Architecture & Engineering Business Strategies

Growing a firm by a dozen employees each year can sound daunting. But the truth is that when you look at growth as a puzzle rooted in organizational structure, you can begin to make steady progress. Michael Hsu Office of Architecture did just that when the growth rate of Austin, Texas caused them to grow the firm from 21 to 78 people in just seven years. By doing things like doubling down on culture, working with diverse clients, and fostering employee growth, they have created a firm that is making an impressive mark. Interview TakeawaysGrow with your cityHire for talent, not projectsRetain your best clientsDon’t cave to imposter syndromeUse metrics to select projectsCultivate self-awarenessFind a financial consultantRecognize firm inflection pointsShould you hire a COOEmployee growth isn’t one-size-fits-allPick clients with the same goalsMitigate growing pains with organizational structureShow LinksCheck out Michael Hsu Office of ArchitectureConnect with Michael Hsu on LinkedInConnect with Maija Kreishman on LinkedInConnect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or TwitterConnect with Chris Morgan on LinkedInCheck out MonographFollow Monograph on LinkedIn or InstagramListen and read more about Monograph

How do you achieve successful growth as an architecture firm? It all comes down to having the right people on your team. Today, there are small 20-person firms that are making incredible revenue and ranking on lists alongside much larger counterparts. There are firms that have been acquired by larger firms, only to see their original talent leave. There is no magic formula for hiring and retaining the best people. But according to Marjanne Pearson, an industry force and the Chief Strategy Officer of Talentstar, there are ways to empower your strategic agenda and fill the roles you need. Interview TakeawaysArchitecture is more than design craftThe birth of strategy and specializationThe four levels of leadershipThink beyond full-time employeesGrow slowly and steadilyMake change as easy as possibleLearn how to become a change managerEvaluate hires for cultural fitPerfect the art of the interviewThe dangers of acquisitionHelp clients understand what they’re missingDesign firms are not a hierarchyShow LinksCheck out TalentstarConnect with Marjanne Pearson on LinkedInConnect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or TwitterCheck out MonographFollow Monograph on LinkedIn or InstagramListen and read more about Monograph

What do business strategists and editor-in-chiefs have in common? They both require you to build relationships. Lots of them. As the director of strategy and partnerships at Trahan Architects, founder and editor-in-chief of Madame Architect, and a lifelong collector of mentors, Julia Gamolina is an expert relationship builder. In this episode, she shares how her roles overlap, how she approaches business strategy, and the steps she recommends to follow in her career footsteps.Interview TakeawaysFind the common threads among women architectsGrow from media site to community resourceProduce content, not just buildingsConnect with peopleLet business strategy take you to the next levelDevelop a central message and use it everywhereKeep developing new ideasUse social media to find collaborative partnersGrowth can only happen with a strong cultureGet experience in as many roles as possibleExplore your career, don’t planFind mentors by approaching people you admireShow LinksCheck out Trahan Architects and follow them on LinkedIn or TwitterConnect with Julia Gamolina on LinkedIn or TwitterConnect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or TwitterCheck out MonographFollow Monograph on LinkedIn or InstagramListen and read more about Monograph

Most architecture firms are grappling with the question of how technology and data fit into their practice. For many firms, the solution is a self-contained design technology team, similar to an IT department. But at KPF, they’re championing the idea of a digital practice, where technology is a means to deliver their projects in the best way possible. It’s not just support, it’s a way of operating. In this episode, BIM Practice Manager Veronica Quintero and Senior BIM Specialist Alex Wilson explain how their team is integrated into the practice, how they help solve problems for every department, and how they stay on top of training so that everyone knows how to use relevant tools.Interview TakeawaysFoster digital expertiseKeep the focus on the practice of architectureWork with other departments to improve efficiencyCreate a flow of dataBuild a project dashboardCollaborate as an industryTrain with accountabilityIncentivize training by tying it to career progressUplevel skillsHarvest journals to understand what problems are recurringValue soft skills in leadersCreate opportunities for advocacyShow LinksCheck out KPF and follow them on LinkedIn or TwitterConnect with Veronica Quintero on LinkedInConnect with Alex Wilson on LinkedInConnect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or TwitterCheck out MonographFollow Monograph on LinkedIn or InstagramListen and read more about Monograph

In the past decade, the number of small architecture firms has been shrinking while the number of large firms has increased. The reason? A steep rise in the complexity of the projects firms are working on. As buildings get taller and more advanced, firms need bigger teams to handle the scope. And those teams would be lost without a good project manager to organize it all. Flora Bao, project manager at Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), shared what it takes to be an excellent project manager, from soft skills to design knowledge to balancing internal and external goals.Interview TakeawaysMeet demands of large projects with larger firmsBalance design experience with communicationChange the PM role based on firm sizeUse simple toolsFigure out org chartsCut up large projects into chunksDevelop soft skillsClarify internal and external goalsWork with each team member individuallyEmbrace generalist teamsGather experienceSucceed by making everyone happyShow LinksCheck out BIG - Bjarke Ingels GroupFollow BIG - Bjarke Ingels Group on LinkedIn or TwitterConnect with Flora Bao on LinkedInConnect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or TwitterCheck out MonographFollow Monograph on LinkedIn or InstagramListen and read more about Monograph

