Why we quit our jobs to build Plan
This time last year, we quit our jobs to build Plan. And full transparency, we didn't even fully know if it was going to work back then. We just had an intense amount of belief in the vision.
And it all started from such a simple thing. Our interest in home improvement projects. Making things for our homes, changing layouts, trying ideas and doing all kinds of DIY projects with sleek end results.
But making our own art felt different. For some reason, it felt a whole lot harder to start than DIY’ing a wee side table.
We wanted to make art, but starting felt difficult
We wanted to create something original, of good quality and nice enough to hang up. But figuring out what we needed, what worked together and how to get an end result we would feel proud of felt like a lot before we had even started.
And that’s really where Plan began.
We started designing a solution that gave us exactly what we wanted. Everything we needed together in one place for an art project to do at home, with an end result that looked good, felt high quality and made us proud.
We could see the value in it too clearly to leave it alone
The more we worked on it, the more we saw the value in what this could give people.
Not just people who wanted art for their walls, but people like us. People who love interiors, love a home project and know they’re creative, but don’t always know where to start. People who could make something outright amazing themselves if they were just given an easier way in.
Because it’s not just about the finished artwork.
It’s the whole process of sitting down, switching off and doing something with your hands for once. Getting away from screens, getting properly into it and letting yourself create without overthinking every single part before you begin.
That feeling became such a big part of why we wanted to build Plan.
The making is the point
When you sit down and start creating, it's like time stops moving for a bit.
You stop thinking about the next thing you need to do. You get lost in the canvas, the paint, the colours, the texture, the next mark. It’s tactile and real and so different from how most of us spend our time these days.
And at the end, you’ve got something for your home that came from your own hands. Something you built, painted, framed and finished yourself. Something that has pride of place in your home and reminds you every day that you took the time to make it.
That’s why we went all in
The ease of starting with everything ready for you. The process of creating your own piece from beginning to end. The end result that looks mint in your home and means more because you made it.
We kept thinking about all the people out there who would love this too. People who could use a moment to switch off, get creative and make something they’re genuinely proud of, if starting just felt a little easier.
That’s what we wanted to get rid of. The thing that holds people back before they even begin. Because giving up on making your own art just because it feels hard to start felt like such a waste.
And when you do sit down, start the project and create away?
It’s such a vibe.
Emmi
Co-founder of Plan