Thank you Granti!
At the end of February 2021 we bid a very fond farewell to our founder, Grant Abbott.
Grant established Pyramid Office in 2005 as an office furniture procurement and installation company. Even though he was much smaller than his competition, Grant’s uniquely personable approach and reliability soon won him big contracts with both Internet Solutions, and later, Dimension Data Facilities.
Grant has always had an informal style: attending client meetings in shorts and takkies, bearing a smile, an outrageous sense of humor, a willing attitude and (more often than not) cake! His refusal to be anything but himself made an impression on many clients – ensuring they would never forget him.
Over the next 11 years he proved himself to be both dependable and willing to go the extra mile. He worked nights and weekends to install his clients’ office furniture when it would cause the least disruption to their business. Desks and chairs seemed to appear in clients’ offices as if by magic. This delighted his clients.
Grant worked hard to cement relationships with a number of larger corporate clients, who Pyramid still deals with today. His philosophy; that it is easier to treat a client well and secure repeat business, than constantly having to search for new work, has become a cornerstone of the business.
Servicing a few key clients he kept the business small and simple, using freelance interior designers when a client required space planning or advice on creating a particular look and feel. However, as time went on, demands for these services grew. In 2014, I joined the team so that we could better serve the corporate market with design services. Although, at that time, I had 6 years industry experience as an interior designer (specialising in office design) I had spent most of my career in a large Johannesburg-based firm. Where previously my role had been quite narrow (space planning, putting together colour schemes, selecting finishes and furniture and doing technical drawings) – working in a small business provided so much scope to learn and grow. Grant taught me how to quote, negotiate better terms with suppliers, place orders, coordinate deliveries and manage a team of installers.
From 2017 Grant began to slowly withdraw from the day-to-day running of Pyramid Office, trusting me to continue his legacy of great client service. At the end of February 2021, he will retire officially, leaving the business to me.
He has been a wonderful mentor; teaching so me so much about business, but more importantly, how to treat people. I can’t thank him enough – I wouldn’t be the business woman I am today without him. The opportunity he has given me; to run what will now be my own business, is enormous and I couldn’t be more grateful.