March 10, 2025 • 46 mins
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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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Donna Eade (00:00):
You're listening to the Mindset in Action podcast,
the place to be to grow andstreamline 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 wasbringing you some more guests
(00:22):
down the line, and I have onehere with me today Holly Scott,
interior designer extraordinaire.
Welcome to the show.
Holly Scott (00:30):
Thank you so much for having me.
I'm very excited to be here.
Donna Eade (00:35):
I'm excited to have you.
So I met Holly through anetworking event and I thought
you know what thought?
Do you know what I know for me?
That when my workspace is amess, my productivity goes way
down.
And I thought I know a lady whowill know a little bit about
how we should be setting up ourworkspace for maximum
productivity.
(00:55):
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 isthat you do and how you've come
to be where you are today.
Holly Scott (01:11):
Okay, amazing, thank you.
So I am Holly from Holly ScottInterior Design.
I'm based in South Oxfordshireand well, where should we start?
I've always been creative and Istarted my I suppose creative
journey back at school, studyingart and textiles and business
(01:32):
studies for A-levels.
I then went off to universityand studied mixed media textiles
because I wanted to dosomething that was quite
hands-on and creative and thatsounded quite fun, to be honest.
And then came out of universityand that sounded quite fun, to
be honest.
And then came out of university, went travelling which was
amazing and then came back andthought, right, I need to get a
proper job.
What jobs are out there thatare creative?
(01:52):
And actually it was my dad thatsaid to me what about window
dressing?
I said what's window dressing?
Because you don't know aboutall these jobs, do you?
When you have been studying?
You just don't.
But when I was a little girl, weused to drive up to London at
Christmas to look at theChristmas lights and the
Christmas windows and I loved it.
So I thought, yes, that wouldbe really fun.
(02:13):
So that's where my journeystarted.
I started with doing workexperience at Selfridges in
their window team, then helpedin their interiors team and then
my first, I suppose, paid jobapart from freelancing with them
was at Harrods and HarveyNichols Actually sorry, harvey
(02:34):
Nichols was first doing thewindows and the interiors.
Then I moved on to Harrodswhere I had a split role, so I
was dressing the windows butalso that link between the
creative department and themarketing department, because
they sell all of their windowsto different brands and, yeah,
which not everyone knows about,but I suppose to have a window
(02:56):
in Knightsbridge in the front ofHarrods is pretty good
marketing.
So, I would liaise with thebrand and the marketing team and
creative, and I would designtheir windows, making sure we
had all the elements thateverybody needed in them.
Brilliant, that was, I suppose,when I properly started
designing spaces and then fromthere I went and worked for
(03:20):
Ralph Lauren in all of theLondon flagship stores, went and
worked for Ralph Lauren in allof the London flagship stores
and every time a collection ofclothing changes in each
actually each store, if you'vebeen into them, each room or
section is different and wewould change all of the props.
We would change the flooring,the artwork, as I said, the
props, the flowers to suit theseason and the collection of
(03:43):
clothing coming in, the flowersto suit the season and the
collection of clothing coming in.
So that was really creative andgreat fun.
And also each different storehad a different vibe.
So bond street is all mahoganyflooring, um, you know, grand
pianos, that kind of thing,ducati motorbikes I had to
source um.
And then the brompton crossstore is more shabby chic, so I
I think I had to source analbino taxidermy peacock, a
(04:08):
chairlift, I mean really cool.
So that was really fun.
And again, you know, reallydesigning those spaces and
styling the mannequins.
So that was, you know, one sideof it as well.
And then I got pregnant and wemoved out of London when I was
heavily pregnant with our firstdaughter, who's now 13.
Scary, wow.
(04:28):
And I just knew that I didn'twant to go back into working in
retail, mainly because inNovember you're working all
through the night to handChristmas garlands.
I wanted to be a mum that wasaround.
Donna Eade (04:41):
Yeah.
Holly Scott (04:42):
And so actually working those hours wasn't,
wasn't going to work no but Igrew up in a wedding venue so I
thought, okay, I could do someevent styling, but when you've
got a baby and you don't reallyknow about marketing and
anything else, I did my websitebut I didn't really do an awful
lot else.
Um, then I joined Stellar andDot, which was a network
(05:04):
marketing company jewellery andaccessories.
That was my fashion fix.
It fitted around being a mum soI would go and style women in
the evenings after I put thekids to bed, yeah.
Um, and then they pulled theirEuropean business and everyone
who knew me said you need to becreative again.
(05:25):
You've been lost sellingjewelry.
I said no, I was actuallyreally good at it and I enjoyed
it and I built a team of otherstylists and it was great, fun
and it just worked.
At that time in my life, Isuppose, and I thought, yes, I
do need to be creative again,because by this point both the
girls were in school, so I hadmore time and that's when I
(05:49):
started to do a bit more withkind of interior styling.
But it wasn't until thebeginning of lockdown where I
kind of had the aha moment.
So I was kind of doing adifferent jewellery business
alongside and it made sense forme doing fashion and interiors
because, if you you know, youknow my story and my path.
I was doing both, but I feltlike I should be focusing on one
(06:11):
.
And actually trying to selljewellery when we weren't
leaving the house and we didn'tknow what was going on just felt
a bit odd.
So I found the interiordesigners hub, which is amazing
and it had the training on howto set up an interior design
business.
So I knew that I could designspaces.
I wanted to help people intheir homes because I think it's
(06:32):
more personable and, you know,has such an impact.
But I wasn't really sure how to.
Donna Eade (06:39):
It's the business side of it, isn't it?
Yeah, the business side.
That's what I say about allcreatives.
So, as somebody who was in thewedding industry for a long time
, the reason I started thispodcast in the first place it
used to be called the weddingpro cast UK and it was aimed at
wedding vendors to help them dothe business side of it, to give
them more time to do the funstuff that they enjoyed.
Holly Scott (07:01):
So I get that exactly.
I mean, I knew how to run abusiness from the jewelry, but
for some reason my mindsetcouldn't get around.
I was like, well, how do I workout my packages and how do I do
my pricing?
And that's when I rebrandedactually to be Holly Scott
interior design and actuallystarted putting myself out there
, because I'd been networking asan interior designer but I
wasn't really putting anythingout into the world.
(07:23):
And that's when it all thenaligned and actually I realized
that we were stuck in our homesand so many people probably were
thinking I really don't like myhouse color and it was a
depressing time as well, and Ithink at that point in time
everybody had gray and actuallygray is a really depressing
(07:44):
colour.
So I started by really helpingpeople through virtual interior
design consultations and virtualdesign.
All my business came throughnetworking, because online
networking was kind of the thingto do, and then it's just grown
since then, which has beenamazing.
So I do one to one-one designwork, but then I created an
(08:07):
online course called happy homedesign.
Uh, I think it's three yearsago, because I realized I wanted
to help more people.
But when there's only one ofyou and you're designing, you
know designing takes a long timeand also it's a premium service
.
So I have created this amazingeven if I say so myself um
(08:27):
online course to teach creativehomeowners my award-winning
process, but in really easysteps so that they can follow it
.
They don't get overwhelmed,because so many people are
overwhelmed about choosing thewrong color, worried about
making expensive mistakes.
Um, might know kind of whatstyles they like, might be happy
(08:48):
pinning on Pinterest, butactually when you come to
putting it all together yourself.
Donna Eade (08:53):
It's so hard.
Holly Scott (08:54):
Like I can pin all day on Pinterest.
Donna Eade (08:56):
I know what I like, but trying to make it look
cohesive Like I watch AlexandraGator on YouTube.
She's an interior design personin Canada and she actually her
whole YouTube channel is aboutgoing in and decorating
different people.
So people will apply and theyget free makeovers because she
gets the video out of it and shegoes and makes all of the and
(09:19):
she creates these little pinboards of like mood boards for
them and I'm like wow, and it tolife.
And I'm like wow, why can't myhouse look like that?
Because I have those ideas andthen nothing translates
translating it isn't it?
Holly Scott (09:35):
and actually I've.
I've had people through thecourse who have studied interior
design, but they are, you know,they maybe have done an
extension or a renovation andthey're thinking, oh my gosh,
I've spent all this money onthis build.
I need the wow factor at theend and I'm actually I don't
know how to make these choices.
So for me it was about that andI now like to call myself the
(09:56):
happy home designer.
And somebody said to merecently well, what do you mean
by happy homes?
And I said, because I coulddesign a beautiful space.
I said, but if it's not creatingthe right feeling that you want
in that room, if it's not inthe design styles that you like,
there's so many things that itcould be a beautiful room to
(10:17):
some people, but if it doesn'tgive the right feeling, uh, and
it doesn't work for yourlifestyle, then it's not going
to be happy and I want somebodyto 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 versionas well, where you can access
me on whatsapp and have mydesign support alongside for
(10:40):
those that want a little bitextra because I just want to be
able to help, um, giveconfidence, I think, to more
homeowners or people you knowyou could rent.
I've had this conversation thismorning.
Actually don't have to own yourhouse to make it feel and look
how you want it, because there'sloads of things you can do,
even in rented.
Donna Eade (11:00):
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 factthat 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'vemanaged to kind of keep that
(11:22):
creative thread throughout.
Whereas, like, I worked at Asdaat one point, I've worked at
McDonald's, I've worked at abank you know, none of these are
creative and it's my work's anabsolute nightmare, but I love
that you've managed to to keepthat core of what you love doing
(11:42):
in all of the jobs that youhave mentioned today.
So that's amazing.
So working on you know, ourhomes and having a happy home,
which I actually love, that sortof idea of creating a happy
home through your interior.
