In this episode of Why My Business Works, Megan sits down with interior designer and creative director Susann Eva Goerg to explore what happens when art leads the room not as decoration, but as a driver of meaning, emotion, and quality of life.

Susann shares how a single piece of art in her own bedroom became the catalyst for reshaping her design philosophy and, eventually, her business. With a background in advertising and creative direction, she brings a storyteller’s lens to interior design, creating homes where art and space speak to one another, and where clients feel more grounded, inspired, and at home in their own lives.

The path to discovering your “secret sauce,” the courage to niche down, and why creative business is ultimately about capacity, boundaries, and belief. An invitation to see art, design, and business as deeply human and your space as an active part of daily life and work.

If you’ve ever felt that your home could support you more creatively, emotionally, or energetically, this episode will open a new way of seeing.

In this episode, we cover:

• The moment Susann realized art could shape how she shows up in her life

• Why art should never be an afterthought in interior design

• How her background in advertising influences her design process

• What it really takes to niche down in a creative business

• Why running a design firm is “89% business and 11% design.”

• How art-forward spaces impact clients’ daily habits and wellbeing

• The role of storytelling, memory, and aspiration in choosing art

• Why marketing is one of the hardest and most creative parts of entrepreneurship

• How designers can reclaim the value of their work in an undervalued industry

Links

Susann Eva Goerg Instagram LinkedIn

About Susann Eva Goerg

Susann Eva Goerg is an interior designer and creative director based in New York, working on residential projects across New York, New Jersey, and beyond. With a background in advertising and brand storytelling, she brings an art-forward approach to interior design, creating spaces where art and environment elevate one another. Her work challenges the idea of art as decoration, positioning it instead as a powerful force for connection, reflection, and quality of life.

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Music in this episode:

Sweet Honey (Instrumental) by Scarlet Parke

Castle (Instrumental) by Sam Ryder

New SBs (Instrumental) by Toonorth

Music licensed by Audiio

In this episode of Why My Business Works, Megan sits down with designer and longtime friend Susan Yeley to talk about the power of proximity, authentic connection, and leading a company that genuinely takes care of its people.

Susan built her firm the same way she builds homes: with curiosity, presence, and a deep respect for the humans involved. She shares how her business grew alongside her young family, why she hires by “letting the universe reveal the right people,” and how supporting her team through real-life challenges became one of the most meaningful parts of entrepreneurship.

They talk about joy as a business tool, design as a form of storytelling, and how integrating work and life can make you a better leader and a more grounded creator. If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like to run a business that is both beautiful and deeply human, this episode will feel like a warm, steadying breath.

• Why proximity shapes everything from creativity to capacity

• How Susan built her team through trust, intuition, and genuine affection

• The moment she decided to put employees on payroll and what that commitment really meant

• Her design philosophy and why “we do not discard our histories in our homes”

• How joy, rest, and presence fuel better creative output

• The privilege of design work and her dream to bring good homes to underserved communities

• What it looks like to prioritize people in the real moments — illness, babies, transitions, life

• Why everything really is a metaphor, and how it shapes the way she leads

Susan Yeley Homes

Prospect Refuge

Heather Peterson

Robins Architecture

Reath Design

Jessica Helgeran

1% Project

Zoey Feldman (scroll down for her Giving Back section)

Susan is the founder of Susan Yeley Homes, a Bloomington-based design firm known for thoughtful, layered, deeply personal spaces. Her work blends art, heart, and structure, and her leadership centers on care, generosity, and building a team that thrives together. Explore her work at susanyeleyhomes.com.

Subscribe to the show, share it with a friend who treasures her people, and leave a review to help more heart-led business owners find us.

Music licensed by Audiio