Join Cheryl Kees Clendenon balancing all the moving parts of a full service interior design firm in her no-nonsense and thought-provoking podcast, the Damn Good Designer.
Each episode is full of damn good truths and real talk as she shares invaluable insights on how to run and build a successful business while challenging the norms, the industry, her team and YOU. Emphasizing a business-savvy approach, Cheryl takes you on a roller coaster of discovery, considering success from a different lens, breaking free from groupthink, and encouraging you to embrace your own authentic designer self. There is not much she will not say “out loud”.
In this podcast, you'll find no room for conformity as she shatters the mold of one-size-fits-all business practices. Cheryl's fearless attitude showcases a refusal to follow the conventional wisdom, ask “why” repeatedly and reject what no longer makes sense in today’s world.
If you're seeking a dose of inspiration, a splash of unconventional wisdom, and a refreshing perspective on the entrepreneurial world, the Damn Good Designer is your go-to podcast. Tune in and let Cheryl, along with their expert guests in the fields of designers, architects, landscapers, and other creative professionals, guide you toward building a remarkable business that defies norms and sets you on a path to unparalleled success."Get ready to challenge the ordinary and embrace the extraordinary!
About the host:
Cheryl Kees Clendenon-
2021 KBB Person of the year
2022 Design Studio winner Dallas Arts Awards
2021 Changemaker Design Hounds
200 or so years ago a child came roaring into the world feet first ready to show up and argue a cause. Just because. Her mother still maintains the story is- she was screaming-“why”- from the minute she landed wrong side up and slapped the doctor for disturbing her afternoon nap
And to this day does not give “it” a rest except when she is sleeping. Which is where you will find her only between the hours of 2am and 7:30am. A belligerent non-smoker (in case you were wondering) and a frequent challenger of anything that resembles “normal” or desired by the masses, Cheryl is a natural born contrarian who talks faster than 2x speed on a podcast
She gravitates towards wanting to help clients and designers who are the square pegs in a world of round holes, lose earrings impossibly frequently, fall off of platform shoes and are unapologetically saucy. Relaxing is not in the skill set. Life begins and ends with family.
Her sacred words are: Why, Percipient, Whizbang and Profit.
But please do not say the words: Package, Blocks, Red Flag, Overwhelm or Picked. Hives break out and it gets ugly.
RESOURCES:
www.damngooddesigner.com
https://www.theinteriordesignparadigm.com/
Want to be a guest? Apply here: https://forms.clickup.com/8404193/f/80f71-613517/PFK3QDSALZ30VONMTP
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Season 4 Ep 83: 30 Years Later - What Tom Stringer Knows Now That Designers Aren't Being Told
Saison 4 · Épisode 83
mardi 27 octobre 2026 • Durée 01:30:23
Thirty years in the design business will teach you a few things. Especially when you realize some of what you believed early on was dead wrong.
Cheryl sits down with renowned interior designer Tom Stringer to talk about the lessons learned from building a successful firm over three decades. Why talent alone isn't enough, when to loosen your grip on the business, and why some of the most talented designers are the hardest to work with. They also dig into the industry's obsession with personal brands, why the client should always come first, and some conventional business advice that deserves to be called out.
About Tom Stringer
Tom Stringer is the founder and president of Tom Stringer Design Partners, the Chicago-based multidisciplinary design firm he established in 1996. Celebrating three decades of design, the firm conceives and delivers personalized design solutions for private residences, hospitality projects, and luxury yachts worldwide. Stringer’s design approach is shaped largely by his lifelong passion for travel, collecting, and discovery. Filtering his experiences through the prism of design allows him to bridge styles and cultures, translating the colors, textures, forms, and craftsmanship he encounters into sophisticated and unexpected interiors.
