeah, because you can do you can sign up twice, it doesn't have to be and also allows you to figure out the nuances of each person. I love that. I absolutely love that. Akash I could sit here and talk for another two hours. But instead, let's let's do just a quick throwback to the rapid fire questions we can do. Okay, so let's let's start off easy. Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
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I'm an ambivert. I'm having I test I test is an introvert. But I appear to be an extrovert to almost everyone who knows me.
33:46
That makes sense. So do you have to go back and like recover after you've been at a conference or something?
33:52
Definitely. Definitely.
33:54
I'm gonna go look that up. Because yeah, I'll go to like, a national conference or something. And people are going out later that night. I'm like, No,
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I have to go back to my bedroom and like Corolla in the quiet. Yeah,
34:06
I have a tough time with that mark. It's a stretch for me because I also have dinners every night with clients. And I really, once mark is done. I take like, a whole week to decompress. I'm going to Savannah and then Baton Rouge and having some fun aftermarket this time.
34:22
Oh, that sounds really nice. Yeah, yeah. Okay, um, when do you think about your business strategy?
34:30
Constantly? Yeah.
34:34
That's my own secret selfish question, because it's like so do I. But I want to know, is there an easier way to do this?
34:38
Yeah, no, I'm, I'm always looking at how can I do this simpler, better, stronger, more effectively? And how can I have more fun doing it? And how do I let's look at my life. Is it actually serving my life or is it taking away that force? And if I want it to serve my life, what do I need to do more of? Yes. And it's very rarely related to money. It's normally related to the way I'm doing it because I get sometimes sidetracked by going, Oh, well, they did it this way. Or they did it this way. And I'm like, Wait, you're not them. You're you. What do you want to do? So, amen,
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that resonates on the design side of my brain, like looking at other interior design firms. And then also on the coaching side, it just, you know, so it makes a difference in anything that you're looking to explore my word this year as a line. And anything that I agree to needs to align with how I want to feel. It doesn't have to necessarily align with my goals. But it has to align with how I feel. So maybe I'll do it later. But that's, I feel like I'm finally growing up.
35:52
It's overrated, it's really overrated. Shall I promise adulting?
35:56
Yeah. What would you be doing right now, if you were not in the coaching arena,
36:04
I would be speaking and writing full time. I were speaking and I adore writing, I would be speaking and writing on personal and professional transformation, and how to really show up as yourself and loving what you do. I think if I had a mission for the world, it would be to be in this luxurious position where you can look at the whole world, and you can move everybody around to the right position for them. And so they're all in joy all the time with what they do. And their lives are working and their businesses are working. And it's just this whole joy joy. Happy, happy, happy. Oh,
36:43
that sounds wonderful. Yeah, count me in. Count me. Okay,
36:49
so what book would you recommend reading this year, it could be professional, personal fiction, historical, whatever,
36:56
um, if it's personal, it's lessons in chemistry. And I know they've already got the TV series out, which I did love. But I read the book first. And the book was divine. I mean, I couldn't put it down, I rip right through it. I'm a sucker for a romance with a twist. And it's also about a woman who has amazing ambition and boundaries growing up in a time or coming up in a time I should say, of the 50s and 60s, which it was so shocking to see how put down because we're so lucky to live in the age we live in. Oh, my gosh. And it's still not great. I mean, there's still glass ceilings, a lot of disparity. But it's still like, wow, to have had to have gone through that. And I just I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the TV series as well, on the business side. I'm reading one right now from Joe Polish, who is one of my mentors. I think he's just amazing in marketing, what's in it? For them? It's a quick read, it's a great read. And I highly recommend his book, because it really is about designers tend to get into a place where they think especially with like profit partners, they need to pitch and I'm like, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, don't pitch, make it about them. So in your email, say, we'd like to refer you, they're going to open that subject line. And they open Yeah, say, you know, congrats on the such and such project. We really enjoyed seeing that. And we're interviewing quality builders, quality architects, we're interviewing great organizers to refer to our clients. We'd like to learn more about how you work. Who wouldn't? And it's just makes it all about them. And then they're going to come back and say, Well, yeah, we let's come into the office, we'll connect. So when you get out of your own way and stop making it about you, and you make it about the other person, how can I be in service? How can I serve and support your success? It all comes back to you.
39:10
And it's so much more gratifying? Yeah, because we all love giving a gift that people love. I mean, think about that. If I hand a package to you and you open it up, and you're just joyful. Yeah. Yeah, I agree. That's fantastic. All right. So any or outie belly button.
39:27
I think I'm an Audi. It's been a long time since I even looked at something I keep top of mind.
39:36
You're not running around in the bikini this time of year in Scottsdale. No,
39:41
I am. I am a non pool person. Which is Which is weird, but I haven't been in a pool since I got here four years ago. No,
39:48
I That doesn't surprise me. You've got such beautiful bare skin. Like keep that
39:54
separate. Keep it that way.
39:57
Exactly. Okay, and The last question is,
40:02
Who do you need to be to lead your company?
40:08
I need to be a better version of myself. I don't need to be anybody but myself, but I need to be the next version. Right? And aspire that is a version that is more strategic. That is more of a planner. I do love to do seat of the pants, not a great way to go. Um, and that will be focused on team building. Of that's
40:30
good. Yeah. So there's 2020 for 2025 for Yeah, yep, yep. Yeah. And I think that that's the reason why I love asking that question is because I think so many of us are looking at what we, what do I need to have? What do I need to do in order to become that person. Whereas in reality, we have to become that person, in order to have the things we want to do the things we need to do? We do. So being first into that role is just so important. So, Melissa, we're gonna have to do this again, and find some ways to play together. We talked about before we hit record, how can our listeners find you? Where can they connect?
41:14
I'm easy to find online and on social media at Melissa Gault at their Melissa golf.com. At Melissa Gault, just across the board. I also have interior design business mastery is the Facebook group, you can find me up there, reach out, you know, comment, DM me, anything I can do to serve and support the success of creatives and designers is always my delight.
41:40
It truly I'll do it, do it, make sure you connect with her and look at her as a resource for your design business. Whether today or next week or next month, it's just so important to get plugged in with good quality coaching. And Melissa brings it from 30 years of experience and a heart that serves. So I will make sure that all of those details are in the show notes for our audience to reference. And for those of you listening, if you want a business bestie sending you business tips, encouraging words, event updates, maybe even a random joke here and there. If you want it sent directly to your fingertips, you can text the word bestie to 85578 480 to 99. I'll repeat that it's also in the show notes. But if you text bestie to 85578 480 to 99, you'll hear from me on the regular directly to your smartphone, no spam. And who wouldn't hope what an encouraging word when you wake up in the morning, or business tip that you can apply immediately? No charge. So thanks for listening. I just so much appreciate the fact that Melissa joined us today. Coaches, just get yourself one. Just get yourself a business coach, and y'all choose to be great today. And every day. Thanks, Melissa.
43:01
Thank you so much, Michelle.
43:04
Hey, y'all. If you love the show and find it useful, I would really appreciate it if you would share with your friends and followers. And if you like what you're hearing, want to put a face with the name and get even more business advice. Then join me in my Facebook group, the interior designers business launch pad. Yeah, I know it's Facebook, but just come on in for the training and then leave without scrolling your feet. It's fine. I promise you'll enjoy it. And finally, I hear it's good for business to get ratings on your podcast. So please drop yours on whatever platform you use to listen to this. We're all about community over competition. So let's work on elevating our industry, one designer at a time. See you next time.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
