Hamad Janahi & Afaf Ahmed run Inoui & Neo Designs, a high-end Bahraini architectural firm. Artists and designers to their core, they are accomplishing it all as a husband-and-wife team. Ever wonder how to achieve this level of success? Hamad and Afaf are here to tell you, and they’re not leaving out any of the details. Ambitious? Curious? Read on!
Startup MGZN: Thank you so much for being here. Could you talk to us a little bit about yourselves? How did you meet, and how did your collaboration begin?
Hamad: We got to know each other at university. We were competitors, always working to see who could get the highest grade or create the best design. Our teachers and professors viewed us as two unique individuals who were always competing to be the best of the best.
This competition led us to become great friends, and in our friendship, we started completing each other. We worked together as lecturers in our early careers at the university. It felt like there was a good synergy in terms of our design thinking, philosophy, and view of life.
A lot of people ask us today, “How can you work together as husband and wife?” When you love your job and profession, it becomes part of your life. We are living a normal routine, a normal daily life. When we go to the office, it’s like we are at home. That’s how close we are. Wherever we are, we talk about design, art, movies, and music. At the end of the day, there are multiple forms of art around us, and they all affect us as artists and designers.
Over the course of our studies, we realized we needed to be together. We got married, and it has continued ever since. It’s been twelve years now, and we have worked, created, and designed together since 2007.
Startup MGZN: What happened next?
Afaf: We were teaching at the university in Bahrain; then we got scholarships and went to the U.K. After about 14 months in Nottingham, we came back and continued teaching at the university. Academic life was quite interesting. Both of us liked the idea of sharing information, and I stayed on as a lecturer for six years. Whatever we learned, we had a passion for it, and wanted to convey it to others.
Startup MGZN: Did Hamad work somewhere else, for a time?
Hamad: I worked for about three years at the university in Bahrain, then left for about a year and a half to work somewhere else. During the time at the university, as Afaf mentioned, the teaching experience was quite interesting, because we encountered students of the younger generation, each coming in with their own mentality and creative ideas. We felt like we had a lot more to give, though, and we didn’t want to concentrate our knowledge and experience exclusively on education. We had the initiative to know that we can start an office and get into the design world. At that time, there weren’t many design firms, especially Bahraini ones. It was a bit of a risky move.
Afaf: It’s like we were just starting our lives.
Hamad: Exactly. We realized we needed to test the market, to see what existed outside the university and the educational context. It would not have been the right move to open an architectural firm immediately after teaching. We would not have been familiar with the market, real estate growth, or the criteria required by any client.
Startup MGZN: When you were at the university, was your intention to eventually start a company?
Hamad: That had always been my intention, from day one. I would say that every designer’s intention is to create their own designs and contribute their own signature and landmarks to society. No matter what level you are in your life, you always have that dream. You just have to take the proper steps toward fulfilling it.
Going into the real estate division within the banking and investments sector, which was booming in 2005 and 2006, was a good move to help me understand what was happening in the real world, outside of academic scope I went in for the sake of experience; to see what creates a successful story, and what makes a failure. While I was working in the investments department, I was representing the client. I was dealing with designers, so I came to know the position a designer needs to be in for the client to be satisfied. When the tables were turned, I was able to understand the whole scenario.
By 2007, we were ready to start our business. We began with just the two of us, plus a secretary. Because we already understood strategies and market requirements, we went from a team of two designers and a secretary to a team of nine people in about six months. After a year, we were a team of twelve. over time, we reached a total of 35 employees: all designers, 3D renderers, graphic designers, architects, interior designers, site supervisors, and draftsmen. Unfortunately at, that time, the whole world plunged into a financial crisis.
Startup MGZN: How did you manage to overcome the hurdles that came with the financial crisis?
Hamad: We did it by maintaining strong connections with individual clients who brought us constant projects; clients we worked with on various projects throughout the years. We created very strong relationships with them, which we still have to-date. They saw a quality of design that they may not have seen from the other designers they’d worked with.
Afaf: Actually, those clients didn’t want to take the risk of trying different designers. At that time, from the client’s perspective, they wanted to have something that fits their criteria and budget. The financial crisis didn’t allow you to go spending money on something that wasn’t right. They narrowed their selection of designers, and we did the same with our clients.
