3 Mums & Daughters Tell Us About Their Working Relationship
Creative Director & Founder Georgina Cave & Head Of Design, Anouska Cave, Cave Interiors
Based in London’s Primrose Hill, interior design studio Cave Interiors specialises in high-end residential projects across the UK, Ireland and overseas. It’s led by creative director and founder Georgina Cave and her daughter Anouska.
How did working together at Cave Interiors come about?
Georgina: Following completion of her fine art degree, Anouska had been working as an artist's assistant and set design assistant, followed by an internship for the decoration team at House & Garden magazine. When her internship ended, she did some freelance styling while working part time in the studio with me and the team. She soon realised how much she enjoyed the furniture, fixtures and equipment side, so we naturally progressed to working together full time.
What are each of your roles?
Georgina: I am the creative director, so I oversee every stage of each project both in the studio and on site, while Anouska is head of design and leads the schemes more generally. She is responsible for sourcing all the fixtures and fittings, furniture and soft furnishings, whether modern or antique, as well as the art and accessories on some projects.
How do you balance your personal mother-daughter relationship with your professional roles?
Anouska: We seem to naturally switch from work to personal mode without issue, with a silent understanding that we both need our down time. We still enjoy shopping or lunches out together as mother and daughter but equally love going to antiques fairs at the weekend, whether simply for fun or for work purposes.
What have you learned about each other through business?
Georgina: I realise how hard working and dedicated Anouska is, but also what a natural flair she has for interiors. It’s something she never imagined herself doing but now loves.
Anouska: I can see what a grounded and calm businesswoman she is – something I've realised is crucial when running a creative business.
Have there been any major disagreements or challenges?
Anouska: No major challenges thankfully, but there is a silent understanding when the other needs to let the other lead.
How do your individual strengths complement each other?
Georgina: We have always had the same taste in fashion and interiors, but Anouska’s talent for art has brought a new arm to the business. My passion is for space planning and, while I absolutely love the antique and vintage sourcing, I happily leave that to Anouska, dipping in only occasionally, as she has such a keen eye – plus, we are so in tune in terms of style.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of working together?
Georgina: I love watching her present to clients and taking the lead but most of all knowing that when the time comes for me to slow down, Anouska will not only be able to carry on what I started but take it to greater heights.
Are there any lessons from your family life that have helped shape the way you work together?
Anouska: Always treat people respectfully and equally, not only because everyone deserves respect but from a business point of view it promotes a willingness to work hard.
Finally, what advice would you give other families who are thinking of going into business together?
Georgina: Make sure you are compatible, have the same vision and can talk freely to one another.
Visit CaveInteriors.com
KRISTIN PERERS
Co-Founders Roxy & Margo Marrone, eyeam world
Leveraging Roxy’s expertise as an integrative nutritional health and manifesting coach and Margo’s industry knowledge as founder of The Organic Pharmacy, the two are redefining self-care by blending tradition with innovation.
Start by telling us how eyeam came to be…
Roxy: It all began when I suddenly developed severe cystic acne at 24, after having perfect skin my entire life. My face became covered with angry, red breakouts and none of the usual products seemed to help. What was interesting was that it wasn’t just physical – I experienced emotional and mental symptoms too. This experience highlighted the need for a holistic approach that addressed not only the skin but also mental and emotional wellbeing. And that’s how eyeam world came to life – through my own healing journey.
Margo, how has your experience in the industry fed into eyeam's direction?
Margo: My expertise comes from both internal and external formulations – supplementation, topical treatments and my clinical experience as a pharmacist in treating a wide range of skin conditions, particularly acne. This background has enabled me to create effective formulations using both new and old ingredients, while recognising that treating skin conditions requires an all-encompassing approach. Lifestyle changes, including diet and emotional wellbeing, go hand in hand with supplements and topical treatments.
Explain to our readers how the business works and each of your roles within it?
Roxy: As a nutrition and manifesting practitioner, I’m always attuned to the thoughts and needs of the eyeam community and have a very strong understanding of what our customers want. I also oversee the brand’s creative direction, including marketing, branding, visuals and communication.
Margo: I handle the operational side, overseeing manufacturing, finances and general support.
How do you balance your personal mother-daughter relationship with your professional roles?
Margo: We really respect one another and value each other’s opinions, which makes navigating our working relationship easy. We give each other plenty of space and don’t micromanage, allowing for a good element of freedom and trust. As family, we can be brutally honest with each other without worrying too much about hurting the other’s feelings. We know that we will love each other no matter what and never take anything personally. This means we can always make the best decisions for both the business and ourselves.
What have you learned about each other through business that you might not have known otherwise?
Margo: I've learned how hardworking and talented Roxy is. She accomplishes so much with focus, determination and passion – I love that.
Roxy: She is the smartest person I know. In any crisis or situation, she always has the answer. And if something goes wrong, she never shames or blames but focuses instead on finding a solution.