A lot of us now are working fromhome.
A lot of people listening tothis podcast are solopreneurs
(12:03):
working at home and they'veeither got a tiny little office,
like I've got, or they've got abigger office, or they've got a
corner in the dining room thatthey're working from and it's
quite a big scope yeah, that'sthe word scope to throw at you,
and sort of say right,encompassing all of those
(12:24):
different types of areas that wecould be working in.
Can you give us your sort of topthree tips on how to set up our
work environment so that we canbe more productive and get more
done?
Holly Scott (12:38):
yes, absolutely.
I love giving tips, um.
So the first thing I would talkabout is lighting.
This is actually such a hugepart of interior design I have a
whole lesson on it in my coursebecause there's so much you can
talk about.
So if you're in a workenvironment or you're trying to
do work, I would say if you canget a spot with as much natural
(12:59):
light as possible, then that'sreally going to help, because
natural light is amazing foreverything.
Obviously, that's not alwaysdoable, or you might have a
small window.
I mean, you could be workingfrom 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
(13:20):
need, yeah, um, but that'sanother conversation.
And so lighting, having as muchnatural lighting as possible.
If you haven't got a hugewindow or not a huge amount in
your room, mirrors are a greatthing to add because they're
going to bounce more lightaround the space.
You want to make sure you'vegot enough task lighting so that
your desk space is lit up, um,but also you want to add in
(13:43):
basically enough layers oflighting, so ambient lighting,
which is going to create theright feeling, and, you know,
statement lighting to add yourstyle in there and, you know,
put a smile on your face.
I've just got a new lamp herewhich is really fun.
So making sure you've gotenough layers of lighting.
And actually, with your lightbulbs I would say don't go for a
really cold kind of blue, whitelight.
(14:04):
Go for a warmer light, becausethat's just a nicer feel.
So making sure you have enoughlighting and actually, even if
you're working from a corner inthe dining room or a kitchen
table, make sure you've gotlamps or enough lighting in
there.
Or maybe you could position a.
I always say don't put a desklike an ugly office desk.
(14:25):
Have a really nice statementpiece of fun.
It just doesn't have to be adesk.
It could be a console table ora dressing table.
If you can put it in a windowand kind of separate the space
off slightly, then that's agreat thing to do.
So that's the first tip.
Lighting, yeah, um.
The second tip, which is hugeagain, all these tips are
actually good for any room inyour home, but especially in
(14:46):
your home office storage.
Donna Eade (14:49):
You want enough don't look at my shelves, I am
looking at your shelves whileI'm saying this.
Holly Scott (14:54):
I mean I've got shelves behind me too.
So you want enough hiddenstorage that you can put all the
clutter away.
Because when you've got clutteraround you I know I find I've
got a little bit around me atthe moment because I'm working
on mood boards and fabricsamples everywhere but having
the stuff you don't need outhidden away in a cupboard or
some drawers or somewhere, evenin kind of box files, put the
(15:18):
paper in there so it doesn'tlook 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'tbuy an office furniture filing
cabinet.
Buy a beautiful piece offurniture that's going to look
nice, whether it's a linencupboard or you know a wardrobe
that you can change, that you'vegot shelves in it.
Slightly think outside the boxwhen you're thinking about your
(15:41):
storage.
But enough hidden storage.
Storage is key.
You can have open shelving aswell.
That's quite nice to displayanything to do with your
branding or you and your stylehave some personal stuff out
there.
Yeah, your awards.
Yes, I've got awards of mine,some plants.
Plants are a really good thingto add real plants if you can
keep them alive, because they'rereally good for the oxygen
(16:02):
levels, and bringing the outsidein really helps as well.
I know that's not reallytalking storage, but you're
getting some extra stuff inthere.
Donna Eade (16:10):
Yeah, I love it.
Holly Scott (16:11):
So really good storage, yeah.
And then the third thing iscolour.
The colour of your space isreally really important because,
as I mentioned before, you wantto create the right feeling in
your space, so you want tochoose colours that are going to
help you with productivity andhelp you feel like that breath
of fresh air.
(16:32):
So thinking about naturebringing the outside in is
really good.
Blues are really good becausethey stimulate energy and it's
like that breath of fresh air.
Greens are great for kind ofthat balance and harmony.
You could have like a littlepop of yellow.
That's like a sunny color.
There's lots of colors you cando, but I would say keep to kind
(16:55):
of either light and airy ormid-tones.
Don't go too dark or dull withyour colors because they're
going to drain your energy andyou don't want that.
So definitely don't do grey,because that is a really
depressing colour.
Donna Eade (17:10):
Get rid of the greys .
Holly Scott (17:15):
And actually like white white, brilliant white
isn't good because it feels veryclinical and quite cold.
So you kind of need to becareful about selecting your
colours.
And again, even if you're in abigger space in your house and
you've just got a corner thatyou're working from, you can
always I can't think of the wordbut define that area.
Yeah, you can take things.
Donna Eade (17:33):
I've seen people do that like taping off certain
areas and just having the paintin that one area.
Holly Scott (17:40):
So that kind of makes it that area.
That's really good so you couldcolor block that area as long
as it works with the color inthe rest of the room.
Yeah, fine, um so I'd say thoseare my three key key things
lighting, good lighting, andenough of it.
Storage, um.
And color.
And again, you can bring colorin with you.
(18:02):
You know cushions, artwork,plants, your rug.
You know rug on the floor.
There's lots of ways you canbring colour in.
You don't necessarily have topaint the walls or paper, you
know you can do it in differentways.
Donna Eade (18:14):
Yeah, mine is not.
It's not white white it's.
It's a slightly warmer whitebecause I was aware that I
didn't want it to be a starkwhite.
So it is a warmer white.
And I have some artwork on thewalls that my sister bought me.
They're shoes, actually Vintageshoes, and they're in a pink
colour.
So it actually brings out thepink in the wallpaper, in the
(18:37):
paint.
Sorry, but that was justsomething quick that we did
because we needed to dosomething, get the room done
before we moved in in.
So we just sort of I was justlike I don't know what to do
with it just put a warm white onwell, that works.
Holly Scott (18:51):
You know if you're, if you're comfortable in it.
If you added kind of a blue ora green, you would probably feel
the difference.
Donna Eade (18:56):
I would say so we moved into this new build.
Holly Scott (18:59):
Uh, oh, my gosh, it's nearly four years ago.
Where does time go?
And we kept it white for awhile, mainly because we didn't
have the.
I spent the budget on buyingnew furniture in the colors and
then we had it decorated.
I think it's nearly two yearsago now, but the difference even
I shocked myself the differencethat I felt from having the
(19:21):
color on the walls was actuallyhuge, 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 andthe artwork and the curtains and
all of that, then adding it tothe walls as well, you know it
can have a huge impact.
Donna Eade (19:42):
Yeah, yeah, col color makes a huge difference
and, uh, one of the things thatI like, so I've done a little
bit of color work on differentthings.
Um, because of branding andstuff like that.
So, for me, like I would neverpaint, I would never have red
paint on my walls in my house,not in a bedroom, and definitely
(20:04):
, yeah, definitely not in thebedroom.
That goes completely againstthe christian gray bedroom
design, doesn't it?
But yeah, because it's justit'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 youangry and I've known people that
(20:30):
have had their children's roomspainted red.
Danger.
And yeah, their children'sbehavior has been off the charts
.
And when they change the colorof their children's bedroom,
their children were so muchcalmer, yeah crazy, how huge
difference yeah yeah, and Iliked what you said about
lighting as well and layeringthat lighting, because I've got
my big window here and I wouldlove to have my desk facing that
(20:55):
window, but I don't like thisview for the back of my videos,
so until I've got that, so wejust need to sort out that wall,
yeah that wall that's just gota massive whiteboard on it with
not a lot written on it.
Um, yeah, I don't like it, so Idon't.
But I love this window light.
(21:16):
And then I have a little lamp.
I have got a little lamp.
I don't know whether I can pickit 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 warmersguys and it's just a white
warmer, but it gives off thisnice little glow and obviously
(21:37):
it's got wax in it so it smellsdivine as well.
So it's a beautiful addition.
And then I will sometimes bringin my lamp.
If I'm working and it's gettingdark in here, or if I'm on a
video, I'll bring in lightbecause I'm in shadow on this
side.
So yeah, I do bring in my lamp.
Holly Scott (21:54):
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 spareroom.
So, it's a sofa bed behind me,so practically to be able to get
the sofa bed out, and I've gota nice big desk, I have to have
it here again.
I would quite like to look outthe window, but it's enough.
So I've actually got one ofthose ring lights which clips to
(22:16):
the top of my laptop, which isnew.
So that's really good for videocalls because obviously natural
light is the most flattering.
So that's really good for videocalls because obviously natural
light is the most flattering itis.
And I've got a desk lamp here,but I've just added a taller
table lamp I'm trying to get mywords out and I've got the lamp
over there and we've got theceiling light, because this is a
north facing room I thinkyou've said yours is the same
(22:39):
and when you haven't got muchsunlight coming in, which you
don't get the direct anyway,yeah.
It needs the needs the light.
Donna Eade (22:46):
It can feel very dark even when it's bright
outside.
Holly Scott (22:49):
And in the winter, when it gets darker, you know
early you need, you need thelayers of light.
So I would say for you, Donna,I would add some more lamps in
there.
Donna Eade (22:57):
Yeah.
Holly Scott (22:58):
Even if you can get a floor lamp in somewhere as
well.
Yeah, it will help.
Donna Eade (23:02):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
I will get on that um, and thenand then storage was your other
, your other thing, and and forme, um, I have, I there's too
much in this office and that'sbecause I share it with my other
half.
