Meet Avissa Mojtahedi | Owner and Principal @ Avissa Design Inc.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Avissa Mojtahedi and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Avissa, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Growing up, I was always inspired by my parents who were entrepreneurs and ran our family business together. I started working at a boutique design firm while in high school and ended up staying there for 10 years. I knew I had to complete my architecture degree and gain as much experience and knowledge before taking a leap and doing my own thing. I learned a lot while at the firm. Our small team of 3 was managing and excelling at various large scale and intricate projects, and I knew that I would have this for myself one day as well. I left the firm at 26, spent a short amount of time at an architecture firm and realized that I needed to be my own boss. I started my own design practice and never looked back. It was the most natural thing for me to do, especially since I had been planning it all along as a 16-year-old, brand new to the design and architecture space.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

Since I can remember I’ve been painting, doodling, and drawing flowers all over my school notebooks. I LOVED completing book report assignments since there was an art component to the assignment.. To this day I have tons of canvases, ranging in all sizes that I have completed over the years. Being able to flex some creative muscle every single day truly makes me the most happy and allows me to get to know my true self through my art. My day-to-day consists of adding colour or texture to various projects to truly visualise a space coming together.

Growing up, my parents were my true inspiration. They ran the family business together, a design company. Design and architecture, as well as running a business, were ingrained in me through my mum’s background in design, and my father’s background in business. I absolutely knew I would end up in design and would have my own practice. I was playing around with different names for the firm, but I felt that since my name is unique, it would already stand out, and since the business is truly a labour of love, I figured it would be best to use my first name as the brand. The full business plan has always been to have a custom build component to it which I was able to launch shortly after starting. An e-commerce component has always been the next step, which thankfully is in the works and launching soon! I am really proud of where I’ve landed after years of working really hard to achieve my goals. The grand finale for the business plan is to one day go into development so let’s see what’s in store next!

It has been an interesting ride, difficult at times, but I’ve always had this one goal which has helped me stay on track. I’m a HUGE fan of taking risks. Some are more calculated, and some are really about throwing my hands up and saying YOLO (ridiculous yes, but necessary), and then just going for it! They are scary at times for sure, but very important. I truly believe that you will never know until you try. The absolute worst-case scenario is that you will land exactly where you are, but there is of course the opportunity to experience the change you’re looking for!

I’ve had many cool work opportunities including working on / off camera with various HGTV hosts and teams. I’d say being on air in front of the camera as a design expert on Cityline as well as on the Holmes Family Rescue show, have been experiences that I’m very proud of, and I’m looking forward to more opportunities in the future!

There are a few factors that have led to my success personally and professionally. I was very lucky to grow up with supportive parents who always encouraged me to try and to never give up. My mum always said and still says, “You’re the master of the universe”, which always makes me roll my eyes and laugh, but truthfully it has made me feel fearless which I guess is great!

With respect to work, the design of a home is very personal. Each client is different; they not only come with their own unique story, but with their unique lifestyle, items they cherish that they’d like to incorporate in their space, and their unique vision. My very first rule is to establish a friendship with the client and to fully understand their needs, and then I can begin the design process.

I feel my brand is successful in that our team is able to understand and create what the client is looking for as a space for THEIR family, not someone else’s. Each project we have worked on is vibrant and captures the client’s style. My style is surely infused there, but the key is customising the space for the people who will be living there and making sure it satisfies what they want to see and experience daily. No space looks the same which is really important to me.

Pre + Post covid, the most important lesson I’ve learned is to try and be kind to everyone I work with, and to be mindful of the fact that everyone is going through something. I feel that as a designer, I naturally become friends with the client, know about their lives and family, and more often than not, lend both ears to hear them out. It is not just a job; it becomes a relationship of sorts. Our business has many overlapping trades, layers, and logistical challenges. Everything and everyone involved behind the scenes involves tons of communication and people are allowed to be human and make small mistakes. Some mistakes are definitely preventable, but at the end of the day, most times there is a fix. I have learned to be patient and listen to my clients’ needs, to take a deep breath before reacting, and to be quick in finding solutions to challenges.

Work / life balance is also extremely important. Early in my career my life was my work. Truly. I was working long hours, managing over 40 projects with my boss, preparing drawings, visiting sites, and trying to have a cool social life. From ages 16-26, I was working part time during university, and then when it became full time, it became my life. I LOVED it and although at times I felt burnt out, I wouldn’t have done anything differently because it taught me so many valuable lessons. I was driven and eager to learn everything and to work hard to make sure my boss and clients knew I respected them and valued them just as much as I valued the work we were doing. Fast forward to today, and I can say this with confidence, I don’t think I would last with that schedule/ stress for over a week. Work/ life balance is quite important at this stage, and I’ve learned to be less controlling over every aspect of the work, and to have a good team I can trust with various different roles.  Making sure I have a life outside of work and am able to travel is very important for me. Taking care of myself first is really important so I can be there to help take care of clients and everything that comes up in the day to day.

Inspiration in our lives and careers are everything. In life, I am inspired by my family. My parents immigrated from Iran, were educated in Canada and worked tirelessly to create a successful business and beautiful life for us 3 girls. My father was one of my best friends. He was diagnosed with frontal lobe dementia at the age of 65 and was sick for 8 years. As a family unit, including my father, we helped each other navigate through this unknown territory of pain, sadness, and fear, and our one goal was to take care of dad and each other. There is a ton of trauma and grief that comes with this, and we could have all been in far worse shape, but I think seeing my dad’s strength to the very last day and knowing just how hard he had worked and lived for us, was the most inspiring. I know to value everything and every day, and to always reach for the stars no matter how far they seem.

An inspiration for my work is definitely all the beauty I’ve had the luxury of seeing during my worldly travels. From old temples in Bali, churches, and buildings in Europe, to ocean sides and cliffs in LA, to golf courses in Nova Scotia, and the beautiful mountains in Iran. Buildings and nature have a huge influence on how I see spaces coming together with the various layers of scale, texture, and colour. Fashion is also really important as an added inspiration for accessorising and adding delicate details.

Every city in the world has its own flair when it comes to design from furniture to fashion. I’ve been lucky to see some pretty amazing spaces and environments which I tap into for each new project that comes up.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Santa Monica is my go to spot while in LA. I have clients in Dana Point and Brentwood which are really great but I somehow keep getting pulled to a few local spots in SM! I’d say the best day would be a hike through the Solstice Canyon Loop, brunch at The Butcher’s Daughter (also to take in the beautiful interior!), then we’d get ready for the evening and head out to The Penthouse for a drink, stroll over to Elephante for dinner (and drinks), and then a quick pop over to The Bungalow! I love visiting art galleries and the markets for inspiration and collecting cool and unique pieces for my projects. The Mart Collective is a great spot for hidden treasures, and Venice Vintage Paradise is a great spot too for mid-century furniture.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to my friends and family who have stuck by my side over the years of long hours and stressful moments. They have always encouraged me to keep going. A special thanks to the producer at the time of the Property Brothers series in Toronto who gave me my first opportunity to work as their Art Director, who then later became a friend and encouraged me to join Cityline in Toronto as a guest design expert. I am also dedicating this to all the girls and women who have a fire inside of them and are determined to achieve their goals. I will say don’t give up, believe in yourself and even when it becomes very difficult and frustrating, embrace those moments, and know that once you get to where you want to be, the success will feel that much more rewarding. Also, a last dedication to my dad who was my forever cheerleader.

Website: www.avissadesign.com

Instagram: @avissadesign

Facebook: Avissa Design Inc.

Image Credits
Ryan Emberly
Steve Dolson
Natalie Hayes