Hamad: We did not limit our capabilities. Clients were happy, because we were like a one-stop shop for everything they could want in terms of design. Whether it was architecture, interior design, graphic design, marketing or PR, we provided a complete service. If a client has a new concept that has not seen the light yet, we visualize it from day one, brand it for them, design the architecture for the building, or design the interior of the the space, create their branding, and develop a proper marketing strategy,—then we launch it for them. We have a complete A-to-Z turnkey service for many of the clients we work with. This is what they like, because they don’t have to go to more than one firm to put it all together. It is unified—100% to the point and on-target.
We did not limit our clients to Bahrain only. Instead, we focused upon clients throughout the Middle East. We had a lot of connections, and we worked continuously with them.
Startup MGZN: How did you get outside of Bahrain?
Hamad: Exhibitions. We participated in a lot of exhibitions initially, either as exhibitors or as visitors. Suppliers in other territories that we regularly worked with opened some opportunities for us, whenever
they had a potential project that met our criteria. Plus Meeting a lot of people, through seminars and networking, opened a lot of doors.
We were also exhibiting at the Dubai Index, and this opened major opportunities for projects outside of Bahrain. We had some projects in Dubai and KSA at the same time, because of that event and because of the good recommendations from existing clients.
Afaf: The key factor is that we are consistent. We never compromise our work or quality. Even if we are facing difficulties which maybe limiting us in terms of staff, time, or size of project, we ensure that quality is never compromised. This may also mean that we may not be able to take all clients to ensure that all receive quality attention regardless of size or value of the project. We treat all our clients/projects equally.
Hamad: It is very much related to passion. No matter what the size of the project, the passion remains the same.
Startup MGZN: Let’s talk a little bit about the startup process. How did you fund the initial investment?
Hamad: We started with a small fund of about 100,000 BD. With that startup capital, we were able to get the computers we needed, rent our offices, and cover operating costs for a few months.
The first year was the big step, to see whether or not we could do it. We knew we had the capability, but was the market ready to accept us, as Bahraini designers? When we started, there were not many Bahraini firms. There were a lot of international firms, and they were dominating the region.
Afaf: We were creating our signature in the market. After all, we are a Bahraini group, and we are here, as well; it’s not just the international firms.
Hamad: Exactly. It was difficult for the market to appreciate or understand that Bahraini designers do have the capabilities of international designers. We have experience, and we’ve studied abroad. Our exposure to the world has supported us a lot especially that we do not just focus our attention only on our region. At the beginning, it was not easy to convince clients of our capabilities, but we managed with time and our track records of projects justified our capability.
Startup MGZN: What were the biggest failures and mistakes you encountered along the way? Did they actually contribute to learning new things?
Afaf: I wouldn’t say failures; maybe just growing too fast.
Hamad: We grew too fast in terms of numbers; but of course, no one expected the market to go through a crisis. We were simply going with the flow. As the waves got stronger, we had to get stronger, too; otherwise, we would’ve been stepped on. That led us to grow a lot faster than expected.
Startup MGZN: What is the biggest risk you’ve taken?
Hamad: Basically, it’s been about reducing overhead and staff. Despite the financial crisis, we still maintained our staff numbers for a time. We were positive that it was just a hiccup in the market, and that it would pass. We came to a point at which only the projects in our hands were continuing, but nothing new was coming in, because no one was willing to invest in any other projects. With such a big number of staff on board, we didn’t want to get to the point where we wouldn’t be able to pay them. That’s when we gave our team the choice to move on, which was one of the most difficult things in our career lives
Afaf: We gave them the choice to stay or go.
Hamad: Once they found another opportunity, they left. It was sad, because when designers work together and we share our inspiration, it turns into a family.
Afaf: Each one is affecting the other, to complete the circle. Other companies were okay with just laying people off. For us, the challenge was to maintain the same staff, and compromise in other areas.
Hamad: It’s kind of like going against the wave. To what extent could we continue and make sure we stayed the way we were? We have people who are still with us, luckily. They are the ones who realized there was hope in this company, and decided to stay. Others, when there was another opportunity, went back to their own country, because they could find another job there.
