What better day to look to our favourite females in the design, renovation and home industries for inspiration and advice? This International Women’s Day, we’re delighted to shine a light on some incredible ladies who are sharing their best advice for success in 2022. I guarantee you multiple golden nuggets of wisdom from this post so make sure you grab a cuppa and make yourself comfortable!
LUCY FENTON owns the iconic Melbourne homewares and furniture store Fenton & Fenton and she believes strongly in surrounding yourself with the right people and staying true to your vision, to help you succeed.
What has been key to your own success in business?
“It all started with a sense of adventure, a little naivety and lots of determination.
But most importantly I’ve surrounded myself with the right people — I wouldn’t be where I am today without my fabulous team.”
How important is collaborating with and supporting other women to you?
“Collaboration is at the heart of what we do at Fenton & Fenton – we are continually collaborating and partnering with artisans, artists, creators, makers and likeminded brands. There is a growing pool of female talent in the world of art and design. I’m passionate about supporting women in the workforce both near and far and have especially fond connections with our family of weavers in India, who are predominately female, keeping traditions and family business alive.”
In 2022, do you feel there is still a glass ceiling to what women can achieve?
“The number of women we work and collaborate with every day just keeps growing which is very encouraging to be a part of. I feel very fortunate to be a woman in this industry at this time. Having the support of likeminded communities and industries is really important. We’re proud as a business to support women across the board in everything we do, that is one of our core values.”
Your best piece of advice to a woman starting or thinking of starting a business this year?
“I’d say go for it but make sure you’re extremely passionate about what you’re doing and have a very clear vision and stay true to it. Running your own business can be very challenging but also very rewarding. Surround yourself with the right people and be ready for the ups and downs.”
SALLY RHYS-JONES owns Rhys / Jones Interior Architecture. She is a big believer in learning from others with different skill sets, having good supplier relationships and never giving up.
What’s been key to your own success in business?
“Knowing that it doesn’t happen overnight and putting in the hard yards working for someone else to learn the ropes before going solo. Continuing to learn and being on site – I really enjoy spending time on my building sites, seeing how things are done and learning from my trades. It makes you a better designer. Also, being myself!”
How important is collaborating with and supporting other women?
“Very important. This is an industry where lots of us work solo or in small teams which can be quite isolating. I have several designers and suppliers I bounce ideas, problems and business issues around with. I’ve recently had Lori Murray of March Twice Interiors do the furnishings on one of my projects and collaborate on other elements in the house. It really brought in a fresh set of eyes and skills that aren’t my area. The results were fantastic.
“Not forgetting the guys; 99% of my trades are men and I learn so much from them, my cabinetmaker and stone guys in particular. We are always throwing ideas around and I take on all their knowledge to make my work better.”
In 2022, do you feel there is still a glass ceiling to what women can achieve?
“I think we are only limited by ourselves and our own thinking.”
Your best piece of advice to a woman starting or thinking of starting a business this year?
“Get a great accountant, know your market and form good relationships with your suppliers. Oh, and don’t give up!”
For more on Rhys / Jones Interior Architecture
JULIET LOVE is an interior stylist and decorating presenter on Better Homes & Gardens. She’s married to TV landscaper Charlie Albone and grew up with a strong female role model. She swears by hard work, self belief and prayer!
What has been key to your own success in business?
“Hard work is number one. You won’t get anywhere without it. Having a sense of purpose helps too. I believe that everyone is born with a unique set of gifts and if you tap into that you’re on a home run to success.
“Support from family and friends is also incredibly helpful, but you’ll also need a strong sense of self-belief to succeed. It hasn’t always been there for me, but the older I get the more confidence I have because I care less about the opinion of others, and am more comfortable in my own skin. Not caring about negative people and what others think means you can focus on your goals rather than wasting time.”
How important is collaborating with and supporting other women to you?
“I grew up with a single working mother (Angela Belle McSweeney) who showed me how important it is for women to be in the workforce, that they are to be valued, respected and treated fairly. Women bring a unique set of qualities to a job – a combination of strength and softness. My mum has faced an enormous amount of male chauvanism in her time, but interestingly, she has faced even more jealousy and betrayal from other women. Despite this, she has always focused on what is important (the job at hand), risen above it, and moved forward. She ran a very successful PR company is now a Director on a Board and I am immensely proud of her determination and grit in a male-dominated world. Her experiences have taught me that women need to lift each other up, not tear each other down. They’ll each get a lot further that way.
“In my own life, I am fortunate to have a husband who is very forward thinking and encourages me to reach for my dreams every day. Without his support and belief in me, it would have been a lot harder.”
