INDULA JAYALATH

On this week’s edition of ‘The Founder’, we feature a young Interior Designer; Indula Jayalath. An alumnus of Royal College, Colombo and Ryerson University, Canada, Indula gained work experience working at MICD Associates; an architectural design firm formed in 1999 by its Directors Channa Daswatte and Murad Ismail. Having gained invaluable work experience and guidance by industry experts, Indula launched his own design firm in August 2017. He has always had a lifelong fascination with the way individuals express themselves through their physical surrounding. It is the art and science of understanding people's behavior to create functional atmospheres within a space that inspires Indula to keep following his passion. 

What inspired you to start your business?
After successfully completing my degree in Interior Architecture in Toronto, Canada, I moved back to Sri Lanka as I was keen to establish a business in the island. I commenced my career by working at MICD Associates in Colombo. I was inspired by Murad Ismail and Channa Daswatte and their work ethic, design aesthetic and passion. 

What was the journey like, from inception of the business to where it is right now?
The first and easiest place to come up with a business idea is through your own experiences. During the startup phase, you spend your time meeting people, learning about the client’s needs and their design problems when it comes to interiors, and you start resolving the design problems giving design solutions in an aesthetical and practical manner. It takes time to build the right clientele and the trust. Every day is a learning process.

Being an Entrepreneur, what is it like facing the current economic crisis? How has it affected your business? 
The current import restrictions have severely affected my business however, we have adapted and we now manufacture and source most of our requirement locally. At the end of the day, an individual who is keen to build a house or simply renovate will do so despite the current crisis. Raw materials and accessories have risen sharply in price, and we keep our clients informed weekly of price fluctuations and they understand this. We continue to manage to complete our       on-going projects in a timely manner. Bottom line is, you have to innovating and changing with time, you can’t sit back and complaint and not do anything about it. Yes, times are hard, but nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it and work around the challenges. 

Explain a few marketing strategies you have implemented, and what makes them successful?
Word of mouth has been my main marketing strategy. I maintain a close relationship with all my clients and we always wrap up a project on a good note. Hence, clients keep coming back to us with their design requirements and they also recommend us to their friends, families and colleagues. As an Interior Architect I always show my clients a mood-board of the project, so they get an idea of the design, look and feel from the start. I try to accommodate their budgets and I design a space based on practicality, their lifestyle and so on. I also always try to impress them with the final finished look. 

What motivates you to wake up in the morning and do what you do on daily basis?
Knowing that I can put a smile on a client’s face with the end outcome of a project and knowing they are trusting us with their personal space, is what motivates me to do what I do on a daily basis. I am also very organized and I like to finish my daily tasks within the day, I don’t procrastinate. 

How would you describe your design style?
The word ‘STYLE” is subjective. I get inspired from my travels and I keep myself updated by engaging in constant research. I don’t stick in to a particular style. It depends and varies per client and what kind of interior space they need. It is my job to follow up and create what they want tastefully. It could be a minimalistic tropical modernism or Zen interiors. It could be modern baroque or a bohemian style. I do not stick to a specific interior genre.

What design services do you offer?
The whole package; from 3D renderings, to sample picking, color coordination’s, to picking the appropriate accessories, and so on. 

When did you first discover your passion for your business?
Being creative and innovative is a part of my DNA. Ever since I can remember, I was also creative and artistic. Our house use to have a lot of my paintings on our walls and refrigerator! I was only interested to study Art in school.  

Every business has different kinds of clients. What kind of clients do you like to work with?
Honest clients are a must. In today’s society there are so many people who take advantage of you. I have learnt so much about people from my past work experiences and hence good honest clients are the once I try to work with. I study the client first before starting a project, so we have a good connection and is easy to work with after. 

What has been your favorite project so far? And Why?
A few family homes of some of my long-term clients and some private villas which I had the opportunity to renovate. Each project the concept was different and the clients were very easy to work with. Hence, it was really fun working with them and the process was so flexible. They allowed my imagination to come alive. 

When it comes to customized projects do you work with a fixed price or can you work with a budget presented by your client? 
We always work on a budget based on the individual clients needs and requirements. We discuss this at length and come to an agreement prior to commencing a project. Spaces can be designed beautifully without spending too much. 

What is your definition of the word success?
Success is a relative term. If you achieve what you want to and are happy, then I think that is success. Success is about being happy with an outcome and doing something correctly. It is about feeling accomplished when something is finished. Making money and getting fame is a reward for success. Success is setting a goal, putting others first, and doing what you have to do to achieve the goal.

What is the end goal?
My end goal for any project that I undertake is to deliver a great project on time despite any unforeseen challenges we may face and to maintain a good relationship with all my clients.