Your Environment Shapes Your Success: Transform Your Workspace with Holly Scott |EP299

Interior designer Holly Scott shares how to create workspaces that boost productivity and bring joy through thoughtful design choices that reflect your personality and support your success.

• Journey from window dressing at luxury retailers like Harrods to interior design entrepreneur
• The concept of "happy homes" where design creates positive feelings and supports lifestyle needs
• Critical workspace design elements: lighting, storage solutions, and strategic use of color
• Why natural light and layered lighting dramatically improve productivity and wellbeing
• The psychological impact of color choices—blues energize, greens balance, and grays depress
• Maximizing vertical space with beautiful, functional storage to eliminate productivity-killing clutter
• Monthly goal-setting and tracking progress as essential business management practices
• Overcoming creative entrepreneur challenges like self-doubt through testimonials and support
• Free resources including workshops and guides to create your own happy, productive space

Get Holly's free guide to creating a happy home at HollyScottInteriorDesign or connect with her on Instagram @hollyscottinteriordesign to transform your workspace and boost productivity.
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Chapters

• 1:24 Meet Interior Designer Holly Scott
• 10:02 From Window Dressing to Interior Design
• 17:42 Creating Happy Homes That Reflect Personalities
• 26:43 Workspace Design for Maximum Productivity
• 37:15 Planning a Business and Setting Goals
• 45:33 Mindset Challenges and Self-Belief

Transcript

Donna Eade: 0:33

You're listening to the Mindset in Action podcast, the place to be to grow and streamline your business. I'm your host, donna Eade. Let's jump into the show. Welcome back to the podcast, everybody. Now I promised you that I was bringing you some more guests down the line, and I have one here with me today Holly Scott, interior designer extraordinaire. Welcome to the show.

Holly Scott: 1:03

Thank you so much for having me. I'm very excited to be here.

Donna Eade: 1:08

I'm excited to have you. So I met Holly through a networking event and I thought you know what thought? Do you know what I know for me? That when my workspace is a mess, my productivity goes way down. And I thought I know a lady who will know a little bit about how we should be setting up our workspace for maximum productivity. So I invited her onto the show. But before we dump, dump, before we dump, before we jump into all of that, goodness, holly, tell us a little bit about who you are, what it is that you do and how you've come to be where you are today.

Holly Scott: 1:44

Okay, amazing, thank you. So I am Holly from Holly Scott Interior Design. I'm based in South Oxfordshire and well, where should we start? I've always been creative and I started my I suppose creative journey back at school, studying art and textiles and business studies for A-levels. I then went off to university and studied mixed media textiles because I wanted to do something that was quite hands-on and creative and that sounded quite fun, to be honest. And then came out of university and that sounded quite fun, to be honest. And then came out of university, went travelling which was amazing and then came back and thought, right, I need to get a proper job. What jobs are out there that are creative? And actually it was my dad that said to me what about window dressing? I said what's window dressing? Because you don't know about all these jobs, do you? When you have been studying? You just don't.

Holly Scott: 2:37

But when I was a little girl, we used to drive up to London at Christmas to look at the Christmas lights and the Christmas windows and I loved it. So I thought, yes, that would be really fun. So that's where my journey started. I started with doing work experience at Selfridges in their window team, then helped in their interiors team and then my first, I suppose, paid job apart from freelancing with them was at Harrods and Harvey Nichols Actually sorry, harvey Nichols was first doing the windows and the interiors. Then I moved on to Harrods where I had a split role, so I was dressing the windows but also that link between the creative department and the marketing department, because they sell all of their windows to different brands and, yeah, which not everyone knows about, but I suppose to have a window in Knightsbridge in the front of Harrods is pretty good marketing.

Holly Scott: 3:33

So, I would liaise with the brand and the marketing team and creative, and I would design their windows, making sure we had all the elements that everybody needed in them. Brilliant, that was, I suppose, when I properly started designing spaces and then from there I went and worked for Ralph Lauren in all of the London flagship stores, went and worked for Ralph Lauren in all of the London flagship stores and every time a collection of clothing changes in each actually each store, if you've been into them, each room or section is different and we would change all of the props. We would change the flooring, the artwork, as I said, the props, the flowers to suit the season and the collection of clothing coming in, the flowers to suit the season and the collection of clothing coming in. So that was really creative and great fun. And also each different store had a different vibe.

Holly Scott: 4:23

So bond street is all mahogany flooring, um, you know, grand pianos, that kind of thing, ducati motorbikes I had to source um. And then the brompton cross store is more shabby chic, so I I think I had to source an albino taxidermy peacock, a chairlift, I mean really cool. So that was really fun. And again, you know, really designing those spaces and styling the mannequins. So that was, you know, one side of it as well. And then I got pregnant and we moved out of London when I was heavily pregnant with our first daughter, who's now 13. Scary, wow. And I just knew that I didn't want to go back into working in retail, mainly because in November you're working all through the night to hand Christmas garlands. I wanted to be a mum that was around.

