Behind The Brand

Whosebackyard

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Tell us a bit about yourself 

We are a bicoastal trio from Japan, Hong Kong and the US. Our many passions bring us closer together like houseplants, pottery-making and crystal collecting to name a few! And obviously binge-watching tv shows and movies on streaming platforms.

What made you start your company?

We are a brand that was created during the pandemic over zoom out of a desire to collaborate, create and share during socially distant covid times. We felt inspired to bring our cultures and creations into people’s homes around the world in a time where international travel is/was highly restricted. To bring a sense of adventure to homes with sight, sound, smell.

Tell me about your product and brand?

We are mostly focused on vintage Japanese scented candles where our vessels span a variety of curated and sourced vintage traditional Japanese ceramics from Arita ware, Imari ware to Kutani ware and more. Our focus is on these vintage Japanese ceramics to shine a light on the less spotlighted treasures of Japanese crafts — the patterns, the intricate paintings etc. Our hope is to encourage more people to mix and match styles and objects from around the world to put together their own unique “world” in their homes.

What struggles have you faced when starting up a business?

Covid has been a struggle with shipping bans from different countries which require us to keep updated with the courier services as frequently as possible. The whole balancing act: keeping a constant flow of social media posts, product development, shipping out products, marketing, managing online store, stock keeping, etc. It all makes us respect the hard work of other small business owners; it’s rewarding and definitely a labor of love.

How did you get over them?

Just tackling tasks one day at a time and making sure we’re not burning ourselves out. Mental health is most important and that should always be priority. Even though our entire business timeline has been encompassed in Covid times, we are proud of how far we’ve come and the achievements we have attained in this short amount of time. In the future as we become more able to travel, it is our goal to participate in pop-ups and fairs around the world.

Any advice for others just getting started?

Running a small business is a REAL time commitment. It’s always good to manage your time as best as you can and make sure you’re having fun in the process. There isn’t anyone but yourselves, which means you are the driving force — for tasks, projects, timelines, deadlines, flow of work etc. Make sure your heart is in it!

Do you have a favourite quote?

“When you grow tired, learn to rest not quit”

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