EntreArchitect Podcast with Mark R. LePage

How To Pass the Architect Registration Exam When Real Life Gets in the Way How long did it take you to become a licensed architect? How many years went by before you focused on your studies and passed the Architect Registration Exam (ARE)? How do you do all the things that are going on in your life and find enough time to study and pass the ARE? This week at EntreArchitect Podcast, Evan Troxel of Archispeak Podcast talks about How to Hack Your Life for ARE Success and Beyond. Evan grew up in the mountains as a very outdoor-loving person, always building houses and projects out of rocks and sticks. He jokes that his dad must have had the longest-standing permit for an addition to their house in Tahoe where they worked indoors in the winter and outdoors in the summer. He learned carpentry and construction skills from working with his dad, loved taking this apart and putting them back together, and developed technical drawing and writing skills throughout his education. He went on to win a Regional Opportunity Program (ROP) house design competition at the age of 16. He was accepted into Cal Poly Pomona, where he became aware that he would have to unlearn the things that he had learned all his life. In his third year, it finally clicked and he became more aware of why he was there: to be an architect. He currently works as a Senior Designer on higher education, K12 and civic projects. Evan loves involving his family and kids in helping to create things that allow them to go on adventures together. Right now, they’re working on designing a family camping trailer from the ground up. Follow their journey on SpaceShop.co. One day, Evan, Neal Pann, and Cormac Phalen connected on Twitter following an AIA Convention and the idea of starting a podcast got thrown into the mix. They came together with various talents and created Archispeak Podcast as “the talk you’d hear in the office around the water cooler”. Evan’s newest project is a book he’s been working on about his 15-year process of completing the Architect Registration Exam and earning his license to practice architecture. Learn more about ARE Hacks here. Why go through the Architect Registration Exam process when you don’t NEED to? Becoming a Better Person // Studying caused Evan to get up earlier, cut out things that weren’t important to him or pushing him to grow, and create discipline in his life. Finding a Seat at the Table // Being a licensed architect allowed him to be “in the club” to make the profession better. Personal Pride // The title of “licensed architect” freed him and allowed him to acknowledge and take pride in the work he completed to get there. What are some life-hacks to accomplish the Architect Registration Exam? Ask yourself: Where can you study? When can you study? What are you studying? How will you have study materials with you when you need them? How can you show up every day to accomplish the task? It’s very easy to schedule a test and show up to take it, but the hard part is to prepare: diet, nutrition, how to deal with distractions, learning to study, choosing to study with others or without, how to study around your family, etc. It’s less about hacking the ARE and more hacking your life. What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business tomorrow? “Start. Whatever your ideas are, whatever you’re thinking about doing, don’t wait anymore: start. If you start today, you’re not taking on a giant mountain all at once, you’ll chip away at it one piece at a time.” – Evan Troxel You can sign up to be notified when Evan’s book, ARE Hacks, is available here. Connect with Evan online at EvanTroxel.com and GetMethod.com. Check out the podcast at ArchispeakPodcast.com, or follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Register for our FREE Special Session Webinar Want to learn about the 3 critical business systems you need to succeed as a small firm architect? Marketing Sales Productivity Register for our FREE special session webinar on September 15th at 3 PM EST. Visit EntreArchitect.com/FreeWebinar. Visit our Platform Sponsor FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) The post EA135: Hacking Your Life for ARE Success and Beyond with Architect Evan Troxel [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Context & ClarityContext & ClarityFrosty & Fired Up

Using Technology to Leverage a Powerful Idea for Predictable Revenue For the month of August at EntreArchitect Podcast, we’re focusing on Personal Development and we encourage you to dedicate some time to building a better you. This week, enjoy the Best of EntreArchitect Podcast as Mark R. LePage and Jared Perry, the founder of Paeven.com, discuss Using Technology to Leverage a Powerful Idea for Predictable Revenue. For full show notes and a list of references from the original podcast, visit EntreArchitect.com/EA125. Connect with Jared on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and online at Paeven.com. Enrollment for the EntreArchitect Academy opens in September! To learn more and sign up for our early-bird mailing list, visit EntreArchitect Academy today! Visit our Platform Sponsor FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) The post The Quest for Predictable Revenue (Best of EntreArchitect Podcast) appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Context & ClarityContext & ClarityFrosty & Fired Up

Profit…Then Art: 12 Steps to Business Success in Architecture For the month of August at EntreArchitect Podcast, we focused on Personal Development and encouraged you to dedicate some time to building a better you. For our final installment, enjoy the Best of EntreArchitect Podcast as Mark R. LePage shares 12 Steps to Business Success in Architecture. For full show notes and a list of references from the original podcast, visit https://entrearchitect.com/podcast/ea092-profit-art-podcast/. FREE Special Session Webinar Want to learn about the 3 critical business systems you need to succeed as a small firm architect? Register for our FREE special session webinar on September 7th at 6 PM EST. Visit EntreArchitect.com/FreeWebinar. Visit our Platform Sponsor FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Photo credit: Pixabay // TBIT   The post Profit…Then Art (Best of EntreArchitect Podcast) appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpContext & ClarityContext & Clarity

Risks & Rewards as an Architect Developer For the month of August at EntreArchitect Podcast, we’re focusing on Personal Development and we encourage you to dedicate some time to building a better you. This week, enjoy the Best of EntreArchitect Podcast as Mark R. LePage speaks with Jim Zack of San Fransisco-based Zack de Vito Architecture about the Risks and Rewards as an Architect Developer. For full show notes and a list of references from the original podcast, visit EntreArchitect.com/EA102. Connect with Jim online at ZackdeVito.com or find him on LinkedIn. Enrollment for the EntreArchitect Academy opens in September! To learn more and sign up for our early-bird mailing list, visit EntreArchitect Academy today! Visit our Platform Sponsor FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) The post Risks & Rewards as an Architect Developer (Best of EntreArchitect Podcast) appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpContext & ClarityContext & Clarity

Passive Income for Architects For the month of August at EntreArchitect Podcast, we’re focusing on Personal Development and we encourage you to dedicate some time to building a better you. This week, enjoy the Best of EntreArchitect Podcast as Mark R. LePage speaks with Eric Reinholdt of 30X40 Design Workshop about Passive Income for Architects. For full show notes and a list of references from the original podcast, visit EntreArchitect.com/EA089. Connect with Eric online at ThirtybyForty.com, or find him on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter. Enrollment for the EntreArchitect Academy opens in September! To learn more and sign up for our early-bird mailing list, visit EntreArchitect Academy today! Visit our Platform Sponsor FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) The post Passive Income for Architects (Best of EntreArchitect Podcast) appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Context & ClarityContext & ClarityFrosty & Fired Up

  Branding for Architects For the month of August at EntreArchitect Podcast, we’re focusing on Personal Development and we encourage you to dedicate some time to building a better you. This week, enjoy the Best of EntreArchitect Podcast as Mark R. LePage speaks with Emily Hall about the importance of Branding for Architects. For full show notes and a list of references from the podcast, visit EntreArchitect.com/EA065. Find Emily online at UnionStudioArch.com, and connect on Twitter @unionstudioarch, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. Enrollment for the EntreArchitect Academy opens in September! To learn more and sign up for our early-bird mailing list, visit EntreArchitect Academy Visit our Platform Sponsor FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) The post Branding for Architects (Best of EntreArchitect Podcast) appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpContext & ClarityContext & Clarity

This week at EntreArchitect Podcast, we invited Declan Keefe of Placetailor back to share his knowledge about How to Get Started as an Architect Developer. To hear Declan’s origin story about how he was hired by a firm as a student and ended up owning it less than three years later, check out EntreArchitect Podcast Episode 130. Placetailor is an architecture firm that provides architecture services, construction services, and real estate development. They look at architecture as the genesis of ideas, and wanted to figure out how they were going to take control over the revenue and profit side of the business. After taking over a company that was in quite a bit of debt, the team decided they needed a “silver bullet” to pull them out: real estate development. They saw a conjuncture between architecture and real estate development in that they’re including an important piece in the middle of the relationship – the builder – where most of the revenue exists. Depending on how you set up the structure of your business, we know for sure that profits feed through the construction arm. The Architect as Developer model would function as a developer who expenses architecture as an overhead cost and relies on the profits from development to pay itself back on the architecture side. The major difference is that you can’t pay the entire cost of construction on the profits on development (Architect as Developer), whereas you can potentially pay the entire cost of the architecture fees on the profits from development (Architect as Builder-Developer). Placetailor has a design-build business and then they have a development, LLC for each project, for a few reasons. First is liability: if one of the projects fail, the entire business doesn’t have to go under. Also, they’re an employee-owned cooperative. Different members of the cooperative can be on different projects, as well as leave an opening to bring in people who aren’t within the coop to be partial owners in the project if needed. How to Get Started as an Architect Developer Step 1: Find an Opportunity Declan and his partner, Evan, walk around a neighborhood to see the land that’s available and what’s going on in the area to see if there’s an opportunity, usually for residential condo-based development. Then there’s a little research into the properties, the leans, who owns it, and any complexities they may or may not want to deal with. Step 2: Is it a good decision as a financial model? Placetailor has created a lot of spreadsheet tools to do both quick and detailed analyses. If the number at the end looks like it could be a decent project, they decide to go after it. Step 3: Put an Offer In Based on the analysis, they know how high they can go and where to start with an offer. Don’t get attached emotionally and be prepared to walk away if it doesn’t work out. Step 4: Financing If/when the offer is accepted, they have to figure out the financials behind it. There’s a few approaches: they’ve used a crowd-funding approach and they worked to pitch their brand with confidence to people who they knew cared about it. They said, “We’re doing something new, we want to push the boundaries of high-performance building and we want to test it in the real estate development world.” Step 5: Establish Contacts Keep track of people who are interested in what you’re doing and may want to get involved. When you meet people at conferences or have people reach out, keep in touch with them to let them know next phases of your company. Step 6: Be Prepared to Move Fast Things move quickly. It’s potential that your investors may not have done this often, and you need to ask if it’s realistic for them to receive a proposal and get the money moving in the next 48 hours to two weeks. If so, great. If not, make a note of their time frame…maybe they’ll be helpful at the closing. Step 7: Get the Bank Involved What you need and what your terms are is going to look different with each bank. Figure out your equity from the value of the land (paid for outright from investors) + the value of the time we put into the project + the value of the design. From there, the bank brings a loan-to-value based on the risk factor from looking at the numbers. Step 8: Guarantors If you’re like many startup architects, you’ve got nothing in the bank and don’t own your own house or car…you live that lifestyle. Now you’re looking for another partner who will sign onto your project for some return on something to take on the risk and help back you up on this project. Step 9: Profit Profit may not be the #1 goal in some of our projects from the development side. We get to decide which entities does it make sense for us to bring in profit on this project, and this shifts from project to project. Step 10: Complete the Project Now you do wha

