Business of Architecture Podcast

In today's show, I'm going to let you in on a little interview I did with architect Michael Smith. Michael runs an architectural practice on the central California coast. Last year, he reached out to me to interview me on his podcast. Today, we're going to talk about what it's like running a small architectural practice. We talk about marketing a small architectural practice. We talk about podcasting and much, much more. Give Michael's podcast a listen at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7PnJ1tNkZmOHoQB6YaEdTw ► Access your free training at http://SmartPracticeMethod.com/ ► If you want to speak directly to our advisors, book a call at https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/call ► Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for updates: https://www.youtube.com/c/BusinessofArchitecture ******* For more free tools and resources for running a profitable, impactful, and fulfilling practice, connect with me on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessofarchitecture Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enoch.sears/ Website: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BusinessofArch Podcast: http://www.businessofarchitecture.com/podcast/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/business-architecture-podcast/id588987926 Android Podcast Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BusinessofArchitecture-podcast ******* Access the FREE Architecture Firm Profit Map video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Download the FREE Architecture Firm Marketing Process Flowchart video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Come to my next live, in-person event: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/live Carpe Diem!

Are architectural services commoditized? Here’s the problem: it isn’t uncommon for clients to undervalue architectural services, to undervalue what it is that we do. And when they don’t value it, they don’t want to pay for it. This leads to a race to the bottom and unrealistic and hard to meet expectations of clients. Today I’m joined by Rion Willard. After training at London’s Bartlett School of Architecture and a successful career as an architect, Rion Willard joined the Business of Architecture team. Rion is the Director of Consulting and Business Transformation here at Business of Architecture. In this episode, you’ll discover 3 reasons why architectural services get commoditized, and what you can do to prevent it so you are respected and compensated for your creative work.   ► Access your free training at http://SmartPracticeMethod.com/ ► If you want to speak directly to our advisors, book a call at https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/call ► Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for updates: https://www.youtube.com/c/BusinessofArchitecture ******* For more free tools and resources for running a profitable, impactful, and fulfilling practice, connect with me on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessofarchitecture Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enoch.sears/ Website: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BusinessofArch Podcast: http://www.businessofarchitecture.com/podcast/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/business-architecture-podcast/id588987926 Android Podcast Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BusinessofArchitecture-podcast ******* Access the FREE Architecture Firm Profit Map video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Download the FREE Architecture Firm Marketing Process Flowchart video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Come to my next live, in-person event: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/live Carpe Diem!

This week, I’m speaking with the Founding Principal of Bittoni Architects, Mark Bittoni. Founded in 2004, Bittoni Architects is a full-service architectural practice based in Los Angeles, California. Their body of work ranges in building type and scale, from interiors to master planning, driven by a methodology defined by their explorative approach and a curiosity for the unconventional. In this episode, we discuss the firm's process in navigating through their shift into commercial work, nurturing their relationship with developer clients, and how the practice has maintained its design sensibilities despite the constraints that come with taking on commercial/developer projects. We also enquire a bit into what Mark sees as challenges the architecture industry will be facing in the next few years and what the future looks like for Bittoni Architects.   ► Access your free training at http://SmartPracticeMethod.com/ ► If you want to speak directly to our advisors, book a call at https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/call ► Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for updates: https://www.youtube.com/c/BusinessofArchitecture ******* For more free tools and resources for running a profitable, impactful, and fulfilling practice, connect with me on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessofarchitecture Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enoch.sears/ Website: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BusinessofArch Podcast: http://www.businessofarchitecture.com/podcast/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/business-architecture-podcast/id588987926 Android Podcast Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BusinessofArchitecture-podcast ******* Access the FREE Architecture Firm Profit Map video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Download the FREE Architecture Firm Marketing Process Flowchart video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Come to my next live, in-person event: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/live Carpe Diem!

This week, I’m speaking with Paul Iddon of Agency PSI Ltd. Paul Iddon RIBA, has over 30 years of experience in construction, architecture, and marketing, having run his own architecture firm, OMI Architects, in 1992 to running a marketing agency in 2006, developing brand and engagement strategies with architects and manufacturers. Paul is also the Vice President of the Manchester Society of Architects and a Council member of RIBA NW. In this episode, we investigate what makes architects tick, the collective value of the word "architect" as a brand, and how understanding our psychology helps us be better salespeople, marketers, and better architects. ► Access your free training at http://SmartPracticeMethod.com/ ► If you want to speak directly to our advisors, book a call at https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/call ► Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for updates: https://www.youtube.com/c/BusinessofArchitecture ******* For more free tools and resources for running a profitable, impactful, and fulfilling practice, connect with me on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessofarchitecture Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enoch.sears/ Website: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BusinessofArch Podcast: http://www.businessofarchitecture.com/podcast/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/business-architecture-podcast/id588987926 Android Podcast Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BusinessofArchitecture-podcast ******* Access the FREE Architecture Firm Profit Map video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Download the FREE Architecture Firm Marketing Process Flowchart video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Come to my next live, in-person event: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/live Carpe Diem!

