0:00:03 - (Linda Habak): I'm Linda Habak, and this is Build Beautiful. This isn't just a podcast about design. It's about the people behind the work and the truth behind the journey. The quiet pivots, the bold decisions, the failures no one sees, and the moments that change everything. Each episode, I sit down with architects, designers, developers, artists and creative entrepreneurs, not to talk about success, but about what it takes to get there.

0:00:33 - (Linda Habak): The process, the doubt, the grit, the heart. If you believe in creating with meaning and living a life with intention, then you'll feel right at home here. Welcome to Build Beautiful, where design meets depth. In the world of design, the work is often admired, but the endurance it takes to sustain that work, that part is rarely seen. Alex Helps knows that endurance intimately. Before interiors, she built and ran a successful family business.

0:01:09 - (Linda Habak): Learning, leading, surviving. And then, with quiet conviction, she changed course. She chose creativity not as escape, but as evolution. Today, Alex is the founder of Alex Helps Interiors, a a practice defined by grace, groundedness, and a sharp eye for detail. But behind her refined spaces is a mind that thinks like a strategist and a heart that understands what it takes to truly stay the course. In this episode, we talk about what it means to build a creative business that lasts financially, emotionally, artistically.

0:01:45 - (Linda Habak): We explore what it takes to keep going when the market dips, when trends scream and no one's clapping. We talk about mentorship, money, boundaries, and the beauty of backing yourself. Because sometimes the most powerful thing a designer can do is stay true. Alex, welcome. Welcome to the podcast.

0:02:06 - (Alix Helps): Thank you for having me.

0:02:07 - (Linda Habak): Really happy to have you. I'm really looking forward to this conversation. I admire you a lot because you are one person that I always refer to as far as your business acumen and what you bring to running a design business financially and successfully. But it didn't start in design for you. It started with a family business. So take us back there. Let's set the scene and get some context for where you began.

0:02:37 - (Alix Helps): So the business that I worked in with my dad, you've just credited me with building it. I did not build it. He built it. He was one of those creative geniuses who had this innate ability to find the sweet spot between value and profitability. And so working in that business gave me an incredible grounding in how to run a successful business. I saw that business move through great times and terrible times. It came through a few recessions.

0:03:08 - (Alix Helps): We went from having a staff of 30 to 40 in the UK at some stage to just having the three of us at some stage. So I've Kind of cut my teeth in not just surviving and thriving, but also because of the content that we created, which was all about customer excellence, sales training, all that kind of basic grounding in how to create a successful business. I feel like I absorbed a lot along the way and I really did have a sense when I graduated and changed career that I definitely had a level of confidence in my ability to. To make this work that perhaps others didn't have because they just didn't have that similar experience.

0:03:53 - (Linda Habak): Grounding. Take me back to that moment where you just knew you had to step away and fulfill this creative life that you were yearning for. What was. Was there a moment?

0:04:04 - (Alix Helps): Yeah. Do you know? It wasn't a snapshot decision. It was more of a slow pull. I think I always realized that I was definitely working in the family business with a little bit of a sense of obligation. I had known for a long time that it wasn't my baby, it was Dad's baby, but there was certainly that element of me as a chronic people pleaser to not upset the apple cart, not let dad down. And, of course, he would never have seen me as letting him down, but that's how I felt it to be.

0:04:35 - (Alix Helps): I'd always, always had a passion for design. My mom, I've said many times before, could do my job standing on her head. She's just a natural decorator. She has that incredible colour memory which you don't find often, and she's created beautiful homes the world over. And I've been really fortunate to just watch how she pulled that together. But, yes, it was a slow burn. I think, for me, I really knew that I wasn't doing what lit me up creatively.

0:05:07 - (Alix Helps): And I guess the crunch point came in my late 30s. I was nudging 40, and I kind of asked myself, do you want to keep people pleasing or do you actually want to feel alive?

0:05:17 - (Linda Habak): So that is special.

0:05:19 - (Alix Helps): I did it.

0:05:20 - (Linda Habak): Yeah, you did it. You sure did it.

0:05:22 - (Alix Helps): It was terrifying.

0:05:24 - (Linda Habak): So tell me, did you experience identity loss when you moved from one area of your life where you were successful and doing well, and then you've changed course? You're starting something very new. How did that sit with you, mentally?

0:05:41 - (Alix Helps): Yeah, it was not easy. I felt a lot of guilt around abandoning ship, as it were. I also felt a bit of a fool because I was walking away from a very solid career and business, jumping feet first into something which I didn't know whether it was going to deliver me the salary that I needed. I had no idea whether I was going to be able to make this work. So it was mildly terrifying but extremely exciting at the same time.