So for those of you out therethat have to share your space
(23:22):
with somebody else, I feel yourpain because he doesn't work
from home, he works from theoffice and he rarely like during
lockdown.
He sat at this desk, but thisdesk came with him when he moved
in with me, but he just doesn'tuse it and it just collects
clutter.
So, even if my desk space isnice, he's, I'll show Holly,
(23:44):
look at the state of that.
Holly Scott (23:48):
Oh, okay, right, what you need to do is you need
to get rid of the desk andactually remember you have
vertical space in a room.
So, yes, you haven't got a hugeamount of floor space.
Put in an enclosed shelvingunit or, like I said, a wardrobe
and but with shelves in it.
You can then put box files andyou can stack everything in.
So, actually, but I feel yourpain, because we have this was
(24:10):
the dumping room.
Yeah, as in those fittedwardrobes in here.
But when we moved into thishouse, everything that came from
our old loft pretty much endedup in there.
Yeah, so it wasn't.
And I even had a chest ofdrawers in there to try and use
the vertical space, but it wasso bad.
(24:32):
And my daughter recently said,mummy, I'd like that chest of
drawers in there to try and usethe vertical space, but it was
so bad.
And my daughter recently said,mummy, I'd like that chest of
drawers.
And I said, brilliant, becauseactually I don't want it in
there, I'd like it out.
It's a beautiful old pine pieceof furniture.
So she now has it.
But I came back from taking myyoungest to a dance competition
to find the whole contents ofthe wardrobe all over my floor
oh my goodness, literally had abit of a panic attack yeah, this
was on the Saturday night.
So on the Sunday I'd measuredthe wardrobe because I don't
(24:54):
need it for hanging space.
I need it to keep all my fabricsamples, all my folders, all
the stationery, all that stuff,yeah.
So we measured it out and Isent Dan and the kids to Ikea
and they bought me tall drawerunits and baskets and some open
shelving with baskets so I canput all my samples in.
Yeah, now it's great.
It's much better use of spacebecause I'm using the vertical
(25:16):
space yeah, yeah drawers aregreat as well, because you can
get them in and out and it'seasy.
Donna Eade (25:21):
We actually did that in our bedroom.
Matthew's got his chest ofdrawers are in his wardrobe
because we've got two built-inwardrobes either side of the
chimney breast and there's notenough room for two sets of
drawers in the bedroom.
So mine is out down my side ofthe 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
(25:44):
clothes only come halfway down.
So there's actually a lot ofwasted space under there.
So, just pop the trusty drawersin there, so that works, but
that's not workspace.
So, yeah, I think that's reallygood.
Really good idea and I think inhere that would work really
well is to use that verticalspace, because, you're right,
there's a lot of space up topthat doesn't get used.
What would you say aboutproportions?
(26:08):
Because obviously you know youdon't want to overwhelm your
space.
Is there any kind of sort ofrule of thumb to to know how big
to go or not go when it comesto having things like that in
your room.
Holly Scott (26:21):
It depends on the space and what piece of
furniture you're referring toand also where you place it
within a room.
So if you've got like a narrowroom, then you probably don't
want to put something that'sgoing to eat into the depth of
the room on the narrow side sideyeah narrower, put it on the
end so it feels more of a square.
Donna Eade (26:40):
Yeah, so I think it depends, but a lot of the time
you're going to say that I'vegot a stupid radiator at one end
and the window at the other,and this is our long, oh my god
side.
Holly Scott (26:50):
So this is the exact conversation I had with a
client the other day who'smoving into a new build, and I
was talking about it on a on apodcast with the girls in
property, so like propertyinvestors, and I'm saying
because somebody said, at whatpoint do you get an interior
designer in?
And?
And I said right at thebeginning, because we talk about
layout and flow, and that isone of the things that is a
(27:12):
massive issue that I find isexactly that you have a window
on one wall and you have aradiator on the other and you
want to use one of those wallsfor storage, so you could use
the window wall and put asideboard underneath it, but
you're limited on your height,whereas then you can't use the
full height of the wall that hasthe radiator on it.
So why don't they put theradiator under the window?
(27:34):
um, yeah, so yeah, so, and again, a lot of people I would say go
with kind of proportion andscale.
Choose items for a room thatare too small.
Um, so I would say, even in asmaller room, have slightly
bigger pieces.
It depends on the look you'regoing for.
But I often find that lamps aretoo small, rugs are too small,
(27:55):
artwork is too small.
Most people go too small andthat can actually just make a
room feel more cluttered.
Donna Eade (28:01):
I love that.
So if you're thinking aboutsomething and you're looking at
it and going, yeah, that's thesize that I want, look at the
next size up and go bigger andalso just so you know, donna,
for anyone listening, I have gota free download with more home
office design tips in it so Iwill give you the link to share.
Yes, yeah, that would be awesome.
Okay, so, moving on to sort ofthe topics of this podcast where
(28:25):
we're talking like I saidearlier, it was all about
growing and streamlining yourbusiness 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 ofproductivity, what's your
favorite productivity hack thatyou do?
When you know you've got aproject, you need to get it done
?
How do you set yourself up forsuccess and getting it done?
Holly Scott (28:48):
so that was a really good question, because I
find when I have a deadline Isuddenly am very productive,
whereas as a creative I thinksometimes my head is all over
the place.
Um, but for me, with thingslike getting my social media
posts done, I send out a weeklyhappy home edit newsletter.
I like to get it out for aSunday morning so you can enjoy
(29:08):
it over coffee, but those thosethings take time, time where I
can't be sat designing for myclients.
So one thing that's been reallyhelpful for me is chat GPT,
because I am not great withwords.
I am very detailed with what Iput in and ask it for and I get
it to use my tone of voice, butif I'm wanting to create social
(29:30):
media posts or kind of theformat to my emails, I use that
to help me.
I definitely think that helpssave time yeah more productive,
and the other thing that I amliterally in the process of
doing is employing a VA, whichreally scares me because it's
that letting go, but actually Ithink you get to the point,
(29:52):
otherwise, of burnout whenyou've got so much to do, but I
would say my top one is probablychat, gpt and writing things
down like lists.
I have to have lists on paperso I hope that answers your
question.
Donna Eade (30:07):
Yeah, absolutely.
I think chat GPT is a great onefor productivity and I think so
many people underutilize it,which is why I have got an AI
expert coming to talk to us atmy in-person event in April,
specifically on AI forproductivity.
So she's going to be coming intalking about all the different
types of AI, because it's notjust chat GPT and how we can use
(30:30):
it to help us with ourproductivity, 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 theevent is, that she will have new
things to talk about soundsamazing great sounds so good and
then what does so?
obviously, when you're workingwith a client, you will have a
(30:52):
planning process that you gothrough.
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 theoverarching business, how do you
go about planning your business?
Are you?
How do you go about planningyour business?
Are you uh, you know, januarythe 1st, setting goals and then
(31:13):
breaking them down?
Are you kind of more go withthe flow?
How do you do planning in yourbusiness?
Holly Scott (31:18):
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 Ilike to fit in networking and
various things.
But one thing I do do is I havea monthly goals sheet and this
is actually something that I gotthrough the Interior Designers
(31:40):
Hub and they send it out everymonth and I always print it off
and you basically write downwhat you've earned, what your
profit's been, all your socialmedia 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 interestingwhat's worked and what hasn't
the month before, where couldyou do better?
(32:02):
I don't always fill that out somuch, but also the goals, like
what are your main goals thatyou want to achieve, and I
really think that helps keep meon track.
I would recommend it to anybody, because you then go to the end
of the month and you think, ohmy gosh, have I had a productive
month?
Like what have I actually done?
And then you look at what yourgoals were.
You know were you may haveachieved them.
You may not have done some ofthe things on that list because
(32:24):
things change.
You know, if I'm designing anda client hasn't come back to me,
then that design may not befinished.
But then designing is quite along 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, actuallysetting monthly goals and yes, I
do set yearly goals, but I findthat a little bit harder but
(32:47):
setting weekly goals sorry,setting monthly goals and then
breaking them down per week, andon a Monday morning or a Sunday
night I will write on a weeklyplanner the jobs, the things
that I've got to fit in, so anyappointments, 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, whichare the really important things
(33:09):
I need to do this week?
Donna Eade (33:11):
and I try to do those in between yeah, we have
something similar in the femaleentrepreneur association, which
I'm a member of.
We have a CEO power hour andCarrie Green actually sits down
with us once a month on videoand goes through it, and it's
very much the same like what areyour 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 nextmonth?
(33:31):
All that kind of stuff is on it.
So I think, yeah, your ceopower hour is definitely
something that everybody shoulddo once a month.
It's great to keep track ofthose statistics as well,
because at the end of the yearyou can look back at the the one
you know see how far you'vecome in a year, which could be
amazing because we don't oftenotherwise stop.
Holly Scott (33:48):
We don't have time to stop and reflect.
So that is a quick reflection.
And then, you're right, you cancompare it to the years before
and you're like, oh, wow, okaylook how far you've come
yourself a bit of praise forwhat you've done and realize how
much you've achieved.
So I think that's yeah,absolutely, absolutely okay.
Donna Eade (34:03):
So what is one thing that you do in your business to
attract new clients?
Because audience building.
You know, if we haven't gotpeople coming into our audience,
we haven't got anybody that wecan tell how fantastic our
product is, that we want to givethem our services.
So how do you attract newpeople into your business?
Holly Scott (34:22):
So I run free online workshops.
So I run free online workshops.
My next one is actually on the28th of April, and this one is
how to master the art of addingcolour into your home.
