Interior design, in my opinion, is the perfect combination of art and architecture; creativity with technicality. I was always a creative child, always drawing or painting, or building something. Because art was my favorite class in school, and because I didn’t have even a mild interest in anything else, I decided to major in art in college.

Unfortunately for me, I soon realized after my second year that an art degree kind of means nothing in the real world, and I didn’t have any real tangible skills to transfer over to a stable career. I considered becoming an architect, but if I’m honest, I toured the architecture program at another school and was immediately intimidated by the amount of work, dedication, and grueling hours needed.

My mother suggested looking into interior design, which I didn’t even know was a real job, at the time. That mix of art and architecture was appealing to me, and I saw it as a way to combine two things I loved into one. And so, in my third year of college, I transferred to Drexel University and eventually graduated with Bachelors’s and Master’s degrees in Interior Architecture and Design.

I feel incredibly lucky to be a part of the industry I’m in. Designers may have it hard with notoriously long hours and, at times, difficult clients, but there’s fun stuff, too. Going to showrooms and exploring furniture and fabrics. Working with architects, contractors, and engineers on active construction sites. And, in general, having something physically tangible to show for all of your hard work.

The interior design industry is overall a very fun one. We work hard, which means we play even harder. Product presentations usually include happy hours, and industry conventions end with after-parties and chic dinners. But with all the fun aside, the best part about being in this field is building friendships with the people you work alongside. Every industry is small, but this one feels especially so.

My day-to-day activities depend on the phase of a project I’m working on, but most of my days include answering emails from clients, selecting furniture and finishes for projects, using computer programs like AutoCAD and Revit to create construction documents and 3D renderings, and presenting my designs to clients.

There aren’t many jobs where you can scroll Pinterest and play with colors all day long, which I will admit is pretty awesome. But because a lot of my day is spent at the computer, it’s easy for me to get stuck there. Something I’m trying to get better at is stepping away from it to either sketch out an idea by hand or head over to a showroom to gain some inspiration.

There’s a big misconception that an interior designer is simply someone with great style and taste. And that can certainly be true for a “decorator”, or someone who only selects furniture and accessories. But professional interior designers, especially those working in the commercial sector, must have a degree in either interior design or a related field, like architecture, to work professionally at a design firm or gain access to many industry benefits.

This is because our job goes beyond what looks good. We’re trained on things like user experience, space planning, and how things are constructed. Even more important than that, designers are expected to be knowledgeable about codes, like fire, emergency exits, and ADA accessibility, in order to design spaces that are safe and inclusive.

Many designers opt to become NCIDQ (National Council for Interior Design Qualification) certified, which includes taking an extensive exam that tests all of these areas of knowledge. The NCIDQ exam isn’t required, but it gives a designer more credibility, and, in some states, the legal power to sign their own construction drawings.

Salaries will range depending on where you live, the size of the company you work for, and the industry sector you choose to pursue. In my opinion, designers can make a great, livable wage if they’re at a good design firm, but unless you start your own company or work your way up over a lifetime to a high position in a company, it’s not likely you’ll become suddenly wealthy.

Over the years, the value of architects and designers in our society has decreased, and many designers (including myself) feel we are underpaid as a whole. Due to this, it’s very common for designers to take on projects on the side to make extra money (if it doesn’t compete with their full-time job!). But with that said, if you’re smart, talented, and brave enough to take some risks, I believe anyone in this field can be successful.

This is the ultimate question that designers contemplate constantly! We are obviously professionals and are hired for our expertise, but at the end of the day, the client is the one holding the purse.

It’s all about balance and picking your battles. Sometimes it’s worth stating your case for a point (like investing in the more expensive flooring that will last a long time), and other times I let the client win (like an ugly painting they insist on hanging front and center). I think it all starts with knowing if this client is a good fit to work with.

If you and the client have great energy and trust from the start, it’s likely they will rely on you to make the right design decisions. But if your chemistry is bad (or you notice any red flags), the project is likely to be a long and stressful one.

To me, that is what separates a good designer from a great one: the ability to create a beautiful space that is functional and creates an overall positive user experience. Typically, the function is the priority. If something doesn’t work, it doesn’t matter how pretty it is! This is why we plan the space before selecting any finishes. We need to know how the users will interact with the space first, and what opportunities and challenges we may face. Then, we can figure out how to make it more visually appealing.