Afaf: The overall fear prevailing at the time caused people to run away from the financial crisis here. As a company, you are always thinking about how to adapt. It’s a daily challenge we have faced every day, over the course of our careers.
Hamad: The market and the world are changing on a daily basis. If you stick with what you believed six or seven years ago, you are going to end up stuck there. You have to see what’s happening. You have to be ahead of everything relating to the design and financial world. If one opportunity is not allowing you to participate, then the next one will. In the meantime, focus on something else to make sure you maintain your stability in the market. The key word here is compromising and balancing both quality and cost to ensure survival of the company.
Afaf: In our case, it’s not like we have a job we can just quit and go look for something else. This was and is our life, and this is something we need to protect and follow through towards success and stability.
Startup MGZN: Why does good design matter?
Hamad: Nowadays, all clients are very well-educated in design. They know what is good and what is bad. You can’t sell them just anything. You have to be smart, because each client is as smart as (or smarter than) the next. They come with major exposures; they have seen the world and dealt with many projects. You have to be convincing, and make sure yours is a good design. Plus you need to sometimes bring them down to reality as the cost of making their dreams come true is also not practical or maybe affordable. So our role is to close that gap of creating a design which meets their expectation, yet with costs limited to their budgets.
Afaf: I define good design as something that is not just beautiful. We design the space you live in; it should be functional and livable, because it’s something you’re working with every day. It’s not just something decorative to keep on the wall. We offer aesthetics and function, all at the same time. With something good, you will be comfortable; it reflects you in that space.
Hamad: Part of our design process is educating the client as we proceed with the design. We involve them in all stages, so when we get to the final result, the client is already completely satisfied and has fully digested the project. We take clients through a step-by-step process, and keep them involved with us. In this way, the client will come to the presentation loving, understanding, and appreciating the project, because it has created solutions to the obstacles they thought they would encounter in the space.
Afaf: When the project is finished, they feel happy because they have experienced the entire process. That makes a big difference. They can feel proud, because they have built the space with the designers. Actually, in the work we’re doing now, we’re referencing our academic years. Conveying information from one person to another represents the mature part of the process.
Hamad: We studied design from different perspectives related to theory, sociology, and psychology. This allows us to understand the client or individual in relation to the space. It allows us to understand how any person or object is–or wants to be–positioned in the space
Startup MGZN: Let’s talk a little bit about the fact that you are a couple managing a single business. How do you manage stress?
Hamad: For me, what relieves stress is seeing my kids running around and playing when I get home. We’ve also become used to the idea that work is work. In the early stages, we were working 24 hours a day. We would bring our work home with us throughout the week. As the kids started growing, we realized that we needed time after work for the kids. For me, this somehow came to be the more relaxing part. I still get a bit of work done, and I’ve got my e-mail constantly with me. There’s no way I wouldn’t check it every five minutes; but I’m not in an office environment, even though I’m working. That relieves stress. It has become our lifestyle.
Afaf: If a couple has different jobs, one is coming home stressed and the other doesn’t know what’s happening to that person, so there is a conflict. But here, because I understand the way he is experiencing stress, I know what he is going through.
Hamad: And vice-versa. We have each other’s backs, and we support each other.
Afaf: We know that our reactions toward one another are the same. If I am coming home late, he knows why. I’m late because of work; it’s a must, and it has to be that way. If we were not in the same field, it would be different.
Hamad: Yes, there would not be the right understanding. We each might question why the other is home late from work. What sort of work could be so important that it would keep you out until midnight? But we both know that reaching client deadlines is also a challenge which is a priority on our list.
Afaf: The understanding is where it should be.
Hamad: To make sure we continue to survive running this company together, this is what we have to do. You compromise by not taking a project; or I will handle the extra load so Afaf can spend more time with the kids. Sometimes, it’s the other way around. Afaf takes the project, I know she’s going to be busy for the next few months, so I’ll make sure I work closer to home, or from home, for the time. And That’s how we handle it.
Afaf: It’s the planning and organization in your work and life. That’s the easiest way to put it. Kids, family, our relationship—all of that is getting equal attention. If we plan ahead, everything goes smoothly. Anything less, and problems will arise.
Startup MGZN: How do you handle differences in opinion with regard to projects?
