Business of Architecture Podcast

ArchitectCEO Update: How do you create an overachieving culture in your architecture firm? Recently I and 1000 other people spent Saturday in 100+ F degree (38C) heat harvesting a grape vineyard to make raisins. My church owns an 80-acre grape vineyard in Madera, California. Every year local members of the church volunteer their time to harvest the grapes. The grapes are dried into raisins which are used as part of the church's humanitarian aid program. All the proceeds from the vineyard are used to help people who have fallen on hard times. So what could motivate entire families to spend a valuable Saturday in a hot, dusty vineyard with bugs and spiders crawling all over? That's what I discuss in today's ArchitectCEO update, and how this parable relates to creating an overachieving culture in your architecture firm. If you're looking to build your DREAM Practice, and want to figure out how to create an overachieving culture - that's exactly why I created the DREAM Practice Accelerator - to help firm owners like you create a practice built on consistency, freedom, fulfillment, and exceptional finances. If you'd like to learn more, a good place to start is my upcoming LIVE Architect Masterclass on "4 Keys to Put Your Architecture Firm on Autopilot So You Can Focus on Serving Raving Fan Clients ... Instead of Dealing with Chaos (Even If You Have a Small Team and No Free Time)". Register for this FREE live Architect Masterclass here: http://architectresources.org/9n7h5 Let me know what you think. Carpe diem. Enoch

Is self-promotion unethical? In today's ArchitectCEO update, we address this critical question and dive into some 'architect mindset.' Let me know what you think. If you're looking to build your DREAM Practice, and want to figure out how to promote in a way that aligns with your values and vision - that's exactly why I created the DREAM Practice Accelerator - to help firm owners like you create a practice built on consistency, freedom, fulfillment, and exceptional finances. If you'd like to learn more, a good place to start is my upcoming LIVE Architect Masterclass on "4 Keys to Put Your Architecture Firm on Autopilot So You Can Focus on Serving Raving Fan Clients ... Instead of Dealing with Chaos (Even If You Have a Small Team and No Free Time)". Register for this FREE live Architect Masterclass here: http://architectresources.org/ry8b2 Carpe diem! Enoch

Recently at a restaurant I bought a soda fountain for each of my kids - a special treat that doesn't happen very often. My daughter asked me a very interesting question - why would anyone buy an extra large soda when they can get free refills. Good question.

Once again, we're joined by Rion Willard, the host of Business of Architecture UK, as we get right into the nitty-gritty of the interviewing process. Some of us like to fancy ourselves great conversationalists but even professionals, in their excitement, sometimes forget the most important element of an interview: the guest. For part 2, Rion and I discuss our interviewing techniques, making connections through stories and how developing your interviewing skills can help you have those powerful client conversations for your business. ► Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for updates: https://www.youtube.com/c/BusinessofArchitecture ******* For more free tools and resources for running a profitable, impactful and fulfilling practice, connect with me on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessofarchitecture Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enoch.sears/ Website: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BusinessofArch Podcast: http://www.businessofarchitecture.com/podcast/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/business-architecture-podcast/id588987926 Android Podcast Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BusinessofArchitecture-podcast ******* Access the FREE Architecture Firm Profit Map video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Download the FREE Architecture Firm Marketing Process Flowchart video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Come to my next live, in-person event: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/live

ArchitectCEO Update: Lessons from the Burger Shack Recently we went out for dinner for my son's 12th birthday. He wanted to get burgers at Five Guys, a popular burger spot. As we were ordering, I noticed a number of certificates on the call above the cash register. In today's update, you'll discover one critical key for building a 'Class A' team. If you're looking to build a team so your business can grow beyond you, that's exactly why I created the DREAM Practice Accelerator - to help firm owners like you create a practice built on consistency, freedom, fulfillment, and exceptional finances. If you'd like to learn more, a good place to start is my upcoming LIVE Architect Masterclass on "4 Keys to Put Your Architecture Firm on Autopilot So You Can Focus on Serving Raving Fan Clients ... Instead of Dealing with Chaos (Even If You Have a Small Team and No Free Time)". Register for this FREE live Architect Masterclass here: http://architectresources.org/9nsg6 Carpe diem! Enoch

Recently I took my kids to the burger shack for my son's 12th birthday dinner. My wife was out of town and this was his special request. While there, I was reminded of an important lesson about getting what you want out of life. Helping you get what you want is why I created the DREAM Practice Accelerator - to help you build a practice built on consistency, freedom, fulfillment, and exceptional finances. If you'd like to learn more, a good place to start is my upcoming LIVE Architect Masterclass on "4 Keys to Put Your Architecture Firm on Autopilot So You Can Focus on Serving Raving Fan Clients ... Instead of Dealing with Chaos (Even If You Have a Small Team and No Free Time)". Register for this FREE live Architect Masterclass here: http://architectresources.org/9n7w2 Carpe diem! Enoch

Today, I'm joined by Rion Willard, the host of Business of Architecture UK, as we look back on our experience in running our individual podcasts. Opening up and sharing your process to an audience can be quite daunting - the anxiety, the shaky first few steps, the very loud, very annoying, hesitant inner voice. What do you even talk about? Why? For part 1, we start off with how podcasting not only helps you in showcasing and refining your brand but how a change in perspective can shape how we think and run our businesses. We also get into some basics from figuring out which podcasting style works for you, equipment and some set-up tips to help you get started. ► Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for updates: https://www.youtube.com/c/BusinessofArchitecture ******* For more free tools and resources for running a profitable, impactful and fulfilling practice, connect with me on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessofarchitecture Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enoch.sears/ Website: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BusinessofArch Podcast: http://www.businessofarchitecture.com/podcast/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/business-architecture-podcast/id588987926 Android Podcast Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BusinessofArchitecture-podcast ******* Access the FREE Architecture Firm Profit Map video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Download the FREE Architecture Firm Marketing Process Flowchart video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Come to my next live, in-person event: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/live Carpe Diem!

