SENTA helps ensure it's all 'white' for architecture company

An architecture and interior design company has drawn up a blueprint for success after it greatly exceeded its first year targets and has had to take on extra staff.

White Design, which has been in business for just over a year, has already expanded from the two founders to a five-strong team.

Kevin Unwin (44) and Chris Head (42) left behind their lofty positions at another architecture firm to go it alone.

And the pair have already been involved with the refurbishment of some of the Sheffield’s favourite pubs and bars including the Crystal Bar on Carver Street and the Wagon and Horses in Millhouses.

But it was still an exciting experience for Kevin, of Bradway, and Chris, of Ashover, Derbyshire, to leave their posts as directors at another company because they both have two children to support.

Said Kevin: “It made it a lot more scary knowing that it could affect our families but fortunately that scenario didn’t materialise.

“We’ve been very busy from the very beginning and we’re looking to expand further.

“There is no way that I could now go back to working for someone else. I’ve always had ambitions to have my own company and with hindsight maybe we should have done it sooner.”

White Design has secured contracts with large clients including Spirit Group and Travis Perkins. They are also working on high quality housing projects in Holmfirth and Bawtry.

“It wasn’t very long before we had to expand our workforce to cope with our workload,” Kevin continued.

The pair turned to SENTA for advice and managed to secure funding for their Computer Aided Design (CAD) software.

Said Kevin: “CAD packages can be enormously expensive so for SENTA to be able to help with funding for them was fantastic.

“Our start-up costs were reasonably high because we had to buy computers and licences for the CAD packages on top of the usual expenditure so the financial assistance was most welcome.”

They also received advice on general issues and accountancy from SENTA.

Said Kevin: “While we were talking to SENTA we were fortunate enough to find premises through a business associate so that was one less thing to worry about.”

And since its inception the company has gone from strength to strength. “We didn’t expect to be at this stage so soon,” said Kevin. “We hoped to have taken on an additional member of staff but to have reached this level so soon is terrific.

“We’re starting to pick up work nationwide as well as in this area.”

But with the business plans and a home in place there was only one thing left to decide - the company name.

And unsurprisingly the pair took their cue from an architectural landmark - The White House.

But it was the Sheffield White House at Victoria Quays that was their inspiration.

“It is the name of the building our company is based in but it also seemed very relevant,” said Kevin. “The Victoria Quays include some lovely buildings and the one we’re part of is quite a famous landmark locally.”

Sandra Edwards, SENTA Enterprise Director, said: “We’re pleased to be able to support ambitious businesses like White Design and are delighted to see that they doing so well.”

Sheffield Enterprise Agency (SENTA) is part of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce and provides fully integrated support to new business start-ups and businesses up to two years old.

Its start-up programme is funded by Yorkshire Forward under contract with Business Link South Yorkshire.