Great Companies: How did you get your idea or concept for the business?
Megha Agarwal : My family owned a construction business in Pune when the city had just started seeing a boom in residential and commercial spaces. I used to accompany my father to his sites out of curiosity to understand how the business worked. I guess I always had a business mindset. This fueled my interest and intrigue in the design space and I took up a Diploma course in Interior Designing. I can confidently say this was
the time when the foundation of my own business was laid and Megha Interiors (now known as MVA Interiors) was born.
Great Companies: What are the various services provided by MVA INTERIORS?
Megha Agarwal : MVA Interiors is a full-scale design consulting company specializing in residential, commercial and office spaces. As a boutique design firm, we undertake turnkey projects for large establishments and residential spaces across Pune, Mumbai, and Goa.
Our key specialty lies in creating unique design spaces that fit the client’s budget and space. Our team members come with a varied background in design tech, landscaping, and layout planning along with our internal team of ground specialists viz carpenters, site managers, and suppliers.
Great Companies: What makes MVA INTERIORS different from hundreds of other similar service providers?
Megha Agarwal : As I mentioned, MVA Interiors is a full-scale design consulting firm. As a design service provider, what sets up apart is ‘restoration of old structured materials and spaces.’ The most important factor in our designs is space planning and easy circulation and ventilation making a space absolutely functional for several years.
I have been running MVA Interiors for almost 18 years YTD and for me design is all about innovation and functionality. We do not like to waste any material and use 98% of all sourced material in our construction resulting in near zero wastage and saving client’s money.
It is about the client’s expectations and their visualization of a space they would love to live in every day of their life. That is the beauty about MVA Interiors – we do not impose any of our designs but provide solutions to make their dream a reality. Whether it is hand-painting walls or creating sculptures to match their corners, we have the resources and team to fulfil those aspirations. That is what sets my firm MVA Interiors apart from the others in the space.
I value my clients’ time and money thus will only give budgets that they will be most comfortable with. After all, like our tag line says – Creating Nurturing Spaces; we do just that.
Great Companies: What were the struggles and challenges you faced and how did you overcome them?
Megha Agarwal : Well, the first and foremost challenge is (and was) – it’s a male-dominated industry. We may want to look the other way and say that there are a lot of women in this industry, but the percentage is not more than 30%.
It took a lot of conviction and convincing specially in dealing with commercial properties because the laborers are male, the site managers are male, and even the clients are mostly men. Everyone wants to teach you and tell you what to do, completely discounting the fact that I come from this background and with the experience. That’s been an uphill battle for me.
I learnt the art of being firm really early on in my career. Firm with my thoughts, design concepts, space planning, and everything that goes into bringing a space to life. Today, I know I still face a pushback with mindsets but that is something I have learnt to navigate and I do not bend backwards to accommodate something that is going against my core principles and design concepts.
Yes, it is a tough space to be in, whether people like it or not.
Great Companies: How do you plan to grow in the future? What does 5 years down the line look like for MVA INTERIORS?
Megha Agarwal : We have expanded our reach PAN India and the next in line is to start connecting with international clients and bigger design companies to expand our reach. We are also aggressively working on restoration and renovation of heritage and antique properties and furniture to help us build a bigger niche in this overly crowded segment.
Great Companies: If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be?
Megha Agarwal : My first piece of advice to all aspiring interior designers and design students will be to get as many internships in your initial years. I had the pleasure of being mentored by one of the best minds in the industry in Mumbai that helped me shape my mind and infuse a lot of confidence.
Work in a reasonable price range to get as many projects under your belt and never ever compromise on quality even if it means walking the extra mile for your client. This will give you the leverage of building a stellar portfolio that will support you as your grow in your career.
And last, but not the least, collaborate with other designers, architects, construction houses to grow your career path. Put in the work in your 20s to reap the benefit of the hard work in your 30s. Do not ever stop learning and upskilling along the way. There will be challenges to face, do it with a smile on your face.
Remember: You are not your job or career; it is a by-product of who you are.