FOUNDER STORY
“Too many studios are doing credible work with no reliable way to reach the organisations that actually need them.
That is the gap Grand House was built to close.”
Richard, Ex-Architect & Founder of Grand House
I have spent close to 15 years around this industry from different angles.
I started in architecture because I wanted to shape how people experience spaces and places, working at practices including Foster + Partners and WilkinsonEyre on large international projects. I then moved into recruitment where I spent four years helping design and creative businesses build teams and navigate moments of change, working with organisations including Louis Vuitton, Tiffany and Co, Chanel and some of the most respected studios in the UK.
But the same pattern kept showing up across all of it. Strong studios, credible work and genuine reputations, yet no reliable or structured way to stay visible to the right people, build the right relationships and create new conversations consistently. New business was reactive, referral-dependent and too often left to chance.
That is why I created Grand House.
I help architecture, design and creative studios build a more intentional route to market. One that fits how this industry actually works and how trust is genuinely built within it. That means understanding exactly who the studio is, where its strongest opportunities sit, who it should be speaking to and why, and putting the right structure around how those conversations happen consistently, not just when someone happens to make an introduction.
The aim is not to generate noise. It is to create a more dependable flow of the right opportunities, without losing the relationship-led nature of the industry.
Richard's background includes work across architecture studios, recruitment and business development, supporting design-led organisations including Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co, Chanel, Foster + Partners and WilkinsonEyre.
CLIENT
PARTNERSHIPS
-
“ Working with Richard gave me back time and headspace I didn’t realise I’d lost He helped bring clarity across my brand, positioning and internal systems, aligning the business with who we really are and where we want to go. What once felt fragmented now feels structured and intentional. Knowing that new business development runs quietly in the background has removed a huge amount of stress. Within the first week, I was already in conversation with three organisations that were genuinely aligned, and we signed a new client soon after. My consultancy was always busy, but not always for the right reasons. Work that previously took days now takes minutes. Now I work smarter, with clearer structure, stronger positioning and systems in place that support sustainable growth. ”
Peter Cuthbertson, Founder
Sixteen Eleven Consultancy
-
“ You captured everything I couldn’t find the words for. I had worked with several agencies before, but none of them truly understood what I do. I’m not just a florist. I’m a floral spatial artist, and previous work flattened the depth of the studio rather than bringing it out. Working with Grand House was different. Richard took the time to understand the DNA of the business, the ambition behind the work, and how we wanted to grow. He helped me articulate something I’d always known instinctively but couldn’t quite express. The result feels calm, confident, and deeply aligned with who we are. I’m now confident we attract the right people, with a brand that feels considered, authentic, and built to last. I’m comfortable stepping into the next phase of growth ”
Emily Baylis, Founder & Creative Director
June in March