Do you have an idea for a new product, service or business? Today, with all the tools available and so many of them free, you no longer have an excuse. If it’s something you really want and the only thing standing in your way is fear, just try! Mark R. LePage is talking with someone who’s been doing just that ever since he discovered a need in grad school and couldn’t find the solution, so he decided to create the solution himself. Learn how he started his many companies, how he’s managing each project, and the tools he uses to communicate with his virtual teams. This week on EntreArchitect Podcast, Mark R. LePage is joined by Robert Yuen, co-founder of SectionCut.com and Monograph.io, as he shares his thoughts on The Power of Trying. Born and raised in Chicago, Robert was the son of Chinese immigrants who played with legos, imagined building and creating things. He took drafting and architectural classes in high school and competed city-wide in various contests. He had a great mentor teacher who helped steer him in the path of architecture to use his passion and abilities in design. He went to the University of Illinois Chicago, where he won a traveling fellowship and spent a year backpacking around 20+ countries. Upon his return, he worked small, high-end residential before he decided to attend grad school at the University of Michigan. With a heavy focus on technology, Robert started to figure out exactly what focus he wanted to have. Most recently he’s gone full time with his many projects as an entrepreneur. After realizing a lack in the profession during both in school and out of school, he asked himself how he could most effectively save the things that were valuable to him in a way that was easy for him to find again. As an answer to that question, SectionCut.com was created as a platform for a collective of designers and architects to share what’s going on in today’s practice. Through back and forth conversations between Robert and a few freelancers, they decided to try out an agency model. Dixon & Moe was established to provide tech design and software consulting to large firms. Their current location in San Fransisco gives them the opportunity provide support from up-and-coming startups to big companies. Monograph.io started as more of a blogging platform for makers. It was critiqued and reborn to be a simple, portfolio-building website for architects. Architects want to be found, and since Monograph is so focused on architects, they can design their own technology and SEO algorithms to allow an architect of a specific type or region to get connected easily. Coming soon may be a simple, technology-based RFP plugin, project management and staff management, and accounting plugins. During Robert’s earlier days in the industry, he did a lot of computer-intensive, heavy 3D modeling and renderings, where he noticed most of his time was spent not working, but waiting for the computer to produce what he needed. BigFluffy.io is an idea to solve that problem: a computer on the web. Here you can have access to your machine through a browser that you can rent as often as you want and increase or decrease your power to speed up what you need to do. How are you getting all this done? Not all projects are going on at the same time. He heavily values his co-founders and partners. Robert doesn’t believe in starting businesses solo because of all the moving parts and the need for a team that you trust to to get the project off the ground. Having a team means each person brings their own strengths and weaknesses Do you manage employees for any of your projects? For SectionCut.com, a virtual assistant who assists with day-to-day tasks. In the area of partners, he worked to find people who would be the best fit to build on his skill sets. What are some of the tools you’re using for communication? Slack // Almost no emailing, all team communication is primarily via Slack Appear.In // Video conferencing weekly meetings whether there’s issues or not; Appear.In is easy because you don’t need an account, you just need the right url for the meeting Trello // Used as a simple to-do list for company-wide items for Monograph.io Google Docs // All documentation, spreadsheets, etc. are on Google Drive, and anything outside of that is on Dropbox Robert’s final prompt: Try! If you don’t try, there’s a 100% guarantee that nothing will succeed. Even if it’s a 1% success, that’s better than zero. Keep your priorities straight and work on the things that are a few steps ahead of you. Find Robert on any one of his project websites at SectionCut.com, Monograph.io, Dixon & Moe and BigFluffy.io, or get in touch with him at [email protected]. Visit our Platform Sponsor FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect

The road to success is a long and bumpy ride. For us licensed architects, we all dealt with the challenge of passing the Architect Registration Exam. For those of you studying to pass the ARE today, you’re working through that challenge right now. This week at EntreArchitect Podcast, Mark R. LePage discusses How to Pass the Architect Registration Exam with Michael Riscica. As a creative child, Michael loved to draw, build model cars and create. After high school, he landed a job with an interior design school that told him he could have it if he learned CAD. He followed that with a few community college classes, and then attended the Boston Architecture College (BAC) at night while he worked full time. When he moved to Long Island, he finished his degree at the New York Institute of Technology (NYIY). During this time, he traveled and participated in various extracurricular activities. Where school previously hadn’t been one of his strong suits, the design studios in architecture school brought a passion where he realized he could have a career as an architect. While living in Boston, he fell deeply in love with cycling and began researching to complete a 400 mile bike ride from Boston to New York. In 2005, his dream of cycling across America was born and achieved when he rode from Virginia to Washington. In 2006, he hiked the Appalachian Trail for several weeks. After graduating in 2007, he made another trip across the US with a group of friends and decided to stay in Portland, where he’s lived and worked ever since. He began studying for his AREs in 2009, and had to take a two-year break because he was so burned out and exhausted. When he got back into it, he checked out for the entire year of 2013 and did almost nothing but studying and taking the exams, successfully receiving his license at the end of that year. With no room for creativity in the past few years of studying, he felt like he needed a new creative project: writing a blog for young architects. He put full effort into Young Architect, sharing study successes, failure stories and the experience of going through the AREs. When several of his articles went viral, he used some content to write How to Pass the Architecture Registration Exam. With a lot of inquiries to help others get ready for their exams, he created the ARE Bootcamp to fill the gap between architecture school and preparing for the exam itself. In the ARE Bootcamp, small groups gather weekly for 10 weeks to move through a syllabus of what to study, how to recall the necessary information, and figuring out how to get up to speed to study for the exam. Once you take the program, you’re in the community forever. Michael’s been running the current ARE Bootcamp on his latest tour where he’s racked up 2800 miles in the last 50 days since the Philadelphia AIA Convention. He’ll be in Portland sometime soon to connect with the World Domination Summit, a conference for creative people who are doing various projects to change the world. Connect with Michael online at YoungArchitect.com and visit his Coast2Coast Bike Ride Blog, on LinkedIn, Instagram & Twitter @BikeTouring999, and Facebook. Look for his trail of robot stickers across the US! Visit our Platform Sponsor FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in This Episode How to Pass the Architecture Registration Exam by Michael Riscica [book] Young Architect ARE Bootcamp EntreArchitect Special Session Webinar: “Which BIM tool is best for us small firm architects and how do we successfully make that transition from CAD to BIM?” Register for the FREE, 3-part EntreArchitect Special Session Webinar on July 19th, 20th, and 21st with representatives from Vectorworks, ARCHICAD and Revit by visiting EntreArchitect.com/BIMWebinar. The post EA132: Cycling, Licensing and How to Pass the Architect Registration Exam with Michael Riscica [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpContext & ClarityContext & Clarity

Most of us, when we launched our firms, we started solo, working by ourselves from a small private studio and wearing every hat required to run a successful architecture firm. We worked that way for as long as we could, but we finally reached a point when we knew it was time to get some help but how? Where do I look? What if I hire the wrong person? How am I going to pay them week after week. That first hire is a pivotal point in every successful architecture firm. This week at EntreArchitect Podcast residential architect Marica McKeel joined Mark R. LePage to talk about How to Overcome the Fear of Hiring Your First Employee. Marica’s journey began when she was recruited as a diver at North Carolina State University, where she decided to study architecture. After graduating, she moved back to Tampa to work for a commercial architecture firm. When she had a project for a multi-family space, she realized she loved the residential side of architecture. She pursued a masters at Parsons Fashion, Art and Design School in New York, where she fell in love with the New York City. She was hired at Santiago Calatrava, where she worked on the Chicago Spire, the PATH Station at Ground Zero and Santiago’s personal home in Connecticut. In 2010, after seeing the great desire for weekend homes by those who lived and worked in the city, she ventured out to start her own residential architecture firm. In the last year, she went from a solo firm to three employees. Q: How long were you in business before your first employee? A: 4 years. Q: What made you say, “I need to get an employee”? A: I was trying to maintain a client-happy business. If I failed at that because I was unable to keep up with my projects, I was doing my clients a disservice. Q: How did you start out hiring someone? A: I hired a contractor I was familiar with who worked about 60% of the time to test the waters. I quickly realized that he had other things going on and he wasn’t 100% focused on being part of my team. Q: Do you see that first hire as a mistake? A: I see it as a stepping stone. If I were to give someone advice, I would say you don’t need that stepping stone. For me, I needed someone quickly and I probably would have rushed a hiring decision. Q: What role did you hire for the first time? Was it a high level or low level person? A: You’re typically supposed to hire a high level person so you don’t have to teach as much. I hired someone straight out of undergrad at an entry-level role, and her energy and excitement might be more important than anything else. Q: What was the process you went through to hire the first person? A: I put out a job ad on Archinect and filtered through those applications. I was looking for those who did their research: they knew who I was, what type of work I did and what was important to me. I wanted them to want to work for my firm. Q: Once you found your top 3, how did you decide on the right person? A: Mostly based on the conversation, but I could have probably narrowed it down to the cover letter. As architects, we have to present ourselves well. Q: Can you tell us about hire #2? A: The second hire was someone I’d worked with for years and always hoped would come to work for me eventually. She called two months after the first hire, and I said, “Absolutely. Let’s do this.” She is a partner without having a partner. She runs the office and loves a challenge, so I was able to unload a lot of my responsibility to her so I could get back to being an architect. Q: Why did you choose to hire a third employee in less than a year? A: Mainly because we needed to be more team focused and our contractor was ready to go do his own thing. We had passion and design, but we didn’t have detail strength, so that’s what we were looking for. We needed an experienced, unique person who was willing to come into a strong team. Plus, now we were three people looking for someone instead of just one; all three of us had to like him, interview him, and be on the same page. Q: Where are you planning to go in the future? A: We’re working to establish ourselves as a team, and we’re figuring out how to go full-speed ahead. Connect with Marica and Studio MM online at MaricaMcKeel.com and on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter @ArchitectMM. Visit our Platform Sponsor FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) The post EA131: How to Overcome the Fear of Hiring Your First Employee with Architect Marica McKeel [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpContext & ClarityContext & Clarity

