628: An Architect Developer's Surprising Advice For Small Firm Owners with Zeke Freeman & Enoch Sears on The Radical Hospitality Podcast

Apr 14, 2025

Zeke Freeman, an innovative architect and developer from Root Architecture and Development, shares valuable insights for small firm owners. He discusses the unseen barriers that lead to overwhelm and underpayment, exploring how mindset shifts can unlock profitability. Zeke highlights the dangers of standard pricing and the hidden fears that prevent effective delegation. He reveals what really differentiates firms that break the $1M ceiling from those that stall, and discusses the evolving role of remote teams in the architectural landscape.

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INSIGHT

Small Firm Owners' Hidden Struggles

Many small architectural firm owners are overwhelmed, overworked, and underpaid due to lack of business knowledge.
They often spend years making trade-offs that harm their health and professional satisfaction.

ADVICE

Don't Wait to Get Help

Avoid waiting years to get business help; early coaching can boost income significantly.
Many architects settle for less than they deserve by undervaluing their work and potential.

INSIGHT

Pricing by Expenses, Not Market

Architects price services based on market rates instead of their expenses and profit goals.
Sole practitioners should aim to take home at least $200,000 before taxes to avoid structural problems in their fees.

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Most architects start their own firms for more freedom. But too many end up overwhelmed, overworked, and underpaid. Why does this happen, and how can you break free?

In this episode, Enoch Sears speaks with architect and developer Zeke Freeman about the unseen barriers that hold back small firm owners. They uncover the surprising mindset shifts that can unlock real profitability. Plus, they explore the key difference between struggling firms and those that scale beyond $1M.

You'll also hear why some firms hit a ceiling while others break through. And if you’ve ever wondered whether outsourcing is the future, this episode might change how you think about remote teams.

The costly mistake most architects don’t realize they’re making
Why pricing your services like everyone else is a dangerous trap
The hidden fear stopping firm owners from delegating
What it really takes to go from $1M to $10M (hint: it's not what you think)

To learn more about Zeke, visit his:

LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/zfreeman1?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAab33UMAna1cq9m3n-cF7T9PYyFtIDL9LJJnjicA5QQDWW7ZX5YCl7g8qWU_aem_J8cHlehc-BEHqPCEu7Q0_g

► Transcription: https://otter.ai/u/F2LPis8AojDlLrfM5oeucoGe9xY?utm_source=copy_url

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