Welcome to Only Girl On The Jobsite, the podcast for designers ready to step up their project management game and make confident decisions on the jobsite. I'm your host, Renée Biery, an interior designer with 30 years of experience navigating the world of construction. This podcast is your go-to resource for navigating the ups and downs of jobsite management, working with contractors, and overcoming common pitfalls that can derail a project. Each episode will empower you with actionable advice and real-world lessons to make your projects run smoothly. Ready to elevate your jobsite skills? Start listening, and discover how you can make every project a success. Learn more at www.deVignierdesign.com.
If you've ever had a prospective client reach out to you about a construction project, or you're at the beginning of a construction project and you're thinking, okay, I need a contractor. Where do I even start? This episode is for you because finding the right contractor is one of the most important decisions on any construction project. You get it right, and everything that follows is easier. You get it wrong, and no amount of good design or careful documentation or incredibly well-thought-out processes or client communication will fully fix it. So today, I want to walk you through exactly how I approach this, from finding names worth considering all the way through the vetting conversation that tells me whether someone belongs on this project with me or not. You'll Learn: Learn the six best places to find trusted contractors—and why Google shouldn't be your starting point. Discover the interview questions that reveal how a contractor really communicates, manages projects, and works with designers. Identify the biggest contractor red flags before they become expensive problems on your job site. Mentioned in this episode: Join The Designer's Edge waitlist here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/construction-management-interior-designers Grab Your Free Script Guide here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/push-back-script-handout Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/how-to-find-the-right-contractor
AI is changing interior design, but it cannot replace the expertise, judgment, relationships, and real-time problem-solving required on a construction site. Today, I am sharing how AI is disrupting decorating, why construction management remains distinctly human, and how designers can build stronger, more resilient practices around the work technology cannot replicate. You'll Learn: What AI can already do in interior design—and which services may become increasingly difficult to sell on their own. Why construction management requires human judgment, professional relationships, and real-time problem-solving that AI cannot replace. How to begin building construction knowledge, trade connections, and a more stable interior design practice now. Mentioned in this episode: Join The Designer's Edge waitlist here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/construction-management-interior-designers Grab Your Free Script Guide here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/push-back-script-handout Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/what-ai-cant-replace-in-interior-design
This week, I'm re-airing one of the highest-listened interviews we've ever done — my conversation with Katie Decker-Erickson, founder of Success by Design. And I'll be honest: when I listened back, it landed completely differently than it did the first time. I was in a different place. I heard different things. That's exactly why good content is worth coming back to. Katie is a commercial interior designer turned business coach, and she has built her firm on something most designers skip entirely: airtight processes that run in the background so she can focus on the work she actually loves. We get into scaling — when to do it, when not to, and what has to be in place first. We talk about agility, the myth that more projects equals more profit, and the "lonely work" that no one sees but everyone benefits from. Whether you're hearing this for the first time or coming back around to it, there is something in this conversation you can put to work today. You'll learn: Why scaling before your processes are solid usually backfires What agility actually means in a design business — and why rigid processes create paralysis The "lonely work" that positions you for growth before the big clients arrive Mentioned in this episode: Join The Designer's Edge waitlist here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/construction-management-interior-designers Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/business-of-design-power-of-process-katie-decker-erickson
Everyone talks about the contractor relationship. Nobody talks about the people underneath — the tile setter, the painter, the faux finisher, the trim carpenter doing the work with their hands every single day. In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on what's been happening on a current project to show you exactly what trade relationships make possible — and what they cost you when you don't have them. I'll walk you through how these relationships start, how you nurture them between projects, and how you maintain them so that when the scope triples and the timeline is tight, your people show up anyway. Because the team that stretches for you doesn't do it because you hired them once. They do it because you've shown up for them, consistently, over time. You'll learn: Why trade relationships save projects that processes alone never could How to vet, start, and maintain relationships with new subcontractors What it actually looks like when those relationships show up for you mid-project Mentioned in this episode: Join The Designer's Edge waitlist here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/construction-management-interior-designers Grab Your Free Script Guide here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/push-back-script-handout Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/interior-designer-trade-relationships/
