Interview with Janne Halttu
LedStore.fi entrepreneur who has built 4 detached houses for his family and renovated several properties.
Designer of the Day Interview
15 May 2023
My background is in building construction. I have built 4 detached houses for my family, most of which I have done myself, except for the first house. While building the houses, I learned house building techniques and noticed a big gap in LED technology in the lighting industry. From there, 12 years ago, I started my company LedStore.fi, which focuses on quality LED lighting and lighting design. Over the years I have written a blog and explored the wonderful world of lighting. Led technology is constantly changing and evolving and competition is fierce. I have always been able to stand out from the crowd with an innovative way of working and developing products. I am constantly working with lighting designers, electricians and building contractors.
I became a designer by accident. I still don't see myself as a designer, but as a solution provider. Product design comes very naturally to me when I meet customers and see problems. I always want to solve problems and improve myself and my products.
My TOP3 most important design-related things are:
1. Functionality
2. Quality and durability
3. Appearance
Be very user friendly and the most important thing for me in design is the functionality and installability of the product.
1. Functionality
2. Quality and durability
3. Appearance
Be very user friendly and the most important thing for me in design is the functionality and installability of the product.
The great thing about design is the moment when I see the product working as designed, but what makes me even happier is the customer feedback telling me that the luminaires work as I designed them or how it made the designer's job so much easier.
Perseverance. I have never given up or wondered what others think. I see the vision and I make it happen.
In the future, I would definitely like to see our product available in Europe. We are looking for distributors for the family and with the win we will completely redevelop our online store to give the user a better shopping experience, but also in more languages. Finland is a small country with few customers. The advantage of mass production is lower prices, but the disadvantage is larger batches. Conquering Europe requires larger batches and larger capital. Fortunately, I am not afraid to conquer and try. I hope that one day, while travelling in Europe, sitting in a café, I will see a familiar-looking lamp on the ceiling.
Perseverance and the courage to experiment. Rome was not built overnight. Study the market and think about how your product fits in and who your customers are.
Perseverance and the courage to experiment. Rome was not built overnight. Study the market and think about how your product fits in and who your customers are. Today's market is full of all sorts of things, but every year someone comes along and messes up the market with that little product change. Be brave and find your own thing that sets you apart in the market.
I am an entrepreneur. I usually start my day at 07.00 with a gym, morning coffee and checking emails. At 08.30 we open the shop doors and from then on the day is spent answering the phone, answering emails and dealing with customers coming into the shop/showroom. I am assisted by a small team of 5 people. The most boring times of the day are those situations, especially in the summer when there are few customers, but conversely the hardest times are the dark autumns when everyone wants light. We close the shop at 17.00 and I usually stay at home to improve the website or answer emails. An entrepreneur doesn't remember to rest.
I follow surprisingly few design trends or look for product ideas. Fortunately, we have other people who work with me to help me see the direction of lighting design and give me my own ideas. We have a comprehensive range of luminaires and try to meet everyone's needs.
I think good design is practical, functional and stylish. When I travel, I always take a photo of an idea if I see something new that gives me an idea for myself or my team. When I see a different way to light something, I always get very close to see how it's technically implemented.
I'm simple and I think a plan is complete when it works. I don't get hung up on the smallest things because I believe there is always room for improvement and development, and to improve the product. But that's why you can always release version 2, or 3 and sell it again ? =) Even though in design you often hear people say, "I'm not doing this for money", unfortunately you have to sell the product as well.
Most of my work (3 years) has gone into this TUNNELMA family of luminaires. First spots, then panel lights and led strip lights. All must work in the same system reliably and sustainably. I listen to feedback and constantly improve them.
Frank Lloyd Wright. I like simple, functional design and Scandinavian styling.
I am perhaps an atypical designer. Designers are often romanticised for their urban lifestyle, sitting in cafes and riding bicycles. I'm a very technical person and enjoy most the peace and quiet of my own home with a laptop on my lap and just working on the sofa. At the same time, I can be with my family and I'm really good at doing many things at the same time and I don't mind interruptions. My work impacts on nature by reducing waste, but more important it can affect on persons life by gicing better sleep of making you more energetic (warm light before bed and cool light in the morning).