0:06:09 - (Alix Helps): And I think the pace at which I did it kind of helped with that. There really wasn't any time to sit around doing too much navel gazing about it. It was like, okay, you're leaving now, you're going to get your qualification. Then in year one, I need to replace my income. I didn't have the luxury of it being a hobby. It wasn't going to be a part time thing, it was going to be full time. Let's go. And I need this to work.

0:06:33 - (Alix Helps): So coming at it from that angle, it was a busy time. But like I say, it was exciting.

0:06:38 - (Linda Habak): Exciting. Talk me through what that year one of business was like then.

0:06:43 - (Alix Helps): I was incredibly fortunate that a friend of mine actually, do you know what, she's such a good friend now and she was a friend who I knew through the gym, through school, school mum kind of thing. And she'd watched me do this change and when I was nearly ready to start, she said, look, when you're ready, we'd like to be your first clients. So that was incredibly lucky. I didn't have to scrap around and search for that first job. I was handed that by some incredibly trusting good friends and we had a great time transforming their house. They had basically built their dream house but like as is often the case, they got to the end of the build and kind of ran out of puff and ran out of cashola to finish off all of the niceties. So they put that on hold for a while, which suited my timing perfectly, thank you very much.

0:07:30 - (Alix Helps): So we did about three or four rooms in their house to begin with and that immediately gave me portfolio material. It gave me the opportunity to sort of test out my processes and, and they were, they were just great clients. They were very, very trusting of my vision from the start and we brought about some beautiful changes that they still love. Now.

0:07:52 - (Linda Habak): That's amazing. So let's talk about process, because you touched on process. Because when I think of you and how you approach running a design business, it's almost like you have this infrastructure in place. So tell me about that. And you've built that over the years and I've watched you because we've had many, many hours, so many conversations around it. But I really want to unpack process infrastructure and having a financial mindset around running a creative business because often people don't think the two can work hand in hand, but they must.

0:08:26 - (Alix Helps): Well, they have to or else. What are you doing? I think that's one of the most important things that my dad instilled in me is that profit is not a dirty word. Profit is actually essential because that's what's going to allow you to endure so prioritizing your profit in your accounting setup from the beginning. I remember reading a book called Profit first by Mike Michalowicz, but I read that, oh, only maybe like five years ago.

0:08:55 - (Alix Helps): And I remember reading the book going, huh, okay, well, I kind of do all that. So I was like, oh, actually, okay, maybe I'm onto this. Maybe this is why, you know, things are actually fairly solid. I've had been extremely fortunate that this is my 12th year now in business and I've had year on year growth every single year. So there've been challenging years when the pipeline has been sketchy. That whole post Covid time when it went gangbusters for a while, and then there was absolute crickets.

0:09:23 - (Alix Helps): Even those years, the company has grown. So I think having a really solid understanding of how to establish the business and what to prioritize so that you are never caught out when it comes to liabilities or tax time or whatever. And also for me, my income was the most important thing. I prioritized that over everything.

0:09:45 - (Linda Habak): You know, what I love about you is that you're not afraid to talk about money. And I think for me, I grew up in a culture where talking about money money was like, that was frowned upon. You don't talk about money. It's almost disrespectful to talk about money. And then I married an accountant, so that'll do it to you. Money becomes, you know, a discussion point. And having that has demystified it. But you were the first female that I had come across in the design industry that you were not afraid to talk about it. And actually, I think it's a really important conversation that we all need to have more openly.

0:10:27 - (Linda Habak): So can we talk about that value and absolutely.

0:10:30 - (Alix Helps): It is a pattern that I see way too often. Women have a money mindset where they almost feel like it's not okay to be financially successful. I can't understand why we are still in this dynamic where women who do carry the bulk of the emotional load and the family load and the parenting and the household logistics are still expected to undervalue our time. We are always the first people to be, you know, how many times did we catch each other going through fee proposals, putting a big red line through because we'd be like, oh my God, no, that's just going to be too much. And you think, hang on, why is our mindset like this? I don't know a single man who is successful who would be wanting to make that bottom line smaller and a fee proposal. Yet here are we conditioned to feel like we can't charge our worth?

0:11:24 - (Alix Helps): It's so frustrating. It's maddening. So for me, if I can try and make a difference and give somebody confidence, we'll come onto this later when we talk about mentoring. But if I can help somebody to understand the fundamentals of how to run that successful business, but really to understand that being talented as a designer isn't enough. If you want to run a successful business, it's really not enough.

0:11:48 - (Alix Helps): People are popping out the other side of uni with a degree and they can design beautiful kitchens and fabulous homes. But has anyone actually told them what's in a P and L and how to. How to read that profit and loss and how to understand the balance sheet and how to ensure that you have got the right kind of structure to make sure you don't find paying your bass as a surprise every quarter. And you know, you've got money set aside to pay tax and you've actually done the numbers and worked out that, look, this is what I need my income to be, therefore, what do I need my revenue to be in order to deliver that on a regular basis?

