Empowering Diverse Entrepreneurs
One of Built By Us’ most impactful programmes is the Shape Programme for Built Environment Entrepreneurs. We were excited to celebrate the achievements of the 2025 cohort at our graduation event. Through Shape, we provide a platform for peer support. Knowledge exchange and learning for practitioners new to running a business.
In today’s economy, new and diverse entrepreneurs are not just participants—they are vital drivers of innovation, resilience, and social progress.
Shaper, Katie Fisher, Director of CARD Projects, began her business after being made redundant in 2024. CARD stands for Collaboration, Agency, Research and Design. The practice was founded in response to people feeling increasingly disconnected from each other and their cities, aiming to empower them to have a voice and make a "tangible impact in their communities through design and build interventions".
Tackling social and environmental justice challenges at the local or small-business scale can ignite transformative change in the built environment. Entrepreneurs who embed justice-driven values—such as affordable housing, accessible public spaces, or sustainable materials—into their ventures become advocates of inclusive design and responsible development.
Katie noted that starting as a sole trader "can be incredibly lonely" because the responsibility for creative work, finances, contracts, pricing, marketing, and boundaries falls entirely on the individual, for which architecture school often does not prepare you.
Entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds often face systemic barriers both in employment and as business owners. limited access to funding, investment, and supportive networks that constrain their ability to scale ideas and impact.
Amy Linford, a consultant, reflected on her experience of Shape. Programmes like Shape encourage self-exploration, which can be "cringeworthy and hard," but necessary for thinking about one's strengths. ‘’Starting a new adventure (like a business) in the new year involves overcoming fears of both failure and success.”
When these obstacles are addressed by providing tailored resources, new founders gain the confidence and capacity to innovate and build. This empowerment fuels diverse business ecosystems that reflect the richness of community experiences and needs.
Providing new and diverse entrepreneurs with the tools to succeed is a powerful catalyst for innovation and inclusion. Their leadership in addressing social and environmental justice challenges at small-scale plants the seeds for systemic transformation in the built environment—creating more vibrant, equitable, and sustainable communities for generations to come.
"Success isn't about how much money you make, it's about the difference you make in people's lives"
First Lady Michelle Obama
Danna, founder of Built By Us, notes that this quote is both inspirational and a challenge for purpose-driven enterprises. “This is not a call to ignore the bottom line; money is the fuel for the sustainability of your business. However, as built environment practitioners, we have an obligation to consider the impact we make on people and ensure that it is positive.”
If you are interested in being a beneficiary on a future programme, add your details here, and we will contact you with updates.