A Dialogue with Sam McArther
Episode 66
In this episode of The Design Dialogues Podcast I am chatting with Sam McArther from Wild Bird Interiors. Sam shares her journey from advertising to interior design and starting her own business. We discuss the importance of leveraging skills from previous careers and the challenges and rewards of being self-employed.
I hope you enjoy the episode.
Beth xx
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Hi everyone and welcome to this week's episode of the Design Dialogues Podcast and this week I am joined by Sam McArthur from Wild Bird Interiors. Hi Sam.
Hello Beth, how are you?
Good, thank you so much for joining me. So you are coming to us today from Wellington in New Zealand, Windy Wellington. Tell me what can you see out your window today?
So we live on a lifestyle block. So we're very fortunate up on a hill. And so I can see my lovely pig called Kevin Bacon. So I get to watch him if I'm out in the dining room. Yeah, so which is lovely. So yeah, if I choose to work out in the dining room, I get to watch him most of the day and eat all the grass. So fabulous.
Love it, love it. Sounds like the perfect view to work to. So tell us a little bit about you and your business and how you got started.
Sure, so my business is Wild Bird Interior Design in Wellington, New Zealand. So I specialize in new builds, renovations, developments, and a little bit of project management as well for smaller renovations and that. yeah, I started a couple of years ago and it's going quite well and I've sort of found a bit of a niche in terms of suppose renovations and working with developers, that kind of thing.
Yeah, and so interior design, interior styling, property styling has been kind of a second career for you.
Yes, second or third, I sort of started in advertising. And I think this is quite common with lot of designers that don't necessarily come out of school and start doing interior design, do they? Achieving a second or third career. So I started in advertising early 2000s and then worked here for stuff.co.nz for about nine years. And so that helped, I think with what I do now in terms of the advertising and the branding and it has really helped me launch a strong brand I think. Yeah, so then I went into sponsorship, event sponsorship, which has been great as well over the years and that helped with relationships. So it's all kind of, I suppose, molded into what I do now. I've just started doing interior design, which is completely opposite to branding but, marketing, but it's still helped with building a business. Yeah.
Absolutely, and I think I quite often talk to this point when I'm talking with designers who are transitioning from another career, so second or third career, and they're at design school and they're like, I don't know if I should go out and I said, don't diminish all of the skills that you've learned through your first, second and third careers and what you've done previously , even like juggling a household with kids, the things you learn from that, that you can put into a design business, you would be surprised. So I think all of those things that you have done really just contribute to, and it's funny, you can quite often see the strengths. So the people who come from a marketing, advertising, sales background, they really, you can tell in a way, because they're always kind of really good, strong on that point, which you would expect. And then the people who might have more of an admin background or something like that. They have different strengths kind of thing. So I always find that very, very interesting. And so did you always want to work for yourself?
I can imagine. I have to admit, in my early 20s I always had a desire to work for myself but I didn't know what that looked like and I didn't want to jump into anything and sort of, you know, quit my full -time job and just start something random that I'm, I suppose, not passionate about either. So it wasn't, I always had side hustles though, like I was always, I worked full -time in my 20s until I had kids and then always had side hustles. It was at one point selling jewellery.
Another point I was selling home decor, so that kind of fits into what I'm doing now. And then I was also teaching dance at least four nights a week. So I always had a creative background, I suppose, and a burning desire to do something more than the norm, I suppose. I Pushed myself a bit further, but didn't think I'd be doing interior design. That was always like, I thought it was way, like, way out of my scope of what I could do sort of thing. just sort of.
When what I say happened, it didn't get put on my lap of course, I had to work for it.
So what was the impetus for you to start interior design? Did you train? Did you go to college? Are you self -taught? By the sounds of it, it wasn't an obvious path, but what led you to it?
Hmm. Yeah, so it was because we started, we sold our house a couple of years ago and then we were designing our new house we were building. That was always one of our dreams so we decided we'll build. And I was honestly looking at the plans like every night and my husband sat there going, my, Clara, how many times do you have to look at the plans? And I said, I just want to get it right. And don't get me wrong, even now that we've built it's like, we probably would have done this differently and that's always the case I think.
