Circaphiles

LIVE KEY CALL: OPTIMIZING THE ARCHITECT-TO-DESIGNER PROCESS
2025-08-13 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom
Designers often face the challenge of translating complex architectural plans into an efficient design drawing plan set, thorough enough for a builder, while also being mindful of overstepping their boundaries. Taryn Bone of Bone Collective Studio will address this pain point head on by providing practical solutions to streamline collaboration, eliminating a guessing game, and improve communication and project output between an architect and designer, strengthening the team’s value. Bring all of your challenges and questions to this intimate, engaging conversation!

Prior to launching Bone Collective Studio, Taryn honed her skills at several award-winning architecture and interior design firms including Johnston Marklee, Belzberg Architects, and Wilson Associates. Taryn earned her Master of Architecture from The Southern California Institute of Architecture, graduating with distinction and receiving the SCI-Arc Service Award. Her Bachelor of Science degree was earned from The University of Missouri where she majored in Architectural Studies and Interior Design.
Licensed in Massachusetts and Maine, Bone Collective Studio has executed projects in Los Angeles, Vermont, Maine, Alabama, St. Louis, & the Greater Boston Area. Taryn believes in the importance of expanding our design vocabulary by engaging with art, new places, and interesting stories.

Our monthly ”Key Calls” are typically reserved for members. If you’d like to join us for future events, Sign up now!

LIVE KEY CALL: RAISING RATES WITHOUT LOSING CLIENTS
2025-10-29 09:00 - 10:00
Are you charging less than you know your work is worth—because you’re afraid of losing clients? You’re not alone. Pricing is one of the most emotionally loaded and intimidating aspects of running a design business. Led by returning executive coach (with a niche on interior design) and entrepreneur, Kara Duffy, this Key Call will empower you to shift your mindset, raise your rates with confidence, and build a thriving, sustainable practice—without sacrificing your client base. Whether you’re just beginning to re-evaluate your pricing or ready to make bold moves, this session will give you the tools, language, and confidence to grow your revenue without sacrificing your client relationships.
You will learn:
– Ten reasons to raise your rates
– How to create a roadmap for increasing your rates over time
– Methods to confidently answer tough client questions about your fees
– How to inform existing clients of your new rates
– Current market knowledge of interior design fees
Bring all of your questions to ask and experience to share to this intimate session!

Our monthly ”Key Calls” are typically reserved for members. If you’d like to join us for future events, Sign up now!

LIVE KEY CALL: DESIGNER ROUNDTABLE (PEER-LED ZOOM EVENT)
2025-12-17 09:00 - 10:00
It’s that time of year again: the endless holiday to-do list, looming client deadlines, and the quiet pressure of a new year nudging you to set fresh goals.
Before you tumble headfirst into a new year, we want to offer you a moment to slow down—just long enough to breathe, reconnect, and feel excited about the possibilities waiting for you in 2026.
And what better way to do that than with people who actually understand your world?
On December 17 at 9 AM, you’re invited to gather with fellow designers for a warm, honest, peer-led roundtable.
This Zoom event is a space for real conversation—where you can swap stories, share what’s on your heart, and spark fresh ideas for the year ahead. If you’ve been craving clarity or simply a connection with a supportive circle of designers who “get it,” you’ll feel right at home here.
To make the most of our time, come ready to reflect on:

Your biggest interior design pet peeve OR a client request you will never forget
What’s one habit, belief, or process you’re ready to release in the new year?
What’s something you want to begin—something that could shift the way you work in 2026?

We’ll close by sharing our favorite resources—those small-but-mighty things that make the design life smoother, saner, or just more fun.

Our monthly ”Key Calls” are typically reserved for members. If you’d like to join us for future events, Sign up now!

LIVE KEY CALL: PRICING FOR DIFFICULT CLIENTS
2026-01-15 09:00 - 10:00
HOW TO PROTECT PROFIT WHEN CLIENTS ARE HIGH-TOUCH, HIGH-DEMAND, OR INDECISIVE
Before you roll full speed into January, let’s pause and talk about something that can take a big toll on designers: pricing—especially when clients are high-touch, high-demand, or endlessly indecisive.
Those clients often cost more than we anticipate. So how do we protect our profit without sacrificing professionalism or client relationships? If you’ve ever felt frustrated, uncomfortable, or unsure how to price projects that require extra hand-holding, this conversation is for you.
On January 15 from 9:00–10:00 AM PDT, join us for a live Key Call on smarter pricing strategies for difficult clients, led by business coach Kara Duffy.
Kara helps interior designers price their services with confidence, clarity, and boundaries that actually hold. With decades of experience advising businesses of all sizes, she understands what it takes to run an efficient, profitable design practice.
Together, we’ll explore:

How to spot high-touch, high-demand, or indecisive client patterns early
Smart pricing structures that account for added time, revisions, and emotional labor
How to set and communicate boundaries with clarity and confidence
Language to use when pricing conversations feel awkward or emotionally charged
The one thing to avoid doing when working with discriminating clients
Case study/learning lesson from designers on the call

Bring your questions, your real-life experiences, and join us for an intimate, candid conversation.

Our monthly ”Key Calls” are typically reserved for members. If you’d like to join us for future events, Sign up now!

