Two engineers who launched a structural engineering firm in a London pub for “£20 an hour plus pints” have built a successful consultancy now delivering £40m residential projects, new schools, and even a nuclear bunker across London and the Midlands.
London-based Henry Appleby and his co-founder and friend Harvey Mistry launched AMPStructures in 2017 after years of working together at a large London engineering firm. Looking to break away from the traditionally introverted and risk-averse nature of corporate engineering, the pair officially registered their business on Companies House while riding a bus.
“My business partner Harvey and I go way back to our days working together at a large engineering firm in London,” Henry explained. “We played a lot of darts, drank at the same pub, and became mates. When I was offered some private work, I offered to pay Harvey £20 an hour plus pints to check my work. A week later, he came back with two new projects, and we decided to go 50/50 – that was it, AMP was born.”
In the early days, the pair relied on family support, with Harvey’s brother stepping in as accountant to keep the business financially grounded.
“Engineering is a field famous for introverts, and the risk adverse. So we knew starting our own practice would need bravery and a willingness to take a risk. And it’s these elements within our nature that we have to thank for our success,” Henry added. “However, we still needed help in the early stages. Harvey’s brother stepped in to act as our accountant. He charged us bugger-all fee-wise, kept us completely honest about our turnover, and helped us navigate the financial side of running a business. His support was absolutely massive.”
The real turning point came during the pandemic, when lockdown freed up commute times and triggered a national surge in residential construction.
“Lockdown completely made us,” Henry recalled. “Both of our day jobs cut our hours and our commutes disappeared. At the same time, the world and their wife suddenly decided to build a home extension. By summer 2021, our work had grown so much that we were both able to quit our day jobs for good. Since then, we’ve grown into a team of eight, soon to be ten. We’ve gone from designing loft conversions to £40m residential projects, new schools and a nuclear bunker!”
“Starting a business with Harvey was the best decision I have ever made.” Henry said. “They say to work with people whose strengths are different to yours, and this is very true of us. We have also been very selective of who we have hired, and we have built a team of the highest calibre of engineers. And of course, like all great ideas, it all began in a dark corner of a pub!”
Henry is currently working with Starling Bank to champion small businesses to be good with money, be it working with the support network you have available, or being flexible with where you found the business. New research from the bank of 1,500 UK small businesses found that the hidden support network of friends, parents and family members provides over £7,200 worth of unpaid support to small businesses per year.
Sami Kade, Banking Product Director at Starling Bank, said: “People often think that starting a business needs expensive offices and large upfront investment, but our research shows that some of the UK’s most successful businesses begin much closer to home. Entrepreneurs can be good with money by keeping overheads low while also making the most of the support from friends and family. Pairing this with good financial habits and the right digital tools to manage cash flow and automate admin, it can provide business owners with the right route for success.”