Always the way.
Yeah, yeah. But I looked at the plans every night for like months and just so invested in the process. And so I said to my husband, there's something burning here. I just knew that there was something that I needed to kind of get out. And so I said to him, I want to study interior design. So I studied interior design and he said, yeah, go for it. It sounds like that's what you need to be doing. And then I didn't realize I'd launched a business though. That was, I sort of told my employer at the time that I was just studying one hour a night, which was what I was doing and then I'll just see where it takes me. It was more to help, I think, with our build, to be honest. And then, yeah, I suppose I've grown up in a family full of builders and tradesmen, so it's just a, it's in the blood, let's be honest.
So you know, this is interesting. One of my previous guests she similarly grew up in a household of her dad was in property, a real estate agent, so lived and breathed real estate. And then all of her brothers have gone into trades and that kind of thing surrounded by it. I always find it interesting as well, the number of people who come to it after going like building their own project and that it really starts from a desire to kind of understand the language of design around your own build. And then the spark that comes from that to kind of go, actually, I really enjoy this. I want to do more.
Yes, 100%. Yeah, no, that's what I found too. And I wanted to educate myself more on for my clients as well, like going through a new build. was like the amount of things I've learnt and the process I can take them through that not that we were that stressed, to be honest, I think we were pretty relaxed about it all. But yeah, just the fact that I've got that knowledge now building I've been in the trenches sort of Not physically building it though. I can't I can't do that. But yeah.
You learn a lot as you build a house and we've done a few renovations too so that's helped with and like you said yeah having family around you that are all in the industry too is my live and breathe it yeah.
It helps. Yeah. So how have you found that transition from not only a different industry, but employee to self -employed? How have you found that?
it's probably, I think there's a lot more responsibilities obviously with, you know, running a business, but I enjoy it. Like I love being the marketer. love being the salesperson. I love being the interior designer. I love being, wouldn't say love being the accountant. That's one thing to outsource. Let's be honest. But I do, you have to crunch the numbers too, right? Like you can't be oblivious with all of that.
But I think I've enjoyed the fact that I can take control of everything too and learn a lot more and it's really pushed me, pushed my limits a lot in terms of like in a good way, but just my scope of work and knowledge now is much more broader, which I love. Yeah, I do love it.
Yeah, and I think that's something that like if you are like an interior designer working for someone else, I think there isn't always that impetus to expand your knowledge because there's someone else in the office who'll know it or yeah, I don't always feel that and that might be a bit of a generalization. I'm sure there's a lot of designers that work for other people who and I've worked with those designers who their knowledge and their thirst for knowledge and is amazing. But I do think as a studio owner, yeah, like it really, you do, you wanna be able to provide your clients with the best service ever and having that knowledge and information is just, you you do, kind of crave it in a way.
Yeah, yeah and I do enjoy the fact that I suppose you have a handle on everything so if anything does change or go wrong it's all on you to sort out with your suppliers or tradespeople or whoever it might be and I actually enjoy having that especially those relationships that's one thing I'm really strong about. Yeah and I suppose you lean on people too and I outsource a bit to help with the load because I'm one of those people I'm not good at everything well no one is let's be honest and you've got to outsource where you're not that strong.
So, and tell me about, you have lots of parts to your business and over the years it has gone from like different things have been a priority and it's morphed and all of that kind of stuff. Tell me a little bit about your, process of that. Cause I find this really interesting about how when you talk to designers, quite often they have multiple things going on that they're doing and they're working on, like not just projects, but you know, they might do a bit of property styling or a bit of decoration and a bit of interior design and or they might do other things as well. How have you navigated that and kind of learned what you like to do, what you don't like to do and how is that process evolving over time?
Yeah, good question. I think I'll go back to like sort of why I started the business. I think that might help answer your question. It might be a bit of a long winded story, but so I started off, well, basically studying interior design. And I said to my husband, I'm not going to really tell anyone apart from my employer at the time. Cause I thought, well, I just want to keep it quiet really and just do it and don't know what I'm going to do with it. And then about a month later into studying, my cousin was selling her house.