Donna Eade: 5:14

Yeah.

Holly Scott: 5:15

And so actually working those hours wasn't, wasn't going to work no but I grew up in a wedding venue so I thought, okay, I could do some event styling, but when you've got a baby and you don't really know about marketing and anything else, I did my website but I didn't really do an awful lot else. Um, then I joined Stellar and Dot, which was a network marketing company jewellery and accessories. That was my fashion fix. It fitted around being a mum so I would go and style women in the evenings after I put the kids to bed, yeah. Um, and then they pulled their European business and everyone who knew me said you need to be creative again. You've been lost selling jewelry. I said no, I was actually really good at it and I enjoyed it and I built a team of other stylists and it was great, fun and it just worked.

Holly Scott: 6:10

At that time in my life, I suppose, and I thought, yes, I do need to be creative again, because by this point both the girls were in school, so I had more time and that's when I started to do a bit more with kind of interior styling. But it wasn't until the beginning of lockdown where I kind of had the aha moment. So I was kind of doing a different jewellery business alongside and it made sense for me doing fashion and interiors because, if you you know, you know my story and my path. I was doing both, but I felt like I should be focusing on one. And actually trying to sell jewellery when we weren't leaving the house and we didn't know what was going on just felt a bit odd. So I found the interior designers hub, which is amazing and it had the training on how to set up an interior design business. So I knew that I could design spaces. I wanted to help people in their homes because I think it's more personable and, you know, has such an impact. But I wasn't really sure how to.

Donna Eade: 7:12

It's the business side of it, isn't it? Yeah, the business side. That's what I say about all creatives. So, as somebody who was in the wedding industry for a long time, the reason I started this podcast in the first place it used to be called the wedding pro cast UK and it was aimed at wedding vendors to help them do the business side of it, to give them more time to do the fun stuff that they enjoyed.

Holly Scott: 7:34

So I get that exactly. I mean, I knew how to run a business from the jewelry, but for some reason my mindset couldn't get around. I was like, well, how do I work out my packages and how do I do my pricing? And that's when I rebranded actually to be Holly Scott interior design and actually started putting myself out there, because I'd been networking as an interior designer but I wasn't really putting anything out into the world. And that's when it all then aligned and actually I realized that we were stuck in our homes and so many people probably were thinking I really don't like my house color and it was a depressing time as well, and I think at that point in time everybody had gray and actually gray is a really depressing colour.

Holly Scott: 8:19

So I started by really helping people through virtual interior design consultations and virtual design. All my business came through networking, because online networking was kind of the thing to do, and then it's just grown since then, which has been amazing. So I do one to one-one design work, but then I created an online course called happy home design. Uh, I think it's three years ago, because I realized I wanted to help more people. But when there's only one of you and you're designing, you know designing takes a long time and also it's a premium service. So I have created this amazing even if I say so myself um online course to teach creative homeowners my award-winning process, but in really easy steps so that they can follow it. They don't get overwhelmed, because so many people are overwhelmed about choosing the wrong color, worried about making expensive mistakes. Um, might know kind of what styles they like, might be happy pinning on Pinterest, but actually when you come to putting it all together yourself.

Donna Eade: 9:26

It's so hard.

Holly Scott: 9:27

Like I can pin all day on Pinterest.

Donna Eade: 9:30

I know what I like, but trying to make it look cohesive Like I watch Alexandra Gator on YouTube. She's an interior design person in Canada and she actually her whole YouTube channel is about going in and decorating different people. So people will apply and they get free makeovers because she gets the video out of it and she goes and makes all of the and she creates these little pin boards of like mood boards for them and I'm like wow, and it to life. And I'm like wow, why can't my house look like that? Because I have those ideas and then nothing translates translating it isn't it?

Holly Scott: 10:08

and actually I've. I've had people through the course who have studied interior design, but they are, you know, they maybe have done an extension or a renovation and they're thinking, oh my gosh, I've spent all this money on this build. I need the wow factor at the end and I'm actually I don't know how to make these choices. So for me it was about that and I now like to call myself the happy home designer. And somebody said to me recently well, what do you mean by happy homes? And I said, because I could design a beautiful space.

Holly Scott: 10:38

I said, but if it's not creating the right feeling that you want in that room, if it's not in the design styles that you like, there's so many things that it could be a beautiful room to some people, but if it doesn't give the right feeling, uh, and it doesn't work for your lifestyle, then it's not going to be happy and I want somebody to open the front door, have a breath of fresh air and go. I'm home, I love where I live, um, so, having the course, and I've got a new hybrid um version as well, where you can access me on whatsapp and have my design support alongside for those that want a little bit extra because I just want to be able to help, um, give confidence, I think, to more homeowners or people you know you could rent. I've had this conversation this morning. Actually don't have to own your house to make it feel and look how you want it, because there's loads of things you can do, even in rented.

