Welcome to She Leads.
This new section of my blog will bring the focus to women (identified) who have taken risks, and conquered self-doubt to take the leap into leadership. These women are some that I admire so much and I can't wait to introduce you to them and help you all get to know these powerful ladies and their passions.
This week I'm very excited to bring you an interesting read about two young women who decided to partner together with a mission to bring the world more sustainable home decor, and normalize using preloved pieces. As someone in the interior design field who is passionate about the environment, I wanted to shine a light on Anna and Riel for taking on issues in those exact areas! They are clearly very passionate about what they're doing, and bring so much knowledge and skill to the table. If their effort to bring upcycling and used decor into the mainstream isn't enough for you, definitely stay to find out what it's like to go into a business partnership with a friend, and how they tackle all the challenges that come with it!
If you haven't already, please check out my last interview with Ryan Victoria, owner and founder of Mood. Consignment, another small, local, female-owned and environmentally conscious business worth supporting!
Below you'll find a great interview with Anna and Riel and learn more about their journey to success in small business.
Tell me a little bit about yourselves!
I am a 25-year-old Virgo that lives by her calendar but is also known to fly to another country with little notice. Photography, interior design, and music are some of my passions, among other things. I love all animals, but I currently just have a cat named Olly. - Anna
My world revolves around projects. I have always loved trying new techniques and different types of crafts from painting to crocheting to my most recent endeavor of rug tufting. I recently completed my second degree in Industrial Design, where I took classes such as furniture design and product design. Currently, my fiancé Jordan and I are renovating our bungalow with help from our dog Roo. - Riel
How did the two of you meet?
We met at the U of A while we were working on our degree in Human Ecology, in our Introduction to Material Culture class. From then on, we planned all of our classes together.
What do you like to do for fun?
Designing, decorating, and photography are probably my top three. Outside of what I do for work, I love to travel to new places, even if it's just to a nearby town. I enjoy trying new foods and experiencing different cultures. Most weekends I am playing board games and going for coffee with friends and family. - Anna
Demolishing a room, followed by some good food and puppy cuddles is my ideal weekend. Coming up with new ideas and solutions to transform a space, a piece of furniture or a product is always on my mind. When I have free time, I will not hesitate to get started. My favorite feeling is looking back on a project before and after. If I must take a break from projects, I love a good game night or backyard party with friends, bonus points if I get to bring fun decorations. - Riel
What does an average work day look like for you?
We are only able to work together two days a week. Most days we will start by sharing our thrifted finds from the week and catching up. We will work on the projects that have a timeline and then curate and photograph our sets. We will go over our social media content for the week. Lastly, we package up any sets we made that day and chat about what needs to get done before we meet again. The remainder of the week we work on projects independently. Most weeks this means Anna is busy editing photos for our website and social media and Riel is working on a furniture flip video.
Tell me a little about your business!
[At Studio Conscious] we shop, style, and refurbish preloved pieces for your home. We work with designers to curate home décor packages for their design projects. We also plan to expand this service to anyone that wants environmentally friendly home décor that is specific to their style.
What inspired you to start Studio Conscious?
We wanted to start a business that would encompass all our passions and skills. We saw an opportunity to use these skills and abilities in a unique way that considers the environment first. We both love second-hand shopping and know that not everyone has the time or desire to shop preloved. We want to make thrifting accessible to those that are not already avid thrifters by styling the products in a way that makes them enticing.
What is your mission?
Our mission is to create using found objects rather than new resources. We feel that this challenge elevates the goods we create by giving them a one-of-a-kind history.
What has it been like launching a business during a pandemic?
It has had its ups and downs. We both acknowledge that if it weren't for the pandemic, we would have never had as much time to focus on the business. It gave us the push we needed to start and make our dreams a reality. However, without socializing with friends and family our word-of-mouth promotion has been limited. We are so thankful we are in the age of social media and have been able to connect with people online.
What has been your biggest struggle so far? How did you overcome it?
We have been lucky so far that we have not had too many issues. A challenge we have faced was developing different processes. We are a niche business so there are not a ton of resources available to us. We had to create a way to keep track of all our inventory, especially given there are two of us. We have had to navigate banking and expenses as a partnership, which has been difficult. We are creatives at heart so neither of us love the admin side of the business. Allocating time for these tasks can be a challenge.
