After years working in big corporate design agencies, Lisa Henderson and Laura Service made the jump to do something different. In 2017, the Scottish creatives founded ilka studio to work on “feel-good, do-good, sort of civic projects” and bring sustainable ideas to design.
Their story is the first in FreeAgent’s new Making It Count interview series. Every day, FreeAgent helps more than 200,000 businesses achieve their ambitions. Their accounting software simplifies admin essentials so entrepreneurs can spend more time on what really matters - on making every moment count. Making It Count celebrates these businesses.
Lisa and Laura met while studying at Edinburgh College of Art. Life led Lisa off to Melbourne and Laura to Madrid, but eventually brought them both back to the same Scottish design agency. Recognising their aligned values and design aspirations, they started working together on side projects. Soon, they went out on their own and founded ilka.
Design skills meet sustainable minds
In the early days of the studio, one client in particular had an impact on Lisa and Laura. IndiNature is a Scottish company that produces zero waste construction insulation made from local hemp crops. They introduced ilka to the concept of ‘circular design’ - a process that focuses on creating sustainable products and materials that minimise waste and reduce carbon emissions.
“They really opened our eyes to the impact of what was going on in the world and where we as designers essentially had a real role and a responsibility as creators. I think that was probably the trigger in our business journey…. it sparked our curiosity into circular design principles and what that would mean for a brand designer,” says Lisa.
Sustainability is now at the heart of their process. “It’s a wee bit like design therapy,” Lisa adds. “Trying to get to the problem for a client and how we can help them solve it - while also encouraging sustainable thinking.”
Balancing work, maternity leave and family
Both Lisa and Laura started families in recent years. The logistics can be complicated, but they’re finding a balance between the demands of running a sustainable design business and those of their families.
For ilka, sustainability doesn’t just mean using renewable energy, it also means creating a sustainable work-life balance for their team. “At the end of the day, me and Laura are both mums now. We want to try to make it as flexible around our lifestyles as possible,” explains Lisa. “Owning my own business, I’m not tied to a desk. That allows me to be with my daughter.”
Having the right tools to support the business plays an important role in finding that balance - like FreeAgent, which they’ve been using for more than six years now. “It’s a really great one-stop shop. It really feels like you can take ownership over our finances. We use it every day. Some days more than others, if I'm doing VAT and payroll,” says Lisa.
“Time is precious. FreeAgent has given us time. As a women-owned business and new mums, that has double meaning. FreeAgent is doing the hard work for us so we can focus on what we’re good at.”
The value of community
Running a business with a growing family is easier with supportive people around you. That’s why the egg community has been so valuable to Lisa.
“They're good people, trying to do good things. I think they're great,” she says. “Their co-working and childcare days were a total game changer. I was back at work full time. My partner works for himself as well and we were juggling childcare between us. So, having those days, knowing that you've got childcare that you can trust, and you can meet other lovely women at lunchtime to chat about working? Absolutely changed my transition.”
Looking forward, the ilka team will continue to expand their diverse portfolio through collaborating with unique clients across industries. From OneRen - the charitable trust that provides culture, leisure and sport to the people of Renfrewshire - to mental health charity Tiny Changes, ilka continues to empower and educate businesses of all shapes and sizes to make a difference to the planet. “The glue that binds everything is we work with people that are trying to do a bit better, that's all. We're all just trying to do our best, aren't we?”
Read ilka’s full story at freeagent.com
Photography: Luigi Di Pasquale
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