What’s your name and designation?

My name is Nicolas Spies and I’m the Founder & Creative Director at Origami Design Studio.

Tell us about your journey. How did you get started with your business and what inspired you to do so?

After 12 years in my design career, I finally felt ready to take the leap and improve upon what I felt was lacking in the industry.

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced when starting your business and how did you overcome them?

Finding new and appropriate clients for my field – this is still a challenge we are facing and we are trying a multitude of different strategies, including getting listed on The Business Directory.

What unique aspects of doing business in South Africa would you highlight (good or bad)?

I’m not sure if this is a South African thing, but unfortunately in our industry, non-payment of services once they have been rendered is common. We therefore have to make up for this by insisting on higher deposits, signing contracts, and stricter terms.

How do you differentiate your business from competitors?

Our unique advantage is that we bring insights and strategy to our clients as part of the deliverables, not just pretty pictures! We offer enhanced insights for retail spaces like customer journey’s and effective branding.

What strategies have you found to be most effective in growing your customer base?

So far the most effective strategy has been outreach marketing, where we connect with existing industry contacts / clients. We are actively working on our inbound marketing.

What’s one mistake you made early on that you wish you could go back and fix?

Choosing the wrong hosting provider for our website – this caused many issues which we are still trying to rectify.

What’s the most rewarding part of being a business owner?

The freedom to choose which direction the ship is sailing in – to be able to direct the dream.

How do you approach innovation and staying relevant in your industry?

Constant research of new designs and trends, particularly at an international level. As well as new ways to do things, like integrating AI into our processes.

How has your business adapted to the digital age, and what advice would you give to others looking to do the same?

Integration of social media channels, AI (where relevant), and staying up to date with technology. My advice would be for other to observe the landscape and stay in touch with whats happening around them, particularly in the digital spheres.

What advice do you have for someone just starting a business in South Africa?

Make sure you have a financial safety net that can withstand the challenges of starting a new business, and will let you persevere through it.

For more information, visit Origami Design Studio’s listing.

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