In 2022, do you feel there is still a glass ceiling to what women can achieve?
“I realise how fortunate we are to live in this day and age. Only 100 years ago, times were very different for women. The opportunities that exist now are things that women could only dream about once upon a time, but I still think we have a way to go, pay parity being one issue that needs to be addressed once and for all. The gap is closing in Australia, which is great, but it would be nice to see equality reached.”
Your best piece of advice to a woman starting or thinking of starting a business this year?
“Have a clear goal or plan, be sure of your “why” and believe in yourself! Also, pray!”
FLORENCE KELLY is co-founder of online tile store TileCloud and she says listening to your customers is key. And one of the best ways to do that is via Instagram.
What has been key to your own success in business?
“We have stayed very focused on what we are doing as a business and how we can do it better. We don’t dwell on what competitors in our category are doing as we find it can distract us from our goals. Another thing we are always doing at TileCloud is listening to our customers’ wants, needs and feedback. When we first started TileCloud we said we would never open a physical showroom, but as our website became bigger and bigger, our customers kept asking if they could come in and have a design appointment and see the tiles in person. So, we made the decision to open a showroom, and now we are moving to a new location to make our showroom even bigger and better. You never know where your customers’ feedback will take you.”
How important is collaborating with and supporting other women to you?
“We are always collaborating with women in design. In particular we work with Three Birds Renovations. Their mission is to empower women to build and renovate their own homes. We love that they are teaching women how to be as informed and knowledgable as possible on site.”
In 2022, do you feel there is still a glass ceiling to what women can achieve?
“Yes, I do. However, I do feel things are getting better. I feel it is important for us to make it better for the next generation of women in business and the design world.”
Your best piece of advice to a woman starting or thinking of starting a business this year?
“Start an Instagram account. Right now. I did this one by accident, because I was so excited to give TileCloud a presence and start interacting with potential customers. It’s the advice I give any friend starting a business: before your website is live or your product/service is even finished, start an Instagram account, and just see If people are interested in what you are doing. It’s the best getting direct feedback from the community and getting to gauge in real-time how your content is being received.”
CLARE LE ROY of The Little Design Corner is an interior designer who created a multi-million dollar online SketchUp course. She shares huge amounts of valuable information to help other women run better design businesses. Being generous with your knowledge without expectation is her main tip for success.
What’s been key to your success in business?
“Being extremely generous in sharing knowledge and ideas without expecting anything in return. People are clever these days – if they think you’re only sharing something because you want to make a sale in return you won’t build trust or a community around what you’re doing.
Also, taking action instead of overthinking and procrastinating – doing things even when they scared me or I felt like an imposter. And moving away from relying solely on a time for money business model (i.e. servicing design clients one on one) to diversifying my revenue streams and creating multiple paths of revenue, many of which are passive (i.e. create a product once and then sell it lots of times).
I’ve also added a lot of structure and discipline to my day and my daily habits. For example, as a mum of three, I use the early hours of the morning to get the most important and difficult tasks in my day completed. I get up at 4am and have built a morning routine that I work through every single morning (weekends included). My life is extremely disciplined but this discipline and consistency brings me significant results in my business and allows me to build my life around my family and other priorities.”
How important is collaborating with and supporting other women to you?
“This is at the heart of what I do. When I first started my design business nearly 10 years ago, I found the interior design industry very closed and guarded and people weren’t really willing to share the process of how they started or how they grew their business. The business side of working as a designer is also not taught well in design school, so there was a big gap in the market for solid business education for the design and architecture industry.
“With a background in business combined with my experience working as an interior designer in my own successful design business, this gave me the chance to combine my two passions in order to help other designers and aspiring designers.
“My business these days is devoted to helping other designers and architects start, grow and scale their businesses. Most of my community are women and I try and share everything that has worked for me over the years of building my own interior design business while trying to juggle all the other things we do as women and mothers.”
In 2022, do you feel there is still a glass ceiling to what women can achieve?
“One of the things I’m most passionate about is helping women to become financially independent and successful – whatever that looks like for them. Working as an interior designer in one on one client work will likely have a ceiling as there is only so much a client is willing to pay for design work and only so many hours in a day.
But what I try and teach the designers and women I work with is to build a business model that combines one on one design work alongside other revenue generating products and services that rely less on your time. Once you do that there is no ceiling and our potential is limitless!”
Your best piece of advice to a woman starting or thinking of starting a business this year?
