Stuck in the Studio Spiral? Here’s Why You Can’t Scale.

Let me tell you a quick story.

A few weeks ago, I sat down (virtually, of course) with the founder of a boutique interiors studio and retail store. Let’s call her Ella.

Ella’s business is stunning— happy clients, her work splashed across Instagram and the occasional magazine - all beautifully created products, materials and all supplied by small business suppliers. She's built something special over the past few years, mostly by herself with a small tight-knit team and a mountain of determination.

But she was exhausted and frustrated. Her margins were shrinking. Lead times were slipping. And no matter how many enquiries came in, the business just wasn’t growing in a way that felt sustainable or desirable with her vision. She also wanted to re-visit where the business was moving and whether her store should stay in bricks and mortar or go online. she had trade and B2C clients.

“I’ve built something amazing—but it’s held together with duct tape and late nights. Im chucking spaghetti at the walls! And I don't get enough time to do the bits I love!" she told me.

(And honestly? That’s more common than you think.)

A beautifully curated interiors store

Sound familiar?

If you’re running a creative-led business—whether it’s interiors, architecture, KBB, fashion, or materials—you might be feeling this too. Clients love what you do, your diary’s full, but your business feels stuck.

Let’s dig into why that’s happening—and what you can do differently.

🔎 First: What’s really going on?

Despite the headlines about the UK’s creative industries contributing £108 billion to the economy (Creative UK, 2024), many small to mid-sized studios and consultancies aren’t feeling the boom. Why?

Because the economic landscape has changed, and we haven’t all been given a roadmap.

Here’s what I’m seeing again and again:

💥 Rising import costs and post-Brexit trade friction are squeezing profit margins and slowing down project delivery.

💥 Client behaviour has shifted—people still want beautiful, thoughtful design, but they’re buying differently, researching more, and expecting more value for less.

💥 Operational gaps—you’re still running the business like it’s 2018, and it just can’t keep up with 2025 demands.💥 Isolation—too many creatives are still trying to build in a vacuum, instead of collaborating across the ecosystem.

🛑 Back to Ella...

She had all the external signs of success—but none of the inner structure to support scaling. Her supply chain relied on two key European suppliers who’d recently increased costs and delivery times. Her team was small but overstretched. And she was doing everything—from design to client hand-holding to chasing invoices.

She didn’t need more clients.She needed a better business model.

So what do you need to scale smart in this market?

Here’s where the magic starts:

1. Diversify your supply chain. Seriously.

Post-Brexit challenges aren’t going anywhere. Materials and fittings you relied on for years may now be pricier, slower, or suddenly out of stock.Now’s the time to build a more resilient sourcing strategy. Look at UK-based makers, alternative materials, or pooled buying power with aligned studios.

In 2024, 68% of small design-led firms in the UK reported “significant delays or increased costs” due to changes in EU trade. (Design Council/Creative UK)

2. Stop scaling chaos. Start scaling systems.

Creative chaos is fun on a moodboard, not in your day-to-day ops.Automate what you can (project timelines, client comms, invoicing). Delegate where you must. Build backend processes that give your & team freedom and consistency. Find and invest in clever outsourcing solutions to do the jobs you hate doing! (go to Fiverr or get a VA)

Ella and I mapped out her project delivery workflow—then built in smart automation. Within 3 months, she saved 12 hours a week. That’s a whole new project—or a day with her family!

3. Make collaboration your growth strategy.

This is the year to stop growing in isolation. Your next leap may come from strategic partnerships—whether that’s teaming up with an architect on a larger project, co-creating a sustainable product line, or sharing resources with a non-competing peer. It might even be working on collaborations, getting affiliate referals or just bouncing ideas off another person in the same 'creative' space as you. Getting other

saves time in problem solving and helps build momentum and clarity.

The businesses building “ecosystem models” are the ones creating new revenue channels, faster problem-solving, and wider client pipelines.

🎯 Final thoughts

Scaling doesn’t mean doing more of what you’re already doing.

It means doing it differently—with better structure, clearer focus, and a willingness to let go of the bits that no longer serve you or like!

If you’re where Ella was—tired, full of potential, but stuck in the studio spiral—there is a better way. You don’t need to burn out to level up.

And if you’re not sure what’s holding your business back? That’s where I come in.

💬 Let’s talk - I work with design-led, creative businesses across interiors, KBB, fashion, and architecture to fine-tune the mechanics of growth—so you can scale without losing the soul of your brand.

📩 Message me for a no-pressure diagnostic chat.You bring the brilliance—I’ll help you build the engine to support it.