We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Shayne Fox. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Shayne below.
Shayne , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?
Like happiness, I think to some degree success is a state of mind. Being grateful and appreciative of the big and small wins that happen during a career, will set you up to better recognize success and be in a place to embrace and nurture it. Obviously working hard and being diligent will push things along, but I truly believe that if you are not enjoying the process and celebrating as you go, being ‘successful’ will be harder to cultivate and appreciate.
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?
I am the designer and founder of Shayne Fox Hardware, established in 2016. We are a provider of cast bronze decorative hardware for all interior applications. While being based in Toronto, we supply handles and knobs home decor objects to the interior design market worldwide.
The products we make are simple, solid, clean lined, and feature soft tumbled surfaces. Our wares are designed for modern built environments, but everything is made using the ancient technique of sand casting. Molten bronze is poured into sand moulds and once the objects cool, we hand and machine finish the wares so they are ready to be used in homes, restaurants and anywhere else that people go.
Because of the old techniques we use to make the wares, the process results with each and every piece being slightly unique, perfectly imperfect. While we strive for consistency in form, we also welcome the subtle differences that each piece retains.
Before I started SFH, I worked in Torontos thriving film and tv industry as both a Set Decorator and Production Designer. I find the tv industry to be intense, collaborative, invigorating and fun. I still take on some shows, like FX’s hit vampire comedy, What we do in the Shadows, and I also oversee SFH at the same time. It’s alot, but I love both areas of my life.
It’s been interesting as a Canadian woman, to assert myself in what seems to be a male dominated niche of the design industry. I still get emails addressed to ‘Sir’ and while I feel things have changed and become more accepting even in the last few years, it’s still wild to have to confirm that I am in fact the head of my company.
I love the process of casting bronze. I love designing products, watching them come to life and then be used in peoples homes and interacted with daily. I love the designers, retailers and homeowners I get to meet and work with daily at SFH. I love each and every person that helps bring the wares to life and I have no plans on slowing down any time soon.
They say, the door handle is like the handshake of a building as the first thing you interact with when approaching a structure. The same goes for the doors and cabinetry inside our homes. As something you touch many times a day, why not have it be imbued with soul? Life is too short not to be surrounded by beautiful things, this is something I firmly believe.
We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.
I am a communicator. It is very important to me that the voice of SFH be my own and that the company feels approachable. I try to be very responsive and helpful to our clients. always. A quick response is something I appreciate when reaching out to anyone and this is something I have made a priority to do.
Our clients are who we work for and make the wares for. If they feel like their time, inquiries and orders are taken seriously, it results in a mutual respect and everyone is happy. We have many interior designers who are repeat purchasers of the wares and we also take feedback from them. Some custom requests have become permanent offerings as their suggestions represent the front lines of where our products end up.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
Before I started SFH, I was big into podcasts and books about business and changing the way you think about things. Early on, I loved Tim Ferris’ podcast, Tools of the Titans. I found it inspiring and motivating.
I still enjoy design and business related podcasts while doing studio work or driving. Hearing other creatives discuss their challenges, victories and viewpoints is something I’ll likely never tire of. What I do at SFH is very much driven by me and only me. It’s a way for me to connect with others and learn from their stories and careers.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shaynefoxhardware.com
- Instagram: @shaynefoxhardware
Image Credits
Trina Turl Maya Visnyei Kiely Ramos