Donna Eade: 11:33

Brilliant, and and that's where I am- now, wonderful, oh my goodness, that's a journey and a half and I I love it and I love the fact that it's been a consistent theme for you, because for me, I'm a creative person but my, my journey has been so and you've managed to kind of keep that creative thread throughout. Whereas, like, I worked at Asda at one point, I've worked at McDonald's, I've worked at a bank you know, none of these are creative and it's my work's an absolute nightmare, but I love that you've managed to to keep that core of what you love doing in all of the jobs that you have mentioned today. So that's amazing. So working on you know, our homes and having a happy home, which I actually love, that sort of idea of creating a happy home through your interior.

Donna Eade: 12:32

A lot of us now are working from home. A lot of people listening to this podcast are solopreneurs working at home and they've either got a tiny little office, like I've got, or they've got a bigger office, or they've got a corner in the dining room that they're working from and it's quite a big scope yeah, that's the word scope to throw at you, and sort of say right, encompassing all of those different types of areas that we could be working in.

Donna Eade: 13:00

Can you give us your sort of top three tips on how to set up our work environment so that we can be more productive and get more done?

Holly Scott: 13:11

yes, absolutely. I love giving tips, um. So the first thing I would talk about is lighting. This is actually such a huge part of interior design I have a whole lesson on it in my course because there's so much you can talk about. So if you're in a work environment or you're trying to do work, I would say if you can get a spot with as much natural light as possible, then that's really going to help, because natural light is amazing for everything. Obviously, that's not always doable, or you might have a small window. I mean, you could be working from a cupboard under the stairs. Actually, during COVID, I think, I did tips on where you could create workspaces in the home, because we suddenly were all need, yeah, um, but that's another conversation.

Holly Scott: 13:56

And so lighting, having as much natural lighting as possible. If you haven't got a huge window or not a huge amount in your room, mirrors are a great thing to add because they're going to bounce more light around the space. You want to make sure you've got enough task lighting so that your desk space is lit up, um, but also you want to add in basically enough layers of lighting, so ambient lighting, which is going to create the right feeling, and, you know, statement lighting to add your style in there and, you know, put a smile on your face. I've just got a new lamp here which is really fun. So making sure you've got enough layers of lighting. And actually, with your light bulbs I would say don't go for a really cold kind of blue, white light. Go for a warmer light, because that's just a nicer feel. So making sure you have enough lighting and actually, even if you're working from a corner in the dining room or a kitchen table, make sure you've got lamps or enough lighting in there. Or maybe you could position a.

Holly Scott: 14:55

I always say don't put a desk like an ugly office desk. Have a really nice statement piece of fun. It just doesn't have to be a desk. It could be a console table or a dressing table. If you can put it in a window and kind of separate the space off slightly, then that's a great thing to do. So that's the first tip. Lighting, yeah, um. The second tip, which is huge again, all these tips are actually good for any room in your home, but especially in your home office storage.

Donna Eade: 15:22

You want enough don't look at my shelves, I am looking at your shelves while I'm saying this.

Holly Scott: 15:27

I mean I've got shelves behind me too. So you want enough hidden storage that you can put all the clutter away. Because when you've got clutter around you I know I find I've got a little bit around me at the moment because I'm working on mood boards and fabric samples everywhere but having the stuff you don't need out hidden away in a cupboard or some drawers or somewhere, even in kind of box files, put the paper in there so it doesn't look messy and you can have it on open shelving if you need it, you know, keep, keep the clutter away. And I always say again don't buy an office furniture filing cabinet. Buy a beautiful piece of furniture that's going to look nice, whether it's a linen cupboard or you know a wardrobe that you can change, that you've got shelves in it. Slightly think outside the box when you're thinking about your storage. But enough hidden storage. Storage is key. You can have open shelving as well. That's quite nice to display anything to do with your branding or you and your style have some personal stuff out there.

Holly Scott: 16:27

Yeah, your awards. Yes, I've got awards of mine, some plants. Plants are a really good thing to add real plants if you can keep them alive, because they're really good for the oxygen levels, and bringing the outside in really helps as well. I know that's not really talking storage, but you're getting some extra stuff in there.

Donna Eade: 16:43

Yeah, I love it.

Holly Scott: 16:45

So really good storage, yeah. And then the third thing is colour. The colour of your space is really really important because, as I mentioned before, you want to create the right feeling in your space, so you want to choose colours that are going to help you with productivity and help you feel like that breath of fresh air. So thinking about nature bringing the outside in is really good. Blues are really good because they stimulate energy and it's like that breath of fresh air. Greens are great for kind of that balance and harmony. You could have like a little pop of yellow. That's like a sunny color. There's lots of colors you can do, but I would say keep to kind of either light and airy or mid-tones. Don't go too dark or dull with your colors because they're going to drain your energy and you don't want that. So definitely don't do grey, because that is a really depressing colour.