And she messaged me saying, hey, Sammy, have you got any rugs or cushions or something I can use to help zush up my home a bit? A little bit of staging gear, which I did have. And obviously we moved house at the time we were living in a rental. So all of our furniture was in storage. So then I gave her a few pieces. Yeah, so then I actually said to her, what about if I actually use your project? I told her I was studying interior design. said, look.
I wasn't going tell anyone, but I thought this is a bit of an opportunity here. I'll kind of either take the opportunity and run or just give her a few cushions and off you go. But I wanted to help them out more too, because I knew it'd be quite a drastic before and after as well. So I thought, well, here's a bit of an opportunity, especially for my studies, to help with a bit of a before and after. So I started doing home staging. So yeah, long story short, I invested in a little bit of furniture and staged their house for them. They were absolutely stoked. And then my sister -in was selling her house as well. So I approached her and said, do you mind if I stage your home a little bit with the last of the stock that I had at the time. And from there I thought, well, I've got all of this extra furniture now, what am I going to do with it? It's going to sit in storage for two years. I might as well use it, but I knew that I had to set up a business if I want to take home staging seriously. So then I thought, I didn't really think about it, I just set up a business. And yeah, from that day on, agents started contacting me because I started posting on social media saying, I'm doing interior design and home staging and yeah tell your friends and family and then I just started getting some calls from agents that I knew and that's just kind of how it evolved. And then about nine months down the track we were doing this on the weekends my husband would help stage the homes with me. I did have another guy sort of contracting me while I was staging just a little bit on the weekends because I needed my husband couldn't commit every weekend. Well not that it was every weekend but it was quite a few. At the time we had a one year old and a four year old so you know I'm sure a lot of mums can relate to juggle and you don't want to say no to work but there's also boundaries you need to set. Yeah, good old boundaries. so yeah about nine months went down the track and we were coming back from a job my husband and I both looked at each other and went I need to get a truck you know because at that stage I had horse floats that I was hiring and I said to I don't want to
I don't want to buy a truck. That's not where I want to go with the business. Not that I even thought that I'd have the business for a start, but just from these staging jobs that has evolved into a business and I need to either take it seriously or keep it as a hobby and just keep it running. And I knew that...
So were you still working your like full -time other job at the same time?
Yeah, part -time in sponsorship and events. So they were really supportive and yeah, it was full on. Yeah. And then, that's why I also had to make that decision from a staging perspective is, am I going to be a home stager or am I going to be an interior designer? And my passion was with interior design. It is a lot harder obviously to get clients as, and I think a lot of people can relate to this when you're new to the industry, like it is hard. And I did a lot of freebies in the beginning just to get that before and after and portfolio and experience. So that's when basically I stopped advertising any home staging on my social media and went it's not what the road I want to go down. I'm happy to do the odd jobs but not like I have been and so that's where yeah I started promoting more of the interior design things on my just on my Facebook reading Instagram and that's how it's evolved and grown from there. I had a bit more of a strategy behind it rather than just winging it I suppose.
Yeah, there was a bit of a strategy behind the staging. It gave me the before and afters, it gave me experience, and it also gave me a house load of furniture that I'd made money on, so it was great for the house too. Yeah.
Yeah. So I find this really interesting because, so the first bit I love, so, and I have got similar stories where it's that sliding door moment almost where you kind of go, you're given an opportunity. And as you said, you could have just loaned your cousins some cushions and that have been it kind of thing. But why let such a great opportunity go to waste? And I think, I think that's that true entrepreneurial spirit, isn't it? It's like.
Yeah.
I can see something here, let's like, you know, got no idea what I'm doing, but let's, you know, let's make this happen. But, I think I love how that kind of, it has just organically morphed into you working out, actually, that's not what I wanna do. It's become clear I wanna do this. And I think that's a really important message because sometimes...
Yeah, 100%.
When you have these, like you can sit down and you do a business plan and you think this is what I'm gonna do and then you do it for a little bit and you're like, actually, I don't like this. I wanna do something different. Sometimes you actually need to do it to work out you don't like it.
