Successfully transforming her passion into a profession of designing interiors
Ridaa Shaikh – Director, Midas Touch Designs
Midas Touch, a proprietorship firm with a team of four designers started its journey in the year 2016 from Mumbai’s Jogeshwari area. Opening her own firm was never something which was up in her mind, rather she always preferred a secured job, where you give your 100%, draw a salary by month end and go home. But, Ridaa Shaikh’s maternity break changed it all, she went on to start her own firm which is into interior designing and space planning. Since childhood, she is a creative person, passionate about designing that came very natural to her. Her father is a cardiologist, while uncle is an IITian. Her brother is an electronics engineer with masters from the USA, as a result, she always felt the odd one out in her family. However, family was always there to support her in thick and thin and stood by her decision. Her work, which involves extensive travelling, finds support in form of her family looking after her kid in her absence.
Midas Touch caters to clients of all segments and work around their constraints to give it a perfect finish. It may be monetary constraints, or space, or furniture retention etc. Through this it makes them achieve their dream-house or office without compromising on anything. Luxurious interiors, which was once reserved only for a certain segment is now made possible for all social class. So, for the society, any one’s dream, small or big cane be realized due to use of extensive array of materials in all price ranges, every look’s replacement and alternatives are easily available which as an agency, Midas Touch uses strategically for amazing outputs.
According to Ridaa,
“We believe – in a world where there are millions of materials available to enhance elevations, good space planning and space creations, makes an elevation look nice irrespective of the materials used to clad it.”
Midas Touch is known to turn around client’s liability into some awesome assets that become point of discussion. For example, if there’s an upstand column which is causing hindrance in a site, it is successfully camouflaged in such a manner within the interior designing scheme that the same ugly column stub projection becomes a piece of art.
Being an ex-associate of the renowned Architecture Hafeez Contractor, she was in love with her work and position with the firm, until she had to take her maternity break. Quite naturally, Hafeez Contractor has been her professional inspiration. She has been in awe with his open office policies, and the effort that goes on in keeping clients happy and satisfied. Now, that she has started her own firm, the only thing which she hates yet cannot escape from it is, following up with clients for payments. Though she has not faced any non-payment issues till date, but this probably is one of those professional hiccups that one has to go through while being an entrepreneur. However, she initiated her business by undertaking projects from her friends and family members, and soon after positive word of mouth started spreading. Today, she is being doing most of the projects in North India and plans to expand nationally.
As a person, she is very easy going and approachable person and shares a good friendly rapport with her clients. As a result, work becomes all fun; meetings are more like casual discussions over lunch. Site meetings are also casual and friendly. When asked about the essentials to start up by her own, she recalls,
“A good office space is must, as it gives clients a positive impression. That was my first investment, followed by computers, furniture, soft goods and human resources in form of creating a team of experienced designers.”
In her field of work, it is imperative to understand client’s psychology, as design is a subjective matter and very much perspective driven. No matter how much effort you put in, if you are unable to please your clients, then all goes in vain. It’s all about working through client’s eyes, but using our expertise. Today sustainability and eco friendly materials are in thing and Midas Touch too has embraced the change and marching ahead. According to Ridaa, there’s no substitute to hard work, whatever Midas Touch is today is all because of her relentless hard work that has given amazing results. We wish her all the success!!
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