Agenda
Empower the Designer Retreat

Day 1: Welcome

  • Keynote speaker Jake Arnold

  • Cocktail hour and dinner 

Day 2:
Strategic Operations Foundations

  • 8:00–9:00AM: breakfast & connections

  • 9:00–9:30AM: Welcome & Introductions
    Overview of operational and tax strategy goals for the retreat

  • 9:30–10:30AM: Workshop Session I – Scaling Your Operations for Growth

  • Best practices for firm structure, workflow optimization, and resource planning

  • 10:45–12:00PM: Workshop II – Building Efficient Systems

  • Leveraging technology, SOPs, and process automation

  • 12:00–1:00PM: Lunch Roundtables
    Peer discussion: Operations challenges & successful strategies

  • 1:00–2:15PM: Keynote Speaker – Mike Moser 

  • 2:30–4:00PM: Workshop III – Problem-Solving in Real Time

  • Operations case studies: cash flow, bottlenecks, delegation, client management

  • 4:15–5:00PM: Expert Q&A – Ask the Operations Consultant

Day 3:
Tax Strategy for Creative Firms

  • 8:30–9:00AM: Coffee & Connections

  • 9:00–10:15AM: Workshop Session I – Tax Basics for Design Businesses. Understanding entity selection, deductible expenses, and cash vs. accrual methods

  • 10:30–12:00PM: Interactive Workshop – Tax Optimization in Practice. Deep dives into tax straegy and how to use the IRS code to your advantage

  • 12:00–1:00PM: Lunch: Tax Talk Tables. Peer discussion: Stay tax savvy! 

  • 1:00–2:15PM: Panel Discussion – State Taxes, Nexus, and Compliance. Navigating multi-state sales tax, economic nexus, and audit risks

  • 2:30: Departure 

Key Pain Points Designers
Will Solve at the Retreat

Attendees at the Empower the Designer retreat will tackle common pain points that frequently challenge growing interior design businesses.

Here are primary areas the agenda focuses on:

Operational Pain Points:

Inefficient Systems & Processes: Many design firms struggle with time-consuming manual workflows, lack of standardized processes, and operational bottlenecks. Sessions will show how to implement technology and automation for efficiency.

Staffing & Team Retention: Recruiting and retaining skilled staff, training people consistently, and creating a positive workplace culture are persistent challenges in creative businesses. The agenda addresses successful hiring and retention strategies.

Workflow Management: Balancing creative work with project management, delegation, and client communication can be overwhelming without the right systems in place. Workshops will help attendees redesign workflows for better results.

Financial & Tax Pain Points:

Complex Tax Compliance: Navigating entity selection, deductible expenses, multi-state sales tax, and economic nexus laws are increasingly complicated and risky. 

Lack of Tax Planning: Many small firms miss opportunities for strategic tax savings or fall into costly mistakes. The retreat's deep dive into tax optimization helps business owners make smarter, lower-risk financial decisions.

Growth & Strategic Challenges:

Scaling Beyond the Principal: Firm owners often struggle to delegate, automate, and build a team-driven business rather than a founder-centric model. The operations strategy sessions focus on methods to grow sustainably.

Lack of Peer Support & Networking: Running a design firm can be isolating. The retreat provides access to micro-networks, collaborative peer groups, and mentoring, reducing stress while sparking fresh ideas.

By attending Empower the Designer, designers will leave with practical solutions to address these pain points—equipped with new systems, clarity on tax and operational strategy, and a stronger support network to help them grow their businesses with confidence.