My favorite part of the job is seeing the final product. When you walk into a completed space for the first time, it makes all the hard work worth it. It’s really cool to have a job where you can do some sketches on a napkin or select a beautiful fabric and watch your entire vision become a reality right before your eyes. It’s tangible.

The most difficult part might be managing different personalities. As a designer, one of our main responsibilities is to act as our client’s liaison and coordinate third-party teammates (such as engineers or contractors) so that everyone works together to build the space to our design intent.

All of these people don’t always see eye-to-eye, including the client. This is where being an effective project manager and problem solver comes into play. Things go wrong. So we need to be able to figure out a solution that makes our client happy and keeps the entire team on the same page.

I LOVE attending design conventions and other industry events. It’s probably the most fun part of being a designer. These events will not only expose you to what’s new in design, but they’re such great networking opportunities that I believe all designers should take part in.

Staying connected with our local manufacturers’ representatives (the people that sell the products we are specifying) is also a great way to stay in the know. My reps are always stopping by or inviting me to their showrooms to show off their latest products, and they have incredible insight into what’s going on around the industry.

Aaron Darko is a 33 year old London native and a seasoned health coach with years of experience in the field. He has helped countless individuals achieve their health goals through personalized coaching and a holistic approach to wellness.

Aaron started traveling when he was 20 and has spent more than a decade in Asia. He currently lives in Bali (envy). He enjoys playing sports, working out with to his favorite music, eating dinner at steakhouses with his friends and traveling to new exciting places. He also likes geeking out on marketing and human psychology.

I help business men and women who are aged between 30-55 to get in the best mental and physical shape of their lives so they can enjoy life more.

I help them work out in the right ways. I help them eat healthy food consistently and educate them on what foods are healthy and why.

Then I also analyze their blood work results and tell them what their results mean and how to make their bloodwork great, so they can have confidence in their personal health, so they can be around longer to enjoy life and be with their loved ones.

I was always into health but wasn’t serious about it after I left university. I pursued my career, and that was more important to me than health at the time. It wasn’t until a friend came to hang out with me that I really changed my ways.

He was ripped with good muscle mass and an example of what I could have been had I been focused on being exceptional in my health. He was a great example of the man I wanted to be and, more importantly, deep down, knew I could be.

So I started working out with him, he taught me his ways, and I was also eating with him too. His approach to working out and nutrition was interesting and different. I started getting ripped.

I started sharing my pictures online, which led to my audience (primarily middle aged online marketers) ask me how I was doing it.

And that’s where my health business started as I came out with my first course teaching people the method I was using to get ripped fast… called Alpha Shredding.

I am focused on the three things one of my business mentors told me:

1. Sales 
2. Marketing
3. Service

Sales means taking calls from people who have expressed interest in my service after watching my webinar presentation.

Marketing means putting out content that targets my ideal client.

Service means fulfilling the clients I already have and making sure they are more than happy with their results they’re paying good money for.

Because I go deep on the mindset side to get into the core of my clients problems.

A weight problem is just a symptom of a bigger problem. Usually it’s something that happened in childhood, and they made that mean something that is now how they live their life or cope with stress as an adult.

Overeating is a common problem I help with, and that often stems from the person attaching the emotion of love to food – so of course if that happens, one can never get enough of it.

But people are unaware of this stuff, so I help them become aware of the patterns that have been running their entire life in this area and make them realize they are not broken. They just need to know what they were unaware of before, so they can remove it and replace it with more empowering beliefs.

Then I go into habits and how to create healthy habits, how to upgrade their self image and then we go into nutrition, workouts with a focus on improving mobility and joint health for longevity, and then we go into self care, both physical and mental.

So its a holistic approach to their health. Its a one stop shop for their health issues.

Simple one is asking them questions about why they do that behavior and really making them think. A lot of what I do is smart questioning. I don’t really use any “technique” 

I just know the right questions to ask because I’m always looking for the core of why that person does what they do, and a lot of times, its a big aha to that person because they don’t know.

