HOW I GOT HERE

Sarah Massouh, founder of Willow & Hall, shares her career journey

Sarah Massouh reveals her career journey

At 21, I left university with a BSC in economics, then went on to a graduate scheme with Deloitte. I worked across different companies in the strategy consulting team and built up an understanding of the bones of business. Interior design and fashion have long been loves of mine. When looking into starting a fashion business, I came to realise the high-speed turnover of clothing and, because I was determined to manufacture in Britain, competition from low-cost factories overseas would make things challenging. Furniture, however, has a much longer shelf life and I knew there was a strong textile industry in the UK that could produce hard-wearing fabrics for products such as sofas and mattresses.

AFTER SEVEN YEARS, I LEFT DELOITTE TO START MY OWN

COMPANY. My vision was a British-made but affordable online sofa brand that would target the 40 to 50-year-old age bracket. I’d spotted a gap in the market and worked tirelessly from my front room for six months to sculpt a company that could slot into it. I had no background in design, but I sketched every sofa by hand (which

I still do today) and built my website from scratch.

IN 2012, I LAUNCHED WILLOW & HALL ON A SHOESTRING

BUDGET. What drove me as an entrepreneur was the thought of seeing my ideas come to fruition, so when the website finally launched, it was a moment of true pride. I made my first sale (the Dunsmore three-seater sofa bed) within three days of going live. BY THE END OF THE FIRST YEAR, MY TURNOVER WAS £1.5M. I invested in print media and pay-per-click online ads to get the word out. I think the key to my success, though, was carving a niche in the market for handmade British furniture that was accessible and affordable.

AFTER A YEAR, I TOOK ON MY FIRST EMPLOYEE AND WE CONTINUED RUNNING THE COMPANY FROM MY FRONT ROOM. We finally moved the business into an office in 2014 and launched our showroom in Chiswick the same year. Today, we work across three locations (Chiswick, Twickenham and Swindon), with a team of 38 people.

THE BRAND HAS GROWN SO MUCH OVER THE YEARS, WHICH HAS BEEN DEMANDING BUT EXCITING. In 2017, we were included on the Fast Track 100 list of swiftest-growing companies; it was rewarding to receive outside recognition for all our hard work.

THAT SAME YEAR, I GAVE BIRTH TO MY DAUGHTER. Starting your own business consumes so much time and energy but, luckily, my husband is a full-time parent. Our setup means I can keep up my role in the company by working flexibly at home two days a week alongside long hours in the office.

‘CHANGE CAN BE PAINFUL, BUT IT’S THE ONLY WAY TO MOVE FORWARD’

IN 2017, WE REBRANDED TO BE SLIGHTLY LESS TRADITIONAL

AND OFFER MORE AFFORDABLE PIECES. Change can be painful, but it’s the only way to move your business forward. Emotionally, my advice is to switch off when you can. My business is one of my great loves, but I make sure I prioritise time with the other loves in my life, too. Weekends are reserved for my daughter and husband, so the laptop goes away until Monday.

THERE’S ALWAYS MORE TO IMPROVE UPON. Stepping back and letting others take control can be difficult, but I’m learning to let go. I now mentor other women who are launching business ventures to help support their journeys. There is a lot of talent out there but we sometimes lack confidence in our abilities. I hope to see a lot more female entrepreneurs in the future.