I am a pleasure to work with. I demand and do not demand too much from my employees. I understand that even if I work 12-16 hours a day, others don't have to. But I do require initiative and the ability to work independently.
I don't hire anyone who is not an independent thinker. I want people who are not "yes-yes" types. We have right, center and leftist here at work and we can talk and iterate freely. Different opinions makes you think better. You must always be able to challenge your view. Echochamber is not very good enviroment, because it stops true development.
I don't hire anyone who is not an independent thinker. I want people who are not "yes-yes" types. We have right, center and leftist here at work and we can talk and iterate freely. Different opinions makes you think better. You must always be able to challenge your view. Echochamber is not very good enviroment, because it stops true development.
Pro Bono. Why not. Of course, in a commercial sense, I often do that, to get a client. Artists, like other people, are allowed to contribute to charity, but I don't think it needs to be a story or an advertisement. Then it's just greenwashing or good signalling, not genuine caring. I personally participate by helping a children's sports club. I don't usually attend galas or events myself as we are a small company.
The biggest benefit of entering the competition has been to look in the mirror and say, "Hey, I've got a really good product!"
I've had to think about how to market it and as a result we've created better marketing around the product. Before the competition, there was no marketing of the product at all.
So the importance of competition comes out in the fact that the designer has to think about the meaning of the product from all angles.
I've had to think about how to market it and as a result we've created better marketing around the product. Before the competition, there was no marketing of the product at all.
So the importance of competition comes out in the fact that the designer has to think about the meaning of the product from all angles.
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Design Legend Interview
8 March 2023
My education is purely Business School, but I have learned by doing things, ie. I have built 5 houses for my family and learning trade by doing it and asking. My job history is basically just 100% Provision based sales work. No work, no money..
Need for something functional. There was honest need in market.
Latter, because nobody else was doing it.
I do Lighting desing and product design. I dont really have huge need to design and in daily life, its just problem solving.
Haha. Keep on trying!
I think im good. I make funtional products, Great would make it also beautiful.
It has to be functional, that is simple for me.
Functional design usually pays back with easier installation and more comfort when using items. Sometimes Goog design is even cheaper than bad design.
Tough one, but I would say retirement house for me at the coast of any warm country. I would use all knowledge for 20 years of building and current lighting tech and design.
Latter. I really want to design that house when I got the time..
Patience and using bad products. After using bad products you realise what could be better.
None, sorry.
I dont really follow social media so current one are not known to me but architectual style of Frank Lloyd Wright Fallingwater House or Philip Johnsons Glass house. Those are closer to my taste of Modern Skandinavian design.
TUNNELMA CCT led lights series. Plenty to choose from and they provide functional advantage and real benefits for user. You can have cooler light in the morning and warmer lights at the evening. Automatically if you like.
You need experience with practical design.
Same as I am now. Running Ledstore.fi lighting business.
It serves need with practical function.
Customers, really. I saw need.
Ability to do it daily.
Like any other designer. Try hard, as long as you succeed.
In real world scenarios. I think products are made for using. Showcase your products in real scenarios.
More something with Led lights..
Somebody actially realises value of my design in daily life.
Not sure.
Thats hard. Im not into politics, but using recyclable materials and making products that last long time.
Ansvering this =) I have been doing building, renovating, etc for long time and this is first time im putting my self out there.
TUNNELMA CCT led series, because i get feedback that it gives real functional benefits.
People stop buing cheap items and invest it good design. The poor can't afford to buy cheap.
I thin everydoby is copying, but IoT is coming strong this year and in future. Automation.
3-12 months.
Pen and paper. My ideas are always funtional.
Try hard.
Latter, because everybody wants to get piece of trends by trying to make money out of it.
Strong, my productline relies on good technology.
Pen, paper and Photoshop.
