From personal experience, we know that starting a business is a process that is both creative and all-consuming. Each new business is someone’s dream come true. It is not just about the money – it is about imagining a better world and believing that you have the tenacity and the skills to make it so.
Very quickly, you realise that it is not all fun and games: Trying to get your head around basic accounting, deciding which computer software to invest in, researching insurance offers, being kept on hold while waiting to speak to your bank’s business team - many facets of the start-up process can feel overwhelming, and some are, quite frankly, mind-numbingly dull.
In the process of starting our architecture firm, we have learned the importance of knowing when to ask for help– much of what we had to do was new to us and felt like quite a steep learning curve. In this, we have been terribly lucky to have had the East London Small Business Centre, a not-for profit organisation here in London, by our side. They have provided us with invaluable help, encouragement and advice over these past few months.
Wherever possible, we have made a point of collaborating with other young companies who understand the process we are going through and who are as excited about their business as we are about ours. Why give our money to a large faceless corporation when we can support people like ourselves in doing what they love? It does feel like our generation of people starting out for themselves is all about working together and pooling resources to help each other out, as can be seen in the co-working spaces all over London. At Panther House we share a space with two other start-up companies, and one of the most useful aspects of this arrangement is sharing not just equipment and overheads, but also tips on everything from cash flow to service providers.
One thing we do know about, after ten years of working in Architecture, is how to design spaces. In the spirit of start-up businesses getting together and pooling their expertise and resources, we are going to put together a guide for new companies fitting out their brand new, much loved shop/cafe/restaurant.
Over the coming weeks, we will share our thoughts on this with you via this blog. Feel free to subscribe to the email feed to get these posts delivered straight to your inbox.