Widely published and recognized throughout his career, Stringer was inducted into the Merchandise Mart Hall of Fame for Interior Design in 2015 and has received 25 American Society of Interior Designers Design Excellence Awards. He is the author of An Adventurous Life: Global Interiors by Tom Stringer, a visual chronicle of his travels, observations, and a selection of the firm’s distinctive residential projects.
Stringer holds a bachelor’s degree in design from the College of Architecture and Environmental Design at Arizona State University. He began his career with renowned designer Charles Pfister, designing products for Baker Furniture, Brown Jordan, and Casella Lighting, before serving as Design Director for Branca, Inc. and later founding Tom Stringer Design Partners in 1996.
These workshops are 2–3 hour deep dives (some more than one day) built for creative entrepreneurs who want to lead with confidence, price with authority, and grow with intention. We created this workshop series with tracks that cover the challenges we know designers face: pricing, sales, client relationships, project management, marketing, and leadership.
The best multi-faceted business coaching for Interior designers—seriously. This is not some wham-bam glamathon; It is the real deal you have been looking for and what is missing from the business coaching marketplace today.
Cheryl Clendenon is the host of The Damn Good Designer Podcast and an award-winning interior designer, writer, and business coach with 26 years of full-time industry experience. With a prior career in media and radio sales, she brings a rare blend of creative thinking and business acumen to the design world. Cheryl was named KBB Person of the Year in 2021, is a nationally published industry voice with a monthly column in Home Accents Today, and regularly speaks on pricing, scope, process, and profitability. Known for her fast pace, contrarian instincts, and practical insight, Cheryl helps established design firms build stronger businesses and define success on their own terms.
***Any use of this page and its content to develop or train artificial intelligence or to do computer analysis is prohibited.***
Season 4 Ep 82: Trade Secrets & Hard Truths - Cheryl & Jamie Young talk about the state of the industry
Saison 4 · Épisode 82
mardi 13 octobre 2026 • Durée 01:22:52
Some designers have vendors who will bend over backward to help them. Others can't seem to get anyone to return their calls. And there may be a very good reason for that!
Cheryl sits down with Jamie Young, founder of Jamie Young Company, to get the OTHER side of the designer-vendor relationship. In this episode they discuss damaged goods, shipping headaches, unrealistic expectations, and why Cheryl has a few things to say about designers who take their vendor complaints straight to social media.
Jamie shares what happens behind the scenes when designers place orders, what vendors wish designers understood, and why the way you handle problems can determine how willing a vendor is to go the extra mile for you.
Because the relationships you build with your vendors have a direct impact on your clients, your reputation, and your bottom line. Plus you don't want to miss Jamie's insights for their upcoming furniture launch and what she's learned about designing products with the trade in mind.
Raised in Los Angeles by an artist and entrepreneur, Jamie was drawn to design aesthetics from a young age. A unique home and an out of the box perspective molded the person she is today. Growing up in the heart of the entertainment industry during the 70’s and 80’s Jamie was surrounded by a colorful cast of eccentric characters; professional writers, painters, athletes, actors, and creative business minded mentors—inspiration was around every corner.
After high school, she continued her studies at Parsons School of Design in New York City. She and her now husband, David Jeter, also an artist, attended San Francisco College of Art focusing on painting and sculpture with a deep knowledge of art history, met in 1992. Jamie’s superpower was the ability to understand design and fashion in the home space and bring to market an elegant and bohemian perspective unique to her upbringing. David’s deep knowledge of art and world history coupled with brilliant and fresh designs completed the package. Together, with a love of connecting to communities near and far, they founded Jamie Young Company in 1997 to fill a void in the world of home furnishing
RESOURCE LINKS:ABOUT US:
Season 4 Ep 81: The problem with being the one who knows everything
Saison 4 · Épisode 81
mardi 29 septembre 2026 • Durée 30:14
Burnout in a design business can have very little to do with the number of hours you work. Cheryl digs into what happens when every decision, client issue, contractor problem and team question eventually finds its way back to the owner. You can delegate tasks, hire employees and reduce your project load and still be the person carrying all of the judgment and responsibility.
