Season 3 Ep 58: ASKED & ANSWERED - I'm scared to tell potential clients we aren't taking new projects right now. What do I do?

Every designer has run into this situation before—the panic of too many projects, too little time, and clients who “need it done now.” Your timelines aren’t the enemy; but poor planning is. When you managed your schedule with purpose instead of panic it means you are understanding your own process. This means before you promise anyone else a date, you know how to communicate timing in a way that builds trust instead of tension.This episode will help you rethink what it means to be “busy,” and see how managing your capacity actually protects your profit and learn why the right clients will wait for the right process. We want you to learn that leading a project doesn't mean you should be saying yes to everything right then and there but instead knowing when to say not yet.Have a question--click here to ask us.Loved this episode? Click here to leave a 5⭐ reviewRESOURCE LINKS:Damn Good Workshops - WebsiteView our upcoming workshops!These workshops are 2–3 hour deep dives (some more than one day) built for creative entrepreneurs who want to lead with confidence, price with authority, and grow with intention. We created this workshop series with tracks that cover the challenges we know designers face: pricing, sales, client relationships, project management, marketing, and leadership.Each workshop is designed to stand alone — so you can choose the topics that matter most right now — while still connecting to the bigger picture of building a profitable, sustainable design business.Damn Good Designer - Damn Good Designer - WebsiteThe best multi-faceted 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.The Paradigm Quick Start - 3 Month Custom Coaching ProgramThe Paradigm Shift - 6 Month Custom Coaching ProgramThe Paradigm Intensive - 12 Month One on One Immersive Custom Business CoachingJoin our FREE Facebook GroupsSmall Business - Think Big - FacebookWhat They Didn't Teach You in Design School - Facebook GroupSubscribe to our newsletterABOUT US:Cheryl Clendenon is the host of The Damn Good Designer Podcast and an award-winning interior designer, writer, and business coach with 26 years of full-time industry experience. With a prior career in media and radio sales, she brings a rare blend of creative thinking and business acumen to the design world. Cheryl was named KBB Person of the Year in 2021, is a nationally published industry voice with a monthly column in Home Accents Today, and regularly speaks on pricing, scope, process, and profitability. Known for her fast pace, contrarian instincts, and practical insight, Cheryl helps established design firms build stronger businesses and define success on their own terms.***Any use of this page and its content to develop or train artificial intelligence or to do computer analysis is prohibited.***