Donna Eade (34:37):
Oh amazing.
Holly Scott (34:39):
So I run my free workshops.
I'm doing them less this yearthan I was last year because
it's fitting them in, so I'mtrying to do them once a quarter
and I also have free downloadsfor different tips, but it's the
networking.
So it's getting out andnetworking, online networking,
in-person networking and makingnew connections through the
(34:59):
networking.
Sorry, this is quite along-winded question because I'm
getting multiple in there.
One networking, but making sureyou're actually utilizing your
networking properly.
So talking about your freething, sharing your free thing,
um, and then connecting with thepeople that you're meeting
through linkedin or through, youknow, social media to build
(35:19):
that connection, yeah, butreally the most important thing
is having something reallyvaluable and I know my workshops
are great because the feedbackis always really good.
So you know, giving your, yourexpert advice to grow your email
list and your customer.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever isthat, does that make sense?
(35:40):
Yeah, absolutely, absolutely.
Donna Eade (35:42):
I think I think workshops a great idea and
having those sort of uhquarterly is a really good idea.
So, yeah, if you've, whenyou've got the link for that um
April one, let me have it andI'll put it into the show notes
so that people can go down.
So if you're listening beforethe 28th of April, then go and
grab the link so that you can goand join us for that colour one
, because we've spoken a lotabout colour today, so it'd be a
(36:03):
really good one for you to goto.
So then we move on to mindset,and mindset is a really big one,
and that's why my podcast isnow called Mindset and Action,
because if you don't get yourmindset right, it doesn't matter
what actions you take.
If the mindset isn't in theright place, it's not going to
work.
That's my feeling.
(36:23):
I feel like there's some peoplethat can override that, but I
feel in reality they're probablynot as stuck as they think they
are with their mindset ifthey're making a success of it,
because I think mindset isreally pivotal.
So what is the one mindsetblock that you've come across in
your business?
That has really been a strugglefor you to either overcome or
(36:45):
to move past and how have youmanaged that block?
Holly Scott (36:50):
that's, I find, that really difficult question.
They're always different,aren't they, I think I often
struggle with I don't thinkimposter syndrome is the right
word um, maybe self-belief,confidence.
You know, we all, I think, havethat little niggle in our head
(37:13):
saying you know, can I do this?
Will people want this?
So I think that's always beenthere, like almost the self
doubt, I think.
Donna Eade (37:23):
Yeah.
Holly Scott (37:24):
Um.
But then I go back and look atthe testimonials I've had from
people and I'm like, absolutelyyes, I can do it.
So I would say on the whole I'mquite a positive person, but we
all have wobbly days, likeyesterday I felt really flat
because I'd had a bad start tothe day with one with my
daughter and, and sometimes thenyour mindset's not great.
(37:46):
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 flattoday and they're like just be
kind to yourself, take abreather.
Some days we're not going to beas productive as others, but
just I think it's always justjust do it, because you don't
know, unless you try absolutelyyeah, and I think also getting
(38:10):
support where you need it.
So for me it you know I struggleto let go because I think I'm
creative and I think, well, arethey going to do it right?
Are they going, you know?
And so the fact that I've justsaid 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.
(38:30):
But you know what.
You've just got to give it a goyeah and actually getting out of
your comfort zone sometimes ishard.
Sometimes you've just got to doit because that's how you're
going to grow as a person and asa business, I think yeah, sorry
, I love that.
Donna Eade (38:45):
I love that.
I love that.
So it's self-doubt, can be onethat hits a lot of us.
I think we've always got thatkind of you know who am I even.
It's not even always our ownself-doubt, but it's those
noises.
So if anybody listened to myepisode with Dawn Ledet a few
weeks ago, um, she was talkingabout the lobby in your head.
(39:07):
It's all those people that havegot all those things to say
about you and you've got to tryand get through to the door at
the back of the room.
That is your intuition that isgoing to guide you in the right
way.
Yet you've got to get past allof that noise and it can be
something your teacher said toyou when you were little.
You know something as little asthat telling you you're not
going to amount to anything, andit's a voice that stays there
(39:29):
in your head and it's a constantlike overcoming that.
And I love the fact that yousaid that you sit down and read
your testimonials, because Ithink a lot of us don't do that
enough.
Um, like, I get them and I putthem into a graphic or whatever
to share on social media andthen I only look at them when I
share them, but to actually takethat time to sort of sit there
and go, oh, actually, look, lookat what I've done for people.
Holly Scott (39:50):
That's, that's pretty cool um, I mean, it's a
really good idea, sit and dothat to be fair.
But sometimes it's just thatlittle reminder or you get a
text message from a client going.
I had one client and she sentme a picture of her glass of
champagne on her little kind ofdrinks area and she said I'm so
happy, I love the space you'vecreated for me.
I just wanted to say thank you.
(40:11):
So she was thinking of me andshe 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 shouldI be selling my thing?
Should I be talking about it?
Am I talking about it too much?
I think that's the things thatgo 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
(40:32):
and impacting your ideal client.
What is the difference you'regoing to make to them?
And that's what you have tofocus your mindset on.
Donna Eade (40:40):
Yeah, brilliant.
Ok, well, that has been anamazing conversation.
I love that.
So we're going to go through myquickfire round and then I'm
going to let you talk a littlebit about your little free guide
to a happy home, which is kindof going back to where we were
at the beginning, talking abouthappy home.
So, quickfire round.
(41:01):
What is the podcast you enjoylistening to the most at the
moment?
Holly Scott (41:05):
So I love that you asked this question.
I am really bad, I'm going tofully admit it listening to
podcasts.
Um, fair enough, I need to makeit, 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.
Yeah, yeah, one of the ones Ihave enjoyed listening to is the
Great Indoors, which is SophieRobinson and Kate I think her
(41:31):
name's Watson.
They're both interior you knowinterior designers as well and
listening.
I always love listening to chataround.
You know interiors and stuff.
Yeah, actually, there wasanother one that's really funny
and what is her name?
I think she's?
I'll have to think about, I'llhave to remember it and then
send it over to you, but thereare some funny ones out there.
It's just having the time oh,absolutely, absolutely.
Donna Eade (41:53):
That's what I love about podcasts is the fact that
you can listen to them anywhere.
So you're driving, take thekids to school, then you put one
on on the way home.
You go for a walk, you listento one, you.
You drive to the shops byyourself, you know.
So there's all different spaces, uh, going to the gym, whatever
, um, there's.
You can fit it in anywhere, andthe great thing about it is is,
(42:14):
when you press stop, you comeback and it's where you left off
.
So, like I, there are someepisodes that take me three or
four trips to listen to becausethey're so long.
It's like listening to a story,though, isn't it?
Yeah, yeah, absolutely Lovethat.
Okay, so what is the book thathas made the biggest impact on
your life so far?
Holly Scott (42:33):
So I'm just going to admit, these questions
slightly concern me because Idon't have an awful lot of time
to read either and I wasthinking, oh, what book I
haven't read.
For I have actually got a stackof books I need to read.
Do you have time to read no, butthis one read yeah, do you have
time to read, no um, but thisone, get rich, lucky bitch is a
(42:54):
brilliant book and I actuallyprobably ought to go through it
and read it again.
But talking about mindset andthings like that, that's really
good for it.
So, yeah, I did enjoy that oneyeah, brilliant book.
Donna Eade (43:02):
Um, and then, what is your go-to snack when you're
in a hurry?
Holly Scott (43:06):
so it depends what I'm in the mood for, but I would
say I have quite a sweet toothso if I am in a hurry.
It depends, if I've beenorganized, if I have made my
homemade protein balls andthey're in the fridge those
because they're quick and easyto grab.
If not, it would be a good barof chocolate and it's not going
to fill you up.
So that's why the protein ballsare better.
(43:26):
But something sweet probablylove that love that.
Donna Eade (43:29):
And then what is your ultimate me time thing to
do, when you actually you knowyou haven't got time to do the
reading, haven't got time tolisten to the podcast, but do
you make time to do somethingfor yourself?
What would that big thing be?
Holly Scott (43:42):
it would be going to the spa.
Yes, it would be going to thespa that was an easy one to
answer it doesn't happen veryoften, but yeah, good spa day
it's a lovely, it's a lovelything to do.
Donna Eade (43:53):
Yeah, that that is mine, mine too, so I love that
fantastic.
Well, thank you so much foryour time today.
Holly, thank you for answeringmy questions.
Tell everybody a little bitabout 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 yourhappy home with this free guide
is what I've got in my notes.
Holly Scott (44:13):
I will also share the home office tips because
that's what we've been talkingabout.
So this guide basically is greatto give you literally my four
secret steps to creating a goodinterior.
My four secret steps tocreating a good interior, and
(44:33):
it's making sure that you arecreating a space which reflects
your personality, your style andyour success.
So these are the four kind ofkey stages I take within my
award-winning interior designprocess, but also take my
students on with the course, butthey're just four really good
nuggets for you to understandhow to create your own happy
home.
Donna Eade (44:52):
Brilliant.
I will share that in the shownotes for you guys.
And where do you hang out onsocial media, Holly?
Where can people connect withyou?
Holly Scott (45:00):
Well, always on Instagram.
So just at Holly Scott InteriorDesign, 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 withthat and LinkedIn as well.
If you want to hang out there,brilliant.
Donna Eade (45:11):
Okay, I'll have all those links in the show notes
for you guys, so do go and clickthat more button and find it.
If you are reading on the blog,then you can scroll down to the
bottom and all the links willbe in the bottom as normal.
So thank you so much for yourtime today, holly.
It has been a lovelyconversation, guys.
(45:37):
I'll see you in the next one.
