Oliver Lowrie’s Top 10 LESSONS LEARNED made while setting up an Architecture Practice

Setting up an architecture practice is rarely the clean founder story people imagine. It is fees, cash flow, recruitment, content, client education, mistakes and learning where the pressure really sits.

Stephen Drew speaks with Oliver Lowrie, co-founder of Ackroyd Lowrie, about the top lessons learned from building an architecture practice and what others should understand before trying to do the same.

The conversation covers:

• Why content, relationships and a wider business ecosystem matter
• How fee pressure and unpaid overtime damage practice culture
• Why client education is part of running a healthier studio
• How apprenticeships and long-term talent routes can support practice growth
• Why founders need advisers, perspective and better business discipline

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▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faLusqZ3BcA

📝 Read the full write-up, with the key takeaways:
https://architecturesocial.com/podcast/oliver-lowrie-setting-up-architecture-practice/

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Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to lessons from practice ownership
• 05:00 The first lessons from setting up a studio
• 10:00 Creating a business ecosystem and content
• 15:00 Building momentum before the work arrives
• 20:00 Fees, overtime and protecting the team
• 25:00 Educating clients and professional value
• 30:00 Apprenticeships and long-term talent routes
• 35:00 Cash flow, invoices and competitive pressure
• 40:00 Audience questions on mobilisation and affordability
• 45:00 Non-executive advice and not being alone
• 50:00 Recruitment, candidate behaviour and market shifts
• 55:00 Regulation, politics and the wider profession