Once they know why they do it, I help them remove that story, and then its easier for them to take the desired action.

We track their progress in a spreadsheet and also in the workout app. We track many metrics like what food they’re eating daily, their stools, how much water they’ve drank, their mood, their sleep times and quality. Lots of things.

Its normal for life to happen. Sometimes they don’t train for a few days or miss a workout. That’s exactly where I am valuable with coaching them through that to ensure they don’t fall off (like they usually did before hiring me) and still make progress.

I encourage my clients and show lots of empathy, compassion, and understanding toward them because I can relate to their struggles. 

They then feel this support and want to get back on the regime.

I follow a select few experts in health I respect. That’s it, really.

You gotta first have results yourself. You can’t be an armchair coach who’s never done a single pushup! 

Then you need to learn sales and marketing. That is a lifelong pursuit, but you can learn enough to be good in a few weeks/months. 

Everyone thinks its about knowing how to train people. Well yeah, thats obvious – if youre in great shape, you clearly know how to train and eat, now you need to help others – usually that looks like helping them for free to build up your confidence and testimonials – but really its more for the belief in yourself and confidence because that is the ingredient you really need. 

If you believe you can get people results, thats whats important, and then you need to know how to market and position yourself so you can get clients.

Adding to my advice above, I would say get a mentor. Someone who knows their stuff and makes you feel more confident in yourself and your abilities.

The best results are the ones you get for yourself and clients. All people care about is results.

Also you can get a certificate for personal training in a weekend, so how the heck does that make you qualified to be a good trainer? It doesn’t! Thats the problem with the industry. Lots of armchair coaches with no experience. 

Experience and results are what people want, so get that under your belt, and you’ll be fine. 

I already mentioned some of it when we talked about how I help my clients achieve their goals. To add to it, its just been a lot of trial and error by doing. I first started serving guys who wanted to get ripped and found that it was a shallow result i was helping people with. So I started to change my marketing and messaging to align better with who I wanted to attract. So now, my niche is corporate people and entrepreneurs because I am an entrepreneur and busy person, so I can relate to my markets’ problems.

One thing I’ve learnt is clarity comes from action, not sitting there twiddling your thumbs. Make mistakes faster, and the niche will come to you. Things will get clearer. What you want becomes clearer.

Posting content that helps people move them closer to their desired outcome, which for the most part is losing weight, building muscle, getting stronger so they can look and feel better.

Clients are all on social media – Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok (although I’ve never gotten clients from there yet) 

Focusing on whats in it for them vs. whats in it for me. Because i’m already in shape, its all about them!

It was an inbound lead, which i love the most. That’s called attraction marketing – when you become the hunted instead of the hunter. 

I want people coming to me. I don’t want to be going to people; much better way to do business.

So because I had good positioning through my content, this guy messaged me for help, and I enrolled him over the phone (which is a whole skillset I had to learn!)

Anywhere from 3k-20k a month to 100k+ a month which in yearly figures is 36k – 240k to 1.2m+ 

The reason for that gap is whether or not your mind is right (do you really want to do this, and are you ok with a lot of pressure and risk). There’s lots of factors that go into it, like skillset of sales and marketing.

Yeah, not getting a mentor and not believing in themselves, not knowing what the heck they’re doing.

Being delusional about how good you are when that is only validated by your clients results.

Not learning and getting good at sales and marketing.

There’s too many to name. I think the most important ones are Paul Saladino and Hunter Fitness. Get your nutrition and mobility in check because that will serve you in the long term.

To see the clients make lasting change and become the healthy person they knew they could be. To see them continue on doing the things I taught them is incredibly rewarding, and seeing how much of an impact I’m able to create on this earth one person at a time is nice. Its part of my purpose to lead by example to inspire people to be great themselves by me conquering my fears, crushing my goals and inspiring through my actions.

The tech work is tedious, its not challenging and the emotional side of business, which I have been working on a lot.

Seeing one of my clients have his first boxing match as a result of the confidence he gained from working with me. That was amazing to see him go from strength to strength. Momentum is a powerful thing.

When he joined me, he was not making much money in his business, was not confident at all and was overweight. After we worked together, he went on to make multiple 6 figures in his business and put a down payment on his first property.