Self taught, KAYE DONG has built a business based on combining a keen eye for aesthetics, inborn pragmatism and an enthusiastic ‘will-do’ attitude.
Kaye Dong’s story is best told in her own words. “I have always loved design. From an early age, I was always rearranging furniture at home and cutting out magazine clippings of beautiful interiors. In 2010, after the birth of my second child, I took the leap and started my own interior design firm with only 3 staff. Today, we are a strong team of 18,” say Dong, about how her flair for design inspired her.
“Having come from a non-design background and with no prior experience in running a business, it was a very brave move at the time and I don’t think I would have done it if it weren’t for the support and encouragement of my husband.”
Dream Comes True
“I met my current business partner, Demon Cheung, through friends at a business event. We collaborated on a few projects and we just clicked. It was clear that although we possessed different strengths and personalities, we shared very similar work ethics. Our vision and values are very much aligned. This is very important in any business partnership. We merged our companies in 2013 to form The Good Studio.
This pooling of talent has seen us through thick and thin, says Dong.
“Despite the economic downturn the desire for a high quality of life still remains strong.
There will always be a need for interior design and construction, although the competition is strong. So, in order to remain a top choice for our current and prospective clients, we will continue to focus on enhancing the quality of our service and design work.”
People-centric Work
“Each of the projects we work on is completely unique and created for ‘people’. We see beyond the actual space and connect with the people behind the project; the staff who will be working in the office, the chefs who will be working in kitchens, the family who will be living in the home. Our projects are our clients. We work with people, not spaces. These relationships built on trust, honesty and transparency are our biggest asset. Designing is the easy part.”
Speaking about the competitive state of the industry, Dong says that in a very demanding market that Hong Kong is, “we need to be very flexible and adaptable to our clients’ needs. More often now, our clients want us to take care of everything, making us the main point of contact for the entire project. Take for example one of our recent hospitality projects asked us to coordinate and manage the re-branding of their group as well as the shop design and fit out because they saw the launch as one whole project and only wanted one point of contact. Our goal is to reduce the levels of stress that often comes with a home renovation, office refurbishment or shop opening.”
“We are able to be that “one point of contact” for our clients because we have subsidiaries under our group of companies that can support our projects. Our other services and products include, graphic design, advertising, furniture, lighting and AV consultancy.”
Growing to Serve
“We have recently opened up offices in Macau and Taiwan, allowing us to manage our existing and upcoming projects in those regions much more efficiently. We are also expanding our design team in Hong Kong in order to meet the demands of the current market. We are currently working on new hospitality projects in China and Macau. This is very exciting for us. We are also forming an official CSR team, incorporating public objectives into our overall business strategy. Our active participation and commitment to creating a positive impact in our community injects a very strong purpose into our work and I see it as a core, inseparable component of the company moving forward.”
“I am very passionate about what I am trying to achieve in life and business. I have an absolute sense of my vision and values and I think that this inspires and motivates people around me. Every morning I wake up and I am extremely grateful for the chance to be able to work towards my dreams. I am grateful for every opportunity, every member of my team, every experience, good or bad. That’s my driving force – passion and gratitude,” says Dong.
For additional information, please visit www.thegoodstudio.com
Hong Kong’s Business Leaders share market and interest intelligence in the pages of HKMVC 2017