ArchitectCEO Update: A Time to Speak, A Time to Listen Have you ever done or something really stupid that makes you cringe when you think on it? Back when I was a newly minted architect I did such a thing. Listen to today's episode to discover my dirty little secret. Many firm owners want to get to the next level in their practice, or set up their firm to transition. That's exactly why I created the DREAM Practice Accelerator - to help firm owners create a practice built on consistency, freedom, fulfillment, and exceptional finances. If you'd like to learn more, a good place to start is my upcoming LIVE Architect Masterclass on "4 Keys to Put Your Architecture Firm on Autopilot So You Can Focus on Serving Raving Fan Clients ... Instead of Dealing with Chaos (Even If You Have a Small Team and No Free Time)". Register for this FREE live Architect Masterclass here: http://architectresources.org/listen Carpe diem! Enoch

Last week while camping I saw a sheepdog stalking a chipmunk sitting on a log. The dog stared intently at the chipmunk while remaining perfectly still. Every so often, the dog would take one small step forward. The chipmunk remained frozen ... perhaps wondering what was happening. I didn't stay to watch the conclusion of the battle of the dog vs. chipmunk to see if the dog got her prize, but it made me think about the game of client acquisition in your architecture firm. Just like a dog stalking a chipmunk, there is a skill to positioning your firm to attract and win your ideal clients and projects. In today's ArchitectCEO Update, you'll discover three keys for client acquisition. Listen to today's episode and let me know what you think. Want a shortcut to finding and winning your ideal clients? That's exactly why I created the DREAM Practice Accelerator for architecture firm owners - to help firm owners create a practice built on consistency, freedom, fulfillment, and exceptional finances. If you'd like to learn more, a good place to start is my upcoming LIVE Architect Masterclass on "4 Keys to Put Your Architecture Firm on Autopilot So You Can Focus on Serving Raving Fan Clients ... Instead of Dealing with Chaos (Even If You Have a Small Team and No Free Time)". Register for this FREE live Architect Masterclass here: http://architectresources.org/dog-vs-chipmunk Carpe diem! Enoch

ArchitectCEO Update: Manufacture Lack of Competition and Dominate Your Market - the parable of Marshmallow Marketing. This past weekend we camped at Huntington Lake in the Sierra Nevada mountains - sailing and getting dirty. Upon arrival (a 2 1/2 hour drive), we discovered that we'd forgotten a critical camping item ... the marshmallows. The kids were in an uproar. Oh no! What to do? Fortunately, there's a general store at the lake where I found the beloved marshmallows. Because we were in the high Sierras, I paid USD 4 for a bag of marshmallows that would normally cost $2.50 at the local grocery store. That's a monopoly - the general store can charge what they want for marshmallows because there's no place else to get them. If I want to buy marshmallows, I need to spend $4. Did I feel ripped off? Nope - $4 is a small price to pay to entertain six children for an hour. This got me to thinking about how one of the keys to being in demand and charging higher prices is to create your virtual monopoly by manufacturing lack of competition. Watch today's video to discover three ways to manufacture lack of competition in your market. Want a shortcut to manufacturing lack of competition in your market? That's exactly why I created the DREAM Practice Accelerator for architecture firm owners - to help firm owners create a practice built on freedom, fulfillment, and exceptional finances. If you'd like to learn more, a good place to start is my upcoming LIVE Architect Masterclass on "4 Keys to Put Your Architecture Firm on Autopilot So You Can Focus on Serving Raving Fan Clients ... Instead of Dealing with Chaos (Even If You Have a Small Team and No Free Time)". Register for this FREE live Architect Masterclass here: http://architectresources.org/j8n47 Carpe diem. Enoch

ArchitectCEO Update: why referrals can be your firm's death knell. I know today's post will be controversial - you'll discover why depending on word-of-mouth alone can be a death knell for your architecture firm. To discover how to escape the referral / death knell cycle, register for my next FREE Architect Masterclass on the 4 keys to building your DREAM Practice: http://architectresources.org/9mj74g7 Enoch

ArchitectCEO Update: One Key to Winning Better Projects and Clients. Recently I went to the auto parts store buy some oil for my car. I walked through the store and was greeted by an entire wall of oil - expensive oil, cheap oil, brand name oil and no-name oil, high performance oil and well ... regular oil. This got me thinking about the foundational key I teach every architect who I work with. This ONE KEY forms the foundation of every successful pratice I've studied and worked with. To discover more about winning better projects and clients, register for my next FREE Live Architect Masterclass: http://architectresources.org/ij9ht74

ArchitectCEO Update: One Critical Sales Mistake Architects Make Truth be told, we architects don't think of ourselves as 'selling.' That's a dirty word. Architects are artists, we create not sell ... right? Semantics aside, we're ALWAYS selling, as author Daniel Pink eloquently points out in his book, "To Sell is Human." In today's ArchitectCEO Update, you'll discover the parable of the Glass Shop, and one critical error that architects make in their sales process. To discover how to avoid this mistake, register for my next FREE Architect Masterclass on the three keys to creating your DREAM Practice: http://architectresources.org/b7s63 Enoch

ArchitectCEO Daily Update: today's topic is ... One Critical Mistake Architecture Firm Owners Make (everyone makes this mistake - me too). The other day I got a package from Amazon, and I noticed something remarkable about the box. Listen to today's ArchitectCEO Update to discover the parable of the Amazon box. Discover how to prevent this mistakes from happening in YOUR firm by attending my next free LIVE Architect Masterclass - register here: http://architectresources.org/jns72i Enoch

ArchitectCEO Daily Update: today's parable is - Little Whiteboard. When I work out in the morning, I use a small whiteboard to track how exercises I've done. Recently, I did a workout that included a set of complex movements repeated 10 times. I'm not sure, but I think that somewhere along the line I lost track of the number of rounds I'd done. :( Everyone else finished at least 1 round ahead of me. This got me to thinking about the power and importance of tracking and knowing the numbers in your architecture firm as an ArchitectCEO. There are a lot of important numbers to track, from complex key performance indicators like utilization and break-even rates, to simple metrics like the work in progress or pipeline backlog. In today's episode, you'll discover why tracking your numbers is essential to running a DREAM Practice, and the metrics I recommend you start with if you don't know where to start. Let me know what you think.

