Business of Architecture Podcast

Yesterday I took my kids to their swim meet. It was cool outside with a nice breeze blowing. I stood in the stands so I could watch my kids swim and record their times. In my down time, I was scrolling through Instagram and I came across a post by one of my business mentors who recommended 3 books, The Ultimate Blueprint for an Insanely Successful Business by Keith Cunningham, and How Finance Works and The Wisdom of Finance by Mihir Desai. I pulled out my Android phone and whipped up Google Keep so I could write these books down and read them later. But when I tried writing in my Google Keep note app, nothing happened. I tried pressing enter to go to a new line and it was like my on-screen keyboard wasn't working. I tried typing some letters … nothing appeared. I got frustrated. "Damn you Google!" I tried again, nothing. I thought of what could be the matter. Perhaps it was my phone. Damn Google phone. I restarted my phone and tried the app again. It still didn't work. I thought, "I guess it's time to buy a new phone." And then it dawned on me. Google Keep has a character limit for notes, and I had reached the character limit for this particular note I was taking. Here I was, ready to throw my phone to the curb, when I was mistaken about the root of my problem. I was on a wild goose chase fixing something that wasn't broken. So here's today's parable – where in your architecture firm are you experiencing a symptom, and you haven't identified the root cause? For instance, maybe clients are complaining about the level of your fees. What does this mean? Does it mean that you're charging too much? Should you lower your fees to be more competitive? It could mean that you're in the wrong market – all the clients are cost focused. Or it could mean that you aren't explaining your value well. Or it could mean that you aren't doing enough activities to generate inquiries and interest in your firm. All of these are problems, but they all have different solutions. Do you see the problem here? If you blindly try to fix the symptom without correctly identifying the underlying problem, you're doomed to waste time and money. Let's take our previous example – say clients frequently question your fees or you get undercut by other firms. You assume that clients don't see the value of what you offer because your website isn't nice enough. So you spend $20k on a new website. But nothing changes. You still lose projects because you are "too expensive" even though you now have a sexy website. Accurately diagnosing the underlying cause of a symptom is key to growing in your business and personal life. So my question for you today is: where in your firm is something happening that you want to avoid, but you haven't identified the underlying root cause of this problem?

Yesterday I spoke with the partners of a design-focused architecture firm that does commercial, hospitality and residential projects. They reached out to me because their fees are very competitive, but they sometimes get undercut by 40% or more. Many times the clients come back to them with their tail between their legs after these projects go off track – but not always. This is frustrating for these firm owners who feel like they're doing everything right, but still struggling. Let's face it – both you and I know if a client pays 40% less they aren't getting the same level of professional service. It's like getting heart surgery – would you go to the cheapest surgeon? "Excuse me doctor, that seems a bit on the high side. Is there any way you can bring that fee down? There's a doctor operating behind a local bar, and he charges a fraction of that." "Perhaps there are less expensive sutures? Is all of this equipment really necessary? My brother-in-law says this should cost much less." "What if we do this at my house instead of the operating room? My son can hold the flashlight while you work." "That would save a lot of money, right?" This seems ridiculous when we think about it in a medical context, yet this is the trap that some clients get caught in – they focus on the short term impact of the design fees instead of considering the long-term value of investing in design up-front. So instead they play the game of chasing change orders and the project ends up costing more than it would have if the client had simply invested in doing the project correctly the first time. If you've ever been frustrated by other firms undercutting your fees, then watch the video up above and let me know what you think. If you want help getting out of the fee race to the bottom, you may be a fit for my DREAM Practice Accelerator program. Click here to watch a 60-minute training on how to create your DREAM Practice or click here to see program reviews.

The other day I was walking around my neighborhood and I found a stray golf ball on my lawn. This reminded me of an important principle if you want to have it all in business and life. Listen to this episode and let me know what you think!

Many architects are sitting on uncovered profit within their firm. In this episode, podcast host Alex Gore interviews Enoch Sears about key profit levers small firm owners can use to boost bottom line revenue without getting more clients or working more hours. ► 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!

Poop in the toilet (business lesson on inspecting what you expect). Recently one of our toilets in the house went out of commission. This reminded me of an important business lesson for any firm owner. Listen and let me know what you think.

Why don't potential clients come running to my firm? If you're delivering exceptional service and value to your clients, you may wonder why clients don't come running to your firm? Why don't more people refer you? There is one key to successful client attraction and business development that we cover in this episode. This is the foundation to growing a successful practice in the future.

Today we welcome Ignacio Rodriguez to the show. Ignacio Rodriguez runs an architecture firm based in Los Angeles, California that specializes in luxury residential homes of $15,000 square feet and more. On today's episode you'll discover the clever way that Ignacio and his wife started their residential design firm, and how they grew it over the course of 6 years to win larger commissions. ► 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!

Today we welcome Dean Lincoln Hyers to the show. Dean helps architecture firms win commissions through interview and presentation coaching to help them communicate their value and win the deal. He and his partner are the authors of the book, "Winning AEC Interviews." The deals they've been involved in have resulted in over $4.5 billion in project wins, including the USBANK stadium, where the 2018 Super Bowl was held. On today's episode you'll discover Dean's top 3 tips for winning your next project presentation. ► 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!

Today we welcome architect Leah Baker to the show. Leah is the founder of Graphite, an online service that pairs pre-selected architects with clients looking to hire an architect. On today's episode you'll discover how Leah started her entrepreneurial journey, and what it has taken to get her to the point she's at. You'll also discover her recommendation if you have a big idea. ► 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!

Today we welcome Mel Price and Christopher Toddy to the show. Christopher Toddy is the current chair of AIA's Small Firm Exchange committee, and Mel Price is a past chair. On today's episode you'll hear about the 2 workshops that we are partnering to deliver at the AIA National Conference this year in Las Vegas. ► 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/ Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/enochsears 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!