You have amassed a huge global following on social media with over 100K followers on Tik Tok, how important has that been to your business?
Our social media reach has been a huge part of our success – not only with getting us lots of enquiries and design projects but also with the success of our product collections.
What is your favourite project / Tell us about a project you worked on that has most shaped your work.
We did a project in Gulf last year which was designed under the principles of feng shui. It has continued to influence my designs for both products and projects as I really appreciated the benefits of feng shui that we learnt under the feng shui master on that project – rounding corners to avoid ‘poison arrows’ for example is something I continue to do with both furniture design and architecture. As well as having a big influence on my work it was such a special project to work on because of the clients being exceptionally gracious and welcoming to our whole extended team.
What would you do if you didn’t work in design?
In another life time I think I would have enjoyed being an artist – I love being creative and painting.
What is your greatest challenge as a designer?
The logistics aspect of our projects is 90% of the work. There are so many moving parts, suppliers and contractors to coordinate and ensure that no on lets us down – we are always the client facing party and so I take that responsibility very seriously.
What is one piece of advice you would give to someone aspiring to create their own successful business?
Don’t wait for the perfect moment or try to worry about/ try to resolve issues that haven’t happened yet – there will be different problems you won’t or can’t anticipate and you will overcome them. Doing is the best way of learning, growing and building confidence.
How do you stay motivated and keep your work fresh and innovative?
Taking breaks – whether that’s a walk in the country side, visiting trade fairs, or a holiday. It’s important to remove yourself from the studio and not try to just churn out work otherwise it will become tired and uninspired.
In your opinion, what is essential for a home working office?
Natural light , a large desk, lots of storage, a comfortable chair and something beautiful whether that’s a case of flowers or a beautiful painting.
How important do you think networking is for growing a business and what strategies do you use to network effectively?
As an introvert I wasn’t a natural networker but I push myself out of my comfort zone as it’s important and also really enjoyable meeting other business owners. I am selective about what events I go to as a working mum as I’m so busy but I make time to support friends in the industry and am never scared to reach out to those I find inspiring to connect in real life. Social media is a great way to discover new contacts and suppliers but nothing beats that real life connection so I often arrange meetings or dinners to get to know people better.
What kind of challenges do you face in marketing / promoting your business and how have you overcome them?
The algorithm is continually changing and you have to ensure your content is authentic. I spend a lot of time and effort on producing content that does justice to our design studio and projects and have finally hired two social media managers to support me on that front.
What inspired you to start your own interior design business?
I was unemployable! Literally I couldn’t get a job so I started my own firm.