ArchitectCEO Update: the parable of Lollipops at the Carwash. The other day I was driving around with my two oldest daughters (14 yrs and 12yrs old) and decided to drop by the car wash. My oldest daughter asked excitedly, "Ooh, can I get a lollipop?" "Don't you think you're a little old to be getting lollipops from the car wash?" I joked with a smile. She asked her sister if SHE wanted a lollipop. "Nope," responded my 12 year old daughter. After thinking for a few seconds, my oldest daughter changed her mind. "I don't want one after all," she said. This experience got me to thinking ... where in my life am I changing what I want because of what other people around me are doing? Am I showing up as my true and authentic self each and every day? I realize I'm not, but I'm committed to do better. Discover more by listening to today's ArchitectCEO update, and let me know what you think. Enoch

ArchitectCEO Daily Update: today's parable is - Milk on the Back Wall. As my wife and I were driving home today from the gym at 6 am I realized that we're out of bananas at home for my daily smoothie. Oh no! Red light emergency! ;) So we dropped by our local grocery store to pick up bananas - and some milk. There I was - armed with my mission: get milk and bananas. Simple enough right? The bananas were easy to find. I asked an associate where I could find the milk. He pointed to the far back corner of the store. I confirmed, "The far back corner?" "Yep," he responded. I went there and found myself in the meat section. "Hmm ... I think I'll pick up some pork chops." Finally, after running back to the front of the store and asking another associate where to find the milk, I found that creamy white goodness in the middle of the back wall of the store. I got back to my car and told my waiting wife about my trouble finding the milk. She replied: "On the back wall right? That's where it usually is." She reminded me that grocery stores usually have the milk at the back so they have a better chance of you buying something else on your way to get the milk. Well it worked. The grocery store strategically designed my experience as a customer. What I'd have you consider today is this: where in your architecture are you lacking a carefully designed experience for your clients? Do you have a systematic process for reaching out to and engaging new clients? Do you know what you'll say on the first interaction? What will you do or say on the third or fourth interaction? Is this information captured somewhere so that other people can be trained on this process ... so you're not continually reinventing the wheel? If you realize you need a more carefully scripted process and don't have the time or know where to start, send me a private message. Perhaps I can help you.

ArchitectCEO Daily Update: parable of the Giant Sequoia. Recently I visit Sequoia National Park, which is a 45 minute drive from my home. This national sanctuary in the Sierra Nevada mountains is home to the largest living things on the planet - the magnificent Sequoiadendron Giganteum trees, otherwise known as Giant Redwoods. The oldest of these trees are over 2000 years old. Wow. As I was walking through a grove of these trees with my family, I noticed one Sequoia tree that was leaning to one side. Because the tree is off kilter, it's at risk of falling due to wind or unstable soil. Who knows why this tree has grown this way, it began it's life hundreds of years ago. But sometime in the past, something happened that locked it into it's current trajectory. This is an example of the importance of 'initial conditions.' Initial conditions are the variables that act on something when it is started. In today's video you'll discover why the lesson on initial conditions is critical to running your architecture firm if you want big results. If you want small results, don't worry about it. :) If you're ready to get big results, get your free invite to my next firm online training on 4 Pillars to Building the Dream Practice. Register here: http://architectresources.org/initial-conditions

Today's ArchitectCEO Update: Stretch Yourself Old Man! Understanding the difference between symptom and cause is key to adopting the CEO mindset. Recently while working out I pulled my lower back. This injury stopped me from working out for over a week because I had to take time off to recover. I realized that this recurring injury is a symptom of another problem with my body. Watch or listen to today's ArchitectCEO update to discover the important lesson I was reminded of by one of my favorite business thinkers. If you're ready to get your firm to the next level, get more profit and work on more fulfilling projects, you must attend my next FREE Dream Practice Executive Briefing. Register to save your spot here: http://architectresources.org/hks8a

The topic of today's ArchitectCEO Daily Update is: my firm is in chaos. This morning when I came home from the gym I was greeted by an amazing sight. More on that later, first let me tell you about a call I had with an architecture firm owner who lamented, "my firm is in chaos!" Remember that clip from Jurassic Park where Ian Malcolm explains Chaos Theory? He tells Dr. Ellie Sattler (played by Laura Dern), "it deals with predicatability in a complex system. The shorthand is the Butterfly effect - a butterfly flaps its wings in Peking and in Central Park you get rain instead of sunshine." There are a lot of butterflys flapping in an architecture firm. You have: client meetings, designing with a thousand variables, creating and coordinating construction drawings, verifying or denying change orders, managing finances, and on and on. Now back to what I saw this morning - my daughter making breakfast for the family with the table already set as she does every day. I have six kids - there's serious potential for chaos. So how do we get my twelve year old daughter make breakfast? It's because we have systems that manage the chaos - the only way my wife and I maintain sanity. If you don't have systems working FOR you, you have systems running AGAINST you (remember the butterfly effect). To discover how to go from a 'firm in chaos' to a 'smooth-running firm' register to attend my next FREE Architect Executive Briefing on the 4 pillars to building your DREAM Architecture Practice: http://architectresources.org/chaos

The topic of today's ArchitectCEO Daily Update is: is your bar crooked? Yesterday I was exercising at my local Crossfit gym doing a barbell exercise. The barbell is the long horizontal steel bar with weights on each end. I was working with an adjustable rack that allows me to adjust the height of the bar. Each column support on the rack has holes in it for attaching the "L" bracket that supports the barbell. Because there's no visual reference for attaching the "L" brackets to the column supports, one bracket was a notch lower than the other. As a result, my bar was crooked. It's not a good idea to lift weights when the bar is crooked to start :) The key is noticing the bar is crooked and then correcting it (which is easy). Just like a crooked bar will mess up your workout and potentially injure you, a 'crooked bar' in your firm causes chronic under-performance. To go from under-performance to hyper-performance, discover the 4 pillars of building your DREAM Practice by visiting http://architectresources.org/crooked-bar