This week, I’m speaking with Bolanle Williams-Olley, Chief Financial Officer and part-owner of Mancini Duffy, a technology-first design firm based in NYC, overseeing the firm's financial and operational performance. Bolanle has had 12 years working in the AEC industry, having worked with HLW and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) prior to joining Mancini Duffy. She holds a Masters in Education & Social Policy from NYU, Masters in Applied Mathematics, a Bachelors in Mathematics from the City University of New York, Hunter College, and is also a board member of the Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation (BWAF). In addition to her role at Mancini Duffy, she has founded several impact organizations in Nigeria that aim to improve education in low-income communities, empower women in the A/E/C industry and at small design firms, as well as create awareness about NGOs across Nigeria. Bolanle is launching her first book in November called "Build Boldly: Chart Your Unique Career Path", as a playbook for success in the architecture and design industry, offering business development tips including lessons she’s learned from being Mancini's CFO. In this episode, we discuss the role of a CFO within an architecture practice and the importance of establishing a strong partnership between the accounts team and the project management team. We cover some key performance indicators or metrics they measure to ensure the success of their projects and how these metrics then filter into business development. We also talk about Bolanle's philanthropic work and a bit of a peek into her book Build Boldly.

This week, I’m speaking with the Co-Founder of Studio Banana, Key Kawamura. Studio Banana founders Key Kawamura and Ali Ganjavian met and became fast friends while attending the University of East London for their architecture degrees. Not quite fitting into the places they were working in, they decided to start their own architecture and product design firm, Studio Banana in 2007, further expanding into a wide breadth of creative projects and developing a rich repertoire of entrepreneurial projects in the fields of transdisciplinary creativity, communication, design-led innovation, and education. Studio Banana is responsible for the globally acclaimed OSTRICHPILLOW® and involved in high-yield, high-impact innovative projects for clients such as United Nations, Nestlé, Coca-Cola, Al Jazeera, Ernst & Young, Qatar Foundation, BBDO, McCann Erickson, Santander Bank, Vodafone or Telefonica, among others. In 2019, they published "Work Out of the Box," a collection of conversations with industry leaders and case studies from their portfolio to break design-driven transformation down into 13 core principles as a sort of manifesto on how to design work environments and work cultures. In this episode, Key offers up a great vantage point into the philosophy of Studio Banana, the company culture, their business strategy, and deployment methodology. We also explore the perceived dichotomy between business and creativity, and how an understanding of the constraints and the tension between the two produces an environment where innovation can flourish. ► Access your free training at http://SmartPracticeMethod.com/ ► If you want to speak directly to our advisors, book a call at https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/call ► Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for updates: https://www.youtube.com/c/BusinessofArchitecture ******* For more free tools and resources for running a profitable, impactful, and fulfilling practice, connect with me on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessofarchitecture Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enoch.sears/ Website: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BusinessofArch Podcast: http://www.businessofarchitecture.com/podcast/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/business-architecture-podcast/id588987926 Android Podcast Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BusinessofArchitecture-podcast ******* Access the FREE Architecture Firm Profit Map video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Download the FREE Architecture Firm Marketing Process Flowchart video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Come to my next live, in-person event: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/live Carpe Diem!

This week, I’m speaking with Wendy Dunnam Tita, Principal at Page. Early in her career, Wendy worked for the residential practice of Ike and Kligerman in New York and, in 1995, became the Vice President of the firm of Page Southerland Page in Austin. In 2002, she set off and operated her own boutique practice in Austin and Hood River, Oregon, returning to Page in 2013 as Principal and Director of the Interior Architect Division of Page, which she has been running for about 8 years. She was also the 2018's Board President of AIA Austin, and currently chairs the group's Women in Architecture committee. In this episode, Wendy shares insights into her role in Page and the root of her success as a leader. We also discuss the importance of communication and transparency in dealing with your clients and within the firm to nurture a more collaborative environment and bridging the connection between design and people.   ► Access your free training at http://SmartPracticeMethod.com/ ► If you want to speak directly to our advisors, book a call at https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/call ► Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for updates: https://www.youtube.com/c/BusinessofArchitecture ******* For more free tools and resources for running a profitable, impactful, and fulfilling practice, connect with me on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessofarchitecture Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enoch.sears/ Website: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BusinessofArch Podcast: http://www.businessofarchitecture.com/podcast/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/business-architecture-podcast/id588987926 Android Podcast Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BusinessofArchitecture-podcast ******* Access the FREE Architecture Firm Profit Map video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Download the FREE Architecture Firm Marketing Process Flowchart video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Come to my next live, in-person event: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/live Carpe Diem!