Yes, yeah, 100%. I did feel like I enjoyed the staging and it's not that I, I suppose, didn't like it. It's just more that I liked something else more. you know, you kind of do have to, and at that stage, kids were young. I can't be everything to everyone. I'm either one or the other. And I also don't want to confuse my community that I started building. Cause it could get quite confusing, I think of am I the stage or do you do new builds or reno's or yeah. Keeping that message quite clear as well as important.
Yeah, and I think as well, is, it isn't like, it's quite often it's not one decision. you, it's not that you don't like home staging, but the reality is it's not a very family friendly industry really. Like it's hard work, it's big overheads, it's the wrong time of the day for anything to do with kids stuff. Like it's just hard to make that marry up with family life. And so I think sometimes
Yeah.
It isn't just about what you like doing. It's actually what's gonna help me build a business that I can do in the time I've got. I think that's quite often one of the things that working parents and you know, especially moms, I think if they're the primary caregiver, like that's something that is just something you really need to consider. Cause I think sometimes if you're building a business that is constantly in friction with home life It never ends well.
Hmm No, and I didn't want to be out all the time like I was the main my husband went full -time although He's fabulous at the kids. I was to drop off I was to pick up and obviously work part -time at the time So I couldn't I couldn't commit to everything either and I was quite good at saying no if it didn't work in with family life While you're building up a business, you don't like to say no, but I was also how much you physically gonna do that I've got a one -year -old a four -year -old. I can't ask my parents again to look after the kids or in -laws, know, like there's a balance and you don't want to over -exhaust your family or your tribe as such, your army.
Yes. Yeah. I know I, when I started, my interior design studio, Navy edit, I have multiple photos of me on site with my son, like in the carrier. And there was, it was good for a point. And then I was like, this is just not working for anyone. It's not working for me. It's not working for him. It's not working for the builder. Like this is just not working kind of thing. And it's, it's funny how you do get to a point where you're like, just physically cannot do this.
Yeah, yeah, but it's funny because at the time you're kind of like, this is just normal and this is what you do, but it's not really, not when you've got your little baby. No, no, but we do it because we love it, right? And you want to succeed, whatever success looks like for you kind of thing, but it does come at its, I suppose, consequences in some way, shape or form, Yeah, yeah.
Totally Yeah, exactly. Yeah, I find that so, so interesting because I'm like, how do you, how people get to what they're doing is sometimes the best part of the story.
So you do, as you just said, you now do a lot of like renovations and new builds and working with developers. And so how did you go from home staging? And as you were saying, like you were building relationships with real estate agents and kind of that kind of community to then building relationships with builders and developers and clients. Like that's quite a change in direction. How did you go about building those relationships?
Yeah, so I suppose from day dot when I started my business, I had every Friday, that was my wild bird day. wild bird would be five hours where basically this is even when I was staging, when I was doing the home staging, I would go out and meet suppliers, salespeople, I'll go to showrooms and just book appointments with all different suppliers, etc. Just to get to know them in the industry because it was new to me. So that's sort of how I suppose it progressed after stopping the staging. I already had those relationships there. I knew a lot of builders in that already, lot of electricians, plumbers, like the list goes on. So I connected with them more. And I think we're very lucky in this day and age to have social media as well, because that helps with just getting the message out in an easy way that you don't have put it in the paper like the old days, like I used to sell. I sound like an old lady, but.
Yeah, that's, suppose, and to be honest, I'm not afraid to make approaches. I think from the advertising background and sponsorship background, I'm not afraid to pick up the phone and say, hey, I'm doing this now, can we meet for coffee? Or yeah, I'm just not afraid to pick up the phone or send an email or whatever that might be and just put my name out there and see what happens. So a lot of people are pretty accommodating to that too, yeah.
Yes, and I think like, what's the worst they can say? No. I've had no's over the years of heaps, know, endless.
Yeah, totally. And quite often the no is not about you. It's more about they're busy or they're going on holidays or they just can't like it's there's so often the no isn't about you. I really found that interesting and I think it's great that you and I don't think enough designers do this intentionally where you put aside time each week to go and visit suppliers. It wasn't just sporadic or it wasn't when you got invited to something like you made a real purpose in going out and meeting suppliers and trades.
