Kenneth Martin’s 21 Years in Business, Recession, Debt, and the Reality of Survival | Episode 46

Kenneth Martin didn’t chase fast growth or flashy success, he built something that lasted. From discovering architecture at just 12 years old, to setting up his own practice earlier than most would dare, Kenny’s journey is one of graft, resilience, and staying true to professional standards even when the pressure was relentless. With Block Architects now over 21 years old, his story is a rare look at what it really takes to survive and evolve in a demanding industry. In this episode of Success or Excuses, James Fleming sits down with Kenneth Martin, founder of Block Architects and Interior Designers, to unpack the realities behind building and sustaining a professional practice through recessions, debt, staff cuts, personal sacrifice, and long-term leadership decisions. From working alone in his attic, to employing teams, losing them during the 2008 crash, rebuilding from debt, and starting again from scratch, Kenny shares the honest truth behind longevity in business. This conversation goes deep into what leadership actually looks like over decades, not years. Kenny speaks openly about the mental toll of responsibility, making decisions that affect people’s livelihoods, carrying debt to keep the business alive, and learning when to step back so the business can survive without you. Alongside that, James shares his own experiences of sacrifice, pressure, and why succession planning is not optional if you care about the future of your company. If you’re running a business, thinking about growth, or quietly wondering how long you can keep carrying everything yourself, this episode will resonate deeply. Key moments include: ✔️ Discovering architecture at age 12 and committing to it early ✔️ Setting up a practice only a few years after qualifying ✔️ Growing the business, hiring staff, and learning leadership the hard way ✔️ The 2008 recession and the brutal reality of paying staff off ✔️ Carrying personal debt to keep the business alive ✔️ Going back to working solo and rebuilding from scratch ✔️ Why architects feel downturns before anyone else ✔️ COVID as an unexpected turning point for growth ✔️ The emotional weight of responsibility as a business owner ✔️ Delegating, outsourcing, and building systems that don’t rely on you ✔️ Why succession planning matters long before you think it does ✔️ Balancing business ambition with family, health, and time ✔️ The danger of leaving succession planning too late ✔️ Kenny’s top three lessons in business and life ✔️ The role of hard work, discipline, and deliberate practice ✔️ Why most success stories online don’t tell the full truth Follow James Fleming: LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesflemingtpwtd/ Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/successorexcusespodcast YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@SuccessorExcusesPodcast Website → https://thepowerwithintraining.com/ Follow Kenneth Martin: LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennethrmartin/ Company LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/block-architects-limited/ Website→ https://blockarchitects.co.uk/ Timestamps [00:00] James opens the episode and welcomes Kenneth Martin [00:46] Kenny introduces himself and Block Architects [01:56] What it takes to reach 21 years in business [03:01] Discovering architecture at age 12 [05:15] Setting up his own practice earlier than expected [06:00] Making hard decisions and leadership pressure [08:03] Professional responsibility and industry accountability [09:19] The 2008 recession and its impact on the business [10:18] Hiring the first employee and rapid early growth [13:31] Debt, downsizing, and moving back home to survive [15:25] Clearing debt and starting again from scratch [17:10] COVID as a period of unexpected growth [18:22] Why succession planning can’t be ignored [20:21] Building a business with the end in mind [23:25] Realising how much the business relied on him [24:31] Outsourcing, systems, and reducing dependency [27:00] Why podcasting became part of leadership learning [31:24] Kenny’s top three pieces of advice [33:23] Hard work, discipline, and deliberate practice [36:11] Letting go and trusting the team [38:38] Lessons from working with family [41:20] Communication challenges with younger generations [41:57] How to connect with Kenneth [42:30] James closes the episode