EP 024026 May 2025 · 56 min
Small Practice, Big Impact: Clare Nash on Cash Flow, Clients and Confidence
56:23About this conversation
Small architecture practices do not fail because they care too little about design. They usually struggle because cash flow, clients, confidence, pricing and marketing are harder than people admit.
Stephen Drew speaks with Clare Nash about running a small architecture practice, asking for money upfront, finding a niche, getting work through content and building a studio that is more stable without losing its character.
The conversation covers:
Why cash flow and deposits matter in small practice life
How Clare built a team and a niche around barn conversions
Why marketing, blogging and networking can bring better work
Topics in this episode
Transcript
Back to playerRead the conversation.
Automatically generated. Words and speaker labels may contain mistakes. Play a passage to hear the original.
Opening of the conversation
Timestamps jump to the nearest marked moment in the video.
- · Stephen Drew
Stephen Drew
Hello everyone and welcome to the Architecture Social Show. I was joking with my guests here because it's been a little while since I've done one of these. I feel rusty, but that's okay. We will. Will power through. The theme of today is important. Often, I've had some really cool guests here, which are large architecture practices, medium architecture practices, but we have to remember the humble roots in the uk.
- · Stephen Drew
Stephen Drew
Most of the architecture practices are small to medium size. And I was joking with my guest, how small is small? I'm talking about maybe a few of you are thinking of running an architecture practice. Maybe some of you are running your own architecture practice. Maybe you're doing it yourself, or you have a team of one or two people that is the bulk of architecture practices in the uk.
Clare Nash Architecture projects
The work behind the conversation.
United Kingdom
Coolington Barn
A former agricultural barn and its ruined outbuildings were transformed into a light-filled home arranged around a south-facing courtyard.
View project →Northamptonshire, United Kingdom
Barn Conversion in a Conservation Area
An unusual curved barn was converted into an energy-efficient home while retaining the character of its conservation-area setting.
View project →
EP 0257 · 84 minHe Started His Own Architecture Practice at 29Alex Sutton
EP 0256 · 52 minWhy Architects Have Zero Power in the UK Right NowJay Morton
EP 0254 · 78 minRunning an Architecture Practice Isn't What You ThinkTim O'Callaghan
EP 0253 · 73 minHow to Future Proof Your Architecture CareerAmi Nigam
The newsletter
Get the next conversation in your inbox.
New episodes, the companion guides and the Friday session. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
Comments
What’s your take?
Loading the conversation…
Be curious. Be kind. Disagree with ideas, not people.
Continue in the forum →