Cyrus Loloi’s goal is to create a well-respected rug brand – Portrait

Cyrus Loloi joined the family rug business in 2011 and has worked to modernize its brand identity and build Loloi’s awareness to become a household name in the industry. From the beginning, the goal has been to create a well-respected rug brand in an industry that has low brand awareness among consumers. His responsibilities span from leading recruiting and hiring, to overseeing the brand’s digital experience to the trade, and delivering comprehensive marketing and creative campaigns to trade and end-consumers. Cyrus was instrumental in the launch of Loloi’s partnership with Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines in 2016, one of the company’s largest collaborations to date.

I understand that your father started the company in 2004. How did your childhood prepare you and your brother Steven for the roles you have today? Your father had a very interesting career from driving ice cream trucks to founding his own business and emigrating to the U.S. What lessons have you learned from him? 

Rugs and home textiles have been at the center of our family life for as long as we can remember. Steven and I often spent hours after school and in the summer months at work with our dad, learning the ropes and getting some hands-on experience with customers. Candidly, I don’t think either of us ever thought we would join his line of work, but his love and passion for this business is contagious, so here we are — doing what he loves, and each finding our own personal reasons to love it, too. I don’t think we could have asked for a better role model in entrepreneurship than our father. He has all the essential skills that make a great businessperson, but he also has heart. He has infused this business with family values since day one, setting a high standard for how things should be done and how people should be treated.

How would you describe your leadership style?  

I try to set high standards, lead by example and share lots of context to empower our teams to do great things. I’m very process-oriented too. At our scale, it’s important to have systems to deliver good work on time and on budget.

Are you a leaper or a planner?  

Planner. I’m famous among my team for being hyper-vigilant, not being optimistic, and am often planning for all possible negative outcomes. Instead of fighting this trait or trying to change, I use it to my advantage for planning, expectation-setting and problem-solving with various contingencies. It’s a nice counterbalance to Amir’s intuitive style.

How important are licensees like Joanna Gaines, Chris Loves Julia, and Amber Lewis to the Loloi brand? Will you be adding any additional licensees? 

Our collaboration partners are like family to us, and we’re eternally grateful to them. Growing their collections is as important to us as building our own name, and we’re lucky to work with some of the best, nicest people in the business. We do anticipate future new licenses but are also hyper-focused on new assortments with our existing partners.

Over the years, Loloi has added pillows, wall art, throws, poufs and floor pillows as additions to the initial rug category. Are any additional product expansions planned? 

Not for Loloi at this time. We’re very proud to be one of the most loved names in rugs, and we’ve loved creating extension categories to utilize extra materials and showcase our craft. The core Loloi brand will be staying in that lane for the foreseeable future.

How important are interior designers to the Loloi brand? 

Interior designers are our heartbeat. We of course sell to them, but more importantly, we learn from them. We hear them out on trends, on client concerns, on material preferences. Our business wouldn’t be where it is today without them.

What do the next 5 years look like for Loloi? 

As we grow, we hope to have a bigger and better impact on this industry, the people we work with, and the places we manufacture in. The “Love, Loloi” initiative is our commitment to doing good for our community, industry and environment. To date, the “Love, Loloi” initiative has worked with VisionSpring to provide free eye testing to 500+ people where we manufacture in India, and eyeglasses to those who need them. We’ve also donated 1,000+ mango, guava and other tree saplings to our local partners in India, who planted them around their facilities and homes to encourage a healthy and enriched environment. We’ll continue to support students at SCAD in Savannah, Ga., through our Loloi Equal Opportunity Scholarship, and will also keep finding ways to give back to the design community near and far through our partners like Dwell With Dignity and Habitat for Humanity.

Fun questions: 

How did you earn your first paycheck? 

Selling software to businesses door-to-door in San Francisco! Let’s call it a character-building experience.

What is your favorite family memory? 

My parents took my brother and I to Istanbul at 13 and it opened my eyes to the world. I’ve loved traveling ever since.

Does your family have any holiday traditions?

We are pretty low key. I have a niece and nephew now, so it’s fun to have three generations together and see the holidays through their eyes.

What is the most interesting place you have ever visited? 

Steven and I had a pretty unforgettable trip to India a few years ago where we went to visit our partners and really deepen our appreciation for this work and the communities we’re supporting.

What are you currently reading or streaming?

I’m watching Penguin on HBO Max. I’m a nerd for all things Batman.