Community Highlights: Meet Sam Collins of Collins Webb Architecture

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sam Collins.

Hi Sam, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I graduated college from Drury University in 1996. I moved directly to Dallas, TX for a few years and then moved to KC in 1999. I’ve been here ever since. I’ve worked for multiple  architectural firms in the Metro area over my career.

I met Roger Webb in 2005, where we had the opportunity to partner on a project together. We’ve been great friends and our wives are like sisters ever. In 2017 we decided to start our own company. We took all the positive things we had learned from the other companies and created a collaborative/teaming environment.

We started our company on birch plywood desks in my basement the summer of 2017. By November 2017, we had moved into a small shotgun space in downtown Lee’s Summit. Today, we are an office of 8 architects and 2 interior designers in the heart of downtown Lee’s Summit.

We just celebrated our 5-year anniversary.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting a company from scratch is a very difficult thing. Being able to rely on your business partner made it easier.

Also, both of our wives are very supportive and when we started the company, they stated “It’s about time!” We’ve always said this was a 15 year in the making company. We both say that if each of us is doing 60% of the work, then everything will be fine.

We had and have built very strong relationships within the Architectural, Engineering, and Construction industry.

Our partners have and continue to be there for us. Without their support, we wouldn’t be in the position that we are today. Covid did teach us to be more diversified in the project types that we design. Prior to Covid, we were very heavily involved with entertainment projects, such as bars/restaurants and movie theaters.

Post-Covid, we have projects in almost all market sectors, including Tenant improvements, New Office, Mixed-Use, Multi-family, Senior Housing, Aviation, Industrial, Health Care, and Restoration projects, along with continued work in the bar/restaurant and theater market sectors.

We are very fortunate to continue to have fantastic clients and partners.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We are a firm of talented individuals, that are passionate about creating great designs for our clients. We love collaborating with our clients and understanding their goals, ambitions, and budgets. We also enjoy working with our trade partners on making it a reality. Without this collaborative approach, the end result isn’t as rewarding.

We enjoy all projects, big or small, knowing for that client it’s an important project. They have entrusted us to design to their budget and work closely with the selected contractor. We pride ourselves on being team players and doing the “Right Thing” for the project.

Our team, in just a few short years, has completed projects all over the country. We are currently licensed in 17 States with several more coming. We get asked all the time, how a small firm from Lee’s Summit, Missouri works on projects across the U.S. We say it’s really simple… Return a phone call and answer emails. We pride ourselves on being responsive to everyone involved in the project.

I believe our responsiveness to clients/contractors/vendors/consultants sets us apart from our competition. It’s a very challenging thing to be responsive, but we do our best. It’s something that we teach within our firm and we lead by example. We want all clients to feel like they are being heard and taken care of.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.collinsandwebb.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/collinsandwebb/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/collinsandwebb

Image Credits
Lindsay J.C. and Lack Photo Studio