Interior Designer Starts Amazing Wall Art Decal Business

When we moved in to our house, our builder gave us a gift of two interior designers for a few days to help us get the place set up. I remember our builder telling us these ladies were so good, they are like "little mice" - they would unpack our stuff, set us all up and we wouldnt even know they were there. These ladies gave me a price quotation on how much it would be to have a custom mural on my kid's nursery room wall - couple thousand dollars. Hence, I decided to "do it myself".

The mural I started over 4 years ago was of Winnie-the-Pooh and Tigger. The room itself has 14 foot ceilings so at the time my nine month old pregnant body was climbing high ladders, praying I wouldn't fall. I fully completed the artwork on one wall, then got ambitious and started a second wall. I went into labor before finishing it. I joke by the time my kids are both in college I will complete the project.

Number 72 on my list of a hundred plus business ideas is to sell wall mural decals so that people who want a cool picture on their wall don't have to pay a thousand bucks and a thousand hours to have it done. Turns out I don't have to start this business because there's already a great company already doing it!

The company is called WallTat (get it - short for wall tatoos?). I checked out their website and they have some pretty cool funky designs. The owner's name is Jordan Guide. Jordan even took a few minutes to answer some of my questions. Additionally, they are offering a 10% discount, in the spirit of Spring, until the end of March. Use the code: SPRING10 at checkout.

1. How long did it take you to get your company up and running?

From the time I decided it was something that I want to pursue WALLTAT full time, it took about 2 months to get the necessary paperwork filed and another 2 months of research and development for the online store.

2. What was your inspiration to start the company?

As an interior designer, I am constantly looking for new and innovative products and materials. I have always been interested in creating wall art that challenges the boundaries of the interior space and not limited by the frame. I visualize elements growing out of the baseboards, flowing up a wall onto a ceiling, or spilling around from one corner into the next. WALLTAT is the brand that came out of these creations.

3. How long did it take you to break even and be profitable?

It took about 8 months

4. What was the most difficult part of starting the business?
Finding vendor partners that value your business was most frustrating in the beginning. When you are a small company, you are not priority to most vendors. This is why it is important to find vendors that compatible in size and value your business.

5. What is your background?

I am an interior designer, specializing in residential and commercial design. You can see some of my work at http://www.jordanguidedesign.com/.

6. What are your company goals?

I would love to get WALLTAT on the shelves of retailers and increase the distribution channels.

7. What advice do you have to others starting their own business?

For internet based companies, having a great product to sell is not enough. It is as important to have a website that is Search Engine Optimized (SEO). This will increase your website visibility and lead to more traffic and sales.