Anna Pryć-Futkowska used to work as a product manager at an industrial chemical manufacturer and a logistician in a forwarding business. She also tried her hand at HR. Although I had a good job, I felt that I wasn’t doing what I really wanted to do. I have inherited the passion for cabinetmaking and my manual skills in general from my parents and grandparents, she says. Now, her life centers around the Manufaktura Drewna workshop in Stargard, operating an online store, AnyTHING, and writing a homestyle blog.

 

Her craftsmanship dream began to be fulfilled when she started her maternity, and then parental leave. That was when she suddenly felt the desire to have her house decorated in the Scandinavian style. As she could not find such simple design in Poland, she began to alter and renovate old pieces of furniture and engage in minor cabinetmaking work in her own garage. She made the decision to launch her own business after more or less four years, on her son’s fourth birthday, i.e. 6 May 2014.

 

Having decided to change her profession, she completed a “Traditional Furniture Making” course certified by the Minister of National Education. That enabled her to learn the profession and obtain qualifications for running her own craftsmanship workshop. Today, she likes to be called a self-taught cabinetmaker.

 

The range of products offered by AnyTHING is expanded every day. It includes small decorations, such as candlesticks, mug coasters, wooden letters, kitchen accessories, hand-painted wooden typographies or furniture knobs. I have recently started to make my first small pieces of furniture – night tables, hexagonal shelves, which have already won the hearts of my clients, magazine racks or wooden boxes, lists Anna Pryć-Futkowska. Custom-made items account for a considerable part of her products.

 

She is inspired by the Scandinavian design – simple, angular and geometrical. I love old wood, forms inspired by nature and natural colors – that of raw wood, also greys, white and black, this is how the owner of AnyTHING describes her style. She buys wood locally, from wood factories, carpenter’s wholesalers, lumber mills or allotment holders.

 

Anna Pryć-Futkowska had to invest ca. PLN 30 thousand to launch her business. The initial investments were financed in the major part using an EU grant from the Employment Office. Almost PLN 22 thousand was sufficient to equip her workshop, purchase the most necessary machines, tools and materials. She was also supported financially by her husband and parents, which enabled her to make the fixed payments during the first months when the business did not generate any income.

 

I have already made a huge effort not only to reach my clients and build a recognizable brand but also to find my own style and make a number of attempts to create new products, that’s how the owner of AnyTHING summarizes her business activity carried out so far. It is one thing to make a good product and another thing to be able to show it and sell online. Running my own business, I have to demonstrate a good knowledge of cabinetmaking but also learn a lot about photography, marketing, management, logistics or website development, notices Anna Pryć-Futkowska. So she buys additional equipment to take even more professional photographs, reads about distribution channels or brand promotion. She also had to learn 3D design so as to be able to show her vision of the product to the clients.

 

Anna Pryć-Futkowska admits that a lack of time to spend with her family and friends is the hardest part of running her own business. That’s why she has been thinking about getting some help.

 

Each satisfied client is her important achievement. She also considers articles about herself, published in popular home décor magazines and seasonal inspiration catalogues by the DaWanda website in France and Germany, to be her great success. This year’s accomplishment of Anna Pryć-Futkowska was the fact that her blog was recognized as one of the most popular homestyle blogs (ca. 18 thousand visits a month).

 

Her products are not only sold through her own online store but also through such sales platforms as Pakamera and DaWanda. She attends industry fairs (recently during OFF Marina Design Days) and is securing cooperation of OK Super and small sellers offering Polish design in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. In December, she’s planning to show her products at the Holiday Fairs held in the Szczecin castle.

 

Anna Pryć-Futkowska would like to broaden the range of products sold through AnyTHING with handmade furniture, including unique pieces made of old wood. She is also planning to expand her business. It is my dream to create a meeting place for people passionate about woodwork. I would also like to organize workshops and open a showroom in the region.

 

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