Design · Cheryl Kees Clendenon

Damn Good Interior Designer

by Cheryl Kees Clendenon

Join Cheryl Kees Clendenon balancing all the moving parts of a full service interior design firm in her no-nonsense and thought-provoking podcast, the Damn Good Designer. Each episode is full of damn good truths and real talk as she shares invaluable insights on how to run and build a successful business while challenging the norms, the industry, her team and YOU. Emphasizing a business-savvy approach, Cheryl takes you on a roller coaster of discovery, considering success from a different lens, breaking free from groupthink, and encouraging you to embrace your own authentic designer self. There is not much she will not say “out loud”. In this podcast, you'll find no room for conformity as she shatters the mold of one-size-fits-all business practices. Cheryl's fearless attitude showcases a refusal to follow the conventional wisdom, ask “why” repeatedly and reject what no longer makes sense in today’s world. If you're seeking a dose of inspiration, a splash of unconventional wisdom, and a refreshing perspective on the entrepreneurial world, the Damn Good Designer is your go-to podcast. Tune in and let Cheryl, along with their expert guests in the fields of designers, architects, landscapers, and other creative professionals, guide you toward building a remarkable business that defies norms and sets you on a path to unparalleled success."Get ready to challenge the ordinary and embrace the extraordinary! About the host: Cheryl Kees Clendenon- 2021 KBB Person of the year 2022 Design Studio winner Dallas Arts Awards 2021 Changemaker Design Hounds 200 or so years ago a child came roaring into the world feet first ready to show up and argue a cause. Just because. Her mother still maintains the story is- she was screaming-“why”- from the minute she landed wrong side up and slapped the doctor for disturbing her afternoon nap And to this day does not give “it” a rest except when she is sleeping. Which is where you will find her only between the hours of 2am and 7:30am. A belligerent non-smoker (in case you were wondering) and a frequent challenger of anything that resembles “normal” or desired by the masses, Cheryl is a natural born contrarian who talks faster than 2x speed on a podcast She gravitates towards wanting to help clients and designers who are the square pegs in a world of round holes, lose earrings impossibly frequently, fall off of platform shoes and are unapologetically saucy. Relaxing is not in the skill set. Life begins and ends with family. Her sacred words are: Why, Percipient, Whizbang and Profit. But please do not say the words: Package, Blocks, Red Flag, Overwhelm or Picked. Hives break out and it gets ugly. RESOURCES: www.damngooddesigner.com https://www.theinteriordesignparadigm.com/ Want to be a guest? Apply here: https://forms.clickup.com/8404193/f/80f71-613517/PFK3QDSALZ30VONMTP

Latest episodes

Showing 20 · updated from the feed

Season 4 Ep 82: Trade Secrets & Hard Truths - Cheryl & Jamie Young talk about the state of the industry

Some designers have vendors who will bend over backward to help them. Others can't seem to get anyone to return their calls. And there may be a very good reason for that!

Oct 13
1 h 22 min

Season 4 Ep 81: The problem with being the one who knows everything

Burnout in a design business can have very little to do with the number of hours you work. Cheryl digs into what happens when every decision, client issue, contractor pro

Sep 29
30 min

Season 4 Ep 80: They waited too long to call the designer

Your client already has a general contractor, so why do they need you? Cheryl digs into one of the biggest misconceptions about a designer’s role in a renovation and why

Sep 15
18 min

Season 4 Ep 79: ASKED & ANSWERED - Should my team members get a commision?

Should your designers earn a commission, bonus, or a share of the profit? In this Asked & Answered episode, Cheryl breaks down how to build an incentive plan that reward

Sep 1
9 min

Season 4 Ep 78: Vibe What?

Cheryl has spent 25 years building systems around the way her design firm actually works. So what happens when AI suddenly gives her the ability to build the software aro

Aug 18
34 min

Season 4 Ep 77: DESIGNER DRAMA - They do not know what they do not know

When clients ask questions or make requests that rub you the wrong way, it doesn’t always mean they’re trying to take advantage of you. Sometimes, they simply don’t under

Aug 11
12 min

MOST POPULAR EPISODE - S3 Ep 54: Are you afraid to define your value?

Little did we know our Pricing and Salary Survey results were going to give us great nuggets of information that we could share for many future podcasts to come! One of t

Aug 4
49 min

BEST EPISODE OF SEASON 3! If you confuse them, you lose them. Period.

