The founders of Luah, a Philippine brand, detailed in an interview with Inside Retail Asia how they deliberately separated creative and commercial control to avoid conflicts and leverage their corporate backgrounds. One founder focuses on product design and brand vision while the other manages operations, finance, and growth strategy.
The ex-corporate entrepreneurs revealed that the biggest surprises came from supply chain complexities and the emotional labor of managing a small team. They emphasized the importance of clear role definition and frequent communication to prevent creative disagreements from disrupting business decisions.
Building a brand from scratch, they noted, requires a balance between artistic integrity and market realities. The founders advise aspiring entrepreneurs to build trust gradually and to treat the business as a partnership where both creative and commercial voices have equal weight.