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How to start a design business

Do you wonder how you can start a design business even if you don't have a interior design degree?

I love this E-Design success story that Liz of Urban Chic Living emailed me because it’s another example of how you can take your passion and talent for design and create a successful design or staging business!  Liz told me that after over 15 years as a community worker she never thought she would be able to become a designer at the age of 50 without a degree.  Liz is not alone and a lot of people ask me “how to start a design business” or don't believe it's possible for them.  But the truth is you do not need a four-year degree to start making money with design.    In fact, many famous designers of our time do not have their degree.

In the video success story below you can see the gorgeous design plans Liz made for her clients and how she has reinvented herself as a designer by simply going through my Expert E-Designer course and following my marketing plan.

Watch the Video Success Story Below:

Here's the email Liz sent me what is another example success story of how to start a design business without a four year degree...

"Audra, thanks so much for these courses. I just completed the home staging and redesign course. It was amazing! You have a God given talent of teaching and putting together an easy to read, comprehensive program. I am so amazed and grateful that you even provide everything necessary for a successful business. I want to order the e-design course because I've gotten all these e-design clients already!

I'm 50, and I have been doing community work for the past 15 years. And now I can marry my desire to help people with my passion for interior design.”

Liz took a chance on herself and decided to use her creative talents to change direction and start fresh in a whole new design career.  Make no mistake...it takes a lot of work but if you have these four things, you can do it:

  • A passion for design
  • A desire to help people create a beautiful space
  • The tools to showcase your work and design plans beautifully
  • A smart marketing plan that allows people to see your talent and easily purchase a design package

My 21-Day HSR Certification Course in Staging and Redesign sets the foundation and provides the confidence you need to build a design or staging business.  My shorter, 3-Day Expert E-Designer course provides a specific plan, process, scripts, emails, pricing, packaging and strategy to take your newfound design business into creating design plans and packages for clients.

In a follow up email, Liz says, “I completed the boards for four clients that I found on Bark. One client who seemed to love the boho vintage style, told me that my designs were everything she wanted in her head, but she couldn't articulate.

I'm so grateful for finding your program. I came into it thinking I wanted to do staging, but I've decided I love E-design. I never thought I'd be doing design at 50 without a degree. Thank you. I'm so excited about my new career.”

Her clients, of course, loved the e-design boards, and they want to do more rooms. This is what I teach you in the e-design training. Start with the design plan. People need the plan first so that they can have a very coordinated home. And once they see you work with one room, they will want to buy more.

Thank you Liz for sharing your story and talent to encourage others!   

If you're reading this and have a passion for design but just need the roadmap...go ahead and download my free Design Roadmap below:

How to Do E-Design

Download Our Expert E-Design Training Checklist to See All the Goodies in the Training...

See the "How to Start a Design Business" Video on Youtube

Click to play

I absolutely love that the HSR templates are available to hit the ground running with and promote my new eDesign service!


They are beautifully created and I think that my clients will love them. Audra did a fantastic job walking me through the marketing automated systems. She really knows how to explain everything in such a positive way that makes me even more excited for this industry!

Tiffani Michalenko

Lenko Design



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