EntreArchitect Podcast with Mark R. LePage

Finding MyCORBU with Rick Wolnitzek Retired from the profession and finding himself eager to give back, today’s guest has partnered with a developer to create an app that helps small firm architects manage their time and money. After a long journey, he’s launching the product he wishes he had when he was the owner of his own small architecture firm. This week on EntreArchitect podcast, Finding MyCORBU with Rick Wolnitzek. Introduction Rick Wolnikzek is an architect based in northern Kentucky outside of Cincinnati and the creator of ArchitekWiki, a blog for small firms covering ideas, information, links, procedures, checklists, details and more to help young architects work productively and effectively. He’s also the founder of MyCORBU, a bookkeeping software specifically for architects. Origin Story In high school, Rick knew he wanted to be an architect. The idea of creating things like tunnels and camps as a kid pushed him toward the idea. He planned to go to the University of Cincinnati, but an influx of in-state applicants foiled his plans. His dad proposed Notre Dame, and in hindsight, his schooling there was a highlight of his career. Following his education, he worked for a small, five-person firm for the next seven years working on schools. There he learned to do a wide array of tasks due to the limited staff. He joined a mentor who had started a new firm, and years in the frustration of not having a ton to do and lack of willingness to try new things ate him up over time. It was there that Rick made a trade that if his partner would go get their coffee across the street, Rick would manage the books. Rick eventually decided to go out on his own in Cincinnati, and he found that he didn’t have as much of a stature that he wanted. Suddenly, he had a client who needed an office building and then a connection for another project. He had always done back-office things well, but struggled with doing business development. In 30 years, Rick’s firm fluctuated between two and twelve people. Toward the end of the road, Rick let go of most of his employees and was writing checks to keep the firm afloat. He decided to work from home, and struck a deal with his landlord to get out of the lease early in exchange for some office furniture. Eight months later, he realized he had actually retired. He thought, “Maybe I could make a living selling things to help other architects.” Soon after he launched ArchitekWiki. The Blog For the first year, Rick wrote a post every few days to share his experiences. He wanted to go back to the tools he’d developed over his career and put them into a format that might be useful to other architects, such as a how-to on Trello for project management, a calculation tool, and more. The App Two years into his retirement, he was out of the software that he’d used when he was practicing architecture. Rick was using a time-keeping software that he liked, but he was constantly trying to improve it for the use of architects. Eventually, the developer met with Rick to ask him to help develop something specifically for architects. He interviewed about 75 architects and surveyed 1500 firms over six months, and they learned that there wasn’t a great way for architects to invoice. Although their dreams were big, they encountered a lot of difficulties of how to actually develop a program for invoicing. By the end of the year, the partnership was nickel-and-diming back and forth, and a lot of the fun was taken out of the project. At that point, Rick stepped away and they began the dismantling process to move away from the work they’d done. MyCORBU After some time away, Rick stepped back to the table. He thought he could fund development to finally build this dream app. Rick projected the project to take a year and cost around $500K. He researched investors, kick starters, and more, getting nowhere. He stumbled upon an app builder called Knack that worked on any platform with databases and was only $39/month for the software. He decided to give it a shot. Only a month later, Rick had a rudimentary version working and a website in the works.  He’s developed help articles, figured out how to price it and how the pricing would work, and more. It got to the point where he didn’t realize that the way he was going about it from the point of how it worked was the easy part. The side of setting clients up with an account was much trickier. Finally, they found a way for clients to jump on board, sign up and be set to go. Coming later is a paid version that will include other features! Rick also hopes to add a bookkeeping element at some point, and perhaps an invoicing version. What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business tomorrow? “You need to get a blog. Whatever you think that looks like, start putting your stuff out there. Anything on the boards, in production, being constructed. Get it out there and figure out how to send it to your list of potential prospects a few times a month. Make it visually entertaining so that they’ll look at it. The cost is next to nothing compared to the feedback and benefit you’ll get.” – Rick Wolnitzek Connect with Rick online via ArchitekWiki or MyCORBU. You can also find him on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. Visit our Platform Sponsors Freshbooks is the easy way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access your free 30 day trial at EntreArchitect.com/FreshBooks. (Enter EntreArchitect)   NCARB is helping architects reach their goals! Get back on track with the new AXP Portfolio. Visit EntreArchitect.com/NCARB to learn more today.   BQE Software is designed specifically for architect’s project management! Get a free 15-day trial at EntreArchitect.com/BQE.   ARCAT has huge libraries of free content, Specs, CAD, BIM and more. No registration required. Visit EntreArchitect.com/ARCAT for more information. Referenced in this Episode EntreArchitect Profit for Small Firm Architects course (unlimited free access) The post EA164: Finding MyCORBU with Rick Wolnitzek [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Build Your BrandContext & ClarityAll Access

The Entrepreneur Architect Series featuring Michele Grace Hottel At EntreArchitect, you’re encouraged to share your knowledge. When we share with other architects, we all benefit. We are able to learn from one another and the profession will grow. One of the goals of EntreArchitect is to provide a platform for other entrepreneur architects to share their stories. After 162 episodes, we think we’ve succeeded with that goal. Join us for a new series called The Entrepreneur Architect, where each guest has the opportunity to share their story and answer some questions that will provide value to each of you. This week on EntreArchitect podcast, The Entrepreneur Architect Series featuring Michele Grace Hottel. Origin Story Michele has been practicing architecture at her own firm, Michele Grace Hottel Architects, since 1994 and is licensed in California and Texas. She is a commissioner and subject matter expert for California Architects board and the City of La Mesa planning commissioner. As an active member of the #ArchiTalk blog series, you can read her blog “I’ve never met a woman architect before…“, about the trials and tribulations of being a woman architect, wife and mother. Michele has loved drawing since she was very young. During a kindergarten testing process, she was asked to draw a picture of a person. She chose to draw a picture of her tester, to his amusement, and they let her in. Growing up outside of Pittsburgh where everyone had art and music in school, Michele was invited with a group of students to be a part of a weekend art group with her art teacher. From then on, she was encouraged by her artistic talents. Later in her schooling, the switch was made from girls taking home-ec and the boys taking woodworking to a more inclusive environment, Michele was able to take woodworking which included a drafting class. Throughout high school, she continued with art classes at the Art Institute, architectural drafting, and took classes at a technical school for mechanical drafting and design technology. Her family then moved to California and after transferring to Cal Poly Pamona for a few years, she was able to go abroad to Denmark for a  year for the cost of in-state tuition. After her degree, she worked in Santa Monica for a few years, worked for her stepdad for a few years and spent time on various projects, including a Metropolitan Community Church, an AIDS memorial wall, affordable housing in Santa Monica, and high-end custom residential work