Gillphine’s story: designing a sustainable future
Gillphine's interior design business benefits people and the planet.
Gill Ingosi’s interior design business, Brighter Spaces Interiors, is creating safe, comfortable, and sustainable home designs. Here, she shares how Road to Growth supported her to strengthen her business skills.
My name is Gillphine Ingosi, and I am the founder of Brighter Spaces Interiors in Nairobi.
I attended the Road to Growth programme – a training course for women entrepreneurs in Kenya, as it struck me that I really didn’t have any guidance or mentorship when it came to running my business. I lacked skills, and confidence. The programme really helped me to overcome these challenges.
After completion, I was in a much better position to be able to understand how to run my business properly. This included how to keep proper financial records, and how to access finance. I learned how to differentiate between the different types of financial statements and how to keep my books in check and investor–ready. I was able to work on my mission statement and re-structure my whole business. I elevated my branding strategy, improved my social media presence and even launched a YouTube channel!
I am lucky to be able to work with a talented group of people in the interior design industry. Together, we are in a position to help improve our clients’ quality of life by upgrading their living and working spaces. It’s all about people, planet, and profit. We are a sustainable company and prioritize conserving energy and resources.
I learned how to differentiate between the different types of financial statements and how to keep my books in check and investor-ready.
COVID-19 had a huge effect on my work, as I realized that while people stayed at home, the planet was able to heal itself. This made me think more consciously about how to further incorporate environmentally friendly approaches into my business. Now, when we do site visits, we use one vehicle for transport to save on resources and minimize pollution. When we provide cleaning services, we make sure not to waste water or products. We encourage our clients to build bigger windows to save on electricity, as well as using solar panels. We also encourage them to buy natural cleaning products. We want to ensure that the spaces we design are safe, beautiful, and functional.
The Road to Growth programme made me think a lot about what I can do for myself and other people, like giving back to society. During the training, I was able to network with amazing people who made a lasting impact in my life. Now, I am happy to share my experiences with those around me, and provide business mentorship to those who need it. When we come up with our designs, we try to always think about marginalized groups, such as the elderly, the handicapped and children, to ensure inclusion and access for all. We are happy to report that we also donate a part of our business profits towards reducing period poverty in the community by donating sanitary towels to and self-care kits.
The Road to Growth programme made me think a lot about what I can do for myself and other people, like giving back to society.
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