5 Questions with Bain alumna and design studio founder Jana Lam
5 Questions with Bain alumna and design studio founder Jana Lam
Jana Lam, a former Bain & Company manager assistant, now leads her own design studio in Hawaii, specializing in lifestyle products and accessories that capture the essence of a perpetual summer. In this Q&A, Jana shares her journey from her time at Bain to establishing a thriving career as an artist and textile designer.
1. How did working at Bain shape your career?
I was deciding between working at Bain and a law firm. I think my whole life trajectory would be completely different if I had gone to work at the law firm. Working at Bain gave me the push I needed to figure out what I really wanted to do. I was surrounded by so many motivated and intelligent people, and I felt like I wasn't living up to my full potential.
2. What did you pursue after leaving Bain?
I decided to pursue a second bachelor’s degree in interior design. When I told my manager that I was leaving Bain, his support validated my decision.
I was devoted to my interior design studies, but when I took an applied textiles elective class midway through my time at the Academy of Art University, I fell in love. Shortly after I graduated, I won the grand prize at the Surtex Design Next surface design competition and that also gave me validation that I was on the right path.
3. Can you describe your first business opportunity?
When I moved home to Honolulu in 2010 during a market downturn, there were no interior design jobs, so I created a textiles and fabrics portfolio. I thought, “I don't know what I'm going to do with this portfolio, but I'm going to carry it, and if I ever come across someone, I'll have it to show them.”
And that’s how it happened. A shop owner complimented my portfolio and invited me to make something to sell on consignment. I went home and learned how to sew a tote bag and made my first sale.
4. How has your brand evolved over time?
For over a decade, I’ve been crafting lifestyle products and accessories from my own vibrant textile designs. I thrive on collaborations that allow me to explore different mediums and expand the Jana Lam brand. From a fun collaboration with Beer Lab HI to designing washable paper bags for Foodland's 75th anniversary, each project is a testament to my love for what I do.
Recently, we launched an aloha shirt collaboration with Tommy Bahama. As a local, Asian woman and proud business owner in Hawaii, I am dedicated to creating quality products that embody the spirit of aloha.
5. How do you reflect on your career path?
In my life, I think all these very specific things had to happen for me to become an artist/business owner and being at Bain was one of them. I feel like if I had chosen the law firm, I would still be bouncing from job to job trying to figure myself out.
Explore careers at Bain to start your own journey of growth and innovation.
Follow the latest designs from Jana Lam on Instagram and on her website.
