Today we’d like to introduce you to Tamar Razavi.
Hi Tamar, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Design is definitely my niche, but it was not what was the plan in the beginning. During my schooling years, I graduated from college with a degree in Education and eventually continued on to earn my Master’s Degree from Pepperdine University. I was always passionate about teaching, but throughout my education, I held several jobs in the fashion/design industries to support myself. Although it seemed like a hobby more than a career path at that time, fashion and design have always played a role in every aspect of my life – I even transformed my classroom HGTV style! If I was going to spend eight hours a day in a classroom, why not make it an extension of me and make it feel like home? The students might have been studying the Civil War, but being in a contemporary design classroom with brass accent decor definitely excited the students and elevated their learning. That was the moment I realized how much of an impact an environment plays on mood, as my students looked forward to being in my classroom as much as I did.
Fast forward a few years later when my husband and I moved into our first apartment. The possibilities were endless, and I was determined to make that home look like my Pinterest vision board! However, it quickly became apparent that everything at the big box stores was so overused and nothing was unique enough. If I did find unique items to decorate my home with, I couldn’t afford them. In order to achieve the home of my dreams, I needed to fork over some serious hard-earned money! That’s when it occurred to me that the market was lacking unique items offered at affordable prices, and the wheels in my head began to spin. One thing led to the other, and with the support of my family and husband, I launched the website with seven items and started Lilah Lifestyle Co. in my parent’s garage. In the evenings, after a long day of teaching, I would head over to my parent’s house to pack orders, update inventory, and work on marketing/social media. It was becoming clear that this was my true calling; as tired as I was, I always found working on Lilah invigorating and reenergizing. As the days went by, Lilah’s clientele, the brand, and our offerings began to grow. Now, two years later, we have moved into an actual warehouse and are currently seeking to hire our first employee.
When Lilah was first founded, it was a dream and I could not imagine that I would eventually leave my career to pursue this path full-time. I just closed out my final school year as a teacher, and although it was bittersweet, I am looking forward to growing Lilah and focusing on beautifying the world – one homeware item at a time.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I would say we’ve had our ups and downs like any fledgling business. Some of our challenges have been raising capital, scaling too quickly while not being equipped logistically, and facing some serious supply issues during the pandemic. Our “ups” include our awesome clientele, the community we’ve built on social media, and being featured in an HGTV Magazine story.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Lilah Lifestyle Co. is an online shop that features hand-curated homewares (including decor, kitchen, and apothecary items). We aim to bring unique, fair trade items at affordable prices. I am proud to say that what sets us apart are our prices – we always want to keep our price points fair and accessible for everyone.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I think the pandemic placed an emphasis on the importance of your home feeling like your haven. Prior to the pandemic, many of us led busy lives and often neglected to give our homes some TLC. Since we were all forced into lockdown, a lot of people spent time and money on updating their homes. I think that the home and furnishings industries are just getting started on seeing an uptick in business. Many companies decided to shutter their physical workplaces and will continue to work remotely. People are focusing a lot more on what their homes look and feel like, especially if many of us will continue to be working from home. Hopefully, Lilah will be expanding its offerings(maybe even a brick-and-mortar!) and helping more and more people have access to beautifying their homes.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: lilahlifestyleco.com
- Instagram: @lilahlifestyleco
