Why Enter the CVG Architecture Business Plan Competition?

Amanda Welu, DELV Design. Winner of CVG’s 2015 Architecture Business Plan Competition. Other DELV partners include Chris Lake, Jeremy Welu, Cara Weber, and Jamison Sills.

A Conversation with 2015 Winner, Amanda Welu of DELV Design

“Jumping into the Business Plan Competition encouraged us to think, plan, and defend our ideas. It gave us an opportunity to lean into the entire puzzle of building a new business and search for the holes. Having a panel of judges and advisors offer insight and challenge helped us make sure we weren’t blinded by our own bias’s, but realistic about the viability of our plan.

— Amada Welu, DELV Design, 2015 Architecture Business Plan Competition Winner

1. Tell us about DELV Design’s business model and what makes you unique...

We recognized that when you're around architects and designers, their greatest asset isn't found in their technical abilities, but rather in the way they think. DELV began with vision to capture (and leverage) more of the creative 'gold' that lives in the playground of a designer's mind. So we created a business model with 3 parts:

1) an architecture studio rooted in design thinking and fixated on stories; 2) a lab that gives space for the exploration/testing of ideas and problem solving that fall outside of the traditional realm of architecture services, and;
3) a venue that is designed to specifically for group ideation & workshopping, inviting clients and the community into the design process.

2. How has your firm evolved over the past five years (since winning the 2015 Architecture Business Plan Competition)? 

We realized early on (in our 2nd year) that our model was actually three distinct businesses or profit centers, each requiring and deserving of a significant amount of resources and time. After initially focusing on both building the studio and the lab simultaneously, we recognized that we were diluting our resources (specifically time ones) and made the decision to shift all efforts back to building a strong operational & brand foundation for the studio first before tackling the lab as a separate entity.

In the meantime, wanting to keep the essence of the lab alive, we have incorporated the 'heartbeat' of the lab internally in the studio. This manifests as providing intentional space for our designers to explore tangent ideas and problem solving, encouraging side projects, and seeking out creative funding through research grants or investment partners who may have shared interest/value in the project.

3. What value did you get from participating in the Business Plan Competition? 
Jumping into the Business Plan Competition encouraged us to think, plan, and defend our ideas. It gave us an opportunity to lean into the entire puzzle of building a new business and search for the holes. Having a panel of judges and advisors offer insight and challenge helped us make sure we weren't blinded by our own bias's, but realistic about the viability of our plan.

4. Were there key takeaways that you got from the process that you didn’t expect? 

It was way more fun than I initially imagined! The whole experience interacting with the CVG team and judges was great--we could tell that they really wanted to see us succeed.

5. Can you offer some recommendations for this year’s participants based on your experience? 

Take time to look at the entire puzzle of building your business objectively vs. personal passion. Ask for feedback or resources along the way where you may have gaps in knowledge or expertise, CVG is a great resource!

For more information about DELV Design, visit their website.