People often imagine entrepreneurship as a polished journey filled with big wins and shiny offices. The truth? It’s much messier, especially when you’re bootstrapping. Over the years, I’ve learnt so many lessons from building a business not just once, but multiple times. House Designer isn’t my first business. My journey began with Media Solution, a creative business focused on branding and web design. That experience laid the groundwork: design, communication, working with clients.
Then came my womenswear brand, where I learnt about fashion production, managing teams, and building a luxury brand from scratch. Now, with House Designer, the challenges are different more digital, more complex, and entirely self-funded. Alongside that, I also founded Office Designer, helping small businesses and startups across the UK transform their workspaces with professional, design-led interiors.
But every step along the way has taught me something. Five years in, here are five of the biggest lessons I’ve learnt.
1. Bootstrapping Builds a Unique Kind of Strength
When you don’t have external funding, every decision matters. Every mistake stings. You learn to prioritise, adapt and become incredibly resourceful. I’ve never had the luxury of throwing money at a problem. Instead, I relied on what I did have my creativity, determination and work ethic.
Bootstrapping has taught me some of my biggest lessons from building a business especially when it comes to being resourceful and trusting my own instincts.
In my early twenties, I taught myself how to build websites; a skill that’s become highly sought-after. I later learnt coding and developed a solid understanding of SEO. I’ve spent countless hours learning, testing, and tweaking. I built House Designer’s entire platform myself and continue to refine and maintain it today. It’s saved me thousands of pounds, but it’s also taken up just as many hours of my time.
Running a platform is relentless. From UX tweaks to SEO strategies, there’s always something to improve. Not every idea works. Not every strategy lands. But you carry on, because that’s what building a business looks like.
2. Calm Is Part of the Job
I once read that a good entrepreneur has mastered the art of staying calm while the house is burning. That stuck with me. I’ve had those moments when everything feels like it’s falling apart and you’re still expected to lead, solve problems and keep the show on the road.
Over time, I’ve learnt not to let chaos affect my energy. I go to the gym often, I focus on self-care and I give myself space to breathe. Reacting emotionally never helps, and panic doesn’t get the job done. Staying grounded is now part of my rhythm.
3. I Am Not My Business
This was a difficult one. When you build something from scratch, it’s easy to tie your identity to it. In the early days, House Designer felt like an extension of me. If something went wrong, it felt personal.
But I’ve learnt to create space between myself and the brand. I care deeply about what we do, but I’m not defined by it. Separating the two has helped me make clearer decisions and protect my peace. It’s still a work in progress, but it’s changed how I show up as a founder.
4. Hard Years Bring the Real Lessons from Building a Business
2023 was a tough year. Personally and professionally. It tested me in ways I hadn’t experienced before. But I kept going. Even when it felt heavy. Even when things weren’t working out the way I’d planned.
There were some bright spots milestones I’m proud of and moments worth celebrating; but it wasn’t all smooth sailing. What stood out most wasn’t the wins, but the strength it took to push through the hard bits. That year built something far more valuable than visibility. It built resilience. I found strength I didn’t know I had, and I reminded myself why I started this journey in the first place.
5. Growth Doesn’t Always Make Noise
There’s a lot of pressure to be loud about success. But over time, I’ve learnt to value the quiet wins. The smooth systems we’ve built. The happy clients who refer us. Well, fast forward five years, and House Designer now stands for so much more than expert interior design services. The platform has expanded to include landscape garden design and exterior design, and we’ve just launched HD Bespoke Studio: a tailored service for full home renovations. We’re helping people fall back in love with the spaces they live and work in. It’s a great feeling to know that what we’ve built is accessible with just a click and it’s genuinely making a difference.
Success isn’t always about volume. Sometimes it’s about alignment. And for me, those quieter milestones are just as meaningful.
Earlier this year, I wrote an article for Entrepreneur Magazine on how to fall in love with your business again. It was a reminder that even when things get tough, you can reconnect with your purpose and find joy in what you’ve built. You can read it here.
Five years into House Designer, and nearly two decades into entrepreneurship, I’m still learning. Still growing. Still refining. There have been hard moments, mistakes, pivots; but also pride, progress and purpose.
The Best is yet to come!!!!
