To Watch
Business Achievers
VOL-11 Founder & Principal Architect
ISSUE-04
2020
www.insightssuccess.in
Co-founder
CELEBRATING FAILURE
R
ome wasn’t built in a day.
Failure is a part of your success journey. Try, try and try again until you succeed. Motivating words, aren’t they? And what do they teach us? They teach us to try no matter what you have to, keep trying and that success does not come in the first attempt. While these words might sound comforting, let us face the truth, we hate to fail. When we actually fail, these words seem close to nothing. They may even sound mocking. Because to talk about failure in verse and facing them in reality, are two different situations that look, feel, and sound different.
From the Why? Why is it that we hate failure? Why is it that we hate failing so much that at times we fail because of the fear itself? Why is failure still a taboo? Why is failure not celebrated? As soon as we begin our formal education, we are told it is a competitive world. We must succeed and stay at the top from the start to finish, first till the last. So, in a sense, we are conditioned to succeed and not fail. And when failure strikes, either early or late in life, we are not as prepared to handle it as we would handle success. The current year, for all good reasons and bad, is the perfect example of how we failed collectively. There were warnings that we chose to ignore because heeding them would mean putting a stop to many economic activities that we deemed essential and thought our life and success depends on them. So, we carried on with our lives basking in the success stories, big time and small until it happened. We thought we had the best communication channels, they failed. We thought we had the best healthcare facilities, they failed (not without a fight and not due to poor facilities but the sheer menacing power of the virus), we thought we had the best leaders and law-abiding citizens, well, we now know how we are.
EDITOR However, this failure is one that ought to be celebrated and remembered for time to come. This failure needs to be remembered because it taught us what life and true success mean. It taught us how the parameters of success can change without a warning. It taught us that our true strength lies not in succeeding but not failing from trying. After all, a vaccine is in near sight. It may or may not be 100% effective but let us celebrate the fact that we did not give up on the hope of developing one, as fast as we can and as efficiently as we can. In this edition by Insights Success, we celebrate the ‘Business Achievers to Watch’. As with Rome, these success stories were not built in a day. They were witness to failures, self-doubts, and a lot of things that do not look like success. But let us not forget to celebrate every bit of it!
Sneha Sinha Sneha Sinha
sneha@insightssuccess.in
Cover Story
08 ASPIRE ARCH STUDIOS
Articles
24 Business Talks
Antithesis Remodeling: A synonym for Female Entrepreneurs
34 Attaining Goals We are Achievers
CONTENTS
Unconventional Design Ideas for Enhanced Living
20 Joohie Patel
Creating Functional, Unique and Timeless Spaces
28 Tania Shah Shaping, Building and Designing Sustainably
Isha Manekia
Channeling Creative Instincts to Create Unique Spaces
22 Seema Seth
Empowering Creative Women through Interior Design Education
30
Editor-in-Chief Sumita Sarkar Managing Editor Sneha Sinha
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NOVEMBER, 2020
Contributing Editor Darshan Parmar
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BUSINESS
ACHIEVERS TO WATCH Company Name
Management
Brief
Aspire Arch Sutdio aspirearchstudios.com
Prachi Bapat Principal Architect
Helping clients discover their own sense of identity through their dream homes.
Design Brilliance Blueprint
Seema Seth Founder
On a mission to help creative women become financially independent by training them in interior design skills online.
Takeaway Interiors takeawayinteriors.com
Isha Manekia Founder
Focused on providing Interior Designing services & Consultation with the highest level of customer satisfaction
The Design Compound thedesigncompound.com
Joohie Patel Founder & Principal
The studio’s focus remains in crafting spaces with a personality
TS Design Works
Tania Shah Founder
The firm has extensive experience in residential and commercial designs, interiors, landscape, renovation and restoration of old properties.
BUSINESS
ACHIEVERS TO WATCH
Unconventional Design Ideas for Enhanced Living
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Owning a creative design firm requires a tremendous set of efforts and circumstances to all fall into place. A perfect place where knowledge meets opportunity and effort determines the outcome.