Bye for now.
You're listening to the Mindset in Action podcast,
the place to be to grow andstreamline 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 wasbringing you some more guests
(00:22):
down the line, and I have onehere with me today Holly Scott,
interior designer extraordinaire.
Welcome to the show.
Holly Scott (00:30):
Thank you so much for having me.
I'm very excited to be here.
Donna Eade (00:35):
I'm excited to have you.
So I met Holly through anetworking event and I thought
you know what thought?
Do you know what I know for me?
That when my workspace is amess, my productivity goes way
down.
And I thought I know a lady whowill know a little bit about
how we should be setting up ourworkspace for maximum
productivity.
(00:55):
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 isthat you do and how you've come
to be where you are today.
Holly Scott (01:11):
Okay, amazing, thank you.
So I am Holly from Holly ScottInterior Design.
I'm based in South Oxfordshireand well, where should we start?
I've always been creative and Istarted my I suppose creative
journey back at school, studyingart and textiles and business
(01:32):
studies for A-levels.
I then went off to universityand studied mixed media textiles
because I wanted to dosomething that was quite
hands-on and creative and thatsounded quite fun, to be honest.
And then came out of universityand that sounded quite fun, to
be honest.
And then came out of university, went travelling which was
amazing and then came back andthought, right, I need to get a
proper job.
What jobs are out there thatare creative?
(01:52):
And actually it was my dad thatsaid to me what about window
dressing?
I said what's window dressing?
Because you don't know aboutall these jobs, do you?
When you have been studying?
You just don't.
But when I was a little girl, weused to drive up to London at
Christmas to look at theChristmas lights and the
Christmas windows and I loved it.
So I thought, yes, that wouldbe really fun.
(02:13):
So that's where my journeystarted.
I started with doing workexperience at Selfridges in
their window team, then helpedin their interiors team and then
my first, I suppose, paid jobapart from freelancing with them
was at Harrods and HarveyNichols Actually sorry, harvey
(02:34):
Nichols was first doing thewindows and the interiors.
Then I moved on to Harrodswhere I had a split role, so I
was dressing the windows butalso that link between the
creative department and themarketing department, because
they sell all of their windowsto different brands and, yeah,
which not everyone knows about,but I suppose to have a window
(02:56):
in Knightsbridge in the front ofHarrods is pretty good
marketing.
So, I would liaise with thebrand and the marketing team and
creative, and I would designtheir windows, making sure we
had all the elements thateverybody needed in them.
Brilliant, that was, I suppose,when I properly started
designing spaces and then fromthere I went and worked for
(03:20):
Ralph Lauren in all of theLondon flagship stores, went and
worked for Ralph Lauren in allof the London flagship stores
and every time a collection ofclothing changes in each
actually each store, if you'vebeen into them, each room or
section is different and wewould change all of the props.
We would change the flooring,the artwork, as I said, the
props, the flowers to suit theseason and the collection of
(03:43):
clothing coming in, the flowersto suit the season and the
collection of clothing coming in.
So that was really creative andgreat fun.
And also each different storehad a different vibe.
So bond street is all mahoganyflooring, um, you know, grand
pianos, that kind of thing,ducati motorbikes I had to
source um.
And then the brompton crossstore is more shabby chic, so I
I think I had to source analbino taxidermy peacock, a
(04:08):
chairlift, I mean really cool.
So that was really fun.
And again, you know, reallydesigning those spaces and
styling the mannequins.
So that was, you know, one sideof it as well.
And then I got pregnant and wemoved out of London when I was
heavily pregnant with our firstdaughter, who's now 13.
Scary, wow.
(04:28):
And I just knew that I didn'twant to go back into working in
retail, mainly because inNovember you're working all
through the night to handChristmas garlands.
I wanted to be a mum that wasaround.
Donna Eade (04:41):
Yeah.
Holly Scott (04:42):
And so actually working those hours wasn't,
wasn't going to work no but Igrew up in a wedding venue so I
thought, okay, I could do someevent styling, but when you've
got a baby and you don't reallyknow about marketing and
anything else, I did my websitebut I didn't really do an awful
lot else.
Um, then I joined Stellar andDot, which was a network
(05:04):
marketing company jewellery andaccessories.
That was my fashion fix.
It fitted around being a mum soI would go and style women in
the evenings after I put thekids to bed, yeah.
Um, and then they pulled theirEuropean business and everyone
who knew me said you need to becreative again.
(05:25):
You've been lost sellingjewelry.
I said no, I was actuallyreally good at it and I enjoyed
it and I built a team of otherstylists and it was great, fun
and it just worked.
At that time in my life, Isuppose, and I thought, yes, I
do need to be creative again,because by this point both the
girls were in school, so I hadmore time and that's when I
(05:49):
started to do a bit more withkind of interior styling.
But it wasn't until thebeginning of lockdown where I
kind of had the aha moment.
So I was kind of doing adifferent jewellery business
alongside and it made sense forme doing fashion and interiors
because, if you you know, youknow my story and my path.
I was doing both, but I feltlike I should be focusing on one
(06:11):
.
And actually trying to selljewellery when we weren't
leaving the house and we didn'tknow what was going on just felt
a bit odd.
So I found the interiordesigners hub, which is amazing
and it had the training on howto set up an interior design
business.
So I knew that I could designspaces.
I wanted to help people intheir homes because I think it's
(06:32):
more personable and, you know,has such an impact.
But I wasn't really sure how to.
Donna Eade (06:39):
It's the business side of it, isn't it?
Yeah, the business side.
That's what I say about allcreatives.
So, as somebody who was in thewedding industry for a long time
, the reason I started thispodcast in the first place it
used to be called the weddingpro cast UK and it was aimed at
wedding vendors to help them dothe business side of it, to give
them more time to do the funstuff that they enjoyed.
Holly Scott (07:01):
So I get that exactly.
I mean, I knew how to run abusiness from the jewelry, but
for some reason my mindsetcouldn't get around.
I was like, well, how do I workout my packages and how do I do
my pricing?
And that's when I rebrandedactually to be Holly Scott
interior design and actuallystarted putting myself out there
, because I'd been networking asan interior designer but I
wasn't really putting anythingout into the world.
(07:23):
And that's when it all thenaligned and actually I realized
that we were stuck in our homesand so many people probably were
thinking I really don't like myhouse color and it was a
depressing time as well, and Ithink at that point in time
everybody had gray and actuallygray is a really depressing
(07:44):
colour.
So I started by really helpingpeople through virtual interior
design consultations and virtualdesign.
All my business came throughnetworking, because online
networking was kind of the thingto do, and then it's just grown
since then, which has beenamazing.
So I do one to one-one designwork, but then I created an
(08:07):
online course called happy homedesign.
Uh, I think it's three yearsago, because I realized I wanted
to help more people.
But when there's only one ofyou and you're designing, you
know designing takes a long timeand also it's a premium service
.
So I have created this amazingeven if I say so myself um
(08:27):
online course to teach creativehomeowners my award-winning
process, but in really easysteps so that they can follow it
.
They don't get overwhelmed,because so many people are
overwhelmed about choosing thewrong color, worried about
making expensive mistakes.
Um, might know kind of whatstyles they like, might be happy
(08:48):
pinning on Pinterest, butactually when you come to
putting it all together yourself.
Donna Eade (08:53):
It's so hard.
Holly Scott (08:54):
Like I can pin all day on Pinterest.
Donna Eade (08:56):
I know what I like, but trying to make it look
cohesive Like I watch AlexandraGator on YouTube.
She's an interior design personin Canada and she actually her
whole YouTube channel is aboutgoing in and decorating
different people.
So people will apply and theyget free makeovers because she
gets the video out of it and shegoes and makes all of the and
(09:19):
she creates these little pinboards of like mood boards for
them and I'm like wow, and it tolife.
And I'm like wow, why can't myhouse look like that?
Because I have those ideas andthen nothing translates
translating it isn't it?
Holly Scott (09:35):
and actually I've.
I've had people through thecourse who have studied interior
design, but they are, you know,they maybe have done an
extension or a renovation andthey're thinking, oh my gosh,
I've spent all this money onthis build.
I need the wow factor at theend and I'm actually I don't
know how to make these choices.
So for me it was about that andI now like to call myself the
(09:56):
happy home designer.
And somebody said to merecently well, what do you mean
by happy homes?
And I said, because I coulddesign a beautiful space.
I said, but if it's not creatingthe right feeling that you want
in that room, if it's not inthe design styles that you like,
there's so many things that itcould be a beautiful room to
(10:17):
some people, but if it doesn'tgive the right feeling, uh, and
it doesn't work for yourlifestyle, then it's not going
to be happy and I want somebodyto 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 versionas well, where you can access
me on whatsapp and have mydesign support alongside for
(10:40):
those that want a little bitextra because I just want to be
able to help, um, giveconfidence, I think, to more
homeowners or people you knowyou could rent.
I've had this conversation thismorning.
Actually don't have to own yourhouse to make it feel and look
how you want it, because there'sloads of things you can do,
even in rented.
Donna Eade (11:00):
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 factthat 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'vemanaged to kind of keep that
(11:22):
creative thread throughout.
Whereas, like, I worked at Asdaat one point, I've worked at
McDonald's, I've worked at abank you know, none of these are
creative and it's my work's anabsolute nightmare, but I love
that you've managed to to keepthat core of what you love doing
(11:42):
in all of the jobs that youhave mentioned today.
So that's amazing.
So working on you know, ourhomes and having a happy home,
which I actually love, that sortof idea of creating a happy
home through your interior.
A lot of us now are working fromhome.
