www.ceotodaymagazine.com 16 16 How do you describe your business and client base? We provide art-level 19th-century Oriental rugs that are both elite home furnishings and art investments to ultra-high-net-worth clients. We act as trusted advisers and spend a tremendous amount of time providing our clients with educational material and access to our knowledge to help guide their acquisitions. What are the most critical factors that have determined your success? As the years have passed, I have recognised that having a clear vision beyond transactional was something highly successful companies andCEOs share. At a fundamental level, I believe in hiring staff members with an affinity for beauty, a strong willingness to learn, and a general passion for life. In that sense, we are old-fashioned. Because our communication with clients is educational in nature, it is essential that we train our staff and create in them a passion for the art form we are representing. As time is a tremendously valuable commodity for our clientele, rather than have voicemail during business hours, every call is answered by a highly responsive staff member with a college degree and much experience with our product. We call this approach ‘Client First.’ Can you be more specific? The best 19th-centuryOriental rugs are rare and valuable works of art. The dilemma was how to communicate this initially, which evolved into how we could maintain (and expand) our inventory of the rugs. Early on, we cultivated an international network of buyers and developed ongoing relationships with our clients. The result is that we have unrivalled and continuing access to rugs that collectors desire and are only available through us. And we have clients and their families who have been with us for over four decades. While many galleries concentrate strictly on selling, I have always spent a considerable (and an increasing portion) of time seeking “inventory.” At the same time, we have invested heavily in technology and our website. Since the impact of COVID, we have flipped our business from 80% in-store and 20% online to 30% in-store and 70% online. In 2022, as a result, we added significant new clients in Australia, Hong Kong, Italy, Malaysia, and Singapore. And interestingly, we have a growing client base in the Middle East from collectors and families where top-tier rugs are no longer available. Secondarily, we spend significant effort providing educational and historical information about rugs. Q w Q w Q Q Q Q Q THE CEO INTERVIEW
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