Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rebekah Hernandez. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Rebekah, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

Success can be broken down into four key principles. As a businesswoman in a creative industry, here’s how I approach it:

1. Continuously Evaluate and Improve: Success requires ongoing self-assessment and business evaluation. Regularly review what systems are effective and adjust those that aren’t. Track data, such as the time spent on tasks, to gather insights. For instance, in my first year, I spent over 200 hours emailing clients for project onboarding, which detracted from design and lead generation. To address this, I invested in scheduling software (Calendly) to which I set up workflows that sent clients automated emails, completely eliminating this task from my to-do’s. This setup took a day but saved me hours and allowed me to focus on what I do best.

2. Outsource What Drains You: Identify tasks that you find draining and outsource them, then determine what aspects of your work you find fulfilling—whether it’s client relations, design, or project management—and delegate less enjoyable tasks. However, maintain a general understanding of the tasks you delegate, as the outsourced individual may not always be available. Regular meetings with your subcontractors and employees can help you stay informed. A few questions I ask my contract workers and employees on our regular follow-up meetings are: “What roadblocks do you face that I can move for you?”, “What tricks do you have up your sleeve that we aren’t using? Are your skills being used to their full potential?” and “Does the work you do align with your short-term goals? And your longer-term goals?”

3. Adopt Strong Financial Practices: I take pride in having never needed loans for my business growth, and if I wanted to invest in something big for my business (such as a business coach, rebranding, or website), I saved for it. Recognizing the high failure rate for new businesses, I committed early on to avoiding this fate by managing finances prudently. A book I found very helpful was Profit First by Mike Michalowicz – I highly recommend picking up a physical copy and putting the practices (and your money) to work.

4. Hire a Business Coach: I’m fortunate to have my dad, an experienced entrepreneur, as a mentor. For those without a similar resource, hiring a business coach in your field can be invaluable. Allocate part of your budget for this when starting out. In my third year, feeling burnt out and underpaid, I hired an interior design business coach. This investment significantly shortened my learning curve, tripled my revenue, and enabled me to work with ideal clients, hire staff, and enjoy a more flexible schedule.

Rebekah, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Rebekah Nicole Interiors (RNI for short) is a Dallas-based full service interior design firm who specializes in furnishing, styling, and cosmetic updates for a fresh, individualistic look. What some may see as a challenge, whether it’s the integration of a historical piece passed down from a loved one or a complex living room shape, I see as an opportunity. My approach to each project is marked by pairing contrasting elements in ways that just work—reupholstering a vintage chair with modern fabric, or combining neutral textures with bold accent colors.

At RNI, we believe that intentional interior design has a big impact on our well-being. Our clients experience increased productivity, happiness, and inspiration which in turn result in a feeling of true peace and relaxation. Our comprehensive, holistic approach makes for a reliable, streamlined, and enjoyable process—we measure the success of each project by each client’s experience just as much as the final design.

We’re different than most firms because we believe that while good design is about inventing something new—it’s also about getting curious, listening with intent, and valuing our clients and their perspectives. We specialize in building on what’s already beautiful within existing spaces—helping our clients experience their surroundings in a new light. The celebration of the beauty that stems from a modern yet relaxed approach—that’s the hallmark of an RNI space.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

After studying interior design in Sydney, Australia, I returned to the Dallas area to begin my career in the furniture retail industry. A few years later, during the COVID pandemic, my work hours were reduced, and with bills to pay, I saw an opportunity to start Rebekah Nicole Interiors. My goal was to offer quality interior design services at an affordable price by focusing on design without the added costs of procurement, installation, and project management.

However, I soon realized I wasn’t charging enough to sustain myself, working twice as hard for barely the same income as before. After gaining experience and confidence running my business, I gradually transitioned from part-time to full-time, eventually resigning from my retail job to fully dedicate myself to Rebekah Nicole Interiors. Although the hours were long, I was passionate about my work.

In the third year of my business, I discovered an interior design coaching program that transformed my approach. They taught me effective business processes, the true value of my services, and how to grow my profits to expand my business. Today, I’m proud to be a coach in one of their programs, giving back to the organization that helped me reach this point in my career. We always say, “community over competition.”

Reflecting on where I started, I’ve always held onto my goal of making interior design accessible to everyone, knowing how positively it can impact lives. While we’ve refined our offerings to focus on Full Service, which includes a thorough research and development phase, procurement, project management, and installation, we still offer budget-friendly options. To stay true to our original mission, we continue to provide E-Design and A-La-Carte services for smaller, one-off projects.

Can you talk to us about manufacturing? How’d you figure it all out? We’d love to hear the story.

We manufacture many of the products we use in our clients’ homes. This includes custom-designed lighting, furniture, and artwork—creating unique, heirloom-quality pieces that can be passed down through generations. Our creative firm partners with industry experts, including carpenters, craftsmen, artists, and upholsterers, from around the globe to bring these designs to life. We also research and collaborate with local furniture makers to create bespoke pieces for our clients. We travel across the United States, particularly to High Point, NC—the furniture capital of the world—to source the best suppliers and manufacturers. My favorite part of sourcing something so special for a client is discovering the story of a piece – who’s making it, how they are making it, where they are located, and how they get to become so skilled in their craft. Our clients love having one-of-a-kind pieces that tell a story, fit perfectly in their space, and function the way we designed them to. We love creating quality pieces that combine form and function, and partnering with skilled manufacturers is a key part of our process.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://rebekahnicole.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebekahnicoleinteriors/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebekahnicoleinteriors/

Image Credits

Garrett Mullin Photography