Interior Design Ltd - A Case Study

Anita Smith*, 43, average weight, brown mid-length hair, budding entrepreneur! Anita exudes confidence and ability. Her charming persona and witty humour has allowed her to develop into an entrepreneur with drive and desire.

From a young age, Anita was never academically minded. At the age of seventeen she left school and decided to start her journey into the business world. Through applying for various jobs, Anita found herself working for a Media Publication company in Birkenhead, Merseyside for a number of years. Here, she thrived as a manager, actively developing the company. In May 1995, the company filed for bankruptcy, which spurred Anita to consider her next career move. She decided to embark on the journey towards becoming an entrepreneur and start her own interior design business in the summer of 1999.

Through the connection of her brother in London, the company found a unique location where Anita could operate in the heart of Teddington. Together with her colleague, Sarah*, the business has flourished. The company provides a service for more privileged consumers in interior design, providing a service to guide and assist the transformation of homes essentially into a work of contemporary art. Anita offers both products and a service experience successfully intertwining both aspects of interior design in one company.

The company’s unique selling proposition is the exceptional service it provides directly to the customer – an extravagant and elaborate service not offered anywhere else in the Teddington area. Anita is a good example of an entrepreneur – having the self-driven passion and confidence to survive the transition from a stable, financially successful job to the uncertainty of the entrepreneurial world.

Interior Design Ltd’s marketing is mainly encapsulated by the process of relationship marketing and word-of-mouth. The relationships have been developed through Anita’s attendance at trade shows, speaking directly with customers and the development of supplier relationships and positive recommendations. Furthermore, Anita believes the role of networking is strongly embedded into her marketing strategy and places immense emphasis on the importance of the information gleaned about customers and their needs at such events.

*Names have been changed.

Discussion Questions

• What personal qualities does an entrepreneur need?
  Consider: - How Anita is described. Can all entrepreneurs be described as ‘confident, charming and humorous’? Are there certain personal qualities an entrepreneur needs to become successful?
• Why do you think Anita’s ad-hoc view of marketing is successful?
  Consider: - The type of marketing techniques she employs and the predicted success of each exercise.
• How do you think Anita could develop and enhance her business?
  Consider: - The development of her website, repeat business with existing customers, diversification of her services, geographical expansion etc.