KIF & KATAST | Email | Website

Where and what did you study and what year did you graduate?
Bachelor of Arts (Graphic Design), 1998, Swinburne University of Technology.

Where did you head after graduating?
I travelled overseas from 1998 to 2002. Based in London, I worked in a branding capacity for Twigg Brown Architects. Between projects I travelled through China, South America, Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, North America, Turkey, Egypt and parts of Europe.

When did you launch your own business?
In 2003 I returned to Australia and opened a design practice the focus of which was redirected in late 2005 when I established a wholesale design business. In October 2007, I opened KIF & KATAST, a retail store featuring our range alongside works of established and emerging, local and international artists and designers.

What motivated you to start your own business?
I wanted to be able to invest more time in the design process and set my own briefs based around niches which I identified in the marketplace.

How would you describe your business to someone who didn’t know you?
Multifaceted!

How would you describe the products you design to someone who hadn’t seen them?
A diverse yet aesthetically cohesive range of products which are underpinned by my graphic design background and more importantly my love of photography, plants, gardens and architecture.

What are the most challenging parts of being a designer running a small business?
The most challenging part of running a small business is funding delegation.

What inspires your design projects?
Ideas, photography, endless industrial estates, the potential they possess, the thrill of embracing new processes and getting mud on your boots.

What are the next steps for you?
My current focus is to take a step back to critically access my business, work processes and designs before hiring someone amazing who can quietly sell ice to eskimos to maximise our sales potential.

From a design perspective, I intend to increase my range of architecturally focused products.

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