Hamad: I cannot be perfect in everything, and the same goes for Afaf. I handle certain projects fully, and certain projects she handles fully herself—but if we are working jointly on a particular concept, I take it from the angle and direction I’m very good at, and give the rest to her.
In this way, we balance each other and avoid conflict. We don’t allow ourselves to work on the same thing. For example, if I’m working on the layouts, she’ll be working on the facades. She might have an opinion in terms of adjustability; we study it, discuss it, and realize yes, it might be working better like that. However, on a personal level, as two designers, I swear we can never decide on the furniture we are going to buy for our house.
Afaf: That is so true—for our own house, we can never reach a decision!
[Laughter]Startup MGZN: This is the designers’ curse.
Hamad: Exactly.
Afaf: Yes. For our clients’ projects, we look at it from a different perspective, because we are providing a solution. It’s not about my opinions, or our opinion or about what I prefer. It’s about the best solution we can provide.
Hamad: Absolutely. Plus, we respect the opinions and ideas of our design team. For any design, we have a full brainstorming session. We put all of our concepts and ideas together. Respecting the ideas and opinions of other designers has created a respectable and enjoyable environment
Startup MGZN: How do you build a positive company culture?
Hamad: By considering everyone as equal. We stay late with our designers. If there is a deadline the next day and I see my graphic or 3D team working until one o’clock in the morning, I will sit with them and work until the job is done, and so will Afaf. It’s a journey we enjoy, and our team enjoys it, as well.
How long has Inoui Design been on the market?
Afaf: Since 2007.
Startup MGZN: Over the course of the past seven years, have you benefited from any of the public programs available for small businesses and entrepreneurs—Tamkeen or Bahrain Development Bank?
Hamad: Very little.
Startup Bahrain: Why?
Hamad: We did benefit a bit from Tamkeen through exhibitions,
but the process of getting the help requires a lot of effort and work. When you’re busy, it’s like, am I going to spend two days filling out forms, or am I going to finish two designs in that time?
Startup MGZN: Do you think the application process is actually more expensive than your time?
Hamad: Yes. It should have been a lot easier. Though the assistance is available, it’s harder than climbing a mountain to get it. I might as well just work hard, and maybe get a project instead.
Afaf: The intention to help small businesses grow is what we admire. We really appreciate this in the market. We are lucky to have this in our community; but still, it needs to be enhanced and developed in a way that makes it easier for businesses to use. The intention is there, but the application needs review.
Startup MGZN: If a startup, small business, or entrepreneur has an extra 1000 BD, what would be the best thing to do with that money right now?
Hamad: To create an aligned business. With part of that 1000, you would get your PC, network, domain, and company name. This all has to be done in-house by yourself, unless you hire smaller freelance graphic designers to do your website for a couple hundred. Then you try to get into other sorts of websites. Basically, you are working financially to turn that 1000 BD, over the course of a few months, into double and triple that amount, until you have enough capital to move forward.
Afaf: Start with something that requires the least possible cost outlay, so you are not spending that much; something virtual, that doesn’t need your money. Once you earn income, then you develop.
Hamad: Graphic and multimedia designers tend to create beautiful websites because they’ve got a gift for it. they try marketing themselves that way. They get small projects, and this is how they build themselves up. A lot of people have started this small, and have become huge.
Afaf: Social media is a big thing, as well. So many businesses out there, just open an Instagram account and start looking. Instagram today is the most effective social media to promote your business and it doesn’t cost to post your work for other to view.
Hamad: Exactly; you can open an Instagram account, take picture pictures of your work, and begin selling at zero budget.
Startup MGZN: So the Internet is the answer?
Hamad: Yes. That is your connection to the world. Whatever you provide through that page will create trust and let people know how strongly you’ve built yourself up.
Afaf: Once you become real, cost will come with it. When you’re virtual, it’s all there.
Startup MGZN: If something really amazing were to happen to you, your career, or your business tomorrow, what would change absolutely everything?
Hamad: For me, getting a good-quality project in Europe. That would mean we reached global exposure. If we were able to reach that market, word would automatically spread widely that we have reached and developed to a totally different level.
Startup MGZN: Do you have any advice for young entrepreneurs?
Hamad: Be passionate about your work and patient, and never, never give up.