ArchitectCEO Daily Update: Today's parable is 'everything is connected.' I haven't been sleeping well recently. Perhaps this also happens to you. I go to bed at a decent hour, and then I toss and turn all night long and wake up feeling groggy and sleepy. Because I'm tired, my energy is low throughout the day and I don't show up as my best self for my wife, kids, my team members and clients. As the saying goes, unhappy wife, unhappy life. In today's ArchitectCEO update, you'll discover the parable of 'everything is connected' - how parts of our life and business that we think are separate are actually interwoven into one connected tapestry. Throw one thing off balance and the entire game goes off-kilter. To discover how to build your DREAM architecture practice so you can have balance in your work and your life, go to http://architectresources.org/everything-connected.

ArchitectCEO Daily Update: Recently, while walking with my wife, we were talking about an upcoming trip with the Boy Scouts (my son is part of the group). I and two other leaders took a group of boys ages 11 - 16 to Santa Cruz Island off the coast of California. We were talking about the meals we'd be eating and I made a joke about dining on a juicy hamburger while the boys would be eating Cup-o-Noodle soup. My wife took this opportunity to give me some unwanted feedback. Even though it was painful to hear, it was important. This made me think about the feedback we are getting all the time - in our business and our results. Are we listening to what our business is telling us? Watch today's ArchitectCEO update to discover the parable of the unwanted feedback. To build your DREAM architecture practice and decipher what your firm is telling you, register for my next DREAM Practice Executive Briefing here: http://architectresources.org/unwanted-feedback

Today, we welcome Architect Francisco Gonzalez-Pulido to the Business of Architecture show. Francisco was the former President of JAHN and founder international architecture firm, FGP Atelier. In this episode, you'll hear about Francisco's journey from joining competitions, working for with a firm and running his own practice. He'll share the tools he acquired and the strategies he used to keep his name top-of-mind, build credibility and develop relationships that helped him grow his award-winning, successful international firm. ► Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for updates: https://www.youtube.com/c/BusinessofArchitecture ******* For more free tools and resources for running a profitable, impactful and fulfilling practice, connect with me on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessofarchitecture Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enoch.sears/ Website: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BusinessofArch Podcast: http://www.businessofarchitecture.com/podcast/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/business-architecture-podcast/id588987926 Android Podcast Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BusinessofArchitecture-podcast ******* Access the FREE Architecture Firm Profit Map video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Download the FREE Architecture Firm Marketing Process Flowchart video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Come to my next live, in-person event: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/live Carpe Diem!

Are you an architecture firm owner? In today's ArchitectCEO update, you'll discover the parable of the pulled back muscle. Recently I sprained my back while lifting weights. In the past, I've thought the culprit was a weak lower back muscle, but now I know this isn't the case. In today's video you'll discover the true cause of the pulled back muscle, and how the princple I share in today's ArchitectCEO update relates to your success as a small architecture firm owner. If you're a small firm owner and you want to get clients more consistently, you want to free yourself up or transition by creating a self-managed firm, then you may be a good fit for my DREAM Practice Accelerator program. Click here to discover more: http://architectresources.org/jy8b

The topic of today's ArchitectCEO Update is: herding kids. Every year my kids swim on the swim team. This year, two of my kids qualified for the time trials. The kids who get the best times at the time trials get to participate in the regional finals here in Central California. Running one of these meets is a huge logistical challenge. Not to mention … on this particular Saturday the temperature was 104 F degrees (40 degrees Celsius). Imagine trying to herd a bunch of 6 year-olds and get them to go to the right place at the right time to keep the meet running smoothly. Yes … a logistical nightmare. I helped the organizers run the meet. My job was simple: lead the kids from the staging area to the appropriate swim lanes at the appropriate times. Simple right? It is, if you're dealing with adults who know how to get to the right swim lanes. I was dealing with a bunch of kids and teenagers more interested in Pokemon Go and talking to their friends than paying attention to when and where they were supposed to be swimming. Plus my meager brain is wired to focus on one thing at one time; my mental capacity was overrun. I was sweating bullets, not only from the heat, but also with the worry that some kid would be in the wrong lane and his or her time wouldn't be counted. It would be my fault. Fortunately, the organizers had a good system in place to make sure that this didn't happen. Here's how it worked: The kids would line up in the staging area and wait for their names to be called. When their names were called, they would sit down in a chair that had a number on it, one through eight. These numbers corresponded to the swim lanes one through eight. Once the kids were lined up in order in their seats, my job was to lead them to the pool and make sure they didn't get out of order. Without a system in place, mass confusion and chaos would have ensued. Twenty minutes into the swim meet we discovered our system needed to be tweaked to be more effective and reduce the likelihood of a kid missing a heat. And this is our parable for today. Where in your architecture firm are you dealing with chaos because you either don't have a system in place, or people don't follow the system? Systems ensure consistent results, but sometimes the results don't appear for months or years later. A business system consists of three parts: a trigger, a process, and a result. For example, let's say that you have a system in your firm of making one business development or networking call every day. The system is simple. The trigger is the arrival of a new day. The action is to pick up the telephone and dial a networking contact. The result is that a voicemail was left or a conversation was had. The results of this effort won't bring instant results, but over the course of months and years this small system means the difference between a steady flow of high-quality, profitable projects, and a firm that struggles with an anemic pipeline. The "D" in DREAM Practice Accelerator stands for "Dependable." Having dependability in your practice means that your firm gives you consistent results day in and day out. Instead of worrying about where the next project will come from, your ideal projects show up on your doorstep. Instead of worrying about payroll, your firm is highly profitable, allowing you to reward staff members and reinvest in the business. If you'd like to have a practice that is dependable and consistent, I invite you to attend my next free DREAM Practice online training. There is no charge to attend this 60 minute presentation, all you need to do is click here and register with your best email address. Carpe diem. Enoch Bartlett Sears