Yes, definitely. I think because I needed to, I wanted to learn more. I was like a sponge, you know, tell me about this product. Tell me how you make things or do things. And I was just so inquisitive. And I think, yeah, and I wanted to build a relationship because I also know that I can't run my business on my own. Obviously, I need to do the doing and the I need to get the clients and things like that. But the suppliers help or the sales reps help with the backing things.
I can't necessarily do or need help with. So I really lean on them as well. And I think building those relationships is really important. So I'm glad that I did all that groundwork back then. It has helped now and I'm not afraid to do the legwork either. I still do legwork now because I mean, I'm not that far into the business. It's only been a few years, but if a supplier rings me, I'll never say no to them coming for coffee or whatever. You know, I always, or a sales rep, I'll always let them in the door because as long as I've booked it in and I've got to be strategic with that too each week. can't see 10 different suppliers and have no client work. You know, you've got to keep... there's a balance but yeah, you've got to be quite open to all of that too. Yeah.
And I think that, like, I think the supplier knowing your face when they see your email pop up, it just makes the whole process so much easier. And I think as well, you you use that word strategic about your time and how you don't overdo it one, like one way or the other kind of thing.
And I think as well, the fact that you still do it, even though, you know, the business is growing and making sure that you are cementing those relationships more and more. think that's really, I think that's great advice that I'd give to any designer out there. So the business is growing, which is really exciting. Tell me about some of the systems and processes that you are using to make sure that as the business grows, things still run smoothly.
Yeah, yeah, so that's been a huge part and a huge learning curve as you know. Your systems and processes are amazing and I've had to really sit back more recently and actually really assess what I'm doing because and it's not necessarily what I'm doing in terms of client work or anything like that it's just I need to make it easier on myself and not almost not that I was but running like a head running around like a headless chicken no one wants to be doing that.
as I say, want to have a lifestyle, well not live a lifestyle, but kind of have the boundary set that you have the systems and processes in place. So I use, I'm trialing a project management system, obviously more time to design, I'm trialing another one to see what one fits best. And then I use Canva quite a bit for like marketing, that's really good. SketchUp is fabulous too.
And then, what else do I use? I use the trusty old WhatsApp. That's really handy with clients. Yeah, rather than sending 50 emails, yeah, I just send them to say, can I come to your place on Friday or whatever it might be, rather than sending five emails. So that's quite handy just to connect with them direct. And then, what's my other ones? Yeah, there's a couple others I use too. Obviously zero for accounting and things like that, because that's quite helpful But yeah, I'm just trying to really systemize my processes.
Yeah. And I think, I mean, this is, this is the point that I, I'm always making that if you don't have systems and processes in place, there is a ceiling to how much your business can grow. Like it just won't grow because you just don't have the systems and processes in place. And whether that is, and it doesn't necessarily mean grow in terms of head count, but obviously if you are taking on people, if you don't have systems and processes in place, they're gonna fail because it's just not gonna work. But even if you are just yourself like solo and you might have a subcontractor or something, you still need those systems and processes in place because there are only so many hours in the week that you can work. So if you are not working as efficiently as possible, you're not gonna be able to grow. So I think that's so...
You're a great example of exactly what I talk about where it's kind of like, systems and processes are an evolving beast in your business kind of thing. But I just think it's that kind of moment where you go, if I don't sort this out, the business isn't really going to grow.
I haven't nailed it, that's for sure.
Yes, 100%. And I am glad that I'm putting the time and energy into it now because one other thing I use is the trusty old Google Sheets. It's a live document with the client, so any selections that are on there, at least they can add notes and it's live. We don't need to be sending emails back and forth, that kind of thing I just find saves a lot of time. I'm trying to educate my clients that it's a live document. A lot of them freak out and go, I need to resend it. I'm like, no, no, it's live, it's fine. It saves you time and it saves me time, it's great.
But that kind of thing is trying to utilize technology as much as we can, that's, yeah, that's, yeah, I suppose what I'm trying to implement as much as possible, it is an evolving thing, isn't it, of systems and processes?
