#TeamTala Philippa’s 2 years at Tala
Scouting the UK for sustainably minded stores, training floor staff and recommending fixture pairings are just a few things our retail team get up to on a daily basis.
One team member knows everything there is to know about Tala and our relationships with retailers.
Philippa, Business Development Executive in Retail will be celebrating her two years at Tala this August. She was a busy-bee last week so we took to Slack to have a chat.
Philippa, how did you start working for Tala? Wasn’t there only a handful of employees when you joined?
One of my sisters sent me the job description for the Studio Manager role and said I ‘ticked all the boxes’ (she’s a good egg I know). She mentioned that it was Max’s company who we knew from back home.
I sent in my CV and cover letter – not mentioning any connections. Next thing I know I’m getting a phone call from Max. “Phib!! It’s Max! Remember me?!” The friendliest person you’ll meet. Haha. And so my Tala journey began.
Yep, that is right – when I joined as Tala’s Studio Manager, there were around 10 of us. It has been so exciting to watch Tala grow and be a part of it all. My two years (8th August) have flown by so quickly.
So now you’re part of our Retail Development sales team, how did you go from Studio Manager to where you are now?
I get asked this a lot. As a small team, everyone was used to chipping in outside their job role, so a transformation happened very naturally.
The boys (Maxwell, Josh, and William) started taking me along to meetings so that I could get a real insight into the brand and how things worked externally at Tala. I started off just taking notes but after a while I was the one asking questions, following up, telling Tala’s story and building relationships with people. The boys were massively supportive on this and gave me the opportunity.
The more I learned the more I was completely sold by the product and brand – and, for me, it is so important to be passionate about what you do, otherwise life can be very stagnant.
What is the best thing about coming to work every day?
Simple. The people.
What does a day in the life of Phib actually look like?
I’m usually in the studio once or twice a week – these days are great for having internal meetings and catching up with everyone.
The rest of the time I am out and about visiting clients or meeting new people – I love getting to know new faces and hearing everyone’s stories.
What would you say our retailers really love about Tala products? Why do we get so much love from them?
The romantic side: Our story and product beauty, for sure.
The practical side: Our speedy delivery times and display support.
In your eyes why do you think Tala has been so successful and grown so rapidly over the last few years?
Being selective and smart with who we hire. We don’t just get any old Tom, Dick and Harry along – everything from skills to studio culture is taken into account.
The US market. Even when I started, we had a presence out in the US but nothing like it is now – and having our new studio and US team over there too has really attributed to Tala’s growth – shout out to the US team. You guys rock!
We’re unique. Our designs are true to us.
The Voronoi for example. People see it and associate it with us – they know it’s ours. I can’t wait for the new Basalt Collection to ship as this is another iconic Tala design.
Some quick fire questions:
Where do you hang out on the weekend?
Creepy alleyways….joking.
Ermmm I love exploring and trying new things. London has so much to offer… I went axe throwing the other day just as an example! But generally – exhibitions, outdoor/green places, rooftop bars – get me to a rooftop bar!
What’s your favourite product currently?
Oblo paired with an Oak Touch Lamp. Doesn’t get much sexier than that!
What’s your favourite place to visit outside the UK?
Watamu, Kenya. Our family have always had connections to Kenya due to our lovely extended family so I’ve been going there since I was in nappies! My parents also had their honeymoon there and one of my sisters (the one who put me up to Tala) lived there for 3 years, so always a reason to go back.
Watch out for the lovely Philippa as she may be walking into a retail store near you.
Written by Issey, Community Manager.