Startup MGZN: If being passionate and never giving up is hard, what is the easier alternative?
Afaf: Entrepreneurs are, by nature, very passionate. Instead of taking it step by step, they jump, which is extremely risky. Be passionate, but control your passion. Pursue advanced study, but don’t take too long; otherwise, the train will go while you’re still just studying. Take baby steps until you reach your goal. Don’t give up because of all the obstacles. You will trip and take a step back—but keep going, step by step and don’t jump. Otherwise, you won’t know what’s in front of you, and when you fall you might not get up. If you are careful, you will find your way. Also obstacles makes it more challenging and a learning experience. So view obstacles with an open mind and not the end of the world.
Startup MGZN: Which of your designs are you most proud of?
Hamad: For me, I would say the Maya La Chocolaterie brand and franchise, because I completed about 80% of the design, and Afaf adds her beautiful touches at the end. I’m very proud, because every time we bring in a new element, we make it as flexible as possible to the space. That is one of the projects I’m quite happy with, in terms of achieving.
Afaf: I’m proud of the King Hamad University Hospital, seeing our design go from theory to reality was a true design signature.
Startup MGZN: So the whole hospital was designed by you guys?
Hamad: The complete aesthetic part of the interior.
Afaf: It was just a shell, with the same mentality of a regular hospital: very cold, very typical.
Hamad: Afaf worked on 90% of this project by herself. She gave it her passion, and she almost lived in the hospital environment that whole time.
Afaf: I had to change the mentality of the hospital, and thank God, the group we were working with were open-minded, and gave us the space to be creative.
Startup MGZN: I have to say that I went there once, and it doesn’t feel at all like a hospital.
Hamad: It is spacious, and very lively. That was the idea. Basically, the colors and elements added—
Afaf: They take your attention away from your illness.
Hamad: The environment relaxes you and causes you to look at it again, to the point of taking the gloominess away.
Startup MGZN: It takes away the negative energy.
Hamad: Exactly. It cheers you up. Imagine that you go to visit a patient, you find yourself in a much better mood, and that positive energy reflects on the patient. The same thing can happen if you are patient yourself.
Afaf: On the hospital’s account on Instagram, patients are actually giving good reviews about this place. I was really amazed by one patient who said, “I was actually 80% healed before I even got to the doctor.” Really, it was amazing.
Afaf: We achieved the target.
Hamad: When we hear positive reviews about our work, we find real satisfaction. Winning an award automatically gives us the assurance that we have done a good job. We did something right, the results were very obvious, and everybody is happy with it—and also with Maya. People love and appreciate it. This makes us even more passionate about our work, making us able to take on even higher challenges.
Afaf: We’ve also met our challenge that Bahrainis can achieve a higher standard, even to the level of European designers. We were competitors for the hospital, competing with Europeans and international firms. They had done huge projects, as well, but they thankfully considered us, and gave credit to Bahrain. Appreciation goes to the management who believe in Bahraini skills and talent.
Hamad: That is one of the main perceptions we’ve always had, which is to make a change in the design community—for them to trust Bahraini designers, and know that you don’t always have to pay an arm and a leg to get a designer from the other side of the world to give you a good design. Trust us; we can do the same, if not better. At least we are close by, and we have a better understanding of our culture, and society. We haven’t achieved this target yet, but when there is a will, there is a way.
Startup MGZN: Thank you. Your honesty is very inspiring.
Hamad: Thank you.
Afaf: Thank you. We don’t want to just work alone. As Bahrainis, we know that there are other talents in our country, as well. We always try to capitalize on these talents, and make them stronger in our designs. Each of us can help the other… to complete each other.
Hamad: This is a small country, and it’s filled with amazing people, talented beyond imagination. On a daily basis, you’ll find the youngest people with the most beautiful talent. We respect and appreciate that. We try to create opportunities to work and collaborate with them, because this creates a win-win situation for both of us. They benefit from the opportunity, and we benefit from their amazing art as part of our project, because it adds value.
Startup MGZN: Since we are all living with each other, we might as well help each other.
Afaf: Absolutely. It’s a small community, but with massive opportunities.
Startup MGZN: Excellent, thank you Hamad and Afaf for giving us the opportunity to talk to you and inspire our readers. We wish you the best!