Women-Owned Business Profile: Sundari Design
AN INTERVIEW WITH SUNDARI FERRIS OF SUNDARI DESIGN AS SHE BATTLES REACHING HER AUDIENCE IN THE MIDST OF INSTAGRAM CENSORSHIP
Meet Sundari Ferris of Sundari Design: a stylist, art director, photographer, brand-specialist, and educator. As of recently, Sundari has been the victim of censorship and shadow-banning on Instagram. Read on for the interview with Sundari to see how dedicated to her work she is and how important it is to give a voice to female-owned businesses.
What does female-owned mean to you? How does it feel to be a female running her own business(es).
This world is dominated by the constant media and ‘winnings’ of male entrepreneurship. We see all sorts about the Marks, the Jeffs but every time I see something about the Grace Beverley (UK Female entrepreneurs) I get excited and punch the air. It’s important to me to see this more. Women at the top. Women success stories. Women dominating their field.
I love that my feeds are curated to Female dominated entrepreneurs. If anything, I get annoyed if I find a new brand that seems to have a lot of funding, aimed at women that’s owned by two white men (this happened recently). I admire women whether they’re entrepreneurs in my own sector or in another. They’ve had to overcome far more than any guy with the parameters of society, so when I see them, it gives me immense pride. The more of us out there, doing and creating and being successful, the better for this earth.
I take deep gratitude and pride in being a female entrepreneur myself. Not everyone can get out there in this way in the world so, it really is a privilege. So, when I share or create or do anything, I always try to inspire and make someone else feel like they’re punching the air.
How were you able to quiet any fears and dive in to being a business-owner?
I believe in putting blinkers on to comparison. I always describe myself like a horse in a race with the blacked out panels next to my eyes. I love and encourage others to do what they do but I can’t pay too much attention as I’ll worry I’m not doing enough. Comparison is the worst fear and I just don’t have time to beat myself up.
I also really believe in just getting on with things I want to do, but with a balancing of waiting for the ‘right time’. For example, I never ever thought I’d write guides on styling, art direction and composition. Whilst I have taught before, they were things to do with establishing a brand voice rather than the actual art work that styling takes.
Flash forward 6 years into my business, moving away from weddings, I’ve met a whole new audience of those who aren’t stylists by trade but whom are multi-talented and want to bridge their creative vision with their skills. It encouraged me to write something unique and in a way I felt connected to others like me. Dreamers, Thinkers and ones who want to truly tell a story.
How do you fill your time when not working?
I think I’m in a current stage of just working whenever I can, but when I’m not I’m turning to my film camera for personal creativity. I’m also trying to write a book… but that habit has yet to take full hold. I think majority of the time when I’m not working, I’m either cat napping, listening to music or writing.
Of your many talents, which is the most fulfilling?
I think that’d be my portrait photography. I love photographing by film and seeing those scans ping into my inbox along with the gleeful messages I receive when I send them to my client. For now that’s the most heartwarming thing I can do, make someone see and feel seen.
How are you able to balance all of your offerings and talents?
I often get asked what I do and it’s a lot. I balance it because weirdly enough, I work better under pressure. If I have multiple clients and job deadlines, I just plan each week and day methodically. I’m not afraid to work out of office hours when needs to be because I don’t have kids yet.
I think COVID actually forced me to diversify more and I think as creatives we’re able to step up to the plate. We work best when it’s crazy and we get frustrated when we don’t have much on. Whilst I welcome breaks for the busy times, I also (over the years) have come to truly appreciate when I’m busy, it’s good.
What challenges have you faced in business? What advice would you give to those facing similar challenges?
I’ve faced the reality that my business just wasn’t earning me any money. I seemingly looked so successful on social media but I wasn’t paying myself. Everything I earned was just going back into marketing, my team, and growing my portfolio. It was tough not really having a handle over my finances. I would look at the numbers and see the bookings, the work all coming in but somehow, I still wasn’t able to pay myself. I remember waking up in the middle of the night crying because I felt like such a fraud and huge failure.
I began my business so young and catapulted myself into a fully fledged business owner at 23 years old without any real guidance. I watched Marie Forleo a lot but ultimately I built my business alone. That I think was the ultimate challenge. Growing up, owning a business, and then recognising it was failing to then pivoting and letting go of services which just weren’t making sense.
