
Business of Architecture Podcast
Discover strategies, tips and secrets for running a fun, flexible and profitable architecture practice. The focus here is simple: discussion of ways for architects to create a dream architecture practice: design what you want, when you want, and get paid well for it.
Latest episodes

Sep 18, 2020 • 33min
334: Women in Architecture with Julia Gamolina
Julia Gamolina is dedicated to the built environment and the visibility and advancement of the women who work in it. She is the Director of Strategy at Trahan Architects, a global architecture firm where she focuses on new business, digital communications, and brand development. Julia is also the Founder and Editorial Director of MadameArchitect.org, an online publication about, by, and for the women that advance the practice of architecture. Thus far, Julia has interviewed over 125 architects and designers, as well as CEOs, publicists, journalists, business strategists, counsel, and more. Her writing has also been featured in Fast Company, A Women’s Thing, Metropolis Magazine, Architizer, and the Architect's Newspaper. She is a Founding Member of The Wing, a network of community spaces for women, as well as a member of Brick & Wonder, a member of the Female Founder Collective, a fellow of the Urban Design Forum, and a communications co-chair of ULI New York’s Young Leaders Group. In 2019, Julia received the Special Citation from AIANY for her work with Madame Architect, and was named one of Professional Women in Construction's "20 Under 40". She has served on juries for the 2019 World Architecture Festival and the DNA Paris Design Awards, and has held various speaking engagements at Harvard, Columbia, Yale, UPenn, Pratt, Georgia Tech and more. Julia received her Bachelor of Architecture at Cornell University, graduating with the Charles Goodwin Sands Memorial Medal for exceptional merit in the thesis of architecture. She is based in New York City. More of Julia's work: Madamearchitect: https://www.madamearchitect.org/ Trahan Architects: https://trahanarchitects.com/ I Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julia.gamolina/ Some of Julia's favorite interviews: Jean Brownhill: https://www.madamearchitect.org/interviews/2019/7/10/thorough-curiosity-jean-brownhill-of-sweeten-on-embracing-diversity-and-realizing-dreams Kim Holden: https://www.madamearchitect.org/interviews/2020/1/15/kim-holden ► 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!

Sep 14, 2020 • 44min
333: Architect Builds Real Estate Empire with Matthew Gullo
Matthew Gullo is a native Houstonian and graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in architecture. After 14 years into an architecture career as a licensed architect he found himself as a principal of a multi-office Texas based firm with a need for a change. In 2013, after being married for almost two years to his supportive and beautiful wife, his back felt like it was against the wall career wise. The market was on an uphill climb but the Houston office, of the firm he was with, was experiencing some light work loads. With the mood in the office waning, a strong desire to see what he could do on his own, and a lot of deep questions on his mind he started writing and publishing his thoughts on a blog called Smart Simple Life. He was exploring ideas, coaching, self development, business acumen, and alternatives to the traditional architecture career. To put it bluntly, Matthew was motivated to make a bigger change than just going to another firm and did not want to be dependent on someone else to bring work into office. In December of 2013, he put in his notice to leave his principal position after having lunch with his great friend, Chris Grizzaffi, that was at the time and still is a part of Keller Williams. They talked about how the Smart Simple Life blog and how a lot of the things he was writing about paralleled Keller Williams teachings and philosophies. With a cheat sheet to getting a real estate license that Chris gave him, Matthew devised a plan to become a licensed Real Estate agent in 14 days. Over the next 10 days he got up super early before work to study and complete all of the required courses, took a 2 day prep class, scheduled a test and passed. The last few days of 2013, Matthew signed up with KW and took their extensive training called Ignite during the first week in January. With that training, the great people in my office, his coach Sheri Malone, Chris, the support of his wife and family he was able to sell 20 properties that first year for almost $4M in volume and was named the rising star in real estate. In 2016 his wife was able to quit her job and began helping Matthew part-time. They also hired someone to help show properties so he could focus on growing the company. Today, The Gullo Group is in the top 1% of Realtors in Houston, they have a full time operations manager, an agent that focuses on buyers, a marketing department, and several partners that help them get it all done. ► 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!