This month, we’re shifting our focus from technology to management. How do we build a successful business? How do we build the right systems and team? How can we efficiently and effectively do what we do as architects in the most profitable way? This week on EntreArchitect Podcast, Declan Keefe of Placetailor talks about How to Build a Successful Architecture Firm That Works. Declan spent his younger years focused on photography and fine arts before realizing that wasn’t the direction he wanted to go. He began to think about architecture as large-scale, “occupiable” sculpture, convincing himself that it was okay to transfer into architecture without compromising his creative path. While still in school, Declan found a job as a founding employee to start Placetailor, a firm that wanted to fully integrate the design and building process of architecture. Every member of the team had to have an understanding and a base skill set of being able to both design and build. Three years into the business, when he was a project manager and still in school, the founder of the company stepped away. Rather than allowing Placetailor to die, Declan stepped into the role of owner in 2013. Placetailor is working to provide a fun experience for clients by creating a brand with loud colors, snarky commentary, and relevance to the times. While splitting his time between design and working in the field, Declan realized that they needed to do some work to actually run a business. He put his head down in the office to figure out how to let people know who Placetailor was and how to convince potential clients that what they’re doing is a good idea. His plan was to transfer the business into an employee-owned cooperative. They began to test the boundaries of where architecture and construction met, and to figure out their roles in high-performance and energy-efficient buildings. How did he work to make that transition to a successful cooperative? Help each other to balance different strengths and weaknesses Incentivize with a three-year vesting period prior to becoming an employee-owner Test geographic and technological boundaries Strategized to streamline systems on larger scales for sustainability Developed bylaws as a cooperative, an operating agreement and general rules and guidelines for how they operate as a team How do they dream and decide on which decisions to move forward? A dream is born Decide how much time & money can be allotted to pursue that dream Invest in the idea first before someone else does Let ideas work through the architecture, development, construction and investment arms Prepare for meetings by trying to anticipate where different people are going to end up so the meeting can continue to think through impacts on the business Use digital minutes to track decisions throughout meetings Connect with Declan online at Placetailor.com and on Twitter @placetailor & Instagram. Visit our Platform Sponsor FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) The post EA130: How to Build a Successful Architecture Firm That Works with Architect Declan Keefe [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpContext & ClarityContext & Clarity

Have you ever had a great big idea for a product or service? Something bigger or completely different from what you're doing now? Do you ever wonder what your life would be like, if you pursued that idea? This week we're chatting with someone who had an idea in architecture school inspired by the technology he was using every day. He decided to take that path and pursue his passion. This week at EntreArchitect Podcast, we go From Architect to Tech StartUp with Qi Su of Modelo.io. From childhood, Qi was surrounded by structural engineering, architecture and design, and artwork, and eventually decided to major in architecture – his second love behind soccer – at University of Southern California. He then pursued a degree combining design and computer development through Harvard University. It was there working with the different softwares that he had the inspiration for Modelo. Modelo is a browser-based building and design collaboration and presentation platform for architects, engineers and general contractors offering trial-based hosting, management, communication and presentation services, allowing you and your clients to visualize, and markup 3D models through any browser no matter the CAD service you use. Modelo’s Startup Timeline March ’14: Qi was accepted into an accelerator, sort of an ecosystem for startups to launch and develop your idea, the company officially launched. April ’14: Since it was important to Qi to have someone to bounce ideas off of and collaborate with, he found his partner and co-founder, Tian Deng, to join the Modelo team. September ’14: The first prototype was released to much excitement from users. January ’15: After fundraising and pitching to investors, funding was received and they were able to hire people to grow the team. January ’17: Development of the software will be completed and ready to launch. Visit Modelo.io to sign up and try it for free! Visit our Platform Sponsor FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) The post EA129: From Architect to Tech Startup with Qi Su of Modelo.io [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpContext & ClarityContext & Clarity

Technology It can help us in so many ways. All month long, we've been sharing information here at EntreArchitect Podcast and over at the blog on the many ways that technology can help us be better architects. At times, technology can be a burden. It can be overwhelming. It can be complicated and frustrating. It can be time consuming and distracting. Truthfully, technology can be downright stressful. Over two years ago Mark decided to step away from news in every form: TV, radio, print and internet. The day he stopped listening to all that stuff and started paying attention to the things that actually were in his control, his stress was radically reduced. Mark encourages you to commit to a full media blackout by eliminating any technology that causes you stress. What if we could use technology to reduce our stress? This week at EntreArchitect Podcast, Mark will share 5 Ways to Use Technology to Reduce Our Stress. Mark’s commitment is to make the world a better place by doing more things within his control, and you can do the same thing. Music // Music has always been used to reduce stress. We have access to music anytime and anywhere depending on what we’re in the mood for. Meditation // As meditation has become more mainstream, more are turning to this focused practice of sitting in silence for a period of time. Check out our list of recommended apps below. Exercise // Of course we can exercise without technology, but there’s so many ways to use great technology to help you get out there and get moving! Find things that work with your activities to keep you motivated. Use technology to set reminders and block time to exercise! Automation // We’re doing so many things every day and all day long, and the easiest way to slim down that burden is to automate things. Check out the post on the blog this week, How to Automate Your Small Firm Architecture Studio, for ideas how to do this and keep searching for others that work for you. The fewer tasks we have, the less stressed we’ll be. Develop Systems // It’s so important to the success of our businesses and to our health. Developing systems allow us to feel confident that the work will get done without us so we can focus on the things we love. Developing systems is the most important goal that you can set for your success. What are some ways you use technology to reduce your stress? Tell us about them in the comments below! Visit our Platform Sponsor FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in This Episode 10% Happier by Dan Harris (book), 10% Happier Website, and 10% Happier Meditation App Meditation Apps: Headspace, Omvana, Buddhify, Mindfulness, and Calm Apps for Exercise: RunKeeper Apps for Automation: Zapier and IFTTT System Development: Evernote, Google Drive, and Trello Photo Credit:Shutterstock / Seyomedo The post EA128: 5 Ways to Use Technology to Reduce Our Stress [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Context & ClarityContext & ClarityFrosty & Fired Up

We are living during an amazing period of time with rapid change and global innovation. Human society is changing before our very eyes. The world I knew as a pre-internet child no longer exists and the world we are experiencing today will be unrecognizable in less than a decade. This week at EntreArchitect Podcast I share my thoughts on 6 Technologies That Will Radically Change the Architecture Profession in Less Than 10 Years. The next generation of technology is coming and it’s going to change the profession radically. Will you be there to take advantage of that opportunity as an early adapter? In the next 5-10 years, these technologies will be mainstream. 3D Printing // Design a 3D model of a building or parts of the building on the computer and print it out to see how it would look and work in real life. We’ll no longer be limited to the available parts and products, we’ll be able to 3D print whatever we want! Virtual Reality // VR 360 headsets to walk through models virtually. We’ll be able to walk clients through buildings, get decisions made more quickly and plan for lighting and emergency situations. Drones // Drones are soon to be introduced as consumer products that you can program to go do what you want it to do. They can be used for photography and videography, but also delivery of materials, marketing, various inspections, even flight-assembled architecture. Robots // Can be used to scan the room to create a 3D model of existing conditions, as a demolition crew, and any tasks like painting, excavating, masonry, framing, welding, cutting, and manufacturing in architecture and construction. Artificial Intelligence // Imagine computers that are intelligent enough to creatively design buildings. Instead of pre-programming tasks, the system will be able to train itself and improving. Cryptocurrency // Bitcoin and electronic currency may eventually be the norm in the future. These things are coming, so let’s choose, as architects, to become the leaders of them. Machines and technologies will be our tools to change the way we do what we do. Change is inevitable and it’s coming quickly; we can either embrace it or reject it for others to seize.   Visit our Platform Sponsor FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Photo Credit: Shutterstock / William Bradberry   The post EA127: 6 Technologies That Will Radically Change the Architecture Profession in Less Than 10 Years [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpContext & ClarityContext & Clarity

It's June and all month long we here at EntreArchitect are focusing our content on the category of Technology. On the blog, here on the podcast and inside EntreArchitect Academy we are diving deep into the many technologies we can use to make our architecture firms run more efficiently and more effectively. This week Mark R. LePage invited the co-founder of a relatively new firm to join us to discuss the many technologies that he is using to launch his small firm. Architect Danny Cerezo is on the show and he and Mark discussed Successful Technologies for an Architect StartUp. Danny Cerezo is based in Los Angeles, CA and is the principal and co-founder at c|s design. After spending time in service with the Navy, Danny worked for a developer near Palm Springs. He attended Woodbury University in San Diego and graduated with a Masters in Real Estate Development geared for and taught by architects, following that up with working to earn his general contractor’s license. After finishing and selling some projects, creating relationships and getting requests for architecture work on the side, he and his wife, Pam, formed c|s design. What technologies are you using in your firm? Design Software // Whatever’s best for the task at hand. For renovation and addition projects, Chief Architect. Primarily for design they use Revit, but are considering switching to ArchiCad as Mac users. Project Management // For overall project management, Trello for the big picture to create systems, project templates, and identify steps for each phase. For detailed task management, ToDoist. Evernote to easily scan documents, record audio, organize, search and share files for each project. “If anybody’s not using EverNote, I would say pause the podcast right now, go download it and then come back. It’s fantastic.“ Danny also uses a smart pen called Livescribe that’s digitally connected so that every page from the notebook automatically gets uploaded to Evernote. Accounting // FreshBooks for the ease of use and its robustness where clients can come in to check retainers, invoices received and paid, expenses and track time. QuickBooks as a preference for their accountant, who’s then able to check their work. In order to avoid doing the work twice, a Zapier account integrates the two softwares. Communication // Primarily using email but considering using Slack to capture all the information in one repository. Mobile Apps // Dropbox as a server. Social media apps like Morpholio to share creative ideas and SquareSpace to host their website. Website // CandSDesign.com and the blog are geared more towards clients. To share within the profession of architects, Danny uses Medium to blog on topics like “6 Things I Learned My First 2 Years Running Our Architecture Firm” and “Architect as Developer. You Can Do It Too.” Connect with Danny on Facebook, Twitter @dcerezo_LA and @csdesignla, LinkedIn, Instagram and Medium @csdesignLA. Visit our Platform Sponsor FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in This Episode Check out the FreshBooks Video Rate and review the EntreArchitect podcast on iTunes Do you have an architect or entrepreneur that you’d like to hear featured on EntreArchitect Podcast? Tell us about it! Email [email protected]. The post EA126: Successful Technologies for an Architect Startup with Architect Danny Cerezo [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpContext & ClarityContext & Clarity

Have you ever had an idea to improve your process; to make it more efficient or more effective in some big way? Maybe you are inspired to start a new business that will help take your architecture firm to the next level and in doing so, will change the profession for all of us, forever. This week's guest is striving to do just that. This week at EntreArchitect Podcast, I invite Jared Perry, the founder of Paeven.com, a new online platform for architects and engineers, to discuss how to use technology to leverage a powerful idea for predictable revenue. Jared is a professional engineer based in Westlake, Ohio and a co-founder and principal at Sixmo Inc. He attended school at Ohio University with an original focus on transportation engineering before switching over to where his greater interest was, in structural engineering. At Sixmo, the architecture department focuses primarily on aquatic facilities and microbreweries. Structurally they deal a lot in commercial, retail, and light industrial work. Paeven was designed to support growth and competition in the architecture and engineering industry. The whole idea behind it was to create predictable revenue by logging into an online platform to pick jobs in a market where your skills are. What does the process look like for consultant? Create a profile // company, background, contact information, credentials, confirm licensure and agree to the ethical conduct policy Search the database // filter based on discipline, location, market, etc. Found a project? // view any RFIs and download RFP to determine if you’d like to place a bid Place a bid // select your cost, schedule, and hourly rate Results // you’ll be immediately notified based on the preliminary selection criteria that the owner put in the system to see where your bid finished in comparison to others and Paeven will calculate what your percentage is to get that job Decision // the owner has two weeks to decide who to award the bid to Introduction // Paeven passes the baton to introduce the client to the owner There are many architects and engineers who have these ideas and inspiration to create something to better the world they’re in, and they don’t know where to start. When you came up with this idea, how did you get it to where it is now? Thought about it when he was running and wrote it down immediately Brainstormed what to do and what not to do Got support from his spouse Talked to those in his network who have different talents like computer programming to figure out costs and recommendations Found a firm who spoke their language to partner with them doing design and development Worked to get their name out there through passive marketing via social media Connect with Jared on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and online at Paeven.com. Reach out and ask him how or why he did it and if you should do it too! Visit our Platform Sponsor FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in This Episode Register for a FreshBooks Webinar Click here to enroll in the EntreArchitect Academy   The post EA125: Using Technology to Leverage a Powerful Idea for Predictable Revenue [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpContext & ClarityContext & Clarity

