NOTA Design International Private Limited was born as a result of passion. Previously, its managing director Ong Sheng Keat and its executive director Danny Goh, together with a third partner, were running another company. A conflict of interest, however, resulted in a split and ultimately, the creation of Nota.
'Our third partner, an interior renovator, was more profit-oriented, while we, as designers were more focused on design,' explained Mr Ong earnestly. Hence, the duo started Nota armed with a whole new philosophy and the lessons they'd learnt over the years.
Nota - derived from the words 'notion' and 'vague' - was inspired by the company's credo to always read between the lines and to maintain high standards of creativity and innovation.
Set up at the end of 2003, Nota had jobs commissioned by family and friends before it was even fully up and running, which helped to fund the renovations for their office.
Mr Ong and Mr Goh studied at the Curtin University of Technology in Perth, which provided a platform for them to make valuable contacts. It was 'a springboard for us to start sourcing for talented designers...across the region,' Mr Ong said. Their stint in Perth also proved to be a learning and eye-opening experience as Australia has, in their words, a very unique brand of design.
Their first collaboration began with a firm in Malaysia before they started to look towards other countries such as Thailand, Brunei and China. Nota has recently acquired another partner in Hong Kong, bringing their total number of partners in the region to seven.
Nota is also currently pitching for jobs in India and the Middle East. Their myriad of contacts across the region comes in handy here as it allows them to combine manpower and talent. Markets like Doha and Dubai tend to prefer classical design, explained Mr Ong, which their Brunei partner is skilled at, he added.
As their ventures into product and furniture design are still in the initial stages, interior design accounts for a large component of their business. Their strength, according to Mr Ong, lies in the fact that they are a design company with an architectural edge. 'We've the capabilities to do as opposed to a normal interior design firm. We have everything under one roof with different experts dealing with different areas.'
Nota, which is currently located along East Coast Road, is looking to shift within the next two months to their own premises in Joo Chiat. This will give the company the means to venture into new areas, such as product and furniture design, as well as the setting up of an art gallery. The gallery, to be run by two of Nota's shareholders, will be dealing in paintings and sculptures from artists in the region. 'We already have a few very talented artists in our stable,' Mr Ong said.
But the pathway to success hasn't exactly been a bed of roses. Initially, the company faced the challenge of convincing their clients to engage their services as the company had just been established and did not have an extensive track record. They also started out with limited funding, which meant that they were tasked with doing everything themselves, such as 'meeting clients, preparing quotations, designing, presentation, material selections,' Mr Ong said.
The hard work and late nights, however, did not prove to be a deterrent, as both Mr Ong and Mr Goh had chosen the industry because of their love for design.
As the company grew increasingly established, a new set of obstacles surfaced. The competitive industry is one such hurdle, full of both worthy competitors such as 'design-oriented firms with qualified designers and architects' and renovation companies who resort to gimmicks to lure customers and use 'salesmen posing as designers'.
'We try to avoid being in the price war situation as it is totally unfair to the clients and the designers. Moreover, we have invested heavily in human resources to ensure there is no compromise in our quality control.'
Mr Ong and Mr Goh are keen to groom their staff to take on new responsibilities and challenges in order to make sure they are properly equipped with the skills necessary to propel Nota forward.
To maintain their edge in this competitive industry, Nota is looking to solidify their branding and strengthen their company image in order to attract their target market: customers who really appreciate quality design. The revamp of their website, they are hoping, will also make it more user-friendly and garner more attention from potential clients.
The turnover last year for their Singapore office was slightly over $1 million. According to Mr Ong, turnover can be fairly volatile, as a bad debt or delayed payment can make a substantial difference. But the current property boom has been quite a blessing.
'We are busier due to the sudden surge,' admitted Mr Ong with a laugh. This year Nota is projecting a $3-5 million turnover.
