Meet Femke, European Sales Manager

As one of Europe’s most trendsetting exhibitions rolls around, Stockholm prepares to welcome the design world for the annual Furniture and Light Fair. As she makes her way there to showcase our Porcelain and Voronoi range, we sit down with Femke, our European Sales Manager. She discusses the highlights and challenges of her role, and what she enjoys doing in her spare time as a wife, mother and dog owner.

Femke, how long have you been at Tala and how did you hear about us?

I’ve been with Tala for nine months now, which sounds relatively short, but it feels a lot longer. My time so far has been a lot of fun and I really like working closely with the founders. I’ve been following Tala since it started and besides it isn’t just a job for me, it’s family – my brother and a previous colleague both work for our German distributor.

I can hear an accent in your voice, where are you from and how did you end up in London?

I’m Dutch but grew up in Germany. After a work placement with Konstantin Grcic, I decided to follow in his footsteps and study product & furniture design in London. Following my studies I got my first job working for the Italian brand Edra and stayed. I love London’s openness, the cultural mix and can-do attitude of the people here. Plus, the British humour is unparalleled.

Can you describe a day in the life of Femke at Tala?

A lot of phone calls. I manage four Tala sales employees based in Europe, as well as six agents and six distributors in nineteen countries. My role is very much about supporting each market by building strong, personal and long-lasting relationships to ensure consistency across the board.

What do you find most challenging about your role?

I love what I do, so it doesn’t feel like a challenge often. A growing company always has room for improvement, therefore certain things can take longer to develop, but generally speaking my outlook on my work is very positive. I really enjoy working here.

As European Sales Manager does that mean you get to travel a lot?

Yes, I usually travel 2-3 times a month, which I love. It’s so important to be close to your colleagues, clients and, most importantly, customers. A personal visit is so much more effective than an email or a phone call. People feel appreciated when an effort is made to visit them.

When you visit our distributors what are some of your key objectives?

For me, it’s about building a great relationship with the sales team, the distributors and their teams too. This means brand and product training so everyone is on the same page to push Tala forward.

Another key area I focus on is product placement in retail environments, in windows or showroom interiors. It’s important that products are well-placed and displays are monitored. Lastly, in case any problems arise I want to be there to solve them quickly and effectively.

What’s your favourite Tala design and why?

I’m very fond of Voronoi III. It’s luxurious, very versatile and beautiful as an object.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Art, travel, cooking and of course spending time with my family and Jack Russell dog. They keep me on my toes for sure!

If you had to eat one cuisine for the rest of your life what would it be?

Middle Eastern or Japanese.

Holiday home… where would it be and why?

Greece. Beautiful coastline & lovely food.

Catch Femke at Stockholm Furniture Fair, 5-9 February, at the Tala stand in Hall B10:01.
If you’d like to book an appointment with one of our team members at the fair, get in touch.

Written by Issey, Community Manager