Most designers skip the conversation that determines whether a client actually trusts them through the hard parts of construction. And by the time they realize it, they're already mid-project trying to unwind frustration that could have been avoided entirely. In this episode, I'm walking you through exactly what to cover before a single wall comes down — timelines, contingency, allowances, change orders, daily disruption, and the four emotional stages every construction client moves through. Not as a checklist. As a conversation that builds real trust from the very first call. You'll learn: Why your first client call is already doing two jobs at once What to say about money, timelines, and change orders before they become problems The four emotional stages every client hits — and how naming them changes everything Mentioned in this episode: Join The Designer's Edge waitlist here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/construction-management-interior-designers Grab Your Free Script Guide here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/push-back-script-handout Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/pre-construction-client-conversation
Most of us measure capacity by how many projects we're running. I did it too, and it's the wrong metric entirely. In this episode, I'm breaking down the two variables that actually determine how a project feels to manage: who's running the operational machine, and how compressed the timeline is. I walk through my own current roster, including the mid-sized renovation that honestly wrecked me these past couple of months despite being the smallest project on my plate, to show you exactly how this plays out in real life. If you've ever felt buried on something that looked manageable on paper, or wondered why your fee never quite catches up to what you're actually carrying, this one is for you. You'll learn: Why project count tells you almost nothing about your real workload The two questions to ask before saying yes to any new project How to price the actual load — not just the square footage Mentioned in this episode: Join The Designer's Edge waitlist here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/construction-management-interior-designers Grab Your Free Script Guide here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/push-back-script-handout Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/interior-designer-capacity-project-count
I've admired Amy Vermillion for a long time, so this conversation felt like sitting down with someone who truly understands what it takes to build a lasting career in this industry. We both started our businesses in 2000, worked our way up through firms, and learned the hard way, through experience, mistakes, and a lot of time on job sites. And what became very clear in this conversation is this: there is no single path to success in interior design, but there are patterns. In this episode, we talk about how a design career is actually built, from early jobs that teach you more than you realize, to starting your own firm, to navigating clients, construction, and the reality of running a business over decades. We also get into: Why construction knowledge changes everything for a designer How to position your value with clients (and why it's not about time) The importance of community in what can be a very isolating industry How the design industry has evolved — and where it's heading next This is one of those conversations that's equal parts practical and grounding. Whether you're just starting out or years into your business, it's a reminder that careers are built slowly — one project, one decision, and one relationship at a time. Find out more about Amy here: Website: https://www.amyvermillion.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amyvermilloninteriors Mentioned in this episode: Join The Designer's Edge waitlist here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/construction-management-interior-designers Grab Your Free Script Guide here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/push-back-script-handout Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/building-an-interior-design-career-amy-vermillion
If you're an interior designer managing construction projects, you already know the feeling. You walk into a room, a jobsite, a contractor meeting, an industry event, and something in the air quietly suggests you don't fully belong there. That the builders and the architects and the trades have a kind of authority you haven't quite earned yet. And without even realizing it, you get a little smaller. In this episode, I'm talking about what happens when interior designers shrink on jobsites and in rooms they weren't expected to be in, the over-explaining, the unnecessary apologies, the deferred decisions, and why each one compounds into something that costs you more than you realize. I'm also sharing the concrete language and the 60-second practice that changes how you walk into any room from here on out. Because your authority isn't something you earn once you're in the room. It's something you carry in with you. Mentioned in this episode: Join The Designer's Edge waitlist here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/construction-management-interior-designers Grab Your Free Script Guide here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/push-back-script-handout Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/interior-designer-confidence-jobsites
There are three documents every interior designer managing construction projects needs to understand. And most don't, not fully. Not because they're complicated. Because nobody ever explained the difference between them and why each one matters so much. In this episode, I'm walking through the scope of work, the change order, and the addendum to scope of work; what each one does, when to use it, and what it costs you when you don't. I'm also talking about how these three documents together answer the question every client is quietly asking: why do I need a designer, and is this worth the investment? Because when you run a project with clear documentation and a system your whole team understands, you stop having to explain your value. Your clients feel it. Your contractors trust it. And your projects end the way they deserve to. Mentioned in this episode: Join The Designer's Edge waitlist here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/construction-management-interior-designers Grab Your Free Script Guide here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/push-back-script-handout Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/three-documents-interior-design-project