In this episode, Cheryl looks at how designers make themselves indispensable without realizing it, why being needed can feel a lot like being successful, and what happens when you build a business that still requires you for everything.
These workshops are 2–3 hour deep dives (some more than one day) built for creative entrepreneurs who want to lead with confidence, price with authority, and grow with intention. We created this workshop series with tracks that cover the challenges we know designers face: pricing, sales, client relationships, project management, marketing, and leadership.
Each workshop is designed to stand alone — so you can choose the topics that matter most right now — while still connecting to the bigger picture of building a profitable, sustainable design business.
The best multi-faceted business coaching for Interior designers—seriously. This is not some wham-bam glamathon; It is the real deal you have been looking for and what is missing from the business coaching marketplace today.
ABOUT US:
Season 4 Ep 80: They waited too long to call the designer
Saison 4 · Épisode 80
mardi 15 septembre 2026 • Durée 18:13
Your client already has a general contractor, so why do they need you?
Cheryl digs into one of the biggest misconceptions about a designer’s role in a renovation and why waiting until it’s time to choose finishes is already too late. From layouts and electrical plans to the hundreds of decisions that affect everything that comes next, the real value of a designer starts long before the pretty stuff. If you’re still selling your value through selections, it may be time to rethink what you’re actually selling.
These workshops are 2–3 hour deep dives (some more than one day) built for creative entrepreneurs who want to lead with confidence, price with authority, and grow with intention. We created this workshop series with tracks that cover the challenges we know designers face: pricing, sales, client relationships, project management, marketing, and leadership.
Each workshop is designed to stand alone — so you can choose the topics that matter most right now — while still connecting to the bigger picture of building a profitable, sustainable design business.
The best multi-faceted business coaching for Interior designers—seriously. This is not some wham-bam glamathon; It is the real deal you have been looking for and what is missing from the business coaching marketplace today.
Season 4 Ep 79: ASKED & ANSWERED - Should my team members get a commision?
Saison 4 · Épisode 79
mardi 1 septembre 2026 • Durée 09:46
Should your designers earn a commission, bonus, or a share of the profit?
In this Asked & Answered episode, Cheryl breaks down how to build an incentive plan that rewards the behavior you actually want inside your firm. She explains why bonuses should be based on profit instead of total sales, how participation should affect the percentage, and why a simple system helps team members think more like owners. Because revenue may look impressive, but profit is what stays in the bank.
These workshops are 2–3 hour deep dives (some more than one day) built for creative entrepreneurs who want to lead with confidence, price with authority, and grow with intention. We created this workshop series with tracks that cover the challenges we know designers face: pricing, sales, client relationships, project management, marketing, and leadership.
Each workshop is designed to stand alone — so you can choose the topics that matter most right now — while still connecting to the bigger picture of building a profitable, sustainable design business.
The best multi-faceted business coaching for Interior designers—seriously. This is not some wham-bam glamathon; It is the real deal you have been looking for and what is missing from the business coaching marketplace today.
Cheryl has spent 25 years building systems around the way her design firm actually works. So what happens when AI suddenly gives her the ability to build the software around those systems, too?
In this episode, Cheryl shares what happened when one irritating business problem turned into building her own app through “vibe coding,” what she’s learned along the way, and why knowing your processes matters more than knowing how to code. AI can help you build almost anything, but it will also happily automate a bad process.
These workshops are 2–3 hour deep dives (some more than one day) built for creative entrepreneurs who want to lead with confidence, price with authority, and grow with intention. We created this workshop series with tracks that cover the challenges we know designers face: pricing, sales, client relationships, project management, marketing, and leadership.
Each workshop is designed to stand alone — so you can choose the topics that matter most right now — while still connecting to the bigger picture of building a profitable, sustainable design business.
