ALEXANDRA Park has been running her interiors business for 21 years, setting it up after leaving her admin job at Glasgow University. The company, which offers a bespoke service for each client, grew through recommendations and word of mouth.
Name: Alexandra Park
Age: 58
Position: founder
WHAT IS THE BUSINESS CALLED?
Alexandra Park Interiors
WHERE IS IT BASED?
Milngavie, East Dunbartonshire
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WHY DID YOU SET UP THE BUSINESS?
I SET it up 21 years ago. I had moved house with my two children who were 10 and 12 at the time. I wanted something flexible. A friend did a soft furnishings interior design course in London and I did it on her recommendation. I set up a sewing room doing cushions. I went to Business Gateway meetings.
I set up sewing room in the basement of my house and started off creating soft furnishings for family and friends. My local Laura Ashley needed someone to do alterations on their products so I began to deliver this service for them which gained a lot of traction and led to me taking bespoke orders from new customers through word of mouth.
As I got busier I thought it could work as a business. I had always wanted to run my own business because I was finding as a single parent nothing could be flexible enough.
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Working from home was right and I was able to be my own person. We provide a bespoke service for each client and work through the design process together.
WHAT IS YOUR TARGET MARKET?
ALTHOUGH I still work on regular commercial projects, I really love the residential side of the business and getting to know families and their lifestyle.
After a year of creating soft furnishings myself, I needed help to keep up with the demand and I hired Amy, a textile designer from Glasgow School of Art.
The demand for soft furnishings was becoming apparent. It evolved more and I was sourcing carpets as well for clients and it grew from there. It’s a mainly residential target market. We have a few commercial orders for furniture and curtains. I don’t get involved in the shop fitting side.
Residential customers come to us and ask us to revamp a room or their whole house. We ask them questions and what their vision is and we build it from there using mood boards. I don’t really advertise anymore as it’s all word of mouth, recommendations, colleagues, family and friends.
I don’t run a business where the client can be unhappy – we can go back. Service has always been at the heart of my business.
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HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM COMPETING BUSINESSES?
WE listen to clients. Lots of other businesses say what you should have. It’s someone’s home, they will live in it and it isn’t a show home. Other businesses put over their vision but it might not be what the client wants.
They might have animals and children and not want to change everything. We work with them and build on that. The client relationship is the main thing.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT RUNNING THE BUSINESS?
I enjoy working with people and getting to know them. Clients often come back if they are doing a room again after eight years. It’s good to have a network of clients who are friendly.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN RUNNING THE BUSINESS?
I’M good at co-ordinating but I don’t like letting clients down, so if furniture is not delivered on time that’s outwith our hands. We only make soft furnishings and outsource the furniture. In a building project our furnishings are the last to go in.
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WHERE DO YOU HOPE THE BUSINESS WILL BE IN 10 YEARS’ TIME?
DOING the same but branching out. In recent months we got an increase in customers through social media as we are investing in marketing. It’s about letting people know we’re here and can do a service people are looking for. People don’t have time to source furnishings so the service is increasing in popularity. They want it project managed from start to finish.
In the next 10 years I will increase staff numbers as we get busier. I’ve been doing this for 21 years – I had to reduce staff in the difficulty of the recession. If you don’t panic and focus, your business will thrive.
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