Case Studies
Read how other Interior Designers' businesses Reached their potential
Case Study:
How Chelsea Streamlined Her Bi-Coastal Design Studio With One Seamless System
Interior Designer | Los Angeles & New York City
When Chelsea (owner of The Kingsway Co.) came to HB & Co., she was balancing something most designers dream of: a thriving design practice in two major cities.
But behind the scenes, her business was running on PDFs, editable templates, and a patchwork of folders that made every project feel heavier than it needed to be.
This is the story of how one intentional system transformed the way she worked, and unexpectedly supported a major business expansion.
The Before
Juggling Million-Dollar Projects With PDF Contracts + Manual Tracking
Chelsea’s client roster was full. Her projects were stunning. Her reputation was strong.
But her backend?
- Editable PDFs saved in multiple folders
- Contracts updated manually for every client
- Proposals emailed as attachments
- Invoices tracked by hand
- Checks and manual transfers delaying payments
-
No visibility into who opened what and when
“I used to send editable PDFs and track everything manually… I was just hoping the client downloaded the right version.”
Managing LA and NYC clients with this workflow left too much room for human error and it was costing her time, energy, and peace of mind.
The Turning Point
A New York Project That Became a Second Client Base
Chelsea had completed a renovation for her sister in Manhattan; a project that came with layers of approvals, co-op board requirements, and contractor communication.
The project ended with a realtor open house… and the open house ended with three new clients right in the same building.
“We swore we’d never work in New York again… now over half my clients are there.”
Suddenly, she had become a bi-coastal designer.
But her systems weren’t built to support that growth, especially from across the country.
That’s when she came to HB & Co. for a done-for-you Dubsado setup.
The After
One High-End System Supporting a High-End Studio
With her custom Dubsado ecosystem in place, everything shifted.
✔ Faster, seamless payments
Clients now pay instantly through Stripe; no more downloads or mailed checks.
“My invoices get paid so much faster now — clients just click and pay.”
✔ Contracts + proposals in one place
Every document now lives inside a polished, branded client flow — version-proof and effortless.
✔ Crystal-clear project visibility
Chelsea can view every client, every step, and every deliverable at a glance.
✔ Legal + financial protection through automation
Her system didn’t just create ease — it created security.
“A contractor ignored my invoices, and that Dubsado red receipt literally saved me in small claims court.”
The Results:
Since her system overhaul, Chelsea has:
- Shortened her invoicing + onboarding cycle
- Reduced admin time dramatically
- Increased her payment turnaround
- Strengthened her legal and communication trail
- Built a backend capable of supporting multi-city growth
But the real transformation?
Confidence. Clarity. Peace of mind.
Her business finally feels as elevated as the spaces she designs.
Ready for your own transformation?
If you’re building a high-end interior design studio, you deserve a backend that feels just as elevated.
Case Study: The Staged Haus
How a chaotic onboarding process transformed into a streamlined, professional client journey that tripled business growth
Home Stager | Austin, Texas
Meet Randy Baiza, Founder of The Staged Haus
Before working together, Randy was juggling an onboarding process that simply could not keep up with the demands of a fast-scaling home staging business. Important details slipped through the cracks. Stress was constant. Nothing felt cohesive or polished.
He knew his client experience needed structure and clarity, but more importantly, he needed a backend that actually supported him rather than slowed him down.
The Challenge
Randy reached out because his onboarding process felt chaotic and overwhelming. He described it as:
- Stressful
- Disorganized
- Filled with important details that were sliding under the radar
- Lacking a clear and efficient way to collect client information
He was not just looking for a system. He was looking for a way to reclaim his time and peace of mind and present a consistent, elevated experience to his clients.
What We Built Together
Through strategic process mapping and several collaborative sessions, we built a refined client journey that:
- Captures all necessary project details with clarity
- Automates repetitive touchpoints
- Supports both his internal workflows and client communications
- Elevates the professionalism of his entire brand experience
Randy shared that this backend transformation dramatically improved how clients perceive his business.
“Our systems and processes have made us look very professional to our clients. I have had many applaud us.”
The Results:
The outcomes were both tangible and transformational.
Time Saved
By identifying the exact process that fit his business and automating the repetitive work, Randy now saves hours each week that he previously spent chasing details and sending manual communication.
A More Professional Brand
Clients immediately noticed the shift and consistently comment on how elevated and organized his onboarding has become.
Business Growth
While he plans to verify his numbers, Randy shared that he believes his business has tripled since implementing his new client journey.
