8 years etcetera
…a story in our own words.
Why we started etcetera…
Rob Henderson: The end goal for both of us has always been to start a company of our own. After living and working in New York for a few years, around 2010 Ariane and I moved to Amsterdam to work at UNStudio. There, we worked on various large research, cultural, and infrastructure projects. For some of these specific product development was possible in the project. This allowed me to build a network of suppliers.
Ariane Stracke-Henderson: The main reason for starting our own firm was to take on projects from start to finish, to see the end result of an architectural or design project that we had put so much effort into. Additionally, working for oneself also gives you the opportunity to build long-term client relations. When it comes to consulting, I share the same sentiment. It's much more satisfying for both us and our clients to remain involved throughout the entire project, rather than leaving after a few rounds of consulting.
Rob: After working at UNStudio, we started Etcetera in 2017. I already had some contacts of my own, so Ariane and I decided that I would be the one to try to secure our first client, while she remained at the firm. Eventually, Ariane also joined full-time, bringing her contacts along. We both quickly noticed that the consultancy services we used to provide for architectural projects and clients could also be beneficial to businesses in other fields. It was around this time that I began searching for something I would enjoy doing for the rest of my life. Losing a friend to a stress-related illness made me even more aware of the importance of this. Finding a model of work that you also find enjoyable is an essential key to entrepreneurial happiness.
Ariane: I agree, and would add that by working for yourself, you have more influence on the products and projects you are working on. This creates space for projects that we believe are important from an ideological perspective. Examples of this are the Settings interior design project we did for Codic and Grow, a progressive housing competition we entered. Studying under Zaha Hadid in Vienna formed me in various ways. First of all, it made me realize that architecture is much broader than I had imagined before starting my studies. The way she carried through, from painting, architecture, to product design, is still an inspiration. And then not shying away from things that have not been done yet, if you cannot create a particular shape, find the technology that can. This is what we try to do at Etcetera as well: think ahead and develop possible solutions. Combining our passion with forward thinking is what creates good design. An example of this is the use of fiberglass after WWII and the rise of (industrial) 3D printing in our era, where technology supported new and innovative design possibilities.
Rob: Etcetera combines my talent of tweaking and evolving existing ideas and designs with Ariane's love for working off a blank canvas and seeing a design come to life.
Ariane: In a way, designing a building and consulting are not so different. In both cases, you design a vision. In architecture, this vision translates into one building or an interior. Consultancy is a more process-oriented collaborative relationship. Here you secure the vision over time of a project through multiple layers, providing the different expertise that is necessary. In design, architecture, and consulting you consistently reflect on whether you’re still working in line with the original idea.
Rob: As I said before, from experience, we know that finding a business model that you is also enjoyable is an essential key to entrepreneurial happiness. At Etcetera, we support our customers and partners in finding solutions that work for them, developing business models, and creating spaces that they enjoy.