for people in the entertainment industry. After having her daughter and thinking about the work/family balance, she wondered if she would be able to practice architecture in the traditional sense. She decided to do a few projects a year and has been doing that ever since. The Entrepreneur Architect Questions What is one big goal you’ve achieved in your career and how did you get there? Michele’s biggest goal she’s achieved is getting licensed. When Michele was going through this process, it was only available to be taken once a year and she took them all at once. Despite people telling her that she wouldn’t pass on the first round, she studied hard and passed on her first take. What is one struggle you experienced and how did you overcome it? Michele never passed college algebra. Though she tried to take it last year, she found it much more difficult to do at this point in her career. Additionally, she’s worked hard to be an architect and a stay at home mom. When she was in LA after having her daughter, she can remember being at her opening and someone telling her they could never be a part time architect. Though it took her a while to be confident in that, she’s received more acceptance from the profession and from herself. Have you had an “aha” moment? How did you turn it into success for your career? When Michele’s  youngest was three, she had a project she was really excited about: a Point Loma home on a hillside with glass everywhere. This was a chance for her to show that she was on her own and was able to do the job well. What’s one thing that has you most excited about your business today? It’s exciting to have a lot of work! Michele loves doing projects that she’s excited about design-wise as well, right now she has a project where the clients want modern architecture and she’s been challenged with building restrictions. Quick Questions At what age did you decide to become an architect? 12 years old. Other than architecture, what makes you happy? My family. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? No one in her family ever told her she couldn’t be an architect, her whole family was always supportive of her. What’s one personal habit that contributes to your success? Besides coffee in the morning and coffee several times throughout the day, Michele is very self-sufficient and loves others intensely. What’s an app or resource you’d recommend? EntreArchitect of course! Also, #ArchiTalks  (Go to any social media platform and search #ArchiTalks to learn more.). What book would you recommend and why? A Pattern Language by Christopher Alexander. What’s a quick piece of advice? Be real. Be yourself. Be empathetic. What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business tomorrow? “Blogging. I’m amazed by how many hits I get on my blog. It’s easy to refer clients to and it’s a great experience. Everyone has this commonality with experiences, and blogging is a great way to learn about architecture and express yourself. Get out there and talk to people about what architects do.” – Michele Grace Hottel Connect with Michele online via her blog or send her an email to mghottelarc@gmail.com. You can also find her on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Visit our Platform Sponsors NCARB is helping architects reach their goals! Get back on track with the new AXP (Architectural Experience Program) Portfolio by submitting an online portfolio and meeting your state’s requirements to get one step closer to becoming an architect! Visit NCARB.org to learn more today. TruStile is a leader in high end, architectural interior doors that never fail to perform. They’re passionate about providing inspiration and tools to transform your designs with the most authentic and distinctive doors available. Visit them at TruStile.com to learn more! Freshbooks is the easy way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Learn more at FreshBooks.com. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in this Episode EntreArchitect Profit for Small Firm Architects course (unlimited free access) The post EA163: Michele Grace Hottel – The Entrepreneur Architect Series [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:All AccessContext & ClarityBuild Your Brand

The Pain, the Passion, and the Process of Becoming a Young Architect Let’s dive deep into what it means to be a young architect and what it takes to get licensed. This week at EntreArchitect Podcast, Michael Riscica of YoungArchitect.com shares The Pain, the Passion, and the Process of Becoming a Young Architect. Origin Story Michael is based in Portland, Oregon is the founder of YoungArchitect.com. You can hear more about his bike journey from one side of the US to the other, plus how to get licensed and pass the ARE, check out his last podcast appearance.   Young Architect Michael started Young Architect about three years ago after he got his license, with inspiration from Mark and many other bloggers serving their community. The mission has always been to help students, ARE candidates, young architects and other candidates be more successful. More recently he’s been talking more about how to share his mission and beliefs with others. Many young architects really need to be their own advocate, and, in Michael’s opinion, a lot of students graduate and flounder until they become a licensed architect. Although there’s a lot out there to create community with the AIA and other organizations, there’s an in-between stage that Michael wanted to address. He began writing blog posts clearly directed at those in different predicaments like looking for jobs, studying for the ARE and wanting to get licensed. Everyone has their own path, strengths and weaknesses, and the beautiful thing about architecture is that there’s such a huge place in jobs and opportunities with people with different strengths. Everyone has different gifts and passions to offer to the world. Different Roles Architecture school is a place for future architects to learn how to design and problem solve. It creates a safe place for students to experiment and take risk, while learning the fundamentals of design. They can learn to express themselves by learning from theory and from the past. Michael argues that so much growth and development needs to happen in architecture school, that having a complete understanding of how the profession works is too much to ask. You’re there to learn the basics of problem solving and design. The second part of an architect’s education begins once they finish school. He’s always believed that the young architect’s job is to advocate for their own development, but the profession as a whole should acknowledge their role in helping engender future architects. Although young architects may take an experience and learn from it and then move onto something else, that’s a necessary component of the process. Letting a younger intern person into your firm, acknowledges that, in some ways, they’re the future of the firm. They get to see the behind-the-scenes in the firm. In some ways, you need to treat the younger generation as though they may one day be your future client or even supervisor. On the other hand, young architects need to acknowledge the role they’re in: observing and learning to become the best that they can. You may not start out making what you want to make, but you can give everything you have to who you’re working with to get the knowledge you need to get to the next level. When you work hard and prove your value, you’re rewarded. Fluidity Like many other professions, architecture has moved into a space where people are not at one job for their entire lives. They may start somewhere, gain some knowledge, and then move on to something else. With advanced technology and greater connectivity, it’s easy to associate with people that aren’t in your local circle and do anything you want to do. Young Architect Podcast Michael had gotten comfortable with expressing himself through writing on the blog, and the idea of a podcast made him pretty uncomfortable. Around the end of his recent coast-to-coast  bike trip, he hit the ground running and began working overtime for several months on developing the new podcast. One of the challenges he’s had is trying to keep the focus off of himself. He’s passionate about the mission, but the goal is not to tell his story, it’s to put the focus on people who are aligned with his mission. Through the process of writing an article about people, he realized he needed to use a podcast to really express the energy he was hearing in people’s stories. The podcast features stories about how people found architecture, what their experience was with licensing, and how they got to where they were today. He’s been seeking out the little guy who’s doing great work to get varying perspectives. It requires a lot of help to get the podcast up and running, but Michael is enjoying the process! ARE Bootcamp Michael wrote How to Pass the Architecture Registration Exam and began the ARE Bootcamp process. He had many inquiries about 1-on-1 coaching, but had the idea to bring a group together and treated it like a design studio: small groups of 6 gather weekly for 10 weeks to move through a syllabus of what to study, how to recall the necessary information, and figuring out how to get up to speed to study for the exam. In this model, Michael helps his group teach the information to themselves so that they can make progress on the ARE. The Bootcamp isn’t a guarantee to passing the test because there are so many moving parts and different versions of the test.  