- October 20, 2025
- Heather McManus
Interior designers work hard and are passionate about what they do—it’s an art form.
Like most artists, too many designers assume they can’t earn good money and enjoy what they do. Let me smash this misconception to pieces!
Early in my career as an interior designer, I struggled to make enough profit to keep my head above water despite all kinds of professional success.
I’d been featured in many national and local magazines, I had a polished website, I was winning awards, I had ideal clients, and I was working hard on the business every day. The missing piece was how I was sourcing for clients.
When I made the shift from purchasing at retail stores to buying directly from vendors at their best price tier, everything changed. Suddenly I could pay myself and my bills—with a little extra left each month to reinvest back into my business.
I thought I was well on my way. I’d opened accounts with an upholstery company, a case goods company, and an accessory company at stocking-dealer price levels.
But then I fell into a new trap—it wasn’t long before I felt creatively stifled by this limited number of options and under pressure to meet sales minimums to maintain stocking-dealer pricing at all three companies.
Then I started sharing resources and pooling orders with four other designers. At the time, it was a less formal structure, and we simply called it “the buying group.” It worked so well that, since those humble beginnings at my dining table in 2016, The Designers Collaborative has grown to over 500 members from across the U.S. and beyond.
Our community now offers access to more than 300 vendors, supported by professional staff and processes to make it all happen. TDC features an active community, tools, and education to help designers at every level succeed together.
No interior designer has to struggle to be profitable or to have real creative freedom.
We’re not here to make money off of you—we’re here to help you make money. You’ll make back your membership fee with just one order at stocking-dealer pricing—and you don’t have to stop there. If you’re ready to skyrocket your business, join us at The Designers Collaborative.
