Growme Melbourne
Interview #44 - Growme Melbourne
Good afternoon everyone and welcome back to another blog with Business Anthropi. My work is all catching up to me this week, with loads of assignments becoming more and more prominent as well as an abundance of books to read, I still love the chance to sit down, relax and write about the next business coming your way.
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing the owner of a Melbourne based business, Growme Melbourne. They create minimalistic, modern and above all, functional homewares aimed to suit the everyday lifestyle with an elegant design and an architects vision. Joey Azman started her business venture back in 2017 while also working part-time in architecture as an architect.
MEET JOEY!
The very beginning of her business journey started while on maternity leave with her daughter back in 2017 and allowing herself to have a creative outlet and be able to pursue a passion turned to dream. When first starting, Growme had started as an organic process and especially with the Moodyboards that Joey came out with, they were to fulfil a need which was desperately lacking in her life. These boards make up the main component of her business and catch the eye of people who are design-conscious or anyone and everyone who enjoys design and wants something unique and modern in their homes.
As an architect, Joey is very aware of the different designs that suit a space and what architectural trends are coming in and out of style, and for the minimalist aesthetic, it seems to be a very easy fit for every home. It’s important for Joey that the fundamental ideas for her products are functional and stylish at the same time.
When business owners like Joey want to create or design a product, they usually stem from a need that they need to be fulfilled and this was the journey that Joey took when creating her Moodyboards. Initially, she just took a huge leap of faith, having created only a few prototype boards going to a trade show in Melbourne to get her name out there. Joey was fortunate enough to have that beginning and lead her on the right path.
Have you always been a business-oriented person or has it come along recently when starting your own?
“It’s funny because as an architect, I have always done something else on the side, there have been so many different projects and hobbies that I have worked on and sold at markets. This has just been the one that I have felt that has legs in it and also at the time when I started it, I had more time that I could devote to it. So I guess a bit business-minded.”
Joey has been really lucky to be able to start her business here in Melbourne where there are so many different types of designers and different styles that take her eye. For her business and for her products especially, Joey really draws upon and has a really big influence by Melbourne design in terms of the aesthetic, shape and colours being used. She was able to take a personal need and problem that she encountered and was able to produce something that is centred around home living and a work environment.
What Joey does and the business she has created allowed her to fully understand and acknowledge that this is what she is meant to be doing. I’m sure that everyone is aware of that saying where if you love what you do, you won’t be working one day in your life and Joey has been able to achieve this. She absolutely loves her business and it gives her so much joy and happiness as it does not feel like she is working while working on her business.
One of the main highlights that Joey has come by with her business is making all her connections and meeting the different types of people who run their own businesses. All small business owners have such a great sense and spirit of comradely, everyone is so eager to help and support upcoming businesses.
What tips would you give to someone starting their own business?
“Just do it, and don’t look for perfection because a lot of the time people are scared to take that leap because they want it to be perfect before they put themselves out there but I found that I just had to do it and then I make mistakes along the way. And that’s the best way for me anyway, to learn because you are going to make so many mistakes and that’s just part of being a small business rather than not doing anything then nothing gets started. Be fearless and just do it.”
Everything you see from Growme Melbourne is designed and made in Melbourne, so you know that everything you are getting is Australian made and architecturally designed making this business so unique. Joey’s background in design has helped in a lot of ways in the behind the scenes of her business, especially in terms of the look and feel of the product. This allows for her business to have an edge and stand out from everyone, making her uniquely different. So for example, her Moodyboards are a blank canvas for her customers to use however they feel, allowing her product to be for everyone for anything whether it be a vision board or as reminders. By working her way up through the business chain, she has managed to get her name and her business out there and obtaining an amazing network of stockists and fellow business owners, like having The Block Shop as one of her stockists which is incredible.
Along the way, as expected, Joey had many challenges and obstacles that she needed to overcome but it was all a learning experience. Given that she is formally trained in design and architecture, she hadn’t had any prior business experience which is completely fine because anyone and everyone can start a business, but this was a major hurdle that she had to climb over. At the start, she was guessing and learning a lot from other people’s experiences so along the way she has made mistakes, some of which were quite expensive, but its all a learning process and you keep moving forward from it. In saying this, she also did doubt herself quite often but she soon came to realise that by surrounding herself with people who are positive and who can give feedback, it’s crucial to building the business up.
How would you describe your business in one sentence?
At Growme, we believe in making functional products, that are beautifully created to complement everyday living.
Thank you for coming back to another week with another business. I hope that you all are enjoying reading these just as much as I am writing them. Make sure you show your support to Joey and her business by following her Instagram account HERE or click the button below for a direct link to her website.
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