The best multi-faceted business coaching for Interior designers—seriously. This is not some wham-bam glamathon; It is the real deal you have been looking for and what is missing from the business coaching marketplace today.
Season 4 Ep 77: DESIGNER DRAMA - They do not know what they do not know
Saison 4 · Épisode 77
mardi 11 août 2026 • Durée 12:47
When clients ask questions or make requests that rub you the wrong way, it doesn’t always mean they’re trying to take advantage of you. Sometimes, they simply don’t understand what designers actually do. In this Designer Drama episode, Cheryl explains why designers need to get better at communicating their value instead of constantly protecting it and why your value can’t rest on gatekeeping sources.
These workshops are 2–3 hour deep dives (some more than one day) built for creative entrepreneurs who want to lead with confidence, price with authority, and grow with intention. We created this workshop series with tracks that cover the challenges we know designers face: pricing, sales, client relationships, project management, marketing, and leadership.
Each workshop is designed to stand alone — so you can choose the topics that matter most right now — while still connecting to the bigger picture of building a profitable, sustainable design business.
The best multi-faceted business coaching for Interior designers—seriously. This is not some wham-bam glamathon; It is the real deal you have been looking for and what is missing from the business coaching marketplace today.
MOST POPULAR EPISODE - S3 Ep 54: Are you afraid to define your value?
Saison 3 · Épisode 78
mardi 4 août 2026 • Durée 49:09
Little did we know our Pricing and Salary Survey results were going to give us great nuggets of information that we could share for many future podcasts to come! One of the biggest challenges we found designers face is defining their product. Too often, “full-service design” means something different to every designer—and that inconsistency makes it nearly impossible to set confident fees, manage scope, or show clients the real value of design work. The secret lies in creating clear deliverables with a written scope of work, and structured meeting agendas that are always advancing the project. If you are not keeping track of your time--as many do not--this reveals where designers tend to undervalue themselves. You must trust in the value of your own work--define it, control it, manage expectations, and most importantly, position yourself as the expert in the room.
These workshops are 2–3 hour deep dives (some more than one day) built for creative entrepreneurs who want to lead with confidence, price with authority, and grow with intention. We created this workshop series with tracks that cover the challenges we know designers face: pricing, sales, client relationships, project management, marketing, and leadership.
Each workshop is designed to stand alone — so you can choose the topics that matter most right now — while still connecting to the bigger picture of building a profitable, sustainable design business.
BEST EPISODE OF SEASON 3! If you confuse them, you lose them. Period.
Saison 3 · Épisode 77
mardi 14 juillet 2026 • Durée 55:02
One of our top episodes of Season 3!
The confusion you accidentally create long before the proposal ever hits your clients inbox is the real reason clients hesitate. Your price is not the problem. You can unintentionally create confusion through discovery calls, the way you talk about freight, receiving, vendors, timelines, your value, etc. This causes your clients to be constantly collecting clues about whether saying yes to you feels SAFE or SCARY. Learn how your language, tone, and timing shape the emotional architecture your clients make decisions in, and why being clear is your most powerful sales tool.
These workshops are 2–3 hour deep dives (some more than one day) built for creative entrepreneurs who want to lead with confidence, price with authority, and grow with intention. We created this workshop series with tracks that cover the challenges we know designers face: pricing, sales, client relationships, project management, marketing, and leadership.
Each workshop is designed to stand alone — so you can choose the topics that matter most right now — while still connecting to the bigger picture of building a profitable, sustainable design business.
The best multi-faceted business coaching for Interior designers—seriously. This is not some wham-bam glamathon; It is the real deal you have been looking for and what is missing from the business coaching marketplace today.
ABOUT US:
Season 4 Ep 76: ASKED & ANSWERED - Why “What Does It Cost?” Is the Wrong Conversation
Saison 4 · Épisode 76
mardi 30 juin 2026 • Durée 19:56
Price is one of the first questions designers hear, but it is often the wrong conversation to lead with. Cheryl explains why posting big budget numbers and focusing on square-foot pricing can create the wrong expectations, intimidate potential clients, and reduce design to a transaction. Instead, she shares a better way to communicate value. By helping clients understand the thinking, process, and decisions behind the investment, they can then make informed choices with confidence.
