When Is the Right Time to Hire Help in Your Interior Design Business?

Picture this: two perfect projects come your way in the same week, both beautifully aligned with your design style, dream clients, and budgets that actually make sense. It should feel like a win, right?

But instead, your heart sinks.

You’re already working 60-hour weeks, pulling late nights to meet deadlines, juggling sourcing, admin, client emails, and perhaps even trying to keep your social media presence alive.

So, you turn them down.

Again.

If that scenario sounds uncomfortably familiar, you’re not alone. 

So many designers feel like they need to wait until they’ve got it all figured out before they even think about hiring help. The reality? Waiting too long often makes things messier, not easier.

In this post, I’m going to walk you through exactly when to hire your first team member, how to do it properly, and how to avoid the mistakes that can slow your business down just when it should be speeding up.

Whether you’re just starting out or you’re a seasoned designer wearing one too many hats, it’s time to get intentional about how you build the kind of business that works for you.

Why Waiting Until You’re “Ready” Can Be a Trap

Let me say something slightly controversial: the moment you feel ready to hire is usually far too late.

By that point, you’re likely exhausted, short on time, and already overwhelmed. And the truth is, hiring is an investment of energy, not just money. Training someone, showing them how your systems work, building trust, that all takes time.

And when you’re already maxed out, it’s nearly impossible to do it properly.

This leads to a pattern I see far too often:

• You put off hiring until you’re desperate.
• You bring someone in too quickly, often without a proper plan.
• They’re not the right fit, or they don’t have the right skills.
• You spend more time fixing their work than you would’ve spent doing it yourself.
• You swear off hiring and go back to doing everything alone.

Sound familiar?

It doesn’t have to be that way.

The Two Big Hiring Mistakes Designers Make

Let’s dig into the two biggest mistakes I see interior designers making when it comes to hiring help:

Mistake One: Waiting Until You’re Drowning

You’re probably thinking, “But I can’t afford to hire someone yet.” But the truth is, not hiring help is likely costing you more.

Think of all the opportunities you’ve turned down because you simply couldn’t take on any more. Or the time spent on admin tasks when you could have been working on client projects or marketing your services.

Hiring before you’re desperate allows you to bring someone on gradually. You can train them properly, introduce systems together, and build a collaborative dynamic, rather than throwing them into chaos and hoping they swim.

Mistake Two: Hiring the Wrong Person

This often comes from rushing. Maybe it’s a friend who offers to help. Maybe you hire someone who’s available and inexpensive, but not experienced in the interior design world.

The result? They don’t understand the nuances of your work. You end up micromanaging, redoing tasks, and losing trust in the idea of outsourcing.

That’s why it’s so important to be clear from the beginning, not just about what you want them to do, but how you want to work with them.

Three Signs You’re Ready to Hire

Still not sure if it’s time? Let’s simplify it. If you’re experiencing any of the following consistently, it’s time to take the next step:

1. You’re turning down work. 

There’s a steady stream of opportunities, but you physically don’t have the capacity to say yes.

2. You’re stuck in firefighting mode. 

You’re not spending your time creatively or strategically, you’re just trying to keep everything afloat.

3. You’re working unsustainable hours.

If your weeks are regularly bleeding into evenings and weekends, and you can’t remember your last proper day off, something has to give.

Hiring isn’t about being fancy or pretending to be a big agency. It’s about sustainability. You’re building a business that should support your life, not drain it.

What Should You Outsource First?

One of the most common misconceptions about outsourcing is that it’s just about passing off the stuff you don’t like doing.

But actually, smart outsourcing is about protecting your time and energy for the things that only you can do, the things that grow your business.

You are the creative visionary. You’re the one who builds relationships with clients, develops concepts, and makes those unique aesthetic decisions that can’t be replicated. That’s your zone of genius.

So rather than giving away tasks you don’t like, start by identifying tasks that:

• Don’t require your personal input.
• Can be systematised or done by following a process.
• Take up hours of your week but don’t directly generate income.

Great first tasks to outsource include:

• Bookkeeping and invoicing.
• Social media scheduling (not creation, unless they’re a design-savvy VA).
• Email inbox management.
• Placing orders and handling supplier logistics.
• Following up on deliveries and returns.

You’ll be amazed at how much breathing space even a few hours of weekly support can create.

How to Write a Job Description (Even for Just One Person)

Yes, even if you’re just hiring a VA for five hours a week, you still need a clear brief. This will make it easier to attract the right person and will help you feel much more confident about delegating.

Here’s what to include:

• Overview of the role: What will they actually do?
• Skills required: Be specific, do they need design experience? Familiarity with procurement processes? Good written English?
• Working style: Do you want someone proactive who takes initiative? Or someone who follows clear instructions?
• Communication preferences: Weekly check-ins? Email updates? WhatsApp messages? Be honest about how you like to work.

Being upfront helps avoid awkward mismatches later.

Where to Find the Right People

Now that you’ve decided what you need, the next step is finding the right person.

You’ve got a few options:

• Freelancer platforms like Upwork, PeoplePerHour, or Fiverr.
• Design-specific communities, this is where it gets interesting.

Inside our Hub Insiders membership, we have designers supporting each other every day. Some members specialise in technical drawings, others offer VA services, social media support, or even design assistance.

The benefit? They already get the design industry. They understand the terminology, timelines, and expectations, and they may have strengths in the areas where you struggle.

It’s also a beautiful way to support another designer’s business while growing your own.

Start Small and Test the Waters

Hiring doesn’t have to be a huge leap. In fact, I recommend starting with a specific, short-term project. That way, you can both see how it goes before committing to something more regular.

Here’s what to look out for:

• How well do they communicate?
• Do they follow instructions or ask thoughtful questions?
• Are they open to feedback?
• Do you feel relieved or more stressed once they’re involved?

If it feels good, great, you can slowly increase their involvement over time.

The Big Mindset Shift: Stop Waiting to Be “Ready”

One of the biggest transformations I see in designers who start building a team is this shift: they stop seeing hiring as a sign they’ve “made it” and start seeing it as a necessary step in building a resilient business.

You don’t have to have a huge client base or a massive budget to get help. You just need a strategy.

Every successful business, no matter how small it starts, relies on systems and support. And it’s far easier to build those foundations when things are steady than when you’re buried in deadlines.

Hiring gradually, before you're desperate, gives you the space to grow with confidence.

Want to See Where Hiring Fits in Your Business Journey?

If you're wondering how all of this fits into the bigger picture, I’ve created a free resource that breaks it all down.

It’s called the Interior Design Business Roadmap, and it walks you through the key stages of building a thriving design business, from getting qualified, to landing clients, to scaling with systems and support.

Whether you're in your first year or ready to expand, it'll show you exactly what to focus on next, and yes, where hiring fits into it all.

You Don’t Have to Do It All Alone

Let this be your gentle nudge. You can build a business that supports your life, rather than consumes it. You can serve more clients without burning out. And you don’t have to wait until you’re falling apart to get help.

Start small. Start strategically. And most importantly, start before you think you’re ready.

Your future self, the one working sane hours, on beautiful projects, with a brilliant team behind you, will thank you for it.

Until next time,
Kate x