CVG Architecture Business Plan Competition 2016 Recorded live from the Sonesta Hotel in Downtown Philadelphia the awards reception for the 2016 Charrette Venture Group Architecture Business Plan Competition. We chat with all the finalists, learn about the history of the competition and I sit down for a live one-on-one interview with the winner. We will learn more about their firm, how it was founded and their plans for the future, transitioning from design/build to architect as developer. This week on EntreArchitect Podcast we have a very special episode. And the winner is… What is the history of the Architecture Business Plan Competition? The Architecture Business Plan Competition is an annual event sponsored by Charrette Venture Group. Charrette Venture Group was founded by Matt Ostanik after Matt’s experience in both the architecture and technology worlds. He observed that many architects tend to struggle with successfully growing their business and he found through the tech industry that, in many areas, there’s an abundance of resources to grow your business. Not so in the architecture space. Charrette Venture Group’s goal is to provide resources and invest in architect entrepreneurs to help them grow their business. What’s the most important thing you learned while developing your plan for the Architecture Business Plan Competition? Brian M. Johnson with Arch.406, an architect-led design-build firm, found benefits from intentionally planning and thinking about how to get to the end result, sharing that that exercise alone has helped them significantly improve the quality of their business. They also found it incredibly beneficial to have something that forced them to lay out and communicate their firm’s priorities and understand the financials of the firm and where they want the costs and revenues to be. Clever Moderns is an an online platform for owner-builders to get online support, plans and empowerment to change their lives by building their own house. The most important thing Earl Parson learned through this competition was that even in moments lacking clarity, the world is so full of resources and information that you can find answers to whatever you’re looking for if you take the time and the effort to search for them. Courtney Brinegar, who created ADD+Venture as a nonprofit architect-as-developer practice, felt that the secret ingredient is the importance of a strong vision to drive everything forward. Lindsey Love & Lindsay Schack partner to create Love | Schack Architecture, which focuses on natural buildings and sustainable design. They found it vital to keep a tight timeline in order to work together to distill what exactly their firm is all about. Victor Caban-Diaz with Building Ingenuity learned that sometimes you can’t dive too deep into the details, but rather you should keep your focus on the bottom line. Hear from the winners! The name “Arch.406” comes from the area code of the state of Montana and the preface for the word “architecture” as an architect-led design-build. The firm came about because of Brian M. Johnson, Nick Pancheau, and Jeff Kanning’s observations at Collaborative Design Architects that architects get to work with the client for long periods of time designing the project, developing their intricacies and how they go about the process. Then, the relationship ends and clients are turned over to the general contractor. Instead of breaking that relationship, Arch.406 wants to control the project from start to finish and make valued decisions based on the best design. Brian M. Johnson’s greatest piece of advice is to not to let your anger or past hurt drive you in the wrong direction. Jeff Kanning reminds architects to be patient and give time to assimilate; listen, learn, and build a knowledge place to get to where you can really be successful. Nick Pancheau wants architects to embrace the specifics of your plans and how you’re approaching the practice of architecture. Connect with Arch.406 online, on Facebook, and search #arch406 on Instagram! Visit our Platform Sponsor FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in This Episode ADD+Venture ARCH.406 Building Ingenuity Clever Moderns Love | Schack Architecture Charrette Venture Group Photo credit: J&J Studios The post EA124: And the Winner is… [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpContext & ClarityContext & Clarity

How to Use Sketches to Pass the Architecture Registration Exam In and among the everyday workings of being an architect, or studying to become one, we often find ourselves with new and innovative ideas for doing what we do more efficiently, more effectively or just more enjoyably. We might develop these ideas into new systems or new processes to make our world a little better. If these innovative ideas work for you, they most likely will work for others as well. And in the world of instant connnectability and a community of like-minded architects growing every day on our many social media channels, there is no reason to not share your ideas with the world. You hear it at the end of every episode “Share what you know.” This week on this episode of EntreArchitect Podcast, I am chatting with a friend, whom I met while sharing what I know on the internet, to discuss an innovative idea that she had and is now sharing it with her world. Join me for a conversation with architect Lora Teagarden about her journey to pass the architecture registration exam and how today she is helping others sketch their way to success. Visit our Platform Sponsor FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in This Episode Learn more about EntreArchitect Academy (Enrollment closes May 30, 2016) ARE Sketches Volume 1: A Visual Study Guide to the Architecture Registration Exam Paper by 53 App Subscribe to the ARE Sketches Newsletter Gary Vaynerchuk Mark Schaefer Mike Riscica Eric Reinholdt AIA Mississippi L2DesignLLC on Instagram L2DesignLLC on Twitter #ArchiTalks Blog Series Bob Borson – Life of an Architect AIA Convention 2016 Architecture Business Plan Competition Awards Ceremony & Reception EntreArchitect Meetup The post EA123: Sketch Your Way to ARE Success with Architect Lora Teagarden [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Context & ClarityContext & ClarityFrosty & Fired Up

Happy clients are the result of clients knowing what to expect, when to expect it, and how much it’s going to cost when their expectations are met. This week on EntreArchitect Podcast, Mark R. LePage shares How to Build a System to Manage Your Architecture Clients’ Expectations. How do we deliver services to our clients in a way that meets or exceeds their expectations? How do we ensure that every interaction results in a happy, satisfied client? Under promise, over deliver. Don’t say you’re going to do something and then fail to follow through. Always do, at the very least, what you say you’re going to do. Know the time it will take you to do something and give yourself more than enough time. Then delivery the results early whenever you’re able to. Manage expectations. Our clients want to know what to expect, when to expect it, and what it’s going to cost them when the expectation is finally realized. Managing their expectations manages their happiness. Create a system for client expectation management. Put together a step-by-step process of items that will keep your clients feeling fully in control from pre-contract through design and construction to the end of project close-out. Schedule time to review each project once you complete it. Once you have identified the various phases, figure out how to communicate the start and end of each phase to your client. How to Build Business Systems for Architects This month on the EntreArchitect Academy, founder of Business + Architecture and author of The E-Myth Architect Norbert Lemermeyer joins members as our expert trainer to share his knowledge and research on how to build business systems for architects. He’ll share his own templates for his proprietary Client Fulfillment System. EntreArchitect Academy expert training sessions are only available to members inside EntreArchitect Academy. For more information, click here to learn more about our all-inclusive online membership program for small firm architects. Enrollment is open but is limited! Click here to enroll in the EntreArchitect Academy Visit our Platform Sponsors FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in This Episode The E-Myth Architect by Norbert Lemermeyer Join us in Philadelphia at the EntreArchitect Meetup Photo Credit: Pixabay   The post EA122: How to Build a System to Manage Your Architecture Clients’ Expectations [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Context & ClarityContext & ClarityFrosty & Fired Up

In architecture school, we all had a dream of what we would become when we became architects; designing beautiful spaces and making the world a better place with each project. We each told ourselves a story of success as an architect. We imagined a studio filled with light, working with talented people and surrounded by the iterations of our creativity. Powerful projects, patrons and processes of purpose that allowed us to pursue our passions. How is your dream looking today? Are you succeeding or are you struggling? This week at EntreArchitect Podcast, Mark R. LePage will share The 12 Critical Categories of Business That Will Take Your Architecture Firm from a Struggling Studio to Small Firm Success Story. Business is a game, and like any game, you have to be able to learn and play by the rules to win. There are critical steps that need to be taken in order for our firms to thrive and become the success stories of our dreams. The only way to small firm architecture success is to hit each one of these twelve critical categories: Finance // Are your books in order? The numbers are how we make it all work financially. How do you manage your money? How do you put together your financial reports? Should you use debt to grow or not? Business Development (Sales) // If you don't have sales, you don't have business, you don't have an architecture firm. Are you selling your services? Leadership // Are you a strong leader? How can you become a small leader? Do you know how to build strong teams? Are you familiar with the roles, responsibilities, and results expected in your firm? Culture // Have you defined what your firm’s culture looks like? Are you intentionally developing your firm culture? Client Fulfillment // How do you manage the expectations of your clients? How do you develop systems that help you fulfill clients’ needs? How can you develop strong project management skills? Are you using the EntreArchitect Hybrid Proposal? Technology // What design software are you using? Are you using the best equipment and software that you can afford to make you into the most productive in what you do? Is your technology relevant and are you looking to the future technologies that architects will be using? Business Management // Who are the people in our firm and how are they working? What are the processes that those people are working with? What are the products and services that we’re creating and serving with? Do you have an interview process, a hiring process, a conflict/resolution process, a firing process? Are they documented? Personal Development // Are you learning and exploring to build a better you? What are you doing on a daily basis to care for yourself mentally and physically to make sure that you stay strong and healthy? Are you sharing what you know with others? Marketing // What strategies and systems of marketing do you have in place now? What types of marketing should you be developing? Are you connected through social networks? Is your website telling your story in a captivating way? Is it a way for you to connect further? Life // How do you integrate your firm with your personal life? Are you learning the skills of scheduling and prioritizing to live a better, more integrated life? Community // How can you build a business that does good for others while building a business that does well? Planning // Do you take time to look back at what you’ve been doing to evaluate if you’re on the right track with your goals? Can you look forward at how your plan will evolve further down the road? If you are running a firm, these things aren’t optional. Focus on each one of them, schedule time and be intentional to develop systems and strategies. Mark struggled and searched for the answers for years, but when he focused on the fundamentals, he saw his firm turn around. His projects got better and his business grew. He wants the same for every small firm out there, and that’s why he launched EntreArchitect Academy in 2014. Every month we’re diving deeper into these critical categories beyond what you see on the blog and hear in podcasts to learn all there is to learn. We have exclusive live trainings with experts who provide resources on what they know in each of these subjects. We break into smaller groups that support one another and help one another grow. Every member has access to our digital courses, document templates, systems templates from experts, and access to a whole library of videos that talk about so many topics. Early bird enrollment with a discounted rate is open until general enrollment opens. Enrollment for the EntreArchitect Academy opens on May 2nd and is limited to the first 50 new members! Click here to enroll in the EntreArchitect Academy Visit our Platform Sponsors FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Re