0:12:22 - (Linda Habak): So can you give us an insight on how you just very top level, how you look at the numbers and what do you do on a weekly basis? What's your practice around reviewing your numbers on a regular basis? Because I know you do.

0:12:35 - (Alix Helps): Yeah, Yeah.

0:12:35 - (Linda Habak): I think if someone was listening to this and starting out or even, you know, if they've been in for five years and they're scratching their head going, I just can't seem to get consistency in revenue.

0:12:46 - (Alix Helps): Yes.

0:12:46 - (Linda Habak): What, what's some advice you could give?

0:12:49 - (Alix Helps): Yeah, you need to ride that pony every single day. Every single day. The first thing I do is I open up my laptop and I'll log into Xero and I will reconcile my accounts. My accounts are reconciled every single day.

0:13:03 - (Linda Habak): That's. I have a look at extraordinary all.

0:13:05 - (Alix Helps): Of my accounts and I could tell you pretty much to within $100 what is in each account. I always make sure, you know, on a very basic level, I look at what's coming in in terms of invoicing and what's going out always. This one's got to be bigger than that one, guys.

0:13:22 - (Linda Habak): Simple math.

0:13:23 - (Alix Helps): Simple maths. This one's not bigger than that one. We got. We got problems.

0:13:27 - (Linda Habak): We're in trouble.

0:13:28 - (Alix Helps): But my accounts are reconciled every day. I know exactly what is in each account to nearest $100. I know exactly what has been invoiced and what is going to be invoiced because I've got a forecast that tells me, I update all the time what we've got running at the moment, what phase that project's at, when the next bit is going to be invoiced. And then I'm always on top of any purchasing. A basic check is, you know, everything that we've got on the top line there in Xero.

0:13:57 - (Alix Helps): So your income has always got to be greater than your expenses or else you're on a hiding to nothing. The other really basic thing is separating out your bank accounts. So I think, talk to me about.

0:14:08 - (Linda Habak): That because I know you have a sort of special setup.

0:14:11 - (Alix Helps): Yes, absolutely. So I think a lot of people, when they start out with a business, just have one bank account and money comes in and money goes out. But I think in order for you to be really, really granular about it and understand what your obligations and liabilities are and have money aside for tax and bass, it's the smart thing to do to separate that out. So we have five different bank accounts that are, you know, one is our main transaction account.

0:14:42 - (Alix Helps): Then we have things separated off. So there's one for liabilities, there's one for surplus, there's one for client funds. So any funds that we're holding for clients who either are on a retainer or a 20 hour block package, which we do throughout the design management phase, if clients have just paid a large invoice for items that we're procuring on their behalf, that all gets taken straight out and put into client funds.

0:15:07 - (Alix Helps): And as we place the orders, it comes back and gets moved across to the transaction account. We do have a credit card account because it's often easier to have the credit card for paying things. But make sure that's in the business name and not a personal one. I think the sooner you can adopt the approach of running, even if you've got a small business, a tiny business, and it's just you, you're just paying your salary.

0:15:29 - (Alix Helps): Treat it like a big business.

0:15:31 - (Linda Habak): Absolutely.

0:15:31 - (Alix Helps): And treat every penny like it counts. And really. Yeah, tying that into a forecast, a really solid forecast, so you know exactly how the next three to six months and nine to 12 months is going to play out in that. So my surplus account is where I have a buffer. So if we do hit those times where inquiries are low and we don't have big projects on, we're taking on smaller projects or whatever. And those times do happen to all of us.

0:15:59 - (Alix Helps): There is some buffer there to get you through. It's not like, oh, right, okay, I'm gonna have to go and, you know, take a job somewhere and give up on this whole thing. It give you a bit of flexibility.

0:16:07 - (Linda Habak): So let's stay there for a minute. Can you take me back to a time over the last 12 years where it has been a difficult time and then how did you manage that? What did you learn looking back? Because we know this business, there's so many peaks and troughs.

0:16:23 - (Alix Helps): Yeah.

0:16:23 - (Linda Habak): So I really want to unpack. What did you feel? What was the mindset? How did you manage it and what are some tips that we can learn from that?

0:16:33 - (Alix Helps): I think this is where if you've got that good system and set up in place and you're running that structure, then hopefully you've got a buffer. So operating without a buffer means that you're going to have issues when you do hit the quieter times. And when you do hit those quieter times, the only way is through. You just can't stop. You can't just even. No matter how much you feel like not getting out of bed today because it's all too hard, you show up, you pick up the phone, you make calls to all of your contacts, you stay in touch, you keep going with your socials, you keep going with your marketing, keep the wheels turning.