What made the two of you decide to take this on together rather than tackling it individually?
We have always had common interests and values. We both excel in collaborative environments and have counted on each other for advice on our previous work. We bring different skill sets to the table and had worked together on many projects previously. Having done so confirmed that we would make a great team.
How do you two make decisions when you don’t totally agree on something?
We typically will hear each other's points and then meet somewhere in the middle. It helps that we often have similar tastes and opinions so there are not too many areas that we butt heads. We have also created a space where we have our own independence in the business based on our roles, this allows us to still have creative freedom.
Do you each have a specific role in the company or do you both take on similar work? I’d love to hear more about your working dynamic!
We do a lot of the same work but there are a few things we specialize in. We both source goods, keep track of inventory and expenses, create sets, DIY’s, pack orders, create content for social media, etc.
Some of the things I do specifically are style, photograph, and edit our product photos for the website. I organize our shared google drive and prepare the website content so it is ready for Riel to upload. I schedule and post all our social media content and write for the blog. - Anna
We run the business out of my home, so this inevitably affects my role in the business as I have to manage the space. I am often coming up with different ways to organize both the space physically and digitally as the business evolves. With help from my brother who is a web developer I oversee our website and inventory system. My favorite role however is documenting and creating videos of the furniture pieces that I flip. This is a very time-consuming side of the business so whenever I can, I love to sneak in a smaller DIY decor project into the mix. - Riel
What is your favourite item you’ve ever sourced?
Oh, good question! We were looking for vases that we could DIY for a client, and I found ones that almost matched their inspiration picture perfectly. It was a very satisfying moment. - Anna
Early on I found two absolutely stunning mid-century pitcher sets at a garage sale. Let’s just say they have a higher price tag then most pieces on our website, because we have had a hard time thinking about parting with them. - Riel
What advice can you offer to those who want to go into a business partnership?
Find someone who you not only have a good relationship with but also someone you know that you can work with. Our friendship was based on doing projects together so we knew that we could trust each other which is important to be able to handle the stresses of a business.
Who would you say is your target customer?
Our target customer is someone who is environmentally conscious but may not have the time or the vision to see potential in a preloved piece.
How has support from other women played a role in your success?
We are incredibly grateful for the Designers that trusted us from the beginning. These ladies have been so supportive and have given us the opportunity to prove ourselves. We also appreciate the support we have received from other women owned businesses on social media. Almost 90% of the people that follow us on Instagram identify as women. This community has helped us grow and evolve and we would not be where we are without them. Every like, comment, share, and follow does not go unnoticed.
What has it been like working with designers vs. the end user?
Working with our Designer clients has been such a great experience for us. We are used to projects with an end goal and having someone else's vision to work within is something that we excel at. We would love to meet more designers and help bring sustainable home decor into the mainstream design world.
Is there something you wish you knew before getting started?
Do not be afraid to promote yourself. This is something we are both still working on as we are quite modest. We like our work to speak for itself however we have learned that it is important to share with others what is important to you. The times we have done this, it has paid off!
Any specific accounts you want to shout out that you draw inspiration from, or who supported you along the way?
We absolutely love following along with The Sorry Girls' journey. They are a Canadian DIY and Design duo. We have watched their content forever and admire how much their business has grown. It is inspiring to see a friendship turned into a successful partnership and thriving business.
Do you have any specific goals for Studio Conscious moving forward? Where do you hope it goes?
Our primary goal is to continue to work with designers on larger scale styling projects. We are also excited to expand our styling packages to homeowners. Recently we styled a small piece in a client's home and it has quickly evolved into styling another area within her home. This project has been extremely rewarding, and we can’t wait to offer this service to more people.
Where can people find you to support you?
Website: studioconscious.com
Instagram: @studio_conscious
Facebook: @studioconscious
Tiktok: @studioconscious
Pinterest @studioconscious
If you're still here, thank you so much for reading an supporting not only this blog, but small businesses everywhere! If you would like to continue to support small businesses and creators, please check out Studio Conscious everywhere, my own media links below, and previous blog posts with other small female owned business owners I have interviewed. Your support means more than you know!
XO
Tara
IG: itstaradelaney
YouTube: ItsTaraDelaney
Amazon shop: Itstaradelaney
All photography is credited to Anna Davis and Riel Kitson