LIVE KEY CALL: FINANCIAL MOVES EVERY DESIGNER SHOULD MAKE BEFORE TAX DAY
2026-03-11 09:00 - 10:00
Tax day is right around the corner.
For many designers, bookkeeping, cash flow, and tax prep feel overwhelming — not because you’re doing anything wrong, but because no one ever taught creatives how to manage the numbers side of business with confidence. Where does that leave you? Missed opportunities, unnecessary stress, and last-minute scrambles as April 15 approaches.
On March 11 from 9:00–10:00 AM PT, join us for a live Key Call focused on the most important financial moves designers should make before tax deadlines hit.
We will be guided by Morgan Boudreaux, Vice President at Business by the Book, a women-led business that specializes in helping creatives understand their numbers, clean up their finances, and make decisions rooted in clarity — not fear or confusion.
Together, we’ll explore:

The key financial checklist to make before April 15
Common tax-season mistakes designers make — and how to avoid them
How to understand what your numbers are actually telling you
What to organize now to reduce stress, surprises, and missed deductions
How proactive financial habits support long-term growth, not just tax season

Bring your questions, your current challenges, and join us for an honest, approachable conversation designed to leave you feeling more informed and more in control.

Our monthly ”Key Calls” are typically reserved for members. If you’d like to join us for future events, Sign up now!

LIVE KEY CALL: DESIGNER OFFICE HOURS WITH GAIL BARAL
2026-05-20 09:00 - 10:00
Whether you’re running your own firm or part of a design team, managing timelines, clients, boundaries, marketing — and the constant pressure to “figure it out” — can feel isolating and exhausting. It’s easy to start second-guessing your decisions and wishing you had a trusted space to talk things through with fellow designers who have been down that road.
That’s exactly why we’re hosting Zoom Office Hours.
On May 20, join Genevieve and guest expert Gail Baral, Business Strategy and Mindset Coach — and a former interior designer herself. For over 20 years, Gail has coached and mentored creative entrepreneurs and small businesses worldwide, helping them untangle the strategic and mindset roadblocks that keep them stuck.
Together, they’ll create a warm, supportive space where no question is too small or too messy.
This is your opportunity to ask about:
• Pricing and profitability
• Client boundaries
• Team dynamics and delegation
• Growth strategy
• Mindset blocks and decision fatigue
• Or whatever’s been quietly weighing on you
Bring your questions. Leave with clarity, practical guidance, and the reassurance that you’re not navigating this alone.

Our monthly ”Key Calls” are typically reserved for members. If you’d like to join us for future events, Sign up now!

LIVE KEY CALL: A HEFTIER BOTTOM LINE: RETHINKING HOURLY VS FLAT FEES
2026-06-10 09:00 - 10:00
As designers, pricing is one of the hardest things to get right.
We want it to feel clear, professional, and easy for clients to say yes to.
But behind the scenes, many designers are asking:

“Did I undercharge for this?”
“Why did this project take so much more time than I expected?”
“Am I actually profitable?”

And more often than not, the issue isn’t how hard we’re working. It’s how our pricing is structured.
Flat fees can feel simple and straightforward to present. But when the scope expands (which it often does), those underestimated hours start to add up and profitability takes a hit.
What if, instead of choosing between hourly or flat fee, you approached pricing in a more strategic, layered way? What if you built a pricing structure that protects both your time and the client experience?
On June 10 at 9:00 AM PT, join Genevieve and guest expert Claire Jefford, interior designer and business coach, for a live Key Call focused on how to rethink your pricing structure and stop undercharging.
Together, we’ll explore how to:
• Identify where your current pricing is falling short
• Understand why flat fees often lead to missed revenue
• Separate design and implementation to better protect your time
• Introduce a hybrid pricing model that adapts to real project scope
• Communicate pricing clearly and confidently to clients
If you’ve ever finished a project wondering where the profit went, this session will help you build a pricing structure that actually holds up.

Our monthly ”Key Calls” are typically reserved for members. If you’d like to join us for future events, Sign up now!

WHAT CLIENTS DECIDE ABOUT YOU IN THE FIRST 15 MINUTES
2026-08-19 09:00 - 10:00
As designers, we’re trained to focus on the work, like planning spaces, sourcing materials, constructing drawings, and working with contractors.
But long before the design begins, something else is happening.
In the first few minutes of meeting you, clients are already deciding who you are, whether they trust you, whether you’re leading the process, and whether they feel confident placing their project in your hands.
No pressure, right?
As designers, it’s critical to learn how to interact with clients and shape these early first impressions without performing, over-explaining, or people-pleasing.
On August 19 at 9:00 AM PT, join Genevieve and guest expert Matt Moran, TEDx speaker, facilitator, and coach on communication strategies, for a live Key Call focused on the subtle signals that shape client perception in the first 15 minutes.
Together, we’ll explore how to:

• Understand what clients are subconsciously evaluating when they meet you
• Establish authority and trust without over-performing
• Communicate confidence without slipping into people-pleasing
• Set the tone for a collaborative, respectful working relationship
• Lead conversations in a way that earns genuine client buy-in
If you’ve ever left a consultation wishing you had shown up differently, this session will help you understand the small shifts that change how clients experience you from the very beginning.

Our monthly ”Key Calls” are typically reserved for members. If you’d like to join us for future events, Sign up now!