0:17:10 - (Alix Helps): If you stop and stagnate and sit there having a big suck and feeling sorry for yourself, which also is real. And you do do, you're not going to pull through. It takes fight and it takes preparation to pull through those hard times. So I think post Covid, I had a shocker of a year, but we had lots of jobs that involved only design and specification of FF&E, but no furniture. For a while we had a whole year where we didn't buy a stick of furniture.

0:17:39 - (Alix Helps): And that means that you're operating on very low margin. But luckily I had the buffer. Yeah. So, you know, all it takes is one job. All it takes is one job to come along and then you're off again. And then literally, we always laugh about this that, you know, three weeks ago you were sobbing down the phone, oh my God, it's all done. I've got nothing. What are we going? And then three weeks later you're like, oh my God, I've over committed. We've got too many projects done. What are we going to do?

0:18:03 - (Alix Helps): So it does Kind of come in waves.

0:18:06 - (Linda Habak): Feast and famine, isn't it?

0:18:07 - (Alix Helps): Absolutely.

0:18:08 - (Linda Habak): It can really be feast and famine. Are you happy to share what your margin structure is?

0:18:13 - (Alix Helps): Yeah, absolutely. Yeah.

0:18:14 - (Linda Habak): So what do you charge for procurement?

0:18:17 - (Alix Helps): So for procurement, we obviously charge for the time, but in terms of the actual FF and E, it depends. So, as you'd know, things like tiles and tapware trade discounts are almost negligible anyway. So I just make sure that the client is getting a better deal than they would if they bought it themselves. So where there's a minimal amount of discount, we basically keep the first 10%. We didn't used to. We used to split whatever that discount was by half, essentially, but that just wasn't sustainable.

0:18:50 - (Alix Helps): So we keep the first 10% and we split the rest 50. 50. If we are buying at wholesale and we get a true wholesale price, our standard markup is 30% across the board, and that's clearly documented in our contract. We are very, very transparent about pricing and markups.

0:19:06 - (Linda Habak): Do you get pushback from clients on that?

0:19:08 - (Alix Helps): No.

0:19:10 - (Linda Habak): Extraordinary.

0:19:10 - (Alix Helps): They're still, you know, clients are essentially still getting this at less than they would be at retail. They're still getting a better deal. No, and I don't negotiate on that. That is my business model. That is, if you want to work with us and you would like us to do your procurement, that is our business model. It's not up for discussion. So I think that's some of the areas we were talking about, drawing boundaries. If you don't draw the line, somebody else will draw it for you.

0:19:36 - (Linda Habak): That's a strong boundary.

0:19:37 - (Alix Helps): That's a strong boundary. You can't start changing those kind of fundamentals to suit and essentially, people, please.

0:19:45 - (Linda Habak): But there's also a lot of liability around that. When you're ordering on behalf of almost liability. So, yes, needs to.

0:19:52 - (Alix Helps): It needs to cover the time that goes in and it needs to cover the liability. And, you know, unfortunately, those margins are getting slimmer for us.

0:20:00 - (Linda Habak): So it's.

0:20:01 - (Alix Helps): It's a challenge to keep making sure we are being competitive.

0:20:05 - (Linda Habak): Do you have any advice around how to plan for your pipeline and how to manage that?

0:20:12 - (Alix Helps): Pipeline is your pipeline. You know, if you aren't constantly working on marketing behind the scenes, then pipeline may be sketchy and sometimes that's way outside of our control. Right now, pipeline is lumpy. You know, we've got this situation where the cost of construction has gone up. I think it was 29% in the last two years. I read the other day, we still are in the grip of this Cost of living crisis, which is impacting a lot of our bread and butter clients. So I know that the $8 million plus market is absolutely thriving.

0:20:43 - (Linda Habak): Gangbusters.

0:20:44 - (Alix Helps): The pool of potential clients at that sort of 1 to 3 million dollars build is less. We know that there are loads of DAs that have been approved but haven't been executed. And so I guess people need the confidence to move ahead with plans. And, you know, that's largely something that we help with. Right. We help them to ensure that by engaging us, they do have a much greater control on their budget, you know, by being ready.

0:21:16 - (Alix Helps): Well, do you find a lot of clients get their DA and think they're ready to go and get a quote, and then you go, oh, you don't seem to have any interior design. What does your kitchen look like? So we're trying to really impress on people how important it is to just be on the front foot with that so that you can actually be build ready when you are ready to go. So engaging us earlier in the piece so that everything is detailed and documented, which makes the quoting process more efficient and accurate, which means that you're off on the right foot with your build.

0:21:47 - (Alix Helps): But, yeah, I think, you know, when you do hit those quieter times, it's about not giving up, and it's about getting up and putting your damn lippy on, brushing your hair, putting on a pair of matching shoes and getting yourself out the door and carrying on. There's a lot to be said for, you know, it is just about having the strength to carry on, because it's a wave. The next wave will come.