The intention is to do everything possible to be prepared for the most difficult version of the test. If you want to be a part of the bootcamp, you’ll participate in discussions to check in on what you’re learning. You keep up with the syllabus and practice finding the time to add 8-15 hours of extra study time to your already-busy life. About halfway through, you choose a test date and spend the rest of the time mastering the information. Michael has a ton of resources, including videos to maximize the time that the group is meeting together, a private Facebook group for people to ask questions, and a platform that spits out random practice questions. Unless you practice giving the answers back, you won’t be adequately prepared for the test. Everyone in the program is also in charge of organizing a meet up for members of the group to gather in person or virtually to study together. What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business tomorrow? “Acknowledge it’s not about you, it’s about others. Instead of looking at everyone as competition and wondering what you’ll get out of it, try to be of service to yourself, the profession, your clients, those who work for you, and young architects. Don’t wonder what you’ll get out of something, just lift up the profession as a whole.” – Michael Riscica, Young Architect Connect with Michael online at YoungArchitect.com, on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Look for his trail of robot stickers across the US! Visit our Platform Sponsors NCARB is helping architects reach their goals! Get back on track with the new AXP (Architectural Experience Program) Portfolio by submitting an online portfolio and meeting your state’s requirements to get one step closer to becoming an architect! Visit NCARB.org to learn more today. TruStile is a leader in high end, architectural interior doors that never fail to perform. They’re passionate about providing inspiration and tools to transform your designs with the most authentic and distinctive doors available. Visit them at TruStile.com to learn more! Freshbooks is the easy way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Learn more at FreshBooks.com. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in this Episode EntreArchitect Profit for Small Firm Architects course (unlimited free access) Young Architect ARE Bootcamp The post EA162: The Pain, the Passion, and the Process of Becoming a Young Architect with Michael Riscica [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Build Your BrandContext & ClarityAll Access

SketchUp for Architects SketchUp is a great tool for small firm architects to quickly develop 2D ideas into full, 3D models. It’s not BIM and it may not be super efficient for our whole workflow, but when used as a quick way to develop concepts, to share ideas with colleagues or to present to a client early on, that’s where SketchUp thrives. There are few programs better suited. This week at EntreArchitect Podcast, SketchUp for Architects with Mike LaValley, founder of EvolvingArchitect.com. Mike’s Origin Story Mike has always known that he wanted to be an architect, aside from brief childhood memories of wanting to be a mad scientist. He grew up playing with legos and making things, and eventually found his way to architecture. He graduated from Syracuse University with a bachelor’s of architecture and settled down in Buffalo, New York. He’s been through several different jobs, but is now designing spaces for K-12 schools to help kids learn and grow. After earning his license in 2015, he took the plunge into full-force blogging quickly after. Evolving Architect Blog Mike loves learning and sharing and has a desire to stay up with new ways of building and innovative technologies. Since architecture is always changing and evolving, he believes the most successful architects are those who really take that to heart. More recently he’s started to teach more on his website and via YouTube by hosting Workshop Wednesdays, where he shares his knowledge on different topics for about an hour to help emerging professionals. He quickly noticed a need for skills in programs, and was able to focus a couple workshops on SketchUp. The workshop is designed to teach architects in a way that they would use it in a firm, from learning an interface to creating a house model. Mike feels a need for varying ideas for growth depending on where different professionals are in their journeys, making Evolving Architect a constantly-changing opportunity. Workshop Wednesdays Each month, Mike posts a new video on the Evolving Architect YouTube channel. His goal is to bounce around different topics that people have brought to his attention, including goal-setting and ARE help. This year, Mike plans to integrate content throughout the month for subscribers where they might find short tutorials and other helpful tips. SketchUp for Architects Mike’s been using SketchUp since he was a sophomore in college over 10 years ago and has been using it regularly since then. He began using it because it was so simple to create 3D models in real time. It’s a great way to quickly iterate and conceptualize different concepts he wants to bring forth. It’s the first tutorial on his website because he wanted to show how to use it specifically in an architecture office. Mike uses SketchUp primarily as a way to quickly communicate and present very raw models and ideas to clients who aren’t familiar with reading 2D drawings. It’s a practical tool that allows him to explain an idea through an image without trying to build a detailed physical model. SketchUp has it’s limitations too. Mike prefers to use platforms like Revit or AutoCad for other aspects of his work. Sketching in 3D Once you install SketchUp on your device and start playing with the tools, you can get into drawing in 3D. You can extrude them and build on them to make more complicated figures, but it’s productive to start playing around with the platform and learning how to draw in three dimensions. SketchUp also allows you create shortcuts to make movements as quick and easy as possible. “Practice doesn’t make perfect; it makes permanent.” The Course The tutorial is broken into different chapters with sub lessons. First you’ll look at the user interface to get a feel for where things are and what tools to use when. Then, users can go straight into developing a house model. Last, you’re taken through the whole process to the final export of the images and the views. Find more more information here. What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business tomorrow? “Whether it’s SketchUp or another program or skill, building upon what you already know to create a wider knowledge base for yourself is the first priority. Building skills and understanding new ways of building and interacting with the profession is something you can execute now to be better tomorrow. Over time those skills add up in a profound way.” – Mike LaValley, EvolvingArchitect.com Connect with the Mike online at EvolvingArchitect.com or find him on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. You can subscribe to his weekly newsletter here. Visit our Platform Sponsors NCARB is helping architects reach their goals! Get back on track with the new AXP (Architectural Experience Program) Portfolio by submitting an online portfolio and meeting your state’s requirements to get one step closer to becoming an architect! Visit NCARB.org to learn more today. TruStile is a leader in high end, architectural interior doors that never fail to perform. They’re passionate about providing inspiration and tools to transform your designs with the most authentic and distinctive doors available. Visit them at TruStile.com to learn more! Freshbooks is the easy way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Learn more at FreshBooks.com. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in this Episode EntreArchitect Profit for Small Firm Architects course (unlimited free access) The post EA161: SketchUp for Small Firm Architects with Mike LaValley [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Context & ClarityAll AccessBuild Your Brand