COVER STORY
Prachi Bapat Founder & Principal Architect
Abhishek Parvate Co-founder
C
reativity and imagination have no limits. However, they both are subject to scrutiny. If we have artists, we also have art critiques. While the artist may create artwork to satiate his urge, to give a form to his imagination and communicate with an admirer in ways an artist can; he also wishes (even if secretly) to win over the critiques. For, who does not
love receiving compliments from unexpected quarters?
LegnoKraft is the Studio’s homegrown furniture and furnishings label that builds customized furniture and soft furnishing items such as consoles, loungers, and accent chairs.
For most businesses, customers are the final critique. These critiques might not be professionals or Subject Matter Experts, but their opinion matters much more than a professional one. Especially in a creative field like architecture, they may not be able to tell between a
and engineers, was founded in 2010. Since then, it has successfully delivered luxurious homes across Pune, creating a niche in the luxury home interior segment. The Inception
classical or vintage or Scandinavian and a Modern interior but are clear about one thing – that the décor should be appealing, bring a smile and make them feel like this is the house they were waiting for. With an inspiration to give justice to human psychology towards owning a picture-perfect home, Aspire Arch Studios, a team of architects
Aspire Arch Studios was established in 2010 as an architectural and interior design consultancy firm and initially worked in the bungalow segment across West Pune. The Studio worked on bungalow extensions, renovations, and interior design. Pune was witnessing a fast change in its skyline around the same time which allowed the studio to create beautiful homes in the high-rises segment. Along the way, the studio faced some challenges like the work time window rules of the society, material movement and storage restrictions in the premises and several approvals needed from the society. These factors had some impact on the overall project timeline and costs, also bringing some limitations
in terms of soft furnishings which cannot be delivered on-site. A usual approach to this is rearranging the project schedules and increasing the on-site workforce, but this is not always sufficient. A project is all about how it is executed as execution brings the designs on paper to life, hence it is very important for the project designer/studio to be in complete control of every detail that happens on-site and the usual approach was not going to help do this. Additionally, this approach was not going to add any value to the project, or the studio in the long term. The studio wanted to be in sync with the latest trends and finishes and eliminate the challenges faced in the project execution which would in turn help the studio focus on its core. Turning Things Around and in Favour Three pillars of any successful project, as per Team Aspire, are – a
systematic design process, skillful and timely execution, and complete control on the project cost. The Studio was determined to stand tall on these three pillars and systematically began its journey towards a well-planned project life cycle. The Studio changed into a Turnkey Solutions Provider to gain complete control over the material and operating procedures.
Designing a living space in a metropolitan like Pune that balances form and function, expresses a client s individuality, and enhances his lifestyle is more challenging today than ever before.
“It is particularly important for any design firm to be in sync with the client’s vision about his home and his design taste. Without this, none of the design drafts will meet with the client’s expectations and there will be a loss of time and effort in the project timeline. To ensure this does not happen with our clients, we built a three-stage design process which when followed correctly, will help us sync with the client in the first attempt and avoid
the chaos in the design stage of any project,” shares the team. For the systematic design process, the Studio came up with an “Idea Book”, which guided the client to express his vision of home clearly, in turn, helping cut short the design time. This, in turn, helps to cut short the design phase of any project while simultaneously achieving a cent per cent result. For skillful execution, The Studio established a fully functional plywood panel processing facility equipped with modern furniture manufacturing machines, delivering
a premium finish to the furniture. Adding a star to this, the engineering team built a customized CNC Router for complex cutting and engraving work, a rare case scenario for an Architectural firm to have one. The facility helped maintain the finishing
standards and cut short the on-site processing time for the furniture work and that is how LegnoKraft was born. Aspire has also made the wood processing facility available to fellow architectural and interior
MEET THE MINDS Ar. Prachi Bapat (M. Arch, C onstruction Mgmt.), the Founder and Principal Architect of Aspire Arch Studios completed her Master of Architecture (Construction Management) from Pune University. She plays a very crucial role throughout the project life cycle, from understanding the project brief, design conceptualization, project execution and everything till the project handover.
