Are you a creative professional struggling to grow beyond the feast-or-famine cycle? Many interior designers find themselves caught between doing the work and finding new clients, never quite achieving the consistent growth they dream of.
Andrew Mitchell knows this challenge intimately. With over 25 years in the interior design industry, he’s built an award-winning practice, Mr. Mitchell, while simultaneously launching The Design Coach Australia to help other designers scale their businesses.
His secret? A process-first approach that transformed both his client delivery and business growth.
The Creative’s Dilemma: Chaos Over Process
Like many creative professionals, Andrew initially focused entirely on design outcomes rather than the journey to get there. This approach created significant challenges for both his business and his clients.
“We can’t build anything like a fee structure until we’ve got a really solid process for the delivery part,” he explains. “A lot of the designers that I work with kind of look at the end result being completed project and then they just start out without having a really clear roadmap for how they’re going to go through.”
Without documented processes, Andrew’s team would jump chaotically between tasks—specifying materials, then documenting, then quoting, then shopping with clients. This scattered approach confused clients and created unnecessary stress for everyone involved.
The Turning Point: Systems as Creative Freedom
Seven years ago, Andrew made a strategic decision that would transform his business. Rather than viewing systems as constraints on creativity, he began seeing them as enablers of better creative work.
“When you’ve got the systems in place, it frees you up to think creatively,” Andrew discovered. “If you’re working chaotically and you’re sort of working reactively, then it pulls you away from the essence of what you’re wanting to do, which is that creative work.”
This revelation became the foundation for both his design practice evolution and his coaching methodology.
Building Process-Driven Client Experiences
Andrew’s implementation focused on creating clear, sequential processes that clients could understand and trust:
- Documented delivery roadmap: Created step-by-step processes for every project phase, from concept to completion
- Client communication framework: Established clear milestone checkpoints with specific deliverables at each stage
- Architect plan review service: Developed a productized offering that serves as both a standalone service and lead generator
- Digital questionnaire system: Streamlined brief collection through structured forms
- File management protocols: Implemented organized Dropbox systems with team access controls
- Follow-up automation: Created systematic upselling processes to guide clients through additional services
The key was making each step sequential and transparent, so clients always knew what came next.
Measurable Impact on Business Growth
The results spoke for themselves. Andrew’s systematic approach allowed him to scale his interior design business while maintaining quality and launching a successful coaching practice.
“My first entry point is we can’t build anything like a fee structure until we’ve got a really solid process for the delivery part,” he notes. This foundation enabled him to create premium service offerings like his architect plan review, which serves as both a revenue generator and a pathway to larger projects.
The process documentation also eliminated client micromanagement issues. When clients understand the roadmap and trust the process, they stop interfering with the creative work.
Key Lessons for Creative Professionals
Andrew’s journey offers practical insights for any creative professional looking to scale their interior design business:
- “First and foremost, the number one thing is they have to know exactly how they’re going to roll out a project so they can communicate that to the clients”
- Start with delivery processes before building pricing structures or marketing systems
- “There should be sequential steps—step two should follow step one” to avoid chaotic jumping between tasks”
- Create productized services that give potential clients a taste of your full offering
- “If we don’t have a really clear direction for where we’re hitting and what the milestones are along the way, clients lose trust”
These lessons apply whether you’re a solo designer or leading a small team. Andrew’s transformation demonstrates that systems don’t stifle creativity—they enable it. By documenting processes first, he created the foundation for sustainable growth and client satisfaction.
“It immediately helped me get in control of my business, so I just wanted to start sharing that with other people,” Andrew reflects on why he began coaching others through The Design Coach.
Ready to Scale Your Interior Design Business?
If Andrew’s story resonates with your experience as a creative professional, you’re not alone. Many designers struggle with the same process challenges that once held Andrew back. Start your systemization journey and discover how proper systems can transform your design business. Explore the SYSTEMology® Masterclasses and begin documenting the processes that will scale your interior design business sustainably.