Donna Eade: 17:43

Get rid of the greys.

Holly Scott: 17:48

And actually like white white, brilliant white isn't good because it feels very clinical and quite cold. So you kind of need to be careful about selecting your colours. And again, even if you're in a bigger space in your house and you've just got a corner that you're working from, you can always I can't think of the word but define that area. Yeah, you can take things.

Donna Eade: 18:07

I've seen people do that like taping off certain areas and just having the paint in that one area.

Holly Scott: 18:13

So that kind of makes it that area. That's really good so you could color block that area as long as it works with the color in the rest of the room. Yeah, fine, um so I'd say those are my three key key things lighting, good lighting, and enough of it. Storage, um. And color. And again, you can bring color in with you. You know cushions, artwork, plants, your rug. You know rug on the floor. There's lots of ways you can bring colour in.

Holly Scott: 18:42

You don't necessarily have to paint the walls or paper, you know you can do it in different ways.

Donna Eade: 18:47

Yeah, mine is not. It's not white white it's. It's a slightly warmer white because I was aware that I didn't want it to be a stark white. So it is a warmer white. And I have some artwork on the walls that my sister bought me. They're shoes, actually Vintage shoes, and they're in a pink colour. So it actually brings out the pink in the wallpaper, in the paint. Sorry, but that was just something quick that we did because we needed to do something, get the room done before we moved in in. So we just sort of I was just like I don't know what to do with it just put a warm white on well, that works.

Holly Scott: 19:24

You know if you're, if you're comfortable in it. If you added kind of a blue or a green, you would probably feel the difference.

Donna Eade: 19:29

I would say so we moved into this new build.

Holly Scott: 19:33

Uh, oh, my gosh, it's nearly four years ago. Where does time go? And we kept it white for a while, mainly because we didn't have the. I spent the budget on buying new furniture in the colors and then we had it decorated. I think it's nearly two years ago now, but the difference even I shocked myself the difference that I felt from having the color on the walls was actually huge, because it really makes you feel calmer in certain areas, more energised, depending on you know the colours you choose, and even though I'd added colours with the furniture and the artwork and the curtains and all of that, then adding it to the walls as well, you know it can have a huge impact.

Donna Eade: 20:15

Yeah, yeah, col color makes a huge difference and, uh, one of the things that I like, so I've done a little bit of color work on different things. Um, because of branding and stuff like that. So, for me, like I would never paint, I would never have red paint on my walls in my house, not in a bedroom, and definitely, yeah, definitely not in the bedroom. That goes completely against the christian gray bedroom design, doesn't it? But yeah, because it's just it's, you know it's, it's a vibrant color and it, you know, and a lot of people love it. Like I love red, I love a deep, deep pillar box red. Um, but it it can be make you angry and I've known people that have had their children's rooms painted red.

Donna Eade: 21:06

Danger. And yeah, their children's behavior has been off the charts. And when they change the color of their children's bedroom, their children were so much calmer, yeah crazy, how huge difference yeah yeah, and I liked what you said about lighting as well and layering that lighting, because I've got my big window here and I would love to have my desk facing that window, but I don't like this view for the back of my videos, so until I've got that, so we just need to sort out that wall, yeah that wall that's just got a massive whiteboard on it with not a lot written on it.

Donna Eade: 21:44

Um, yeah, I don't like it, so I don't. But I love this window light. And then I have a little lamp. I have got a little lamp. I don't know whether I can pick it up and show you because I don't want to spill what's in it, but it's just a nice little lamp. It's one of my scentsy warmers guys and it's just a white warmer, but it gives off this nice little glow and obviously it's got wax in it so it smells divine as well. So it's a beautiful addition. And then I will sometimes bring in my lamp. If I'm working and it's getting dark in here, or if I'm on a video, I'll bring in light because I'm in shadow on this side. So yeah, I do bring in my lamp.

Holly Scott: 22:27

So I'm with you on that. I also have a window in here, but our windows come quite low and this doubles up as our spare room.

Holly Scott: 22:34

So, it's a sofa bed behind me, so practically to be able to get the sofa bed out, and I've got a nice big desk, I have to have it here again. I would quite like to look out the window, but it's enough. So I've actually got one of those ring lights which clips to the top of my laptop, which is new. So that's really good for video calls because obviously natural light is the most flattering. So that's really good for video calls because obviously natural light is the most flattering it is. And I've got a desk lamp here, but I've just added a taller table lamp I'm trying to get my words out and I've got the lamp over there and we've got the ceiling light, because this is a north facing room I think you've said yours is the same and when you haven't got much sunlight coming in, which you don't get the direct anyway, yeah.

Holly Scott: 23:18

It needs the needs the light.

Donna Eade: 23:19

It can feel very dark even when it's bright outside.