These workshops are 2–3 hour deep dives (some more than one day) built for creative entrepreneurs who want to lead with confidence, price with authority, and grow with intention. We created this workshop series with tracks that cover the challenges we know designers face: pricing, sales, client relationships, project management, marketing, and leadership.
Each workshop is designed to stand alone — so you can choose the topics that matter most right now — while still connecting to the bigger picture of building a profitable, sustainable design business.
The best multi-faceted business coaching for Interior designers—seriously. This is not some wham-bam glamathon; It is the real deal you have been looking for and what is missing from the business coaching marketplace today.
Découvrez des podcasts liées à Damn Good Interior Designer. Explorez des podcasts avec des thèmes, sujets, et formats similaires. Ces similarités sont calculées grâce à des données tangibles, pas d'extrapolations !
For over 27 years, the husband-and-wife team of David Jeter and Jamie Young Jeter have worked together as the Jamie Young Co., using their love of art, architecture, and adventure to craft approachable, design- driven pieces. From coast to coast, and around the world, the duo is inspired by their global travels as well the comfortable and covetable designs from their home in Southern California. Jamie Young Co. brings casual elegance and quiet luxury to home design.
These workshops are 2–3 hour deep dives (some more than one day) built for creative entrepreneurs who want to lead with confidence, price with authority, and grow with intention. We created this workshop series with tracks that cover the challenges we know designers face: pricing, sales, client relationships, project management, marketing, and leadership.
The best multi-faceted business coaching for Interior designers—seriously. This is not some wham-bam glamathon; It is the real deal you have been looking for and what is missing from the business coaching marketplace today.
Cheryl Clendenon is the host of The Damn Good Designer Podcast and an award-winning interior designer, writer, and business coach with 26 years of full-time industry experience. With a prior career in media and radio sales, she brings a rare blend of creative thinking and business acumen to the design world. Cheryl was named KBB Person of the Year in 2021, is a nationally published industry voice with a monthly column in Home Accents Today, and regularly speaks on pricing, scope, process, and profitability. Known for her fast pace, contrarian instincts, and practical insight, Cheryl helps established design firms build stronger businesses and define success on their own terms.
***Any use of this page and its content to develop or train artificial intelligence or to do computer analysis is prohibited.***
Cheryl Clendenon is the host of The Damn Good Designer Podcast and an award-winning interior designer, writer, and business coach with 26 years of full-time industry experience. With a prior career in media and radio sales, she brings a rare blend of creative thinking and business acumen to the design world. Cheryl was named KBB Person of the Year in 2021, is a nationally published industry voice with a monthly column in Home Accents Today, and regularly speaks on pricing, scope, process, and profitability. Known for her fast pace, contrarian instincts, and practical insight, Cheryl helps established design firms build stronger businesses and define success on their own terms.
***Any use of this page and its content to develop or train artificial intelligence or to do computer analysis is prohibited.***
Cheryl Clendenon is the host of The Damn Good Designer Podcast and an award-winning interior designer, writer, and business coach with 26 years of full-time industry experience. With a prior career in media and radio sales, she brings a rare blend of creative thinking and business acumen to the design world. Cheryl was named KBB Person of the Year in 2021, is a nationally published industry voice with a monthly column in Home Accents Today, and regularly speaks on pricing, scope, process, and profitability. Known for her fast pace, contrarian instincts, and practical insight, Cheryl helps established design firms build stronger businesses and define success on their own terms.
