The Idea Economy™
How to price your intellectual capital, position your expertise, and sell what clients can’t touch.
Your creativity is the product. Not the hours, not the markups and for sure not a "discount".
The Idea Economy™ is about putting brainpower, strategy, and leadership at the center of how you price your projects — and, more importantly, how you project revenue to grow.
These workshops show you how to make the intangible tangible: turning ideas into numbers, proposals, and models that clients respect. You’ll build a business model that protects profit and gives you the confidence to hire, expand, or even take a break — knowing the revenue is there to support it.
When you stop apologizing for your fees and start owning them, clients stop shopping and start trusting.
👉 Scroll down to see when the next workshop begins.
(more workshops coming in The Idea Economy™!)
JOIN US!Workshop one
Pricing the Invisible (Two Days!)
COMING AGAIN FALL 2026!
Translating your ideas into a flat-fee framework that holds up. This is by far, the best education you will ever get on how to calculate flat fees accurately and without ambiguity.
Designers don’t struggle with the concept of flat fees — they struggle with the calculation and the mindset necessary to implement it. How do you turn design work into a number that’s profitable, repeatable, and defendable?
Flat fees force you to be a better business owner.
But unless you can build a fee that’s structured and enforceable, you’ll keep leaving money on the table and be unable to project out the future profit necessary for growth.
This workshop walks you through the math and mechanics of flat-fee pricing — how to calculate it, safeguard it, and present it with confidence so clients see value instead of hours.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN:
- What goes into calculating a flat fee and how to do it including how to factor the complexity of each project.
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Why a shift from hourly billing to outcome-based pricing creates more client respect. ( we dive into this much more in The Buyers Brain workshops!)
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The must-have clauses that protect you when scope creeps or projects stall. (and that is a very BIG deal lately!)
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Guardrails to keep nickel-and-dime requests from eating profit. (and help you to learn how to say "sure let me add that to our contract!)
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Language that positions flat fees as stewardship and leadership, not a "discount." {shudder}
- Please have your average fees charged for a typical space and the number of hours you estimate. If you use square foot calcs please have that too.
Purchase 5 workshops and receive a 10% consideration on all!
CODE: WORKSHOPS5
Workshop TWO
The Minimum Expenditure: Why You Need to Project Profit for Success
COMING AGAIN FALL 2026!
Designers get trapped in feast-or-famine because they price project by project without projecting the profit required to sustain growth. The minimum expenditure model changes that. It secures profitability from the start, anchors client expectations, and protects you from being shopped.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN:
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How to set a minimum expenditure for each project — tied to scope, not just “to get started.”
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The exact verbiage to convey to clients that makes your minimum feel natural and non-negotiable in client conversations.
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Why presenting this model intentionally is mission-critical for buy-in.
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The ripple effect: how projecting profit impacts hiring, cash flow, office upgrades, and even your next vacation.
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Understand how minimum expenditure impacts your future growth by being able to project out your profit---you will know you can add that new person, move out of your home office or book that vacation!
- Please have your gross profit margin on product sales and an idea of what it takes to furnish at specific spaces at your level.
SELLING BY
DESIGN™
DESIGN
DELIVERED™
PROJECTS WITHOUT PANIC™
THE BUYER'S
BRAIN™
Susan S.
WORKSHOP ATTENDEE
"I’ve taken several of your Damn Good Designer workshops, and they’ve been incredibly helpful—especially around pricing. Your approach feels both practical and honest, and it’s given me a much clearer framework for how to structure my fees and think about profitability. The Facebook group has also been a great resource. I continue to learn from what you share and really appreciate the level of thought and generosity you bring to the design community. I just wanted to reach out and let you know your work is making an impact."
Diane B.
COACHING CLIENT
"I say run don’t walk and take these. I have worked with Cheryl over the years and everything she has showed me has improved my business 10 fold. Game changers. Less stress, more confidence and a better bottom line."
Tracey G.
WORKSHOP ATTENDEE
"I can’t say enough about how fabulous Cheryl’s workshops are! I’ve taken 5 (watched most of the recordings as I was not able to do live). They have all been priceless."
Rebecca F.
WORKSHOP ATTENDEE
"Just got my first minimum expenditure project after taking your workshop yesterday. I was so hesitant today before meeting with my client, but I felt confident and motivated to just jump right in. I almost chickened out but I’m glad I didn’t. I literally just got off the phone with the client. He is excited, I felt relieved, and both walked away happy with the plan. Now I have to get my contract in order, but I am so happy and wanted to share! Thank you for sharing your knowledge, willingness to share, and helping us less business savvy people."
Sunita R.
TDP DESIGNER
"From being a loss making firm to now paying taxes in high 5 figures, yeah I would say, you should be called ‘Cheryl - The Transformer’"
No other coach is as invested in their students' business as you and no one has gone beyond three sentences about minimum expenditures!
Sunita R.
TDP DESIGNER
"From being a loss making firm to now paying taxes in high 5 figures, yeah I would say, you should be called ‘Cheryl - The Transformer’"
No other coach is as invested in their students' business as you and no one has gone beyond three sentences about minimum expenditures!
Sunita R.
TDP DESIGNER
"From being a loss making firm to now paying taxes in high 5 figures, yeah I would say, you should be called ‘Cheryl - The Transformer’"
No other coach is as invested in their students' business as you and no one has gone beyond three sentences about minimum expenditures!
Success is for those who are willing to put the time and effort into being prepared and learning how to run a business. And not let the business run them.
Meet Cheryl Clendenon
A serial entrepreneur and owner of In Detail Interiors, a 7 person, multi-million dollar design firm based on the Gulf Coast. In addition to winning dozens of industry awards throughout her 25 years in business (proving she's a dang good designer who knows her stuff), she also has actual knowledge and experience in business that head and shoulders above the rest of those who currently coach and teach within this industry.
That’s why, instead of bringing you more fluff about how to sign luxury clients or social media marketing (🙄), she is going to teach you what you really need and WANT to know, which is how to increase your bottom line WITHOUT adding more to your workload.