Holly Scott: 23:22

And in the winter, when it gets darker, you know early you need, you need the layers of light. So I would say for you, Donna, I would add some more lamps in there.

Donna Eade: 23:30

Yeah.

Holly Scott: 23:31

Even if you can get a floor lamp in somewhere as well. Yeah, it will help.

Donna Eade: 23:35

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I will get on that um, and then and then storage was your other, your other thing, and and for me, um, I have, I there's too much in this office and that's because I share it with my other half. So for those of you out there that have to share your space with somebody else, I feel your pain because he doesn't work from home, he works from the office and he rarely like during lockdown. He sat at this desk, but this desk came with him when he moved in with me, but he just doesn't use it and it just collects clutter. So, even if my desk space is nice, he's, I'll show Holly, look at the state of that.

Holly Scott: 24:21

Oh, okay, right, what you need to do is you need to get rid of the desk and actually remember you have vertical space in a room. So, yes, you haven't got a huge amount of floor space. Put in an enclosed shelving unit or, like I said, a wardrobe and but with shelves in it. You can then put box files and you can stack everything in. So, actually, but I feel your pain, because we have this was the dumping room. Yeah, as in those fitted wardrobes in here.

Holly Scott: 24:48

But when we moved into this house, everything that came from our old loft pretty much ended up in there. Yeah, so it wasn't. And I even had a chest of drawers in there to try and use the vertical space, but it was so bad. And my daughter recently said, mummy, I'd like that chest of drawers in there to try and use the vertical space, but it was so bad. And my daughter recently said, mummy, I'd like that chest of drawers. And I said, brilliant, because actually I don't want it in there, I'd like it out. It's a beautiful old pine piece of furniture. So she now has it. But I came back from taking my youngest to a dance competition to find the whole contents of the wardrobe all over my floor oh my goodness, literally had a bit of a panic attack yeah, this

Holly Scott: 25:23

was on the Saturday night. So on the Sunday I'd measured the wardrobe because I don't need it for hanging space. I need it to keep all my fabric samples, all my folders, all the stationery, all that stuff, yeah. So we measured it out and I sent Dan and the kids to Ikea and they bought me tall drawer units and baskets and some open shelving with baskets so I can put all my samples in. Yeah, now it's great.

Holly Scott: 25:46

It's much better use of space because I'm using the vertical space yeah, yeah drawers are great as well, because you can get them in and out and it's easy.

Donna Eade: 25:54

We actually did that in our bedroom. Matthew's got his chest of drawers are in his wardrobe because we've got two built-in wardrobes either side of the chimney breast and there's not enough room for two sets of drawers in the bedroom. So mine is out down my side of the bed and his is in his cupboard. Because he doesn't. He doesn't have long dresses, so he uses like the rail and his clothes only come halfway down. So there's actually a lot of wasted space under there.

Donna Eade: 26:21

So, just pop the trusty drawers in there, so that works, but that's not workspace. So, yeah, I think that's really good. Really good idea and I think in here that would work really well is to use that vertical space, because, you're right, there's a lot of space up top that doesn't get used. What would you say about proportions? Because obviously you know you don't want to overwhelm your space. Is there any kind of sort of rule of thumb to to know how big to go or not go when it comes to having things like that in your room.

Holly Scott: 26:54

It depends on the space and what piece of furniture you're referring to and also where you place it within a room. So if you've got like a narrow room, then you probably don't want to put something that's going to eat into the depth of the room on the narrow side side yeah narrower, put it on the end so it feels more of a square.

Donna Eade: 27:13

Yeah, so I think it depends, but a lot of the time you're going to say that I've got a stupid radiator at one end and the window at the other, and this is our long, oh my god side.

Holly Scott: 27:24

So this is the exact conversation I had with a client the other day who's moving into a new build, and I was talking about it on a on a podcast with the girls in property, so like property investors, and I'm saying because somebody said, at what point do you get an interior designer in? And? And I said right at the beginning, because we talk about layout and flow, and that is one of the things that is a massive issue that I find is exactly that you have a window on one wall and you have a radiator on the other and you want to use one of those walls for storage, so you could use the window wall and put a sideboard underneath it, but you're limited on your height, whereas then you can't use the full height of the wall that has the radiator on it. So why don't they put the radiator under the window?

Holly Scott: 28:07

um, yeah, so yeah, so, and again, a lot of people I would say go with kind of proportion and scale. Choose items for a room that are too small. Um, so I would say, even in a smaller room, have slightly bigger pieces. It depends on the look you're going for. But I often find that lamps are too small, rugs are too small, artwork is too small. Most people go too small and that can actually just make a room feel more cluttered.

Donna Eade: 28:34

I love that. So if you're thinking about something and you're looking at it and going, yeah, that's the size that I want, look at the next size up and go bigger and also just so you know, donna, for anyone listening, I have got a free download with more home office design tips in it so I will give you the link to share.

