Passionate About Health And Beauty? ...Design with Moss!
Single mothers are trying to maintain a work/life balance while having a big weight on their shoulders on raising their children correctly and going through a roller coaster of emotions. Many will simply just curl up in a ball and not do anything to support their children. Read about Laura Stefania Efthymiou who not only is a dynamic woman who rose up for her son, she used her passion for nature to create a business that is booming and people all over the country are purchasing her designs.
1. Laura Stefania Efthymiou tell us more about yourself.. What kind of person are you?
Laura Stefania Efthymiou: I was originally born in Romania and I moved with my family to Cyprus in 1996. I am an accountant by study and a designer by passion. I am a well organized, determined and a courageous person. I am a lover of nature. In life it’s important to have the willingness to overcome the challenges and want to grow by learning.
2. Try to describe yourself in 3 words!
Laura Stefania Efthymiou: Positive, determined and solution-oriented.
3. What was the reason you wanted to become an entrepreneur Laura Stefania Efthymiou?
Laura Stefania Efthymiou: “I’ve studied how to use my creative side since I was in secondary school, by learning how to decorate and use colors for designing. The idea of becoming an entrepreneur was born 4 years ago. Soon, I realized that I could take this passion to the next level. Creating unique and customized designs for other people will bring happiness into their lives. Leaving a legacy behind for my son and show him that in life, if you put effort, passion and determination you can achieve results in any area that you set your mind on.
4. How did the idea for your business come about?
Laura Stefania Efthymiou: Four years ago I was looking to create a unique design and I found the material that I immediately fell in love with. At that time, I didn’t know much about preserved moss: its has health benefits and it’s beautiful. I’ve discovered it by learning, searching and talking with people in the same industry. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this trend in interior design has existed for more than 10 years.
5. Do you believe there is a winning formula for becoming a successful entrepreneur? What is yours?
Laura Stefania Efthymiou: A winning formula could be general and applicable for each entrepreneur as in following a set of rules that successful entrepreneurs used from time to time. Determination, consistency and continuous acquisition of knowledge in the set field, will set up a person for success. I commission myself to follow a set of goals daily, weekly, monthly within a set date. Learning along the process and making adjustments when necessary is very important. Business is a moving entity, the ability to correct, improve and develop is necessary to achieve success.
6. How do you identify business opportunities and what metrics do you use to measure their viability?
Laura Stefania Efthymiou: I design projects that will suit interior living spaces. The concept behind this new interior trend is to bring nature inside of a living space trough biophilic designs and incorporate architecture with elements of nature with these designs. Recommending a design to restaurants coffee shops, offices, houses and many more. It is important to outline the health benefits of this material and as well the beauty and unity of the result. I am performing a considerable amount of time for research around logistics and execution of the product. Having discussions with customers and requesting their feedback, assist me to improve my work quality. Being versatile with customer’s request is important to keep the business growing.
7. How do you market your business, and which tactics have been most successful?
Laura Stefania Efthymiou: Through our website and social media, we are covering an important aspect to make our business discoverable. This is achieved through posts and blogs there-by increasing the number of leads that converts into customers. We also use YouTube with explanatory tutorials, creating Facebook and Instagram boosted posts, increasing visibility in social media space. Through our personalized content messages, we educate our customers, showcase our designs as an inspiration to future customers. Using email marketing, we bring information to the doorstep of our customers. Networking is important as well for a small size business. Talking directly with potential customers we put a face next to a name. Building personal relationship with customers is valuable and very powerful.
8. What are your hidden inspiration sources? How do you generate new ideas?
Laura Stefania Efthymiou: As a lover of nature, I am inspired by nature. From the shapes and colors of trees, flowers and all the materials provided by nature, I build my creations. With the customized design requested by the customer, I work with their ideas to produce the result. In some projects we can start with an idea in mind then incorporate the mood and the request of the customer. So sometimes, the design will change in shape and/or colours as we go along. This is beneficial for the customer as they can input their ideas in the creation of the design leaving them with an admirable and fulfilling desired piece of our design. Inspiration comes also from pictures, previous creations seen on media, tv, and personalized designs that have as base personal pictures. On a large scale the inspiration comes from arranging the colours, texture in a given pattern. Participating to other designers exposition is a source of inspiration. Discovering new elements that can be combined with preserved moss is always a new challenge and inspiration for me.
9. What best motivates you?
Laura Stefania Efthymiou: The designs that I am producing show emotion and feelings. I identify with these which leave me with a fulfilment that I could offer a unique image to a person that will bring him/her joy and satisfaction. The element of freedom that I’ve put into my designs is bringing satisfaction and customer trust.
10. How have your entrepreneurial motivations changed since you first started?
I’ve elevated my passion to a business as I believe that I have something to offer to other people. Creating and delivering concepts for customers with different preferences, made my business grow and expand into more various styles.
11. Who is the one entrepreneur to be your greatest example and inspiration?
I don’t have a specific one in my line of work. But as a woman I admire women that have achieved results by overcoming challenges in their life: being single mothers, being foreigners, being too young or too old, having a different skin tone.
12. How would you rank the key 5 skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur Laura Stefania Efthymiou?
- Passion, Motivation and Vision
- Time management
- Communication Skills
- Finance Skills
- Time for researching new ideas and what is new in business.
13. What does success means to you?
Small goals that I set and achieve. It all starts with an idea. With motivation, determination, and passion this is achievable. If we role time back to the day of the beginning, 4 years ago, this idea of using moss for my creation lead me to exposition and a full sold-out event. From there, a TV interview took place, featuring in various local and international magazines. Having international public figures endorsing my products is a proud accomplishment for our business. Displaying my designs on local offices, hotels, restaurants is a success that came along after I had a vision. Taking the challenge to be a decorator for events that took place in 5 Star hotels with the President of Cyprus as the guest of honour for 2 years consecutively is a great success.
14. What’s the most exciting experience to memorize in your entrepreneurial journey Laura Stefania Efthymiou?
As a new business owner, I want people to recognize my efforts. When the opportunity to be the event decorator arose, I accepted . This was my first time serving as an official decorator for the Red Diamond International Woman Award. It was a fantastic opportunity for my company and, at the same time, a difficult task to deliver a solution that was distinctive and of a high caliber of professionalism. Being in front of a tall mountain terrified me. But as we all know, life presents us with opportunities so that we can learn from them. As I finally started to move, I was surprised at the outcome.
15. How do you balance lifework?
Scheduling tasks ahead, delegate work, having a support system that is assisting me on my daily routine. Take time to spend with my family and friends and take time out for myself to recharge.
16. What ‘s your milestone to help you develop a profitable business?
Repeat customers. Using the media channel to grow my business organically. Hire and train personnel that will take care of the strategic business part and social media.
17. What do you believe is unique about your business?
The possibility to alter the design to suit consumer preferences.
18. What is the biggest struggles you face in your business?
Laura Stefania Efthymiou: Educating the customers about this unique product. Informing them that is not only about the beauty but also health benefits that improves the health of any person in possession of a “design with moss” product into their living space.
19. What is the most popular selling product and why?
Wall moss and frames. Wall moss brings a unity to any space and set the customer apart from competition. They are one of a kind and can’t be 100 % reproduced in another place. Moss frames are popular as being a unique gift that can be offered for any occasion. As it is a personalized item, the customer prefers it and also as can be linked with their loved ones.
20. Which are the best 3 products that you would recommend today!
Moss Wall, Vases with Bonsai Trees and Ornaments.
Having any “design from moss” product will bring happiness and warmth to any space. With No maintenance and a lifetime of 7-10 years it’s a great investment.
