We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sasha Goldstein. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sasha below.

Hi Sasha , thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

The biggest risk in my life so far, was jumping into the wind and starting my own business. I’d worked in the design industry for 17+ years working for other companies where I learned so much, however at the end of the day was not valued, paid enough, or given credit for all the work I was doing. I was at a point in my life and career where I was unhappy and I knew something needed to change. I considered working for another company, and interviewed with a few, but at the end of the day, no particular brand or job resonated with me. It was time that I do something for myself, whether that meant trying and succeeding, or trying and failing, because then I knew that I had given it my all and tried to create and do something that was meaningful to me that I could share in the design community. Five and a half years later, my company has survived a pandemic, and is working its way back to building business again. For that, I’m so incredibly grateful for all of the clients who showed up and made effort to support small local businesses like mine.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

From a very young age I loved all things creative. Making art, singing, dancing, music, fashion, and performing. Growing up, my Mother was a graphic designer and had many creative friends, so instead of watching TV and playing Nintendo, we had art time whether it was at our house, or a friends house.

In my early 20’s I accepted a part time job doing side jobs for a handwoven rug producer that was just building their business. It was there a woman on their staff, saw that I had drive, was smart, and had much more potential than what the current job provided. I continued to advance year after year into bigger roles, with more responsibility which eventually landed me as the National Sales Director, and finally designing rug collections, which was a dream of mine.

In 2018, it became clear that it was time to do something for myself. I brainstormed, met with friends and colleagues in the industry on what that was, and how it was even possible. A friend in the industry kindly opened up her showroom to me to sublease an area at a very modest price. From there, SMG Collective was founded with its focus on custom handmade area rugs, local furniture brands, ceramics, lighting, wallpaper, and all things interior design related.

Conscious sourcing, treating the people + the environment well, and respecting our resources are all core values of mine. All of the products SMG Collective represents are ethically made, with natural materials, by hand, with focus on customization and supporting local artists/makers. My rule of thumb is if I don’t love it, it doesn’t have a place here. Another core value is providing the best customer service possible. At the end of the day, we are all here trying to do our best, and it’s all about relationships and respecting one another. Treat others as you’d like to be treated, it’s really as simple as that.

Doing what I love and being able to share that with others means the world to me. I hope people will continue to seek out resources that small businesses like ours offer, as it’s us small ones that make cities and peoples experiences the best.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

When March 2020 was upon us and the entire world shut down, as a business owner less than 2 years into our business, I went into a rollercoaster ride of panic, depression, and unknown. If you talked to any business owner during that time, I’m sure they’d say the exact same thing, so this was not a unique situation, other than no one ever thought anything like this would ever happen in our life times. With the help of other woman business owners, my dear Mother (who recently passed), and colleagues I was able to find some support in understanding what the government was offering and how it could best apply to SMG Collective. Without my communities support I would have never been able to understand and apply for those grants, loans, etc, that in turn allowed us to keep float through the next three rocky years. Running a business in “normal” times is a rollercoaster! Everyday we are able to open our doors and welcome clients in is a blessing. I give thanks and gratitude everyday for being able to continue to do what I love and support all of my amazing makers, artists, and products from all over the world.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Word of mouth. Referrals and people sharing their experiences having worked with SMG Collective by far has brought us more business than any advertising or social media. For that we are so thankful.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.smgcollective.com
• Instagram: smg_collective
• Other: [email protected]