Opening my design studio at 24 years old

Starting Before I Was Ready..

Picture this: You just graduate architecture school and the decide to launch your own design studio. Sounds crazy? Yep. That’s where my story begins. I didn’t start my own studio because I thought I was ready. I clearly wasn't, and that's my point. I started it because I knew I’d never be — and I didn’t want to wait for permission. Probably, a rebellious nature I have in me. At 23, I launched NW Design Studio. At 24, I signed my first office lease — a corner studio in New Farm. A milestone that marked the beginning of something much bigger than just a business.

Where It Comes From

My parents came from nothing — and built something. Watching them create opportunity through determination taught me everything I needed to know about work, sacrifice, and resilience.

That drive wasn’t learned in a classroom. It was engrained in me at home. It’s the reason long nights never felt like a burden, and why “no” never felt final. I saw first-hand that anything worth building takes time, courage, and consistency — and that lesson became the foundation of how I approach design and business.

The Foundation

Before starting my own studio, I had the privilege of working in a great firm led by an architect who was willing to show me the ropes. That experience gave me structure, technical depth, and respect for detail. I owe a lot to that chapter — it shaped the designer I am today.

But deep down, I knew I wanted to go and get it myself. To build a studio that reflected not just design excellence, but independence. Something fast, sharp, and personal — a place where ideas could move freely and clients felt part of the process, not outside it.

Challenging the Status Quo

In this industry, people often say you should “wait your turn.” Gain more years. Build more experience. Earn the right. But that never sat right with me and trust me, it never will.

NW Design Studio was born out of that challenge — to prove that age doesn’t define ability. That precision, integrity, and bold thinking can come from anywhere, especially from those hungry enough to chase it. I wanted to show that design can be both refined and fast-moving. That process can be thorough without being slow. That a young studio can deliver the same — or if not better — level of professionalism as firms ten times its size.

A Small Dream Realised

I’m not even close to accomplishing what I’ve set out to do. There’s still so much ahead. But walking into my first corner studio in New Farm, seeing my name on the glass, felt like one dream had already come true. It’s a small space — but it represents something much bigger. It’s proof that the leap was worth it. That belief, hard work, and a bit of grit can turn a sketch of an idea into something real. NW Design Studio was never about waiting until I was ready. It was about taking the first step — and figuring the rest out along the way.