Questions from the EntreArchitect Community As an active community of entrepreneur architects, we’ve come together to build better businesses. We’re working together to build a better profession. Every day, we see the willingness to share our collective knowledge every day on the EntreArchitect Facebook Group. Members are sharing their struggles and not only are they benefiting as individuals, but each business is growing stronger every day. This week at EntreArchitect Podcast, Mark R. LePage answers Questions from the EntreArchitect Community. For initial client meetings on a domestic project, do you let the client take the lead with their requirements/ideas/tour of the house while drinking coffee or do you take control with a meeting agenda? While everyone does their own thing, and you kind of have to figure out what works best for you. Here’s how Mark typically does things: The initial meeting process starts with a telephone call to manage the client’s expectations. Use a form to make sure you’re asking the same questions every time. The more information you collect upfront, the better. Take all the information you have and qualify the client to ensure you’re not wasting your time with a project you don’t really want or by throwing away valuable time in your day. After confirming that they’re the right fit, set expectations for your meeting including time limits, steps you’re planning to take, and what will happen after the meeting. Let your clients feel more comfortable with you in the lead since they don’t know what to expect. Let them know you want to go on a tour right away and allow them to talk; what can they tell you about what they like or don’t like about the house? Will they receive a proposal or follow up prior to the initial meeting with you? I was inspired to make the switch from CAD to BIM, so despite a busy schedule, I immersed myself in tutorials from Lynda.com. I’ve done lots of learning, but I’m feeling overwhelmed by the depths of this program. I’m trying to take the advice to just go forward and not switch back and forth, but I am so nervous. I feel like I’ve overloaded myself with information that I won’t remember. I’m a one-woman show who works from home doing residential/condo work while raising children. Does anyone else have this anxiety about switching over?  As a small firm, Mark knows how it feels to work hard from home while raising a family. It’s painful to make the transition from CAD to BIM, you’re certainly not alone there. So far, Mark has reviewed the options and narrowed it down to Revit and ArchiCad. Now, the goal is to design a floor plan in 3D and see which program works best for him. Once you get into it, you will hopefully know which one works best for you. To be totally transparent, Mark had to switch back to AutoCad at one point to adhere to a deadline. However, the plan is to move onto the next phase in ArchiCad. It’s okay to switch over if you need to, but don’t abandon the commitment. It’s taken a tremendous amount of time to learn and get set up, but not as much time as it took him to decide to make the transition. The biggest fear is exactly what happened: there’s so much going on and it’s not necessarily a need to make the switch, but Mark wants to keep up with new software and be proficient in it. With perseverance, soon enough, BIM will be second nature. My practice has gotten a lot busier lately, and, so far, I’m keeping the panic at bay. I’m noticing that carving out “maker’s time” is getting more difficult. Any suggestions? We’re all struggling with productivity, getting things done and focusing on the things that matter the most. Her’s a few resources that may help you: Follow Eric Reinholdt’s 30X40 Design Workshop, find him on Twitter and Facebook, and check out the 30X40 Design Workshop on YouTube GetFocusedCourse.com is everything Mark know’s about productivity from Monday morning meetings to how he gets things done. Eliminate, automate and delegate. Check out Rory Vaden’s Focus Funnel to find out how can you create more time in the future by taking care of the most important things today? After being promoted to the Director of Architecture, myself and another architect here will be doing all the marketing and business development moving forward. I don’t have as much business development experience as I’d like, what are some avenues we should take to grow our firms and departments? How can we make connections and get work through the door? Your website needs to change from a portfolio to a marketing tool that tells your firm’s unique story. It should be clear and easy to read, and should include a call to action for potential clients to take the next step. Figure out your target market and learn everything you can about that market: Who are they? Where do they work/play/live? Become an expert. Then, go to those places online or in person and build your network. Our Facebook group is active with architects throughout the world. Everyone can share successes and failures in an open, transparent forum that’s private for only those who are in the group. It’s free to join, but you must be an architecture student or architect of any type and any size firm. Head over to the EntreArchitect Facebook Group and share your thoughts. Visit our Platform Sponsors NCARB is helping architects reach their goals! Get back on track with the new AXP (Architectural Experience Program) Portfolio by submitting an online portfolio and meeting your state’s requirements to get one step closer to becoming an architect! Visit NCARB.org to learn more today. TruStile is a leader in high end, architectural interior doors that never fail to perform. They’re passionate about providing inspiration and tools to transform your designs with the most authentic and distinctive doors available. Visit them at TruStile.com to learn more! Freshbooks is the easy way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Learn more at FreshBooks.com. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in this Episode EntreArchitect Profit for Small Firm Architects course (free)   Photo credit: Pixabay // PIX1861 The post EA160: Questions from The EntreArchitect Community [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Build Your BrandContext & ClarityAll Access

Compensation Strategies for Architects How do you get paid? How to you structure your fees as an architect? Architects love to talk about this topic! This week at EntreArchitect Podcast, Mark R. LePage shares his Compensation Strategies for Architects. Note: This episode is about how Mark structure’s the compensation strategies for his own firm. These strategies work for him. You should structure your fees in ways that work best for you and your firms. Entrearchitect.com has lots of information on understanding fees, how to be profitable, and how to figure out what your fee should be. Inspired by the EntreArchitect Facebook Group Our Facebook group is active with architects throughout the world. Everyone can share successes and failures in an open, transparent forum that’s private for only those who are in the group. It’s free to join, but you must be an architecture student or architect of any type and any size firm. Every week, Mark and other EntreArchitect Facebook group members post several thoughtful questions and all members of the group are able to collaborate on varying topics such as the following: How do you remain confident in a room full of folks with many years of knowledge and experience ahead of you? What does everyone do for secondary/passive income? I’m running out of cash and I don’t have a single client or project to work on. I just started, but it’s really stressful knowing that the source of cash is diminishing and soon I won’t be able to attend to my family’s needs. Any thoughts? I’m currently working with the most dysfunctional husband and wife client of my career. They can’t make or keep decisions and they incessantly argue about the smallest things using the most brutal terms right in front of me. I always thought that a good residential architect should also be a good marriage counselor, and I’ve prided myself on those skills, but I have met my match. Any suggestions, comments or similar