Meet Johanna Vente & Fiona Burr | Co-Founders of Saffron + Poe

We had the good fortune of connecting with Johanna Vente & Fiona Burr and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Johanna Vente & Fiona Burr, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
We co-founded Saffron + Poe back in 2016, an artisan home goods shop and boutique interior design studio in Mill Valley, California with a mission to uplift maker communities around the world. Everything in our collections is ethically and sustainably made by hand using traditional techniques, which means every item is uniquely its own. From how it’s crafted to the people whose hands made it and the soul of the culture it was born to, each piece has a story and directly supports the people and communities behind it.⁠

We first met while working together at a high-end residential Interior Design firm in San Francisco. While working a 9-5 there for a number of years, we realized we wanted to create a career for ourselves that was more fulfilling, and incorporated traveling the world, pursuing our passion for design, and most of all finding some small way to make a difference in the world. After some soul searching, we found ourselves quitting our jobs and buying a one-way ticket to Bali to begin seeking out beautiful handcrafted pieces and the amazing artisans behind them!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
What sets us apart from other home goods brands is that we are also Interior Designers, which gives us insight into home furnishings trends and gaps in the market. Many of the furniture pieces in our collection were designed by us because we wanted to use them in our own design projects.

We have faced so many challenges as does any entrepreneur or small company, but we got to where we are today by not ever accepting defeat and constantly striving to improve. The main thing that gets us through it is having a solid partnership; we would not be where we are today without each other to uplift and support one another!

One of the biggest lessons that we’ve learned throughout the years is the importance of work-life balance, and being able to set boundaries. This can be one of the most challenging aspects of owning a small business, but we’ve realized how important it is to unplug in order to continue to find inspiration and creativity.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Our shoutout goes to all our amazing makers and artisan partners around the world, who are the reason and soul behind our business! We wouldn’t be where we are today without them and their incredible craftsmanship. We also owe a lot of gratitude to our wonderful shipping partner Tutik, who we met on our pilot sourcing trip to Bali and has everything logistically possible and easy for the past 8 years!

Website: www.saffronandpoe.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saffronandpoe/

Other: https://www.pinterest.com/saffronandpoe/

Image Credits
Image Credit for all photos: Margaret Austin Photography