Interview by Carol Wright | Photos Courtesy of SIMJI
We got to chat with TikTok and YouTube viral sensation SIMJI about how she first became interested in tufting, sharing her work online, and advice she has for young entrepreneurs.
Have you envisioned yourself having a career in the arts from a young age?
Even though I’ve always loved art, I never saw myself having a career in the field. I knew I wanted to incorporate art into whatever I did. I did always want to do business though, so combining the two is the best thing I could ask for.
Creating rugs has become trendy recently due to TikTok but before that, it was not a hobby or career people were hearing much about. How did you first get into designing and creating rugs?
Yes, there are more and more people getting into tufting these days, but the “trendy” days were actually around the end of 2020. I first saw rug tufting while scrolling through Instagram. It was a post of a girl selling custom rugs with interesting shapes and designs.
Social media has allowed the entire world to see your work. What initially motivated you to start sharing your work online?
I have always done art, so when I saw rug tufting I just wanted to get into this new medium and have a go at it. I loved the idea of making unique rugs, especially since I never thought about how they were made! My manager, Kai, was the one that saw this as a content creation gold mine. The words he used were, “Do it. TikTok, YouTube, Instagram. You will be the biggest rug tufting creator. You will make rug tufting mainstream.” I didn’t fully understand him at the time, but looking at it now, it was a good thing I trusted him.
The rugs you create are truly unique. What is your creative process?
My creative process always starts with the why. Why would someone be interested in this? What about this is unique and stands out? I love to think of pieces that will start a conversation.
Outside of creating rugs do you have other creative outlets you would like to explore more?
In 2022 I will keep making rugs, but my content will make a shift. I have a lot of plans for bigger, better, and never seen before content.
What advice do you have for young entrepreneurs?
I get asked this a lot and my answers will vary, but I truly believe that it is all about being relentless and passionate about what they are doing. If someone doesn’t allow there to be a choice other than to be successful in whatever success means for them, they will do anything to get there.