What if you were going to start your firm today, from scratch, with the knowledge that you now have? Would you do things differently? How could you ensure that the firm is prosperous and encourages equity for everyone involved? This week on EntreArchitect Podcast, Rosa Sheng, AIA joins Mark R. LePage to share The 7 Essential Elements of an Equitable Architecture Firm. Creating a Culture of Equity… by Design Rosa Sheng, AIA, is a founding member of the Bohlin Cywinski Jackson San Francisco office, whose work includes the Pixar Animation offices and Apple glass structures. She's also a founder of Equity by Design. Started as a grassroots effort to gauge the conditions of practice and what people were going through in the life of an architect, Equity by Design soon evolved to capture a larger conversation about the state of practice. What was and wasn't working? What can we do to better to improve the conditions for architects and designers as well as their clients? There are lots of hurdles throughout a profession that could cause you to leave: hiring, the state of the economy, needing to “pay dues”, licensure, jumping through hoops, caring for kids, selves or others, the glass ceiling. Equity by Design was formed to provide valuable information that people need in order to keep themselves in the profession. Equity in architecture comes into play when the leaders and innovators of tomorrow commit to each part of the process of creating a more equitable practice. How does equity affect a firm culture and visa versa? How can we be intentional about designing a firm around a culture that's based on equity? The 7 Essential Elements of an Equitable Architecture Firm Mindset for Equity // There is a critical difference between Equity and Equality. Equity is about recognizing difference and providing just and fair opportunities for people to have access to the same success. Equality is about “sameness” and recognizing that everyone gets the same “piece of the pie”. Implicit Bias // Everyone has bias. Acknowledge your biases and say, I know these things about myself. Now how can I change them to improve the workplace culture so I'm not just hiring and interacting with people like myself? Work Life Integration // Allow for flexible work hours. Embrace the concept of “core hours”. Schedule the bulk of your meetings at core hours to allow for flexibility in work hours and avoid the stress of people missing out. Leave of Absences // Develop a paid leave plan. Whether you're on maternity or paternity leave, taking care of a sick or elderly family member, or a caregiver. Confidence that one’s position is secure in times of crisis is critical to a culture of equity. Mentors & Champions // Build a culture of organic mentorship that supports people's passions and unique skill sets. Allow that to feed back into the firm. Build relationships with “champions;” people that purposely and conscientiously look out for you, your personal development, and your advancement opportunities. Clear Promotion Policy // One of the top issues for people leaving firms is that no clear criteria for advancement exists. Create a clear and transparent promotion policy that outlines what steps and skill sets are needed in order to advance within the firm leadership structure. Metrics & Pay Equity // You can't know how you're progressing if you don't self-measure. Track specific metrics that will allow you to look at your payroll on an annual basis and see how you're doing. Are you hiring in a diverse way? Are you paying people in an equitable way? Visit our Platform Sponsors FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in This Episode Connect with Rosa on Twitter @EquityXDesign, on Facebook, at EQxDesign.com & TheEquityAlliance.com. Equity in Architecture Resolution 15-1 by Rosa Sheng How to Take the Bias Out of Interviews by Iris Bohnet WE315 EQxD Hackathon & Happy Hour Join us at the EntreArchitect Meetup The post EA120: The 7 Essential Elements of an Equitable Architecture Firm [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Context & ClarityContext & ClarityFrosty & Fired Up

When we talk about firm culture, our first thoughts lead us to a busy studio full of staff working with dozens of clients. Don't we need a firm full of people before we can have a firm culture? What if we work alone, as many of you do? Do you have a culture? If so, how important is it to our ultimate success as an architect? As you may have guessed, Mark R. LePage has a few ideas on that subject. This week on EntreArchitect Podcast, Mark shares his thoughts on The Sole Practitioner Architecture Firm Culture. Culture is one of those things that sits there and becomes what it becomes if it’s not intentionally thought about and planned. Is your firm culture positive and healthy? Is it doing what it’s supposed to be doing? Is it a negative culture that’s harming your success? Take a look at last week’s episode for more about the importance of scheduling some time to think about your culture and develop your own Foundation of Values. Marica McKeel, guest writer for this week’s EntreArchitect blog, is working hard to build her newly-growing firm’s culture using off-site weekend retreats to build into her team. But what if you practice alone and don’t have any staff…do you still have to worry about firm culture? Even a firm culture of one is important. A firm culture refers to the beliefs and behaviors that determine how our teams interact and how they handle transactions inside and outside of the studio environment. If you have beliefs and behaviors and you interact with others inside and outside of the studio environment, then you have a culture; it’s a firm culture of one. What makes up a firm culture of one? Physical Studio Space // Do you have your own dedicated work space? Have you created a private, well-defined space for your firm that’s dedicated to your firm’s architecture? Is it efficiently designed? Is it well-equipped with updated computers and other devices? Work-Life Integration // If you have a home office, is it a separate space where clients can come without going through your home? Can you intentionally design your life to integrate your firm and your family? Are you planning space for various responsibilities both at work and at home? Work Hours // Do you have set work hours? Can you create boundaries for work and home time? Relationships // How do you interact with people both inside and outside of the studio? How are your home-life relationships affecting your firm’s culture? Making Money // Do you have power and resources to do more of the good things you want to do? Have you created profit plans and systems to make your business work so you can focus on the parts of being an architect that you love? Systems // Do you have systems in place to make things easier since you are one person wearing many different hats in your firm? Are your systems effective? Time-saving? Replicable? Efficient? Success of Your Firm // Do you feel successful and content in your work? Are you doing what you love and what you want to be doing? Think of firm culture as the “vibe”. When you walk into your space, what’s the vibe you get? Is it a good feeling, or do you feel your body tense up and your head start to hurt? That’s your culture speaking to you. Just as in large firms, sole practitioners have to be intentional about their firm culture. Visit our Platform Sponsors FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in this Episode Developing a Powerful Small Firm Culture from the Ground Up by Marica McKeel EntreArchitect Facebook Group EntreArchitect Academy EntreArchitect Academy Digital Course: Construction Management for Small Firm Architects Photo Credit: Shutterstock / Solis Images   The post EA119: The Sole Practitioner Architecture Firm Culture [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpContext & ClarityContext & Clarity

Architecture Firm Culture Many of us architects are so focused on our business, our design and all the things we have going on that we don't think about culture. We may not even think it's that important to the success of our firm compared to financial management, design, sales or marketing. What if you were told that a positive, healthy culture is critical to the success of any business? When Southwest Airlines' CEO Gary Kelly was asked his thoughts on the importance of culture, he said, I think it's everything. It's more than just critical, it's literally everything for a company . This week on EntreArchitect Podcast, Episode 118, Mark R. LePage discusses what firm culture is and shares some aspects that will build your team’s culture. A firm culture refers to the beliefs and behaviors that affect how your team interacts and how they handle transactions inside and outside the studio. There are many things that make up your firm culture: Interactions: Think about how you want your team to interact and treat others, whether it be someone in a leadership position, a coworker or a client. Is there good communication inside the firm and outside? Is there transparency? Are there people corroding your team with gossip? What does your customer service look like? Time: What are your work hours? Maybe you give your staff the ability to work when they want to or work remotely. Environment: What does your physical studio environment look like? Loyalty: Does your team feel like they're a part of something unique? Do they have a purpose and desire to stay and develop the firm with you? Finances: How do people get paid and when? Is your firm building equity? All of these factors apply whether you're a sole proprietor or you're managing a team of fifty; you must manage and be intentional about how you're going to address them. Your values on which you've built your firm guide your decisions, your policies, and how you how you do business. If you haven't already, create a Foundation of Values that encompasses all the qualities you want your firm to uphold to include in your business plan. For the rest of this month, we're going to get deeper into some specific values that make up culture. We'll talk about work/life integration, customer service, and maybe even equity in architecture. For now, think about your firm culture. Is it positive, healthy, and thriving? Is it an exciting place that you want to go to every day? Is it contributing to the success of your firm or is it harming you? Are you struggling to keep it together because your culture just isn't great? Take a critical look inside your firm today. Visit our Platform Sponsors FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in this Episode Equity X Design // Rosa Sheng, AIA How to Develop a Strong Culture at Your Architecture Firm (blog) Photo Credit: Shutterstock / Gustavo Frazao The post EA118: Architecture Firm Culture… Why is it Critical to Our Success? [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Context & ClarityContext & ClarityFrosty & Fired Up

Every new generation of architects hopes that they will make a difference and change society for the better. We have so many new skills, access to new tools, and a driving passion to serve others. This week on EntreArchitect Podcast, Mark R. LePage talks with the National President of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS), Danielle Mitchell, about How the Next Generation of Architects will Change the World. Danielle Mitchell, President of American Institute of Architecture Students Starting as Chapter President in her second year at Penn State, elected to North East Quad Director (leading chapters from Virginia to Maine) and eventually being elected as the 59th National President of the AIAS, Danielle Mitchell’s mission is to promote leadership and excellence within architecture. She is working to create a community of architecture students looking to push forward and do more. The role of AIAS is to fill the void in an educational experience by promoting advocacy for what architecture students are passionate about, in school or in the profession in general. They support students, encourage them to create change in the culture around them and help them to develop a personal track to become an entrepreneur architect. Why is it important for architecture students to be leaders? Architects tend to have a unique skill set: they have a unique ability to solve problems, understand complex situations, and take a holistic approach toward solutions. While they might not fit a traditional role of leadership, architects have a particular ability to understand people and context, allowing them to make connections and bring various perspectives to the table. In the same way that architects can change the shape of building, they can certainly change the shape of complex problems that our communities are facing. Leadership ultimately comes down to being able to use our architectural skill set to do more. How is AIAS advancing architecture students as leaders? The annual Grassroots Leadership Conference has different tracks, ranging from entrepreneurship to technology, for chapter leaders to learn about leadership excellence, how to work with others on a team, how to connect with professionals, and how to budget and fundraise. This generation of architects wants to create businesses that are thriving and profitable while serving and giving back. Mark says, “The more profit you make, the more you are able to give back.” It's important to work toward changing the unhealthy studio behaviors of an all-nighter, ego-driven culture. AIAS is trying to encourage students to become leaders for what healthy, balanced success actually look like. Danielle's encouragement: Whenever challenges occur and when times get tough, remember back to the inspiring days that lead you to architecture and design; how your leadership skills can push that forward for the upcoming generation. Visit our Platform Sponsors FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in this Episode AIAS.org Connect with Danielle on Twitter (@D_Mitch19), Instagram (DanielleMitchel19), LinkedIn and Facebook.   The post EA117: How the Next Generation of Architects will Change the World [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpContext & ClarityContext & Clarity

