What is The Designer’s Resource Center? And why does it matter to you?

The Story Behind The DRC

Why a peer-to-peer program is what we need to help change an industry.

What is The Designer’s Resource Center? And why does it matter to you?

Let me start off by sharing a little about me, and why “I” don’t matter.

My name is Joseph Haecker. I started in hotel and casino lighting design in 2002. I spent most of my career in lighting design working on projects globally.

In 2014 I launched a social platform for the design industry. And went on to host a talk show on Facebook LIVE, with over 3-Million views in 2018.

I have gotten to know designers from many specialties within the design field, including; eDesign, Home Staging, Kitchens & Bath, Closets & Storage, Residential, Commercial, Hospitality, Television, Podcast, Print, Product Design, Coaching, Mentoring and Trade Associations, through interviews, personal conversations and relationships.

Between 2017 through 2019, I attended 91 trade shows and events. 

I have gained a unique perspective on the industry. Not only was I from within the industry. But I have had the chance to experience the industry without having to run a day-to-day design firm.

What I’ve learned…

I’ve learned that the design industry doesn’t do a great job of being “real” with each other, or themselves. We've adopted the "fake it, til you make it" mindset.

But we aren't fooling anyone...We're just ignoring the problem.

Why does that matter?

We tend to look at other designers and assume that “they” have it all figured out, and “must be successful”. While in fact, “that” designer is looking at you, thinking the same.

But the numbers don’t lie…

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics says that in 2018, the Mean Annual Wage for an Interior Designer was only $59,120 (Click Here).

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics also says that the Top 10% of the industry only earns $94,130 a year.

If that stings a little bit. It should…

My hope is that we start breaking down false walls and start building more successful businesses. Not just ones that look good on Facebook and Instagram. But businesses that pay the bills and make more money. 

That doesn’t mean we need to post our revenues online. But it does mean that we should actively seek knowledge and look at our own personal ability to learn and grow.

Why “I” don’t matter…

Ultimately, this isn’t about “me”. It’s about you and your design business. 

If you are struggling to make ends meet, or simply don’t know how to take your business to the next level. Then it should matter to you.

Joseph Haecker is not a “coach” or a “mentor”. In fact, I’m not even one of the Accountability Peers...

The DRC Accountability Peers are fellow design community members, representing; eDesign, Home Staging, Kitchens & Bath, Closets & Storage, Residential, Commercial, and Hospitality.

Accountability Peers are NOT “coaches” or “mentors”, either...

Instead, they are fellow professionals, that have taken time away from their personal and professional lives, to make themselves available to you, for regularly scheduled accountability sessions.

These accountability sessions are structured under topics, such as:

• Weekly Mindset Calls
• Weekly Role Play Sessions
• Monthly Business Accountability Calls
• Monthly Group Mastermind Calls

Why are they not “coaches” or “mentors”? 

A coach or mentor implies that a “coach” or “mentor” knows something about your business, that you don’t. 

When in fact, you DO know your business. 

The simple fact is, that you most likely haven’t taken the time to regularly, either look at your business critically, or you lack someone to help hold you accountable for your own personal business goals (or both).

Accountability sessions are designed to help you focus and hold you accountable to sales goals that you set. 

The platform provides resources to help you critically think about the systems and processes you are using, so that your sales and marketing goals produce successful results. Your Accountability Peer is there to listen, understand and stretch your goals, so that you are more successful.

Your Accountability Peer is there to give you a safe place to practice. Through our Role Play program, you are able to develop your elevator pitch, conflict resolution and client/vendor engagement. This is such an extremely helpful tool in presenting yourself to your client in a professional and capable manner. 

All designed to help increase your revenues and grow your business.

You are not alone…

Most small and medium sized businesses suffer from the same problem. 

71% of ALL entrepreneurs’ report signs of depression and anxiety, due to the stress of running and owning their businesses.

The major difference…most businesses are not considered “Luxury” or “Life-style” businesses. So, even though that small business owner is stressed, running a donut shop, marketing firm, or attorney’s office, they don’t have the added pressure of selling a life-style that they themselves can’t afford to maintain.

Accountability Peers are here to provide structure, accountability and to help you stretch your goals.

Need proof that the problem is as simple as accountability?

• How many prospecting calls did you make in the past week?
• How many follow-up calls did you make?
• How many new clients did you book?
• How much did you profit?
• And, what would it mean to your business if you simply got two (2) new clients this month?

Sounds simple…

It’s not. Running a design business is hard. 

Design schools don’t teach you how to run your design business. Their focus was on design.

It would have been up to you to major or minor in business, in order to gain a business education. That…or you would have had to figure it out on your own.

Again, this is normal. Even attorneys are not taught in law school, how to run their legal practice. Most aren’t even taught how to litigate or how to argue in court. They must learn for themselves.

I already follow podcasts and I have a design coach…

I know and love all of the podcasts and coaches in the design space. I know most of them and in someway or another, have had an impact in their business as well. 

I am the first to say that design industry podcasts have done an amazing job of helping to share the stories of the design community. This is such an important service for the community.

Coaches and mentors do a great job of expounding their philosophies, experience and methods through their members and clients. Many coaches and mentors invest great time and resources developing their own skills and abilities as coaches, in order to stay up to date and pass along information through their members.

Many focus on the latest buzz and trends. Such as Facebook LIVE, Instagram, blogging, SEO, sales funnels, Call-To-Actions (CTA), etc.

These are ALL valuable and can be a great resource for design business owners.

What makes The Designer’s Resource Center different?

The greatest difference is that The Designer’s Resource Center is not the “focus”. 

The DRC does not “tell” you how to run your business, like a coach or mentor might.

The DRC does not simply share stories, forcing you to glean tidbits of information, with the hopes that you will “organically” improve your business.

And The DRC does not have a philosophy in which our members must subscribe to in order to be successful.

Instead, you are the focus.

Our Resource Library is designed to help you challenge your mindset regarding your business tools and processes.

Our Accountability Peers are your sounding board, practice partner and a person to help you stretch your goals.

The DRC is about you.

If the program doesn't "teach" me what to do, how will I learn?

Let’s say you were a runner. As a runner, you are planning to compete in a 40 yard dash.

How would you begin to train? Would you bring a timer? Would you write down your times and collect data so that you could learn to improve? Would you seek knowledge from other sources, and introduce those tools into your practice? Would you show up the next day, then next day and the next…in order to practice? 

And would you be able to hold yourself accountable to stay focused?

The decision to run the race is up to you.

The decision to begin training, is also up to you.

The DRC brings the structure of the “timer” and the routine through our weekly Role Play and Group Mastermind sessions. 

We collect the data so that you can analyze your results through our DRC “Growth Tracker”. So, that you can make informed decisions about your business, performance and growth.

And we introduce you to knowledge, through our weekly Mindset Calls, Group Mastermind Calls and Resource Library.

You don’t win a race by beating the other person. You win a race by improving yourself.

The DRC doesn’t “teach” you anything. Instead, we help you to learn more about yourself.

At the end of the day, you are a business owner. You are fully capable and totally responsible for your own success. The DRC is not your “coach”, “mentor” or your favorite blog/podcast.

Instead, we are peers, just like you, taking the time to help the community grow together.

If we have a philosophy at all, it is that the design industry as a whole is better off if you are able to run and maintain a successful business.

And we are simply here to help.

My name is Joseph Haecker. I am the founder of The Designer’s Resource Center. 

Now, let me step out of the way, and invite you to...

For more information, visit us at:

www.thedesignersresourcecenter.com