Sep 7, 2020 • 41min
332: BIG and Business Development with Iben Falconer
Today, I speak with Iben Falconer. Iben Falconer is the former Business Development Director of the Americas for BIG - Bjarke Ingels Group. Iben joined BIG's NYC office in 2010. During her tenure, the NYC office grew from 13 to 200 employees, and greatly expanded its market reach, winning its first North American cultural and institutional projects. In addition to being involved with the company's business development strategy and leading its implementation, she was also a member of the executive management team. Prior to BIG, Iben worked for Steven Holl Architects, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Urban Land Institute. More recently, she was a Director at Gehl, and before that, the Director of Strategic Initiatives at Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. I'm excited to have Iben on with us today to talk about BIG's explosive growth during it's early years in the United States. As we record this episode, we are 4 months into the COVID-19 pandemic, so this conversation is especially crucial as you look for strategies to maintain and gain new clients and projects during difficult times. You can reach Iben via her email at iben.falconer@gmail.com or through her LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ibenfalconer/. ► 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!

Aug 17, 2020 • 46min
330: Winning Through Competitions with Ondřej Chybík
Today, I speak with Ondřej Chybík, co-founder of Czech architecture and urban design practice, CHYBIK + KRISTOF. On today's episode, you’ll discover how Ondřej and his partner Michal Krištof have built and grown a design-focused practice of 56 people in the Czech Republic by building their reputation and getting recognized through joining competitions. To view CHYBIK + KRISTOF's work, visit: https://chybik-kristof.com/ ► 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!

Aug 10, 2020 • 27min
329: Master's Degree in Business for Architecture and Design with Jerónimo van Schendel
Today, I speak with Jerónimo van Schendel. Jerónimo van Schendel is a Harvard-trained architect who is currently the Director of the Master's degree program in Business For Architecture and Design at the IE University in Spain. In today's episode, Jerónimo shares the three qualities he feels are most important in the intersection of architecture and business, and he also shares about this new program that IE University has launched that combines and explores the intersection between entrepreneurship, business and architecture. You can find out more about IE University's programs and events through: IE University's website – https://www.ie.edu/ Jerónimo van Schendel's LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeronimovanschendel IE University's LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/school/ie-school-of-architecture-and-design/ IE University's Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/iearchdesign/?hl=en ► 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!

Aug 3, 2020 • 33min
328: Facing Crisis (and Thriving) with Patrick MacLeamy
Today is the second half of my interview with former HOK CEO Patrick MacLeamy. In this episode of the Business of Architecture podcast, you'll discover how to lead through crises and challenges, as well as the essential building blocks for a long-lived company culture. MacLeamy spent 50 years at HOK, which grew into one of the largest architecture and engineering firms in the world during his time there. MacLeamy rose from Junior Designer to CEO of HOK and witnessed the firm’s growth from a single midwestern office to 27 locations across the globe offering architecture, interiors, engineering, planning and more. MacLeamy joined HOK St. Louis in 1967, after which he helped establish the firm’s San Francisco outpost in 1970 - later becoming managing principal of that office. He joined HOK’s executive committee in 1995 and was named COO five years later. In 2003, HOK shareholders elected MacLeamy Chief Executive Officer. He led the firm for 13 years. In 2016, MacLeamy chose a new CEO for HOK, remaining as Chairman for one more year before retiring —or as he likes to say, “repurposing.” In this episode of Business of Architecture, MacLeamy shares hard-learned business lessons from his time at HOK and the principles that led this company to be the success that it is today.

Jul 27, 2020 • 42min
327: Designing the World-Class Architecture Firm with Patrick MacLeamy
Today's guest should need no introduction, but you may not have heard of him because the firm he led as CEO from 2003 to 2017, one of the largest and most successful architecture firms in the world, doesn't revolve around the fame of one individual. Our guest is Patrick MacLeamy, former CEO of the firm HOK. MacLeamy just released a book on his experience in leadership and business through his time at HOK titled: Designing a World-Class Architecture Firm: The People, Stories and Strategies Behind HOK. MacLeamy is also the Chairman of buildingSMART International, which works to achieve open standards for the exchange of digital information in the building and infrastructure industries. He was a founding member of buildingSMART, in 1994. He spent 50 years at HOK, which grew into one of the largest architecture and engineering firms in the world during his time there. MacLeamy rose from Junior Designer to CEO of HOK and witnessed the firm’s growth from a single midwestern office to 27 locations across the globe offering architecture, interiors, engineering, planning and more. MacLeamy joined HOK St. Louis in 1967, after which he helped establish the firm’s San Francisco outpost in 1970 - later becoming managing principal of that office. He joined HOK’s executive committee in 1995 and was named COO five years later. In 2003, HOK shareholders elected MacLeamy Chief Executive Officer. He led the firm for 13 years. In 2016, MacLeamy chose a new CEO for HOK, remaining as Chairman for one more year before retiring —or as he likes to say, “repurposing.” In this episode of Business of Architecture, MacLeamy shares hard-learned business lessons from his time at HOK and the principles that led this company to be the success that it is today. ► 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!