Presentation Skills for Architects Leadership is about visions and ideas and being able to clearly communicate that knowledge to an audience. This week on the EntreArchitect Podcast, I welcome back futurist and professional speaker David Zach and we talk about How to Successfully Prepare and Present Your Ideas as an Architect. What steps can you take when preparing for a presentation? Design the presentation of information in a way that will meet your audience where they are. Confirm that the technology works beforehand; do a run-through with the audio/visual team! Look at all the angles of what could go wrong and have backups of your presentation and printed documents. Do your due diligence on the audience to whom you're presenting; ask two questions, What gets your people up early in the morning because they're excited?, and, What keeps your people up late at night because they're worried? Know your subject to give yourself flexibility to adjust the presentation to give the same idea from a different perspective if needed. Be interested and be interesting. Connect people, things, and ideas that you didn't think were connectable. What are some critical elements of a successful presentation? Learn to think on your feet. Show up fully prepared to be nowhere else; give your client your fullest attention. Ask specific questions to draw the client out. Try to be good and unique, don't try to be perfect. What to wear? Know your audience and don't over or underdress. Dress for the comfort of your audience. Put enough attention into what you wear, but not too much attention. What tips do you have for telling a good story? Mind Mapping: Map out a presentation with a cluster of ideas branched together. Only some of the things in your map will enter into the presentation, but then you have other material in your brain to use if needed. Cross Impact Analysis. Take various ideas in the presentation and spread them out. Then, figure out how they connect. Visit our Platform Sponsors FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in this Episode Connect with David at davidzach.com, on Twitter @davidzach and Pinterest. Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery by Gar Reynolds (book) slide:ology: The Art and Science of Creating Great Presentations by Nancy Duarte (book) Curious: The Desire to Know and Why Your Future Depends On It by Ian Leslie (book) In Praise of Shadows by Junichiro Tanizaki (book) Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain (book) The post EA116: How to Successfully Prepare and Present Your Ideas as an Architect [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpContext & ClarityContext & Clarity

Are you an expert on a specific topic or technique? Do you have a passion for a specific cause? Do you seek to influence a group of people? Are you a leader or want to be one for innovation and change? This week on the EntreArchitect Podcast, I will share How to Become a Thought Leader in Architecture. What is a Thought Leader? Jayson Demers, Founder and CEO of AudienceBloom, defines a Thought Leader as an individual who drives innovation and new ideas in a given industry . Thought Leaders advance causes, influence groups of people, drive an audience to your business to better serve your clients, and make an impact by helping others and giving back. So how do you put yourself in a position to become a Thought Leader? Be a leader in a specific subject. You have to have knowledge, expertise, and skill in a certain field you can't fake this! Create a personal brand so people know who you are. Establish a presence on social media (Twitter, LinkedIn, Periscope, Instagram, Slack Communities, etc.) Blog your thoughts on a specific topic on a regular basis. Syndicate your content through different avenues. Get out there and interact with the communities that you're working to influence through open forums. Reach out to mentors. Find people who are already talking about things in your area and connect with them however you can! Grow your network. Work together to support those who are doing what you're trying to do. Get published. Find larger blogs, magazines or newsletters that are talking about the things that you want to talk about and volunteer to guest write for them. This will establish credibility and point back to your own work. Write a book! Drive change and innovation. You're an established leader in this subject, so it's time to start moving new ideas… your ideas. Your thoughts! Show your ideas through your work in your own company. Going through this process takes a lot of time, but during that time you're making a change in the world around you. In order to succeed, your passion for this process and your intent to become a leader needs to be done in the service of and to benefit others. Visit our Platform Sponsors FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in this Episode 5 Steps to Becoming a Thought Leader in Your Industry Equity X Design // Rosa Sheng, AIA Architect as Developer // Jonathan Segal, FAIA The Architect and the Oracle // Jeff Echols, AIA AIA Custom Residential Architects Network 5 Principles of Servant Leadership Photo Credit: Pixabay / Stux The post EA115: How to Become a Thought Leader in Architecture [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Context & ClarityContext & ClarityFrosty & Fired Up

How to Build a Strong Balanced Team in Architecture As leaders, we determine who's on our team and how it will work. Getting this right is the difference between experiencing frustration verses experiencing a thriving team working toward your dreams. This week on EntreArchitect Podcast, I will share The Three Rs of Team Building. Where does building a great team start? It starts with us. We need to find people who complement our strengths and support our weaknesses. Step one: Figure out who are and what we're doing. What are my strengths and weaknesses? Step two: Build a business plan and develop systems. Step three: Build your team. When you're ready to build your team, how will you find the right people? How will you build a team that will get you where you want to go? Here are Mark's Three Rs of Team Building: Roles: You've established a process, and in that there are specific roles that you need to have filled to make that process work. What are the roles you're performing that you shouldn't be? Are there things that others could do or things that you aren't qualified for? Hire for roles, not for tasks. Tasks are pieces of work done, roles are actions that are expected of a person. Responsibilities: What are the responsibilities of the people who are in those roles? Communication here is critical: you must clearly communicate and document specific responsibilities for the role you're hiring for. Tasks of how those responsibilities are performed will be laid out in your system, but you need to be open to your team finding new and efficient ways to do the work required of them. Results: We need to know what the specific expectations are for those roles and responsibilities. Results will determine whether our team is succeeding or not. Document specific results that you expect to occur from each responsibility that you're setting. This will allow you to have a black and white gauge on whether each team member is meeting their expectations. It's the responsibility of the team member to make sure that results are being met. When you hire people using the Three Rs, you'll have a strong, balanced team with the right people in the right seats to help you reach for your goals and live your mission. Visit our Platform Sponsors FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in this Episode 17 Essential Elements of Successful Teams Photo Credit: Pixabay / Geralt The post EA114: The Three Rs of Team Building [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Context & ClarityContext & ClarityFrosty & Fired Up

Leadership for Architects Leadership can be overwhelming; where do we start? How do we grow a team and inspire them to work toward a common vision? Often, fear makes it difficult for us to try something new or take a step in a different direction. We find ourselves stuck in the same place we’ve always been, unable to change or grow into the person or business we want to be. This week on EntreArchitect Podcast, Mark speaks with counselor, facilitator and executive coach Steve Langerud about How to Start, Grow, and Inspire a Team as the Leader of a Small Firm Architecture Studio. Visit our Platform Sponsor FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in this Episode You can find Steve at stevelangerud.com, on Twitter @stevelangerud, or connect with him via LinkedIn. The post EA113: How to Start, Grow, and Inspire a Team as the Leader of a Small Firm Architecture Studio [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpContext & ClarityContext & Clarity

How To Sell Architectural Services Throughout my years as an architect and since launching EntreArchitect in 2012, I have discovered that the number one weakness of small firm architects is Sales and the process of selling. We have no sales system or sales pipeline set up. We either don’t know that we should be selling, or we have a fear that we may become that stereotypical salesperson that we have all learned to hate. This week on EntreArchitect Podcast I invited Rochelle Carrington, President/CEO of Sandler Training to talk about a new way of selling. A process built around mutual comfort, which ends with the prospect asking us for the sale. We talked about building a strong sales system for architecture and How to Face Your Fear of Selling as a Small Firm Architect. Visit our Platform Sponsor FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in this Episode Secondwind Sandler Sales Training EntreArchitect Academy The post EA112: How to Face Your Fear of Selling as a Small Firm Architect [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Context & ClarityContext & ClarityFrosty & Fired Up

Every week we receive calls from potential clients; people who have come our way through word of mouth, a Google search or in response to our amazing marketing efforts. We answer those calls and we begin a process that will, hopefully, lead the most qualified of the bunch to signing a contract. That process is called our Sales System. But… how many of those calls are qualified to be our clients? How many people do we need to talk to in order to complete the process and sign a contract? How many contracts do we need to sign and how can we predict if we will meet those goals? How do we manage all those different prospects, in all different phases of our process? This week on EntreArchitect Podcast, I will share How to Manage Your Sales Pipeline as a Small Firm Architect. Visit our Platform Sponsors FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect)   A Sales Pipeline for Architects How do we structure an effective sales pipeline? Every sales system is different depending on who's developing the system, who's working the system and who we are hoping will buy. Think about your process Write down all the steps you go through; every step of the process from initial contact through signing the contract. That may be a few dozen steps. Look through the steps and pick out the 5 or 6 most important steps that lead a contact to client. You do not want too many steps in the system, because we want the system to be simple. You want the system to be easy to use; easier to use it than not use it. Maybe the 5 phases in your Sales Pipeline looks like this: Initial Contact Qualification Meeting Proposal Close That's a simple system and probably a very similar process to what you already perform each time a contact calls inquiring about your services. Probability of Closure What is the probability that a prospect moves from one phase to the next? Let's say you have 10 initial contacts each month. Out of the 10 contacts, let’s say that 1 of those 10 contacts are qualified as a prospect. That would make the probability, measured as a percentage, 10%. Ten percent of the initial contacts become qualified prospects. Then do that math for the remaining steps of your process. It may look something like this: Initial Contact – 0% Qualification – 10% Meeting – 30% Proposal – 60% Close – 100% Sales Opportunities Every initial contact entering your sales pipeline becomes a sales opportunity. Each sales opportunity has a value. One signed contract may be equal to $10,000 in revenue for your firm. You could determine the value of each specific opportunity or use a weighted opportunity value for each. For this example, let's say that we use a weighted opportunity value of $10,000. Apply that $10,000 to the opportunities in each phase of the pipeline. Initial Contact – 0% X 10 opportunities = $0 Qualification – 10% X 7 opportunities = $7.000 Meeting – 30% X 5 opportunities = $15,000 Proposal – 60% X 3 opportunities = $18,000 Close – 100% X 2 opportunities = $20,000 The weighted value of the entire pipeline at this moment in time is $60,000. If through our Profit for Small Firm Architects course we determined that we need $500,000 in annual revenue to hit our profit goal of 20%, we know that we need to sign about $42,000 worth of contracts each month. $500,000 / 12 months = $41,667 A rule of thumb is to have about 3 times more value opportunities than your monthly requirement. With that in mind, if we need to hit $42,000 per month, the opportunity value of your pipeline needs to be $126,000 not $60,000. We need to double the opportunities on our pipeline. With this knowledge, we can use this Sales Pipeline for Architects to predict our future contracts and future revenue. We can be sure that we have the work we need to be profitable. Sales Pipeline Tools A sales pipeline is a visual representation of your sales process where you can see all your potential clients displayed and neatly organized according to their phase in the sales system. You can create your own pipeline tools using a spreadsheet application like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets, but there are also tools designed do this. There are many customer relationship management CRM tools to choose from. Here are a few examples: Podio by Citrix (the makers of GoToMeeting) Salesforce (small business edition) Zoho (free) Insightly Pipedrive Infusionsoft Marketo The post EA111: How to Manage Your Sales Pipeline as a Small Firm Architect [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpContext & ClarityContext & Clarity

When someone wants one thing and we want another, how do we successfully convince them to go our way? How do we find a solution that works for everyone involved? Negotiation doesn't always come easy to us small firm architects. We are lovers, not fighters. We just want to make beautiful art and live a happy stress-free life. Well, the truth is that we don't need to fight. Like much in business, there are rules for negotiation. Learn the rules and you will be more successful. This week at EntreArchitect Podcast, I will share How to Negotiate as a Small Firm Architect. Visit our Platform Sponsor FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Photo Credit: Pixabay / JanDix   The post EA110: How to Negotiate as a Small Firm Architect [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Context & ClarityContext & ClarityFrosty & Fired Up

