MEET THE EXPAT
INTERVIEW WITH JAMIE MAK, DECOR REPUBLIC
Design, Decor and Determined Dedication “This has been a really weird year. Nobody wanted this to happen, but this period has actually given me an opportunity to get closer to my dream.” – Jamie Mak
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amie Mak was born and raised in Hong Kong. After studying stage design and graduating from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, she worked as a gallery assistant, with responsibility managing the gallery and hosting events. From an early age, she had developed a keen interest in interior design, and this led her to take courses in design software. A year later, she found her first interior designer job in a small firm in Hong Kong. Now based in Lombok, Jamie is determined to take what has been a passionate hobby and transform it into a successful business venture. When did you first become interested in interior design? I’ve been interested and involved since I was about 6 years old. My dad was an engineer and a construction worker, and we always refreshed our home together, by rearranging the layout and even creating new furniture, as he has carpentry skills, too. We would also try new wall paints and decorations, and I was the one who took charge of the visual 'quality controls', in terms of how my parent’s home looked. To be honest, I had never thought about starting my own business before, but this pandemic gave me an opportunity to learn more design skills and about how to run a business, so I gave a lot more thought to starting one. Have you been inspired or influenced by anyone in particular? My parents inspired me a lot, and encouraged me to be a creative person. They took me to art fairs and galleries, and sent me to art workshops all the time while I was growing up. They also provided the space and the materials for me to be creative. My home was my canvas. I was allowed to
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paint or draw everywhere in the house and was always given art supplies as presents. My dad would make my imagination come to life, and I had so much encouragement to create new ideas. It made me an unrealistic dreamer, in a way, but now I know more about the technical aspects as well, so I can actually turn something possible into something real. And now you’re considering turning your hobby into your own business? Yes. Last year, I quit my job and moved to Lombok with my partner. When I first arrived I was a bit confused, and everything around me was so new and unfamiliar, I was wondering what I should do next. Obviously, I loved interior design, and I wanted to keep my career continuing in that direction. First, I gathered together all my previous work and created my online portfolio. Not long after that, people started to ask me, online, about my services. That's when I began to think an online business would be a good idea. Have you made some progress? Tell us about the steps you had to take. I am still a newbie in business. In the beginning, I totally had no idea where to start, so I kept searching online and set up my first website. I spent a lot of time on social media engagement, and finally people started to reach out to me. Then I started to take the business aspect more seriously. I attended some business trainings and found my first business mentor. The business world is so much bigger than I thought. And it’s so much fun, but maybe that's because I'm just starting out.
