Decorative Carpets may have raised Sara Sugarman—her grandfather founded the luxe flooring company in 1955—but her business, Lulu and Georgia, and its Instagram-fed cult following, are all her own. The multimillion-dollar startup, which draws its name from the entrepreneur’s grandfather Lou and father George, couldn’t exist without the internet. It’s a site born of the social age, teeming with impeccably photographed Moroccan rugs, side tables rendered in marble and metal, ethereal chandeliers and a bevy of other Pinterest-worthy pieces that hit trends directly on the head.
But Sugarman doesn’t call hers a tech company. “We are not founded on some gimmicky pricing model or as a company with a tech focus,” she says. “We invest our money and time in quality products you can’t find anywhere else. Our innovation and creativity is in our designs, the merchandising and usability of our site experience, and superior customer service.” It’s in her emphasis on quality where Sugarman’s industry lineage is most apparent. Hers may not be an audience clamoring for bespoke rugs, but the desire for good design is shared. “Our customer can appreciate the high-end,” she says, “but still wants the ease of online shopping and a quick turnaround.”
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