Page 18 - Designing Ways 272

IID

The business

of design

ome claim that you have to be a
little crazy to be an entrepreneur,
Sa statement that many interior
designers can relate to after weathering
the challenges of recent years – from
navigating lockdowns to confronting
the unexpected trials of looting and
flood damage in some provinces. While
some businesses shut their doors, others
bounced back, but many just survived
and still cling to the hope that business
will improve. Leading business speakers
assert that persistence and adaptability are
essential skills to ensure business success;
if so, interior designers have certainly
proved their capabilities in both these
critical aspects. But how do we begin to
feel more secure in our businesses going
forward?

Let’s take a step back and look at a typical
business:
Behind every successful business there
is an entrepreneur leading the company
through decision making, managing
cashflow, nurturing business relationships,
checking that marketing and sales are in
line with set targets, and ensuring that
staff are productive and clients are happy.
Furthermore, it is the business owner who
takes on all the risk and stress associated
with running a business and is expected
to be clear-headed and always working

18 Issue 272 • dw