Getting into bed with local business

Having taken over her father’s fledgling furniture importing business almost four years ago, NB Furniture Design managing director Emma Zlatovich has transformed the company into one of Perth’s leading independent specialist furniture importers.

The 27-year-old business owner and mother of twin daughters has overseen the business’ growth, from an annual turnover of $47,000 to almost $500,000 last financial year, with just two permanent staff.

With the Kewdale-based business on the brink of closure in 2004, Ms Zlatovich was faced with the option of either growing the operation herself or closing its doors.

Then aged 23, she immediately undertook a complete overhaul of the business, rebuilding it from the ground up.

“I changed everything,” she said. “We started from scratch.”

With a background in finance, Ms Zlatovich worked hands-on in growing the business, managing everything from administration and sales, to doing deliveries and repairs.

The first major change was to switch suppliers, employing a Vietnam-based manufacturer who used plantation-grown wood instead of old growth forest.

And despite the cost increase, the environmental benefits were well received by local retailers. 

“Out in the marketplace, if you explain to them where it comes from, people are very receptive to that and are willing to pay the extra price,” she said.

Ms Zlatovich also led a complete re-brand of the business, which involved highly recognisable new logos and signage on all company vehicles.

But the key strategy was to tailor the business towards catering for a highly specialised niche, by supplying solely bedroom furniture.

With the large number of furniture importers already in the local market, Ms Zlatovich was determined to give her business a competitive advantage by specialising in one area and delivering high quality, unique pieces.

“The biggest thing was that I always wanted to be unique and different from other importers in Perth,” she said.

Once the business was able to rely on bedroom furniture alone, all other types of furniture, including dining, were phased out.

Ms Zlatovich said NB Furniture Design was now the only furniture importer in Perth to specialise in bedroom furniture, giving her business a point of difference in the marketplace.

She also worked aggressively to expand the retailer network, growing the number of retailers from two to 16, covering metropolitan and regional areas.

In growing her business, Ms Zlatovich said, a key part of her business philosophy involved supporting local independent businesses.

Despite receiving a number of offers from the major furniture chains, Ms Zlatovich only supplies independent retailers.

She also works exclusively with owner-operated freight companies, and her accountant and lawyers are both independent firms.

Ms Zlatovich believes the close working relationship forged with like-minded business owners provides a strong support team, with each willing to go the extra mile to help each other.

Also, as an importer of manufactured goods, Ms Zlatovich feels its important to use local business in all other parts of her business.

“Anything I can do locally I’ll do locally,” she said.

Ms Zlatovich said she has learned through trial and error, by listening to what people had to say, surrounding herself with good people and developing good relationships among contractors, suppliers and retailers.

The business is on track to increase its turnover by almost 20 per cent this financial year, and is looking to relocate to a larger warehouse/office space towards the end of the year.