Today we welcome Scott Valentine to the Business of Architecture show. Scott is the founder of Valé Architects, based in Brisbane, Australia. I brought Scott on the show because of the way that he's doing content marketing in his practice. His practice is a blend of traditional architectural services and online content and courses focused on the Hospitality niche. In this episode, you'll discover how Scott has modeled the strategies of the marketing and branding world in his architecture firm to create a new innovative model of the architectural practice. ► Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for updates: https://www.youtube.com/c/BusinessofArchitecture ******* For more free tools and resources for running a profitable, impactful and fulfilling practice, connect with me on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessofarchitecture Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enoch.sears/ Website: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BusinessofArch Podcast: http://www.businessofarchitecture.com/podcast/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/business-architecture-podcast/id588987926 Android Podcast Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BusinessofArchitecture-podcast ******* Access the FREE Architecture Firm Profit Map video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Download the FREE Architecture Firm Marketing Process Flowchart video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Come to my next live, in-person event: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/live Carpe Diem!

How to get your architecture firm to run independent of you: the ArchitectCEO Daily Update. As a small architecture firm owner, you're a bottleneck in your firm. How do you unchain yourself from the day-to-day operations of the firm so you can focus on the things that are the best use of your time and focus, instead of the administrative minutiae that sap your energy and leave you drained at the end of the day? Watch today's ArchitectCEO Daily update to discover one key for getting your firm to run independent of you. To discover how to structure your firm so you aren't the bottleneck, click here to register for my next free online training on building your Dream Practice: http://architectresources.org/n8hw Carpe diem. Enoch

Today I welcome Kevin Collins back to the show. Kevin Collins is the Underwriting Manager for the Professional Liability program at Victor O. Schinnerer & Company, one of the largest providers of professional liability insurance for architects and engineers. We discuss 3 things to consider from an insurance perspective when a firm is going through an ownership transition. ► Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for updates: https://www.youtube.com/c/BusinessofArchitecture ******* For more free tools and resources for running a profitable, impactful and fulfilling practice, connect with me on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessofarchitecture Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enoch.sears/ Website: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BusinessofArch Podcast: http://www.businessofarchitecture.com/podcast/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/business-architecture-podcast/id588987926 Android Podcast Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BusinessofArchitecture-podcast ******* Access the FREE Architecture Firm Profit Map video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Download the FREE Architecture Firm Marketing Process Flowchart video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Come to my next live, in-person event: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/live Carpe Diem!

Sprayed by the pool vacuum - the ArchitectCEO Daily update. Hey architect nation! Today's parable is: sprayed by the pool vacuum. So the other day I was walking out by the pool in my backyard. The pool has an automatic vacuum that cleans up debris that falls into the pool. On the end of this vacuum is a hose that sweeps back and forth across the bottom of the pool to stir up debris so the vacuum and pool filer can clean the water and keep the pool sparkling blue. Well, it was a beautiful, cool morning here in central California, and as I walked by the edge of the pool, the hose on the end of the vacuum comes out of the water and sprays me from head to toe! My first reaction was to get pissed and throw a couple of mental expletives. Then I realized the truth of the situation. Here I was in a free, democratic country with a full belly and clothes on my back. I have a pool and live in California. I remembered that I can control some things, I can influence some things, and I have absolutely no control over most things. The only things I can control are the things inside of me - my thoughts, feelings, emotions and actions. As I stood there on the side of the pool, I felt gratitude for this lesson that the pool vacuum had given me. This is similar to life. Often it feels like we are just going along enjoying a beautiful day when, whamo! Something comes out of left field and knocks us down. At that point, the only thing we can do is choose how we react to that situation. It's the same in the game of running an architecture firm. All you can control is the actions you take in your firm, not the result. If you want to learn what actions you need to take to build your DREAM Practice, register for my next free online presentation on 3 Keys to Design Your Perfect Job, Your Perfect Clients and Your Perfect Firm: http://architectresources.org/8in2 Carpe diem. Enoch Bartlett Sears

One of the top challenges of small firm architects is the feast and famine cycle of the building industry. The #1 question I get from architecture firm owners is, "how do I get consistent clients?" This is the topic of today's ArchitectCEO Update. Watch it and let me know what you think. If you're looking for a roadmap to consistent clients in your firm, I invite you to register for my next free online presentation on building your Dream Practice:http://architectresources.org/9negs6

Today we celebrate Independence Day here in the United States of America. Let's talk about architectural freedom ...

Today I answer a viewer question. "Enoch, what is the roadmap for marketing a small architecture firm?" – Tom Great question Tom. I get asked this frequently, because if work isn't coming into a firm, the firm doesn't eat. And a lot of firms out there are struggling to get the food they want to eat. There are three systems that make up the roadmap to marketing a small architecture firm. A system to create attention, interest and desire around the services that your firm provides from your ideal clients A system to convert those relationships into work A system to follow up and nurture relationships that may turn into work later If you want a shortcut to developing these marketing systems for your firm, consider applying to the DREAM Practice Accelerator. The DREAM Practice accelerator helps architecture firm owners build their dream practice, a practice that is dependable, rewarding, provides an exceptional experience for themselves and their team, is autonomous (can function without them there) and mission driven (a clear purpose). Click here to discover more about the DREAM Practice Accelerator.

