We recently had the privilege of interviewing Anne Gedeon, Founder, Designer, and Creative Director at Grin Design. With over 20 years of experience in corporate and entrepreneurial roles across the Middle East & Asia Pacific, Anne transitioned from the advertising industry to brand management, eventually partnered in running an events management company and launched a creative jewelry business in Asia.
Currently, Anne runs an Interior Design Studio and Art Consultancy, creating bespoke furniture and commissioned art for commercial and residential projects, and is a strong believer in the power of design in various aspects of life. In this insightful session, Anne Gedeon shares her career trajectory, vision regarding design in general and her business more specifically, and articulates her perspective on securing the business legacy.
The Career Path
We started the interview by asking, “Can you walk us through your professional journey and how it led to where you are today?”
Anne Gedeon shared, “I am a creative professional with over 20 years of experience in both corporate and entrepreneurial roles, across the Middle East and Asia Pacific. After several years servicing clients within the advertising industry, I transitioned to a brand management role, where I was able to drive sales growth for a portfolio of international clients like SmithKline Beecham, Standard Chartered Bank, and Heineken.
From there, I chose the entrepreneurial path, and partnered in a successful events management company in the Middle East with a luxury focus. My clients included luxury brands such as DeBeers Diamonds, Hermes and S.T. Dupont. In Asia, I also started a jewelry business and soon after an interior design studio, where I was the lead conceptualizer and designer.”
She added, “Today, I run my own Design Consultancy called GRIN DESIGN, offering services in Interior Design for commercial and residential spaces, bespoke furniture design and manufacturing, and art consulting. As an artist, I also commission paintings and installations for my projects and clients.
Recently, I have embraced 3D printing to enhance and revolutionize my design approach. This technology enables the creation of more complex designs without the limitations of traditional manufacturing processes. I am fascinated and thrilled by the opportunities it presents. The power of design has been the driving force behind my career growth.”
Adaptability Amidst Challenges
To learn how Anne Gedeon overcame the inevitable business challenges, we asked, “Reflecting on your career, what have been some of the most significant challenges you’ve faced, and how did you overcome them?
Anne Gedeon responded, “When there is a will, you will always find a way no matter how challenging the path. My father always taught me, ‘no guts no glory’, and that is what fueled my entrepreneurial spark. I never found myself in the corporate world. Everyone who knows me knows that I am not fond of politics and prefer to work on my own. I am a ‘no frills’ fluid person who just wants to create. Once I find something inspirational like a new method of painting or a new cool medium, I delve into that for a while until I find the next best thing. I am easily inspired, you can call it a happy obsession.
Transitioning from a corporate job to entrepreneurship brought about challenges in implementing systems and procedures. Designing and managing, witnessing ideas come to life felt like magic, and my passion for design resonated with clients.
Leveraging our multinational background and creative flair, me and my business partner, Rayan Raad, successfully hosted large-scale events with a personalized touch. We consistently strived to maintain this personal approach, particularly with luxury brand clients and weddings. Later, I ventured into jewelry design in Asia to design homes, curate art, and am currently exploring 3D printing as my next passion project.”
A Personalized Touch to Client Servicing
We further asked, “How do you balance long-term vision with short-term operational needs?”
“I think they come hand in hand. The larger the project, the more support, subcontractors, and freelancers you are going to require and hire. However, I always hesitated in securing a large team in place from the start as I always wanted to be there myself for all my clients. It’s that personalized service that I always work hard to offer and exceed all client expectations because every detail counts. It boils down to me being a perfectionist too. It’s very challenging to delegate this aspect of the job; details matter to me a lot.” Anne replied.
Current Offerings and Plans for the Business
We were intrigued to learn more about the services offered by Anne Gedeon’s organization and if she has any exciting events coming up. So, we asked, “Tell us more about your services and if you are planning to add something new in the future.”
Anne Gedeon responded, “The new revolutionary 3D additive printing technology is where my heart lies now. I and my business partner, Rawan Al Issa, are venturing into the printing sector, aiming to establish a forward-thinking company that revolutionizes traditional creation methods. Our company specializes in unique, customized art, furniture, and large scale sculptures using cutting-edge technology with limitless creativity and innovation.
We have access to the CEAD robot (AKA Mister CEAD) which is important in the context of 3D printing as it’s specifically designed for large-scale 3D printing applications. This allows for the production of large parts and structures with high precision and efficiency.
Our creative community includes art enthusiasts, interior designers, architects, furniture retailers, and commercial establishments looking to innovate through inventive design solutions that merge form, function, and sustainability. Stay tuned.”
Emerging Trends of the Industry
We asked Anne, “What emerging technologies do you believe will have the most significant impact on your industry in the next five years?”
Anne Gedeon replied, “AI and 3D printing, without any doubt, are going to be the two next big things in this industry.”
Employee Empowerment, We asked Anne Gedeon
Satisfied employees are paramount to the success of any business. To understand Anne Gedeon’s perspective on this, we inquired, “What strategies do you implement to maintain high levels of employee engagement and satisfaction?”
“I want my employees to have fun while they work, but I expect them to also be punctual, meticulous, and proactive. Design is a creative process and should be light, experimental, and fun. I always encourage them to share their ideas, read about new trends, visit the latest fairs, and be up to date in the art, fashion, and world scene. Art is everywhere and innovation needs space. I give them that space and encourage them often to do that. Together we can give birth to great ideas.” Anne reflected.
Securing the Legacy
We concluded the interview by asking, “How do you want your business to be remembered, and what steps are you taking to secure that legacy?”
“I am the brand ambassador for my business. I often get asked – how come you are so positive all the time? Some people misinterpret that as being simplistic or foolish whereas I truly am someone who operates on a higher frequency. I just want to be remembered as someone who always went out of their way to help others because that’s how I am; my business equals me.
I create beautiful things that people enjoy looking at, experiencing, and being around. I don’t only want to be remembered as someone who only creates beauty but also I hope to be remembered as someone who is zealous, supportive, positive, and inspiring others to excel in their own journey.
I am obsessed with expression. I want my obsession for design to be infectious and inspire many who were fearful or hesitant to start creating. Create for yourself , not for the people, and if you enjoy it, it will grow on its own. Trust in the process. Legacy is such a big word, but if you really want an answer to that – I want my legacy to be one of inspiration, kindness, and compassion” Anne Gedeon concluded.
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