Thats secondary. First make it funtional, then pretty.
Where can I buy them?
Is it functional?
My employees. I ask them feedback.
Customers really.
By doing them my self and learning by doing, Youtube is nice!
Steve Jobs. Id like to talk about functional design.
Haha. No. Finland is such small country and I dont think it changes anything really.
Color: Black, Place: Beach at Cancun, Food: Pizza, Season: Summer, Thing: Computer, Brand: LedStore.
Few times getting electrocuted while testing.. We have some of them in older product videos.
Working out and seeing customers happy.
No.. My Childhood is full of drama and survival.
Minority Report movie gives indication.
I just want to thank for this opportunity. If you want something to be done, just do it!
Designer Interview
8 March 2023
Actually I have always been interested in functional design and astetics. I have strong need for no compromises attitude for product development and design. Product design have always started for asking:"What would I want?". This was really need to develop product line that halves our warehouse stock, but same time make it more versitile.
LedStore.fi is Finnish small company that sells mostly products that our design or approved and tested by us. We have had long relationships with our manufacturers and we keep it important that, customers can come back in ten years and ask for spare parts. Because we will always have spareparts in stock for even olders models. We have 3 person team to do also lighting design, so me keep pushing lighting design ideas for regular households and test ideas. Ww do about 500 lighting design projects every year. We also are one of the last real compnies with showroom (multiple rooms, such as: Sauna,showerroom, toilets, kitchen, livingroom, etc..) and customer service with real knowledge about building houses and lightind design.
Design is beautiful and functional.
Indirect Lighting.
It must be this TUNNELMA CCT changeable lighting family. Im Proud of whole project. It has now about 55 lights in ti.
No. I have designed all downlights for us to sell.
Zigbee as Smarthome system, but Aluminum as material because its essential for led lights, but easy to mold into any needs.
When I get need from customer.
Functionality.
Nothing really, its really just work.
Happiness, sure!
It works as intended.
Functionality, absulutely.
Use materials with good recycling value.
In Lighting, its quite stale now.
We only take part in Local small exhibitions, 2 times every year at Helsinki Expo center.
I honelty enjoy most doing regular lighting design with people. I can see different buildings and come up with ideas for lighting design. Different house designs give different ideas.
Scandinavian degigns. I like black and white. Modern.
Finland Capital area.
Fine, about 50% of our customers are contractors and electricians.
Thats hard one. I hava no idea.
Its very straight forward. I have need. I put down requirements and just oush them somehow into product design. THere is always someone smarter engineer to figure out finer electrical details.
Finnish classic: few Secto 4201 on top of kitchen table. Our Kitchen/Livingroom area. I really dont collect design elements.
Usully starts at 6.30 and then I feed our dog and let her out. Then by 07.00 in at Office doing morning workout (I built gym for our personel!) and shower. Black coffee and eggs at 08.00. Emails and talk at kitchen. We open doors at 08.30 for customers. Then its Writing emails, ansvering phone, servicing customers that come to showroom and sometimes building something new to our showroom. I close at 17.00 and head home, usually stop to buy something for dinner and then make it. After dinner i usually sit down at sofa with laptop and start writing content to our blog for few hours. Then its just Netflix and chill for coule hours.
Im not in position to give that kinf of advice, but just make design functional. Would YOU buy it?
Positive is that im in control, negative is tham im responsible.
Its gotta be functional.
In my field, is must be electronics basics and building code.
Pen and paper, Photoshop.
Daily rutines, and week has 168 hours of working time..
3 to 12 months.
What? That simple?
Sales, with 100% provision based salary. It makes you honest, hard working and it prepares for runnig your own business.
Not naming any individuals, but our house projects are at out gallery. https://ledstore.fi/blog/kuvagalleria/
Lighting design, because every one is different.
Hopefully staying healthy and everybody I work with is happy.
Mostly me, but difficult tech advice is from factory engineers.
Email: info@ledtore.fi or +358 (0)50 598 7101
Just keep on trying!
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