Running your own studio is more than creating beautiful spaces.
It’s also about leading. Yourself, your clients, and often a small team.
And let’s be honest… that part isn’t always easy.
Maybe you’ve felt blocked without knowing why. Maybe you find yourself overgiving, doubting, or hesitating. Or maybe you sense there’s more in you, but something keeps pulling the brake.
That’s exactly why I invited Anagha Deshmukh to join me for this episode.
Anagha is the founder of PowerScripts and she’s worked with leaders in more than 26 countries. Her specialty? Helping people uncover the hidden patterns that hold them back — and showing them how to break free.
“Sometimes the biggest breakthroughs don’t happen the way you expect. They can start with a pencil.”
Here’s the twist: she does it through handwriting.
Yes, your handwriting.
As Anagha put it: “Handwriting is literally a printout of your brain.”
Every curve and every letter shows something about you. Your self-esteem. Your confidence. Even your blind spots. Unlike personality tests, handwriting doesn’t lie. And just as your brain guides your hand, your hand can rewire your brain. That’s where the magic happens.
“At higher frequencies, you attract more clients, you get more creative ideas, and your business starts flourishing.”
– Anagha Deshmukh
The Five Pillars We Always Come Back To
Inside the Beyond Interior Design Club, we talk a lot about the five pillars that shape your Beyond Layer© — the foundation of a thriving studio:
Participation – your ability to connect and communicate.
Purpose – your bigger why, the fuel behind everything.
Principles – the values you stand for, non-negotiable.
Process – the structures that keep projects flowing.
Potential – the untapped power waiting to be unlocked.
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Here’s what blew my mind:
Anagha can actually see these pillars in your handwriting. Which ones are strong, which ones are missing, and which ones are quietly slowing you down.
"If you write, you invite"
– Anagha Deshmukh
A Simple Exercise
During the episode, we did a live writing exercise — and you can try it right now.
Grab a pen or pencil (yes, the one you actually love using) and write a few sentences about your dream project. Where it is, what it is, why you want it.
Then check these letters:
T – is the bar high or low? (High = strong self-esteem. Low = hesitation or self-doubt.)
I – where’s the dot? (It shows how you deal with procrastination and focus.)
G – is the loop closed? (Open loops can mean leaving potential — even financial — on the table.)
When I tried this myself, it was both confronting and mesmerizing. Seeing those patterns in my own handwriting made me realize how much of my leadership and confidence shows up in the smallest details.
But here’s the thing: this is just the surface.
In the full podcast, Anagha breaks down what these patterns really mean, how they connect to the way you run your studio, and how small changes in your handwriting can actually rewire your confidence and vision.
So do the quick version here, but if you want the real depth — make sure to listen to the episode.
Why this matters for us as designers
.As designers, we spend so much time shaping the outer world: the plans, the furniture, the details. But the truth is, your inner world shapes everything you create.
Sometimes the breakthrough doesn’t happen in a meeting or on a mood board. Sometimes it starts with a pencil...
Anagha’s Final Truth
When I asked her for one insight that every designer should hear, she said:
"Stop playing small. Find out what’s holding you back. Release those chains and zoom away".
I love that. And I think it’s exactly what so many of us need to hear right now.
Connect with Anagha Deshmukh
Handwriting is disappearing from our daily lives—yet it holds the power to rewire our neural pathways and transform our success in business, relationships, health, and even finances.
Check this out if you want your own writing analysis:
https://anaghadeshmukh.com/
Website: https://anaghadeshmukh.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anaghadeshmukh/
