EntreArchitect Podcast with Mark R. LePage

Lessons Learned from Investing in 15 Architecture Firms Today is the FINAL day to enroll for the EntreArchitect Mastermind for resources, training, and a powerful peer group that will help you accomplish your most ambitious goals. Learn more at EntreArchitect.com/mastermind. One of the most surprising things about small architecture firms is how similar we all are. We’re all struggling with the same issues and trying to contribute to the world the best that we can. Charrette Venture Group invests in small firms, partnering with us to address the issues we face and helping us to plan for success. This week at EntreArchitect Podcast, Lessons Learned from Investing in 15 Architecture Firms with Todd Reding of Charrette Venture Group. Background Todd Reding is the President and CEO of Charrette Venture Group. Todd has been a guest of the podcast on EA103: 3 Roadblocks Experienced by Every Entrepreneur Architect and What To Do About It [Podcast] and EA151: How to Grow Your Architecture Firm [Podcast]. Charrette Venture Group (CVG) is a firm that provides a wholistic approach to building a business; they provide services from management, leadership, finance, marketing, business development, and more to architecture firms who are seeking to build a strong business in the design space. CVG’s mission is to be the best company in the world to help small architecture firms become stronger and more profitable businesses. Their eleven-member team is all based virtually, ranging from Mexico City to London. They work with small firms on every aspect of their businesses except the actual design work. Todd’s background is in the entrepreneurial world. With an MBA from Northwestern University, he’s has been involved in starting and running businesses throughout his whole career. What’s the biggest experience you’ve gained working with small firms? The most surprising thing as Todd has learned more about this space is the depth of the relationships with each firm. The CVG team cares deeply about each investment partner, and truly gets invested across a long period of time. All 15 firms have a very close, trusting relationship. Interactions at times are very honest and direct, sometimes telling firms what they don’t want to hear. The firms CVG partners with are totally trusting and focused on growing their firms and earning a profit so they can do the design work that they’re passionate about. Is this investment an equity deal? CVG is paid a percentage of the architecture firm’s revenue instead of an equity stake. They look at the board and figure out how they can increase the revenue of the firms that they’re partnering with. What tips do you have for those trudging through finding good client fits for their firms? Check out High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become That Way by Brendon Burchard. It can be a little sale-sy, but there are some great lessons in the book. One of them is the clarity of focus and creating a clear idea of what you want to accomplish. Among all the firms CVG has worked with, that’s been the greatest challenge. Architects are great at focusing on details, but, when you’re running a business, you have to make sure you’re focusing on the right details. CVG helps firms have a clear understanding of what they do and don’t need to focus on. Do many firms have a business plan in place when you first meet them? Most firms have put little to no effort into planning out their business. Sometimes they have budgets or revenue plans, but they aren’t sure where it fits into market segment, project types, and more. Operationally, how are you structuring your budget so your marketing and business development dollars are allocated by each market type and segment to achieve your goals? CVG works to understand the efficiencies of the firms. Your revenues can be up, but profits are down. Why is that? Are you making sure that everyone in your firm understands the budget and allocated hours for each project? What’s expected at each phase of the project? What is the Architecture Business Plan Competition? The Fourth Annual Business Plan Competition encourages small firms to put together and submit their business plans. CVG wants small firms to spend time creating high quality business plans. Registration asks a few simple questions, such as: What’s the vision for your business? What are your projected revenues for 2018? The goal is to ask specific questions about where your business is headed. Then, four jurors review submissions and select 15 semifinalists. The semifinalists will each be interviewed about their plan and the lifecycle of their business, as well as receive feedback from the jurors. From those 15, there will be 5 finalists who present their plan on a video conference and pitch their full business plan. The jurors will select 1 winner, who is awarded over $5,000 in cash and prizes, including round trip airfare and hotel in New York City during the 2018 AIA Conference on Architecture. Anyone who currently owns or plans to start an architecture firm within the next year. You must have a listened architect on your team and be located within the US or Canada. Registration is free and all submissions are confidential. Deadline for registration is March 26, 2018. For more information and to register, click HERE. What do you have going on for AIA 2018? CVG is currently working on a space near the that’s exclusive to small firms. EntreArchitect will have a presence there, and the entire CVG team will be in New York for AIA 2018 with programs that are appealing to small firms. Come connect with other small firms and create community. Stay tuned for more information!   Connect with Todd online by visiting Charrette Venture Group online, or by connecting on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. 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) Core by BQE Software is a brand new software 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. Want to collaborate with colleagues in real time? Visit EntreArchitect.com/ARCAT and click Charrette for more information. Gusto is making payroll, benefits, and HR easy for small firm architects. Get an exclusive, limited time detail. Sign up today and get three months free.  Visit EntreArchitect.com/Gusto and claim your free three months today! Referenced in this Episode Download the Profit For Small Firm Architects course for FREE. Leave a Rating and Review at iTunes   The post EA210: Lessons Learned from Investing in 15 Architecture Firms with Todd Reding of Charrette Venture Group [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpBuild Smart