Er. Abhishek Parvate, the Co-founder of the Studio completed his M e c h a n i c a l E n g i n e e r i n g f ro m Pune University and t h e n wo r ke d w i t h Accenture India for a while. Giving wings to his inclination towards project management and process optimization, here at Aspire, he leads the project nance, planning and process optimization and also the furniture processing facility of LegnoKraft, a furniture and furnishing label, by Aspire Arch Studios.
Aspire believes that every issue comes with a design opportunity, and thus, delivers an innovative approach inclined towards sustainability, technology, and construction techniques.
design firms, and they get all the above-mentioned benefits by getting their furniture processed in LegnoKraft facility. What differentiated Aspire from the rest is the implementation of new-age material optimization programs and production management tools, along with the implementation of project planning and management techniques such as Kanban charts. All these efforts together helped gain complete control over the project cost and timeline while simultaneously eliminating the challenges experienced without compromising on the quality of work. These attributes not only help Aspire to squeeze the project timeline but also deliver the best by keeping control on every detail involved while delivering a home which is identical to the 3D renders generated during the design phase. Work-Life @ Aspire A design studio is only as successful as the freedom of expression it offers to its design team. The Design Team at Aspire takes the complete ownership of the projects from the conceptualization to the handover and keeps itself updated with the latest trends and materials available, thanks to the strong vendor connect the Studio has developed in all these years of practice.
ASPIRE DESIGN TEAM
Aspire Studio factory by the team of qualified and skilled professionals, hassle free installation and quick delivery will make your dream home interior experience more pleasurable
Right from the beginning Studio believed in open office culture with no cabins or cubicles. Cubicles do not make sense and the open office is a productive environment where everyone works together. The most productive output comes when the designer believes in the work that he is doing. “For every project, we have brainstorming sessions before we conceptualize the design. We believe in creating an environment where interaction is possible, besides making designers feel comfortable and more at home at the workplace,” shares the team. Aesthetic Offerings, Today and Tomorrow The design team at Aspire Arch observes, researches, and implements a customised creative vision that is aesthetically budget and deadline friendly. It does and will continue to recommend its clients modern and luxury design practices, trends, and products in a way that design decisions are worked out in their best interest. “Our team in Pune at Aspire Arch Studios allows us to create interior architecture that you as a client would be proud of which in turn helps us grow,” concludes Prachi. To meet your dream home, visit us at www.aspirearchstudios.com
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BUSINESS
ACHIEVERS TO WATCH
Isha
Manekia
Channeling Creative Instincts to Create Unique Spaces
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Every project is different & we have the opportunity to make the personalised space for each client which is a match of its owner
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hey say beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. That makes different people perceive beauty differently. And this difference is what makes them stand out as unique identities. When designing a space, understanding these differences for customized solutions is what interior designers aim at to create unique and beautiful entities. Founded in 2013, Takeaway Interiors, a brand under M/s. I Takeaway Interiors (registered company), intends to revolutionize the field of interior designing by providing the best value-for-money products & services with n number of themes(look and feel) using technology. Added to that it looks out for giving personalized designer touch. Isha Manekia, Founder, Takeaway Interiors, started her professional journey in 2005 to beautify the places. Soon, it became her passion to transform the spaces. She says, “It amazes me that interiors are required anywhere & everywhere- whether we realise it or not. It’s not only for homes & offices, its part of our day-to-day life like we go to malls, cinema halls, restaurants, hotels, showrooms, salons, schools, kirana store. VOLUME - 11, ISSUE - 04, 2020
Another thing is that it’s universal, I mean its utility size etc is the same everywhere & all the people require it.”
personal preference, utility & look & feel of space- you need human touch!!!
Isha loves the unlimited creativity that her work offers. Everybody likes different things, people have different taste. Here’s how she takes care of the differences to create creative spaces.
Share with us your company’s contribution to its sector in the industry and how it is helping its clients in their business growth?