stories? Are you struggling with the transition from CAD to BIM? What’s a good construction detailing book? What kind of car do you drive and what does that say about you as an architect? Background Mark has a small architecture firm, Fivecat Studio Architecture, made up of himself and his wife, Annmarie. They’re based about 40 minutes north of New York City, and they focus on high-end additions and alterations. Fee Structures for Fivecat Studio Fivecat Studio’s basic compensation is 12% of the cost of construction. Depending on the client or the project, they may use different types of fees. A hybrid fee starts with an initial payment of about 10% of the project prior to the schematic design phase. At the end of schematic design and having a full understanding of the project, they get a construction cost estimate. If the client wants to move forward, they put together a scope of work and base their fees on a schedule broken into $25K increments of construction costs. Mark’s preference, the percentage of construction fee is based on the client’s budget. Once they know what the client wants to spend, they can put together a proposal. After a schematic design is complete and approved, the project goes through to bid and the fee adjusts to the final cost of construction. Hourly works for a lot of other architects, but for Mark, hourly has always felt like a monthly negotiation. Flat fees are too hard to predict with different clients, project, expected quality levels, contractors, and more. Mark has learned over the years that it’s easier to develop systems around the beliefs and expectations of the clients rather than to try and convince them that he’s correct as the architect. Instead of trying to justify everything, Mark developed the hybrid fee based on the client’s existing expectations. Compensation For Mark’s firm, compensation is divided into 5 phases: Schematic design – 25% of total fee Design development – 25% of total fee Construction documents – 25% of total fee Bidding and selection of a general contractor – 5% of total fee Construction administration – 20% of total fee Construction Administration is part of the base fee for architectural services. Every architect should provide construction administration as a mandatory service for every client. Architects perform much more work on projects that’s not in the basic scope of services. If it’s not included in your basic services, you should be paid for any additional work you do. Many architects are performing additional services that they aren’t getting paid for and leaving significant amounts of money on the table. One way to keep up with this is to manage your clients’ expectations. If you’re clear about what a project will take and what each piece will cost, your client will be prepared to pay for it. Some additional services provided include master planning, construction management, and more. Coordination of Consulting Have you been on a project when a client says they’re going to take care of some part of the project? Often, you end up consulting or coordinating on their work. If so, you should be paid for those services. Initial Payment Retainer Typically our initial payment is based on 10% of the total fee based on expected construction costs. Upon signing the contract, the client pays that initial 10% and it’s held until the final invoice where it’s 100% refunded as a credit to the invoice. However, Mark is considering making a change because of a post in the EntreArchitect Facebook Group. The point of the initial payment is protection and if a project is cancelled, it’s currently refunded 100%. Recently, Mark had a project that’s dragged on for several years. The firm has been compensated for all the work that’s been done, but, after some time, the project was cancelled. Now, they have to refund the full initial 10% payment? Moving forward, Mark plans to credit a percentage of the initial payment at the end of each phase, instead of the very end. With this model, the balance of the initial payment is non-refundable and transferred to the architect upon termination for costs related to project close out. Strategies for Getting Paid Faster Be consistent by billing on the same day of the month Follow up on your invoices Accept credit cards and electronic payments Always send reimbursement invoices separately from fee invoices Question: Describe your fee structure. What works and what needs improvement? Head over to the EntreArchitect Facebook Group and share your thoughts. Visit our Platform Sponsors NCARB is helping architects reach their goals! Get back on track with the new AXP (Architectural Experience Program) Portfolio by submitting an online portfolio and meeting your state’s requirements to get one step closer to becoming an architect! Visit NCARB.org to learn more today. TruStile is a leader in high end, architectural interior doors that never fail to perform. They’re passionate about providing inspiration and tools to transform your designs with the most authentic and distinctive doors available. Visit them at EntreArchitect.com/Trustile to download the New American Home case study, watch the video and learn more! Freshbooks is the easy way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Learn more at FreshBooks.com. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in this Episode EntreArchitect Profit for Small Firm Architects course (free) EntreArchitect Hybrid Proposal for Architectural Services The post EA159: Compensation Strategies for Small Firm Architects [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Build Your BrandAll AccessContext & Clarity

Getting Noticed Through Fun Projects This week, you can hear the story of two young architects coming together to build their dream. These guys survived the recession by developing a company creating BIM objects for manufacturers, then designing and building tiny houses which led to getting noticed by media. Now, they’re launching their newest projects: a book, a podcast, and an architect-as-developer project. They’re not waiting for permission, they’re just getting it done. This week at EntreArchitect Podcast, Getting Noticed Through Fun Projects with Lance Cayko and Alex Gore of F9 Productions Inc. Origin Story Growing up in North Dakota, Lance always remembers constructing things with legos and drawing in his sketch book. When he was 13, he started working on the family farm and lasted a whole year. After that, he worked with a friend’s dad replacing roofs. While he didn’t take school very seriously, he loved building and wanted to become a contractor. He attended North Dakota State School of Science to earn his associates degree, with a firm understanding of construction. At that point, he actually started to like school and see a path that he could enjoy. At the end of school, they built a house. When looking at the plans, Lance wanted to know why the designer made certain designs. Naturally, he started looking at architecture school, where he landed a bunch of scholarships; he was a good student once he found something he enjoyed learning about. He attended North Dakota State University, where he met Alex. Alex can hardly remember a time that he didn’t want to be an architect. He recalls drawing tons of photos of ants and bees at an early age. Lance & Alex Meet At NDSU, Lance and Alex were in the same class. They met the second year, but didn’t hit it off right away (apparently because of their different tastes in music and hobbies). Eventually, they sat across from each other in one class and got to know each other a little better. In their third year, they had to design a giant airport. Lance and Alex were both leaders of two different teams, and by the end of the project they were so tired of trying to lead such a difficult project, they decided they should try to team up in the future. Finally, one of the most prestigious projects at NDSU was building a sky scraper. Everyone involved had to complete personality tests to get paired so that different personalities were working together, so Lance and Alex rigged the system by answering completely opposite of each other to get on the project together. They teamed up and ended up winning the competition. In fifth year, they had two huge projects to compete on: the thesis award and the Alpha Rho Chi award. Of course, Alex won the Alpha Rho Chi and Lance won the thesis award. After Graduation Since they knew it would be hard to get jobs in 2008, they had a conversation that maybe they would meet back up in 10 years and get to start a firm together. They parted ways, with Lance ending up in Colorado and Alex ending up in New York. In