How Pros Build Systems and Teams That Can Handle Busy Times
With the right processes and a capable team, even the busiest periods become manageable. Pros reveal how it’s done
Thriving under pressure isn’t luck — it’s strategy. The key to success during busy periods is creating systems that streamline workflows, ensure clarity and keep everyone aligned. We asked eight seasoned design professionals on Houzz about the internal strategies they’ve developed to handle hectic periods, so you can apply them to your own business.
Be nimble. For Julie Cavanaugh, founder and principal interior designer at Design Matters — which operates across five studio showrooms in Northern California; Jackson, Wyoming; and Park City, Utah — it comes down to having “clear expectations of my team, with flexibility as needed.”
“Projects ebb and flow — it’s the nature of the business,” Cavanaugh says. “Being able to multitask, being nimble on our feet to meet ever-changing needs and doing it with your heart and head forward is how I lead. We rely on internal organizational reviews of projects, management and team meetings, and just talking freely to each other about our projects.
“Team members being willing to jump in and do whatever is needed is also how my village shows up for each other and our clients daily,” she says.
Cavanaugh and her team use Houzz Pro software to generate new business and keep projects moving. “We use it daily for leads and lead tracking, doing all our internal paperwork for estimates, invoices, purchase orders, time billing and reports — it keeps things running smoothly, timely and efficiently,” she says.
Learn about Houzz Pro software
“Projects ebb and flow — it’s the nature of the business,” Cavanaugh says. “Being able to multitask, being nimble on our feet to meet ever-changing needs and doing it with your heart and head forward is how I lead. We rely on internal organizational reviews of projects, management and team meetings, and just talking freely to each other about our projects.
“Team members being willing to jump in and do whatever is needed is also how my village shows up for each other and our clients daily,” she says.
Cavanaugh and her team use Houzz Pro software to generate new business and keep projects moving. “We use it daily for leads and lead tracking, doing all our internal paperwork for estimates, invoices, purchase orders, time billing and reports — it keeps things running smoothly, timely and efficiently,” she says.
Learn about Houzz Pro software
Divide and conquer. Oliver McCarthy, interior designer at Delight in Designs in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is a big believer in setting up separate workflows for every project. “We use an internal messaging tool for seamless collaboration, with dedicated channels for each remodel project where our team can share updates and photos in real time,” he says.
McCarthy and his colleagues use Houzz Pro software to maximize efficiency. “We primarily use the Estimates and Client Dashboard tools,” he says. “The Estimate tool is invaluable for quickly creating and sending custom, detailed estimates, saving us time and ensuring accuracy. The Client Dashboard allows clients to easily review estimates and communicate directly with us, making the process more transparent and efficient. These tools help streamline our workflow, reduce administrative tasks and enhance client satisfaction by keeping communication clear and organized.”
McCarthy and his colleagues use Houzz Pro software to maximize efficiency. “We primarily use the Estimates and Client Dashboard tools,” he says. “The Estimate tool is invaluable for quickly creating and sending custom, detailed estimates, saving us time and ensuring accuracy. The Client Dashboard allows clients to easily review estimates and communicate directly with us, making the process more transparent and efficient. These tools help streamline our workflow, reduce administrative tasks and enhance client satisfaction by keeping communication clear and organized.”
Keep clients informed. While it’s important to manage internal communications when things get busy, don’t forget to keep customers apprised of key milestones and potential delays too, says Machi Medrzycki, general contractor at MLM in New Orleans. “Provide regular updates to clients via daily logs and centralized messages. Include all associated team members on the information, communicate changes clearly and gather feedback,” he says.
Be transparent. “There have been a few times jobs have run longer than expected because of client add-ons or additional repair work that need to be attended to,” says Keith Kling, owner and managing member of Kling Brothers Builders in Newtown, Connecticut. “We have a time graph for every project, which is adjusted weekly. We notify clients on other projects to let them know how these delays will affect them and make the necessary adjustments. Sometimes not such an easy thing to do.
“Schedule adjustments are always tough to deal with and sometimes there is no easy way to handle it but to be bluntly honest,” Kling says. “We do explain this early on while reviewing the contract, but when it happens it always tends to be an unwanted discussion.”
“Schedule adjustments are always tough to deal with and sometimes there is no easy way to handle it but to be bluntly honest,” Kling says. “We do explain this early on while reviewing the contract, but when it happens it always tends to be an unwanted discussion.”
Put Solid Systems in Place
Define, delegate, deliver. What helps Tracy Hains, founder and CEO of Che Bella Interiors Design + Remodeling in Burnsville, Minnesota, maintain efficiency in busy times? “Having a clearly defined and proven process, from our letter of agreement to project implementation,” she says. “Communication both inside the studio between team members and with clients and vendors is key. We also have very experienced trade partners, which is critical to successful project implementation.”