What are the different products & services provided by your company, setting you apart from your competitors? We, as most of the interior designing company, is a one-stop solution to all the interior related needs for the clients. But what sets us apart is bringing out the best possible value from the product like creating a customised wall mural out of balance material on-site & that becomes the centre of attraction of the entire house. Customised wall clocks, murals, partitions, photo frames, curtains with beads, pop designs etc which is completely customised & real value for money as its exclusive for that particular project. Using different types of lights & arranging it in such a way that creates 6-7 different ambience/mood in the same space. Educating clients about materials with complete transparency, how to choose accessories for their home in the future etc. Most of all, we try to give an experience of joy & excitement to clients. We involve & educate clients & try to make the entire process exciting & memorable. We are client-centric (as one of our clients told us in testimonial) With the massive tech-enabled advancement, what are the opportunities & challenges evolving with it? Like every invention, it has pros & cons. I believe technology is to make our lives better & more comfortable. It has made the world smaller & closer in the past decade. As people are evolving, so as their needs & vision. Technology does help us to minimise the communication gap as interiors is a very creative field but still its very personal. But I do believe the interior is very personal. I believe every space reflects the personality of its owner. So, to create something so personalised that involves the individual’s lifestyle, 2020, ISSUE - 04, VOLUME - 11
Interior Designing is an unorganised sector. We are trying to make it organised by giving as many details as possible along with material specifications, brand etc. With complete transparency, the client is peaceful and enjoys the process. We try to keep a very transparent environment for the betterment of clients and us. It’s a win-win situation. For project: In residential projects; we try & design the home which is upgradable as far as technology & appliances are concerned. For commercial projects; we use logo, shape, colour, products & highlight the decor. In a way, it is branding for them. How do you motivate creativity and innovation in the workplace while maintaining a healthy work environment? Creativity is a very huge term. It means different to different people. For me, creativity is the process itself to create something considering different factors like utility, decor, budget, function, time, availability of raw material/hardware etc. It’s all about integrating many things & creating something unique & personalised. And challenges do come when we try to innovate. Sometimes it takes more time than expected, sometimes raw materials are not available, sometimes skilled labours are not available. But we try to use the expertise of the particular agency & somehow manage to create something exclusive. When I see a spark in the eyes of the client, all the efforts are paid off at that moment. I work for that. Brief us about the current scenario of your industry and your company’s future plan? The demand for interiors was there, is there & will always be there. People are evolving & their lifestyle is upgrading. Our future plan is to create a system that caters to the mass market but with the personalised touch of a designer. To provide an economic solution to most of the people who wish to live good. I believe everyone has the right to live good. I want to make it believable & possible for people. INSIGHTS SUCCESS | 21
BUSINESS
ACHIEVERS TO WATCH
Joohi Pate
Creating Functional, Unique and Timeless Spaces
S
“
We have a very thorough and thoughtful approach into our services where we are always refining not just the final offering but also the approach to design itself
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pace making as a field has many faces to it from Civil engineering to Architecture to interiors design and decoration. Traditionally, these are separate disciplines with differences that a layman cannot really identify. The Design Compound (TDC) was started with an intention to create highly customized and contextual solutions for all scales of spatial design and to incorporate the learnings from these separate disciplines into one umbrella as a one stop solution. Founder, Joohie Patel shares with us the inspiration behind her work and how she keeps the firm going. Kindly brief us about your Company. Compound1: (Verb) : to put together (parts) to form a whole. Compound2: (Noun): an enclosure, having a shared or associated purpose. “Compound” is a playful homograph to suggest a process of design that borrows from both of its meanings. It is an alchemy of client’s needs, expectations and their story, while exploring narratives in a metaphorical compound. This derives personalized concepts that are molded into stunning spaces that speak deeper than its aesthetic. The studio’s focus remains in crafting spaces with a personality. Evocative designs that are of far greater value than passing trends that lose its luster over time. TDC strives for solutions that are functional, unique and timeless.
