Décor - Profile - Finding a sunny spot with style and comfort.

Photo Cr edit: Sunny Spot

Emma’s gorgeous pooch Lola enjoying a little shade under their beautiful full fringed umbrella.

FINDING A ‘SUNNY SPOT’ WITH

Style and Cft By Anthea Campbell

We chat to the inspiring Emma Stam, who saw an opportunity to make something that would be stylish and comfortable for her deck. The idea of just creating something for her home led to the launch of Sunny Spot.

EBL: TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF?

Emma: I am Emma Stam, a 21-year old small business owner, currently living in Knysna, South Africa. A previous interior design student with a love for all things simple, stylish and fabulous.

EBL: WHAT MADE YOU START YOUR BUSINESS, WAS IT A LIGHT BULB MOMENT OR DID YOU SEE A GAP IN THE MARKET PLACE?

Emma: The starting of Sunny Spot was somewhat of an evolution. It all started with me wanting to design something easy, stylish and comfortable for our deck. And so our outdoor lounger was born. All of our friends who visited us fell in love with them and enquired about ordering them. Inspired by the reaction of those around me, I decided to form a little business during my December holidays.

I adored the products and could see the demand was there for beautiful and unique outdoor products, and so I made the decision to fully pursue the business in order to further establish Sunny Spot. As the business has grown, we've expanded our product offering to include a range of other items we believe meet the mark of beautiful, unique outdoor products, which we hope to continue doing as Sunny Spot continues to grow and blossom.

EBL: THERE'S A STORY BEHIND THE MATERIALS YOU USE?

Emma: Yes! There is a story behind our materials. All of our fabrics are either sourced by local manufacturers or printed using waterbased, eco-friendly dyes. One of our favourite materials is our filling. All of our loungers are filled with recycled polystyrene, an excellent way in reusing and repurposing this nonbiodegradable material. We also use wood for a few of our products, which is all from alien tree species, in an effort to support the preservation of our indigenous forests.

EBL: DID YOU RESEARCH YOUR 'IDEA/ CONCEPT' EXTENSIVELY?

Emma: Yes! Because most of our products are designed to be used outdoors, it is important that they be durable and weather-resistant. A lot of research went into the best materials for the job. This meant finding materials that were practical and weathered well, but were also stylish and comfortable.

EBL: WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT AND WHAT IS YOUR NUMBER ONE TRIUMPH?

Emma: I think one of the biggest learning curves for any new business owner is discovering everything that actually goes into running a business. Things are always much more complex than you initially think they will be. Learning to understand this and practising patience have been two of the biggest lessons I have learnt so far.

Another big lesson has been that age does not matter. Going into the business world at a rather young age - I was initially very intimidated and felt as though people wouldn't take me seriously. Learning to trust in my abilities and having confidence in myself regardless of what my suppliers, staff and customers thought has personally been my greatest triumph.

EBL: WHO MANUFACTURES THE PRODUCTS?

Emma: Our products are all made by our hardworking staff and materials come from local companies. 42

our hard-working staff and materials sourced from other local companies.

EBL: DID YOU GO ON A SPECIALISED COURSE TO LEARN A NEW SKILLS OR WAS IT LEARNING AS WENT ALONG?

Emma: I didn't necessarily take the most traditional path into starting a business and definitely learnt things as I went along the way. There was a lot of experimentation and research that went into getting things off the ground. One of the greatest resources to me - YouTube!

There are so many fantastic channels which offer excellent guidance and knowledge on a wide range of topics - sometimes even on the most abstract topic!

Connecting with other business owners has also been a great way to get new insight, ideas and tips.

EBL: CAN CUSTOMERS PLACE A BESPOKE ORDER?

Emma: We do offer bespoke orders. Often a customer will have a particular fabric or design in mind, and we will do our best to then work within their guidelines to produce the perfect product for them.

EBL: WHERE CAN CUSTOMERS BUY YOUR PRODUCTS?

Emma: Our products can be purchased from our website www.sunnyspot.co.za

Bliful Luxury

This beautiful double lounger is perfect for around or in your pool.