For Natasha Jain, CEO and Co-founder of Bent Collective, design has always been about challenging the expected. What began as a desire for bold, personal furniture evolved into a larger design language spanning multiple categories. Today, her leadership blends creative instinct with business discipline, people-first thinking and an unapologetically competitive spirit.
What inspired you to build Bent Collective, and when did you realise it could become something bigger?
It really started with a simple frustration—I couldn’t find pieces that felt bold and personal, and weren’t afraid to break the rules. Bent Chair was my answer to that gap. I realised it could become something bigger when people didn’t just buy our products but connected with the thinking behind them. That’s when it clicked that we weren’t selling furniture; we were building a design language. Everything since, from Natelier to Bent Rugs, has grown from that same instinct.
What does leadership look like to you when you’re also deeply involved in the creative process?
For me, the two aren’t separate. I lead best when I’m actually in the work rather than watching from the sidelines. It means staying consistent, being hands-on and being willing to question and rework an idea until it’s right. But it also means knowing when to step back and let my team run with something. Leadership in a creative business is less about control and more about creating the space for good ideas to emerge.
Has becoming a CEO changed the way you see yourself?
It has, in ways I didn’t expect. Suddenly, you’re making decisions that affect thousands of people—our artisans, our teams and their families—and that responsibility changes you. It has honestly been a bit of a roller coaster, and I’ve had to become comfortable with not always having the answer. But at my core, I still see myself as a designer and builder first. The title simply gave me a bigger canvas to work on.
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