Life at a busy firm can be a mad scramble. When partners and owners start to wear too many hats, key information can slip through the cracks. Over time, the value of that missed information and haphazard staffing plans can add up. That’s why mid-size firms with a healthy budget should consider investing in a new hire: a financial operations role. When Snow Kreilich Architects hired bookkeeper and architect Sarah Hughes as Director Of Finance + Operations, they quickly felt the benefits.Interview TakeawaysDo the math when hiring for operationsConnect the dots on staffing and financialsPrepare to navigate paused projectsEngage in cash flow forecastingFind ways to absorb downtimeEducate clients on the ramifications of paused projectsMonitor staff hours to prevent burnoutUse project data to make better decisionsCreate new proposals based on past projectsAn operations role lets you track data consistentlyEvery firm can benefit from an operations roleImprove operations through collaborationShow LinksCheck out Snow Kreilich ArchitectsConnect with Trevor Bullen on LinkedInConnect with Sarah Hughes on LinkedInConnect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or TwitterCheck out MonographFollow Monograph on LinkedIn or InstagramListen and read more about Monograph

If you want your firm to become known for a clear ethos, aesthetic, and vision, then you need to fold that identity into everything you do. From the clients and contractors you choose to work with to your office culture and the computers you buy, every action—large or small—should contribute to that overarching vision. This is the case at Trahan Architects. Partner Brad McWhirter and Director of Urban Design Margaret Jankowsky joined us to share how Trahan has forged a unique identity.Interview TakeawaysDefine urban designMaintain the ethos of a single firmHone your virtual client skillsFoster office-wide communicationStart the design process from square oneFoster collaborative partnershipsBlur the line between disciplinesThe solution isn’t always a buildingBring the client along for the design rideBring the best idea forwardEmbed your firm’s ethos in everything you doAlign with the right clientsShow LinksCheck out Trahan ArchitectsConnect with Brad McWhirter on LinkedInConnect with Margaret Jankowsky on LinkedInConnect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or TwitterCheck out MonographFollow Monograph on LinkedIn or InstagramListen and read more about Monograph

The world of architecture is getting more interesting—and complicated—by the day. Sometimes the best way to tackle your projects is to loop in specialists and consultants who have both the skill and network needed to get the job done. Amy Baker is a spec writing consultant and freelance architect who loves digging deep into the “nerdy” side of projects. Chris O’Hara is a founding Principal of Studio NYL, a group of structural engineers and facade designers. Amy and Chris teamed up to walk us through what specialists do, and how they can work to help firms like yours.Interview TakeawaysAssign someone to capture big decisionsExpect consultants to interview youDon’t wait until the last minute to involve consultantsRethink the project bidding processLet consultants act as translatorsConsultants can help lock in specific products and vendorsBenefit from consultants who are doing constant research & developmentLet consultants speak their own languagePrioritize a holistic project viewDon’t be intimidated by consultantsNavigate the complexity of today’s construction industryUnderstand how consultant and manufacturer spec-writing comparesShow LinksCheck out Amy Baker Architect and connect with Amy Baker on LinkedInCheck out Studio NYL and connect with Chris O’Hara on LinkedInConnect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or TwitterCheck out MonographFollow Monograph on LinkedIn or InstagramListen and read more about Monograph

To design and construct the best building possible, you need to be intentional every step of the way. From honing your toolkit of best practices to creating SOPs to collaborating with other professionals, excellence is the name of the game. That’s the philosophy of Nick Schiffer, owner & CEO of NS Builders. In this interview, Nick shares his process and explains why the best results happen when builders and architects work side-by-side.Interview TakeawaysTake an intentional approach to design and constructionPursue excellence at all costsGet innovative when solving design problemsDon’t let builders rein in your imaginationAllow builders and architects to join forcesBring in a builder early onSeek out feedback to build better budgetsDon’t get stuck in the architecture status quoStandardize every process for accurate estimatesMeasure management successBe a risk-takerBuild a business that gives backShow LinksCheck out NS BuildersFollow NS Builders on LinkedInConnect with Nick Schiffer on LinkedIn or TwitterConnect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or TwitterCheck out MonographFollow Monograph on LinkedIn or InstagramListen and read more about Monograph

Real estate developers often keep their eye on the bottom line—for them, it’s all about how a property can make money. Architects, meanwhile, focus on design, but rarely have control over the built environment. But it’s possible to do both. Alloy Development is a hybrid architecture-development firm. Director of Construction Alexandra Militano joined us to explain how they’re equally focused on design impact and property value.Interview TakeawaysMake design a priority in developmentBalance design and construction knowledge to cut back on adjustmentsBring out the best in a locationInvest in amenitiesTreat the community as a stakeholderLearn real estate development by doing itCultivate investorsAdd to the five phases of architectureUnderstand the client’s frustrations with timeBuild relationships at the construction siteUse a construction manager to bridge gapsShow LinksCheck out Alloy Development and follow them on LinkedInConnect with Alexandra Militano on LinkedInConnect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or TwitterCheck out MonographFollow Monograph on LinkedIn or InstagramListen and read more about Monograph