This weekend, we’re celebrating International Women’s Day 2026. This year, it also falls on our 18th year of business at Laura Hammett Studio, so I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge how twenty something year old Laura - sat at her laptop in her flat figuring out how to register a business - would’ve felt if she could see what that one step led to. I thought I’d take this opportunity to reflect on the experience of being a female founder and all the challenges and learnings along the way, balancing motherhood, business ownership, ambition, setbacks and my own personal journey with you…
When I began the studio, there was no grand master plan. There was simply a necessity to work for myself after needing to be at home to care for a family member, and determination to turn a negative situation into something more positive. I had a degree in interior architecture, a few years at two small design studios, an unwavering work ethic and a hope that there might be a few local opportunities for me. What I didn’t have was any experience running a business, access to funding, a mentor, or a blueprint for how to build a design studio from scratch.
Those early years were humbling. As a young woman in what can be a male-dominated property and construction landscape, I often found myself needing to prove my credibility in rooms where I was the youngest person, and frequently the only woman. There were many moments where I felt underestimated or dismissed. Many times where I felt I had to speak twice as clearly and prepare twice as thoroughly. But, those experiences helped to shape me, forced me to find my voice and stand more firmly in my decisions.
One of the greatest blessings in this journey has been building the business alongside my husband, Aaron, who is also our Managing Director. International Women’s Day is about celebrating women, but it is also about recognising the importance of men who actively champion them. Aaron has never been threatened by ambition, he has encouraged it. He has stood beside me, supported difficult decisions, and helped build the operational backbone that allows my creative vision to flourish.
True equality is not about women rising alone, it is about partnership. It is about creating environments, at work and at home, where women can be truly empowered. I feel incredibly fortunate to have that in both my marriage and my business.
Building our team together has been one of the greatest privileges. We are proudly majority-female, including many working mothers, and our heads of departments are all female, which is not accidental. We aim to create opportunity, nurture talent and build a company where women feel empowered, respected and supported. Watching young designers grow into confident, capable leaders within the studio has been one of the most rewarding aspects.
Over time, I‘ve realised something really important: leadership and assertiveness does not need to be loud to be powerful. Strength can be calm and authority can be - and should be - gracious. Femininity and ambition are not opposing forces, they are extraordinary allies.
Nothing has taught me this more than motherhood, and nothing prepares you for the recalibration that happens when you become a mother. Suddenly your priorities sharpen in the most profound way. Balancing business ownership and raising children is not a skill you can perfect, it’s a constant juggle. My kids are now 10 and 13 and I’m still juggling. There have been many moments of guilt and exhaustion. But there has also been immense perspective and fulfilment.
Motherhood has made me more decisive, more empathetic and more efficient. It has taught me to value time in a way I never did before. It has reminded me that success is not solely measured in milestones or revenue, but in the quality of the life you are building around your work too. I think this was why I took the plunge and finally launched Laura Hammett Living - our sister brand offering our own homeware, furniture and lighting designs - in late 2023, which was a dream I'd been harbouring for decades. I want my kids to see me doing the things I want to achieve, even if it scares me.
So, if I could offer any advice to women entering the design industry, or starting their own ventures of any kind, it would be this:
Start before you feel ready. Confidence is built through action, not waiting.
Understand the business function as deeply as you understand the creative aspects. Protect your margins, know your worth and charge accordingly.
Don’t be scared to step into new roles you never thought you’d do. At some point you won’t be solely an interior designer anymore, you’ll be running your business at the helm with your vision still at the forefront.
Surround yourself with people who are better than you. Be okay with not having certain skills. Build a team you trust to bring the skills you lack.
Don’t dilute your vision to fit into someone else’s expectations. Your point of difference is your strength. I learned this very early on when I got fired by a client for just showing them a million different options rather than creating a singular design concept. Learned my lesson and never did it again.
If you’re fortunate enough to have children, try to remember to be kind to yourself. The role of the modern woman is now such that we can be both successful business owners and great mothers, but sadly we still feel guilty when we can’t be 100% both at the same time. If you’re doing your best at work and at home, that in itself is a feat.
And perhaps most importantly, define success on your own terms. At the start I saw success as the size of the projects we won, now I see it as the quality of the service we deliver and the future security of our business.
Eighteen years ago, I couldn't have imagined the scale of what that one small decision would become. Today, I feel immense gratitude for our clients, our amazing team and for the younger version of myself who chose courage over comfort and had the guts to just have a go. This International Women’s Day, I celebrate the women around me, my friends, family, women in our studio and my peers in our industry. And I hope that somewhere, a woman with an idea feels encouraged to take that first step.
I also want to spotlight a charity close to my heart, who are doing incredible things to ensure women escaping violent situations are provided with safety, security and a home to build their lives again. If you’re fortunate enough to be able to, please consider donating to Furnishing Futures, who create healing homes for domestic abuse survivors:
https://www.furnishingfutures.org/
