Recently, one of my regular readers wrote to say:

“My discomfort with talking numbers comes from not always knowing how much things cost. Every time I try to research ‘typical’ ranges, they vary wildly… I need to figure out a few reliable price ranges I can confidently reference in conversation.” ~ Frustrated in San Francisco

Oh man do I get it! This industry is a moving target. Prices shift with tariffs, freight, receiving fees, increased contractor markups, reduced trade discounts, and more—sometimes all in the same week.

Honestly? Part of the answer is giving yourself a little grace and being honest with clients about what’s in your control vs outside it. 💛

But there’s another, more fixable problem hiding underneath that uncertainty. → Trying to know everything instead of getting really good at something.

The Real Reason the Numbers Feel So Slippery: No Niche

Know what tells me you don’t have a clear niche? Hearing you say things like:

• “I design for any size home…”
• “At any budget level…”
• “In any style…”
• “With any priorities—luxury, durability, sustainability, kid-proof, pet-proof, rental-ready…”

That means you’re trying to keep mental tabs on:

• A $800 sofa and a $8,000 sofa
• Builder-grade tile and artisan zellige
• Quick-turn e-design timelines and full-service, 18-month renovations

That’s not a pricing problem. That’s an expertise problem.

You’re only a few years into running your business, yet you expect yourself to be a confident expert in every level of project for every kind of client? Is it really any surprise that the numbers are hard to gather and track?

What Changes When You Pick a Niche ✨

Narrowing your focus—even temporarily—gives you a chance to build something incredibly valuable: your confidence!

Think about the difference between just learning French versus trying to learn French, Portuguese, and Chinese all at the same time. You’re going to learn French a lot faster if you only focus on the one language.

The same is true here. Researching the numbers within one niche lets you become an expert for your clients in much less time than trying to get your head around the numbers for every niche all at once. Before long, instead of hemming and hawing, guessing, or evading tough questions, you feel equipped to say things like:

• “For my projects, sofas usually land between $3–5k, while sectionals are more like $8-$10k.”
• “My clients typically invest $25–40k per room.”
• “A realistic kitchen budget for this level is $X, not $Y.”

Confidence with money doesn’t come from memorizing industry averages. It comes from expertise within a defined lane. A clear and narrow niche changes everything.

A Quick Before & After: What This Sounds Like

Without a niche:
Client: “What should we budget for this room?”
You: “Well… it depends… there are a lot of options…” 😬

With a niche:
Client: “What should we budget for this room?”
You: “Most of my clients invest between $25–40k for a room like this. Once we refine your priorities, I’ll tighten that range—but that’s the right starting point.” 💪

Same designer. Same talent. Completely different level of authority.

“But What If I Pick the Wrong Niche?” 🤔

You won’t.

Or more accurately—you might, 😆 …but it doesn’t matter.

A niche isn’t a tattoo. It’s an experiment.

Pick one based on:

• The types of projects you want more of
• The clients you enjoy working with
• The budgets you’re aiming to operate within

Run with it for a while. Gather real data. Adjust if needed.

What you can’t do is stay broad forever and expect clarity to magically appear. 🪄 ✨

The Bottom Line: Limit How Much You Need To Know

The industry might be unpredictable—but your expertise doesn’t have to be.

When you choose a niche, you stop chasing all the numbers and start mastering the ones that actually matter to your business. Confidence with money isn’t about knowing everything. It’s about knowing one thing really, really well.

You’ve got this. 💛 Rebecca

PS – Need help Nailing Your Niche? I’ve got a course designed exactly for that → you can check it out here! Like this kind of practical design-business advice? Sign up for my newsletter here!