“If I were starting my business over in 2022, here’s what I would do:
- Define my niche clearly from the start – when I first started, I worked for whoever would hire me and this is how most people start. But if I were starting over again I would spend more time defining who my perfect client is and the problems I can help them solve. That way I would have a better idea of what content to create each day (see next point!)
- Create consistent content every day
- Create multiple streams of revenue from day one
- Build better systems, processes and daily habits
- Be brave and put myself out there as myself!“
For more on The Little Design Corner
AMY COLLINS-WALKER is our very own senior features writer at The Interiors Addict as well as a freelance interior stylist. She believes in networking and has had overwhelmingly positive experiences with fellow women lifting each other up in the workforce.
What has been key to your own success in business?
“Networking, being easy to work with and always being open to new opportunities. Sometimes an opportunity might present itself that isn’t exactly what you want but it may just lead to far more exciting things. At least it has in my experience.”
How important is collaborating with and supporting other women to you?
“Seeing other women as competition seems like quite a retro idea these days. Having worked in female-dominated industries I have found women to have been mostly very supportive. Working in women’s magazines was one of the most enriching experiences of my life and, contrary to what The Devil Wears Prada may tell you, I found the women in the industry usually tried to lift one another up. Now, working with Jen at Interiors Addict, the experience is much the same.”
In 2022, do you feel there is still a glass ceiling to what women can achieve?
“Given there are more women working in design I’d like to think that there is no glass ceiling but perhaps I’m naïve!”
Your best piece of advice to a woman starting or thinking of starting a business this year?
“Do plenty of competitor research and try to find a niche that needs filling. Try to nut out exactly how your offering is different within the marketplace. Often there are just too many similar businesses within a space.”
For more on Amy Collins-Walker
KERRIE HESS is a successful Australian illustrator and artist who has recently found that stepping out of her comfort zone tends to bring the most rewards!
What has been key to your own success in business?
“I’ve found that when I have done things out of my comfort zone in business, they always end up being the best parts of my business. Creating my Masterclass in Painting for example was quite terrifying for me as an introvert! It took me a little while to just accept the idea of being on camera which is one of my fears if I am honest. But I am so glad I did, as it’s now the project I am most proud of and with students now from over 60 different countries I can’t imagine having not taken the leap to create it.”
How important is collaborating with and supporting other women to you?
“I think it’s wonderful to support all other creatives in business. When someone does well it’s really a feather in all of our caps. I love seeing artists and illustrators in particular doing well as it feels like the industry is valuing the medium more and more.”
In 2022, do you feel there is still a glass ceiling to what women can achieve?
“I think there probably still is in the corporate world which is why I think the more women that have their own businesses, the better. That gives us a chance to create the culture that we want at work. I love that part of having my own business myself!
Your best piece of advice to a woman starting or thinking of starting a business this year?
“There has never been a better time in history to start a small business than right now, thanks to technology. Also remember that aiming for a small business is in no way aiming small. A small to medium business is more likely to give you control, the ability to pivot if need be and less stress than a huge corporate structure. I think it’s good to measure success on your own happiness, not just on achievements.”
EMMA BLOMFIELD is an interior designer, author and co-founder of Decor Library. Getting out there and meeting people, as well as having a group of strong women to bounce ideas off, has made all the difference to her.
What has been key to your own success in business?
“Networking! If I didn’t set time aside almost weekly to catch up with industry contacts or fellow business owners I wouldn’t have enjoyed anywhere near as much success as I have. People do business with people they like. Get out and meet people so they know what you do and want to recommend you to others.”
How important is collaborating with and supporting other women to you?
“I have a group of fellow female business owners whom I met many years ago through a networking group. We catch up every month for lunch and support each other through the ups and downs of business life. They are the first people I turn to when I need a guiding light!”
In 2022, do you feel there is still a glass ceiling to what women can achieve?
“Not necessarily as our industry has always been predominantly female owned and operated so we’re slightly more unique than many other industries. For business in general there are still all sorts of biases but less obvious in the design industry.”
Your best piece of advice to a woman starting or thinking of starting a business this year?
“There’s no such thing as overnight success. If you really want it, put your head down and do the work. Research your industry to within an inch of its life, ask for advice, pay for mentors or coaches, save three times more than you think you need to get started and don’t give up when it gets hard. That’s where most people give up and that’s why they never succeed.”
For more on Emma Blomfield and Decor Library.
REBEKA MORGAN is co-founder of BuildHer Collective, an organisation that empowers women with the right tools to build the home of their dreams. She says collaboration is possibly the most important part of her business, as well as being adaptable and willing to reassess and change your plan when things don’t work out.
What has been key to your own success in business?
