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Exquisitely British - The British Entrepreneur Club for Luxury Brands
An Interview with...
Nisa Berzeg
Owner of Wildash London
By Clare Heighway - 22nd August 2014
We chat to Nisa Berzeg, founder of luxury home accessories company Wildash London about business, inspiration and happiness.
Tell us a bit about yourself, Nisa
I'm an obsessive compulsive hedonistic jack-in-the-box with too many ideas and too little focus.
Where did the idea for Wildash London come from?
My background is in luxury branding and product development, but working in branding is very hard work and requires super long hours, especially when it is your own company. When my daughter came onto the scene, I wanted to find a way of scaling back my involvement in the branding business, giving myself more time to spend with my daughter. Ever the business woman, however, I wanted to find a business that I could develop along my own ethos while still allowing me that invaluable time to spend with my daughter in her growing up years. Thus Wildash was born.
My background in luxury branding meant that I could develop the brand’s identity without enormous cost outlay, which meant in turn that I could dedicate more resource to developing the product itself.
As a result we have a beautiful range of soft furnishings and accessories that all tell a story. The brand follows my own ethos of luxury without compromise of sustainability, fair living and fair trade.
Where did the name come from?
Wildash was my mother’s maiden name and a truly English name. My grandfather was one of my favourite people on the planet, so it is an ode both to my grandfather and British craft. The Wildash family were a family of pewterers for quite a few generations.
Who is a Wildash customer?
Anyone that wants a bit of luxury in their lives. Attention to detail is our modus operandi, so from the moment you receive a package from Wildash, you feel wonderful, warm and happy.
What has been your biggest challenge?
Where did all the time go?
What has been your biggest highlight?
We only launched at the beginning of this year, but we have had a couple of nice highlights to date. Always the greatest delight, though, is watching customers faces light up when they first touch one of our shearlings. When they hear they are a sustainable product, they are always ever more delighted. We have very few people that walk away from our shearlings once they feel them.
Good Homes magazine also gave us the top accolade in their Tried & Tested section of the magazine’s August issue where they tested hammam towels from 6 different companies. Our hammam towels were given the highest rating, even beating the White Company and Toast, so we were super pleased about that.
What or who are you inspired by?
I guess the obvious suspects, really. I am inspired by the idea of equality across borders. The people that risk their own lives to help others. The small but good daily deeds people do that make a far bigger impact than one suspects. Drinking too much and gassing with friends until it’s definitely too late!
Do you have any advice for other entrepreneurs?
1. Get an accountant!
2. Always listen to what others are saying and never think you know anything at all.
3. Always maintain focus. Never lose sight of what your brand is about.
What does your "typical" work day look like?
I am not sure I have a typical work day ever! I tend to have a fairly early start. Sometimes if my mind is racing I will get up before my daughter and sit on the computer for an hour or two. Running your own business means it is hard to switch off, but I make efforts to allocate slots through the day to refresh my mind. I find it makes me far more productive and far less fractious!
Do you have any favourite British brands?
From purely a brand perspective I think Innocent are pretty awesome. They live and breathe their ethos which I like, and I love their workplace concept at Fruit Towers. Very forward thinking and pretty ground-breaking. Burberry has also done miracles in revistalising its image and reinventing itself to become an international icon.
What do you think is important in developing a successful British brand?
I think ANY brand should be thinking first and foremost about sustainability and socioeconomic impact.
British brands should focus on bringing it all home by looking at homegrown options for sources and suppliers. In a global economy Britain is going to have to work ever harder to hold its own.
How do you manage the work/life balance?
Not very well! My other half is great at getting me out from behind the desk and taking us all off for a weekend away or a cycle ride along the river or some such, so that helps. Once Wildash becomes a more established brand I will feel a little more comfortable letting the reins loose, but until then, I am firing on all cylinders.
What are your plans for the future?
To be happy. A cliché perhaps, but ultimately the case.
For more information about Wildash London visit their website at www.wildashinteriors.co.uk
Wildash London are also a Best of British business. Read more about them here.
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