***Any use of this page and its content to develop or train artificial intelligence or to do computer analysis is prohibited.***
Cheryl Clendenon is the host of The Damn Good Designer Podcast and an award-winning interior designer, writer, and business coach with 26 years of full-time industry experience. With a prior career in media and radio sales, she brings a rare blend of creative thinking and business acumen to the design world. Cheryl was named KBB Person of the Year in 2021, is a nationally published industry voice with a monthly column in Home Accents Today, and regularly speaks on pricing, scope, process, and profitability. Known for her fast pace, contrarian instincts, and practical insight, Cheryl helps established design firms build stronger businesses and define success on their own terms.
***Any use of this page and its content to develop or train artificial intelligence or to do computer analysis is prohibited.***
Cheryl Clendenon is the host of The Damn Good Designer Podcast and an award-winning interior designer, writer, and business coach with 26 years of full-time industry experience. With a prior career in media and radio sales, she brings a rare blend of creative thinking and business acumen to the design world. Cheryl was named KBB Person of the Year in 2021, is a nationally published industry voice with a monthly column in Home Accents Today, and regularly speaks on pricing, scope, process, and profitability. Known for her fast pace, contrarian instincts, and practical insight, Cheryl helps established design firms build stronger businesses and define success on their own terms.
***Any use of this page and its content to develop or train artificial intelligence or to do computer analysis is prohibited.***
Cheryl Clendenon is the host of The Damn Good Designer Podcast and an award-winning interior designer, writer, and business coach with 26 years of full-time industry experience. With a prior career in media and radio sales, she brings a rare blend of creative thinking and business acumen to the design world. Cheryl was named KBB Person of the Year in 2021, is a nationally published industry voice with a monthly column in Home Accents Today, and regularly speaks on pricing, scope, process, and profitability. Known for her fast pace, contrarian instincts, and practical insight, Cheryl helps established design firms build stronger businesses and define success on their own terms.
***Any use of this page and its content to develop or train artificial intelligence or to do computer analysis is prohibited.***
The best multi-faceted business coaching for Interior designers—seriously. This is not some wham-bam glamathon; It is the real deal you have been looking for and what is missing from the business coaching marketplace today.
Cheryl Clendenon is the host of The Damn Good Designer Podcast and an award-winning interior designer, writer, and business coach with 26 years of full-time industry experience. With a prior career in media and radio sales, she brings a rare blend of creative thinking and business acumen to the design world. Cheryl was named KBB Person of the Year in 2021, is a nationally published industry voice with a monthly column in Home Accents Today, and regularly speaks on pricing, scope, process, and profitability. Known for her fast pace, contrarian instincts, and practical insight, Cheryl helps established design firms build stronger businesses and define success on their own terms.
***Any use of this page and its content to develop or train artificial intelligence or to do computer analysis is prohibited.***
Cheryl Clendenon is the host of The Damn Good Designer Podcast and an award-winning interior designer, writer, and business coach with 26 years of full-time industry experience. With a prior career in media and radio sales, she brings a rare blend of creative thinking and business acumen to the design world. Cheryl was named KBB Person of the Year in 2021, is a nationally published industry voice with a monthly column in Home Accents Today, and regularly speaks on pricing, scope, process, and profitability. Known for her fast pace, contrarian instincts, and practical insight, Cheryl helps established design firms build stronger businesses and define success on their own terms.
***Any use of this page and its content to develop or train artificial intelligence or to do computer analysis is prohibited.***
Cheryl Clendenon is the host of The Damn Good Designer Podcast and an award-winning interior designer, writer, and business coach with 26 years of full-time industry experience. With a prior career in media and radio sales, she brings a rare blend of creative thinking and business acumen to the design world. Cheryl was named KBB Person of the Year in 2021, is a nationally published industry voice with a monthly column in Home Accents Today, and regularly speaks on pricing, scope, process, and profitability. Known for her fast pace, contrarian instincts, and practical insight, Cheryl helps established design firms build stronger businesses and define success on their own terms.
***Any use of this page and its content to develop or train artificial intelligence or to do computer analysis is prohibited.***
