Neither of them wanted to work in the confines of a large firm, so when the seed of an idea for a new business presented itself, these two graphic designers grasped it

Mike Curtis Darren and I met at Lancashire Polytechnic where we did the same graphic design course. We also shared accommodation and became friends. It was a sandwich degree during which I went to work for a design agency called Fitch and never went back to college. I was a mature student so it was a logical step for me.

Darren Whittingham After college I went to work at various design agencies and eventually ended up at Fitch. Mike and I left to set up Start in 1996. We didn't want to be working for a huge company and we wanted to pursue the opportunities on the digital side.

MC Although we had stayed in touch after college we had not seen much of each other, but we rekindled our bond at Fitch and through a number of frustrations we happened upon an idea—a thought really—about a business opportunity so we were motivated to leave.

DW Even though we used to work well together on joint projects at college and obviously had a good understanding of working together, there was a lot more risk attached to launching a business because you suddenly have to create your own income.

MC Our skill sets complement each other well. By the time we set up the business I had reached a certain level of seniority so I had a good understanding of business management. I am also very good with clients and setting up jobs. Darren is a superlative creative and he really excels in that area. He is responsible for the creative output across the business, which now consists of five companies.

DW These days people have not even left college when they set up their own businesses and it is a little bit more the norm. It wasn't necessarily hard to set up our business, but it was more about the uncertainty; about what is coming next. Going into the unknown was the most difficult thing.

MC The first three or four months were tough. We had support from family and friends, but we weren't attracting particularly big names. Then the opportunities started to arrive; we were winning contracts and it snowballed from there. We became a Fast Track 100 company in the period leading up to 2003. We were growing at over 70 per cent a year for five years and that was an achievement.

DW Whereas in the larger agencies the creatives do the creative bit and the managers do the managing, in a more home-grown organisation you have to work quite hard at the coalface to pick up skills along the way. It just so happens Mike naturally excels with numbers and the business plans and commercial side while I am sorting out the creative side and the people and making sure all the products are right. So we are quite complementary and if we weren't I am not sure it would work.

MC I don't think we have ever had a major disagreement. He can be a bit moody sometimes and I think I can be a bit bombastic, but we have a formal management structure in place so we debate these issues at board meetings and that is where decisions are made. But it doesn't mean we always have to be in agreement.

DW It is not just about two people today; it is about a company and we have about 70 people here now. We are two years into putting together a proper management board, so the responsibilities are managed more on a conventional company basis.

MC Above and beyond any business issues we are very close outside work. I am the godfather to his oldest son and we see each other a lot socially, so I think there is a strong relationship which underpins everything else.

DW I really admire Mike's passion and his drive. I don't think I have ever met anyone with so much energy, but you need that when you are running your own business. You need it for yourself and to instil it into the people you work with. That energy and drive is part of being a good leader.

MC Darren is a very selfless individual and that is the most admirable quality because so many creatives are driven by ego. He is driven by what is right for the client. Our great working relationship is probably down to him because he is very patient.

DW We share the same ambitions for Start in the future. We both left a big company because we wanted to start something fresh and new and not to work for anybody else. So, we started for a reason, we are still doing it and we are going to keep doing it for as long as the passion is there.