headshot by Erin Leydon
Back in 2020, the field stool was popping up all over my instagram feed with buzz about the new furniture brand, Sundays. Their first drop had smart and clean design with a cozy disposition that refreshingly seemed to appreciate both comfort and modernism, celebrating the idea that both can exist.
Later that year, Barbora, the Sunday’s co-founder and I had our first call. Her cute little kids were squealing in the background and we hit it off right away. We’ve worked together a handful of times since, and working with her is always refreshing. She is generous and kind and real and pushing all the boundaries of what a CEO looks like.
Amanda Jane Jones: First off, tell me more about your journey to becoming a business owner?
Barbora Samieian: Entrepreneurship has been a winding path for me. My background is in the non-profit world, and I studied International Relations before spending a few years at the UN Headquarters in New York. (AJJ: Whoa!) Living in New York opened up a new creative side of me and planted the first real seed of wanting to build something of my own.
My husband Moe comes from an entrepreneurial family, and together we experimented with a few businesses before founding Sundays with two partners. One of those businesses was Field & Social, a salad shop here in Vancouver that I grew from one to four locations. It was a real immersion into small business life. Looking back, the parts I loved most were designing the spaces and building a community around them. We have so many loyal regulars who became friends, and that connection made the work feel meaningful.
AJJ: This is why I love doing these—I had no idea!! From the UN, to Salad to furniture…you can do it all. And from the outside looking in, Sunday’s grew really fast. I mean you only launched in 2019!! Was that hard to navigate? Especially with Covid?
BS: It’s been a whirlwind. We launched three months before the pandemic, which was both helpful and challenging. People were suddenly spending so much time at home, so interest in furniture grew quickly. At the same time, we were navigating supply chain delays and freight costs that felt like they doubled overnight.
In the early years we focused on Canada, then started seeing exciting momentum in the US. What made all the difference is that there are four of us as co-founders. We each bring different strengths but share the same vision and values, which has given us a strong foundation through every up and down.
AJJ: And now you have Hetta, which is gorgeous. Congratulations!! Can you talk more about how this came to be? And what led to your decision to start another furniture business when the first is still booming?
That means so much coming from you! Hetta began as an idea my husband sparked, rooted in our shared love of heirloom pieces. My co-founders and I grew up around well-loved furniture in cottages and our grandparents’ homes, and we wanted to bring that feeling into a modern context. Every piece is designed to age gracefully and become part of a home’s story. The name is inspired by Etta, an old English name meaning “the keeper of the hearth”, which speaks to our hope that Hetta brings comfort and a sense of belonging to the spaces people cherish.
We also loved the idea of creating a sister brand rather than expanding Sundays too far. From the start, Sundays was meant to be a curated collection. Building Hetta allowed us to stay true to that vision while exploring a different expression. If you’re in New York, you can see Hetta pieces in person on the lower level of our Sundays Flatiron showroom.
AJJ: What a smart way to try a new direction while keeping the essence of Sunday’s intact.
Tariffs are hitting so many businesses hard. How has this affected you?
BS: The hardest part is the uncertainty. Tariff rates change often and without much warning. Something gets announced, we adjust our plans, and then it shifts again. That constant ebb and flow has been the real challenge. To help offset the changes, we’ve shifted some of our manufacturing in order to keep prices competitive.
AJJ: Tell us about your “work space” or office.
BS: I love going into the office. It’s a bright, calm space that feels good to work in, and our team comes in a few days a week. Those in-person days are energizing. There’s something about being around each other that sparks ideas and makes the work feel lighter.
I feel the same way about our showrooms. I love spending time there, visiting our teams, meeting customers, or hosting community events. Seeing people interact with the space and our pieces is always grounding. It’s a kind of connection you can’t really get any other way.
AJJ: I get FOMO every time I see your showrooms online, so I GET IT. I hope to visit someday.
One piece of advice you wish you could go back and tell your past self?
BS: Ask for help. Whether at work or in your personal life, people want to support you.
AJJ: Love that. What about something you can’t live without as a self employed mother?
BS: I am part of a group of founder moms that are just a text away when I need support. We check in on each other, share advice, and meet up in person whenever we can. Having that circle makes the juggle feel less lonely and a lot more doable.
AJJ: What was your journey to motherhood like?
BS: I always knew I wanted kids, and I grew up with incredible parents who set the bar high. Our oldest was born in New York, and when he was just a few months old we moved back to Vancouver to be closer to family. Leaving New York was hard. I still miss it almost ten years later. Those early months were tough. He was a colicky newborn, and the transition from zero to one was harder for me than going from two to four.
I found my rhythm with our second, and then the twins arrived and life became a beautiful blur. I’m still not sure how we managed a four year old, a two year old, newborn twins, and a young business. We had a lot of help, and it stretched us in every way. My pregnancies were smooth, but each delivery came with complications. The twins’ birth led to a four hour surgery afterward, which was frightening. It gave me so much perspective. At the end of the day, we’re here and we’re healthy, and that matters most.
AJJ: Tell me a bit about your family! What do you love to do together?
BS: Moe and I have been together since high school, almost twenty-five years now. We have four kids: Hudson who is nine, Ernest who is seven, and our five-year-old twins, Max and Mila. They are the best. Four kids in four years was a lot, but over the last year we’ve really found our rhythm.
We live in a condo in the city and love being able to walk to our favourite coffee shops and playgrounds. Weekends are usually full of playground hopping and activities like soccer and skating lessons. We love exploring new foods and travelling together. My sister lives in the Spanish countryside, and visiting her family in the summers has become a special tradition for us.
AJJ: What is your favorite thing about being a mom?
BS: The way it makes you slow down and see the world through a child’s eyes again. There’s something grounding and joyful about experiencing those small moments with them.
AJJ: And what is your least favorite (or hardest part)?
BS: Finding alone time. With work and four kids, there’s always someone who needs something, and carving out even a little space for myself can be tough.
AJJ: Best advice you’ve ever been given about raising kids?
BS: Travel as much as you can, no matter their age. It’s incredible what kids remember from those trips, and it brings you closer as a family in a way little else does.
Currently reading? The Kids Are All Right
Favorite treat? Cheese
Ocean or mountain? Both. Vancouver is one of those rare places where you get both in one day.
A movie you could watch over and over? Home Alone
Favorite thing about getting older? Finding a quiet confidence
Favorite time of day? The morning, especially in the summer
Thank you Barbora for generously taking the time to join Studio Visit! In case you missed our first Studio Visit with Audrey Leary, you can read it here! More soon! xx- ajj
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