If you love design and the process of decorating, then the siren song of new projects, decoration methods, and equipment will continually lead you astray. Though it’s great to experiment and keep watch for opportunities, too many decorators find themselves chasing the next product, client, or worse, equipment that tickles their fancy and subsequently outspend both their time and capital budgets.

Define the customer for your particular work, develop a specialty, prune away the things that don’t fit, and play to your strengths. Find a niche, focus on its needs, and dedicate yourself to fulfilling a role in that niche before wandering broadly. If you do find yourself desperately drawn to a new decoration style or market, consider opportunities and obstacles related to that equipment, process, or direction. It’s good to grow, but do it purposefully, and make sure you can feed the branches of your work you want to bear fruit.