How to win more of the RIGHT architecture projects: the ArchitectCEO Daily Update. I live in California's Great Central Valley – a huge agricultural region that runs the entire length of California. The farmers around here produce billions of dollars of produce every year. As I was driving around recently, I looked over the endless orchards and thought about the difference between farming and hunting as it relates to business development for architects. A farmer prepares the ground, plants the seed and gives that seed what it needs to grow and produce fruit. After a time, the farmer harvests the produce of that effort. The hunter on the other hand has a tougher job. The hunter travels to a location where the target game is found and must find the prey. Waiting for word-of-mouth is like farming. After doing good work over time, past clients refer you. This process is slow but steady, and these referrals usually turn out to be good clients. However, there are scenarios where simply waiting for word-of-mouth (farming) doesn't work. Farming takes time. If you're getting hungry right now, it's time to hunt. To discover how to do hunting that actually works, attend my next free online architect Masterclass: http://architectresources.org/bshd7ya Carpe diem Enoch Bartlett Sears

Hello Architect Nation! This morning, as usual, I went to the Crossfit gym where I work out with my wife and 6 - 7 other people. Our coach was explaining today's workout, when suddenly he was interrupted by the deafening noise of the gas-powered blower the yard maintenance guy was using outside. The Crossfit gym where I exercise is housed in a metal building. Both of the rolling doors were up to let in the cool morning air. Coach Devin crossed his arms with a smile, "Guess I'll have to wait until yard guy is done." Eventually the noise from the blower died down as the yard guy walked away. Coach Devin continued to explain the workout and I had a successful session sweating, grunting and in general torturing myself. This experience with the noisy yard blower got me thinking - how often are we interrupted by figurative yard blowers throughout our day? An unexpected phone call or an email sends me on a wild goose chase of being reactionary instead of pro-active. What I'd have you consider today is this - where in your firm are you being distracted by the noisy blowers instead of focusing on the strategic moves that will put your firm on a solid and successful foundation for the future? Where do you need to shut down the outside noise and focus on what matters? Have you identified what matters? The number one thing you can do to help your architecture firm in the future is to build a solid foundation now. The DREAM Practice Accelerator is a program for architecture firm owners who want to build their dream firm - a firm that is in-demand and highly sought after because of the great work that you do. To discover how to create your bullet-proof firm, click here and register for my next 60-minute DREAM Practice training. Carpe diem. Enoch Bartlett Sears

Have you ever done something you regret? Of course not, right? I did - just two days ago when I blew up at my wife for doing me a needed favor. As I stood there, looking at my wife with tears in her eyes, I felt horrible for being such a royal jerk to the most wonderful lady in my life, my beautiful queen. I learned an important lesson that day. Hear the whole story in today's ArchitectCEO daily update: You Made Your Bed - Now Sleep In It.

Today I welcome Kevin Collins to the show. Kevin Collins is the Underwriting Manager for the Professional Liability program at Victor O. Schinnerer & Company, one of the largest providers of professional liability insurance for architects and engineers. We discuss the top 5 things you should consider when getting professional liability insurance. ► Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for updates: https://www.youtube.com/c/BusinessofArchitecture ******* For more free tools and resources for running a profitable, impactful and fulfilling practice, connect with me on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessofarchitecture Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enoch.sears/ Website: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BusinessofArch Podcast: http://www.businessofarchitecture.com/podcast/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/business-architecture-podcast/id588987926 Android Podcast Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BusinessofArchitecture-podcast ******* Access the FREE Architecture Firm Profit Map video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Download the FREE Architecture Firm Marketing Process Flowchart video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Come to my next live, in-person event: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/live Carpe Diem!

The Theory of Constraints is a management theory developed by Dr. Eliyahu Goldratt. He discusses it in his popular book, The Goal. The theory states that every system's output will be limited by it's weakest link. For instance, if you're doing an exercise - say squats, the amount you can lift will be limited by the muscle that gives out first when trying to lift the weight. In a building structural system, the integrity of the building is limited by the element that fails first. In a business system, if you can identify the constraint, you can work to pro-actively fix it, improving the efficiency and output of the entire system. This theory simplifies the improvement of your business - just find the weakest link, improve it, iterate, then find the next weakest link. Recently on a trip to the beach I had an experience that reminded me of the theory of constraints. My brother-in-law brought a fabric cooler he had gotten at Costco. The lid of the cooler is sealed shut with a zipper. The zipper broke, and now the entire cooler is useless. The cooler fell prey to the Theory of Constraints. If the manufacturer had designed a sturdier zipper, the cooler would have lasted longer - and another part would have failed first. What I'd have you consider today is what is the constraint in your business that is holding you back from getting the outcome you want? Identify this constraint and fix it. If you don't know how to fix it, consult with someone who does. If you want help fixing the constraints in your architecture firm, apply for the DREAM Practice Accelerator. Go to https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/reviews to find out more.

What is holding you back? You're working hard to get specific results, but there are so many obstacles in your way. The ArchitectCEO Update: What if I told you that the only thing that is holding you back is you?!? It isn't what's on the outside – your employees, your spouse, your education or lack thereof – You're the one that is responsible for your results in your life. You're the one that is holding you back. This can be a hard pill to swallow, but it's also empowering because you have 100% of the power needed to change your situation and the life you're living. To learn more about how to create your DREAM Architecture practice, go to http://architectresources.org/9mjd7s

This morning as I was doing my daily workout, I looked up and saw a little sparrow chasing a crow. This brought to mind the parable of the crows vs the eagle. Listen and let me know what you think. Enoch

On this episode, you'll discover the parable of "Red on Right on Return" and discover one simple way to differentiate your architecture firm.