New York, Alex actually watched people walk out of their jobs with boxes of stuff the day the market crashed. He called Lance and they talked about ideas for alternate income. Alex wanted to get his masters in construction management and learn how to build a website to get things started for their team. Around the same time, Lance was laid off and decided he wanted to learn how to build BIM models. Instead of trying to get manufacturers on board on a huge sell during the recession, Lance started to make speculative models. He visited a few websites and started making speculative models in such a big volume, and, through a series of connections, ended up making railings for big manufactures in the US. Through the recession, Lance was able to fall back on his carpentry skills and make a living working on his own. He landed a big house and then a clinic, and Alex decided to move down and team up with him for at least a few months until they saw where it could go. F9 Productions Lance and Alex knew there weren’t going to be huge commissions, but they figured there would be plenty of small projects. Because of that, they changed the model of their company to set it up as a volume-based business to meet that demand. They found that they were getting jobs because they were quick to respond, the most professional, and they over delivered. Although it was a basic thought, most people weren’t doing that. For a couple years, they were able to scrape by doing additions and renovations. Fun Projects Each year, they loved to do fun projects. The parameters were basically something fun that they can both agree on. One year, they created four different houses that could fight against the apocalypse (you can check it out here). Another time, they offered to build a friend a tiny house (see it here). They worked on it for about a year and found a crazy organic following. They had multiple offers to do a show on tiny houses and a ton of momentum grew. Though it was a nightmare to manage the process, they did it and their project went on to be featured on HGTV. They were soon approached by a local company who commissioned them to build two more tiny houses for a Fortune 500 company. The Renaissance Lots of architects discuss what they get paid for. Instead, Lance and Alex have decided to take on more responsibility and risk and use that to eventually get paid more. Now, they work hard to increase their value by taking on increased responsibility. They’d put a backup offer on a piece of land that they ended up being able to purchase, and now they’re starting the whole development process on two buildings with residential town homes and their new offices. Next Steps The fun project this year is to start a new podcast, called Inside the Firm, which will include conversations about past experiences with good and bad stories as well as the journey with their current design project. They’ve also started a Facebook album to share a visual representation of constraints they encounter and how they’ve solved that particular problem. What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business tomorrow? “Be fundamentally responsive. It’s so simple, even when you’re busy, to respond quickly even just to say you’ll get back to them tomorrow. It shows you respect and value that they’re a client or potential client.” – Lance Cayko, F9 Productions “Do something fun that you can put your heart into. If you don’t have the time to do that, there’s so many little ideas you have that you can think about how to put out into the world. Even a website costs almost nothing. So many of the fun ideas we’ve put our effort into have come back to pay off down the road. We all have talents and ideas, so figure out how to put them out into the world.” – Alex Gore, F9 Productions Connect with the Lance and Alex online at F9Productions.com or find him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Visit our Platform Sponsors NCARB is helping architects reach their goals! Get back on track with the new AXP (Architectural Experience Program) Portfolio by submitting an online portfolio and meeting your state’s requirements to get one step closer to becoming an architect! Visit NCARB.org to learn more today. TruStile is a leader in high end, architectural interior doors that never fail to perform. They’re passionate about providing inspiration and tools to transform your designs with the most authentic and distinctive doors available. Visit them at TruStile.com to learn more! Freshbooks is the easy way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Learn more at FreshBooks.com. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in this Episode EntreArchitect Profit for Small Firm Architects course (free) The Creativity Code (Book) The post EA158 (updated): Getting Noticed Through Fun Projects [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Build Your BrandAll AccessContext & Clarity

Modern Architecture and Design for the Masses Throughout the profession, a common theme we hear is how to leverage what we do as architects. How can we leverage what we do for the good of more people? How can we take our unique skills and talents and use them to better serve the entire population? How do we benefit all of society as architects? This week at EntreArchitect Podcast, Modern Architecture and Design for the Masses with Ben Uyeda of HomeMade Modern. Ben’s Origin Story Ben grew up in Southern California and remembers buying a raft out of two liter soda bottles after reading Huckleberry Finn. Design was something he found he was able to do by combining adventure with resourcefulness when there wasn’t access to something or you couldn’t afford to buy it. He attended Cornell University for both undergrad and his Masters, where he quickly learned that architecture is a little bit more than just building cool stuff. He loved the strong subculture within the university that really immersed him in the world of architecture. As he neared graduation, he wondered how he was going to make a living. When he talked to other recent graduates, the picture they painted was slightly less glamorous than what he expected. Though the faculty at the university made it out to be an upscale lifestyle, people a couple years out of college weren’t having the same experience. He then decided to take some risk earlier in his career when the personal risk was lower by learning as much about buildings as possible. Since residential is the most common type of buildings, they put their focus there. In 2005, Ben and his friend, Stephanie, entered a competition to design and build a solar-powered house and came in second out of twenty teams. Mostly importantly, they learned a ton and felt confident that they knew how to design a building. At that point, they were as ready as they could ever be. They knew there was a competitive advantage to being young and inexperienced, so they leveraged what they had: the internet. Though they didn’t have a portfolio, they focused on simple SEO centered around green and sustainable design. They found a strong community that could be focused around sustainable design, but didn’t have a lot of architects doing that. They built their website and worked to convert 1 out of 1000 website visitors. They were very honest with potential clients, letting them know that they didn’t have a lot of experience but that they could promised to work hard and use state-of-the-art tools like Revit. Do you think your early focus on the internet was the big break? Ben wouldn’t consider himself a hugely technological person, but he made a decision not to wait and to jump in feet first. The internet wasn’t some trick, he just knew that it was something he could use to his advantage over those who were older than him and may not have the technological edge. How did you get past the hurdle of not having a license?  When they teamed up for their first big projects, a lot of the contractors had a licensed architect in house. They collaborated with licensed architects as consultants and gave them credit for their parts in the design. Each licensed architect brought their own unique skills to each project, offering yet another advantage. Are there any areas now that young architects can take advantage of now? If you can produce content that’s visually compelling and that people can understand how it fits into context, you can find lots of social media followers. If you can make it something that addresses people’s needs and concerns. Even more, if you can create content that shows people how to do something and that they have to spend money to do, then you start making a profit. You can make interesting things for YouTube, Instagram, or Facebook. Take it deeper than what you already see. If you see a need and can find a unique way to fill it, you can create information that’s behind the renderings that make people loyal to your content feeds. They know you don’t have every answer, but they see that you can provide research value. Do the research, make some diagrams and drawing, educate yourself and others, and people will start to come to you for help.  