The Curtain Company & Interiors
What does your company do?
We are a manufacturing workshop, with a showroom where our clients can see our work as well as choose their own fabrics from our fabric library which has fabric samples from all the major South African and International Fabric Houses. Our main focus is manufacturing custom made curtains. We also manufacture all soft furnishings for the interior market, such as scatter cushions, bed base covers & throws. We offer a full turn key service to our clients, we supply all kinds of blinds, wallpaper, upholstery and all the fittings to go with it. Our aim is to be a one-stop shop to our clients for all of their interior needs.
What is your biggest success?
I became a part owner in 2019 when a previous business partner decided to leave the business and emigrate. I have had to work very hard to set up my ‘name’ within the Interior network and the business. We then had to close in 2020 during the pandemic, and we were worried that we would not be able to re-open. We re-opened and manufactured masks with all of our fabric off cuts, which worked very well. Forward to 2022 and my then business partner also decided to retire from the business. I bought over her shares and decided to run the business on my own. We have had year on year improvement since then, with some very big and prestigious projects.
What has been your biggest hurdle?
Managing staff and understanding clients expectations.
I have had some very difficult client experiences and situations in the last few years, but each time I look back as soon as it is resolved, have a meeting with my staff and reflect on what we can do better, or what we can implement to ensure that the same situation does not happen again.
Managing staff and ensuring that everyone is always happy is tricky. Ensuring that staff are being adequately trained and keep improving is also very important and something that constantly needs work.