A lot of people listening tothis podcast are solopreneurs
(12:03):
working at home and they'veeither got a tiny little office,
like I've got, or they've got abigger office, or they've got a
corner in the dining room thatthey're working from and it's
quite a big scope yeah, that'sthe word scope to throw at you,
and sort of say right,encompassing all of those
(12:24):
different types of areas that wecould be working in.
Can you give us your sort of topthree tips on how to set up our
work environment so that we canbe more productive and get more
done?
Holly Scott (12:38):
yes, absolutely.
I love giving tips, um.
So the first thing I would talkabout is lighting.
This is actually such a hugepart of interior design I have a
whole lesson on it in my coursebecause there's so much you can
talk about.
So if you're in a workenvironment or you're trying to
do work, I would say if you canget a spot with as much natural
(12:59):
light as possible, then that'sreally going to help, because
natural light is amazing foreverything.
Obviously, that's not alwaysdoable, or you might have a
small window.
I mean, you could be workingfrom 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
(13:20):
need, yeah, um, but that'sanother conversation.
And so lighting, having as muchnatural lighting as possible.
If you haven't got a hugewindow or not a huge amount in
your room, mirrors are a greatthing to add because they're
going to bounce more lightaround the space.
You want to make sure you'vegot enough task lighting so that
your desk space is lit up, um,but also you want to add in
(13:43):
basically enough layers oflighting, so ambient lighting,
which is going to create theright feeling, and, you know,
statement lighting to add yourstyle in there and, you know,
put a smile on your face.
I've just got a new lamp herewhich is really fun.
So making sure you've gotenough layers of lighting.
And actually, with your lightbulbs I would say don't go for a
really cold kind of blue, whitelight.
(14:04):
Go for a warmer light, becausethat's just a nicer feel.
So making sure you have enoughlighting and actually, even if
you're working from a corner inthe dining room or a kitchen
table, make sure you've gotlamps or enough lighting in
there.
Or maybe you could position a.
I always say don't put a desklike an ugly office desk.
(14:25):
Have a really nice statementpiece of fun.
It just doesn't have to be adesk.
It could be a console table ora dressing table.
If you can put it in a windowand kind of separate the space
off slightly, then that's agreat thing to do.
So that's the first tip.
Lighting, yeah, um.
The second tip, which is hugeagain, all these tips are
actually good for any room inyour home, but especially in
(14:46):
your home office storage.
Donna Eade (14:49):
You want enough don't look at my shelves, I am
looking at your shelves whileI'm saying this.
Holly Scott (14:54):
I mean I've got shelves behind me too.
So you want enough hiddenstorage that you can put all the
clutter away.
Because when you've got clutteraround you I know I find I've
got a little bit around me atthe moment because I'm working
on mood boards and fabricsamples everywhere but having
the stuff you don't need outhidden away in a cupboard or
some drawers or somewhere, evenin kind of box files, put the
(15:18):
paper in there so it doesn'tlook 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'tbuy an office furniture filing
cabinet.
Buy a beautiful piece offurniture that's going to look
nice, whether it's a linencupboard or you know a wardrobe
that you can change, that you'vegot shelves in it.
Slightly think outside the boxwhen you're thinking about your
(15:41):
storage.
But enough hidden storage.
Storage is key.
You can have open shelving aswell.
That's quite nice to displayanything to do with your
branding or you and your stylehave some personal stuff out
there.
Yeah, your awards.
Yes, I've got awards of mine,some plants.
Plants are a really good thingto add real plants if you can
keep them alive, because they'rereally good for the oxygen
(16:02):
levels, and bringing the outsidein really helps as well.
I know that's not reallytalking storage, but you're
getting some extra stuff inthere.
Donna Eade (16:10):
Yeah, I love it.
Holly Scott (16:11):
So really good storage, yeah.
And then the third thing iscolour.
The colour of your space isreally really important because,
as I mentioned before, you wantto create the right feeling in
your space, so you want tochoose colours that are going to
help you with productivity andhelp you feel like that breath
of fresh air.
(16:32):
So thinking about naturebringing the outside in is
really good.
Blues are really good becausethey stimulate energy and it's
like that breath of fresh air.
Greens are great for kind ofthat balance and harmony.
You could have like a littlepop of yellow.
That's like a sunny color.
There's lots of colors you cando, but I would say keep to kind
(16:55):
of either light and airy ormid-tones.
Don't go too dark or dull withyour colors because they're
going to drain your energy andyou don't want that.
So definitely don't do grey,because that is a really
depressing colour.
Donna Eade (17:10):
Get rid of the greys .
Holly Scott (17:15):
And actually like white white, brilliant white
isn't good because it feels veryclinical and quite cold.
So you kind of need to becareful about selecting your
colours.
And again, even if you're in abigger space in your house and
you've just got a corner thatyou're working from, you can
always I can't think of the wordbut define that area.
Yeah, you can take things.
Donna Eade (17:33):
I've seen people do that like taping off certain
areas and just having the paintin that one area.
Holly Scott (17:40):
So that kind of makes it that area.
That's really good so you couldcolor block that area as long
as it works with the color inthe rest of the room.
Yeah, fine, um so I'd say thoseare my three key key things
lighting, good lighting, andenough of it.
Storage, um.
And color.
And again, you can bring colorin with you.
(18:02):
You know cushions, artwork,plants, your rug.
You know rug on the floor.
There's lots of ways you canbring colour in.
You don't necessarily have topaint the walls or paper, you
know you can do it in differentways.
Donna Eade (18:14):
Yeah, mine is not.
It's not white white it's.
It's a slightly warmer whitebecause I was aware that I
didn't want it to be a starkwhite.
So it is a warmer white.
And I have some artwork on thewalls that my sister bought me.
They're shoes, actually Vintageshoes, and they're in a pink
colour.
So it actually brings out thepink in the wallpaper, in the
(18:37):
paint.
Sorry, but that was justsomething quick that we did
because we needed to dosomething, get the room done
before we moved in in.
So we just sort of I was justlike I don't know what to do
with it just put a warm white onwell, that works.
Holly Scott (18:51):
You know if you're, if you're comfortable in it.
If you added kind of a blue ora green, you would probably feel
the difference.
Donna Eade (18:56):
I would say so we moved into this new build.
Holly Scott (18:59):
Uh, oh, my gosh, it's nearly four years ago.
Where does time go?
And we kept it white for awhile, mainly because we didn't
have the.
I spent the budget on buyingnew furniture in the colors and
then we had it decorated.
I think it's nearly two yearsago now, but the difference even
I shocked myself the differencethat I felt from having the
(19:21):
color on the walls was actuallyhuge, 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 andthe artwork and the curtains and
all of that, then adding it tothe walls as well, you know it
can have a huge impact.
Donna Eade (19:42):
Yeah, yeah, col color makes a huge difference
and, uh, one of the things thatI like, so I've done a little
bit of color work on differentthings.
Um, because of branding andstuff like that.
So, for me, like I would neverpaint, I would never have red
paint on my walls in my house,not in a bedroom, and definitely
(20:04):
, yeah, definitely not in thebedroom.
That goes completely againstthe christian gray bedroom
design, doesn't it?
But yeah, because it's justit'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 youangry and I've known people that
(20:30):
have had their children's roomspainted red.
Danger.
And yeah, their children'sbehavior has been off the charts
.
And when they change the colorof their children's bedroom,
their children were so muchcalmer, yeah crazy, how huge
difference yeah yeah, and Iliked what you said about
lighting as well and layeringthat lighting, because I've got
my big window here and I wouldlove to have my desk facing that
(20:55):
window, but I don't like thisview for the back of my videos,
so until I've got that, so wejust need to sort out that wall,
yeah that wall that's just gota massive whiteboard on it with
not a lot written on it.
Um, yeah, I don't like it, so Idon't.
But I love this window light.
(21:16):
And then I have a little lamp.
I have got a little lamp.
I don't know whether I can pickit 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 warmersguys and it's just a white
warmer, but it gives off thisnice little glow and obviously
(21:37):
it's got wax in it so it smellsdivine as well.
So it's a beautiful addition.
And then I will sometimes bringin my lamp.
If I'm working and it's gettingdark in here, or if I'm on a
video, I'll bring in lightbecause I'm in shadow on this
side.
So yeah, I do bring in my lamp.
Holly Scott (21:54):
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 spareroom.
So, it's a sofa bed behind me,so practically to be able to get
the sofa bed out, and I've gota nice big desk, I have to have
it here again.
I would quite like to look outthe window, but it's enough.
So I've actually got one ofthose ring lights which clips to
(22:16):
the top of my laptop, which isnew.
So that's really good for videocalls because obviously natural
light is the most flattering.
So that's really good for videocalls because obviously natural
light is the most flattering itis.
And I've got a desk lamp here,but I've just added a taller
table lamp I'm trying to get mywords out and I've got the lamp
over there and we've got theceiling light, because this is a
north facing room I thinkyou've said yours is the same
(22:39):
and when you haven't got muchsunlight coming in, which you
don't get the direct anyway,yeah.
It needs the needs the light.
Donna Eade (22:46):
It can feel very dark even when it's bright
outside.
Holly Scott (22:49):
And in the winter, when it gets darker, you know
early you need, you need thelayers of light.
So I would say for you, Donna,I would add some more lamps in
there.
Donna Eade (22:57):
Yeah.
Holly Scott (22:58):
Even if you can get a floor lamp in somewhere as
well.
Yeah, it will help.
Donna Eade (23:02):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
I will get on that um, and thenand then storage was your other
, your other thing, and and forme, um, I have, I there's too
much in this office and that'sbecause I share it with my other
half.