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What was the source of inspiration? I started TDC to make an impact on the environment and spaces around us. The habitat and spaces that we grow up in, travel to and spend time in, defines a lot about us. And these environments in turn are influenced by regions and cultures. My inspiration lies in learning about this influence and how we can use these learnings to create architecture and design that is appropriate for its context and client. I studied Interior design at CEPT University, Ahmedabad. This education has had a huge impact in my perception of design. For me, it is not just a profession but a way of life. It has taught me to have a holistic understanding of the multiple influences and processes that make up spaces and how to critically introspect our own work and its impact on the society. What are the key attributes that helped your Company overcome the challenges that it faced during its establishment? It definitely was not easy setting up the practice. Simply put, I started the company from my dining table with an intern helping me out. And in a span of 1.5 years, we have grown many fold. Architecture and Interior design is a very location specific profession and it is very important to have a physical base. Moreover, the clients, usually residential clients, have a deep emotional attachment with their homes and need to be able to trust the designers completely. Having just moved to a new city with absolutely no connections, getting the right clients and vendors was a tough task. But an even more challenging part was to make sure that once signed up, these clients could trust us completely and that we could deliver the right services and also alleviate their concerns at the same time. So in the beginning, the biggest challenge was to just make sure that we had enough work to begin with and also that it was executed with utmost precision. Businesses that deal with private construction are always people oriented whether its a craftsman, labour, designer or the end client. So we are always on the lookout for people who share our passion and managing them is an important factor. Also, services like these have a higher operation cost, more lead time, multiple possible points of failure and a much less ROI. So for us, as we deal a lot with the unorganized sector, currently management is the biggest challenge and in the coming years we want to make sure that things are more organized in the back-end. With the massive tech-enabled advancements, what are the opportunities and challenges evolving with it? Tech has moved leaps and bounds into every sector and we are seeing a very positive influence of it into our field.
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Design is our passion and that is never going to change but we strongly feel that good design is a combination of great ideas and equally great execution. But like any business, this is easier said than done. A huge part of our backend management is supported by various tools and softwares that are getting smarter by the day. We are trying to iron out as many break-points as we can with the help of technology and trying to make processes that can help bridge the gap between designers and the stakeholders in the unorganized sector so we can deliver services of highest quality to our clients. Share with us your Company’s contribution to its sector in the industry and how it is helping its clients in their business growth. We don’t unnecessarily differentiate our work by using pseudo words that overcomplicates the understanding of it. After all, to simply put, TDC is an architecture and interior design firm. However, there is definitely an unquenchable thirst to learn more and more about all the stakeholders in the project and keep looking for the best solutions that are the most appropriate for them. How do you motivate creativity and innovation in the workspace while maintaining a healthy work environment? We are a small team but we always work towards identifying who brings what to the table, identify each other’s strengths and weaknesses and to fill the gaps by hiring people with the relevant required skill set. Our office environment is very transparent with less focus on hierarchy and more focus on the importance of a diverse thought process. Everybody is encouraged to try their hands at everything and figure out for themselves what works for them and take it forward as a specialty. As we consider design a lifestyle and not just a business, we discuss it in all aspects such as arts, music, films, products etc and that keeps our environment fresh. Brief us about the current scenario of your Industry and your Company’s future plans. Design and construction are gaining momentum as an industry with each passing day and we intend to keep up with it. Awareness of good design and its benefits as handled by professionals is rising and the exposure brought on by travel and social media is changing a lot of mindsets. We are already looking at our processes with a more critical eye and are trying to find the aspects that we can improve with the help of skilled people, technology, a difference in mindset etc. Afterall, we are not just creating a business, but also a lifestyle.
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Antithesis R 24 | INSIGHTS SUCCESS
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Business Talks
Remodeling A synonym for FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS
2020, ISSUE - 04, VOLUME - 11
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T
his generation has been living in scary brutish times - with a global pandemic and rumors of a possible World War III. How-so-ever seemingly, Gordon Gecko’s “greed is good” creed stands firmly for more political commentary than 1980s cinema.
allowed her to create a device that could predict them and alert the patient or the caregiver up to 25 minutes in advance. There have been reportedly 65 million people affected by epilepsy worldwide and having something that could alert them in advance could certainly change their lives.
Sure, it has been said that money cannot buy happiness but on the other hand poverty cannot buy anything. Entrepreneurs obviously want to make money, but that is not all about what they are. As a matter of fact, entrepreneurship has forever been about pushing oneself to be better than who they were yesterday.