You're a few weeks into a project. Things started well. And then the contractor goes quiet. The texts take days to get a response. The updates get shorter. You show up for a site visit, and no one told you the schedule changed. And you start filling in that silence with stories; he's probably just busy, maybe I'm being too demanding, maybe I should wait a little longer before following up. Here's the thing: that silence is not neutral. It's telling you something. And the longer you manage around it instead of addressing it directly, the more it costs you — in time, in money, in your client relationship, and in the authority you've worked hard to build. In this episode, I'm breaking down the four real reasons contractors go quiet, why the responses most of us default to make it worse, and exactly what to say when you have the conversation, so you can reset the dynamic without blowing up the project. Mentioned in this episode: Join The Designer's Edge waitlist here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/construction-management-interior-designers Grab Your Free Script Guide here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/push-back-script-handout Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.comcontractor-stops-communicating
I love talking to people who came up through this industry the hard way and then figured out something that makes all of our lives better. Fiona Sanipelli is one of those people. She studied architecture, spent nearly 20 years in hospitality design, worked her way through some of the most celebrated firms in New York, and somewhere in the middle of all of that, got so frustrated by the chaos of spec writing that she and her brother built a better solution. That became DesignSpec. In this episode, we talk about her path through the industry, why your specs are either saving your projects or quietly killing them, how the right software can genuinely replace a hire, and what both of us actually think about AI and where it's headed for designers. Whether you're a solopreneur juggling everything yourself or you have a team trying to get more organized, there is something in this conversation for you. Connect with Fiona here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/designspec/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/designmanager/ https://www.instagram.com/designspec.com_/ https://www.instagram.com/designmanager/ Mentioned in this episode: Join The Designer's Edge here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/construction-management-interior-designers Grab Your Free Script Guide here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/push-back-script-handout Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/interior-design-spec-writing-software
Most hard construction projects don't announce themselves as disasters. They arrive as a feeling. A low hum. A sense that something's slightly off and you can't quite name it yet. And most of us push through it, manage around it, or work harder to compensate for it. Because that's what we do. But in this episode, I want to talk about what that feeling is actually telling you, and what becomes possible when you act on it early instead of managing through it later. Because a lot of the projects that feel hard from the start didn't have to. They feel hard because of a handful of small moments, early in the project, that went unaddressed. And by the time the hardness is undeniable, those moments are long past. If you've ever finished a project and thought, that was so much more work than it should have been, this one is for you. Mentioned in this episode: Join The Designer's Edge here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/construction-management-interior-designers Grab Your Free Script Guide here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/push-back-script-handout Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/early-warning-signs-construction-projects
When you finish a construction project feeling like you worked for free, the instinct is to assume the number was wrong. Sometimes it is. But more often, the number was fine. What broke down was everything around it. In this episode, I'm talking about the two specific places pricing falls apart on construction projects, and neither one is your math. The first is how you present your fee. The second is how you protect it once the project starts. Both will cost you just as reliably as a loose scope of work will. They just do it more quietly. If you've ever hedged in a proposal meeting, absorbed hours you should have flagged, or finished a project and thought, that was so much more work than I accounted for, this one is for you. Mentioned in this episode: Join The Designer's Edge and my May 5th workshop here: https://www.reneed evignierdesign.com/construction-management-interior-designers Grab Your Free Script Guide here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/push-back-script-handout Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/construction-project-pricing-interior-designers
I've never told this story in full before. The financial pressure when my husband's career collapsed. My son's medical crisis. My own Graves' disease diagnosis right when my business was finally gaining real momentum. The debt that stayed through all of it — not because I wasn't working hard enough, but because the structure was wrong. This episode is about what it actually took to get to the other side. And why the fix was faster than I spent years convincing myself it would be. If you're surviving right now and wondering when it turns, this one is for you. Mentioned in this episode: Join the waitlist for The Designer's Edge and my May 5th workshop here: https://www.reneed evignierdesign.com/construction-management-interior-designers Grab Your Free Script Guide here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/push-back-script-handout Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/interior-design-business-pricing-structure
