We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Luis Murillo a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Luis , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. It’s easy to look at a business or industry as an outsider and assume it’s super profitable – but we’ve seen over and over again in our conversation with folks that most industries have factors that make profitability a challenge. What’s biggest challenge to profitability in your industry?

For LMD in particular the challenge is to produce a set of Construction Documents as accurate and comprehensive as we believe it to be necessary for permitting and construction while making sure that the Architectural fees are sufficient not only to cover the necessary labor but to make our firm profitable. Potential clients are inevitably drawn toward professional practices that seem to offer a good service at a considerably lower price compared to LMD. We find ourselves trying to convince our potential clients about the value we bring to the table and how, while LMD might seem to be more expensive up front, at the end of the process, good design, coordination, and documentation, will translate in less costly projects

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My story begins in Bogotá, Colombia, where I was born and raised. I received my bachelor’s degree in Architecture in 1994 and practiced for three years doing residential design and construction administration work until 1997 when I received a job offer to work in residential architectural design in California. My wife and I decided to move our family to the states in March that year. Today my wife is the brains behind our Marketing and Operations Department, and our kids are well into their professions or working towards completing their education.

My passion for Architecture didn’t begin when I started in the Architecture program at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in 1988. I actually started in Engineering in 1985 to quickly realize that inasmuch as structure, rational thinking, and pragmatism were running deeply in my veins, the world of calculations wasn’t for me.

I can trace my passion for design to my very early years. I must have been 8 to 10 years old when I got the Colombian version of this Lego-like game with which many different types of buildings could be built. But I didn’t want to assemble the pre-set models; that was too easy. What I needed was several boxes of those ‘Legos’ to then build bigger and more complex structures. Yet, how do you go from there to growing up into someone that has a passion for Architecture? The answer goes beyond assembling bricks, or detailing doors or windows; it is in the realm of the intangible such as perhaps a deep dislike for chaos, imbalance, randomness, sloppiness…. just naming these make me anxious. On the contrary, thoughts of organization, equilibrium, structure, accuracy, proportion, all make me feel relaxed, calmed, at ease. And that is I think what Architecture has given me. Doing what I do and excelling at it, gives me power, an ability to take all sorts of unknowns, desires, constrains, regulations, and produce an object, but not any object, a master piece that can be inhabited and that not only functions well, but a master piece that makes its inhabitants feel as relaxed, peaceful, and as at ease as I feel when I look at it. You can’t point the finger at any particular element of the master piece; in its entirety, the new home is exactly what a home should be; oasis, shelter, protection…

At LMD we are constantly striving to understand our clients’ expectations in order to provide a design solution they love. We want them to come home each, walk into their homes and exhale and feel I am home…I love my home. Our clients’ satisfaction is LMD’s top priority.

Embarking on a construction project can be a daunting experience. A very high percentage of the chances of success will depend on the partner chosen to land the project vision and to assist in the management of all the decisions needed over the course of a project. At LMD Architecture Studio, we endeavor to show our clients that we are the right partner for this venture. Through our core values, Leadership, Meticulous, Perseverance, Accountability and Fun we will make sure we make this experience as smooth as possible and that, at the end of the process, they feel that the investment made on LMD as they Architect was well worth it and that their new home is everything they expected and more.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Our story is the story of millions of immigrants that come to the US in search of a change. Fresh out of Colombia, with no family of friends, very limited understanding of the language, materials and methods, or professional practice rules, I joined a firm of 15 people as a 30 years old Junior Designer. not one single one of my coworkers spoke my language, (nor did I want them to). There were very tough days where I would come home at night and cry silently out of desperation for not being able to operate at my full potential. What did I do… I would ask my self. 13 years later, I left the company as an Architecture Studio Director and head of the Quality Control and Graphic Standards Department.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

Baby steps. Our initial capital wasn’t necessary money but connections. More than that, our life approach of never closing a door behind you. I left my work in the best terms with my previous employer. That was possible due to years of honest and hard work. And when it came the time to part ways, it was done professionally and from the hearth. Started out in a small office in our Garage with very minimal overhead, consulted hourly for my previous employer to complete the projects I was in charge of, and they also gave LMD a boost by recommending us for a project they were not able to take on. The rest is history. 13 years building a reputation of a honest, hard-working, detail oriented, and customer satisfaction oriented practice.    

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lmdarchitecture.com/
• Instagram: lmdarchitecturestudio
• Facebook: LMD Architecture Studio
• Linkedin: Luis Murillo