So for those of you out therethat have to share your space
(23:22):
with somebody else, I feel yourpain because he doesn't work
from home, he works from theoffice and he rarely like during
lockdown.
He sat at this desk, but thisdesk came with him when he moved
in with me, but he just doesn'tuse it and it just collects
clutter.
So, even if my desk space isnice, he's, I'll show Holly,
(23:44):
look at the state of that.
Holly Scott (23:48):
Oh, okay, right, what you need to do is you need
to get rid of the desk andactually remember you have
vertical space in a room.
So, yes, you haven't got a hugeamount of floor space.
Put in an enclosed shelvingunit or, like I said, a wardrobe
and but with shelves in it.
You can then put box files andyou can stack everything in.
So, actually, but I feel yourpain, because we have this was
(24:10):
the dumping room.
Yeah, as in those fittedwardrobes in here.
But when we moved into thishouse, everything that came from
our old loft pretty much endedup in there.
Yeah, so it wasn't.
And I even had a chest ofdrawers in there to try and use
the vertical space, but it wasso bad.
(24:32):
And my daughter recently said,mummy, I'd like that chest of
drawers in there to try and usethe vertical space, but it was
so bad.
And my daughter recently said,mummy, I'd like that chest of
drawers.
And I said, brilliant, becauseactually I don't want it in
there, I'd like it out.
It's a beautiful old pine pieceof furniture.
So she now has it.
But I came back from taking myyoungest to a dance competition
to find the whole contents ofthe wardrobe all over my floor
oh my goodness, literally had abit of a panic attack yeah, this
was on the Saturday night.
So on the Sunday I'd measuredthe wardrobe because I don't
(24:54):
need it for hanging space.
I need it to keep all my fabricsamples, all my folders, all
the stationery, all that stuff,yeah.
So we measured it out and Isent Dan and the kids to Ikea
and they bought me tall drawerunits and baskets and some open
shelving with baskets so I canput all my samples in.
Yeah, now it's great.
It's much better use of spacebecause I'm using the vertical
(25:16):
space yeah, yeah drawers aregreat as well, because you can
get them in and out and it'seasy.
Donna Eade (25:21):
We actually did that in our bedroom.
Matthew's got his chest ofdrawers are in his wardrobe
because we've got two built-inwardrobes either side of the
chimney breast and there's notenough room for two sets of
drawers in the bedroom.
So mine is out down my side ofthe 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
(25:44):
clothes only come halfway down.
So there's actually a lot ofwasted space under there.
So, just pop the trusty drawersin there, so that works, but
that's not workspace.
So, yeah, I think that's reallygood.
Really good idea and I think inhere that would work really
well is to use that verticalspace, because, you're right,
there's a lot of space up topthat doesn't get used.
What would you say aboutproportions?
(26:08):
Because obviously you know youdon't want to overwhelm your
space.
Is there any kind of sort ofrule of thumb to to know how big
to go or not go when it comesto having things like that in
your room.
Holly Scott (26:21):
It depends on the space and what piece of
furniture you're referring toand also where you place it
within a room.
So if you've got like a narrowroom, then you probably don't
want to put something that'sgoing to eat into the depth of
the room on the narrow side sideyeah narrower, put it on the
end so it feels more of a square.
Donna Eade (26:40):
Yeah, so I think it depends, but a lot of the time
you're going to say that I'vegot a stupid radiator at one end
and the window at the other,and this is our long, oh my god
side.
Holly Scott (26:50):
So this is the exact conversation I had with a
client the other day who'smoving into a new build, and I
was talking about it on a on apodcast with the girls in
property, so like propertyinvestors, and I'm saying
because somebody said, at whatpoint do you get an interior
designer in?
And?
And I said right at thebeginning, because we talk about
layout and flow, and that isone of the things that is a
(27:12):
massive issue that I find isexactly that you have a window
on one wall and you have aradiator on the other and you
want to use one of those wallsfor storage, so you could use
the window wall and put asideboard underneath it, but
you're limited on your height,whereas then you can't use the
full height of the wall that hasthe radiator on it.
So why don't they put theradiator under the window?
(27:34):
um, yeah, so yeah, so, and again, a lot of people I would say go
with kind of proportion andscale.
Choose items for a room thatare too small.
Um, so I would say, even in asmaller room, have slightly
bigger pieces.
It depends on the look you'regoing for.
But I often find that lamps aretoo small, rugs are too small,
(27:55):
artwork is too small.
Most people go too small andthat can actually just make a
room feel more cluttered.
Donna Eade (28:01):
I love that.
So if you're thinking aboutsomething and you're looking at
it and going, yeah, that's thesize that I want, look at the
next size up and go bigger andalso just so you know, donna,
for anyone listening, I have gota free download with more home
office design tips in it so Iwill give you the link to share.
Yes, yeah, that would be awesome.
Okay, so, moving on to sort ofthe topics of this podcast where
(28:25):
we're talking like I saidearlier, it was all about
growing and streamlining yourbusiness 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 ofproductivity, what's your
favorite productivity hack thatyou do?
When you know you've got aproject, you need to get it done
?
How do you set yourself up forsuccess and getting it done?
Holly Scott (28:48):
so that was a really good question, because I
find when I have a deadline Isuddenly am very productive,
whereas as a creative I thinksometimes my head is all over
the place.
Um, but for me, with thingslike getting my social media
posts done, I send out a weeklyhappy home edit newsletter.
I like to get it out for aSunday morning so you can enjoy
(29:08):
it over coffee, but those thosethings take time, time where I
can't be sat designing for myclients.
So one thing that's been reallyhelpful for me is chat GPT,
because I am not great withwords.
I am very detailed with what Iput in and ask it for and I get
it to use my tone of voice, butif I'm wanting to create social
(29:30):
media posts or kind of theformat to my emails, I use that
to help me.
I definitely think that helpssave time yeah more productive,
and the other thing that I amliterally in the process of
doing is employing a VA, whichreally scares me because it's
that letting go, but actually Ithink you get to the point,
(29:52):
otherwise, of burnout whenyou've got so much to do, but I
would say my top one is probablychat, gpt and writing things
down like lists.
I have to have lists on paperso I hope that answers your
question.
Donna Eade (30:07):
Yeah, absolutely.
I think chat GPT is a great onefor productivity and I think so
many people underutilize it,which is why I have got an AI
expert coming to talk to us atmy in-person event in April,
specifically on AI forproductivity.
So she's going to be coming intalking about all the different
types of AI, because it's notjust chat GPT and how we can use
(30:30):
it to help us with ourproductivity, 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 theevent is, that she will have new
things to talk about soundsamazing great sounds so good and
then what does so?
obviously, when you're workingwith a client, you will have a
(30:52):
planning process that you gothrough.
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 theoverarching business, how do you
go about planning your business?
Are you?
How do you go about planningyour business?
Are you uh, you know, januarythe 1st, setting goals and then
(31:13):
breaking them down?
Are you kind of more go withthe flow?
How do you do planning in yourbusiness?
Holly Scott (31:18):
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 Ilike to fit in networking and
various things.
But one thing I do do is I havea monthly goals sheet and this
is actually something that I gotthrough the Interior Designers
(31:40):
Hub and they send it out everymonth and I always print it off
and you basically write downwhat you've earned, what your
profit's been, all your socialmedia 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 interestingwhat's worked and what hasn't
the month before, where couldyou do better?
(32:02):
I don't always fill that out somuch, but also the goals, like
what are your main goals thatyou want to achieve, and I
really think that helps keep meon track.
I would recommend it to anybody, because you then go to the end
of the month and you think, ohmy gosh, have I had a productive
month?
Like what have I actually done?
And then you look at what yourgoals were.
You know were you may haveachieved them.
You may not have done some ofthe things on that list because
(32:24):
things change.
You know, if I'm designing anda client hasn't come back to me,
then that design may not befinished.
But then designing is quite along 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, actuallysetting monthly goals and yes, I
do set yearly goals, but I findthat a little bit harder but
(32:47):
setting weekly goals sorry,setting monthly goals and then
breaking them down per week, andon a Monday morning or a Sunday
night I will write on a weeklyplanner the jobs, the things
that I've got to fit in, so anyappointments, 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, whichare the really important things
(33:09):
I need to do this week?
Donna Eade (33:11):
and I try to do those in between yeah, we have
something similar in the femaleentrepreneur association, which
I'm a member of.
We have a CEO power hour andCarrie Green actually sits down
with us once a month on videoand goes through it, and it's
very much the same like what areyour 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 nextmonth?
(33:31):
All that kind of stuff is on it.
So I think, yeah, your ceopower hour is definitely
something that everybody shoulddo once a month.
It's great to keep track ofthose statistics as well,
because at the end of the yearyou can look back at the the one
you know see how far you'vecome in a year, which could be
amazing because we don't oftenotherwise stop.
Holly Scott (33:48):
We don't have time to stop and reflect.
So that is a quick reflection.
And then, you're right, you cancompare it to the years before
and you're like, oh, wow, okaylook how far you've come
yourself a bit of praise forwhat you've done and realize how
much you've achieved.
So I think that's yeah,absolutely, absolutely okay.
Donna Eade (34:03):
So what is one thing that you do in your business to
attract new clients?
Because audience building.
You know, if we haven't gotpeople coming into our audience,
we haven't got anybody that wecan tell how fantastic our
product is, that we want to givethem our services.
So how do you attract newpeople into your business?
Holly Scott (34:22):
So I run free online workshops.
So I run free online workshops.
My next one is actually on the28th of April, and this one is
how to master the art of addingcolour into your home.
Donna Eade (34:37):
Oh amazing.
