Betsy Helmuth (@BetsyHelmuth) is an interior designer & decorator in New York City. Her company, Affordable Interior Design, offers exactly what is says on the tin. Over the years, she’s designed rooms in over 1,000 apartments, allowing her to create a systematic approach to working with busy clients.
Betsy’s latest book, Big Design, Small Budget, is available Dec. 11, 2014. Pre-order a copy and give it this holiday season to the interior design geek in your life.

Big Design, Small Budget by Betsy Helmuth

Our conversation centers on the eccentricities of New York City apartments — and apartment-dwellers — as well as the systems Betsy has used to build a thriving business.
 
Show Notes & Links

Betsy is the first Busy Creator representative for the Interior Design industry.
People who shop at Ikea and Target are Betsy’s key customers
New Yorkers feel a lot of anxiety about their space, and their storage (or lack thereof)
New York City apartments can be “insultingly small”
“Small is a relative term.” ← Click to Tweet
Betsy has worked with over 1000 apartments; each year she works with 250 clients
“It’s a cookie-cutter plan, but within that there’s a lot of individuality” ← Click to Tweet
West Elm
Betsy has developed a core 20 questions to determined how her clients live in their 
“After 1000 apartments there’s no judgement. I’ve seen it all.” ← Click to Tweet
Client On-boarding/Discover Process
Best business advice Betsy every received: “If the name of your business doesn’t say exactly what you do, change it.”
The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch
Clients find Betsy by Googling “Affordable Interior Design”
The Ikea Effect — If you built it yourself, you create an emotional investment
“Never ever ever, ever, build your own Ikea (unless you’re a professional)” ← Click to Tweet
80/20 rule applied to Ikea (80% crap, 20% gold)
Japanese school of thought for actors who clean their own stage, it builds awareness of the world
“Honor your space”, give it attention
“Your space is like committing to a partner” 
Multi-variable Differential Equation
“not-yet-ness”
“The limitations define ‘the box’, and that’s where the magic happens.” ← Click to Tweet
Eames Chair with Ottoman
Cable Management is key; get a “raceway”
Prescott’s new desk (forthcoming blog post)
CableOrganizer.com
Our previous podcast episode about Project Management software and collaboration

Tools

StarTech 2×2 Open Slot Wiring Raceway Cable channel

Techniques

Develop a core series of questions to ask your new clients
Offer plans or packages so clients can choose based on their need 
Build your room around an “inspiration item”, especially one with three or more colours
Mix woods within colour families
Get a storage unit if you need to hold on to something
Utilise open-close storage, such as a desk with cabinets and drawers
Staple cables to walls and furniture to keep them out of the way
Re-evaluate your workflows around your growing and changing business

Habits

Locate outlets when you enter a room, especially in NYC
Answer your own phone
Work late hours, after the kids to go sleep
Get to the coffee shops where you can get stuff done
Turn the TV on (in the background) for creative flow

Get The Episode

Download The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 35(MP3, 47:31, 23 MB)
Download The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 35(OGG, 47:31, 38.5 MB)


Subscribe to The Busy Creator Podcast on iTunes
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