Why I started Crux Design Studio
Why did you start Crux?
I started Crux because I genuinely care about my clients and the work we create together. My focus has always been on how I can support their goals, strengthen their teams, and make them shine inside their own organisations. I’ve never been driven by targets set by a board or profit margins for someone else. I’m driven by the impact we can have through great design and genuine partnership.
I’ve always loved client service. I take real interest in the businesses we work with. I enjoy getting on site, listening closely during workshops and interviews, and understanding how people move and think within their spaces. That insight helps us design environments that are not only beautiful, but smart, strategic, and built to last.
I also wanted to create a studio that felt different. A place where good people do great work, where designers feel valued, and where clients feel heard. A studio that runs with care and integrity, and where relationships matter as much as the end result.
Crux has also allowed me to build a business that works for my life. I’m a founder and a mum of four, and I wanted a structure that let me be both. It hasn’t always been simple, but it’s been worth every step.
Five years in, I’m proud of what we’ve built. We’re still growing, still learning, and still focused on what matters most: good people, good work, and long-term impact.
How It All Started and Why I Keep Going
I started my first company when I was 11 years old. My best friend Allison and I launched a little clothing business out of her parents’ storage room. We had two sewing machines back-to-back on a small table, and we kept our earnings in an old flute box. I have no idea where the actual flute went, but I can still remember the thrill of creating something from scratch and selling it.
That spark never left me. Over the years, I went on to earn four degrees — in business, design, and science — while raising four kids. I’ve owned a small design firm in the US and founded ran an international clothing brand that was featured in magazines around the world. There’s nothing quite like the high of starting something from zero and figuring out how to make it thrive. Building a service business that delivers exactly what you dreamed it would be is one of the most rewarding challenges I know.
When I moved to London in 2015, I had just completed my second master’s degree in interior architecture. I gave myself 5 to 7 years to gain experience in a new country before launching something of my own. The pandemic sped that up. I was nervous, but I went for it. I closed every other door and focused entirely on one thing: Crux Design Studio.
There comes a moment in your career — and your life — when you need to be all in. That commitment is what carries you through exhaustion, uncertainty, and even failure. It’s what gives you energy when you feel like you’ve run out, ideas when you feel stuck, and strength when you need to get back up.
It’s also a reminder to focus on what you have. Running a business isn’t just about strategy and service. It’s about managing your energy and protecting your mindset. I’ve learned, sometimes the hard way, that a draining client can impact everything — not just your well-being, but your ability to show up for other projects and the clients who truly value what you bring. When you start to feel your energy shift, pay attention. Step away with kindness and make room for the opportunities that better align with your values and vision. I promise, those shifts open more doors than you expect.
What’s the worst thing you can do when starting your own business?
When I launched Crux, I didn’t go out and try to win the biggest client my previous company had lost. I didn’t copy anyone’s business model. I didn’t try to fast-track credibility I hadn’t earned yet. I started by doing the work. Every project, every conversation, every lesson added up, all helped shape the business we’re building today.
You need to put your time in, especially in the early days. Take on work, gain experience, and stay open to learning. You’ll quickly find out what kind of projects light you up, and what doesn’t. Use that insight to shape your service offering. Over time, you can attract more of what you love and less of what drains you.
And here’s something I believe deeply: never do just the minimum your contract requires. Within reason — and only you can define that for yourself — always leave your client feeling like they got more than they expected. Not just in deliverables, but in attitude, care, and clarity.
Your clients could go to hundreds of other firms around the world, but they chose you. That’s a gift! Treat it like one. Show your appreciation, bring your best energy, and make it easy for them to remember why they hired you in the first place.
The worst thing you can do for your business is leave a client wondering what they’re paying for. If they’re chasing you, questioning your quality, feeling blamed or dismissed, you will not last long. This is still a relationship business. And relationships are built on trust, effort, and showing up well.
That’s the real secret to growth. No shortcuts, just real service.