Define, delegate, deliver. What helps Tracy Hains, founder and CEO of Che Bella Interiors Design + Remodeling in Burnsville, Minnesota, maintain efficiency in busy times? “Having a clearly defined and proven process, from our letter of agreement to project implementation,” she says. “Communication both inside the studio between team members and with clients and vendors is key. We also have very experienced trade partners, which is critical to successful project implementation.”
Monitor cash flow. “No cash flow can mean heavy project delays,” Medrzycki says — something you’ll want to avoid at the best of times and even more so when deadlines are stacking up.
For this reason, he says, it’s important to “review expenses weekly and use standard processes for billing and payments. Also track inventory, especially special-order material timelines.”
Medrzycki also advises centralizing all tasks into a single master schedule so you can easily monitor the progress of projects, identify potential delays and make adjustments as needed.
7 Ways to Encourage Clients to Pay on Time
For this reason, he says, it’s important to “review expenses weekly and use standard processes for billing and payments. Also track inventory, especially special-order material timelines.”
Medrzycki also advises centralizing all tasks into a single master schedule so you can easily monitor the progress of projects, identify potential delays and make adjustments as needed.
7 Ways to Encourage Clients to Pay on Time
Take detailed notes. “We have several preliminary design meetings with clients as we progress through the different phases of a project,” says Kelly Cusimano, architect and principal at Cusimano Architect in Houston. “This confirms that we are on the same page as we develop the design. Taking good notes is key — sometimes we’ll come back to items months after they were first discussed,”
Plan critical steps wisely. “Understanding the critical path is essential to keep your design process on track,” Cusimano says. “By knowing lead times for surveys, soil reports, engineering and permitting, you can better prioritize tasks and prevent delays. Many of these steps can run in parallel, maximizing efficiency and keeping projects on schedule.”
Plan critical steps wisely. “Understanding the critical path is essential to keep your design process on track,” Cusimano says. “By knowing lead times for surveys, soil reports, engineering and permitting, you can better prioritize tasks and prevent delays. Many of these steps can run in parallel, maximizing efficiency and keeping projects on schedule.”
Build a Strong Team
Surround yourself with the best. “My advice would be to build a strong, efficient team that truly cares about the success of each project,” McCarthy says. “Having a dedicated team — whether it’s in-house crew, subcontractors or project managers — who are committed to quality and communication is what will allow you to keep projects running smoothly and succeed in the long term. When everyone is aligned and invested, even the toughest challenges become manageable.
“Success isn’t just about managing the work, it’s about having the right people in place who take pride in their contributions and work together to deliver the best results,” he says.
8 Proven Tips for Managing a Growing Team
Surround yourself with the best. “My advice would be to build a strong, efficient team that truly cares about the success of each project,” McCarthy says. “Having a dedicated team — whether it’s in-house crew, subcontractors or project managers — who are committed to quality and communication is what will allow you to keep projects running smoothly and succeed in the long term. When everyone is aligned and invested, even the toughest challenges become manageable.
“Success isn’t just about managing the work, it’s about having the right people in place who take pride in their contributions and work together to deliver the best results,” he says.
8 Proven Tips for Managing a Growing Team
Put multitasking in the job description. “Our 11 project managers, depending on their experience, manage six to eight projects that are actively moving through design, another four or five projects that are moving through permitting, and eight to 10 that are moving through construction,” says Eugene Sakai, cofounder and CEO of Studio S Squared Architecture in San Jose, California. “So when we hire, we make it very clear that multitasking and being super organized are part of the job requirement.”
With so many projects on the go, having a considered delegation process is crucial, Sakai says. “For each client, we assign a project manager who is supported by a team that may include junior or contract staff, along with senior team members to ensure projects move forward efficiently.”
Tell us: What systems and team-building strategies help your business thrive in busy times? Please share in the Comments.
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With so many projects on the go, having a considered delegation process is crucial, Sakai says. “For each client, we assign a project manager who is supported by a team that may include junior or contract staff, along with senior team members to ensure projects move forward efficiently.”
Tell us: What systems and team-building strategies help your business thrive in busy times? Please share in the Comments.
More for Pros on Houzz
Read more stories for pros
Browse millions of photos for inspiration
Learn about Houzz Pro software
Talk with your peers in the Houzz Pro Forum
Have regular check-ins. So how can you stay efficient when you’re juggling multiple projects? “It’s all about being organized and communicating clearly,” says Eli Hariton, founder and principal at Damn Good Interiors in Denver. “Our team uses a project-management system to list out all our tasks for the week, then we triage and assign them between us. This system is also where we record all our meeting notes, which we’ll reference throughout the length of a project.
“We also use Google Calendar,” Hariton says. “We are religious about blocking out time and staying up to date on what we’re working on. This also helps with hour tracking, if that’s needed on a project.”