It has been over ten years since I started up White Designs- which seems a bit crazy when I come to think about it. Over ten years! A Decade no less! (for some reason that makes it sound even longer)!… but the length of time is not the craziest part…. The crazy part is the age that I was when I set it up. I would be fascinated to sit down with my 23 year old self, and ask what on earth made me think that I was qualified to run my own Interior Design Business. I had only just deemed myself responsible enough to get a puppy!
The answer is probably that I wasn’t ready! I was just your typical arrogant twenty something- who thought ‘why not’!
I had worked in the Interior Design Industry since I was 18, and was lucky enough to work for some truly inspirational Designers, who’s work will influence me forever more. With their encouragement, I enrolled in the KLC School of Design in Chelsea Harbour to gain my proper qualifications. Whilst I was there, I was offered my own project to work on, and it all spiralled from there and suddenly I found myself with a business of my own. I was definitely throwing myself in at the deep end, but it turned out to be a great way to learn, and with age has come confidence and self belief that what I have to offer is worth building a business on.
At the time, my then boyfriend, now husband, had visions of me making White Designs a Global Enterprise… why is it that Men always judge success by size? Not me! True success for me, would be having a company that made me proud- one that I could always be in control of, and take projects on where I felt I was making a difference to people’s lives.
When people ask me what I do- I always joke that I have the rather shallow task of making the world look pretty… but actually deep down, I am really proud of the difference that my job can make to peoples lives. If I can help someone to make their home a happy place for them and their family to live in- somewhere they can be proud of… well that makes me feel like my company is a success.
So ten years on- after a bit of a break to have children and move to the country, but still with my Border Terrier Baggins at my side, I am back to the (quite literal) drawing board…. And I am really excited!
So if I were to sit down with my 23 year old self today, I would say- ‘Your Crazy! But Go for it!’; I just hope that my 43 year old self will agree wholeheartedly.