0:22:11 - (Linda Habak): That's the wave of business, isn't it?

0:22:13 - (Alix Helps): Yeah.

0:22:14 - (Linda Habak): You've now stepped into mentoring.

0:22:17 - (Alix Helps): Yes.

0:22:18 - (Linda Habak): And I couldn't think of a better person, actually, to mentor people around running a business and the business of design. Talk to me about that. And why do you feel compelled to do that? What does it give you as a person? Because I imagine it's very satisfying to support someone because you've been through it. So, yeah, let's unpack that a little bit.

0:22:40 - (Alix Helps): Yes. I think I'm moving into a phase of my life where I really want to feel like I'm delivering value. Not that I don't in our design projects I do, but the days when you really, truly feel like you've made a big difference in someone's life are the days that really light me up and you feel like, you know, wow, actually, that's cool. I've made a difference. I've made someone feel good about this. I've Given someone confidence and made them feel differently about something, whether that is one of our clients coming in and having a session with us and going out feeling empowered because they now have greater clarity around their direction or whatever.

0:23:16 - (Alix Helps): Same applies really in, you know, designers who are particularly new designers who are coming out of university or coming off the back of their first few jobs and think, right, it's time to go it alone. Having the confidence, just having someone on your team to help guide you, I think is absolutely key. There are so many things that I learned during the early part of my career, which then I felt I had the toolkit to make this work for me.

0:23:41 - (Alix Helps): But, yeah, I feel like I'm entering that phase of my life where I really do need to feel like I'm making a difference. And so it makes me feel good from a completely selfish angle. But I think understanding, as we do that money mindset issue that a lot of women have, encouraging people to value their worth, value their time, the minute you undervalue your own time. Yeah, yeah, you know what? No one's going to do it for you.

0:24:11 - (Linda Habak): Don't we all know that?

0:24:12 - (Alix Helps): Well, and also just helping people to have the appropriate communication skills, understand what it means to set boundaries. You know, if you don't have the confidence to set those boundaries and draw that line, then someone's gonna draw the line for you.

0:24:27 - (Linda Habak): Can you give me an example of a time where you've had to really do that?

0:24:31 - (Alix Helps): Yeah, absolutely. So many times that you feel like again. And another classic trait of so many women is that we people please. And it's incredibly tempting when you're in the middle of a project to not stick to either your process because you're trying to please the client. And we've all learned that the hard way. Who does that please, in the end? Absolutely no one. The wheels come off as soon as you bend the rules for something every single time. So I think that's really taught me it's just not worth bending the rules.

0:25:06 - (Alix Helps): Stick to the process. We have all had the experience that's taught us that the best results come when we stick to the process. And so part of sticking to that process is about setting healthy boundaries and then just, you know, being clear about that. Being clear. Just because you are confidently enforcing a boundary doesn't make you difficult. It makes you a good business person. It means that you are securing the integrity and the outcome of the project.

0:25:32 - (Linda Habak): Well, in fact, you are protecting your client's investment.

0:25:35 - (Alix Helps): Absolutely.

0:25:36 - (Linda Habak): Which is what we do.

0:25:37 - (Alix Helps): Absolutely.

0:25:37 - (Linda Habak): Ultimately. And I think that's Part of how do we communicate that from the outset to the client? How do you communicate that process to the client from the get go? And if you get pushback, how do you deal with that? How are you dealing with those difficult conversations?

0:25:56 - (Alix Helps): Yeah, we rarely get pushback and maybe that's, maybe they would have been pushed back a few years ago, but now because of the way we are communicating the process from the outset and educating the client very early about how we work and what the process looks like. And as part of that, helping them to understand why we don't bend the rules and why we don't skip a step and why we can't do this ahead of time.

0:26:19 - (Alix Helps): So I think that's all it takes really. You know, people just want to feel assured that you're leading this process. You know, when you take the time to explain that, usually people are absolutely respectful and grateful that actually you're trying to steer the ship for them and make sure that this is going to be the smoothest possible process that you can be. I think as well, we all become more selective about the projects that we take and so encouraging other designers to really not mistake being busy for being profitable.

0:26:54 - (Alix Helps): Don't just fill up the calendar for the sake of it. Just be mindful that sometimes the project isn't the right fit. And really taking time to assess whether you feel like a good fit for the client and they're a good fit for you is actually key in that. Because as you know as well creatively down the track, if it isn't a good fit, then things don't flow and there is a lot of requests for changes and revisions.

0:27:20 - (Alix Helps): You get to that spot where too many cooks and all of a sudden the essence of the design has been lost and inevitably it doesn't end up in the portfolio.

