Five minutes with… The Editors Company’s Fion Lee
Cofounder and creative director of The Editors Company tells allFion Lee made her start as an interior designer in what some would deem the dream environment for such a profession. Working high-end hospitality and residential projects, Lee loved her full time job, but she didn’t feel like she was quite fulfilling her purpose. As a creative person, she wanted to service a broader network of people without sacrificing the artistry in what she does. “I’ve always thought about how to make home design more accessible and to bring a sense of character to daily living at home. So when I met my business partner Aaron Chin, who had a very similar idea, we decided to team up to create an accessible interior styling platform.” Enter The Editors Company. “We are home stylists. We help you create or makeover your home without making structural changes. That means we collaborate with you to put together the right furniture, accessories, lighting, rugs, curtains, and wall colours for you.”
It’s been one big learning curve for Lee and Chin, but what they’ve achieved is something that can only be done through experience, through trial and error and through a willingness to pivot in order to find what works best for their business. As most entrepreneurs will tell you, priorities change as you find your footing.
Read more: The Editors Company offers personalised interior design for a flat fee
“I think in the beginning we thought that being accessible meant that our service needed to be super-efficient and quick for customers, so we worked very hard to be quick. But over time we realised the essence is to create a relationship with clients so we can create homes that feel personal to them.”
It is through realisations like these that entrepreneurs and creators determine the values with which they operate. It serves as the foundation for their business. To Lee, a human touch and quality collaboration with customers goes a long way, so it had to serve as one of the layers of their foundation.
“While our service is online and rather easy to use for customers, we now make sure that we don’t compromise the time needed for the involved design conversation. All of our customers need to know that upfront,” says Lee.
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When asked which part of her job she finds the most fulfilling, she responded “We are happiest when our customers really like their new home and tell us how much they have enjoyed the process, and appreciate the small details that go into enhancing their space and subsequently, quality time with loved ones.”
This way of design is much more collaborative than the traditional interior design work Lee has done in the past, making it more personal and intentional. “Building a start-up is tough work in general. But one of the things we’ve learned a lot is how to be a great listener and collaborator with our customers. As designers we have to be opinionated, but at the same time we cannot create a home that feels personal for customers without meaningful feedback,” she says.
“So a core skill as a home stylist on our team is learning how to be vulnerable, and approach the customer with an attitude of ‘dear customer, this is what I’ve heard, here is what I think will work for you, but let me get your feedback and feelings and I will iterate until we get it right for you.’” I suppose the reason for the success of The Editors Company is no secret. They work with heart.
