It was 19 years ago last month that Black Tulip in its current format was started. Through a referral we met Youssef Hasbani, owner of L’Atelier, and this “wild ride” started of building a business from scratch. We did not have any pre-conceived ideas about what type of client we would like to find to build our business, but we definitely felt comfortable with Youssef. We “clicked” from the beginning and a bond formed that built into a friendship with mutual trust between Youssef and our Executive Director Joost Pelt.

Why has it worked and lasted so long? It definitely had to do with the mutual trust that was developed, but also because of the type of client he was. L’Atelier sells antiques and decorative objects and at each of Joost’s weekly visits to the store, he continued to be amazed at the creativity of being surrounded by beautiful and high quality items.

Our business has grown nearly exclusively through referrals and it all started after meeting Youssef. Referrals often are linked through individuals that move in the same circles, with similar interests or outlooks on life. Most of our clients are connected through a common thread of high-end quality, creativity and a desire and need to provide the best possible service to their clients or customers.

This common thread has resulted in a great variety of types of clients: Fashion Designers, Interior Designers, Artists Management, Photographers, Jewelry Design and Sales, Software and Game Developers, a Pilates Studio and a Kinesiology Practitioner, Limousine Companies, Engineering Firm, IT and Business Consultants, and a series of high-net worth individuals, who like nothing better than to receive personalized quality service.

Joost has often remarked, while commenting on the types of clients we have, that it would be unlikely that we would ever work for a business selling “widgets” or a gas station. But now upon reflection, we actually would work for them as long as they sell high-end “widgets” and high quality gas!

So…what type of client are you? If you fit with the types of clients we have been providing our services to, we bet we would be able to build a bond of mutual trust and work well together. So….just call us!