The duo behind Liquid Space, the boutique design and build company, explain how a combination of the personal touch, long hours and a family ambience have brought rewards

Mark Costanzo Trish [managing director] and I had both worked for larger design and build companies that we thought were impersonal. We saw a gap in the market for a smaller boutique company that offered a more personal service. It was risky, but we're both hard workers. We thought if we were doing it for someone else we might as well do it for ourselves.

Trish Traynor-Watson Mark [design director] and I worked together for four years at TDA Interiors. I handled sales and Mark design. We did presentations to businesses and we worked well as a team. Clients liked us. They could see Mark was passionate about design while I was organised about costs.

MC We funded the business with our own money. We didn't want backing because we didn't want anyone to dictate to us and take away the personal service. You've got to take a risk. You don't start a business knowing it's going to work. But with no portfolio of work, it was hard to get those first few jobs.

TTW Setting up the business was the easy part. I'd worked for a small company where I'd acted as company secretary so I knew different parts of the business. Our turnover was £15m in the first four years. Recruiting good people you can trust is a challenge—so, too, is maintaining our energy levels to train these people in the way we want them to work.

MC We said at the beginning we weren't going to grow exponentially and this has helped us. We wanted the business to have a family feel. The jobs we do have a quick turnaround—everyone works hard and long hours. This industry is very cut-throat, but we didn't want to be like that. We haven't lost any staff in five and a half years and we're really proud of that.

TTW Clients are much more aware of consumer power. They are more demanding and expect perfection. Communication with the client is key—it's easy to assume people understand what you're specifying. But because of home improvement programmes such as Changing Rooms everyone believes that they're an expert in DIY. A fit-out for an office in a commercial space is very different to residential work. There are all sorts of building regulations and health and safety guidelines that need to be adhered to.

MC In the current downturn, we're doing OK. The work is there, but it's much harder to get. That's why we want to make sure we give clients that special touch. It's also about making the staff feel their jobs are safe. If your staff feel safe and happy then you'll get the best out of them.

TTW We are seeing the effects of people wanting to hold on to their money, but they are also committing to spend in 2009. Clients want to get value for every individual item whereas before, as long as we were hitting their budget, they weren't too concerned.

MC Trish and I have a lot in common. We started out as friends and have worked together for some time. We share the same goals. We both have a "do whatever it takes" attitude. We don't see eye to eye all the time, but we both want what's best for the company. Two points of view are healthy and help keep us ahead of the competition.

TTW Our organisational skills are very different. I'm accused of being a bit "sleeping with the enemy"—I like everything to be just so. Mark is more left-brained. The thing I most admire about Mark is his passion about other companies' offices. When he presents an idea to a client he's really thought about that client's business.

MC When Trish walks into a room everyone wants to talk to her. She makes people feel at ease with the process and how it works. It's hard to meet someone for the first time and get them to want to work with you. Her lists-and the fact she is so exacting-can be irritating, but it benefits us.

TTW We realise clients will have to adapt to the economic climate. We're launching a new service—The Perfect Fit-to help clients deal with sub-letting and downsizing so they can get on with running their business.

MC We want to make this company one of the best in the industry without having to be big. We want to push boundaries and not rest on our laurels.