One of our top episodes of Season 3! The confusion you accidentally create long before the proposal ever hits your clients inbox is the real reason clients hesitate. Yo

Jul 14
55 min

Season 4 Ep 76: ASKED & ANSWERED - Why “What Does It Cost?” Is the Wrong Conversation

Price is one of the first questions designers hear, but it is often the wrong conversation to lead with. Cheryl explains why posting big budget numbers and focusing on sq

Jun 30
19 min

Season 3 Ep 75: Retail, Reality and how it helps your bottom line with Ryan Williams

Retail is one of the most misunderstood business models in the design industry. In this episode, Cheryl sits down with designer Ryan Williams of Artisan Design Studio to

Jun 16
1 h 05 min

Season 3 Ep 74: DESIGNER DRAMA - Why some designers are marketing themselves into lower fees

Visibility matters, but posting yourself in your bath robe is not the same thing as building authority and for designers this can backfire fast. Because design is not an

Jun 2
17 min

Season 3 Ep 73: When big risks, make for bigger rewards

Cabinetry may be one of the biggest money opportunities hiding in plain sight for interior designers, but it is not for the faint of heart. In this episode, Cheryl sits

May 26
1 h 10 min

Season 3 Ep 72: DESIGNER DRAMA - You cannot legislate good behavior

Our Asked and Answered segments have done so well we also noticed a common theme scrolling through social media that needed its own segment - introducing 'Designer Drama:

May 12
18 min

Season 3 Ep 71: Judgement is the new currency

AI can generate ideas in seconds. That’s not the threat. In this episode, Cheryl gets straight to it—designers are no longer being hired for ideas but for their judgment

Apr 28
17 min

TOP EPISODE OF SEASON 3! Why Selling Yourself Short in K&B Cost You Big

Listen to our TOP episode of Season 3! Kitchen and bath design must be treated — and priced — as the high-level specialty it is. These are not "just another room" — ins

Apr 21
57 min

Season 3 Ep 70: ASKED & ANSWERED - What Do I Do When Construction Bids Blow My Client’s Budget?

When construction bids come back higher than expected, it can stop a project in its tracks and shake a client’s confidence fast. Cheryl and Liz discuss exactly how to han

Apr 7
49 min

Season 3 Ep 69: ASKED & ANSWERED - Why your pricing sounds expensive (even when it's not)

Designers think their pricing problem is the number, but the real issue is how that number is positioned. In this episode, Cheryl breaks down why client pushback isn’t

Mar 24
32 min

Season 3 Ep 68: How Education is the New Advantage with Special Guest Veronika Miller

Industry events are not vacations, designers can utilize these trips to create relationships with vendors. In this episode, Cheryl speaks LIVE from KBIS and sits down wit

Mar 4
50 min

Season 3 Ep 67: Are You Asking? Negotiating with Vendors

If you sell product, you should be asking. In this episode, Cheryl and Liz discuss how to build vendor relationships that actually improve your margin with better pricin

Feb 24
22 min

Season 3 Ep 66: When Good People are in the Wrong Roles

Hiring is one of the most expensive lessons a design firm will ever lear and it’s rarely because the person was “bad.” In this episode, Cheryl and Liz unpack the real rea

Feb 10
53 min

Chart trend

Position in the Design chart (US), last 90 days.

#1#101#200JulAugSepOct

#23

all-time peak

days in the top 50 since Nov 2024

Chart positions

Where Damn Good Interior Designer ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Oct 18, 2026).

#94 NEW Design US

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

This one’s a favorite. So much valuable information is freely shared in a non condescending way from Cheryl and her team. Their passion for helping designers become more professional, productive and profitable is much appreciated!

Queenofcolor · Sep 2024

This podcast and these ladies are the real deal!! I’m amazed by the generosity in the amount of information and knowledge they share here. I’ve been a part of her coaching program (10/10 by the way) and I’m amazed by the ways they have found ways to reach and teach designers through different methods and platforms to improve our industry as a whole. If you love the podcast I 100% recommend coaching with Cheryl to really dig in, but love how accessible they make this for everyone!

rachelbrasch · May 2024

Cheryl and Liv are a wealth of knowledge, uncut and unfiltered, serving up actionable steps with a sense of humor and an understanding of what it’s like to be a designer and a business owner. They are in the trenches with you, offering encouragement and a little kick in the pants. I’m so grateful that they are telling it like it is, and helping us, as well as the entire industry, level up.

SDFamilyof5 · Dec 2023

Cheryl is a Business Bible in herself! I am serious.. whether it is her FB group or her signature coaching program, everything is just so valuable. Now this podcast.. is the cherry we all needed. I personally feel some of the coaches who call themselves coaches, should listen to this podcast. Having knowledge is one thing, but having the capability to disperse that knowledge into money making processes for others is entirely different. She is active and successful in the design field and to get advise from someone like that is truly beneficial. Thank you Cheryl!

Turbotttttt · Dec 2023

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