Design Biz Survival Guide

About Design Biz Survival Guide

What if you could hang out with experienced design professionals and entrepreneurs who have drive and vision, ask them about their successes and failures, and more; then take an insight or two to guide your own business journey? That's what we do each episode on Design Biz Survival Guide. Hosted by Rick Campos – recovering interior designer turned business coach with over a decade of experience in the design industry –– every episode is an in-depth look at how to launch, navigate, and grow your design business. The intention of this podcast is to inspire and empower designers with the tools and information you need to survive in the business of design.

Publisher

Design Biz Survival Guide

Category

business · business

Language

aa

Explicit

No

First episode

21 May 2018

Latest episode

7 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

226 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   7 Sept 2026

   226: Coffee Talk with Fredric Alexander

   Today we welcome Frederic Godinez and Alexander Stabler, the design duo behind Frederic Alexander—a multidisciplinary interior design studio based in Las Vegas, Nevada. In this episode, Freddy and Alex share their different backgrounds in business and design and how they harnessed the intersection of technical training and creative permission to create a brand dynamic that has become their superpower. We also discuss the grassroots marketing approach that got the brand off the ground, their commitment to informing and educating their clients, and how they found support through community over a cup of coffee. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS How Freddy and Alex's diverse backgrounds in hospitality, landscape architecture, performance, cosmetology, and experiential marketing influence their approach to interior design Why combining technical training with creative permission has become one of Frederic Alexander's greatest strengths The grassroots pop-up strategy that helped them introduce their brand, build visibility, and organically land their first design projects Why educating clients about the design process, pricing, and value is essential to creating confidence and reducing confusion How tracking hours, understanding profitability, and learning to charge appropriately have shaped the evolution of their business The challenges and rewards of building a business as married partners—and how learning to embrace their differences became their superpower How Frederic Alexander is expanding its services through real estate to create a more holistic client experience Why Coffee Talk, IDS, and a commitment to community over competition have given Freddy and Alex a trusted space for vulnerability, support, and professional growth NOTABLE QUOTES "Design is easy, but the business of design is not." "We always try to come from a place of abundance rather than scarcity, and we truly believe that in the design industry, there's enough room for everybody." "Any time we collaborated openly and worked together, the end results surpassed what either one of us could have individually achieved." "You just—you don't know what you don't know until you know it. So as soon as you know it, implement it, make the best of it, and keep moving forward. Don't give up." SUPPORTING RESOURCES Fredric Alexander Website: https://fredricalexander.com/ Fredric Alexander Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fredricalexander SPONSOR LINKS Design Manager / Design Spec: https://designspec.com/survivalguide Interior Design Society: https://interiordesignsociety.org/

2. 

   24 Aug 2026

   225: Noz Nozawa | In the Moment

   Today we welcome Noz Nozawa of Noz Designs, a full-service interior design firm based in San Francisco, California. In this episode, Noz shares her story of discovering design at a young age, her appreciation for art history and architecture, and the pivotal moment when she found her community and pursued her passion for interior design. We also discuss the realities of launching a business, the importance of perseverance, and explore her lighting design partnership with Hudson Valley Lighting Group and what it really takes to bring a collection to market. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS How Noz's fascination with interiors began as a child browsing design books and eventually led her to consider architecture and interior design as a career. The impact studying art history and architecture at the University of Pennsylvania had on the way Noz understood the built environment, furniture, and design. How her career in marketing and her time at Houzz connected her with designers, architects, contractors, and other creative entrepreneurs who inspired her to make a career change. The financial, emotional, and practical realities Noz faced when launching Noz Designs in 2014—and why perseverance became essential to building the business. Why intentionally curating her portfolio helped Noz attract the kinds of projects and clients she ultimately wanted to work with. Noz's perspective on why building a design business can feel significantly harder in the early years and how experience, reputation, and financial stability can change the equation. The behind-the-scenes story of Noz's partnership with Hudson Valley Lighting Group for Corbett Lighting, including why she walked away from the first opportunity and how the collaboration eventually came back around. What Noz has learned about product design, manufacturing constraints, mentorship, rest, and defining success by being fully present and satisfied with the life she has built. NOTABLE QUOTES "You can only be new once. You can only have your first collection once." "Everything gets so much easier if you can survive how hard it is at the beginning." "You need to find mentors. Like, you can't just wait for someone to pluck you out of obscurity and take you under their wing and help you." "For me, success is like, am I obsessed with the life that I have right now?" SUPPORTING RESOURCES Noz Designs Website: https://nozdesign.com/ Noz Designs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noznozawa Noz Nozawa for Corbett Lighting: https://www.hvlgroup.com/Products/Designer/NOZAWA 1stDibs Objects of Desire Podcast — hosted by Noz Nozawa and 1stDibs Editor-in-Chief Tony Freund Houzz — discussed as an important part of Noz's early career and exposure to the interior design community SPONSOR LINKS Design Manager / Design Spec: https://designspec.com/survivalguide Interior Design Society: https://interiordesignsociety.org/

3. 

   10 Aug 2026

   224: Sarah Richter & Brandon Medlin - The "Other" Designers on the Job Site

   Today we welcome Sarah Richter and Brandon Medlin—partners in life and business and leaders of Sarah Richter Design, an architectural lighting design studio based in Annapolis, Maryland. In this episode, Sarah shares the pivotal moment when she discovered architectural lighting design, and Brandon shares how his skills and background helped bring the business full circle. We also discuss their B2B business model and how they partner exclusively with designers, builders, and architects to elevate the design process and help create truly extraordinary spaces. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS How Sarah's background in architecture led her to discover the specialized world of architectural lighting design. Brandon's journey through business, sales, lighting distribution, controls, and project management—and how those skills complement Sarah's design expertise. Why Sarah Richter Design operates as a B2B architectural lighting studio serving interior designers, architects, builders, and other trade professionals. How an independent lighting designer can support an interior designer's vision without competing for decorative lighting sales or taking over the designer's scope. The value of bringing a lighting designer into a project early to help coordinate architectural lighting, decorative fixtures, controls, dimming, color temperature, and installation details. How Sarah and Brandon balance being spouses, parents, and business partners while bringing different perspectives to the creative and operational sides of the firm. A look inside a 22,000-square-foot residential project where collaboration, tunable white lighting, color-changing lighting, mock-ups, and layered lighting helped create atmosphere throughout the home. Why curiosity, community, trusting the process, and surrounding yourself with knowledgeable collaborators are essential to building a successful design business. NOTABLE QUOTES "We are a real-life encyclopedia." "It might be a grind, but it feels like you have a purpose." "I think it's remaining curious." "Our personal definition of success is time." SUPPORTING RESOURCES Sarah Richter Design Website: https://www.sarahrichterdesign.com/ Sarah Richter Design Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahrichterdesign/ SPONSOR LINKS Design Manager / Design Spec: https://designspec.com/survivalguide Interior Design Society: https://interiordesignsociety.org/

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.8 / 5

62 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

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