This is how it works:
Thus, not all entrepreneurs pursue the accumulation of wealth at all costs. It does seem direly odd that while one thinks of entrepreneurs as those who are primarily driven to make enough money to buy the world a Coke the actual definition does not even mention money, rather it focuses on risk and initiative. Given this definition, it seems fair to point out the number of ever-increasing Women Entrepreneurs.
After having an experience of 23 years in teaching, Siroun discovered that Arabic teachers had access to very few technological support tools, which challenges the teaching of the language in a world that is drawn into technology. This led her to innovate the process of teaching and learning of Arabic through an online platform, called Kamkalima. In its first year itself, Kamkalima had benefited 12,000 students in 35 schools across two countries.
Women empowerment has forever been a topic of interest in the intellectual as well as business world. Empowering women, as the word states, should be to provide them with all the conditions required to flourish and this should not just be a quote. This should be the way of life. Entrepreneurship has proven to be one of the best ways to create conditions for empowerment, since it is the path for forming a unique business that follows and caters to a women’s needs, passions, and abilities. Women entrepreneurs have found in their businesses the advantage of flexibility, success, and leadership.
3. Swati Pandey from India
Amongst the many women who have paved their path for entrepreneurship, there are a few who have made it to the list of making a difference in the world and working towards a cause.
Epistemic works with two electrodes placed in the head and then connected to a box that in turn sends the signal to an app. 2. Siroun Shamigian from Lebanon
She had been interested in fighting diabetes and obesity, considering the new age epidemics. Alarmingly, India has the highest number of diabetics in the world. The main problem, she learnt, was that people suffering from diabetes have increased from 180 million in 1980 to 422 million in 2014, according to World Health Organization. She then came up with a solution to establish a plant biotechnology company that could produce stevia, a 100 percent natural substitute for sugar. Her company, Arboreal, now intends to be sustainable through all levels, from the farmers who cultivate it, to the consumers who may transition to a healthier option.
1. Paula Gomez from Brazil Paula, along with her 75-year-old mother, studied the signals of incoming epileptic seizures, which then
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BUSINESS
ACHIEVERS TO WATCH
Seema
Seth
Empowering Creative Women through Interior Design Education “Change is the end result of all true learning.” ― Leo Buscaglia.
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Financial independence inculcates selfconfidence in women, increases their self-esteem and heightens the sense of self-respect
T
his statement precisely sums up the notion of how we can change our own lives through what we learn. Change is what every other individual yearns for. How absurd would it sound if we say that we don’t want to make our lives any better than they are right now? You stop living a life of independence and satisfaction when you stop learning. Wouldn’t you agree? To provide you a sense of reassurance we bring to you, the story of Seema Seth, the Founder of Design Brilliance Blueprint who, at the age of 40, decided to take up formal education in the field of interior designing and subsequently start a venture to impart that knowledge to talented and creative young women. Possessing a never-say-die spirit, Seema has always been passionate about working where she can proudly say that her work gives her energy. Amazed at the short span of life, Seema decided that she will pursue what she had always wanted to and took a dive into the interior design field and never looked back since then.
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In the following interview, Seema shares pieces of wisdom from her journey as an entrepreneur and also her opinion on why we should never stop learning. 28 | INSIGHTS SUCCESS
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Let us delve into her story and relish the value that we are about to receive! Brief our readers about your journey as an entrepreneur and interior designer and also a brief about your venture. We, Design Brilliance Blueprint are in the field of interior design since 15+ years. I initially started off designing and manufacturing teak wood furniture and later on moved to doing turnkey luxury interior projects. Currently, I train creative women to become financially independent by teaching them interior designing skills on an online platform. I run specialized and customized courses related to interiors. Many women who are passionate about interior designing have been benefitting by the individualized programs we run. Tell us about Design Brilliance Blueprint’s vision and mission. We are on a mission to help 10 Lakh creative women become financially independent by training them in the skills of interior design online. We are passionate about making this world a beautiful place by creating beautiful surroundings. What was your source of inspiration to venture into the Interior Design segment? Always having the desire to be financially independent, so that I can take my decisions independently and keep the reins of my life in my hand. While working, I saw that many of my female clients had a creative bent of mind and the journey of creating beautiful homes with them was a very enjoyable experience. They all showed their interest towards design but didn’t know how to go about it. That’s when I decided to impart my knowledge with the women who wanted to achieve something in their lives but never got an opportunity to do so. These women have got time on their hands as their kids are growing up and showing signs of independence and don’t need to be given as much attention while husbands are busy with their work life.
