AC Design & Development, a woman-owned architectural and interior design company based in New York, has announced that it has completed more than 100 projects since its inception. Furthermore, the company has 32 projects in the pipeline, demonstrating its strength and reputation as the everyday person's architect and designer.
AC Design & Development was established by Aishah Coleman, who has 30 years of experience in the industry. After graduating from college, she worked in several architectural and construction management firms. She joined the public sector with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, and then the NYC Housing Authority. It was at the Housing Authority where she met Francine Alheid, who would later co-found AC Design & Development with her. In 2007, Coleman rejoined the public sector but later lost her job in 2009 in the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis. This led her to take her side gig into a full-time business.
“I learned a lot about myself from running a business. I realized the importance of tenacity, and I branched out into other skills, such as marketing. I also used that time to improve myself and obtain my MBA. There's been so many hills and valleys in the 13 years since we opened the business,” Coleman says.
She adds that in the first year, AC Design & Development was in operation, it grossed around $35,000. By 2017, it started growing rapidly, before encountering a temporary setback due to the pandemic, and eventually bouncing back. This year, it is on track to have a revenue of $1 million, and Coleman says that her goal is to keep the business bringing in seven figures annually until her retirement.
“2020 was a shocker for everyone, and it really put a lot of things in perspective. It was a huge wake-up call for us, and we realized that nothing is guaranteed, and that we need to have the flexibility to adjust to drastic changes. When everything started opening back up, we made sure to grow the business as aggressively as possible. This was so that, in the event of another pandemic or something that would shut us down for some time, myself and my team would be able to sustain ourselves financially.”
With dozens of projects in the works, AC Design & Development is continuing to ride the wave of growth into the near future. Some of these undertakings include a commercial project in Yonkers valued at $60 million, where the company is doing the architecture and interior finishes, as part of a complete overhaul of the facility. Coleman estimates around 70% to 75% of the company's work is for homeowners, while the remainder is for commercial properties.
“I love working with local businesses and homeowners, and we have built a reputation as the everyday person's architect and designer. All the other firms want to do high-end projects in Manhattan, but that isn't our thing. We pride ourselves on our excellent level of customer service and accessibility, operating on the values of honesty, transparency, and personal touch. This is exemplified by the large number of clients we get through referrals, as well as the positive reviews over the years,” Coleman says.
Media contact:
Name: Aishah Coleman
Email:[email protected]
