Sundays. It’s a day reserved for quality solo time.

Whether you are sipping a cup of freshly ground coffee at your coffee table or sinking into your sofa with your puppy, Sundays were made for quality solo time to reflect and rejuvenate. This is why when we chanced upon the online direct-to-consumer furniture company, aptly named Sundays, we were delighted by how the brand’s items so effortlessly capture the essence of ‘Sunday vibes’.

*The perfect dining setup for a Sunday morning breakfast*

The company was founded in 2019 by four veterans in the retail and design community: Barbora Samieian, Noah Morse, Sara Samieian, and Moe Samieian Jr. With an existing network of suppliers, know-how about market trends, and hands-on experience, this is a team with unique expertise in the industry. The founders also happen to be long-time family and friends, informing the collaborative and familial approach to the day-to-day operations of the business. It sounds like going to work every day would be a fun time with this team, where they all share a passion for and expertise in furniture design. Wouldn’t you agree?

The company makes its tightly curated collection exclusively available online, meaning it saves on the traditional costs of showrooms, warehouses to pass on the savings to the consumer. We had the pleasure of connecting with the founders to find out the story behind why they started the business and chat about the obstacles the team has overcome together in the past year as supply chains have been disrupted by the global pandemic.

Questions were answered collaboratively by all four founders

What attracted you to the furniture business? Do you have previous experience in the industry?

All four of us have a shared passion for design. Moe and Sara grew up in the furniture business with their father’s wholesale business, and Noah also spent 10+ years in the designer furniture industry.

Were there any key turning points in your life and/or career that you feel pushed you in the direction of entrepreneurship?

It was a little bit of serendipity and the right timing that brought the four of us together to start Sundays in 2019. We had all been involved in different start-ups previously and had caught the entrepreneurial bug. It was also our growing families and the idea of owning fewer, better things that got us thinking.

Is this your first business? If it is, what is the most important lesson you have learned about running a business so far? If it’s not your first business, how has it been different from your first?

It’s our first e-commerce business and our learning curve has been steep! It’s definitely a different, much faster pace than anything we had been a part of previously. Our most important lesson has been how nimble and flexible we must be. There are lots of growing pains with start-ups, but also so many opportunities.

Who has had the greatest impact on your career? Why?

Our family and friends for being supportive. We also all have a shared love of travel. We have lived in different cities around the world and that worldview has definitely also inspired us in our careers.

*If we had this setup in our home we wouldn’t want to get out of bed either*

The company’s goal is to combine esthetics with affordability by cutting out the overhead of a brick-and-mortar location. Do you foresee more competitors switching to this business model? And if they do, how will Sundays stay competitive?

E-commerce will definitely continue to be a growing opportunity for current and new players. We will continue to focus on in-house design, quality pieces that are intentionally curated.

Many companies have had to reconsider their manufacturing processes and locations given shipping delays in 2020, have you had to change your manufacturing strategy and systems?

We have definitely experienced the shipping challenges as many other industries have – furniture has long lead times and it’s not an easy pivot to new locations. Having said that, we have strong partnerships with our vendors and have definitely gotten more in tune with our inventory planning and need for buffers when planning out product launches.

How did you find, attract, and retain your first five employees?

Our first few employees were people we met through our Vancouver network or their networks – Vancouver is a very small and connected city. Their passion for our product and the opportunities for growth provided has helped us retain them.

Last year was definitely an irregular year. Were there any changes you have had to make swiftly to ensure the smooth continuation of the business?

We had to get creative when our initial retail pop-up launch turned out to be during the first lock-down; we quickly pivoted to an online pop-up experience and were excited about the response we got from this pivot.

How would you describe a Sundays customer? Who are they and what do they value?

They care about a beautiful aesthetic in all aspects of their life, whether it’s in planning their home, visiting a retail shop, or a restaurant. They care about quality and sustainability, they love local and are invested in their community.

*The perfect nook for settle into on a Sunday*

Given the current picture of your business, do you consider it a success? If not (yet), how do you define success for your business?

It is early days, but we are definitely excited by the response our initial product line has had both online and in our pop-up shops. We get to do what we love alongside an amazing and bright team. We hope this is only the beginning.

What are 2 to 3 key factors you would attribute the business’ success to?

The product is one of them: we all have a passion for furniture, and at the heart of it we are a furniture company that uses E-commerce as a conduit to share our products with our customers. We believe the quality and design have been big factors for us. As well, we believe less is more in terms of product offering and selection. Our concept is to make it easy for our customers and not have thousands of products to scroll through.

Lastly, there have been recent surges in people spending more disposable income on their homes which has also helped us. Understanding who our client is via a growing social media platform and working with like-minded brands has been pivotal, as well.

*Sundays’ minimalist pieces help to create a comfortable social space in the home*

Is there anything about the business that keeps you up at night?

Definitely – many things. We just opened a pop-up in Toronto and a week later it was shut down by another lockdown. The shipping delays, our inventory planning…there’s always something. We also strive to provide a great experience for every customer, so this goal is always in the back of our minds.

What are the key challenges you foresee in 2021? How do you intend to overcome them?

Supply Chain continues to be a concern for the entire industry and will be a challenge we will have to face. In particular, our production lead times are long and there is uncertainty in ocean freight. We also have ambitious plans for exponential growth, which always will come challenges.

Are there any exciting upcoming developments for Sundays that our readers should know about?

Watch out for continued expansion of our current pieces in new finishes and sizes as well as some new living room pieces later this summer! We would also love to continue to reach more customers through pop-ups in other cities.

The Sundays story shows how businesses reliant on supply chains from around the world have been impacted by the events of the past year, and how teams have had to change their operations almost overnight to deal with the uncertainties. That said, we hope that the most turbulent of times is near its end and we are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

We look forward to new additions to the Sundays furniture lineup, and already have our on their rugs and coffee tables for our own home. We can definitely see Sundays’ offerings appealing to consumers in Canada and beyond. The minimalist aesthetic and beautiful textures and color palettes come together to help you curate the most comfortable living space.