INTERVIEW | Rising star: Rini Vanchhawng
A design by Rini Vanchhawng for an Anthony Mullan Furniture client in Amersham
like a diamond R
Shine bright
Hard-working, people-oriented and determined perfectly describes kbbreview’s Rising Star Award winner Rini Vanchhawng. She may only have been in the industry for four years, but in that time has made a positive contribution ini Vanchhawng’s list
of
accomplishments so far is particularly impressive when you consider that she is only at the beginning of her design career. Looking at her CV and time in the
industry so far, it is clear that everything Vanchhawng experiences and learns then carries over to the next stage of her career.
It started with her degree from Bournemouth University as an Industrial Design Student. Vanchhawng eloquently describes her course as a “degree about learning how to make something that doesn’t exist”. That may sound a little artsy coming
from someone taking a degree in the engineering faculty, but she believes in looking at the design from an entirely new standpoint – think Steve Jobs and Apple or James Dyson and his vacuum cleaners. Vanchhawng liked the fact that the degree aims to prepare students to work in any field by changing the way they looks at the design, thereby giving them skills that are transferable. One of the course’s practical elements was a placement year, during which Vanchhawng was an intern at Anthony Mullan Furniture in Maiden head. She then went back to university to complete her course. Using that training as an intern, she received a first-class honours degree plus
the 54 Institute of Engineering
Designers Award for the best final project in her year. After university, she had a job with another kitchen company for a year before she was headhunted back to Anthony Mullan Furniture. In the three years she has been there, she has been promoted twice from designer to senior sales designer and then to the role of sales and design manager. Vanchhawng’s career path has certainly seen her progress rapidly and she has been able to build up her skills base with every new step. Her university acknowledged that her time as an intern with Anthony Mullan Furniture helped her in her final year. “I have always tried to push the boundaries. I try not to get comfortable or complacent – that sometimes can
be a challenge, as you want the occasional
lazy day. But, things
stagnate when you get comfortable, and you need to push yourself to get better,” says Vanchhawng.
Speaking out Vanchhawng tells kbbreview how she is full of enthusiasm and joy about the KBB and design industry.
She says that she succeeded in making a difference at Anthony Mullan Furniture thanks to her willingness to speak out and suggests new things. One significant change she helped introduce was the new policy that they would plant a tree for every kitchen sold by the company. After a few determined conversations, owner Anthony Mullan finally agreed to the policy and it is now an integral part of the business.
A big thing for me is communication and listening to what people have to say. It doesn’t matter if you are the intern or the head honcho
Adding a bit of fun to the company was another goal of hers, from a 100-squat challenge to raise money for Cancer Research to the ‘worst design competition’, where the designers on home visits would try to find the worst existing designs in cus - tomers’ kitchens – such as the cupboards that wouldn’t open unless the oven
visits would
door was open. Adding these initiatives helped keep people motivated and allow them to have fun in the showroom.
So how did she go about convincing people to try out her new ideas? She explains: “It is about having an open conversation. It is quite easy when you are working for an independent. The whole team are looking out for each other, and there isn’t that much of a hierarchy. “I am a bit gung-ho. I have an idea and I will say it – whether it is terrible or not. I just put it out there. But then, if it is a good idea, and I am passionate about it, I will push for it.” Vanchhawng also enjoys working with people and listens to her customers and the people in her team. “A big thing for me is communication and listening to what people have to say,” she says.
“It doesn’t matter if you are the intern or the head honcho, things don’t get better when you are complacent, and you should move forward.” Not every idea Vanchhawng has suggested is to add new things to the company. Some of them have been about simplifying things and making processes more efficient. Vanchhawng believes that fresh eyes on the company can put a new perspective on processes, no matter how long someone has been in the industry or the company.
Her dedication to doing her best · June 2022
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