What Dead Roses Taught Me About Running Your Design Business

I think I killed my Mom’s rose bushes and I feel sick about it.

(Stick with me. This will help your business.)

A few weeks ago I entered Garden Mode, that annual obsession cured only by embedding dirt deep into your fingernails. This affliction also means I want far more plants than I'm willing to spend money on. The solution? Collect free plants from Mom's gardens.

She loves these visits. They’re a chance to show off what's blooming and joyfully share the overflow. Armed with my favorite shovel, I follow behind as she points to whatever I can take, and I start digging.

Then she said: "And you can have these roses. I'm done taking care of them."

Not cruel. Matter-of-fact. The message was clear: These roses are on their own because there's a lot to take care of, and she's not going to lie to them or herself about her willingness to help them along.

As the new caretaker, I loaded these climbing roses into a five-gallon bucket, hauled them home, and placed them in what I thought was the perfect spot.

Except… I don't think they like it there. Maybe? It's hard to tell and I don't want to hurt them more.

But this isn't about roses.

It's about Stewardship.

The reason I feel sick is that I desperately want these roses to thrive, but I don't know what I don’t know. (These are my first roses. I'm working on it.) As the steward of my garden, I know plants need the right amount of water, light, and nutrients.

Interior designers have this same sense of stewardship toward your art form, your clients, your employees. The upside? Creativity, enthusiasm, grit. You want Win-Win-Win scenarios. Positive outcomes for everyone involved.

The downside? Deep worry about doing the right thing, making the right choices, doing no harm. And this anxiety amplifies when it comes to the numbers and financial bits.

This is the heart of a Steward. There are three elements to this role:

1. Willingness to care for your business.
2. Knowing what it needs.
3. Ability to provide for those needs.

You have #1 in spades. 

#2 is a blind spot if the phrase "I'm not good with numbers” resonates with you.

And you don’t know the gaps of #3 if you don’t have eyes on #2.

The good news is that #2 is teachable and #3 is hireable.

I understand the jolt in your belly that might come when you hear the phrase “Know your numbers.” It feels like you’re out of the loop, like a key data point is lurking in the unknown that is going to bite you if you don’t find it first.

I’ve been in accounting for 20 years. Hear me when I say this:

You are not bad at numbers. 

This isn't even a numbers problem. It has nothing to do with math. It's about knowing how to understand the needs of your business and planning resources to thrive. 

You are the Steward your business needs. And that role can bring you so much joy and satisfaction when you feel like you know what you’re doing.

I like having garden dirt in my fingernails. It's a Gardener's Badge of Honor. The work and the result give me joy.

If I can learn what my roses need, you can learn to listen to your business. This can be fun💜

If you're ready to stop worrying about what you're missing and start being the steward your business deserves, let's talk. I promise: low pressure, highly useful, and usually a huge exhale.

Visit MeganDahle.com to learn more.

💜 Megan