0:27:31 - (Linda Habak): So what are you looking for when you're talking to clients, potential clients, do you have sort of a list of criteria that you go through or is it a gut feeling? How do you approach that?

0:27:41 - (Alix Helps): Often it's a gut feeling. I think you can tell a lot from the first meeting with a client, you know, and there are things that I, that I look out for. If you arrive at someone's house and February 34 degree day and they don't immediately offer you a glass of water, they say you got trouble, run the other way, run. You can keep that meeting real short. But those kind of human factors are important to me.

0:28:04 - (Alix Helps): You know, are these people who we're going to be, we're working with them for a long time.

0:28:08 - (Linda Habak): Yeah.

0:28:08 - (Alix Helps): You know, we've got clients who've been working with for two and a half, three years at the moment. So it's really important that that relationship is a good fit and that there is a bit of a shared value system. So I'm looking for people who respect the process. I'm looking for people who want to understand the process and then give me a clear signal that they are really happy with that. That's a good fit for them.

0:28:29 - (Alix Helps): You know, nine times out of ten, they don't want to be involved in the day to day nitty gritty. That's our job. And you want to know that your client is going to trust in you and have the confidence to allow you to drive this project according to the way that we know works well.

0:28:45 - (Linda Habak): So in that first touch point, are you talking about money in that first instance?

0:28:50 - (Alix Helps): Yes. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. And I know there's always a lot of debate about this, about whether you charge for that initial consult. I've always charged for that initial consult.

0:29:01 - (Linda Habak): Why is that?

0:29:02 - (Alix Helps): Because we share a lot of value at that session. But also it's a working session. It's not just a meet and greet. We're not just having a coffee and a, and a chat. I'm happy to do that for free. No worries. But if you want me to drive to your home, which could be an hour, and then spend two hours defining a really tight scope of works, understand your timeline, your budget, your aesthetic, that's a working meeting in itself. And then let's just add in the time to get back to the studio. And then the good old fee proposal.

0:29:32 - (Linda Habak): Good old fee proposal.

0:29:34 - (Alix Helps): Because they're quick and easy.

0:29:36 - (Linda Habak): They don't take any time at all.

0:29:37 - (Alix Helps): Take any time at all. As you know, they can take for a whole home. A big project can take a day to refine a fee proposal.

0:29:44 - (Linda Habak): Yeah.

0:29:44 - (Alix Helps): So I don't have any qualms about charging for that time because it's not a two hour meeting that they're paying for. They're actually paying for the engagement of our services, which is more like a day and a half of my time. So I don't hesitate. It also is a really good way to quickly establish whether you've got a client who has trouble parting with money. And I'm not taking money off them for no reason.

0:30:06 - (Alix Helps): Like we just said, it's a day and a half of work for us. But if you've got somebody who quibbles that or questions the value of that, that's a fairly good sign that there is not an adequate perception of value with that particular project. And if you can't swing them round to the level of understanding and appreciation of that value, then you're probably gonna be pushing the proverbial uphill with a pointy stick for the next couple of years. So good luck.

0:30:33 - (Linda Habak): That's very funny. Let's talk about creative voice, because we are in a time where we're inundated with a lot of visual language. How do you protect your own creative voice in this time? Because everyone has their. Their lane.

0:30:50 - (Alix Helps): Yeah.

0:30:51 - (Linda Habak): So what do you do to approach that? And. And how do you cultivate that for yourself?

0:31:00 - (Alix Helps): Look, design is. It's like art on a deadline.

0:31:04 - (Linda Habak): I love that. Don't you think that's a great quotable. Yeah. Art on a deadline.

0:31:08 - (Alix Helps): Write that down.

0:31:09 - (Linda Habak): Write that down. That's an open moment.

0:31:13 - (Alix Helps): It is, though. You're under the pump, and if you don't actually carve out time to preserve that creative development time, and, you know, we've laughed about this so many times that part of running a design business, the time you spend being creative is like, yeah, this much. The rest of the time is, you know, keeping the wheels turning and doing all of the other logistical and practical things to run the business.

0:31:37 - (Alix Helps): So if you don't protect that space for the creative element, it makes it incredibly hard to do what we do in terms of. Of that creative. I see. The power of collaboration, as you and I have often discussed, is key. I'm not doing this alone. I am supported by brilliant minds. I have designers and studio managers and trades and builders, and we are all rowing in the same direction to make this outcome fabulous.

0:32:05 - (Alix Helps): I think my other favorite quote, and I can't say this one's mine, but have you been listening to Prof. G? I think I put you onto Prof. G. Oh, yes. Yeah. I love him. He's great.

0:32:15 - (Linda Habak): He's great.

0:32:16 - (Alix Helps): Greatness is in the agency of others. And I think that as a foundation to work on in any kind of design business is what I'm very attached to.

