Luke Maiden – just a designer and a ‘guy who likes to draw pictures!’
In this episode of the Sparks by Ignium Podcast Phil Rose talks to Luke Maiden of Aperture Design Studios in Abu Dhabi. Luke’s the founder of the business and describes himself as a designer. Phil met Luke as part of the Porsche Leadership and Management Programme and immediately realised that Luke had created a business that really ‘understood what it stands for’. As a business owner Luke discusses his approach to ‘leading’ his business and maintaining the small enough to care approach that keeps his clients coming back for more. Design lies at the core of everything Luke does and that includes the way the business is ‘structured’ to support his clients and the team.
(Some of) The main points for listeners:
- Building a business in a relatively new country where heritage is key.
- Why some business owners prefer to stick to the title of ‘what they actually do’ rather than call themselves an entrepreneur. (even though Luke really is an entrepreneur!)
- How designers manage the conflict between protecting the past and envisioning the future – how can this apply to your business (the difference between building in the middle of a ‘blank’ desert and integrating with existing concepts)
- “I just hoped on a plane with a back pack and no job with the intention of creating something” - Luke’s journey from Melbourne to Abu Dhabi…
- “we are all about this place” – the value of understanding the environment
- It wasn’t about money – the reasons behind each person’s reasons for starting a new business
- What differentiates your business? “Big when you’re small and small when you’re big”
- How ‘fighting’ for what you do helps clients get what they want…
- Designing the business to enable you to achieve what you want
- Understanding the context before you start (how’s the useful to you?)
- Sometimes we need to help clients understand what they want – (because they might not really know!)
- How story telling helps with understanding and can be used with helping people envision the future when you create a link to the feeling in that future
- Only working with people you enjoy working with – and how that impacts energy
- Design at the core – how to build an ‘organisational’ chart that focusses on what you bring to the world
- How Luke drives design success by NOT measuring time but by doing what’s needed
- Purpose in business for Luke - about creating something… and about getting paid well for what we do
- How being more selective about the projects the business took on drove an increase in revenue (positioning)
- Managing remote teams – in the Philippines – and how that drives an even more successful business
- How to get the right people ‘on the bus’ – it’s all about relationship
- How taking a ‘risk’ may just be about maximising an opportunity – it’s all about your perspective!
- Working and managing a business in Abu Dhabi – and how the Emirate’s approach to growth has helped Luke build his business
- The change in vision as a business grows – you never can actually ‘fully’ plan what the future will look like
- …but what does the future look like… in 10 years… and beyond…
- The fisherman’s story… what do you want in the future
- More Money, More Money, Less Stress, More Fun – which would you ask for?
- Advice for the younger self… don’t sweat the small stuff… remember it’s often about the long game…
Learn More: visit the Ignium https://www.igniumconsult.com
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Listen to the show: https://sparksbyignium.transistor.fm/episodes
More about Luke Maiden and Aperture Design Studio
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