This morning as I pulled into my neighborhood, I saw a stack of white papers littering the side of the road. They had begun to blow down the street creating a huge eye-sore. As I drove past I wondered, "who will clean up those papers?" My initial reaction was to leave them for someone else to clean up. Then I realized that no one else would clean them up. They would likely sit there for days littering the street and blowing into adjacent yards if someone didn't collect them up. I realized that if they bothered me, it was up to me to clean them up. So I turned my car around, parked on the side of the street and collected the stack of papers and all the strays. This experience is similar to all areas of life, including business. I have figurative 'papers' littering my life, my business, my relationships and my health. These are the things that are keeping me from getting the result I want in life. Instead of recognizing them and cleaning them up, I continue to let them blow around in the wind. For example, in my business one team member has the duty to fill out a spreadsheet at the end of the day. The reason for doing this is so that I can see where the business is headed and make corrections if necessary. Well, yesterday afternoon I noticed that the spreadsheet hadn't been filled out. I had an internal conflict. Should I point this out to this team member and risk making this person feel annoyed or defensive? Or should I just let it go? Then I realized that if I ignore the small but important things, big things follow. New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani cleaned up Manhattan by cracking down on small offenses like littering and jay-walking. Because of his attention to the small things, New York City saw a steep decline in both violent crimes and quality-of-life crimes. Attention to the small stuff created a new culture in New York City. The same principle applies in your business. What culture are you creating by either ignoring or not ignoring the small stuff – both for yourself and your staff? The question I'd have you consider today is this: Where across the domains of body, being, balance and business do you have figurative 'papers' blowing around that need to be cleaned up? Where are you driving by and letting them litter your neighborhood without taking action? Write that thing down and make a decision, do you want this part of your neighborhood littered or clean? Then take the steps to make it happen. If you know you have a lot of papers blowing around and you want a shortcut to cleaning them up and building the firm of your dreams, you may be a fit for my DREAM Practice Accelerator. Go here to find out more and discover if the DREAM Practice Accelerator is for you. Carpe diem. Enoch Bartlett Sears

How you do one thing is how you do everything. The bad (and good) habits that we have repeat through all areas of life. This is a concept that one of my business mentors taught me years ago. Recently I took a hard look at my life and what I'm doing and I noticed this pattern showing up. First let me share an incident that reminded me of this recently, and then I'll share how I saw this pop up in my own life. Two weeks ago I was attending a business seminar. One guy out of our group was continually late to the sessions. When he finally arrived, he sat off to the side at the front of the room. After repeatedly seeing this guy walk in late, the man running the seminar confronted him. "You came to this seminar to learn how to improve your business. But you're showing up late. You're not engaging in the exercises and you're not even taking notes. Do you care about your f**ing business or not? The message I'm getting is that you don't care … you aren't ALL IN." "How you do ONE THING is how you do EVERYTHING. My guess is that this habit shows up in other areas of your business and life. And this is one major reason why you aren't getting the results that you want." Boom. I felt bad for the guy that was on the receiving end of this fire – he was stone-faced and silent, but he knew what the trainer was saying was true. How I Saw This In My Life Yesterday was Sunday, and I was at church with my family. One of my church responsibilities is to find someone to give an opening prayer and someone to give a closing prayer for the church service. I was sitting up on the stand waiting for the service to start with about one minute left. Suddenly, the Bishop (leader of the congregation) leans over to me and asks me if I had asked anyone to offer the prayers. Doh! I hadn't. It was all I could do to keep from letting loose an expletive there in front of the congregation – that would have been a meeting to remember! Feeling a temporary burst of embarrassment, I quickly stepped down from the stand and found two unwitting, but willing, victims in the congregation and asked them to give the prayers. Fortunately, they obliged. So what lesson did I learn from this? How you do one thing is how you do everything. I've always told myself that I'm not a 'details' guy. This is the story I tell myself about who I am. I realize that lack of attention to the details is a repeated pattern for me (no surprise here). But my attitude changed when I considered how this habit is showing up in other areas of my life. Fortunately, I can change. So this moment of recognition allows me to take some actions and change my ways. If I can achieve what I've achieved without attention to the details, imagine what I can do when I become the person who handles not only the big picture, but the attention to details! This is how I like to think about things. What I'd have you consider today is this: Where in your business or your life do you have a pattern of doing something that is sabotaging the results you want to get? Perhaps you aren't even aware of this thing. Write that thing down in your journal and ask yourself the question, how is this pattern showing up in other areas of my life? What can I do to change it? That's all for today. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Carpe diem. Enoch Bartlett Sears

"The way we build is stupid," proclaims sustainable evangelist and architect Eric Corey Freed. In this episode of the Business of Architecture Show, you'll discover how some companies are innovating how buildings are built and what's possible in the future. ► Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for updates: https://www.youtube.com/c/BusinessofArchitecture ******* For more free tools and resources for running a profitable, impactful and fulfilling practice, connect with me on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessofarchitecture Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enoch.sears/ Website: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BusinessofArch Podcast: http://www.businessofarchitecture.com/podcast/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/business-architecture-podcast/id588987926 Android Podcast Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BusinessofArchitecture-podcast ******* Access the FREE Architecture Firm Profit Map video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Download the FREE Architecture Firm Marketing Process Flowchart video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Come to my next live, in-person event: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/live Carpe Diem!

This morning I did a morning jaunt around my neighborhood. As I was walking, I saw a man coming toward me walking two dogs. The dogs were pulling at the leash, trying to sniff everything. You may have experienced this before. They pulled toward the sidewalk, trying to smell the bushes. When I walked past, they pulled toward me, trying to get a sniff. As I was watching this, I had the thought, "Is the man walking the dogs, or are the dogs walking the man?" If the dogs are walking the man, the man has little to no control over the journey or where he ends up. He's reacting to circumstances. He might end up all the way across town where he doesn't want to be. Or he may end up in the park running after squirrels. 😄 What I'd have you consider today is this: where in your business, your relationships, your health and fitness or your faith are the dogs walking you? Where are you reacting to circumstances in your life instead of creating the circumstances that you want which lead you to where you want to go? As you've read this parable, something may have come to mind. Write it down, and figure out what you can do to be intentional so you don't end up across town or in the park chasing squirrels ... Carpe diem.

