To mark World Entrepreneur’s Day, Invest in West Northants spoke with Shelly Fernando, Managing Director at 24/Three, about his journey as a local entrepreneur, how the business has evolved, and his advice for budding entrepreneurs.

Can you tell us about your business and the journey that led you to start it? 

24/Three is a people-first architecture practice, based in Northampton and Newark, specialising in residential, regeneration and emerging sectors such as Build to Rent and PBSA.  

The business started in March 2021, during COVID, after I reached a point in my career where I felt I had more to give but didn’t have the opportunity to progress in the way I wanted. My wife and I had recently moved to Northampton and were starting to think about our future, so I decided to take the risk and see if I could make it work. 

I gave myself six months to prove the business could stand on its own, and six months later I had enough work to keep going. What started as me working from home has grown into a team of 26 people across two studios. 

For me, it’s never just been about building an architecture practice. It’s about creating a business where people enjoy coming to work, clients feel valued and we can have a positive impact on the spaces we build.

How has the business evolved since launch, and what have been some of your key milestones along the way? 

The business has grown considerably since those early days. When I started 24/Three, my original five-year plan was to have a team of six people, an office and a turnover of around £500,000. We’ve surpassed that quite significantly, and we’re now a team of 26 across Northampton and Newark. 

One of the biggest milestones for me has been expanding the type of work we do, moving beyond our residential foundations into regeneration, Build to Rent and PBSA with the support of our Associate Director, James Dealtry Smith.  

We’ve also reached some important milestones that reflect how the business has matured. In December 2025, we achieved ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certification, giving us recognised frameworks for quality and environmental management. Then, in July 2026, we became B Corp certified, which was a particularly proud moment as it reflects the wider values we’ve wanted to build into the business from the start. 

Ultimately, though, the milestone I’m most proud of is seeing our people progress. We’ve had four promotions in the last year, and watching people who joined us earlier in their careers grow into more senior roles is incredibly rewarding.

What exciting opportunities or plans are on the horizon for the business? 

There are some really exciting opportunities ahead for us. One of the biggest is the joint ventures we’re developing with some of our Build to Rent clients, which could give us a five-year pipeline of work. That’s a really positive position to be in because it allows us to build long-term relationships and work collaboratively with clients from the early stages, rather than simply working on one project at a time. 

We’re also continuing to grow our work across residential, regeneration and PBSA, while looking at where our skills and experience can take us next. For me, it’s about being ambitious but making sure that growth is sustainable and that we don’t lose what makes 24/Three what it is. 

What advice would you give to someone in West Northants who is considering starting their own business? 

I’d say don’t wait until everything feels perfect, because it probably never will. Starting a business is a risk, and there will always be a reason to wait another six months or another year. 

For me, relationships were everything in those early days. I made a point of getting out, meeting people and building genuine connections, even when networking looked very different because of COVID. Some of the relationships I made then are still important to the business today. 

I’d also say don’t be afraid to ask for help. You don’t have to know everything, and actually surrounding yourself with people who know more than you in certain areas is one of the best things you can do. 

West Northants is a great place to build a business because there is so much happening here. There are opportunities across property, development and regeneration, but also a really strong business community. Get involved, meet people and don’t underestimate how far a good relationship can take you.