Jul 15, 2020 • 38min
326: Lessons in Leadership and Legacy with Eugene Kohn
Today we have the privilege of hearing from one of the icons of architecture - the man who co-founded one of the largest architecture firms in the world, Kohn Pedersen Fox or KPF. Now In its 46th year, KPF spans the world with offices in 8 countries and with projects in more than 40. KPF founder Gene Kohn has, with his two partners, built an architecture business that flourishes because when it comes to good business he practices what he preaches. Gene just released a book chronicling the challenges and successes of building this incredibly successful firm: The World by Design: The Story of a Global Architecture Firm. What are his secrets for success? On this episode you'll discover that KPF is set up and operates as the antithesis of the starchitect syndrome, the firm is not built around the personality or designs of an individual. From the outset KPF was designed as a firm that would carry on after Gene and the other founders retired or passed away. This strategy different from many other prominent firms where the reputation of individual designers emphasized. Instead, KPF developed and lives by a culture of teamwork, rather than one of star designers. Gene believes in discovering the most talented recent graduates, training them in all aspects of the profession and then elevating them to leadership positions. This approach has worked and KPF now has 31 principals – and a president - who rose from the ranks. Today KPF employs more than 650 people with offices in New York, San Francisco, London, Berlin, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Seoul, Abu Dhabi and Singapore The KPF team has been hugely successful with major buildings all over the world. Of the world’s 12 tallest buildings, 6 of them were designed by KPF – the Ping An Finance Center in Shenzhen, the Lotte World Tower in Seoul, the CTF Finance Center in Guangzhou, the CITIC Tower (also known as China Zun) in Beijing and the Shanghai World Financial Center. These bona fides in global markets have positioned KPF to be named the architects for one of its newest projects One Vanderbilt, the 1401-foot-high-tower across Vanderbilt Avenue from Grand Central terminal that, with its observation deck and office floors, will make it higher than the neighboring Empire State building. Gene turned what was initially a NY-based firm into a global powerhouse. This expansion strategy has allowed the firm to ride out major recessions in the U.S. by doing work abroad. It has also given the firm the chance to develop expertise in designing large complicated projects – first in Asia and now in the U.S. For example, the firm designed the JR Central Towers atop an active rail yard in Nagoya, Japan in the 1990’s, and then used that experience to work on Hudson Yards in NY. Now you man be wondering - what does the story of one of the worlds largest firm's have to do with my success as a practitioner in a small firm? Listen closely, because the strategies that Eugene Kohn used to grow his practice are the same you can use in your firm to build a firm to suit your life. Many architects think of business as a dirty word. Gene however has emphasized the need for architects to solve their clients’ problems on time and on budget, without compromising design integrity. He and his partners have made a practice of developing strong connections between the architectural profession and the business world. ► 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!

Jul 6, 2020 • 35min
325: Building Resilience Through Company Culture with Gavin Daniels
Today, we speak with the co-founder of the architecture firm Wingate Hughes, based out of Washington DC. The firm Wingate Hughes has made a big splash since they came on the scene and were founded over a decade ago in the year 2010. In this episode, co-founder Gavin Daniels shares how he and his partner have been able to win work from more established firms, how they’ve grown their firm to a team of over 20 employees, and how they’ve been able to use culture to retain and get the best staff members working on their team. ► 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!

May 25, 2020 • 44min
324: Bootstrapping an Architecture Firm with Darguin Fortuna
Today we speak with Darguin Fortuna, a young architect and co-founder of Flow Design Studio based out of Salem, MA. Darguin has been a long-time listener of the podcast, and said that this show helped him make the jump into entrepreneurship as a firm owner. Listen in as Darguin Fortuna shares the story of how he started his firm, and grew it to a team of seven in just a few years. ► 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!