Sales… It conjures up images of slippery slick salespeople pushing their unnecessary products on to people who don't even want them. For many of us small firm architects, the idea of high pressure sales tactics and dishonest tricks and techniques makes us squirm and sweat. Well, I have good news. Sales tricks don't work. High pressure will repel your prospective clients and send them into the arms of your competition. There is a better way and many of you small firm architects are already good at it. This week at the EntreArchitect Podcast, I will share 5 Steps to Successful Sales for Small Firm Architects. Visit our Platform Sponsors FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Photo Credit: Shutterstock / holbox   The post EA109: 5 Steps to Successful Sales for Small Firm Architects [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Context & ClarityContext & ClarityFrosty & Fired Up

With a twisted sense of pride, too many architects today accept the small firm stereotype of starving artist . Seeds planted in architecture school bloom into a full-on virus as professionals launch their own firms and find their way to small business. New firms are launched every day without proper planning, without an understanding of basic business fundamentals and often with an eager acceptance that life as an architect will be a difficult struggle. Even my choice of Architect as a career was based on my naive understanding of the profession. At the age of 10, I chose architecture for my career path because, Artists don't make enough money. Architecture is a profession like law and medicine. Architects are rich. As I entered architecture school, it happened too quickly. Within days of starting first-year studio, I began to hear the stories. Architecture is not about the money. We change the world through our art. You must love the art, because you will never make enough money as an architect. Does that sound familiar? We all have similar stories. As students of architecture, we all learned to accept the myth that our paths were doomed to a life-long struggle. This week at the EntreArchitect Podcast, I am going to give you 4 Steps for Changing the Architect’s Mindset on Money. Visit our Platform Sponsors FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) The Architecture Business Plan Competition Take your firm to greater success with a plan. It's free to enter and grand prize is $10,000. Learn more and register at ArchBusinessPlan.com Referenced in this Episode Shepard Fairey Rhode Island School of Design OBEY Clothing The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It (book) The E-Myth Architect (E-Myth Expert) (book) The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change (book) EntreArchitect Podcast episode 80 with Norbert Lemermeyer (podcast) How to Win Friends & Influence People (book) Rich Dad Poor Dad: What The Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! (book) Thou Shall Prosper: Ten Commandments for Making Money (book) Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook: How to Tell Your Story in a Noisy Social World (book) EntreLeadership: 20 Years of Practical Business Wisdom from the Trenches (book) Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World (book) Crush It!: Why NOW Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion (book) Zag: The Number One Strategy of High-Performance Brands (book) EntreArchitect Academy Photo Credit: Shutterstock / tomertu The post EA108: 4 Steps for Changing the Architect’s Mindset on Money [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Context & ClarityContext & ClarityFrosty & Fired Up

It takes time and effort to learn what we need to know to be successful. As EntreArchitects, we need to build better businesses. Focusing on our finances must be a priority. Understanding how to prepare, and why to review, the financial reports for our business will make everything else we do easier. It will allow us to plan and predict and find the work we want. This week at the EntreArchitect Podcast, I will talk about Financial Intelligence for Small Firm Architects. Visit our Platform Sponsors FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) The Architecture Business Plan Competition Take your firm to greater success with a plan. It's free to enter and grand prize is $10,000. Learn more and register at ArchBusinessPlan.com Referenced in this Episode Basic Financial Statements for Small Firm Architects (blog) The Architect’s Guide to Small Firm Management: Making Chaos Work for Your Small Firm (book) EntreArchitect Academy – Enroll Now   Photo Credit: Shutterstock / patpitchaya The post EA107: Financial Intelligence for Small Firm Architects [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Context & ClarityContext & ClarityFrosty & Fired Up

Are you an award wining architect? Would you like to promote your firm through the recognition of your design excellence? Design awards are a great way to differentiate your firm from others. This week at the EntreArchitect Podcast, I am speaking with two residential architects about a new design awards program that is specifically created to help you earn the recognition you deserve. We’ll share how to use design awards to promote your architecture firm. Visit our Platform Sponsors FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) The Architecture Business Plan Competition Take your firm to greater success with a plan. It's free to enter and grand prize is $10,000. Learn more and register at ArchBusinessPlan.com Referenced in This Episode ArCH: Architects Creating Homes ArCHdes Design Awards Program EntreArchitect Podcast Episode 33: Architects Crating Homes with Rand Soellner EntreArchitect Podcast Episode 70: Architectural Specification Systems for Residential Architects HOME Architects (Rand Soellner) Jennifer Garcia Architecture Studio Photo Credit: Shutterstock / Mikhail Grachikov   The post EA106: How To Use Design Awards to Promote Your Architecture Firm [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Context & ClarityContext & ClarityFrosty & Fired Up

Welcome back! I hope you enjoyed your holiday and have started your new year with enthusiasm, determination and focus. It's going to be a great 2016. I'm sure you are noticing a few changes around here. We've been very hard at work during the year-end break. Today on the EntreArchitect Podcast, I am going to share what we've been doing here at EntreArchitect and why you should join the all-new EntreArchitect Academy. Learn more about EntreArchitect Academy Photo Credit: Shutterstock / Studio_G   The post EA105: The All-New EntreArchitect Academy [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpContext & ClarityContext & Clarity

It's that time of year again. The bells are ringing for the holidays and we're all busy wrapping up deadlines before the turn of a new year. It's also time to look ahead to 2016. How are we going to make 2016 our best year ever? How are we going to find the work we want, make the money we need and live the life of our dreams? This week on the EntreArchitect Podcast, I am going to share my thoughts on how to take your business and life to greater success in 2016 with just ONE goal. Visit our Platform Sponsors FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) For an exclusive tour inside FreshBooks, join me and Tim Lee from FreshBooks at this free video series. The Architecture Business Plan Competition Take your firm to greater success with a plan. It's free to enter and grand prize is $10,000. Learn more and register at ArchBusinessPlan.com Referenced in This Episode The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results (book) 12/12/12 Project Charrette Venture Group Nozbe Productivity GetFocused Course EntreArchitect Facebook Group Photo Credit: Shutterstock / Rafael Croonen   The post EA104: Success in 2016 with Just ONE Goal [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpContext & ClarityContext & Clarity

Architecture is a tough business. How do we find work? How do we find help? How do we grow, make more money and ensure that our small firms are profitable? This week I welcome back a friend of the show who, in the past 12 months has interviewed almost 200 small firm architects. He knows our strengths. He knows our weaknesses. This week on the EntreArchitect Podcast, I'm speaking with Todd Reding of Charrette Venture Group about the 3 roadblocks experienced by every entrepreneur architect and what to do to find your way to success. Visit our Platform Sponsor FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) For an exclusive tour inside FreshBooks, join me and Tim Lee from FreshBooks at this free video series. The Architecture Business Plan Competition Take your firm to greater success… with a plan. It’s free to enter and grand prize is $10,000. Learn more and register at ArchBusinessPlan.com Referenced in this Episode EntreArchitect.com/Episode60 (Podcast Episode about Architecture Business Plan Competition) Charrette Venture Group LinkedIn StrengthFinder 2.0 Business of Architecture (Enoch Sears) Salesforce (CRM) Zoho (CRM) Insightly (CRM) Highrise (CRM) Pipedrive (CRM) 2016 Architecture Business Plan Competition (learn more and register) Mark R. LePage, AIA (Jury Member) Matt Ostanik, AIA (Jury Member) June Jewel, CPA (Jury Member) Steven Burns, FAIA (Jury Member) AIA National Convention (Philadelphia) The New EntreArchitect (Subscribe to the newsletter for updates) The post EA103: 3 Roadblocks Experienced by Every Entrepreneur Architect and What To Do About It [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpContext & ClarityContext & Clarity

A dream for so many of us small firm architects; design, build and develop our own residential architecture. No rules. No limits. No clients. You make the decisions for what gets built and what does not. There is much risk in residential development, but there is also much reward. Creative rewards, professional rewards and financial rewards. This week on the EntreArchitect Podcast I am speaking with Jim Zack of San Francisco-based Zack DeVito Architecture about his risks and rewards as an architect developer. Visit our Platform Sponsor FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) For an exclusive tour inside FreshBooks, join me and Tim Lee from FreshBooks at this free video series. Referenced in this Episode Zack DeVito Architecture and Construction Jonathan Segal Architect   The post EA102: Risks and Rewards with Architect Developer Jim Zack [ Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpContext & ClarityContext & Clarity

Starting your own design business while still in architecture school. Graduating, growing and building that simple idea into a thriving multi-disciplined design build company. That's what this week's guest did. On the show is a former guest from way back at Episode 8. He’s here to share an update after 2 years of business development. Learn what he did right and what he did wrong. This week on the EntreArchitect Podcast we are discussing How To Grow Your Design Business with Brian Corcodilos of Designblendz, LLC. Visit our Platform Sponsors ArchiSnapper A simple cloud-based tool for creating and managing field reports. Try the ArchiSnapper Field Report App Free for 30 Days FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) For an exclusive tour inside FreshBooks, join me and Tim Lee from FreshBooks at this free video series. Referenced in this Episode EntreArchitect Podcast Episode 8: Breaking all the Rules – Building a Successful Design Firm While Still in Architecture School Designblendz.com EntreArchitect Podcast Episode 98: Life of an Entrepreneur Architect with Marc Teer of BlackSpectacles Designblendz on Twitter The post EA101: How To Grow Your Design Business with Brian Corcodilos [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Context & ClarityContext & ClarityFrosty & Fired Up

So, this is it! Episode 100 of the EntreArchitect Podcast. This is certainly a milestone in the history of the EntreArchitect Platform and there is no way this could have happened without you, the EntreArchitect Community. Those of you who subscribe and download and listen to this show each and every week have been the motivation and inspiration to continue and proceed with sharing what I know and helping others to share what they know. To honor the friendships and support for one another that has formed around this podcast as well as the entire EntreArchitect Platform on the blog, at the newsletter and throughout our many groups on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and other social media; this week on the on the EntreArchitect Podcast, I asked you to share your answer to this question: What is one thing that you did this year to improve your business, your leadership or your life? This week, on this very special Episode 100, I am featuring you, the EntreArchitect Community. Visit our Platform Sponsors ArchiSnapper A simple cloud-based tool for creating and managing field reports. Try the ArchiSnapper Field Report App Free for 30 Days FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) For an exclusive tour inside FreshBooks, join me and Tim Lee from FreshBooks at this free video series. Photo Credit: Shutterstock / Anton_Ivanov   The post EA100: Featuring You! [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Context & ClarityContext & ClarityFrosty & Fired Up