income out of it. And our program doesn’t end here. Once they have started making money, they are also trained in how to handle finances, how much to save, where to invest so that they have sufficient income not only in their retirement days but also they are financially free for their entire lives. All this gives them self-confidence, increased self-esteem, and a heightened sense of self-respect. Their parents, spouse and children feel proud of them. While doing the assignments they are encouraged to do the exercises with their children, so this works as a bonding activity and kids are incredibly happy that their mum is doing her homework with them. They are able to make from minor to major changes in their home surroundings and are encouraged to bring out the changes starting with their friends & relatives etc. What kind of unique interior designing solutions or services are offered by your company at par with the current industry standards? We do luxurious yet ecofriendly interiors for sustainable living. We are creating a niche for creative women while showing them way and joining hands with them to help them achieve financial independence. How does your venture deliver safer, economical, and more artistic interior designs to the customers? By listening to the clients and understanding their requirements, their choices, preferences, lifestyles. Having started much needed online courses in the testing times of COVID-19, we have been able to tap creative women’s potential and help them get on the track to start their business using their creativity that they can operate from home that leads them towards financial independence. What would be your advice for the budding startups and entrepreneurs in the interior design industry? It’s very essential to move with the times. We had recognized the need for imparting education on an online platform and it helped us during the lockdown period to focus on developing the course design and come out with marketing plans. Understand clients’ requirements and deliver the interior which is aesthetically appealing and functional yet suiting their pockets.
Hence, utilizing this time, they can devote some time not only to learning new skills but also to be able to generate 2020, ISSUE - 04, VOLUME - 11
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BUSINESS
ACHIEVERS TO WATCH
Tania Shah Shaping, Building and Designing Sustainably
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Designing Excellence
Tania Shah strongly believes that our surroundings define the way we live. Graduated in architecture 17 years ago, she now successfully operates and executes an architectural design firm TS Design Works as a Founder. The firm is based out of Mumbai, Maharashtra.
TS Design Works surveys and explores the diversity of architectural practice and spotlights on the understanding of the client’s cultural and realistic needs, reflecting them into personalized designs and previews of their desired spaces. The end result is a guaranteed conversion of the clients’ commercial, residential and interior preferences into concrete structural reality, with colour palettes and structural nuances that self-define sophistication.
rchitects possess the ability to shape this world with their imagination. Not only do they influence the society at a large level but their work can have a profound impact on its occupants as well. From the layout of the space to the intricate material finishes, architecture contributes towards the occupant's health, mood and productivity.
An Architect of Her Own Life Tania has been passionate about architecture and design from her school days and wanted to study from the best school of architecture in the country. Fortunately, she got a chance to pursue her graduation through Sir JJ college of Architecture, where she secured the only seat for the State of Jammu and Kashmir as the state did not have a school of architecture. “I interned with a renowned architect Brinda Somaya which was my first achievement to get employed in her organization,” says Tania. Brinda was an inspiration as a woman architect with lots of awards and fame to her name doing commendable work in the world of architecture. After that, Tania pursued her Masters in Architecture from Rizvi College of Architecture and her interest in teaching architecture gained light. “I joined Rizvi College of Architecture as a lecturer where I am an Associate Professor at present,” shares Tania. Her first project was a duplex Pent House that she designed for a client in Mumbai which got featured under the category of debut designer. It was another moment of happiness that gave her a sense of achievement along with lot of confidence which inspired her to focus and be dedicated towards the practice besides teaching in a school of architecture. As an academician and a practicing architect, Tania feels this dual role benefits both of her professions (teaching and practice). She gets to interact with young minds on regular basis which motivates her to learn new things. “In teaching, my Industry experience helps my students to learn practical
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aspects of Architecture, real career challenges and be prepared for them in future,” informs Tania.
