Hot Young Designers Club | Interior Design Business Podcast
They're not that hot, or that young - but hosts Rebecca Plumb (Studio Plumb) and Shaun Crha (Wrensted Interiors) spill the tea every week on how a new generation of interior designers run their business. Join a community exploring the emotional, practical, and humorous side of the interior design business.
10
170: What got you here, won't get you there with Brooke Stoll
<p>In this episode, Shaun and Rebecca are joined by Brooke Stoll, an operations and profitability strategist who helps interior designers build stronger, more profitable firms through better systems, clearer processes, and more confident leadership. What starts as a cozy robe-clad conversation quickly turns into a deep and practical discussion about the real skills designers need as their businesses grow.</p><p>Brooke shares why the scrappy mindset that helps you start a design business is not always the same mindset that helps you lead a team, manage profit, or scale sustainably. Together, they unpack everything from project management tools...
169: Fix the Drawer, Fix the Marriage
<p>Shaun and Rebecca catch up on the real-life highs and lows of running an interior design business, from factory tours and studio refreshes to client communication stress and the emotional weight of construction-phase hiccups. They also get candid about creative experimentation, shifting business priorities, and the ways designers quietly improve their clients’ daily lives.</p><p>This episode moves between funny, personal, and deeply relatable conversations about what it means to build a design business that actually supports your life. From limewash mishaps and freight increases to career transitions at home and the power of saying no to the wr...
168: Our Seniors Are the Gateway Drug to Accessibility with Maegan Blau of Blue Copper Design
<p>Rebecca and Shaun are joined by Maegan Blau, owner of Blue Copper Design in the Phoenix area, for a conversation about accessibility, aging in place, and why thoughtful design should support people through every stage of life. Maegan shares how her lived experience as a wheelchair user shaped her design perspective and why accessibility has become such a central part of her business.</p><p>They dig into the misconceptions that keep homeowners and designers from planning ahead, from the belief that accessibility is only needed “later” to the idea that it has to look clinical or cost dramatically more...
167: Birdhouse for the Soul
<p>Rebecca and Shaun meander their way through beauty routines, personal style, creativity, books, and the importance of staying curious as creative people. What starts as a conversation about video backgrounds and ChatGPT turns into a thoughtful reflection on how curiosity shapes not just personal style, but design work, aging, and creative fulfillment.</p><p>In this episode, they talk about using AI as a practical life tool, from building skincare routines to experimenting with fashion and body-type analysis. They also explore how inspiration often arrives when you have the space to receive it, leading into a fascinating discussion about...
166: Life is a Highway and I’m Gonna Ride It All Night Long
<p>Rebecca and Shaun are back with a classic HYDC catch-up episode—covering everything from creative ruts and tile inspiration to mattress upgrades and the strange ways we all unwind after long design days. If you’ve ever found yourself doom-scrolling design materials, obsessing over the perfect bed, or wondering why your brain suddenly works differently after 40… this one’s for you.</p><p>The hosts dive into tile sourcing adventures, experimenting with creative practices outside of work, and the surprising ways designers recharge. From Japanese-inspired tile showrooms to the economics of custom beds and the eternal quest for better sleep, t...
165: We're not in the business of decorating assholes with Heather KW Styles & Studio Laloc
<p>In this episode, Shaun and Rebecca are joined by returning favorites Heather of Heather KW Styles and Lauren of Studio Laloc for an unfiltered designer roundtable. What starts as a chat about Danish hardware and custom furniture quickly spirals into tariffs, turning down nightmare projects, presentation strategies, ideal clients, and—yes—an unforgettable handyman story.</p><p>From navigating red flags on discovery calls to debating whether we’d decorate a Miami Vice mansion for the right price, this episode is equal parts business strategy and design therapy. If you’ve ever questioned a client fit, struggled with pricing under ta...
164: Not every piece can be the Beyoncé (but you need at least one)
<p>In this episode, Rebecca and Shaun cover everything from skunk-induced wake-up calls to the realities of private equity in the design industry—before diving deep into the creative growing pains that come with leveling up your interiors. If you’ve ever felt burnt out on tile, uninspired by beige beds, or frustrated that nothing “off the rack” feels special enough, this one’s for you.</p><p>The big takeaway? Not every piece in a room can be the Beyoncé—but you do need at least one showstopper. Rebecca shares her current tile spiral, Shaun vents about the sea of neutral be...
163: Write It in Your Diary, Not on Facebook | Claire Jones, Etch & Ivy Design
<p>In this episode, Rebecca and Shaun welcome back their friend Claire Jones, founder of Etch & Ivy Design in Sacramento. From quarter-life crisis to full-time interior designer, Claire shares how community, boundaries, and a recent business retreat reshaped the way she approaches her design firm.</p><p>The trio dives deep into mastermind dynamics, defining your ideal client (hint: it’s not based on Diet Coke preferences), setting minimums, managing anxiety in your workflow, and the power of surrounding yourself with designers who challenge and inspire you. It’s honest, hilarious, and full of real talk about leveling up without losi...
162: Getting out of our own way and other business goals
<p>In this kickoff episode for 2026, Shaun and Rebecca get real about what’s holding them back in their design businesses—and what they’re doing about it. From car accidents to calendar overhauls, they unpack how they’re using systems and mindset shifts to create smoother, more profitable operations. This solo episode is filled with behind-the-scenes insights into the messy middle of implementing new processes and prepping for growth.</p><p>After a transformative retreat with business coach Renee Bush and other design peers, they share what they’re focusing on to get out of their own way this year. It’s...
161: 2025 Reflection, it wasn't as bad as we thought
<p>Shaun and Rebecca are back to wrap up 2025 with their annual year-in-review tradition—and it turns out, it wasn’t all bad! In this episode, they share a candid look at the highs, lows, and the messy middle of running their interior design businesses this year. From surviving slowdowns and personal challenges to celebrating wins like tightened brand messaging and more aligned client projects, they prove that progress isn’t always loud, flashy, or Instagram-worthy.</p><p>They revisit the goals they set at the beginning of the year (in Episode 138) and dig into what worked, what didn’t, and why...