Donna Eade: 28:51

Yes, yeah, that would be awesome. Okay, so, moving on to sort of the topics of this podcast where we're talking like I said earlier, it was all about growing and streamlining your business so that we can actually do the stuff that we love doing, but we can actually get the business stuff done. So, on the on the topic of productivity, what's your favorite productivity hack that you do? When you know you've got a project, you need to get it done? How do you set yourself up for success and getting it done?

Holly Scott: 29:21

so that was a really good question, because I find when I have a deadline I suddenly am very productive, whereas as a creative I think sometimes my head is all over the place. Um, but for me, with things like getting my social media posts done, I send out a weekly happy home edit newsletter. I like to get it out for a Sunday morning so you can enjoy it over coffee, but those those things take time, time where I can't be sat designing for my clients. So one thing that's been really helpful for me is chat GPT, because I am not great with words. I am very detailed with what I put in and ask it for and I get it to use my tone of voice, but if I'm wanting to create social media posts or kind of the format to my emails, I use that to help me.

Holly Scott: 30:07

I definitely think that helps save time yeah more productive, and the other thing that I am literally in the process of doing is employing a VA, which really scares me because it's that letting go, but actually I think you get to the point, otherwise, of burnout when you've got so much to do, but I would say my top one is probably chat, gpt and writing things down like lists. I have to have lists on paper so I hope that answers your question.

Donna Eade: 30:40

Yeah, absolutely. I think chat GPT is a great one for productivity and I think so many people underutilize it, which is why I have got an AI expert coming to talk to us at my in-person event in April, specifically on AI for productivity. So she's going to be coming in talking about all the different types of AI, because it's not just chat GPT and how we can use it to help us with our productivity, because I think we're all missing a trick. Um, and it's in. It's moving on so quickly, um, it's changing all the time, so I think, even by April, when the event is, that she will have new things to talk about sounds amazing great sounds so good and then what does so?

Donna Eade: 31:22

obviously, when you're working with a client, you will have a planning process that you go through. You'll know. You know what you start with, the questions that you ask, then what you go through, etc. But in your business and the overarching business, how do you go about planning your business? Are you? How do you go about planning your business? Are you uh, you know, january the 1st, setting goals and then breaking them down? Are you kind of more go with the flow? How do you do planning in your business?

Holly Scott: 31:51

ah, I would say I am not somebody that plans, probably particularly well. I kind of go with the flow. It depends what I've got and I like to fit in networking and various things. But one thing I do do is I have a monthly goals sheet and this is actually something that I got through the Interior Designers Hub and they send it out every month and I always print it off and you basically write down what you've earned, what your profit's been, all your social media stats, so you're comparing them to the year, to the sorry, to the month before, which otherwise I wouldn't do. So. That's always quite interesting what's worked and what hasn't the month before, where could you do better?

Holly Scott: 32:35

I don't always fill that out so much, but also the goals, like what are your main goals that you want to achieve, and I really think that helps keep me on track. I would recommend it to anybody, because you then go to the end of the month and you think, oh my gosh, have I had a productive month? Like what have I actually done? And then you look at what your goals were. You know were you may have achieved them. You may not have done some of the things on that list because things change. You know, if I'm designing and a client hasn't come back to me, then that design may not be finished.

Holly Scott: 33:02

But then designing is quite a long process when I'm doing it one-to-one um. But then you often think, oh, but I've done this, this, this and this. Yeah, so I think, actually setting monthly goals and yes, I do set yearly goals, but I find that a little bit harder but setting weekly goals sorry, setting monthly goals and then breaking them down per week, and on a Monday morning or a Sunday night I will write on a weekly planner the jobs, the things that I've got to fit in, so any appointments, anything for my girls, because I also juggle, you know, the school run, the dance run, all of that um. And then I'm like, right, which are the really important things I need to do this week?

Donna Eade: 33:44

and I try to do those in between yeah, we have something similar in the female entrepreneur association, which I'm a member of. We have a CEO power hour and Carrie Green actually sits down with us once a month on video and goes through it, and it's very much the same like what are your social media stats? How much have you earned? How was your month? How did it go? What could you do better? What do you want to do next month? All that kind of stuff is on it. So I think, yeah, your ceo power hour is definitely something that everybody should do once a month. It's great to keep track of those statistics as well, because at the end of the year you can look back at the the one you know see how far you've come in a year, which could be amazing because we don't often otherwise stop.

Holly Scott: 34:21

We don't have time to stop and reflect. So that is a quick reflection. And then, you're right, you can compare it to the years before and you're like, oh, wow, okay look how far you've come yourself a bit of praise for what you've done and realize how much you've achieved. So I think that's yeah, absolutely, absolutely okay.

Donna Eade: 34:36

So what is one thing that you do in your business to attract new clients? Because audience building. You know, if we haven't got people coming into our audience, we haven't got anybody that we can tell how fantastic our product is, that we want to give them our services. So how do you attract new people into your business?

