Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jude Kamal. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jude, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Looking back, do you think you started your business at the right time? Do you wish you had started sooner or later

I don’t know what I would really do if I went back in time, I would have probably loved to start my business sooner, but I do believe that it happened at the perfect time and at the most unexpected time.

The funny thing is I started Sansa Interiors Inc. right at the beginning of covid. I had just quit my full-time blog to travel and take a little break, but a week later the pandemic had hit. I started contemplating what I wanted to do with my life and it pushed me to start up a company.

If I had started sooner, it would have probably been easier because I would have had the chance to meet face-to-face with clients and suppliers but I probably wouldn’t have as much of a working experience. But on the bright side, the pandemic forced us to build strong systems that allow us to operate remotely, which was very hard to do at first but was a blessing in disguise.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Our company is Sansa Interiors Inc. we are a Toronto based interior design studio that specializes in residential and commercial interior design services. Personally speaking, I have loved art and architecture at a very young age. I love creating, and mixing different elements together. So I somehow always knew that I would end up in a creative industry.

What makes us different from others is our approach to interior design. We focus on holistic interiors, not from a spiritual lens but from a perspective that embodies multiple principles, styles, eras and theories under one umbrella. We look at multiple aspects in every space, like the story we want it to tell, how are we making one feel welcomed into the space, the functional features we want to achieve, the overall look and feel of the space and lastly the value it adds to our clients.

I love mixing a modern aesthetic with a more vintage or victorian looking pieces and finishes plus introduce layers, textures and a pop of colour that give the space a fresh and unique look.

Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?

When I first started out, I had to wear many hands and handle many different aspects of the business. I still do. I never had managed a team let alone a company before so it is a lot to take on at once. My first hire was a great one, and I was new to submitting and issuing payroll, so the first payroll run we ever had to submit was a big mess.
I was late to submitting it so by the time payroll got deducted from our bank it had been 3 days behind. Obviously I panicked and had no clue why it wasn’t “working” properly. Turns out I had made a huge mess.

Luckily, the payroll provider was able to help us in getting everything in order.

I have many other stories that are shocking or perhaps a little disheartening and some that are very funny. One story that makes me laugh till this day is: there was a business owner that I really admired and wanted to work with so I emailed them to have a coffee meeting and we agreed on a time and place which I was so excited about and prepared a whole pitch for our meeting because I really wanted to design for them.

I remember arriving at the coffee shop 10-15min early, got a great spot by the window and waiting for them to come. None of us knew how the other person looked, so I sat there waiting for 20min wondering why this person is late and I was getting very frustrated that they will not show up. So I sent an email saying “I know you are probably running behind, take your time, I am waiting for you by the window in a big white knit sweater”.

2 minutes later, the person approaches me laughing and says: “I am so embarrassed, because I have been sitting behind you this whole time waiting for a guy named Jude to show up, but now it makes so much sense that you are you”. Until this day we laugh at this day where we sat waiting for a very long time thinking someone else would show up.

But after that meeting, I went back to my desk and I uploaded my photo on our website.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

Everyone keeps asking me how I funded Sansa Interiors Inc, and I say ask me instead: How I did not fund this business? Truth is, you don’t need funding to start anything, you just need to start and the rest will fall into place.

I am naturally an creative, overthinking dreamer – odd I know. But what I mean by that is, I overthink things that don’t need overthinking and I take crazy decisions and moves easily without overthinking them.

I started everything with just my laptop and have bootstrapping the company since day 1.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sansainteriors.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sansa.interiors/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sansa.Interiors
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sansainteriors/

Image Credits
(for the Coffee Shop): Sansa Interiors Inc. Bruno Belli (for the Condo): Sansa Interiors Inc. Luke Cleland