What does today look like for Ben? Ben is still a partner in the firm, but he doesn’t practice architecture at this time. Around 2007, they were seeing a ton of success with their firm,  Zero Energy Design, but Ben realized that he wasn’t doing what he got into this for: sustainability. Unfortunately, architect designed homes are mostly for the wealthy who can afford the services. Ben realized that it takes just as much time to design an affordable house as it does to design an expensive house, but it doesn’t provide a systemic way to make a real change. He wanted to figure out how to design affordable, energy-efficient homes that didn’t need to charge the consumer for the designs. From there, he and another business partner decided to make house plans with stock construction drawings with energy modeling and give them away for free. How would they make money? They were distributing architecture as a type of media and monetizing it as marketing by pointing clients toward the recommended companies that provided the components to execute the free plans. He wanted to have a major impact on a lot of people, and design things that his family could have afforded when he was a kid. Since he could distribute media and monetize it through marketing, and that the new home construction industry was very cyclical to market whims. He started designing affordable, modern furniture and making YouTube videos out of it, which lead to Homemade Modern. The whole process is a lot faster than traditional architecture, which can span over several years. Here, Ben can have an idea, sketch it out, build it, film the process, make some edits, publish, and receive feedback in a matter of days and in a cost-effective manner. Ben realized that he was influencing and providing architectural design digitally without the difficulties of outsourcing, manufacturing, capital risk, marketing, and more. He has an idea, he makes one version of it and then gives the idea away for others to use.  What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business tomorrow? “Build a piece of furniture, or something where your capital risk of your time and cost of materials is minimal. Architects are really good at this and the public isn’t, so use this as a way to share something that people will love that’s really easy for you to do. Make something you can do in a weekend with less than $100 in materials. Don’t reinvent the wheel, just make something that’s a little cleaner than something else out there. Do an Ikea hack. If you have an iPhone, you can record it. Share something that can make someone’s home nicer that you can do in a weekend, and I guarantee that it’ll have a positive impact on you.” – Ben Uyeda, HomeMade Modern Connect with the Ben online at ZeroEnergy.com and HomeMade-Modern.com or find him on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. Visit our Platform Sponsors NCARB is helping architects reach their goals! Get back on track with the new AXP (Architectural Experience Program) Portfolio by submitting an online portfolio and meeting your state’s requirements to get one step closer to becoming an architect! Visit NCARB.org to learn more today. TruStile is a leader in high end, architectural interior doors that never fail to perform. They’re passionate about providing inspiration and tools to transform your designs with the most authentic and distinctive doors available. Visit them at TruStile.com to learn more! Freshbooks is the easy way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Learn more at FreshBooks.com. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in this Episode EntreArchitect Profit for Small Firm Architects course (free) Ben’s TedX Talk: Why I Give My Best Designs Away for Free The post EA157: Modern Architecture and Design for the Masses with Architect Ben Uyeda [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Build Your BrandAll AccessContext & Clarity

The Architect Specialist This week on the podcast we have an architect pursuing his dreams, following his passions, serving a market outside the traditional design studio business model and building a successful company. This week at EntreArchitect Podcast, The Architect Specialist with Alan Stein of Tanglewood Conservatories. Alan’s Origin Story As a kid, Alan always loved building things in his dad’s workshop out of anything he could think of. He loved to draw after being enrolled in some anatomical drawing classes; the idea of bringing life to something on a page was fascinating to him. Much later in life, he did a lot of wood working, home construction and cabinet making. He recognized that his skill as a craftsman was lacking the design side. He went through the architecture program at the University of Maryland and graduated with a degree as an architect. Because he loved making things himself, he didn’t love the traditional architecture path. After working with a design-build firm, he launched into his own design-build practice for some time. One day, a client showed him a picture of an English style conservatory and asked if he could build it. Alan said, “Sure!” Once they had the job, they hopped on a flight to England to do some research and then completed the project successfully. Following that, they had the same request from a different client. They quickly recognized a market niche and rebranded to go full fledged toward conservatories. In the beginning, they began by buying parts and pieces from manufacturers, and now they’ve integrated the company to a place where they do the design, engineering, installation, and more for projects all over the world. How does your process work? Most of the time, an architect or client approaches Tanglewood Conservatories with an idea. Their design department takes the concept and applies their specialized knowledge. Either the designer has conceived something that’s complicated and unbuildable, creating the difficult task of keeping the concept and making it doable, or architects don’t realize the full capacity of options they have, giving Tanglewood the collaborative process of showing them the different routes they can go from a simple design. Usually they go from conceptional design to design development as a precursor to construction and manufacturing documents. Once everyone’s in agreement with the design concept and costs, then they can move forward. Who’s your typical client? Most of the time architects are clients. The owner calls an architect to build a new house or do a renovation, but Alan’s team is brought in to do the conservatory aspect. What inspired you to start a company specifically focused on a target market? The more Alan got to know the rooms and the more research he did on conservatories, the more he fell in love with the concepts. They were the coolest spaces around with tons of glass in the roof and the expressive structure; he loved the fact that one can grow an orange tree in the middle of winter. There’s a wonderful history that he got to know and he fell in love with it. His specific focus and love for the concept allowed him to become an expert in the field.  What were some of the biggest barriers you encountered? Conservatories were not well-known on this side of the pond, so it was a young market at the time. As they found a measure of success, the competition from the UK became very fierce; at one point they were competing against a handful of companies that were all trying to sell their product to a limited market in the US.  