Hi there, designer đź‘‹
This month in my studio I’ve been deep in the procurement phase on my 6k sq. ft. home renovation - sourcing furniture, lighting, and coordinating orders.
And it reminded me of something I wish someone had explained clearly to me much earlier in my career.
I once received advice from someone positioning themselves as a “coach” in the design industry.
They told me:
“You should give your trade discounts to the client.”
The idea was that this would make the client feel like they were getting a better deal.
So for a while… that’s exactly what I did.
I passed along my discounts.
I genuinely believed that was part of my role as a designer - helping clients get a better deal when purchasing items!
Looking back now, I realize I was quietly giving away thousands of dollars in revenue.
The truth is, trade relationships exist because designers spend years building vendor relationships, developing product knowledge, and creating consistent business with suppliers.
Those discounts aren’t random.
They exist because designers are professionals who bring business to vendors.
When you give that away completely, something strange happens.
Your clients start benefiting financially from relationships you built, while your business absorbs the time, risk, coordination, and responsibility.
In other words:
The client is making money on the designer.
Not the other way around.
It took me some time to understand that sourcing is not simply a favor you do for a client.
It’s an important part of the design business model.
In fact, sourcing is often where a large portion of a design studio’s revenue is generated.
Today, when I move a project into the procurement phase, sourcing becomes a structured part of the process.
The studio coordinates:
• vendor relationships
• product research
• pricing negotiations
• ordering and logistics
• delivery coordination
• issue resolution
All of that work requires time, expertise, and responsibility.
Which is exactly why designers should never feel guilty about earning revenue through sourcing.
It’s part of running a sustainable design business.
This topic actually became one of the reasons I created Furnish & Flourish.
Because many designers were never taught how the sourcing side of the industry really works.
How trade vendors operate. How to build vendor relationships.
And how to structure sourcing so it becomes a healthy part of the business rather than a stressful one.
If you’re earlier in your design career, my biggest piece of advice is this:
Be very thoughtful about who you take business advice from.
Not every piece of advice in this industry is helpful.
Some of it can quietly cost you years of lost revenue.
The right systems - and the right information - can completely change how a design business operates.
Just a little reflection from the sourcing side of the studio this week.
See you next week, designer 🤍
Ana 🌸
Interior Design Den
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