“You’re only as good as the people around you”: Papier’s Taymoor Atighetchi

We spoke with Taymoor Atighetchi, the founder and CEO of popular British online stationery brand Papier, about his approach to time management and work-life balance and his best advice for emerging entrepreneurs. Here, he explains why his business offers 30 days a year when employees can “work from anywhere” and why he avoids multi-tasking.

I’m currently feeling… energised. I’ve just been travelling across the US, meeting with a number of our retail partners, and I’m excited about our plans to grow with them. I also get so much energy from seeing customers shopping the products in stores.

My best time-management tip is… to do the task you are doing and nothing else. You’d be amazed how much quicker you complete something without the distraction of trying to do something else at the same time.

My take on work/life balance… I don’t totally subscribe to the concept. I love time with my family and I love my work. Balancing suggests somehow these are at odds with each other. Recently, my family came with me to the US, where I had a number of meetings.

That allowed us to spend more time together, as well as explore new cities. As a business, we offer 30 days a year when we can “work from anywhere”, which also allows us to combine work and family with another thing I love – travel.

The items in my toolbox that make me feel prepared are… my paper planner and to-do list.

Outside of work, I’m passionate about… cooking. In another life, I would be a chef. For now, I’ll just settle for being a home cook.

My best advice for those starting their entrepreneurial journey is to… hire well and enjoy the journey. You’re only as good as the people around you, and they will shape culture and growth and ultimately allow you to win in the market. Don’t be too set on ‘the plan’, take each wave as it comes – Covid certainly taught all of us that.

This story first appeared in the June 2024 issue of Inside Retail US magazine.

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