It really is. I think, yeah. And I think as well, like technology is, I think technology is a fine line. I think I see a lot of designers kind of, it's like bright, shiny object and they're like, I need that and I need that and I need that. I think actually having too much technology in your business you spend is almost counterproductive. And so often I say to designers, need to actually know
What do you want to achieve from your systems and processes and be really clear on that before you start looking at software because I think, yeah, you can really overwhelm yourself and just end up with like a bit here and a bit there and this does this and this does that. And then you're like, well, that's actually not working efficiently. You're just kind of, it's that busy work. Like you think you're being busy, but all you're actually doing is filling in the same information in six different places. Like is there a better way you could be doing that?
Yes, and that's what I found. I was almost filling in two different things. It's like, no, I'm not going to be doing that. What's the one way going forward that I can share it with my direct clients, with the developers, with the trades as well. Like I'm trying to make it a lot more streamlined and easier. So then I can just send that one document out and it's pretty easy to understand. if you don't understand it, then you'd be pretty dumb because it's pretty basic. That was my intention behind it though, it's like if I understand it and I'm not great with that kind of thing, then everyone else will understand it. So that's a good way to kind of think.
It's pretty good. I'm a bit like you. think you need to set the bar pretty low sometimes kind of thing. So yeah. So we've, you know, we've talked a little bit about the juggle of family and work already, but tell me, how do you, how do you juggle? Your kids are kind of school age, the primary school age. How do you juggle that with like,
Yeah, you do. Yeah, 100%.
client work, which can be demanding, being on building sites, which isn't always family friendly hours either. Like how do you juggle it all?
Yeah. Yeah, so that would be, I do set a lot of boundaries with, especially, mind you, my clients are just amazing to be honest. I understand, I've got young kids too. I started them from the beginning and even like school holidays that we've recently just had. My client said to me before school holidays, look, I don't need anything in the next two weeks. I've got everything I need from you. Enjoy your school holidays. And I think...
love that.
Which is really, yeah, and that's the clients I want to attract to that actually understand I have got a young family. If, it's urgent, I will get back to you as soon as possible, obviously. But yeah, like school pickup and that, I've always sort of said to myself, if I can avoid it, I don't want to be the mum running into Kindy, because I've got a four year old, running into Kindy, answering the phone, unless it's urgent, of course. But if it's not urgent, I'm not going to answer it while I'm walking into Pickup my son because that can wait for half an hour or so and I just message him back saying just doing kidney pickup I'll call you back soon sort of thing and people are so understanding they get it I've got young kids and the juggle is real but I also if I do have a site visit because I normally do site visits twice a week like I normally travel to upper heart where a lot of my sites are and I'll travel twice a week so I normally put an out of office on to say thanks for email I'm just out on sites all day anything urgent give me a call
But again, those kind of boundaries I suppose, and it's not being rude, it's just letting them know that I'm not being rude, not replying. But I'll come back to you as soon as I can, or just give me a call if you need to sort of thing. So yeah.
Yeah, I think that's really interesting in both examples. It's actually about communication. It's setting expectations through communication. So I think that is so crucial. And I love as well, you're obviously very upfront with the clients from the get -go. You're a working mom with small children. There are limitations, maybe not limitations, but there are times in the day when I'm not going to be available. And that's okay.
And I think that's so often, and I know that when I first started, and I still do it sometimes, I will take a call and I'm like, this is not the best time for anyone, but I've taken the call, let's just go with it kind of thing. And I think as well, so much of, and this applies not just to stuff with kids, I think, we're so used to you just call and someone's picking up the phone and that constant kind of immediacy of communication at the moment where, as you said, like, if it's not an absolute emergency, does it matter if they take half an hour or I quite often as well, like if I am working with someone who has small kids, I will text them and say, hey, when's a good time to call or something like that. So I think, I think that it's that communication of your boundaries is really important. And I think that really does help, you know, working parents. I love highlighting the school holidays. Like I think that I quite often, you know, if I, I would generally send out like a project, kind of a rough timeline for the stuff. And I would always highlight school holidays, don't expect much kind of thing.
