Business of Architecture Podcast

End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/framework Architects often feel stuck chasing "someday" goals, working harder but not getting closer to the practice or life they imagined. The real pain? Knowing you're busy, overwhelmed, and talented—yet still unclear about what you're aiming for or why progress feels so slow. Enoch and Rion share how a small shift in how you think about targets, feedback, and your "default future" can reshape your practice and your life. You'll hear how their own health scares and career detours uncovered blind spots they never saw coming. You'll get a simple check-in across four areas of life and a fresh view of what real progress looks like. Why one blunt question about your future makes it hard to keep tolerating the status quo. The sneaky way "being busy" can drain your self-esteem and your team's drive. A daily habit with a notebook that can expose what you truly want faster than any course.

Baker Roddey, an architect and founder of Harborline Studio, transitioned from a steady paycheck to launching his first investment project by house-hacking a duplex in Charleston. He shares how he navigated real estate intricacies, creatively raised capital, and stabilized cash flow through self-managed short-term rentals. Baker discusses the importance of networking, strategic financing, and forming trust with investors. His journey challenges conventional norms, presenting insights into merging architecture with real estate development.

End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/framework Architect Nation, this episode tackles the silent killer in many firms: weak accountability. Enoch and Rion reveal how polite habits and fear of conflict drain authority, profit, and joy. You'll hear why "safety" and "fierce compassion" can live in the same room. Through real stories, they show what happens when leaders avoid hard talks—or explode instead. You'll learn how language choices signal ownership, and why clients sense wobble long before you do. The result: missed deadlines, shrinking margins, and the "supplier" label. Then they point to a better way. A simple conversation frame, a different stance on responsibility, and a mindset that turns collision into creation. The payoffs touch culture, fees, and speed of execution. The two-word shift that changes everything with staff and clients. A ruthless-yet-loving move that ends chronic deadline drift. The profit leak hiding in your "nice" culture (and how leaders plug it).

End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/framework Most architects feel like outsiders in the business conversations that shape their projects. They're left out of key decisions, treated as a line item cost, and frustrated when their design expertise isn't valued the way it should be. What happens when an architect trades AutoCAD for agile sprints and business models? In this episode, we sit down with Daplaah-Teng Aryene—an architectural designer turned UX strategist—whose career took a sharp turn during the pandemic. What started as a leap into startup life became a masterclass in value creation, entrepreneurship, and how architects can reclaim agency in a system that often undervalues their genius. Daplaah unpacks how real estate, tech, and business strategy reshaped his understanding of architecture's role—and where most firms leave opportunity on the table. From innovation frameworks to unexpected lessons in developer boardrooms, this episode challenges everything you thought you knew about the "architect's lane." To learn more about Daplaah-Teng Aryene, visit his LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/daplaah-teng-aryene

End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/framework In this energetic live session, Rion Willard held at the AIA Austin Event, he asks a hard question: what does a true high-performance architecture team look like? He shares sobering industry stats and stories. Then he flips the script, turning the room into a workshop with quick audits, hands-up shares, and honest self-checks. You'll hear why profits power design, and why little things—like scattered emails, fuzzy roles, and quiet scope creep—silently drain margins. Rion sketches a simple score that top firms use to gauge performance, plus a brutal-but-kind way to map every teammate's fit. He closes with field notes from firms that made the leap, and a nudge to take one concrete action today. Along the way, he surfaces bottlenecks leaders rarely admit, and invites you to test with no-fluff prompts. Expect candid talk about hiring, delegation, and the real cost of turnover. If you lead a team, or want to, this is your wake-up call now. The surprising revenue-per-person target top studios chase—and how to gauge yours in minutes. A four-box lens that reveals who to elevate, coach, or release (without drama). The tiny leaks that steal profit each week—and the simple ritual that plugs them.

End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/framework Architects are under more pressure than ever to deliver projects faster, with fewer resources, and tighter margins. Yet much of their time is still spent repeating work, hunting for old files, or redrawing details they know they've already drawn before. This episode dives into how AI can help architects work smarter—not harder—by unlocking the power of their past work. In this episode, Rion reconnects with Natalia Bakaeva from ARKI and you'll hear how she is tackling everything from tedious workflows to profitability—without disrupting how firms already operate. Natalia shares how practices are turning their past work into a searchable database that actually helps them move faster. They explore how ARKI might evolve into a second brain for your firm—one that remembers everything and makes drawing easier, smarter, and even more profitable. Listen to learn: The hidden cost of "reinventing the wheel" in every project—and how to stop it What one firm did to slash production time by 50% using their own archive Why ARKI might be the missing link between your creative ideas and your business goals To learn more about Natalia, visit her website: https://www.getarki.com/

Explore the exhausting hustle culture in architecture as Enoch and Rion share insights on how constant busyness harms energy, relationships, and wellbeing. They emphasize the importance of working smart over hard, revealing how saying no to projects can boost profits while reducing toil. Discover the garden metaphor for attracting clients naturally and the benefits of a leadership style rooted in ease. Real-life examples illustrate how letting go can lead to unexpected opportunities, shifting the focus from pressure to flow in both life and business.

End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/framework What if the very systems meant to support architects are actually holding them back? In this powerful episode, Rion Willard sits down with Patrik Schumacher, Principal of Zaha Hadid Architects, for a bold, no-holds-barred conversation. They dive into what it really takes to run a creative practice that's profitable, scalable, and still deeply visionary. You'll hear how one of the world's most innovative firms navigates bureaucracy, wins global commissions, and stays ahead—without selling out. Patrik also unpacks why many architecture schools may be steering young talent in the wrong direction. If you've ever felt stuck between art and business, this episode could shift everything. On this episode, discover: The silent killer of design innovation (and how to escape it) A business model that lets you scale and stay creative Why most young architects are being set up to fail—before they even graduate This isn't just theory. It's what's working now. To learn more about Patrik, visit his website: www.zaha-hadid.com

End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/framework In this thought-provoking episode of the Business of Architecture podcast, Rion Willard sits down with long-time collaborator Nicole, whose work with firm owners goes far beyond strategy and business systems. Together, they explore the hidden forces shaping how architects think, act, and lead—often without realizing it. Nicole reveals why many practice owners feel stuck, overwhelmed, or adrift, even when they've "done everything right," and how unseen layers of belief can quietly limit results. She shares powerful shifts that can help leaders reclaim clarity, tap into their core identity, and run their business with more freedom and impact. Along the way, you'll hear stories, analogies, and unexpected moments of insight that might just change how you see your own challenges. Inside, you'll discover: The hidden "handbrake" most architects don't know is slowing them down A simple daily habit that rewires your thinking without effort How to turn even setbacks into strategic advantages

End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/framework What if the secret to winning more architecture work wasn't just better design, but better communication? In this thought-provoking episode, Rose Marshall of ING Media pulls back the curtain on how architects can become allies, not just suppliers. Her approach flips the script on how architects show value—and who they're showing it to. Rion and Rose explore a recent industry report that connects surprising dots between investment trends and future-proof practices. You'll hear about the biggest missed opportunities many firms don't even realize they're ignoring. And, while there are plenty of tips for communication, the real gold is in how you look at your role as an architect. What do bees, data centers, and student housing have in common—and why should architects care? Why your next big commission may depend on what you don't talk about in your project posts. The simple lens that turns an architect from a hired hand into a strategic partner investors can't ignore. To learn more about Rose, visit her website: https://www.ing-media.com/