Many of those companies no longer exist, which is a true testament to the work that Alan and his team are doing. Tanglewood Conservatories has always been willing to think outside of the box. Although there’s a typical conservatory image, they began to push the envelope there by working more with steel structures in wood rooms or doing interesting work with copper or bronze, always looking for things that were more unique. One project they completed was a greenhouse outside of Boston, using some techniques that had never been used before. The client wanted references for similar projects, and Alan had to let him know that he wasn’t able to because that was the first time they were creating that type of project. Though many of their ideas are innovative, they’ve developed the awareness and the systems to allow them to successfully pursue new technologies and design features and be able to consistently pull them off successfully. Do you think some of your success was the result of you being an architect first? Because Alan was focused on design first, his architecture background has driven a lot of success. It’s also differentiated his team in the market between companies who are in manufacturing more than the foundation of design. There have been times they’ve sacrificed potential profitability for the sake of design. Was there a turning point going from a startup to a successful company? There wasn’t one specific point, but rather a gradual path. As they’ve developed the steel side of the business, a lot of small steps have made the journey possible. What does your team look like? There are 30 people in house and many outsourced partners. There’s a drafting and engineering staff, two other designers, a production team and outsourced help for installation and production of parts along with the administrative side of the business. What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business tomorrow? “Bring in experts early. Don’t think you can do everything yourself. The world has changed; building and business are much more complicated. On the technical side or or the business side, bring in someone who can help push things forward, reach out and get the help that you need early. By yourself, you have limited capabilities. If you want to grow a successful business, you have to bring in a lot of people with a lot of experience to help you.” – Alan Stein, Tanglewood Conservatories Connect with the Alan online at TanglewoodConservatories.com or find him on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Visit our Platform Sponsors NCARB is helping architects reach their goals! Get back on track with the new AXP (Architectural Experience Program) Portfolio by submitting an online portfolio and meeting your state’s requirements to get one step closer to becoming an architect! Visit NCARB.org to learn more today. TruStile is a leader in high end, architectural interior doors that never fail to perform. They’re passionate about providing inspiration and tools to transform your designs with the most authentic and distinctive doors available. Visit them at TruStile.com to learn more! Freshbooks is the easy way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Learn more at FreshBooks.com. Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in this Episode EntreArchitect Profit for Small Firm Architects course (free)   The post EA156: The Architect Specialist with Alan Stein [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Context & ClarityAll AccessBuild Your Brand

Developing Specifications for Small Projects How do you put together specifications for your projects as a small firm architect? Do you put them on drawings? Do you use a separate project manual? Should you use outline specifications? What are the different options for small firm architects putting together construction documents for a small project? Is there anything out there to make this process easier? This week at EntreArchitect Podcast, Bill Jannott from ARCAT.com discusses Developing Specifications for Small Projects and the Future of Technology! Bill’s Origin Story When Bill was growing up, his dad was running Sweets catalogs publishing building and construction materials. Following that, he created the Architect’s Catalog in 1991 with just a few sales reps. One thing led to another, and Bill ended up taking a position with ARCAT.com, then a small website with only 13 pages. Aside from the home page, there were 12 pages of specifications that architects could access and use in their projects. Through a series of developments taking short, concise specs and adding a user interface around them, they created a program where someone could spec out an entire project in about 4 minutes. Why is ARCAT a free resource and how do you make money? They make money because every manufacturer pays to have their content on the website. Historically, architects don’t want to spend money on stuff like this and, if they are being charged, they’re not likely to keep up with the latest version. What’s the difference between outline specifications and short form? Short form is a smaller, 3-part spec. The outline is mostly where you define the product and its attributes and characteristics. What’s included in a typical outline specification that could become the document for a project? For example, in a residential project you may need several different kinds of paint: exterior, interior, and maybe a stain for the deck. The outline spec will have three parts, one for each product. You may or may not want to assign manufacturers, but the option is there. What’s the advantage to having specifications? If you don’t, the quality of your project will not be as high as you want because you won’t get the products and manufacturers that you want to use. If something goes wrong, a lot of finger pointing tends to happen. If you know your manufacturer and the quality of their project, you’re not going to get a call from the homeowner down the road that something isn’t holding up. If you have high quality materials specified in your plans and someone decides to go with a different material, you have a legally binding document to protect you. What’s in the future for architecture and specifications? Spec writers seem to be a dying breed, which is a shame as it’s such an important part of the process. ARCAT is updating their version of outline specs, and part of the new system is something along the lines of Trello where users have the ability to create new tasks, invite team members to be a part of projects, kick around ideas, add photos, and more. How do you see virtual reality changing the way architects design? Bill feels that virtual reality will completely change how architects work through the initial concepts of design. Right now, we start with pencil, pen and paper. The only negative of that, is the great sketch you’ve made is 2D. Virtual reality allows for the same process, in 3D. Where sometimes software can get in the way of creativity, the option to create a sketch in virtual reality doesn’t get in of your way but allows you to express your creativity without barriers.  What else is coming toward the architecture world in the future? The goal of technology advances like virtual reality is to create ways for things to be done more efficiently and effectively. Things like artificial intelligence and virtual reality both have the possibility to change every industry, including the architecture industry, for the better. Machine learning is able to do tedious and mundane tasks quickly, allowing the human to think more creatively. As an architect, imagine if you take the information from your clients and your sketches and the information you have and throw it all in a box. If that box can take the information in and spit out a digital set of documents, how much easier would your job be? How much more free would you be to figure out more creative, human pieces that make each project unique? What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business tomorrow? “Listen to podcasts. There’s a bunch of good architectural  small business, and “how to make yourself a more performant person” podcasts out there. Podcasts are very niche, you won’t find the same information on the radio or on TV. Every podcast I listen to serves my interests and my needs. They’ll enlighten you in so many ways, expand your thinking, and make you a better architect and person.” – Bill Jannott Connect with the Bill online at ARCAT.com or find them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. Visit our Platform Sponsors NCARB is helping architects reach their goals! Visit NCARB.org to learn more today. TruStile is a leader in high end, architectural interior doors. Visit them at TruStile.com to learn more! Freshbooks is the easy way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Learn more at FreshBooks.com.  Access Your 30-Day Free Trial at FreshBooks.com/architect (Enter EntreArchitect) Referenced in this Episode EntreArchitect Profit Plan Course (free) EntreArchitect Podcast Episode 127: 6 Technologies That Will Radically Change the Architecture Profession in Less Than 10 Years (Podcast) Photo Credit: Shutterstock / NicoElNino   The post EA155: Developing Specifications for Small Projects [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:All AccessContext & ClarityBuild Your Brand