Interior designing is a space dominated equally by men and women, but there's no shaking down the extra creativity women bring to the table. From extending their finesse and artistic skills to creating brands loved by people worldwide, women interior designers are carving a niche for themselves. Payal Kapoor, founder of VISIONS by Payal Kapoor, aims to create a unique interior experience for each customer. VISIONS, a brand that Payal build on her own, focuses on designing a space with a unique mixture of modernism and traditional flavour. Her sterling design portfolio includes luxury hotels, palaces, Chairman Offices, trains, aircraft simulators, and ships.

With more than 30 years of experience in the interior design industry, Payal Kapoor portrays her creativity, innovation, and imagination in each of her designs. Women Entrepreneur Magazine recently engaged in an exclusive interaction with Payal Kapoor, let’s hear from her.

What was your entrepreneurship journey like? What were some of the challenges you faced in the early years of entrepreneurship?

After working with one of the leading design firms in New Delhi, I gained valuable experience and nuances of design. I joined another firm that exposed me to sitecivil interiors and furniture making. Together putting in about three years in both firms, I decided to venture out on my own and launched 'VISIONS' in 1990. It was hardhitting in the beginning since I neither had connections nor ideas on acquiring projects as I did not have a background in business. The design industry posed plenty of challenges since I didn't have a godfather or a godmother in design. There were apprehensions about entering a male-dominated profession, dealing with labor, and traveling long distances for work. Sometimes, clients were extremely unprofessional and didn't make payments on time; others would get the work completed but wouldn't pay despite a formal contract. These were extremely disheartening for me in my twenties. However, I learned from each bad experience and educated myself to gauge the human mindset and reactions, learning to understand various personalities. It also taught me the necessary interpersonal skills and the art of dealing with difficult clientele and circumstances.

What was your moment of epiphany that set you on this path of what you do today? What would you consider as the noteworthy accomplishments of your career?

Throughout my career, I never wanted to be typecast as doing only a particular work. I always wanted to experiment and take up challenging projects, and after successfully conquering all hurdles, those were ‘aha!’ moments for me, as I also got much-deserved recognition. In 1991, I bagged my first independent hotel consultancy project, The Imperial Hotel, Janpath, New Delhi, which was my first milestone. After which, The GD Goenka School, Vasant Kunj, the USI building for the President of India, The Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur, and The Palace on Wheels were the absolute highlights until today.

What is your definition of success? What fuels you to do what you do every day?

Success is subjective. To me, it means having a name, fame, recognition, and added appreciation for the work done. To have made it in the industry without anyone to endorse me has been my mark of success. Though the monetary aspect plays an important role, hard work and honesty are something to be treasured.

I am the type of person who needs constant excitement and challenges in my work to keep me motivated, and anything stereotypical and conventional brings boredom. I take pleasure in working on fastpaced turnkey projects. Despite all the shortcomings in the industry, I am highly passionate about what I do. Sometimes, I could be more enthusiastic about some things, but I work on it by discovering small ways to keep the level of excitement high. Despite the challenges, the show must go on!

What advice would you give to professional women?

Working women must be respected as they embody the art of balancing work, home, their lives, and everything. I believe that time management is essential to be organized, and delegation and outsourcing must be done wherever possible. More importantly, love and trust yourself and set aside time for self-care and enjoyment with friends. Learn to laugh and to let go, as some situations are beyond your control, and you cannot please everyone. Furthermore, never compromise your self-respect and dignity because you are worth much more than you think.

Payal Kapoor, Founder, VISIONS by Payal Kapoor

Payal Kapoor comes from a services background and studied interior design at the Polytechnic College for Women after her higher education. She has also completed a hospitality, hotel, and commercial design course. Payal has worked with one of the leading design firms in Delhi, where she gained valuable experience and various design nuances. She also serves as visiting faculty at several architectural design institutions.