Ultimately, that was weddings for me. I was The Wedding Stylist and I was just draining my business trying to go above and beyond for my clients. It was tough but I had to just admit, those jobs, even though I was well paid, weren’t ‘bringing home the bacon’, but others were.
My advice would be make sure you fight for what you love but also be humble enough to recognise when something isn’t working. If you’re not able to pay your own wage but your forking out to others, you need to consult with your head and not your heart to change your business model. It’s always hard to make changes but without those changes, I wouldn’t be where I am now.
Tell me about the most interesting person you've met through your business that you would not have otherwise connected with.
This is a tough one as I’d say I’ve met so many interesting people. The thing with me, is if I like you, I make you a friend. I believe in friendship with business and it's with this attitude I can say there is a long list of interesting people.
The most interesting person and most valued relationship would probably be my friend Chikae Howland of Hikarui. We first met because we were both in the wedding sector, she was a floral designer and photographer and I was a designer and stylist. We bonded over mutual love of style and creativity. We were introduced by my mentor who has seen her work on Instagram and genuinely I wouldn’t have probably had the guts to reach out to her otherwise. She’s now one of my closest friends and we meet up to just hang out as well as push each other further within our different businesses.
What would you tell a person who asked about the importance of supporting small businesses? What about the importance of supporting female-owned?
Supporting small is more important now than ever as we see franchises and businesses sell out to the worst of the worst. Latest being Oatly to Blackstone. Small business is just that. It’s small. It’s family. It’s real, local community people. If you buy from them, you’re not only buying something unique, your money is also going towards their livelihoods. You’re paying someone’s electric bill, someone’s adobe subscription, someone’s gift to their child. Your money is seeing them through the next month of rent, bills and life. We all do that happy dance or high five with our partner when someone books or purchases from us and isn’t that so much better than your money sitting in some off-shore account lining the pockets of someone who could end world hunger but chooses not to?
I think the same goes with Female. As I said before, it’s tougher out there for women. That’s a fact. In particular for Black and WOC. The systems we have grown into have meant our voices are quieted or ignored in totality. This is alongside our LGBTQ+ community. When you buy or book a business that is female-owned, particularly if they’re from a marginalised group, you are doing something GOOD for society and for this world. It’s about time we all recognised the hierarchy we sit on and do better because we can. It’s the easiest thing on the planet.
Instagram has recently censored all of your accounts. Can you tell me about that?
It’s been 2 weeks now that all of my accounts, including my private personal ones have been blocked, silenced or muted in some way. In my main account, you cannot tag me in captions. It feels like a scary way of Instagram trying to hide me and not allow anyone to see I exist through others. A key part of my work and ways I get bookings is by others sharing and tagging me on Instagram, so for that to be taken from me feels suffocating.
My other accounts for my backdrops and film photography have been muted in totality. I cannot share posts with captions, share stories, nor follow anyone. They can’t tag me in captions either.
It’s just a really strange feeling to have been on the platform for over 6 years, paid for promotions, put time, energy and endless content on there, for them to without reason or any communication remove my rights. I’ve still yet to hear a thing. I’m at the point where I’m wondering if I start again but it breaks my heart at the thought of losing all my content that I have created.
I’ve also received a lot of heat for being so loud about my silencing with others trying to correct me or question my experience. As a WOC it’s been quite triggering but I’m just choosing to ignore as the support is there… but the resolve is yet to come.
What are a few small businesses you love supporting?
I’m a stylist so I’m big on small independent decor stores. I’m also a candle fiend. In the UK & Europe we have Our Lovely Goods, a Black family owned candle and lifestyle brand. Object Story, a female owned natural, sustainable homewares and decor online store and so many more, like Leela Chakravarti, a female potter, Shop Sacko in Sweden, a botanical female silk and fabric dyer. I’m also learning a lot from sustainability mentor Aja Barber, who’s made me think more about fast fashion, so I’d love to mention Old Rectory Clothing Co, another female entrepreneur handmaking stunning clothing.
Sundari Design’s current offerings:
Online Guides: Styling & Story Telling