Some businesses begin with a master plan. Others are born from a moment of disruption, a forced pause that becomes an opening. For Kakra Asare-Bediako, founder of Inkspired Architecture, that moment came early: retrenchment at 26, at the height of a global financial crisis, from one of South Africa’s largest architectural firms.

What followed was not a rush to safety, but a quiet decision to take ownership of his future. Fifteen years later, Inkspired has grown from a registered name on paper into a practice defined by conviction, craft, and a belief that architecture is not just about buildings — but about people, dignity, and legacy.

Bryan Welker and Stefan le Roux sat down with Kakra Asare-Bediako to discuss his journey into architecture, the founding of Inkspired, and how he has built a practice grounded in imagination, resilience, and purpose within South Africa’s built environment.

The Good Business Journal: Kakra, let’s start at the beginning. How did you come to South Africa, and what was your childhood like?

Kakra:
I came to South Africa when I was about ten years old. My father came earlier, in the late 1980s—he’s a doctor—and the rest of my family joined him in 1994. We landed in Queenstown, in the Eastern Cape, and I went to an all-boys boarding school there.

Before that, we were in Ghana. We were well taken care of. We didn’t really experience things like racism or that awareness of difference—so when we arrived here, everything was new. It wasn’t necessarily culture shock; it was excitement mixed with adjustment. The education was strong, the discipline was strong, and looking back now, that environment shaped how I relate to people, how I work, how I show respect.

Bryan: When did you realise you were interested in architecture?

Kakra:
It came earlier than I realised. When my parents were building our house in Ghana, I remember watching the process—the blocks, the mud, the terrazzo floors. I was fascinated by how something rough became something beautiful. I didn’t have words for it then, but that’s where it started.

Later, in high school, I met an architect who invited me into his office. I saw models, drawings, and suddenly it clicked: these small things become real buildings. That’s when I fell in love with architecture.

Stefan: Tell us about how that interest developed.

Kakra:
I studied architecture at the University of Pretoria—honours and master’s—and in 2007, I joined Boogertman + Partners. At the time, it was probably the biggest architectural firm in South Africa. They did Soccer City, the Discovery buildings, and Investec—massive projects.

Then the global financial crisis hit. The firm downsized heavily. I survived a few rounds of retrenchment, but eventually I was let go—not because of performance, but because the business couldn’t sustain my salary at the time.

I was 26. I was married. And instead of sending out CVs, I felt strongly that I wanted to take control of my destiny. I had always done private work on the side, and I saw retrenchment almost as a blessing—a nudge to try something of my own.

So in 2010, I registered Inkspired.

Bryan: What did those early years look like?

Kakra:
Slow. Very slow.

I worked part-time for another company, three days a week, and used the rest of my time to build my own work. Later, I partnered with a senior architect and became a minority shareholder in another firm. Inkspired stayed registered, but it wasn’t the main focus yet.

Around 2015, that partnership ended, and I decided to commit fully to Inkspired. It started as a one-man show. Today we’re seven or eight people strong. We went from renting space to owning our own building. And now, beyond architecture, I see myself stepping into development.

Stefan: You describe yourself not just as an architect, but as a creator. How so?

Kakra:
I believe architecture brings things, and people, to life. I can look at an old building and imagine how it could be reborn. And when you do that well, you don’t just ignite the building; you ignite the people who work and live inside it.

Our name, Inkspired, reflects that. We sketch with ink. We print in ink. But we also want our work to be an inscription in the built environment—something permanent, something that stands the test of time and continues to inspire.

Functionality is critical, but aesthetics must balance it. We design from the inside out. What happens inside a building should be expressed on its exterior.

Bryan: I have this ritual, every day I run the mountain at sunrise and listen to the band Phish, and that is where most of my ideas come from. Without that process, The Good Business Journal probably wouldn’t exist, and we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Can you describe your creative process?

Kakra:
I observe constantly. I walk my dog most mornings to clear my head and set the tone for the day. I research deeply. When we get a new brief—a fire station, for example—I look at international precedents, understand global standards, then localise them to our context.

I’m inquisitive by nature. That curiosity drives everything. I’m always asking: how has this been done elsewhere, and how can it mean something here?

Bryan: What has been the hardest part about managing your practice?

Kakra:
The market right now is segmented. Private clients often won’t pay prescribed professional fees. Public sector work is difficult because opportunities aren’t always awarded on merit or portfolio, but on connections.

That’s frustrating. But I’m grateful for the opportunities we’ve had. We’ve proven ourselves through our work, and that’s how we’ve remained relevant.

Stefan: What kind of culture do you try to build inside Inkspired?

Kakra:
I see us as a family. I’m not a military-style boss. We work hard, but we enjoy the work. I don’t believe in humiliating people or ruling by fear.

Most of my team is young. I empower them to lead meetings, to engage with clients, to grow. When the company grows, they grow. My dream is that one day, through development ventures, they share in the upside as well.

One of the most rewarding things for me is seeing someone who used to take public transport arrive at work with their own car. That tells me we’re doing something right—that we’re adding value to lives, not just buildings.

Bryan: What advice would you give to a young architect or entrepreneur starting out?

Kakra:
Don’t do it for money. Do it because you love it. Passion is what sustains you when things get hard.

Stay humble. Be inquisitive. Ask questions. Go to site. Engage with the people who are building your vision. You can’t just do pretty drawings—you need to understand how things are made.

I spent most of my student years in studio, not at parties. That’s how I got my first job. And after only a few years in practice, I put myself in the deep end. It was scary, but I was self-assured that something had to give.

Stefan: If you had one message for a foreign investor considering South Africa, what would it be?

Kakra:
Don’t listen to the noise. Come and see the country for yourself.

South Africa remembers its regulations. It has structure. It’s not an easy market, but it’s a meaningful one. And beyond returns, you must look at impact—the lives you change through your investment.

If you focus on that, the rest follows.

Bryan

Inkspired’s work may be expressed in steel, concrete, and glass, but its foundation is human. In Kakra Asare-Bediako’s world, architecture is an act of belief—belief in people, in place, and in the idea that thoughtful creation can quietly reshape communities, one building at a time.

Every week, The GBJ editorial team sits down with some of South Africa’s best. With a tenacity and spirit that can create success out of nothing more than a glimmer of hope, we believe South African businesses deserve a platform to tell their stories. 

Born from WDR Aspen, The GBJ wants to ask you: how are you telling your story? Reach out and let us help you with your voice.