This morning my 7-year old daughter showed me a drawing that she did of a 'remote control doll.' Apparently this is what 7-year-old girls like to think about. On one side of the page she drew a picture of the remote, complete with a viewing screen, speaker and microphone so she could talk through the doll. On the reverse side of the page, she had a picture of the back of the doll with an outlet in her head (for charging my daughter told me). Drawing of the 'rumote cuncurll' Drawing of the doll. Notice the power outlet in the back of the doll's head for charging. You'll notice that she's misspelled a lot of the words. 'Rumote' instead of 'remote.' 'Toc' instead of 'talk.' 'Cis' instead of 'kiss.' At first I was troubled that my daughter who is 7 years old doesn't know how to spell simple words like 'kiss' and 'talk.' Then I remembered that she's only 7 years old, and the way that she's going to learn to spell more words is by actually trying! Interesting – the way we grow and progress is by actually doing stuff – even if we get it wrong! Seth Godin writes about this concept and calls it 'shipping' (refering to 'shipping the product). Here's an excerpt from a post that Seth Godin wrote talking about this: Shipping is fraught with risk and danger. Every time you raise your hand, send an email, launch a product or make a suggestion, you're exposing yourself to criticism. Not just criticism, but the negative consequences that come with wasting money, annoying someone in power or making a fool of yourself. It's no wonder we're afraid to ship. It's not clear you have much choice, though. A life spent curled in a ball, hiding in the corner might seem less risky, but in fact it's certain to lead to ennui and eventually failure. – Seth Godin Where in your life or business are you holding back because you're afraid to ship something and get it out to the world? Where in life or business are you figuratively curled up in a ball trying to avoid risk, but putting yourself on the path to failure? Where in life do you have an idea, a project or a product that you need to ship? Let's get after it today. Enoch Bartlett Sears

Yesterday I took my kids to their swim meet. It was cool outside with a nice breeze blowing. I stood in the stands so I could watch my kids swim and record their times. In my down time, I was scrolling through Instagram and I came across a post by one of my business mentors who recommended 3 books, The Ultimate Blueprint for an Insanely Successful Business by Keith Cunningham, and How Finance Works and The Wisdom of Finance by Mihir Desai. I pulled out my Android phone and whipped up Google Keep so I could write these books down and read them later. But when I tried writing in my Google Keep note app, nothing happened. I tried pressing enter to go to a new line and it was like my on-screen keyboard wasn't working. I tried typing some letters … nothing appeared. I got frustrated. "Damn you Google!" I tried again, nothing. I thought of what could be the matter. Perhaps it was my phone. Damn Google phone. I restarted my phone and tried the app again. It still didn't work. I thought, "I guess it's time to buy a new phone." And then it dawned on me. Google Keep has a character limit for notes, and I had reached the character limit for this particular note I was taking. Here I was, ready to throw my phone to the curb, when I was mistaken about the root of my problem. I was on a wild goose chase fixing something that wasn't broken. So here's today's parable – where in your architecture firm are you experiencing a symptom, and you haven't identified the root cause? For instance, maybe clients are complaining about the level of your fees. What does this mean? Does it mean that you're charging too much? Should you lower your fees to be more competitive? It could mean that you're in the wrong market – all the clients are cost focused. Or it could mean that you aren't explaining your value well. Or it could mean that you aren't doing enough activities to generate inquiries and interest in your firm. All of these are problems, but they all have different solutions. Do you see the problem here? If you blindly try to fix the symptom without correctly identifying the underlying problem, you're doomed to waste time and money. Let's take our previous example – say clients frequently question your fees or you get undercut by other firms. You assume that clients don't see the value of what you offer because your website isn't nice enough. So you spend $20k on a new website. But nothing changes. You still lose projects because you are "too expensive" even though you now have a sexy website. Accurately diagnosing the underlying cause of a symptom is key to growing in your business and personal life. So my question for you today is: where in your firm is something happening that you want to avoid, but you haven't identified the underlying root cause of this problem?

Yesterday I spoke with the partners of a design-focused architecture firm that does commercial, hospitality and residential projects. They reached out to me because their fees are very competitive, but they sometimes get undercut by 40% or more. Many times the clients come back to them with their tail between their legs after these projects go off track – but not always. This is frustrating for these firm owners who feel like they're doing everything right, but still struggling. Let's face it – both you and I know if a client pays 40% less they aren't getting the same level of professional service. It's like getting heart surgery – would you go to the cheapest surgeon? "Excuse me doctor, that seems a bit on the high side. Is there any way you can bring that fee down? There's a doctor operating behind a local bar, and he charges a fraction of that." "Perhaps there are less expensive sutures? Is all of this equipment really necessary? My brother-in-law says this should cost much less." "What if we do this at my house instead of the operating room? My son can hold the flashlight while you work." "That would save a lot of money, right?" This seems ridiculous when we think about it in a medical context, yet this is the trap that some clients get caught in – they focus on the short term impact of the design fees instead of considering the long-term value of investing in design up-front. So instead they play the game of chasing change orders and the project ends up costing more than it would have if the client had simply invested in doing the project correctly the first time. If you've ever been frustrated by other firms undercutting your fees, then watch the video up above and let me know what you think. If you want help getting out of the fee race to the bottom, you may be a fit for my DREAM Practice Accelerator program. Click here to watch a 60-minute training on how to create your DREAM Practice or click here to see program reviews.

The other day I was walking around my neighborhood and I found a stray golf ball on my lawn. This reminded me of an important principle if you want to have it all in business and life. Listen to this episode and let me know what you think!

Many architects are sitting on uncovered profit within their firm. In this episode, podcast host Alex Gore interviews Enoch Sears about key profit levers small firm owners can use to boost bottom line revenue without getting more clients or working more hours. ► Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for updates: https://www.youtube.com/c/BusinessofArchitecture ******* For more free tools and resources for running a profitable, impactful and fulfilling practice, connect with me on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessofarchitecture Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enoch.sears/ Website: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BusinessofArch Podcast: http://www.businessofarchitecture.com/podcast/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/business-architecture-podcast/id588987926 Android Podcast Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BusinessofArchitecture-podcast ******* Access the FREE Architecture Firm Profit Map video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Download the FREE Architecture Firm Marketing Process Flowchart video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Come to my next live, in-person event: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/live Carpe Diem!