We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kala Lewis a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Kala thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s easy to look at a business or industry as an outsider and assume it’s super profitable – but we’ve seen over and over again in our conversation with folks that most industries have factors that make profitability a challenge. What’s biggest challenge to profitability in your industry?
As a professional in my industry, my passion for creativity, combined with my love of service, drives me forward. However, at the beginning of my career, I struggled to find a balance between creating project budgets that satisfied clients and charging them at market value. This issue caused me more work in the back-end, led to the need to send additional invoices throughout the project, and ultimately decreased profits.
In my opinion, the biggest challenge to profitability in the industry is setting realistic numbers that reflect the true cost of services and products, regardless of how grand they may seem. Attempting to shortchange the budgets strictly for the sake of client satisfaction is unrealistic and will negatively impact the overall client experience throughout the project. Undercharging the client in such cases will either result in a loss of profit margins or the need to send additional invoices, which can disrupt the client experience.
Kala, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am the founder and CEO of Minima, which is a design firm that specializes in Conceptual Interior Design, Graphic Design, and Architectural Planning. As our firm offers a range of design services, I like to consider myself an Aesthetic Architect! Our core design principles of balance, minimalism, and harmony remain unwavering, whether we are developing renderings and graphics for trade professionals or serving interior design and architectural clients.
Art and design have been my lifelong passion, and creating Minima felt like the next natural step for me. My loved ones have always teased me for my ability to spot the aesthetic in everything, whether it’s the background of a group photo or the interior styling of a space. I take pride in being able to apply my creative touch to anything I come across, and I love doing the same for my clients at the firm. We offer consultations and comprehensive design packages, making the design process as seamless as possible and ensuring that every client feels at ease.
My design inspiration stems from architecture, nature, and fashion, leading to limitless creative possibilities. This motivates me to produce projects and graphics that exceed expectations.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
Listening to podcasts has provided me with a lot of insight and inspiration. I have found it beneficial to learn from professionals who have been in my current business position and are willing to share their wisdom. Hearing their stories has helped me avoid making potentially detrimental mistakes and has allowed me to integrate certain aspects into my design process. These aspects have helped me increase the value of my business and improve the overall client experience.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
As a creative, I find the most rewarding aspect of my work to be the challenge of thinking outside the box and taking risks. I believe that as creatives, we have a special responsibility to present our clients with the unexpected. Although it may be difficult, choosing the harder route often leads to a more fulfilling outcome. Even in moments of doubt and questioning, the satisfaction we feel from presenting our clients with a result they can be proud of makes it all worth it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.minimak.net
- Instagram: @minimabyk