This is the power of a backend that matches the quality of your work!
In Randy’s Words
“I would highly recommend your services. You were so patient in learning the intricacies of my business and helping me figure out the best method to capture the information I need and what to send through automation, etc.”
The Transformation at a Glance
- Onboarding workflow before: stressful, chaotic, details slipping through cracks
- After: streamlined, automated, elevated
- Client perception: significantly more professional
- Time savings: numerous hours per week reclaimed
- Growth: approximately 3x increase in business
Case Study: From Chaos to Clarity
Interior Designer | New York State
Before We Worked Together
When Danielle (owner of Danielle Rose Design Co.) first reached out, she was a solo entrepreneur carrying every detail of her client process on her own shoulders. She needed support, structure, and a way to deliver a polished experience without adding more hours to her already full workload.
She had just worked with IDCO for branding and was blown away by how seamless their Dubsado experience felt. She wanted that same elevated touch for her clients.
She shared that she reached out for two reasons:
- To streamline the touchpoints of her process
- To remove the burden of doing everything manually and automate what she could from the beginning
She was building the plane while flying it, like so many designers. Until this point, nothing had ever been fully documented.
The Turning Point: Mapping a Real Process for the First Time
During our work together, something shifted. For the first time, she sat down and put pen to paper to define every step of her client journey.
We built a complete visual flowchart that clarified:
- What happens when
- Who is responsible
- How information is communicated
- How automation supports the experience
For years after our setup, she kept that flowchart as her north star. She used it while onboarding a design assistant, then a full time employee, then a second full time employee. She used it to build her Asana structure. She used it to keep her process consistent while her team grew around her.
Even now, she says the structure we built is still close to what they use in the studio today.
As a highly visual thinker, she said the flowchart became the piece that finally helped her see and trust her own process.
How Her Client Experience Transformed
Once Dubsado was implemented, everything changed both internally and externally.
A streamlined, luxury first inquiry experience
When a new client submits an inquiry:
- They immediately receive a personalized Flowdesk email
- Their details feed into her CRM without manual work
- It sends a templated Dubsado email within one to two days
- All she has to do is add a single line of personalization
Clients repeatedly comment that the process feels easy, intuitive, and elevated from the very first touchpoint. It communicates professionalism before she has even spoken with them.
Proposal and contract phases became effortless
Every proposal is mostly templated. The only section she swaps is the scope of work. Everything else is already polished, branded, and ready to send.
Because the inquiry and investment guide set expectations early, her discovery calls are no longer sales calls. Clients come prepared, informed, and confident. They often say, “I hope this is a project you want to take on.”
A more confident sales process
With pricing parameters clearly established before a conversation even begins, the money talk is no longer a hurdle. She can focus on the vision rather than justifying the investment.
She now receives acceptance on roughly 98 percent of the proposals she sends.
The Power of a System That Saves Time and Elevates the Brand
When asked which mattered more, the time saved or the elevated experience, she said they are deeply connected.
- She wanted professionalism for her clients.
- She needed time savings for herself.
Dubsado made both possible.
The process she once tried to manage manually would have taken triple the effort without automation. The pinging, the follow ups, the repetitive work, the constant mental load. Once those were removed, she could finally operate at the level she envisioned.
Why She Uses Both Dubsado and Studio Designer
I shared that I often get asked if Dubsado and Studio Designer are redundant. For her, the answer is clear.
Dubsado handles:
- Inquiry flow
- Lead qualification
- Scheduling
- Investment guide delivery
- Proposal and contract presentation
- Automated communication
- The entire client experience up to the approved proposal
Studio Designer handles the financial side once the project enters execution.
Dubsado is what keeps the front end of the business running with clarity and confidence.
Growth That Scales with the Team
What began as a solopreneur studio now includes multiple employees, a growing roster of projects, and more structure than ever before. The process we created together continues to support her expansion.
She still returns for yearly check ins to refine the system and elevate as the business grows. And every year, the system continues to prove its value.
The Transformation at a Glance
- Built the first documented process in the business
- Created visual clarity that guided team onboarding for years
- Streamlined all early stage client communication
- Created a luxury inquiry to proposal experience
- Set clear parameters that reduced people pleasing and scope creep
- Moved from selling to selecting the right clients
- Achieved approximately 98 percent proposal acceptance
- Saved hours each week by automating repetitive tasks
- Built a client journey that feels elevated, polished, and effortless