How This Sydney Mum Built a Global Interior Design Business

From humble beginnings, Alicia Xiberras grew her all-female interior design firm by word of mouth and social media to take it global. She shares her top five tips for managing cash flow – and earning Qantas Points – with the help of the American Express® Qantas Business Rewards Card.

A decade ago, Alicia Xiberras launched her interior design business by posting highlights of her own home renovation on Instagram. 

“I was a stay-at-home mum and sharing my ideas around interiors was an outlet for my creativity. Then people started asking me for advice on a certain paint colour or where I’d found a particular cushion,” the Sydney business owner recalls. “First it was friends and then strangers – I went from 50 Instagram followers to now almost 21,000.”

From helping her social network select interior decor items, Xiberras began transforming the look of rooms before moving on to large-scale interior design work. “I’m now working on projects in Dubai and Los Angeles as well as multi-million-dollar luxury estates around Australia.” 

Xiberras recently completed a project in the home of NRL star Nathan Cleary (above), with the pair sharing the results of their collaboration on social media. “Next I’m doing his bar and his workout area and post-game recovery zone. He’s a lovely guy – so down-to-earth.”

To service its expanding client base, Alicia Xiberras Interiors (AXI) now has a studio space near the Nepean River in Western Sydney and a staff of five. In the past three years alone, the business has grown 80 per cent, largely by word of mouth and Xiberras’s inspiring Instagram posts. “Interior design has always been my passion – I wasn’t so good at school but I was very creative and I could visualise a room before it was built.”

Five years ago as AXI took off, Xiberras signed up for an American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card as a way to earn Qantas Points on her expenses. The Card also gives businesses up to 51 days to pay for purchases¹, as well as flexible spending power² that adapts as a business grows. 

“I was paying all of our suppliers directly from our bank account. But as I grew as a businesswoman and networked with other people in the industry, I’d hear about how many Qantas Points they were earning through their business expenses. I thought, ‘I’ve really got to jump on this train.’”

Xiberras now uses the American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card to pay suppliers and shop for interior items and furnishings for clients, earning up to 1.25 Qantas Points per $1 spent³ on these everyday business expenses. And by booking flights and hotels with her Card through her Qantas Business Rewards Account, she saves up to 6 per cent off the base fare on selected flights⁴ while earning 2 points per $1 spent on Qantas products and services.³

The points grow quickly and come in handy when she’s travelling to design trade shows and to “find inspiration and new suppliers”, as she did on a trip to New York last year. 

There will be plenty more overseas travel now that her work is attracting clients from around the world.  “I’m proud of the company I’ve built and showing my daughters what you can achieve. Never underestimate what you’re capable of when you’re passionate and dedicated to success.”

Unlock the possibilities

Alicia Xiberras shares her small business tips, including a smarter way to pay suppliers that also helps her save on travel costs.

“Take flight for inspiration”

“I went to New York in 2023 to find new suppliers, shop for clients and generally get inspiration to grow myself and my business,” says Xiberras. “The New York Design Center is 16 storeys of interior design suppliers – it’s incredible.” Xiberras came away with a head full of ideas and a book of new contacts, some of whom she’s already bought furniture from. “When I use my American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card to pay for my flights, the complimentary travel insurance⁵ saves on costs and gives me peace of mind.” (Terms, conditions and exclusions apply, such as maximum age limits, pre-existing medical conditions and cover limits). Another perk? The Qantas Points her business earns when flying are tripled⁶ on any Qantas flights booked with her Card, giving her points balance a serious boost. “We earn points for our business as well as for the traveller. It’s win-win.” 

“Faster payments + quicker delivery = happy customers”

When AXI is called on to style a photo shoot or stage a home, being able to use the American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card ensures swift delivery, especially when time is tight. “My staff use the Card to make large supplier payments directly without waiting for an invoice,” says Xiberras. With access to a line of unsecured funding², the Card gives the team the buying power to meet clients’ needs. “Being able to access flexible funding² makes everything much more efficient.”

“Turn bills into benefits”  

Costs are significant when you run an interior design business so it pays Xiberras to make her outgoings work harder. “Getting my American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card was a gamechanger,” she says. “We earn Qantas Points on our everyday business spend and these points help us save money on flights and hotels.”

“Our Card makes it easy to do business anywhere”

“I use the American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card to pay suppliers in Australia and overseas, including when I’m buying furniture and finishes internationally,” says Xiberras. “When I was in New York, the Card was the only ‘currency’ I needed.” And it will come in handy as her travel plans grow. “I’ve been able to build trust with clients in online meetings but increasingly I think it’s important for me to be there in person. It really helps to understand the journey they’re on for their home or business.”

“Never let a point pass you by”

Some key suppliers – including homewares and furnishings retailer Adairs and department store Myer – are Qantas Shopping partners which is another opportunity for Xiberras to earn more points. “I’ve got the Qantas Shopping Points-Prompter⁷ on my browser to remind me when there are points-earning opportunities on products I need.  I pay for these purchases on my American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card to earn even more points. It all helps to build my balance for future travel.”

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