0:32:27 - (Linda Habak): Well, we can't do it alone.

0:32:29 - (Alix Helps): You can't do it alone.

0:32:29 - (Linda Habak): It's just simple.

0:32:30 - (Alix Helps): If you are trying to do it alone, you are going to be burnt out real quick. So, yeah, leaning into the inspiration and everything that comes from that collaborative process is key to the best outcomes, not.

0:32:47 - (Linda Habak): Only for the client, but also for the business, because we have to leverage. You can't grow unless you leverage. And so that's the staff, the team that you build, and the relationship with the builders, the trades So I think that's an important.

0:33:03 - (Alix Helps): Well, you and I learned fairly early on to quickly identify our skill set and do a little bit of a self scan and go, right, which things am I really awesome at? Which things do I suck at? Right. I'm outsourcing those.

0:33:19 - (Linda Habak): Work to your strengths, baby.

0:33:20 - (Alix Helps): Work to your strengths and then pay someone else to do the bits that you don't like or you're not good at. And the outcome will be so much better than you could have produced on your own.

0:33:30 - (Linda Habak): That's right. And we talk about this, we see ourselves as creative directors. And I think when you step into that role, it means you can lead the ship and get the outcome that everybody needs for the client, for the business. And so when you are in the weeds trying to do all things, be all things to all people, that's when the wheels fall off.

0:33:52 - (Alix Helps): Absolutely, absolutely. It's our job as creative director to pull that little baby together and then make sure it's my job to protect the integrity and the direction as we move along. But, yeah, collaboration is a massive part of how you do that. And I think that is another good lesson for anyone who's new to the business and, you know, currently wearing themselves very thin by trying to do everything themselves, you just can't do it all.

0:34:20 - (Linda Habak): Has there been a time where you feel like you've lost your sense of creative clarity? If so, how did you find your way back to it?

0:34:29 - (Alix Helps): Creative clarity is something which I find the longer the design process goes on slowly ebbs away in everyone. So trying to keep a really tight handle on when all of those design decisions are made, if you're still tinkering with feedback and changes from the client down the track, that's when you really start to lose your mojo. And again, we've all been there. So just really trying to ensure that you take projects and engage with clients who are very happy to trust your creative vision is a good way to prevent that from happening. But inevitably it's happened in the past and it's hard to get back. I think sometimes when you've got a couple of things that aren't aligned in their aesthetic desires for the project. And you know, you've got maybe him over here saying black, and you've got her over there saying white, or if it ends up gray.

0:35:25 - (Linda Habak): You're also marriage counsellor in those.

0:35:27 - (Alix Helps): Marriage counselor.

0:35:28 - (Linda Habak): Yes, that's been fun.

0:35:30 - (Alix Helps): And so often in those situations, I'll be really honest with clients and go, hey, guys, at some stage, you know, we need to call it Are you gonna go with me, or is one of you going to actually step up and say, no, we're going to go with what I want? Because if you want to go with what I want, what I'm going to suggest is best for this room. You both need to hop on board, or else we will be going around. Around in circles, and that's not what you're paying me for.

0:35:52 - (Alix Helps): Inevitably, our time is their money, and I. Sometimes you need to just give people a gentle reminder of that.

0:35:57 - (Linda Habak): That's right.

0:35:58 - (Alix Helps): You know, let's not spend too much time doing that particular dance, because send the invoice.

0:36:03 - (Linda Habak): I say send the invoice, baby. Send that invoice. Because I think people then see that time is money. And when you're in the emotion of trying to make decisions.

0:36:12 - (Alix Helps): Yeah.

0:36:13 - (Linda Habak): People forget.

0:36:13 - (Alix Helps): Yeah. Yeah. And also when I think residential design is all the more challenging because it is such an emotional time for clients. They are so attached to every single aspect of the project that it can sometimes muddy the path. Sometimes you just got to go, okay, we just gotta keep moving. And, you know, let's stay focused on the direction that we've all agreed on, because sometimes when you do get a client who wants to be really, really involved in every decision, again, just chips away at the original design intent and. Yeah, it's not the best way to move ahead.

0:36:53 - (Linda Habak): No, that's right. I want to talk about alignment. What does that look like for you now after 12 years of running this business? And, I mean, it's from a creative perspective, a personal perspective, a business perspective.

0:37:09 - (Alix Helps): I think for me, it's about when all of that is working smoothly together. So business, personal and creative. Yeah, right. So when you're feeling fulfilled on all those fronts, that's really what alignment looks like to me. And it's about building a business. And the name for your podcast, I think, is Brilliant Build Beautiful. It's about building something that is beautiful on all those levels. It's about creating something that not only fulfills you, but it delivers the income and the lifestyle that you're looking for.