You listened to Episode 97 and you have your upcoming self-published book all figured out. You know what you're writing about, to whom you are writing, how to actually sit down every day and write. Yes you can do it in addition to being a full time architect if you want to. You even know how to publish your book on the largest platform for selling books, Amazon.com. But that's only half of the equation. Now that your book is ready for the world to read, you need to get to work and let them all know that it’s available. This week on the EntreArchitect Podcast, we have the 4th in the Field Guide Series and Part 2 about self-publishing your book. This week, Eric Reinholdt of 30X40 Design Workshop is back to talk with us about Marketing Your Self-Published Book as a Small Firm Architect. Visit our Platform Sponsors ArchiSnapper A simple cloud-based tool for creating and managing field reports. Try the ArchiSnapper Field Report App Free for 30 Days FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) For an exclusive tour inside FreshBooks, join me and Tim Lee from FreshBooks at this free video series. Referenced in this Episode 30X40 Design Workshop Eric Reinholdt on Twitter Episode 84: Building, Branding and Marketing Your Startup Design Business Episode 89: Passive Income for Small Firm Architects Episode 97: A Guide to Self-Publishing Your Books as a Small Firm Architect The Unofficial Guide to Houzz.com: Create a Profile That Resonates with Clients and Outranks Your Competition (Amazon) Architect and Entrepreneur: A Field Guide to Building, Branding, and Marketing Your Startup Design Business (Amazon) Amazon.com Apple iBook Store Barnes & Noble Books Digital Delivery by E-junkie Gumroad AWeber Mailchimp Thunderclap Subscribe to The EntreArchitect Report: Our Free Weekly Newsletter Photo Credit: Shutterstock / BillionPhotos.com   The post EA099: Field Guide Series – Marketing Your Self-Published Book as a Small Firm Architect [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Context & ClarityContext & ClarityFrosty & Fired Up

Have you ever considered following a dream other than a traditional practice in architecture? Do you have a passion that is burning inside? Maybe you have a great idea for a new business, but you are afraid to pursue it because of all the work it required to become a licensed architect? You don't want to leave behind your dream of being an architect, for a new dream pursuing something else. But, what if you did? What if you pushed through that fear and took a new path? What if you allowed yourself to follow your passion and take your life in a new direction? Our guest this week did just that. He had an idea and followed his passion to create something amazing, something influential and beneficial to others. This week I invited the founder of BlackSpectacles.com, Marc Teer, to join me and talk about the Life of an Entrepreneur Architect on the EntreArchitect Podcast. Visit our Platform Sponsors ArchiSnapper A simple cloud-based tool for creating and managing field reports. Try the ArchiSnapper Field Report App Free for 30 Days FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in this Episode BlackSpectacles.com Lynda.com Gensler.com The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It (Amazon) The Solopreneur Hour Podcast It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want to Be (Amazon) Whatever You Think, Think the Opposite (Amazon) American Institute of Architecture Students AIA Chicago Helmut Jahn – AIA Lifetime Achievement Award (video) AIA ARE Prep Bright Bright Great Tend.io   The post EA098: Life of an Entrepreneur Architect with Marc Teer of BlackSpectacles.com [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpContext & ClarityContext & Clarity

We all have a story. We all have knowledge that we can share. We are all experts at something. I think… we all have a book in us that needs to be written. On this.. Part Three of the EntreArchitect Podcast Field Guide Series, I welcome back to the show, the founder of 30X40 Design Workshop and author of two self-published books, our friend Eric Reinholdt. This week on the EntreArchitect Podcast, we will share, step-by-step How to Self-Publish Your Book as a Small Firm Architect. Visit our Platform Sponsors ArchiSnapper A simple cloud-based tool for creating and managing field reports. Try the ArchiSnapper Field Report App Free for 30 Days FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in this Episode 30X40 Design Workshop Episode 84: Field Guide Series – Building, Branding and Marketing Your Startup Design Business Episode 89: Field Guide Series – Passive Income for Small Firm Architects The Unofficial Guide to Houzz.com: Create a Profile That Resonates with Clients and Outranks Your Competition (book) Architect and Entrepreneur: A Field Guide to Building, Branding, and Marketing Your Startup Design Business (book) 30X40 Design Workshop on Houzz.com The EntreArchitect Report (Our fee weekly newsletter) Evernote Microsoft Word Scrivener Byword Headspace App (Guided meditation) Focus@Will Houzz.com Discussion Boards Quroa Editor Software Hemingway Editor Grammarly The Creative Penn Createspace UpWork The Book Designer 99Designs CreativeINDIEcovers Apple iBooks Amazon.com Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)   Leave a review for this episode on iTunes Photo Credit: Shutterstock / Unuchko Veronika   The post EA097: Field Guide Series – How to Self-Publish Your Book as a Small Firm Architect [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpContext & ClarityContext & Clarity

We all work so hard at what we do. We spend hours meeting with potential clients, preparing proposals and selling our services. When we finally get the job, we spend months developing the designs for our projects to be the best they can be. They're built under our observation and we provide construction administration services to ensure a safe, healthy complete project and to ensure a happy client leading us to more happy clients. So, if we spend all that time creating our art, should we not value it enough to document that art through professional photography? Too expensive you say? This week on the EntreArchitect Podcast, I will share 15 Reasons Why Hiring a Professional Architectural Photographer is Worth Every Penny. Visit our Platform Sponsors ArchiSnapper A simple cloud-based tool for creating and managing field reports. Try the ArchiSnapper Field Report App Free for 30 Days FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in this Episode Anthology Photography (Scott LePage) Amazon Self Publishing Apple Print Products Leave a review for this episode on iTunes The post EA096: 15 Reasons Why Hiring a Professional Architectural Photographer is Worth Every Penny [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Context & ClarityContext & ClarityFrosty & Fired Up

Your story in the mind of the client is your brand. That story is told, one chapter at a time, through everything you do and everything you say. At every point of contact your client is learning more about who you are and what you do. They are developing their thoughts and carrying their opinions about your firm at every step and throughout the entire process. It’s an overwhelming process with barriers and obstacles found throughout. The more we define these obstacles and develop systems that successfully guide our clients through the process with comfort and understanding, the stronger our brand will be. The story our clients tell their friends will be the story you want told. Throughout the process of delivering a typical architecture project, there is a series of touch points that our clients experience. The level of development, intention and management at each one of these points of contact determines the overall satisfaction of our clients. This week on the EntreArchitect Podcast, I will share 5 Steps for Successfully Managing Your Architecture Client’s Experience. Visit our Platform Sponsors ArchiSnapper A simple cloud-based tool for creating and managing field reports. Try the ArchiSnapper Field Report App Free for 30 Days FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in this Episode EntreArchitect Hybrid Proposal Leave a review for this episode on iTunes Photo Credit: Shutterstock / Rasstock   The post EA095: 5 Steps for Successfully Managing Your Architecture Client’s Experience [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpContext & ClarityContext & Clarity

We are living at a time when massive, paradigm shifting technologies are being introduced everyday. Change is happening very rapidly. New technologies are going to change the way we practice, how we run our businesses and how we live our lives. Reach into your pocket and pull out that iPhone and you will understand what I am talking about. Do you remember what it was like before we had the knowledge of the entire world in our pocket? These changes and developments in technology will provide new opportunities to the profession as a whole and to us as individual independent architects. This week on the EntreArchitect Podcast, I welcome back a former guest and friend of the show George Valdes to discuss The Consequence of Technology on the Profession of Architecture. Visit our Platform Sponsors ArchiSnapper A simple cloud-based tool for creating and managing field reports. Try the ArchiSnapper Field Report App Free for 30 Days FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in this Episode Virtual Reality in Architecture with George Valdes (Episode 86) IrisVR (Virtual Reality for Architecture, Engineering, Design) Damien Hirst on Charlie Rose (YouTube) The Lean Startup (Book) Leave a review for this episode on iTunes The post EA094: The Consequence of Technology on the Profession with George Valdes [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpContext & ClarityContext & Clarity

Last week on the podcast, I shared my 12 Steps to Business Success in Architecture, the same presentation I shared at the recent AIA CRAN Symposium. I proposed that if you learn how to execute on each of the 12 steps, you will be a successful architect, with a profitable business leading to creating more art and better architecture. This week we are continuing where I left off last week. We will get more practical, go deeper and discuss what it takes to be successful in small business; whether you are running an ice cream stand, a manufacturing company or an architecture firm. This week on the EntreArchitect Podcast, I am speaking with CEO of Crown Point Cabinetry Brian Stowell and we discussed the anatomy of a successful small business. Visit our Platform Sponsors ArchiSnapper A simple cloud-based tool for creating and managing field reports. Try the ArchiSnapper Field Report App Free for 30 Days FreshBooks The easiest way to send invoices, manage expenses and track your time. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in this Episode Custom Residential Architects Network (CRAN) Crown Point Cabinetry (web) 12 Steps to Business Success in Architecture (episode 92) Leave a review for this episode on iTunes Photo Credit: Crown Point Cabinetry   The post EA093: The Anatomy of a Successful Small Business with Crown Point Cabinetry CEO Brian Stowell [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpContext & ClarityContext & Clarity

12 Steps to Business Success in Architecture I'm a day late on producing this episode because Annmarie and I just returned from Minneapolis, Minnesota where we attended the Custom Residential Architects Network 2015 Symposium (aka CRAN). This was the second CRAN event we attended. Last year we traveled to Charleston, SC, which was a fantastic introduction to the symposium and certainly the inspiration for attending again this year. As we began to plan for our travel arrangements to Minneapolis, the incoming CRAN chairperson and the chairperson of the 2015 Symposium, Dawn Zuber contacted me and asked if I would present at this year's event. Of course, I jumped at the opportunity to spread the word of EntreArchitect and our mission to become an influential force in the profession. So I did just that and I had a great time. I hung out with several of my friends from the last event and from the EntreArchitect Academy. My favorite part of attending these conferences is connecting with other small firm architects. The presentation was very well received and I think I may have inspired a few more small firm architects to take a closer look at building a better business in order to allow them to be better architects. This week on the EntreArchitect Podcast, I will share my CRAN2015 Symposium presentation; Profit Then Art: 12 Steps to Business Success in Architecture. Visit our Platform Sponsor ArchiSnapper.com A Simple Cloud-Based Tool for Creating and Managing Field Reports Try the ArchiSnapper Field Report App Free for 30 Days Referenced in this Episode Custom Residential Architects Network (CRAN) GetFocused Course (personal productivity course) Profit Plan (free digital course) Photo Credit: Marica McKeel The post EA092: Profit… Then Art [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpContext & ClarityContext & Clarity

One guest-post that has made a major impact on the EntreArchitect Community was written by architect and educator Kevin J. Singh about a year ago. That post, 21 Rules for a Successful Life in Architecture, is consistently one of the most visited articles on the site. This week I invite Kevin to join us here on the EntreArchitect Podcast to expand his thoughts on that article and discuss his new e-book, Beginning Your Career in Architecture, inspired by that original post. Visit our Platform Sponsor ArchiSnapper.com A Simple Cloud-Based Tool for Creating and Managing Field Reports Try the ArchiSnapper Field Report App Free for 30 Days Referenced in this Episode The Journey to Success Begins Within You (blog) 21 Rules for a Successful Life in Architecture (blog) Beginning Your Career in Architecture: Candid Advice for Emerging Professionals (e-book) The post EA091: Beginning Your Career in Architecture with Kevin J. Singh [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Context & ClarityContext & ClarityFrosty & Fired Up