What is the idea behind Milkster?
If you think about what our home is – it's the ultimate place where we can be ourselves. We want it to be as personal as possible. We are spending a lot more time in our offices now and when you go home you really want to have a place where you feel comfortable, where you are not wearing any costumes or masks. That was the inspiration.
How did you get started?
About five years ago my wife and I were moving into our new home and realised how hard it was to decorate in a way that was within our budget but in keeping with our style and personality. That's when I researched the market and found that designers were having a really hard time. It turns out that only one in 10 products a designer makes go to market.
It is now more possible than ever for designers to reach audiences online. However, their challenge is still that in terms of skills, it is really hard for them to get to the right audiences. We have been working for quite some time to connect with the most talented emerging designers from around the world.
Did you have a lightbulb moment?
In many cases entrepreneurs start a company to scratch their own itch. For us, we found that it was extremely hard to find design that fitted with our personal space.
We found that there was really a gap and need for more artisanal, professional designers. Consumers no longer want to buy mass-marketed products.
What was the biggest challenge of starting up?
The biggest challenge is that in a larger company you have more resources in terms of team members and their skills. You have more people round the table who can help solve problems. When you start on your own you don't have that – you have to be very careful in using your resources.
You say you believe in the social purpose of technology. What do you mean by this?
I believe that technology can make a big difference and is making a big difference. If you think about what the internet has done, it has had a fundamental impact on the way that we receive information and create knowledge. Knowledge creates education, education helps people and communities lift their economy and that creates a big shift in the way that we live.
What has been your proudest moment with Milkster?
The proudest thing is putting together and creating a vision and getting people behind that vision.
What's your daily routine?
Every day varies. The company is located in London at Google campus, but I tend to travel a lot across Europe to meet with our team and also to meet the local designers.
What inspires you?
The super-talented people that I am working with. I think what's most inspiring about all of them is the extreme and utter dedication they put into their work. Each one of our designers thinks deeply about how they can solve a problem, how a particular piece can add a different mood to the home, or how to resolve a specific problem within the home.
Sal Matteis is the founder of Milkster and a mentor for Techstars, Seedcamp and The Family. He previously worked for Yahoo EMEA.
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