0:37:42 - (Alix Helps): And you have a natural and general sense that what you're creating is actually making a difference for people. Trying to stay true to that is what it looks like for me. It's trying to make sure that we do move ahead with the right projects that allow us to put our process in place and be trusted creatively and pull together these beautiful outcomes that make a massive difference in people's lives. You know, we're creating homes that people retreat to and Want to feel nurtured by.

0:38:11 - (Linda Habak): Absolutely. It's a responsibility, isn't it?

0:38:14 - (Alix Helps): Yeah, yeah, yeah.

0:38:15 - (Linda Habak): Fulfilling one, but a responsibility. Talk to me about the unsung heroes. Who do you think in the industry deserves more recognition than maybe they get?

0:38:25 - (Alix Helps): Yeah, it's the ones who obsess over the details, isn't it? It's the, it's the upholsterer, it's the. It's the joiners. Like, you know, we just had two hours on the phone going through all the shop drawings, every single teeny weeny detail of each junction and each. You know, it's those people who say, but what about this? How's that going to work? It's those people that really care and bring such a passion to their craft, that contribute. And you know what?

0:38:51 - (Alix Helps): Half the time they probably aren't tagged in Instagram. They're not. True. And then the other unsung hero, I'd say, is the studio managers who are keeping all of this chaos together and keeping everyone moving along and keeping the project running smoothly. Yeah, I'd say there's a number of people who deserve that award.

0:39:11 - (Linda Habak): What do you hope to leave behind, not just in projects, but in people when you think about your business?

0:39:18 - (Alix Helps): Well, I suppose that's twofold now. So in my client side for, for Design, I do want to leave them with a home that serves them beautifully for years to come. I want to love coming home to their home every day. I want them to throw the door open and enjoy inviting friends and family over because they're so proud of it. And I want to create spaces where they feel nurtured and restored. So hopefully there's that element.

0:39:45 - (Alix Helps): And then with mentoring and coaching, I want to. To encourage people to understand that they can build a really solid business, that they can look to supporting them and isn't, you know, they're going to enjoy running it, they're not going to have it own them and have the confidence to value their worth and the structure to allow them to thrive.

0:40:14 - (Linda Habak): If you could would sit beside the version of yourself just before you made the leap into your design career, what would you whisper to her?

0:40:24 - (Alix Helps): Is this a bit where people cry?

0:40:25 - (Linda Habak): Yes, this is the Oprah moment.

0:40:28 - (Alix Helps): Where's my support door? Where is Bowie? Where's Bowie? Bring him back.

0:40:33 - (Linda Habak): That's my.

0:40:33 - (Alix Helps): I'd probably say it's going to be harder than you thought, but it's also going to be more rewarding than you thought. I'd probably say wear the nice shoes. Don't waste time trying to convince People who don't get it. And I'd also say, stop doubting yourself. Stop doubting yourself. You can actually do this. Had I. I was so shocked when I reached the end of the first year and found that I had exceeded the target that I'd set myself for my salary. And I look back on that and I thought, why on earth didn't I think that was possible?

0:41:06 - (Alix Helps): But, yeah, so I'd say, go, girl.

0:41:09 - (Linda Habak): Go, girl.

0:41:10 - (Alix Helps): You got this.

0:41:10 - (Linda Habak): Can you be a bit louder when you say that? Go, girl.

0:41:14 - (Alix Helps): Yeah. No, it was a whisper. It was a whisper.

0:41:17 - (Linda Habak): That's true. That was the question. Our final signature question. What does Build Beautiful mean to you?

0:41:25 - (Alix Helps): I think I probably touched on that earlier. I think it's about building a business that delivers on all levels. You know, one of the. The key things I've always taken away from working in my dad's business was that if you aren't here to make money and have fun, what are you doing here? So if you aren't feeling fulfilled on those levels and they are both as important as one another, then you need to seriously think about whether this is perhaps the right path.

0:41:58 - (Alix Helps): But, yeah, I think Build Beautiful to me is about creating a business and a lifestyle and beautiful homes that. That deliver on all of those levels.

0:42:07 - (Linda Habak): It's perfect. Thank you. I think a lot of people will get a lot out of it.

0:42:11 - (Alix Helps): I hope so. I can't wait to listen to all the other guests, too. It's fantastic. I think you've had this in you for a while, and I think this is your absolute forte. You've got that inquisitive brain. You can always rely on Linda to ask good questions, but you're so good at this, and it's your natural conversational style. I think we'll just make it a great listen. Well done, you.

0:42:31 - (Linda Habak): I hope so. Thank you. Thank you for listening to Build Beautiful. If this conversation resonated with you, I'd love it if you'd follow the show, leave a review, or share it with someone who's building something meaningful. It matters more than you know. Follow us on Instagram Build Beautiful podcast. Until next time. Keep creating with intention, and together we Build Beautiful.