Holly Scott: 34:55

So I run free online workshops. So I run free online workshops. My next one is actually on the 28th of April, and this one is how to master the art of adding colour into your home.

Donna Eade: 35:10

Oh amazing.

Holly Scott: 35:12

So I run my free workshops. I'm doing them less this year than I was last year because it's fitting them in, so I'm trying to do them once a quarter and I also have free downloads for different tips, but it's the networking. So it's getting out and networking, online networking, in-person networking and making new connections through the networking. Sorry, this is quite a long-winded question because I'm getting multiple in there. One networking, but making sure you're actually utilizing your networking properly. So talking about your free thing, sharing your free thing, um, and then connecting with the people that you're meeting through linkedin or through, you know, social media to build that connection, yeah, but really the most important thing is having something really valuable and I know my workshops are great because the feedback is always really good. So you know, giving your, your expert advice to grow your email list and your customer. Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever is that, does that make sense? Yeah, absolutely, absolutely.

Donna Eade: 36:15

I think I think workshops a great idea and having those sort of uh quarterly is a really good idea. So, yeah, if you've, when you've got the link for that um April one, let me have it and I'll put it into the show notes so that people can go down. So if you're listening before the 28th of April, then go and grab the link so that you can go and join us for that colour one, because we've spoken a lot about colour today, so it'd be a really good one for you to go to. So then we move on to mindset, and mindset is a really big one, and that's why my podcast is now called Mindset and Action, because if you don't get your mindset right, it doesn't matter what actions you take. If the mindset isn't in the right place, it's not going to work.

Donna Eade: 36:55

That's my feeling. I feel like there's some people that can override that, but I feel in reality they're probably not as stuck as they think they are with their mindset if they're making a success of it, because I think mindset is really pivotal. So what is the one mindset block that you've come across in your business? That has really been a struggle for you to either overcome or to move past and how have you managed that block?

Holly Scott: 37:23

that's, I find, that really difficult question. They're always different, aren't they, I think I often struggle with I don't think imposter syndrome is the right word um, maybe self-belief, confidence. You know, we all, I think, have that little niggle in our head saying you know, can I do this? Will people want this? So I think that's always been there, like almost the self doubt, I think.

Donna Eade: 37:57

Yeah.

Holly Scott: 37:57

Um. But then I go back and look at the testimonials I've had from people and I'm like, absolutely yes, I can do it. So I would say on the whole I'm quite a positive person, but we all have wobbly days, like yesterday I felt really flat because I'd had a bad start to the day with one with my daughter and, and sometimes then your mindset's not great. But I'm like okay, you know, people I was speaking to on a call actually said are you okay? I said I'm just a bit flat today and they're like just be kind to yourself, take a breather. Some days we're not going to be as productive as others, but just I think it's always just just do it, because you don't know, unless you try absolutely yeah, and I think also getting support where you need it.

Holly Scott: 38:45

So for me it you know I struggle to let go because I think I'm creative and I think, well, are they going to do it right? Are they going, you know? And so the fact that I've just said I'm going to get a VA really scares me because also, it's the work involved and the time involved in setting them up. So they know the things to do. But you know what.

Holly Scott: 39:05

You've just got to give it a go yeah and actually getting out of your comfort zone sometimes is hard. Sometimes you've just got to do it because that's how you're going to grow as a person and as a business, I think yeah, sorry, I love that.

Donna Eade: 39:18

I love that. I love that. So it's self-doubt, can be one that hits a lot of us. I think we've always got that kind of you know who am I even. It's not even always our own self-doubt, but it's those noises.

Donna Eade: 39:32

So if anybody listened to my episode with Dawn Ledet a few weeks ago, um, she was talking about the lobby in your head.

Donna Eade: 39:40

It's all those people that have got all those things to say about you and you've got to try and get through to the door at the back of the room. That is your intuition that is going to guide you in the right way. Yet you've got to get past all of that noise and it can be something your teacher said to you when you were little. You know something as little as that telling you you're not going to amount to anything, and it's a voice that stays there in your head and it's a constant like overcoming that. And I love the fact that you said that you sit down and read your testimonials, because I think a lot of us don't do that enough. Um, like, I get them and I put them into a graphic or whatever to share on social media and then I only look at them when I share them, but to actually take that time to sort of sit there and go, oh, actually, look, look at what I've done for people.

Holly Scott: 40:23

That's, that's pretty cool um, I mean, it's a really good idea, sit and do that to be fair. But sometimes it's just that little reminder or you get a text message from a client going. I had one client and she sent me a picture of her glass of champagne on her little kind of drinks area and she said I'm so happy, I love the space you've created for me. I just wanted to say thank you.