“Having a plan is always a good start. It’s great to have ideas, but you really need to dig deep and plan well from the start, and that goes for anything in life. And now that you have a plan you need to be adaptable. Pivot when you need to. Just because you planned, doesn’t mean the plan will work; you need to reassess as you go, see what your hurdles are and how you can overcome them!”
How important is collaborating with and supporting other women to you?
“This is possibly the most important part of our business. It is why we are here, and it is our core: to share our knowledge and give support to other women who want to develop or build – whatever it may be. Sometimes things don’t go to plan. In fact, most of the time things don’t go to plan. Having that support behind you will give you the confidence to progress and pivot into the right direction. Men have absolutely been huge supporters of what we do at BuildHer Collective as well.”
In 2022, do you feel there is still a glass ceiling to what women can achieve?
“No, I think that we really can do whatever we set our mind to. But I realise I come from a privileged upbringing and environment. I live in Australia, have had amazing parents and great experiences. I think setbacks in all of these areas and more make that journey so much harder.”
Your best piece of advice to a woman starting or thinking of starting a business this year?
“Do it. There will always be fear and reasons to say no, don’t listen to them. Like I said before, if you have a sound plan and the right mindset, you are already 10 steps ahead. Know that the first version is unlikely to be the best version, but with every iteration you will learn, and if you enjoy the process then what do you have to lose?”
For more on BuildHer Collective
KATE WALKER is an interior designer who owns Kate Walker Design and employs almost 20 women in her all-female team. That said, men are some of her biggest supporters and allies. Kate believes identifying your weaknesses and bringing together a team who can help you with those, is essential.
What has been key to your own success in business?
“The first step to the success of KWD was identifying a gap in the market that would offer a complete design solution. The next step was understanding my own strengths and weaknesses and then bringing together a team of professionals who could support those weaknesses and implement my vision in the most effective way possible. And of course delivering on the promise is vital – and always exceeding our clients’ expectations.”
How important is collaborating with and supporting other women to you?
“My team for KWD and KWD & Co is made up of 19 incredible professional women, and I couldn’t do what I do without their talent, tenacity, resilience and agility. Many of them are working mums and they all juggle busy lives, so they have an innate ability to handle pressure, meet tight deadlines and work closely with our clients to ensure that every single project is delivered to perfection.
“Having been a single working mother for a large part of the KWD journey, I always felt like I had run a marathon by the time I got to work. Getting the children ready for school and making sure I had exercised so I was fully primed for the day, was exhausting but exhilarating. So I have a deep-seated respect for every mother, and father, who are superheroes in my eyes.
“Whilst my team is all women, it’s not by design. It seems our geographical location and the design work we do attracts predominantly female applicants, however we always employ the right person for the job. Our team works with men every single day in so many varying capacities. From my own two personal mentors who I greatly admire, to our supply partners to trades to builders and architects, and our clients of course, men are undoubtedly amongst area biggest supporters and greatest allies.”
In 2022, do you feel there is still a glass ceiling to what women can achieve?
“I definitely don’t see a glass ceiling for what women can achieve in business/design. There is an equal footing for anyone who strives to succeed and is determined to offer the highest value proposition in their field.”
Your best piece of advice to a woman starting or thinking of starting a business this year?
“Just start. Find a mentor you trust and admire, and importantly someone who is completely honest with you. A mentor doesn’t just pat you on the back, a mentor tells you the truth as they see it. Identify weaknesses and engage people who can support you with those weaknesses. It takes a team to make a business work, and not necessarily employees. It could be home support or assistance from family or friends. It’s important to recognise your weaknesses, create a network and ask for help where and when you need it.”
For more on Kate Walker Design
NATALEE BOWEN owns Indah Island, an interior design and building business specialising in Hamptons style, and an online homewares and furniture store. She’s also a brand ambassador and TV host. She believes in being open to learning from others and been determined.
What has been key to your own success in business?
“Success in business can mean many things to many people, however when I started our business I had a clear vision as to what I wanted the business to look like. I really wanted to create beautiful homes for people to create a lifestyle for themselves and their family. However to do that there were so many different areas that I needed to create, including building and having an online store, as well as being a magazine journalist and TV presenter to capture the audience’s attention. For me, it was all about best practice, education for our clients and creating confidence for people to build and style homes. Being determined, clear and having a ‘make it happen’ attitude always helps!”
How important is collaborating with and supporting other women to you?