Interior design contracts are often misunderstood, not just by clients, but by attorneys who don't understand how this industry actually works. In this episode, I'm joined by Wendy Estela, Founder of Estela Law and Designed Counsel™, a contract template and subscription service created exclusively for interior designers. With 25 years of experience in business law and a background in construction, Wendy serves hundreds of designers from AD100 and Elle Decor A-List professionals to those just starting out. We talk about what designers need to know about contracts, scope of work, liability, construction dynamics, copyright, and how to protect your business before problems arise. If you've ever: Wondered whether your contract truly protects you Felt unsure about construction management language Struggled with scope creep or warranty confusion Questioned what you can legally call yourself in your state Been nervous about sharing work on Instagram This episode is for you. Wendy brings practical, business-minded advice to an industry that is often underserved legally. And this conversation may completely change how you view your contract — not as paperwork, but as protection. Find out more about Wendy and follow her here: www.designedcounsel.com www.estelalaw.com https://www.instagram.com/estelalaw/ https://www.instagram.com/designed_counsel/ Mentioned in this episode: Grab Your Free Script Guide here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/push-back-script-handout Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/interior-design-contracts
So you built your fee. You did the work. You went through every phase. You estimated your hours. You accounted for your role. And you landed on a number that actually reflects what this project will require. And then you presented it. And then the client either said, "That's more than we expected," or "Let us think about it and get back to you." And then they went quiet. If this has happened to you in the past or recently, let me please be the first to tell you: you are not alone. And I want to tell you something important before we go any further: The fee is probably not the problem. I'm actually betting on it. What happened before the fee is the problem. And that's what we're going to talk about today. Mentioned in this episode: Join the wait list for The Designers Edge and my May 5th workshop here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/construction-management-interior-designers Grab Your Free Script Guide here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/push-back-script-handout Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/interior-design-fee-rejection
Have you ever been standing on a job site, or sitting on a call, or answering a text at 9 p.m., and realized mid-sentence that you are clearly running this project? Not consulting on it. Not advising from the edges. But running it. Coordinating it. Holding it together. And nobody ever asked you to take on that role. And you definitely didn't price your fee accordingly. If that moment sounds familiar, you are absolutely in the right place today. Because we're going to talk about the four moments that signal you've crossed from consultant to manager — without a conversation, without an agreement, and almost always without a fee that reflects it. Mentioned in this episode: Join the wait list for The Designers Edge and my May 5th workshop here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/construction-management-interior-designers Grab Your Free Script Guide here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/push-back-script-handout Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/interior-designer-consultant-to-construction-manager
Today is March 31st, the last day of the first quarter. And I want to do something a little different. I want to walk you through a quick audit. Maybe five minutes. Back of the napkin. No fancy spreadsheet. You can use a Post-it if you want. This will tell you more about your business than your QuickBooks has all year. Because we're going to look at the gap between what you earned this quarter and what you were actually worth. And then we're going to talk about what that gap is really costing you — because it's not just money. If you've ever finished a quarter feeling like you worked constantly, but the revenue doesn't match up with your effort, this episode is for you. This is no judgment. Just clarity. Mentioned in this episode: Join the waitlist for The Designer's Edge here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/construction-management-interior-designers Grab Your Free Script Guide here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/push-back-script-handout Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/interior-designer-undercharging-cost
Today's episode feels like you're sitting in on a conversation you want to be a part of. Today, I'm joined by Rebecca Plum and Shaun Crha, the voices behind the Hot Young Designers Club, a global community of designers who are redefining what it means to show up in this industry. They're the founders of Studio Plum and Rinsted Interiors, and together, they've built a platform rooted in friendship, honesty, and the belief that being a hottie is really just a state of mind. Through their podcast, Patreon, and industry events, they're creating space for interior designers to talk about the real stuff, the emotional, the practical, and yes, the humorous side of this business. And today, we're going to go there in this conversation. Today, we talked about community and isolation. We talked about money, construction chaos, and client dynamics. We talked about scope of work clarity and the emotional weight of this business. Let's get into it. Find out more about Rebecca and Shaun Website: https://hotyoungdesignersclub.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hotyoungdesignersclub Mentioned in this episode: Grab Your Free Script Guide here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/push-back-script-handout Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/interior-design-industry-conversations
I billed hourly for my entire career. It felt honest, transparent, fair. But one morning, I had a realization that changed everything: the better I got at my work, the less I was making. My earlier clients paid me to build relationships, vet contractors, develop expertise. Now my current clients were benefiting from all of that, for 15 minutes on an invoice. That was the day I decided to stop charging hourly. Today, I'm walking you through why hourly starts working against you as you grow, the 6-input framework I use to build flat fees (no formulas), how to present your fee with confidence, and what to say when clients push back. Mentioned in this episode: Grab Your Free Script Guide here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/push-back-script-handout Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/flat-fee-vs-hourly-interior-design