A number of individuals with diverse credentials to their names provide their comprehensive involvement into every stage of design. Structuring that consistently results in projects that have been recognized and appreciated for architectural innovation and quality. The firm maintains a diversified practice and has extensive experience in residential and commercial designs, interiors, renovation and restoration of old properties and bungalows. TS Design Works is consciously limited in size in order to maintain and execute an innate degree of input and project execution on every project, abiding by its principle of impressionable deliverable quality rather than mediocre quantitative executions. “What sets us apart is our design philosophy. We are sensitive to environment. We try and design spaces that have a soul and are spiritual in nature. They are not mere ostentatious decorations,” shares the team of TS Design works. The firm along with Tania aims to build energy-efficient buildings that respond to climate and are sensitive to the environment. Crafting the Future The firm has exposure to media where its team can see best practices around the globe. Tania and her team keep continuously evolving themselves by engaging in contemporary trends and issues. Every individual who contributes in her design project has their own strengths and she appreciates and highlights that using the best potential required for a particular task. “We welcome ideas from fresh
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I strive to design sensitively and build sustainable buildings which are timeless, reduce carbon footprint that will eventually reduce the impact on environment caused by the building industry
graduates and incorporate them. We maintain a healthy yet competitive environment,” states the team of TS Design Works. Tania along with her team always tries to add character to a space. Besides their involvement at each stage of design is 100 percent. They do not only design spaces, they undertake turn key projects where the involvement from conceptualizing to styling the spaces with minutest details comes into picture. “Designing, executing, material selection etc. all are undertaken by me,” states Tania. Tania believes that designing a structure alone is not enough. Interior spaces, furniture, soft furnishings too need to be paid attention to. Sometimes they customize the artifacts also. So, handing over the project with a complete look to clients where they just have to enter their spaces and start using them is her regular practice. The firm’s clients build long lasting relationships with Tania and her team and they do not hesitate to consult her for anything in future. “For me, success is seeing happy clients and not many clients,” she concludes.
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E-mail : design.tania@gmail.com Mob: +919820717394
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Dreams have no limits, while to make a career out of it is really something. There are always challenges in the way but focusing on the goal is needed from an achiever. It is all about executing the things which any person wants to achieve in his/her life. To achieve it, right approach is the crucial factor for an individual. Having the right approach helps a person to remain grounded and focused on the goal. All these efforts bring the best out of the individual delivering maximum output. Keeping up to date with the latest technological trends and the market know-how is an important quality too. Having such vision allows any individual to grow among others. An achiever can be anyone - a small kid dreaming to walk in space, or a student hoping to become a bureaucrat.
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ACHIEVERS
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hose who have the ability to achieve dreams can be termed as achievers. More than ever, we need such achievers today. Not only they can influence the business but also their leadership can have a big impact on the society. For a leader, any crisis or challenge is an opportunity to show that he/she is not an ordinary person.
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Attaining Goals
The company we keep has a big impact on our lives. Having that passion to achieve something in life should be developed right from the school days. Sometimes, we hear the stories of such achievers around us, this always inspires the person to become one. Interaction with great minds on a regular basis motivates us to learn new things. Just like any teacher or mentor, his/her experience with real challenges prepares us in future. There are number of individuals with different achievement to their names. If observed closely it is the result of consistency which is always appreciated. But these achievers are also limited in numbers, hence end result is a guaranteed success. Not many hold the courage and strength that achievers do. What also sets the achievers apart from the rest is being adaptive. Adapting to most severe situations builds energy that can respond to any storm or situation in life. These practices are not a herculean task, it just requires fresh and healthy minds. Such leaders have the capability to keep the team aligned in any situation. From a business perspective it all comes down to putting the people first. Understanding, motivating, and supporting employees keep the work environment healthy. Ultimately, we are the achievers of our own life. Everyone is an achiever within if he/she believes in himself/herself.
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