Holly Scott (34:39):
So I run my free workshops.
I'm doing them less this yearthan I was last year because
it's fitting them in, so I'mtrying to do them once a quarter
and I also have free downloadsfor different tips, but it's the
networking.
So it's getting out andnetworking, online networking,
in-person networking and makingnew connections through the
(34:59):
networking.
Sorry, this is quite along-winded question because I'm
getting multiple in there.
One networking, but making sureyou're actually utilizing your
networking properly.
So talking about your freething, sharing your free thing,
um, and then connecting with thepeople that you're meeting
through linkedin or through, youknow, social media to build
(35:19):
that connection, yeah, butreally the most important thing
is having something reallyvaluable and I know my workshops
are great because the feedbackis always really good.
So you know, giving your, yourexpert advice to grow your email
list and your customer.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever isthat, does that make sense?
(35:40):
Yeah, absolutely, absolutely.
Donna Eade (35:42):
I think I think workshops a great idea and
having those sort of uhquarterly is a really good idea.
So, yeah, if you've, whenyou've got the link for that um
April one, let me have it andI'll put it into the show notes
so that people can go down.
So if you're listening beforethe 28th of April, then go and
grab the link so that you can goand join us for that colour one
, because we've spoken a lotabout colour today, so it'd be a
(36:03):
really good one for you to goto.
So then we move on to mindset,and mindset is a really big one,
and that's why my podcast isnow called Mindset and Action,
because if you don't get yourmindset right, it doesn't matter
what actions you take.
If the mindset isn't in theright place, it's not going to
work.
That's my feeling.
(36:23):
I feel like there's some peoplethat can override that, but I
feel in reality they're probablynot as stuck as they think they
are with their mindset ifthey're making a success of it,
because I think mindset isreally pivotal.
So what is the one mindsetblock that you've come across in
your business?
That has really been a strugglefor you to either overcome or
(36:45):
to move past and how have youmanaged that block?
Holly Scott (36:50):
that's, I find, that really difficult question.
They're always different,aren't they, I think I often
struggle with I don't thinkimposter syndrome is the right
word um, maybe self-belief,confidence.
You know, we all, I think, havethat little niggle in our head
(37:13):
saying you know, can I do this?
Will people want this?
So I think that's always beenthere, like almost the self
doubt, I think.
Donna Eade (37:23):
Yeah.
Holly Scott (37:24):
Um.
But then I go back and look atthe testimonials I've had from
people and I'm like, absolutelyyes, I can do it.
So I would say on the whole I'mquite a positive person, but we
all have wobbly days, likeyesterday I felt really flat
because I'd had a bad start tothe day with one with my
daughter and, and sometimes thenyour mindset's not great.
(37:46):
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 flattoday and they're like just be
kind to yourself, take abreather.
Some days we're not going to beas productive as others, but
just I think it's always justjust do it, because you don't
know, unless you try absolutelyyeah, and I think also getting
(38:10):
support where you need it.
So for me it you know I struggleto let go because I think I'm
creative and I think, well, arethey going to do it right?
Are they going, you know?
And so the fact that I've justsaid 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.
(38:30):
But you know what.
You've just got to give it a goyeah and actually getting out of
your comfort zone sometimes ishard.
Sometimes you've just got to doit because that's how you're
going to grow as a person and asa business, I think yeah, sorry
, I love that.
Donna Eade (38:45):
I love that.
I love that.
So it's self-doubt, can be onethat hits a lot of us.
I think we've always got thatkind of you know who am I even.
It's not even always our ownself-doubt, but it's those
noises.
So if anybody listened to myepisode with Dawn Ledet a few
weeks ago, um, she was talkingabout the lobby in your head.
(39:07):
It's all those people that havegot all those things to say
about you and you've got to tryand get through to the door at
the back of the room.
That is your intuition that isgoing to guide you in the right
way.
Yet you've got to get past allof that noise and it can be
something your teacher said toyou when you were little.
You know something as little asthat telling you you're not
going to amount to anything, andit's a voice that stays there
(39:29):
in your head and it's a constantlike overcoming that.
And I love the fact that yousaid that you sit down and read
your testimonials, because Ithink a lot of us don't do that
enough.
Um, like, I get them and I putthem into a graphic or whatever
to share on social media andthen I only look at them when I
share them, but to actually takethat time to sort of sit there
and go, oh, actually, look, lookat what I've done for people.
Holly Scott (39:50):
That's, that's pretty cool um, I mean, it's a
really good idea, sit and dothat to be fair.
But sometimes it's just thatlittle reminder or you get a
text message from a client going.
I had one client and she sentme a picture of her glass of
champagne on her little kind ofdrinks area and she said I'm so
happy, I love the space you'vecreated for me.
I just wanted to say thank you.
(40:11):
So she was thinking of me andshe 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 shouldI be selling my thing?
Should I be talking about it?
Am I talking about it too much?
I think that's the things thatgo 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
(40:32):
and impacting your ideal client.
What is the difference you'regoing to make to them?
And that's what you have tofocus your mindset on.
Donna Eade (40:40):
Yeah, brilliant.
Ok, well, that has been anamazing conversation.
I love that.
So we're going to go through myquickfire round and then I'm
going to let you talk a littlebit about your little free guide
to a happy home, which is kindof going back to where we were
at the beginning, talking abouthappy home.
So, quickfire round.
(41:01):
What is the podcast you enjoylistening to the most at the
moment?
Holly Scott (41:05):
So I love that you asked this question.
I am really bad, I'm going tofully admit it listening to
podcasts.
Um, fair enough, I need to makeit, 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.
Yeah, yeah, one of the ones Ihave enjoyed listening to is the
Great Indoors, which is SophieRobinson and Kate I think her
(41:31):
name's Watson.
They're both interior you knowinterior designers as well and
listening.
I always love listening to chataround.
You know interiors and stuff.
Yeah, actually, there wasanother one that's really funny
and what is her name?
I think she's?
I'll have to think about, I'llhave to remember it and then
send it over to you, but thereare some funny ones out there.
It's just having the time oh,absolutely, absolutely.
Donna Eade (41:53):
That's what I love about podcasts is the fact that
you can listen to them anywhere.
So you're driving, take thekids to school, then you put one
on on the way home.
You go for a walk, you listento one, you.
You drive to the shops byyourself, you know.
So there's all different spaces, uh, going to the gym, whatever
, um, there's.
You can fit it in anywhere, andthe great thing about it is is,
(42:14):
when you press stop, you comeback and it's where you left off
.
So, like I, there are someepisodes that take me three or
four trips to listen to becausethey're so long.
It's like listening to a story,though, isn't it?
Yeah, yeah, absolutely Lovethat.
Okay, so what is the book thathas made the biggest impact on
your life so far?
Holly Scott (42:33):
So I'm just going to admit, these questions
slightly concern me because Idon't have an awful lot of time
to read either and I wasthinking, oh, what book I
haven't read.
For I have actually got a stackof books I need to read.
Do you have time to read no, butthis one read yeah, do you have
time to read, no um, but thisone, get rich, lucky bitch is a
(42:54):
brilliant book and I actuallyprobably ought to go through it
and read it again.
But talking about mindset andthings like that, that's really
good for it.
So, yeah, I did enjoy that oneyeah, brilliant book.
Donna Eade (43:02):
Um, and then, what is your go-to snack when you're
in a hurry?
Holly Scott (43:06):
so it depends what I'm in the mood for, but I would
say I have quite a sweet toothso if I am in a hurry.
It depends, if I've beenorganized, if I have made my
homemade protein balls andthey're in the fridge those
because they're quick and easyto grab.
If not, it would be a good barof chocolate and it's not going
to fill you up.
So that's why the protein ballsare better.
(43:26):
But something sweet probablylove that love that.
Donna Eade (43:29):
And then what is your ultimate me time thing to
do, when you actually you knowyou haven't got time to do the
reading, haven't got time tolisten to the podcast, but do
you make time to do somethingfor yourself?
What would that big thing be?
Holly Scott (43:42):
it would be going to the spa.
Yes, it would be going to thespa that was an easy one to
answer it doesn't happen veryoften, but yeah, good spa day
it's a lovely, it's a lovelything to do.
Donna Eade (43:53):
Yeah, that that is mine, mine too, so I love that
fantastic.
Well, thank you so much foryour time today.
Holly, thank you for answeringmy questions.
Tell everybody a little bitabout 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 yourhappy home with this free guide
is what I've got in my notes.
Holly Scott (44:13):
I will also share the home office tips because
that's what we've been talkingabout.
So this guide basically is greatto give you literally my four
secret steps to creating a goodinterior.
My four secret steps tocreating a good interior, and
(44:33):
it's making sure that you arecreating a space which reflects
your personality, your style andyour success.
So these are the four kind ofkey stages I take within my
award-winning interior designprocess, but also take my
students on with the course, butthey're just four really good
nuggets for you to understandhow to create your own happy
home.
Donna Eade (44:52):
Brilliant.
I will share that in the shownotes for you guys.
And where do you hang out onsocial media, Holly?
Where can people connect withyou?
Holly Scott (45:00):
Well, always on Instagram.
So just at Holly Scott InteriorDesign, 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 withthat and LinkedIn as well.
If you want to hang out there,brilliant.
Donna Eade (45:11):
Okay, I'll have all those links in the show notes
for you guys, so do go and clickthat more button and find it.
If you are reading on the blog,then you can scroll down to the
bottom and all the links willbe in the bottom as normal.
So thank you so much for yourtime today, holly.
It has been a lovelyconversation, guys.
(45:37):
I'll see you in the next one.
Bye for now.
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