This week, we're taking a human-centered approach to architecture discussions with Dr. Tyrone Yang. Tyrone graduated with a Master's in Architecture from the Harvard Graduate School of Design in 2002. He also has a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology from the University of Virginia and a BA in Psychology from Cornell University. Currently, he has recently founded Architectural Health and Yang Architects. Before doing that, he worked as a designer and project manager at Butz + Klug, RIZVI Architects, and also Moshe Safdie and Associates and worked on a large array of projects. Tyrone's academic involvement includes classes in Psychology and Research Methods at the University of Virginia and classes in Human Factors and Sustainable Architecture at Wentworth Institute of Technology. He's also worked as an affiliate researcher and course collaborator at the City Science / Changing Places Group at the MIT Media Lab. Currently, he's teaching Environmental Design Research at the Department of Architecture at Roger Williams University. Tyrone is both a licensed architect and a member of the AIA and the Boston Society of Architects, where he has co-chaired the Small Practices Network. In this conversation, we discuss the overlaps and how Dr. Yang's research into cognitive psychology has underpinned his architectural approach, how that has manifested in his current entrepreneurship ventures and business ventures, and how positioned himself as one of the world's leading, healthy building design consultants.   ► Access your free training at http://SmartPracticeMethod.com/ ► If you want to speak directly to our advisors, book a call at https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/call ► Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for updates: https://www.youtube.com/c/BusinessofArchitecture ******* For more free tools and resources for running a profitable, impactful, and fulfilling practice, connect with me on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessofarchitecture Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enoch.sears/ Website: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BusinessofArch Podcast: http://www.businessofarchitecture.com/podcast/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/business-architecture-podcast/id588987926 Android Podcast Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BusinessofArchitecture-podcast ******* Access the FREE Architecture Firm Profit Map video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Download the FREE Architecture Firm Marketing Process Flowchart video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Come to my next live, in-person event: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/live Carpe Diem!

This week, I am speaking with the award-winning architect and designer Suman Sorg, a fellow of the AIA and founder of Sorg Architects. She has also recently formed a non-profit design firm, A Complete Unknown, in her home in Washington DC. The A Complete Unknown design firm has a mission to promote social justice, peace, and unity through architecture and design. Suman has over 30 years of building a successful architecture practice. Some of her notable projects include John and Jill Ker Conway Residence for formerly homeless veterans and the Southern Regional Technology and Recreation Center in Fort Washington. In this episode, Suman explains and discusses her career, how she founded Sorg Architects and how she transitioned from that practice into creating A Complete Unknown, and the intentions behind doing that. She summarizes her philosophy and goes into a lot of depth into her experience and overview in her career and how to run a profitable and successful architecture firm.   ► Access your free training at http://SmartPracticeMethod.com/ ► If you want to speak directly to our advisors, book a call at https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/call ► Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for updates: https://www.youtube.com/c/BusinessofArchitecture ******* For more free tools and resources for running a profitable, impactful, and fulfilling practice, connect with me on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessofarchitecture Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enoch.sears/ Website: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BusinessofArch Podcast: http://www.businessofarchitecture.com/podcast/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/business-architecture-podcast/id588987926 Android Podcast Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BusinessofArchitecture-podcast ******* Access the FREE Architecture Firm Profit Map video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Download the FREE Architecture Firm Marketing Process Flowchart video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Come to my next live, in-person event: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/live Carpe Diem!

This week, I'm speaking to Mike Grosswendt who is the CEO and Founder of All Coast Construction, a construction company based on the west coast of the US. Mike focuses his attention onto new construction and restorations. He's worked with many world-renowned architects. He's worked with an incredible array of A-list celebrities as well including Quincy Jones. He's recently completed the home of Robert Downey Junior and his wife Susan, which is based in Malibu; quite an incredible and unusual architectural feat. He's currently working on a remodel of a 27,000 sq ft home for Charles Gwathmey, again, in Malibu. In this conversation, Mike and I talked about his beginnings, how he began as a carpenter, and how he won projects in the early days. We get a really good insight into the workings of a construction business, how a contractor views modern construction, what makes a good relationship between contractor and architect, and all the different nuances of making construction profitable, and the complexities of running a business.   ► Access your free training at http://SmartPracticeMethod.com/ ► If you want to speak directly to our advisors, book a call at https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/call ► Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for updates: https://www.youtube.com/c/BusinessofArchitecture ******* For more free tools and resources for running a profitable, impactful, and fulfilling practice, connect with me on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessofarchitecture Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enoch.sears/ Website: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BusinessofArch Podcast: http://www.businessofarchitecture.com/podcast/ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/business-architecture-podcast/id588987926 Android Podcast Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/BusinessofArchitecture-podcast ******* Access the FREE Architecture Firm Profit Map video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Download the FREE Architecture Firm Marketing Process Flowchart video here: http://freearchitectgift.com Come to my next live, in-person event: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/live Carpe Diem!