Master of his own (home) design
Excellence in niche housing developments sees architectural firm get its slice of the cake
AKEEN sense of the arts saw Erik Voigt turn his passion for drawing into a profession which has heeded great success, designing more than 1 000 housing projects in the Bay.
The Walmer resident said by the age of 12 he already decided to become an architect, a vision he relentlessly pursued and led to him opening Erik Voigt’s Architects in 1990.
What is your core service?
Providing a professional architectural offering.
What made you venture into this type of industry?
My late mother was artistic, so I guess I inherited some of the talent. I took art lessons from a young age and at age 12, announced to my mother that I would become an architect.
It was between pilot and architect, as I loved both, so I opted for architecture as a profession and flying as a hobby.
When did you see the opportunity to start the business?
Underlying it was always a possibility, but as so many things in life, it came by chance. During my final year at university, I was offered a partnership in a well-established architectural firm.
I grabbed the opportunity – as we all need others to advance us in life – and started in my new position at the end of my final year, which was 1987.
Three years later, I felt confident enough to start my own business and Erik Voigt Architects was born.
None of this was actually planned properly, but as Gary Player said “the more I practise, the luckier I get”. Work hard for long enough and luck will come your way.
What makes your business unique?
Erik Voigt Architects primarily design residential dwellings and housing developments. We have designed more than 1 000 housing projects. This is not by chance – it relates to our love for the niche and it comes naturally. Also, we do not require every job in town, simply our slice of the cake – much like a medical specialist who focuses on one field and becomes better in the focused area all the time.
If someone wanted to copy your business model, how would they start?
Don’t be greedy. Start small and remain small for as long as possible until forces dictate the natural growth of the firm.
What are some of the biggest inhibitors your business faced before even getting off the ground?
Simply the guts to make the move, as most of us are afraid of the unknown, embarrassment of failure and perhaps physical losses.
Architects can start a business with next to nothing. A computer, a desk, a chair and off you go. No need to borrow money or get into debt.
The more difficult side is to start a client base, but innovation, dedication, love for what you’re doing and hard work will solve that. Before you open your eyes you will be inundated with work.
Any tips for budding entrepreneurs or new business owners?
While business can be extremely serious and stressful, it will always be the love and enthusiasm for what you do that will carry you into the morrow. Stop loving and caring and your business will result in failure. Ask Warren Buffet, Richard Branson and Steve Jobs and they will all agree.
What is some of the biggest challenges in running the day-to-day side of the business?
Keeping the business financially afloat, but otherwise, to retain innovation and be proud of your product. Luckily, innovation does not have an end date, so applying our minds correctly will lead to success. If that was not the case, Elon Musk would not have been in space.
What are some of the best practices that have made your business successful?
Team work. Argue, debate, disagree, but always pull in the same direction. A happy office with happy people will fulfil the vision of the team. No person is an island – we all need others to accomplish.
Take a solo artist, an Adele or similar. We all know her name, but what about the rest of her team who never get accolades?
So, who is most important – Adele or her team. They both are, in the collective.
How did you decide on pricing?
Pricing is primarily a market-driven matter and otherwise, how much in demand your product/service is. The latter again refers to innovation.
Take Adele again. The better music she produces, the more sales she will have.
What kind of advertising do you do?
Our product and service is our advertisement, and it costs us nothing. Good service, more work and vice versa.
What is your company’s vision?
Too many missions and visions clutter the mind. We keep it simple. We wish to be the best in our niche, and since “best” does not have an end date, it means that we aim to improve ourselves all the time.
We do not compete with other firms – we compete with ourselves.
What is your target market?
Housing developers and social housing developments. In this way we have made many friends over the years. Friends in business are a must.
What are some of your highlights in running your business?
Small achievements on a daily basis should always be recognised and celebrated, but we have achieved many awards and other forms of recognition.
It is not something we strive towards, but it is wonderful when it comes.
More than this is the comradery in the office. We all spend eights hours a day in the same environment, so laughter adds so much more value than focusing on income only.
How did you get funding for your business?
I never required it. Keeping it simple was the answer, but not all businesses are so fortunate.
Work hard for long enough and luck will come your way