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Career by design

Last Updated: Tuesday, 11 December 2007

In 2001, a 24-year-old Swedish entrepreneur, Kristina Karlsson, started the retail business kikki.K with $3000. Now, at 34, she has revenue of more than $20 million, 22 stores and offers from large competitors who are prepared to buy her business for $40 million. But she isn’t selling.

Kristina talks to Amanda Gome, and is happy to answer your questions. Email feedback@smartcompany.com.au. Readers questions are at the end of this article.

Amanda Gome: How did you get the idea?

Kristina Karlsson: I always wanted my own business and so I decided that I should start with a home office. But when I went out to buy things for the home office I realized everything was price driven and poor quality. People basically stole things from their offices for their home office. 

I saw there was a niche to set up products to supply to home offices. I asked people if they would they buy a box for $20. They all said yes. Then I thought, that’s not enough. They might just say that. So I organised 350 people into 40 focus groups and took the boxes along. I had a tiny car and the last box was always sitting on my lap.

I asked them what they thought. When they bought it, it gave me the confidence to ring up retailers and make an appointment to see them.

We built the business by adding products (we now have 2700 products) adding things like notebooks, greeting cards and pens and wrapping paper. We also opened stores in fashion precincts, as our objects have become fashion accessories: you now have matching shoes, a bag and a notebook.

We learnt to follow fashion colours. If orange is hot one year, you don’t use it the next. Some products sell slower than others, but we have never had a disaster.

How did you decide on your design and brand?

I always knew since day one what my design philosophy is. It’s Swedish: very simple with natural materials. All our designers are Scandanavian. If I needed a designer there would be lots in Australia, but we have Scandanavian designers who want to work for us and they don’t leave as they have the perfect job.

I knew the name was really important but had already decided to call it kikki.K because I liked the look graphically. At the start I had to spell it about 15 times, but I thought well people will remember it. I like it graphically and now when I ring, people say they know it.

I did the logo after three bottles of red wine one night with a designer who was a friend. I drew it on a serviette and he said why don’t we put it on the computer. It has never been changed since.