Have there been any major disagreements or challenges and how have you navigated them?
Roxy: Nothing major but challenges are always there.
Margo: Just the other day, I ordered some stickers and accidentally got them in giant size. Roxy and I had a little laugh as she comforted me over my stupid mistake.
How do your individual strengths complement each other?
Roxy: I’m very structured and organised…
Margo: …while I embrace a more go with the flow approach – it’s the perfect combination for us to thrive.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of this partnership?
Roxy: Spending every day together doing something we love has given us a deeper understanding of each other and our vulnerabilities.
Margo: I guess Roxy and I are very lucky because we share similar interests and belief systems. It wasn’t always like that but now we share many of the same joys, which makes living and working together not just easy, but fun too. There’s that deep understanding that helps flow through everything.
Finally, what advice would you give to other families thinking of going into business together?
Margo: Always respect, always love, always strive to help others and always have fun doing it. This mindset will get you through the challenging times. Our core belief in everything we do is how can we help people, and it's amazing that it happens to be both of our missions.
Visit EyeAmWorld.com
Founder Issy Falkner & Owner & CEO Emily Campbell, If Only If
In 2011, Issy Falkner founded the nightwear brand If Only If. In 2020, amid the onset of the pandemic, she handed over the reins to her daughter, Emily, who remains the owner and CEO today.
What inspired If Only If and how did the idea initially come to life?
Issy: I wanted to be financially independent and to start something I could run from home; I had three children at three different schools and a husband who worked abroad. It had to be easy to import, store, pack and post. But the actual idea came to me after I had had a nightie made on holiday in India and friends kept telling me how much they loved it. At the time, I couldn’t find anything which didn’t make me sweat – even though they were labelled as 100% cotton. I tracked down our wonderful factory and sent out samples of designs run up on my sewing machine and asked them to send prototypes in the softest muslin cotton. I’d then hack them to bits and restitch them until they were exactly as I wanted them, then put in an order for 100 and waited to see how they sold. It was hard graft driving around fairs all over the country but, by year six, I knew I really had something special; the feedback was great.
Talk to us about handing over the business from mother to daughter?
Issy: Once I had convinced my daughter that she was more than capable of taking over, the hard bit started. With a move from London to Bermuda, two small children and another on the way, she really did have her hands full. Looking back the timing wasn’t great! I was very aware of the stress she was being put under so I lay low and just made it clear I was there at any time should she have questions or just need support. What I didn’t expect was the speed at which she moved the company forward.
Emily Campbell: Covid really helped as we all moved to our childhood home, so we weren’t rushed for time. It was also important for me to ‘buy’ the business off mum to reflect the huge work she had done and, while she gave me very favourable terms, she also remains a shareholder in the business. The ‘passing of the baton’ enabled me to view the choices I made as exactly that – my choices. There’s no doubt that the financial element of a family business handover can be delicate to steer, whereas a corporate distance can be easier. But we found it so helpful to seek external advice to make sure that each person got the right value for what they had. Having mum’s trust in me has given me the confidence I didn’t know I had. I think both mum and I would agree that keeping a very open and clear dialogue on all matters is important and that ultimately our personal relationship comes above all else.
How do you balance that personal relationship alongside the business?
Issy: At the beginning, Emily strode off with huge determination and independence which I respected. However, there were times when I longed to hear what she was up to but realised she was doing things her way and, if she needed any input, she would ask.
Emily: I was terrible at this at the start as I lived and breathed the business and wanted to share my excitement with her, when she just wanted to hear about my daughter’s ballet recital. I think making sure that the mother/daughter element is retained, and that the business doesn't overshadow that, is important.
What have you learned about each other through business that you might not have known otherwise?
Issy: Emily’s enormous work ethic is much stronger than mine. I always knew she was special, but she truly has blown my socks off.
Emily: Her tenacity – setting up a business from scratch, just because you can’t find the thing you want, shows extraordinary determination.
Have there been any major disagreements or challenges in this sense and how have you navigated them?
Emily: There is no denying that we weathered some tough times together in the early days but that should be expected when feelings are involved. However, we’ve really learnt to manage this by keeping contracts clear and seeking advice outside of the family dinner table – as we all know, red wine and family disputes are not uncommon!
What has been the most rewarding aspect of running the business?
Emily: Because mum and I both believe in the product so much and see how passionate our customers are about them too, the biggest joy has been seeing our customer base grow internationally.
Are there any lessons from your family life that have helped shape the way you run the business?
Emily: The importance of hard work – I worked in shops to make my own cash from the day I left school and had a job throughout university until I graduated. Independence has always been drummed into me by my parents and I am very grateful for that.
Finally, what advice would you give to other families who are thinking of going into business together?
Emily: Do it – navigate the tough times carefully, learn from mistakes, but support each other and the rewards will feel all the more wonderful.
Visit IfOnlyIf.co.uk
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