Introduction: How to Grow Your Business in 2025
2025 is going to be personal. After a whirlwind of growth, challenges, and recalibration, I know how easy it is to feel like you’re running just to stay in place. But I’ve also seen what happens when I take a step back.
It’s crucial to focus on what matters and design systems that support the life I want to live. That’s what 2025 is about for me—getting it right, refining what I've learnt along the way.
A combination of luck and conscious effort has allowed me to position myself to work with aligned people. I’ve built a brand—a vibe—that people want to get behind and support. And I’m eternally grateful for the community of people who surround both of my businesses.
There’s also a sense of responsibility here. I’ve created something that helps other business owners—people like you—cut through the overwhelm and reclaim their time. I believe in the tools I’ve built and the systems I use every day because they’ve changed how I work, how I approach challenges, and how I define success for myself.
These tools are not a cure-all. They’re a significant piece of the puzzle—a puzzle that’s constantly moving, with elements often outside our control. Running a business is like solving a moving puzzle. Just when you think you’ve nailed one part, another shift threatens to undo all the progress you’ve made.
And as we look ahead to 2025, it’s clear it’s going to be a challenging year for all of us.
A Framework I'm Using For a Year of Instability
A recent report by CJP Insights highlights the top concerns for business leaders in 2025: economic instability, labour shortages, and rising material costs. These pressures directly impact industries like ours, adding another layer of complexity to our work.
Clients are going to compare, question, and weigh their options—and price will often be their focus unless we give them a reason to see beyond it.
This means we need to rethink how we operate. You need to be making your value clear, cutting unnecessary costs, and proactively preparing for what’s ahead.
Connect the why, what, and how of your business with your goals for the year ahead. Again, one piece of the puzzle, it’s a way to think critically about how each action you take will affect your business.
At the end of each section, you’ll find a question. Take the time to answer honestly—it’s there to ensure the strategy isn’t just “good on paper” but works for you, your clients, and the kind of business you want to run.
Marketing Yourself as Essential
With clients cutting back on discretionary spending, your services must feel indispensable. If they see you as a “want,” they’ll hesitate. If they see you as a “need,” you’re the obvious choice. Marketing essential services in 2025 means positioning your work as indispensable and solving tangible problems for your clients.
How to Improve It:
Communicate how your work solves specific problems or delivers results. Only you can do this, dive deep into your business positioning. My 40-page client guide does this here.
Use social media consistently to build brand awareness and stay top-of-mind.
Showcase testimonials and case studies that demonstrate your impact.
Reflection Question:
How does my current marketing make it obvious why clients need me, and not just someone else?
Streamlining Operations for Architects & Designers
In uncertain economies cutting costs, improving workflows, and focusing on what truly matters will help you protect profits and free up energy for high-value work or securing more work. Knowing how to cut business costs in 2025 without compromising on value will set you apart as it allows you to overdeliver, a key ingredient to getting more clients for interior designers and architects.
How to Improve It:
Audit your workflows to identify inefficiencies.
Use templates for interior designers and architects to standardise repetitive tasks like onboarding or invoicing.
Trim unnecessary expenses while investing in tools that save time.
Reflection Question:
Where am I currently spending more time or money than I should, and how can I fix that? Check out my Buying Back Your Time post on instagram here. It's inspired by this book.
Leveraging AI and Technology
Technology is advancing rapidly, and businesses that embrace tools like AI will work smarter, not harder. This will be crucial in staying ahead of competitors and justifying higher fees.
We are entering a new paradigm, what can you do now, that you couldn't do before? It's a really good way to identify new ways of working.
How to Improve It:
Incorporate AI tools for design, communication, or project management.
Explore platforms like MidJourney or Rendair for visuals
Train yourself or your team on emerging technologies to keep pace with industry trends.
Utilise younger team members who may be more tech-savvy to help.
Reflection Question:
Which parts of my workflow could be enhanced or replaced by AI, and how would that improve my results?
Getting more Referrals and Building a Loyal Following
In a competitive market, loyal clients and strong referrals are invaluable. They're your low-hanging fruit. Building trust and maintaining clear, consistent communication will set you apart from competitors focused solely on price. Based on experience, clients coming through word-of-mouth are way more likely to pick you based on quality, over cost.
How to Improve It:
Proactively check in with clients and anticipate their needs.
Set clear boundaries in contracts to protect your time and scope.
Make it easy for happy clients to refer you
Reflection Question:
Am I doing enough to nurture my existing client relationships, or am I too focused on finding new ones?
Why I'm Using a Framework to Grow My Business in 2025
The root of this framework lies in proactive preparation. By marketing yourself, streamlining operations, embracing new tools, and prioritising existing relationships, you can avoid being caught off guard.
More importantly, you’ll position yourself to thrive and be ahead of the game, over-delivering and offering clients a clear reason to choose you over others while keeping your business efficient and adaptable.
If you're looking for other ways to streamline your practice, you can always download my free 40-page client guide here. 100% start with positioning your practice, it makes everything easier that way.
