What can Costco hot dogs and Hermès handbags teach interior designers about running a high-end design business? Quite a lot, apparently. Rebecca and Shaun dig into the wildly different business models behind Costco and Hermès and uncover surprising lessons about luxury, value, trust, vendor relationships, pricing, craftsmanship, and creating a brand clients believe in.

They also catch up on some big personal and business changes, including Shaun’s decision to leave his studio and reduce overhead, Rebecca’s adventures in home renovation and color drenching, and the importance of making strategic business decisions with trusted advisors. From cost-plus pricing and designer discounts to vintage sourcing and what actually defines a luxury client, this episode explores how interior designers can create more profitable businesses while delivering an experience that feels truly high-end.

In this episode they discuss:

  • Why Shaun decided to give up his office space, reduce overhead, and make aggressive financial moves for the next chapter of his interior design business
  • How working with a CPA and financial advisor can help designers make smarter decisions about expenses, profitability, retirement, and long-term business goals
  • Rebecca’s spontaneous color-drenched hallway and the design concept of “compression and release” inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright
  • What the Acquired podcast’s deep dive into Costco reveals about limited product selection, strong supplier relationships, customer trust, and delivering exceptional value
  • How designers can build deeper vendor relationships and use purchasing power to create better pricing without making a luxury design service feel “cheap”
  • Whether a cost-plus pricing model can work for high-end interior design, especially when sourcing custom furniture, vintage pieces, and products from preferred vendors
  • What Hermès teaches us about craftsmanship, consistency, exclusivity, brand identity, and creating luxury products that clients desire beyond pure functionality
  • The difference between offering a luxury design service and working with a truly luxury client who values trust, access, one-of-a-kind pieces, expertise, and the finished result over price shopping


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