Hiring Your First Interior Design Team Member: The Complete Guide
How to Know When You're Ready to Grow Your Team
Episode 106
In this episode, I reveal the key signs it's time to hire your first team member and how to make this transition successfully. Learn how to identify what tasks to delegate, who to hire first, and why having systems in place before bringing someone on is absolutely critical for success. This episode is perfect for designers who are feeling overwhelmed and considering growing their team.
Hope you enjoy the episode
Beth xx
As an interior designer, I've seen first hand how the decision to hire your first team member can transform a business—both for better and for worse. This step represents one of the biggest milestones in your studio's growth journey, but it's also one that many designers approach with a mix of excitement and trepidation.
Am I really ready to bring someone on? Who should I hire first? How will I afford this? What if they don't do things the way I do?
These questions are completely normal. After working with hundreds of designers through this transition, I've developed a framework to help you determine when you're truly ready to hire, who to bring on first, and how to make this transition as smooth as possible.
The Signs It's Time to Make Your First Hire
Hiring your first team member isn't just about being busy—it's about building capacity in your business. Here are the telltale signs that it's time to consider bringing someone on:
1. You're Constantly Booked Out and Turning Away Work
When you're regularly saying no to new projects or pushing start dates months into the future, you're leaving money on the table. The right hire can help you say yes to more opportunities without sacrificing quality or burning yourself out.
2. You're Spending Too Much Time on Admin and Logistics
If you find yourself drowning in emails, purchase orders, and follow-ups rather than doing the creative work you love, it's a clear sign you need support. Remember, design is your zone of genius—the administrative tasks that support it can often be delegated.
3. Your Service Quality Is Slipping
When you're spread too thin, it's the little touches that often suffer first—the detailed follow-ups, the thoughtful client check-ins, the meticulous attention to specifications. If you feel your service standards slipping because you simply don't have enough hours in the day, it's time to consider help.
4. You Can Financially Sustain an Extra Set of Hands
This one is crucial. Before hiring, you need to be confident that your business can support another person—not just for a month or two, but sustainably. I always recommend having at least 3-6 months of their salary set aside before making your first hire.
Mapping Your Tasks: The First Step to Hiring Well
Before you can hire effectively, you need clarity on exactly what you need help with. I recommend this simple exercise:
List all the tasks you do in a typical week
Highlight the ones that only you can do (client presentations, design concepts, key client relationships)
Circle the ones someone else could do with the right training
This circled list becomes the foundation of your first job description. It also helps you identify exactly what type of support would give you the biggest return on investment.
Who Should Your First Hire Be?
There's no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, but most designers fall into one of these three paths:
Option 1: Studio Coordinator or Admin Assistant
This person handles inboxes, supplier quotes, follow-ups, and schedules. They're the organizational backbone that keeps everything running smoothly while you focus on design.
Best for: Designers who are drowning in administrative tasks and need immediate relief from the day-to-day operational demands.
Impact: This hire often gives you the biggest immediate time win, freeing up hours each week that you can redirect to billable work or business development.
Option 2: Junior Designer or Design Assistant
This person helps with sourcing, documentation, CAD work, and other design-related tasks. They extend your creative capacity while learning from your expertise.
Best for: Designers who are creatively stretched but still managing the administrative side of things reasonably well.
Impact: This hire allows you to take on more projects or larger projects while maintaining your design standards and creative vision.
Option 3: Bookkeeper or Virtual Assistant
Sometimes you don't need someone full-time or in-person. Starting with part-time specialized support can ease your workload while reducing financial risk.
Best for: Designers who need specific expertise or who aren't ready for the commitment of a full-time employee.
Impact: This approach allows you to delegate specialized tasks while maintaining control of your core business functions.
Think about where your time is most drained and what tasks you procrastinate about the most. That clarity will show you where your first hire should be.
The Hiring Process: Finding the Right Fit
Once you've decided what type of support you need, the next step is finding the right person. Here's my streamlined approach:
1. Write a Clear Job Description
Don't just list tasks—describe what success looks like in the role. Be specific about:
Required skills and experience
Day-to-day responsibilities
How performance will be measured
Your studio culture and values
Also, create a job description for your own role. This makes it crystal clear what tasks will fall to each person and prevents the common problem of hiring someone only to keep doing their tasks yourself.