Collaborating is the key to any business, we are not islands. You can be inspired, learn and create a much larger platform when you do. Over the years I have worked alongside many a brilliant women. The key to a great collab is being open, listening and being on the same page. Bouncing ideas off a group or individual helps produce better outcomes. Women are such great multitaskers and seem to be able to juggle many balls and when you hear others being mums, wives, daughters and business owners, it allows you to know you can do it.”
In 2022, do you feel there is still a glass ceiling to what women can achieve?
Absolutely not! It is such an exciting time to develop and create. Technology is incredible and bringing the world to you is so easy now, we can work locally and internationally in this space with video, Zoom and other methods of technology. I think in the space of design we have come into our own. The only thing that can stop you is the limit to your own imagination.”
Your best piece of advice to a woman starting or thinking of starting a business this year?
“Have a clear vision, listen to your gut, be teachable and learn from others around you. Look at how you want your business to look then work backwards to a doable plan. Create achievable markers and goals, have a vison board of the business then get at it. Think bigger than you think you can and if you hit it halfway you have been successful! You don’t need luck, just be determined and never ever give up if this is your passion.”
KIRSTEN JACKSON is a successful Melbourne artist who sells her original artworks and affordable prints to collectors all over the world. She believes in resilience and always looking at the opportunities rather than the limitations.
What has been key to your own success in business?
“To never give up. It’s easy to see successful people now and think it happened overnight. In many cases, this isn’t true! Be resilient and keep pursuing. At the beginning of my career, I entered several pieces of artwork in the Canterbury Art Show and didn’t sell one piece for two years in a row! It would’ve been so easy to give up. Instead, I kept going!”
How important is collaborating with and supporting other women to you?
“Collaborating is so important to me, I love working with photographers and designers, many of whom are women! A man who has been there for me every step of the way is my husband of 26 years. He is my biggest supporter and I feel very grateful that I have had his support and love whilst building my art career and business.”
In 2022, do you feel there is still a glass ceiling to what women can achieve?
“Nope! I believe women can achieve whatever they set their minds to. I always choose to look at the possibilities, rather than the limitations.”
Your best piece of advice to a woman starting or thinking of starting a business this year?
“To believe and listen to your inner self no matter what. Back the decisions you feel best and listen to that gut instinct! Stay true to who you are and love yourself for all of the failures and successes, it’s all a part of the journey.”
NAOMI FINDLAY is a serial renovator and property developer, interior designer and renovation educator. She believes you must love what you do and have a tight circle of other women to celebrate with and support with you!
What has been key to your own success in business?
“Absolutely loving what I do and having a tight circle of amazing, supportive women to celebrate and cry with me when necessary! As well as never being afraid to give me feedback.”
How important is collaborating with and supporting other women to you?
“Collaboration in general has been essential to my success in business and finding win-win partnerships whether they are with men or with women. Working a lot of my time in construction means that my environment is dominated by men. I make an effort to seek out those who truly see me for my strengths as I do them on a worksite; those who want to achieve amazing things together and don’t feel it necessary to drive from ego and instead by results for the client.”
In 2022, do you feel there is still a glass ceiling to what women can achieve?
“I am a hopeless romantic and optimist and that means I’d love to answer absolutely not to this question. However, I do believe the glass ceiling exists and it is important to find people who believe in smashing it!”
Your best piece of advice to a woman starting or thinking of starting a business this year?
“Be you. Create, don’t compete. Be passionate. Surround yourself with amazing people. Most of all smile with the joy of living your dream job every day you get to. It is a gift.”
For more on Naomi Findlay and her holiday accommodation Waukivory Estate.
RACHEL CASTLE is an artist and textile queen who founded the colourful CASTLE brand in 2008. Her top tips are to work hard and stay nimble and says her all-girl team are like family to her.
What has been key to your own success in business?
“Being and staying nimble. You have to be able to reshuffle, realign, reprioritise at the drop of a hat, to take advantage of the opportunities, to problem solve all the issues. There’s always a way, if you’re fluid and open enough.”
How important is collaborating with and supporting other women to you?
“My collaborators are my colleagues. We are an all-girl outfit, all ages, and I love this. My team are my family, my collaborators, my friends. Supporting them and being supported by them is one of life’s greatest rewards. Our work, our care for one another, our laughs, our lives are lived together five days a week, so it means everything to me.”
Your best piece of advice to a woman starting or thinking of starting a business this year?
“To anyone starting out I would say get ready to work really hard. The harder you run your business, the more successful it will be. If you want it to be really successful, and that can either be big or small, you need to be consistent, and you need to do the hours. And be authentic. Your customers are super savvy, they can spot a sales pitch from a mile away. Create things you love yourself; it’s the only way you and your message will resonate.”
