Golam Sarwar

At the young age of five, Golam Sarwar Sarina relocated to America with his parents from India. He had been heavily influenced by his father’s line of work as an architect, and since then, he has excelled within interior design studios for forty years. With a lifetime of devotion to architecture and interior design, Golam is renowned for his dependable skill set and fresh ideas. His enthusiasm is unparalleled; he always infuses his projects with out-of-the-box concepts and unrivaled expertise.

Thanks to Mr. Sarwar’s compassionate tutelage, Golam was introduced to the vibrant world of design and interiors, which stirred a deep fire within him. From summer vacations spent at his father’s studio to after-school days spent exploring various artistic crafts, he knew this was what he wanted for himself. While spending quality time with his dad, he acquired the fundamentals of design, from color principles to more intricate ideas like how shades can influence people’s emotions. From his youth, Golam longed to become an interior designer. Thus, when he was presented with the prospect of taking part in dual enrollment programs during his senior year of high school, he wasted no time and grabbed it with both hands; this would be immensely instrumental for him on the road towards attaining his dream and ensuring future victory.

Golam had already accomplished two years of college before his peers even began their freshman year. After graduating from Austin’s School of Design and Creative Technology with a Bachelor’s in Interior Architecture and Design, he joined forces with his father at their architectural design firm as an assistant to launch a new interior design department. His knowledge and expertise has enabled them to be successful in building the brand that they desired. Golam had a remarkable eye for creativity, an unrivaled mastery of color coordination and window treatment design, as well as a real flair for furniture placement. His expertise won him many admirers. After the death of his father in 1993, Golam made up his mind to launch Sarina Interiors, an organization devoted to delighting customers through offering groundbreaking ideas that stimulated their imaginations.

For the past three decades, hundreds of residential and commercial customers have profited from their decision to rely on Golam’s expertise. These clients continue to reap the rewards of partnering with us—a testament to our unbeatable business success!
Golam Sarwar is absolutely ecstatic to have finally realized his dream of having a career come true. He takes so much joy in listening to customers and watching their faces light up when he brings their decorating visions into reality. But that’s not all – Golam also loves being an amazing father for his two children, and providing unwavering support for his wife Rakhi in her freelance IT job. Whenever he gets the chance amidst work commitments, Golam enjoys traveling around the world discovering its unique culinary delights.

Where did the idea for Sarina Interiors come from?

Working for others was never my goal, I always knew I would be an entrepreneur who will run after his dreams, just like my father. After completing my education and spending a couple of years working as a freelancer I finally had enough in-depth working knowledge of the industry that I decided to start my own studio – Sarina Interiors. I also did numerous short courses in business management so that I could improve my entrepreneurial skills before founding Sarina Interiors.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

Apart from being a CEO, I am a family man and father of two kids and I love spending time with my family and doing all parental duties. I wake up quite early and start my day with yoga in my backyard. I love cooking and making breakfast for my family. After my kids leave for school, my wife and I enjoy our breakfast together and leave for our offices around 8:30 am. My P.A. is a blessing who keeps track of all meetings and activities. I try to have lunch with my wife most days. This break from work acts as a booster for my energy and I find myself more focused and creative. After I get back home, I avoid any official calls or messages. After having dinner with my family, I go to sleep around 9 pm. I truly believe that early to bed early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.

How do you bring ideas to life?

Creativity is a full-time job. You can get inspired by anything at any time. That’s why I keep a notebook with me all the time. I keep jotting down my ideas in it. When I feel the most creative during the day, I sit down in my notebook and try to work around each idea. I spend some time elaborating on good and practical ones, and then the next morning I present them in front of my team to have a brainstorming session. This is how I bring my ideas to life.

What’s one trend that excites you?

The eco-friendly design approach is one thing that excites me. Today both designers and consumers are embracing recycled and handcrafted goods. It is not just for their aesthetic appeal, but also a better world. I have started using sustainable bamboo floors and indoor plants in order to bring nature indoors. It is one of the hottest and most exciting interior design trends.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

Early to bed and early to rise is my key to productivity. I keep to my routine to stay active because it ensures my mind is where it needs to be when I require it there. It also permits me to shift from one design project to the other without losing momentum and focus.

What advice would you give your younger self?

I would advise you to keep learning and exploring. Also never doubt yourself. Have faith in your abilities and hard work because these are two things that will make everything happen. I believe that if you have faith it will happen, it will!

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

It is a really tough question. I think hardly any person believes there is indeed some impact of the mother tongue on color processing.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

Self-care! It may sound out of place but trust me giving myself time to relax is what I believe is mandatory to my success as an entrepreneur. In fact, it’s essential for my survival. I recharge myself throughout the work day by taking a few minutes to get up and do something else. This habit is refreshing and positive for a stable workflow.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

According to my experience, it is vital to stay active in the community and on social media to stay relevant. That’s why I built an in-house, small yet active marketing team to manage Sarina Interiors’ both offline and online presence. I genuinely enjoy my work and strive to create positive energy that attracts new clients.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

Taxes! I honestly hate this one thing as an entrepreneur. It takes a lot for any startup and mine isn’t different. My greatest disappointment during the early days of Sarina Interiors was finding a competent accountant. I tried two accountants before I finally found the right one and thank God I found him.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

There is a lot of scope in manufacturing recycled fabric and people are more and more getting interested in eco-friendly interiors and sustainable materials so anyone having expertise can make a great business in this area.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

I booked a movie ticket for the weekend for my daughter’s favorite movie Avatar.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

Since emails are the primary communication with my clients that’s why Microsoft Outlook is my organizing partner to keep everything in place.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

Lately I read “The 4-Hour Work Week” By Tim Ferris. It is a remarkable read that gives a new perspective on planning, prioritizing, and accomplishing goals. I recommend my community to give it a read.

What is your favorite quote?

“The question you should be asking isn’t ‘What do I want?’, or ‘What are my goals?’, but ‘What would excite me?’”

Key Learnings:

• Recycled fabric is the future of the design industry.
• Early to bed, early to rise, keeps you healthy, wealthy, and wise.
• Self-care is a must.