2. Create a Simple Application Process
You don't need an elaborate hiring process. I recommend:
Requesting a CV/resume
Asking for a short cover letter or video introducing themselves
I particularly like video for initial screening. You can tell so much from a 2-3 minute introduction video—communication style, professionalism, and that indefinable "vibe" that's so important when you're bringing someone into your small business.
3. Interview for Values, Not Just Skills
Technical skills can be taught, but alignment with your values and work style is essential—especially for your first hire. During interviews, I focus on:
How they approach problems
Their communication style
Their ability to work independently
Previous experiences that demonstrate their values
The vibe of the person needs to be right, especially if they're the first person you're bringing into your business. The right energy and attitude are just as important as the right skills.
4. Set Clear Expectations From Day One
Have a basic onboarding checklist ready, including:
Tools and software they'll need access to
Key processes they need to learn
Communication expectations
How and when you'll provide feedback
This structure helps your new team member feel confident and supported from the beginning.
The Systems Imperative: Why This Comes Before Hiring
This might be the most important point of all: Do not hire someone until you have good systems and processes in place.
I cannot emphasise this enough. Without clear systems:
You'll spend all your time answering questions
Your new hire will feel lost and frustrated
You'll wonder why you bothered hiring at all
If you don't have systems and processes in place, you are setting yourself up to fail and you're setting up this new person to fail. You will spend so much time answering their questions and you will get so frustrated and you will wonder why did I take this person on in the first place.
At minimum, before hiring, you should have:
Documented workflows for key processes
Clear file naming and organization systems
Templates for common communications
Guidelines for how work should be delivered
These systems don't have to be perfect, but they should be clear enough that someone else can follow them without constant guidance.
The Leadership Mindset Shift: From Doing to Leading
Hiring is more than a process—it's a mindset shift. You're moving from being a designer in your business to a designer leading your business. That means:
Setting boundaries and creating structure
Developing systems that others can follow
Sometimes letting someone else make mistakes so they can learn
Focusing on growth and strategy rather than just execution
This transition can be challenging, especially for designers who are used to controlling every aspect of their business. You might feel guilty delegating tasks or find it faster to just do things yourself. But remember: your job is to grow the business, not just run it.
A strong onboarding process, clear systems, and weekly check-ins will help smooth this path. Give yourself and your new team member grace during this transition—it's a learning process for both of you.
The Financial Considerations: Making the Numbers Work
Before taking the leap, you need to be clear on the financial implications of hiring. Consider:
1. True Cost of Employment
Beyond salary, factor in:
Taxes and insurance
Equipment and software
Training time
Management time
2. Revenue Projection
Calculate how this hire will affect your capacity:
How many more projects can you take on?
Can you raise your rates with improved service?
Will you save money by delegating lower-value tasks?
3. Break-Even Timeline
Be realistic about how long it will take before this hire becomes profitable:
Most new team members take 3-6 months to reach full productivity
Factor in your time spent training and managing
Consider the learning curve for your specific business
Real-World Success: What Effective Hiring Looks Like
Let me share a quick case study from one of my clients, Sarah. She was a solo designer working 60+ hours a week, constantly feeling behind on admin tasks, and turning away potential clients. After our work together, she:
Documented her key processes and created templates
Hired a part-time studio coordinator (15 hours/week)
Delegated inbox management, supplier follow-ups, and basic client communications
The result? Within three months, she had:
Reduced her working hours to 40-45 per week
Increased her capacity by 30%
Improved client satisfaction due to faster response times
Finally had time to work on her business strategy
The key to her success wasn't just hiring—it was hiring the right person for her specific pain points and having systems in place before bringing them on.
Is It Time for You to Hire?
If you're feeling overwhelmed, constantly working late, or turning away opportunities, it might be time to consider your first hire. Ask yourself:
Which tasks are draining my time and energy?
What would I do with more capacity in my business?
Do I have the financial stability to support a team member?
Are my systems ready for someone else to follow them?
Remember, hiring isn't just about getting help—it's about building capacity in your business and creating space for growth. The right hire, brought on at the right time and with the right systems in place, can transform not just your workload but your entire business trajectory.
Whether you're ready to hire now or just starting to think about it, begin by documenting your processes and getting clear on exactly what support would make the biggest difference in your business. Your future team—and your future self—will thank you.