Holly Scott: 40:44

So she was thinking of me and she was loving her space and I was like that's what it's about, and I think actually, you need to change your mindset of should I be selling my thing? Should I be talking about it? Am I talking about it too much? I think that's the things that go through my head. Yeah, and with social media, stuff gets lost and it doesn't always get seen. But at the end of the day, think about how you are helping and impacting your ideal client. What is the difference you're going to make to them? And that's what you have to focus your mindset on.

Donna Eade: 41:13

Yeah, brilliant. Ok, well, that has been an amazing conversation. I love that. So we're going to go through my quickfire round and then I'm going to let you talk a little bit about your little free guide to a happy home, which is kind of going back to where we were at the beginning, talking about happy home. So, quickfire round. What is the podcast you enjoy listening to the most at the moment?

Holly Scott: 41:38

So I love that you asked this question. I am really bad, I'm going to fully admit it listening to podcasts. Um, fair enough, I need to make it, but I know how amazing they are and how valuable they are, so I need to actually kind of add it into my daily routine, whether it's when I'm driving or something.

Holly Scott: 41:55

Yeah, yeah, one of the ones I have enjoyed listening to is the Great Indoors, which is Sophie Robinson and Kate I think her name's Watson. They're both interior you know interior designers as well and listening. I always love listening to chat around. You know interiors and stuff. Yeah, actually, there was another one that's really funny and what is her name? I think she's? I'll have to think about, I'll have to remember it and then send it over to you, but there are some funny ones out there. It's just having the time oh, absolutely, absolutely.

Donna Eade: 42:26

That's what I love about podcasts is the fact that you can listen to them anywhere. So you're driving, take the kids to school, then you put one on on the way home. You go for a walk, you listen to one, you. You drive to the shops by yourself, you know. So there's all different spaces, uh, going to the gym, whatever, um, there's. You can fit it in anywhere, and the great thing about it is is, when you press stop, you come back and it's where you left off. So, like I, there are some episodes that take me three or four trips to listen to because they're so long. It's like listening to a story, though, isn't it? Yeah, yeah, absolutely Love that. Okay, so what is the book that has made the biggest impact on your life so far?

Holly Scott: 43:06

So I'm just going to admit, these questions slightly concern me because I don't have an awful lot of time to read either and I was thinking, oh, what book I haven't read. For I have actually got a stack of books I need to read.

Holly Scott: 43:17

Do you have time to read no, but this one read yeah, do you have time to read, no um, but this one, get rich, lucky bitch is a brilliant book and I actually probably ought to go through it and read it again. But talking about mindset and things like that, that's really good for it. So, yeah, I did enjoy that one yeah, brilliant book.

Donna Eade: 43:35

Um, and then, what is your go-to snack when you're in a hurry?

Holly Scott: 43:39

so it depends what I'm in the mood for, but I would say I have quite a sweet tooth so if I am in a hurry. It depends, if I've been organized, if I have made my homemade protein balls and they're in the fridge those because they're quick and easy to grab. If not, it would be a good bar of chocolate and it's not going to fill you up. So that's why the protein balls are better. But something sweet probably love that love that.

Donna Eade: 44:03

And then what is your ultimate me time thing to do, when you actually you know you haven't got time to do the reading, haven't got time to listen to the podcast, but do you make time to do something for yourself? What would that big thing be?

Holly Scott: 44:15

it would be going to the spa. Yes, it would be going to the spa that was an easy one to answer it doesn't happen very often, but yeah, good spa day it's a lovely, it's a lovely thing to do.

Donna Eade: 44:26

Yeah, that that is mine, mine too, so I love that fantastic. Well, thank you so much for your time today. Holly, thank you for answering my questions. Tell everybody a little bit about your free guide and where they can go and grab it. Which free guide do you want? So I've got. Unlock the four keys to your happy home with this free guide is what I've got in my notes.

Holly Scott: 44:46

I will also share the home office tips because that's what we've been talking about.

Holly Scott: 44:50

So this guide basically is great to give you literally my four secret steps to creating a good interior. My four secret steps to creating a good interior, and it's making sure that you are creating a space which reflects your personality, your style and your success. So these are the four kind of key stages I take within my award-winning interior design process, but also take my students on with the course, but they're just four really good nuggets for you to understand how to create your own happy home.

Donna Eade: 45:25

Brilliant. I will share that in the show notes for you guys. And where do you hang out on social media, Holly? Where can people connect with you?

Holly Scott: 45:33

Well, always on Instagram. So just at Holly Scott Interior Design, I'm also on Facebook with that and LinkedIn as well. If you want to hang out there, brilliant. Okay, I'm also on Facebook with that and LinkedIn as well. If you want to hang out there, brilliant.

Donna Eade: 45:44

Okay, I'll have all those links in the show notes for you guys, so do go and click that more button and find it. If you are reading on the blog, then you can scroll down to the bottom and all the links will be in the bottom as normal. So thank you so much for your time today, holly. It has been a lovely conversation, guys. I'll see you in the next one. Bye for now.