Yeah, yeah. And I have my out of office on throughout the whole two weeks because I am juggling the kids being at home, although they're very good, don't get me wrong, but you still want to go out and have fun with your kids. I don't want to be working the whole time if I cannot afford it. I'm happy to work at night to catch up, but I do want to hang out with my kids. I love hanging out with them. And that was the whole, I enjoyed the juggle of having a business and being there for my kids and not having them in daycare or after hours or, you know care. I'm lucky I get to do that so I've got to enjoy it. And I do put my adult out of office on for the two weeks just to say it is school holidays so sorry if there's a delay but they totally understand and like I said they'll call me and that's fine. If I miss the call I'll call them back you know.
Yeah. And I think as well, like that is for a lot of women or a lot of parents, it is why they start their business and they start working for themselves so that they can do school pickup or, you know, school holidays and all that kind of stuff. So I think it's really important to make sure you set up your business so that you can have that. I think if you don't set up your business that way, then it's kind of like.
Yes.
What are you achieving? Like why aren't you setting your business up that way? Because that's clearly something that's really important to you. So I think that's really the...
Yeah, and I remember you saying a while back about success is different for everyone, right? Like, my success is different to a designer that's been in the industry 20 years, sort of thing. And my success right now would be I get to drop off the kids and pick them up and actually hang out with my kids as much as I can. But Obviously I want to push the boundaries in terms of what I can do with my business but for now while they're still young I'm very lucky that I get to do that and I feel successful for doing that and that's just something so simple but that's my version of success right now in terms of being a mum so yeah that's a very important part for me and I want to go on school trips if I can or kindy trips we walked around the kindy block the other day with the kids just for an hour but I thought at least I can do that because I've got the flexibility no one's going to tell me off if I know, commit to that sort of, you know, to those activities. So yeah, that's important.
Yeah. And I think that, you know, like I do, I talk about it a lot, that whole like, what does success mean for you? And you know, like success at the moment, like success is going to change, like your definition of success for you and your business and your family is going to change as the kids get older. And I think that's something that is, yeah, I think it's a really lovely thing that you're able to do.
Yes.
Exactly, well that's the thing, like they're so little for so long kind of thing.
Yeah, and I'll be both at school. Obviously I've got one at school, but kindy one, little one will be at school next year. So at least I want to have one pick up, one drop off and pick up. So I feel like I've made some more success then having one drop off and pick up. But like you said, with my business, my goalpost has changed quite a lot over the last few years. It changes every couple of months as to where you want to be and what goals you've achieved and ticked off sort of thing. So that goalpost won't even move in terms of.
It's the ultimate goal. Ultimate goal.
flexibility around the kids but more strategic and sort of financial goals in my business that changes quite often and I think that's normal for a lot of designers too.
Yeah, definitely. awesome. So what are you looking forward to in the next 12 months?
Next 12 months would be, I've got some pretty hefty sort of financial goals. Definitely want to push the boundaries a bit in terms of what I can achieve and projects and that and clients that I work with. I am going to be launching a new little product as such. I won't tell you anything else, but I'm in the sort of motions of that at the moment. So that's exciting. You've got to dangle the carrot a little bit.
exciting. we stay tuned.
And then also I've got a few collaborations in the pipeline too, which is exciting with a few suppliers. And I think again, because I've got such strong relationships with my suppliers, yeah, they've been happy to work with me on a few things. So that's exciting. And yeah, that's sort of what the next 12 months or so looks like. just trying to, and obviously it's a little bit of a tough time and you, well, I suppose everywhere at the moment, a lot of trades in that are scrambling for work. I think just ticking by at the moment is great, but I do want to push the boundaries a little bit in terms of what I can achieve. yeah, so yeah, I'll keep pushing really.
Wow, that sounds like a very, very exciting 12 months, a very full 12 months, but exciting.
Yeah, yeah, no, I'm very excited and I can't wait to see what I suppose, yeah, what I can do for my clients as well and implementing those systems and processes a lot better to help make things flow a lot better. That's one big thing as well is obviously working on those systems. That's important to me in the next 12 months too. Yeah.
Yeah, awesome. sounds like a great 12 months. thank you, Sam, so much for joining me. I've loved our chat.
Thanks, Beth. I appreciate it. Thanks for having me.
Thanks.