How to Become an Influential Speaker Whether you’re proposing a project to a new client or presenting to a powerful decision making authority or spreading a message to the world one stage at a time, your voice and how you use it will be the difference between falling flat and persuading your audience to see it your way. Do you want to make a difference? Use your voice to change the world around you. This week at EntreArchitect Podcast, How to Become an Influential Speaker with Dr. Michelle Mazur of Communication Rebel. Background Dr. Michelle Mazer founded Communication Rebel on the belief that communication changes the world. She helps speakers rebel against the status quo and make a difference by crafting their message, create their positioning and decide on pricing. Her speakers have gone on to book $100K speaking gigs, become international speakers, and raise more money than they ever expected. Origin Story Michelle figured out that she was passionate about public speaking in 10th grade during her required course. At the time, she was shy and quiet. She white knuckled her way through the first terrifying, awful speech, but there was a voice in her head that told her she could master it. She took more speaking classes and ended up joining the speech and debate team. She got her butt kicked every Saturday for a long time, but she began to cut her teeth, get feedback, and try different things. Eventually, things began to click. She got a PhD in communication and was a professor for five years. Eventually, a friend convinced her to share her gift of communication with the world. Now, her job is to help empower others to find the right words so that their message spreads and impacts those it was meant for. How did your clients find you? Some people come to Michelle after they’ve dabbled in speaking and aren’t afraid of getting on stage. They know they have something important to share and that it’s valuable, but it’s not coming across like they want it to. Now, they’re ready to up level what they’re doing. Are you an introvert or extravert? Michelle is an ambivert, which means she straddles the line. She can be very gregarious and outgoing, but she also needs a lot of time to rest and recharge. When she speaks, she plans time afterward to recharge after she drains her energy. What tips do you have for introverts who want to sell their message? One of the big strengths introverts can focus on is that when you’re a speaker, you get to control the conversation. There are a lot of speakers who are introverts and love being on the stage. In some ways, it’s like you’re having an in-depth conversation with one person. Introverts also think so deeply about the audience and think about what they need, their reactions, and how they’ll take action on your message. Those thoughts become your fuel to get onto a stage and share your message. What are some things that someone who wants to speak well can prepare? The first step is to step away from PowerPoint or KeyNote. Some of the first moves should be the pre-work of figuring out why your audience is coming to the speech, what problems do they have, what do they believe about your message? Then, move to the core message of your speech – the three word rebellion – where you’ll get people to take action. Figure out what conversations you need to have to move your audience from their pain point to your rebellion – your movement – that you’re wanting to create. From there, it’s about structuring your message. What are your thoughts on text on slides, if you use them? Michelle feels that if you’re reading your slides, the slides are replacing you as a speaker and you’re hiding out. Slides are the most impactful and effecive when they support and reinforce your message. Minimal text, maximum photos to reinforce your idea. What’s the best way to structure your message and presentation so you remember what to say when you’re supposed to say it? Presentations have information buckets. Michelle’s clients use a three part structure: when you make a point, you support that point with a story/statistics/research/case study, then have a take away from that point. The great thing about that is that you always know what’s coming next. Point you want to make Story that supports your point Take away If anyone is ready to take their speaking to the next level, how can they do that?  The first thing Michelle tells clients is that even if you’re not getting paid yet, have your pricing structure in mind. If you don’t set the intention off the bat, you’re going to get caught in the cycle of free speaking forever. Start deciding that you’re going to say no to free speaking and you’re going to get paid. It’s hard, but trust that you have a great message, and that’s the product that you’re selling. If you have a good message and you’re speaking at an event, you should find value in your work. When you first start charging, how do you set your price? One of the things Michelle does with clients is taking them through the process to understand the education, experience, and accomplishments to bring them to the place where they’re an expert on their subject. Once you see that, you know you’re bringing value. Why does an organization want your speech? What results will your information get them? During negotiation, do a deep dive into the organization; figure out what you can bring to them and what their challenges are. After that, throw out your top number and negotiate from there. At the end of the day, this is your business. Treat it that way. How can  you be a better communicator in general? One of the big things is to focus yourself on your audience. Instead of getting focused on the how and what, figure out what your clients need from the presentation. Then, know the next step after the presentation. If you’re pitching a client, is the next step to have another meeting or sign a contract? Each time you do this, you get better and better! What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business tomorrow? “Get really clear on what the people you’re presenting to or pitching want. What do they need to hear? How can you take them on the journey from being unsure of hiring you to feeling like you’ve nailed their vision for their space. Be more focused on them than selling the project, and people will feel deeply seen, heard, and connected to you.”  – Dr. Michelle Mazur Connect with Michelle and learn about Communication Rebel at DrMichelleMazur.com, or find her on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. 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) Core by BQE Software is a brand new software 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. Want to collaborate with colleagues in real time? Visit EntreArchitect.com/ARCAT and click Charrette for more information. Gusto is making payroll, benefits, and HR easy for small firm architects. Get an exclusive, limited time detail. Sign up today and get three months free.  Visit EntreArchitect.com/Gusto and claim your free three months today! Referenced in this Episode Download the Profit For Small Firm Architects course for FREE. Leave a Rating and Review at iTunes   The post EA209: How to Become an Influential Speaker with Dr. Michelle Mazur [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpBuild Smart

How to Build a Million Dollar Small Firm Using a Remote Team The future of architecture for small firms is the remote team. Using technology and online tools to acquire new clients, manage projects, and work with a team of top professionals distributed around the world, the virtual studio along with a remote team will allow you the flexiblity, freedom, prosperity and success that many of us are seeking as small firm architects. This week on EntreArchitect Podcast, How to Build a Million Dollar Small Firm Using a Remote Team with Winn Wittman of SelfBuiltArchitect.com.  Background Winn Wittman is a contemporary residential architect based in Austin, Texas. His work has been featured in various publications including Architectural Record, Architectural Digest, The Rob Report, Green Building & Design, Hinge, The Discovery Network, and HGTV. He has a BA from Tufts and a Master of Architecture from the University of Texas in Austin. He’s received numerous awards, including best green innovation for his Wittman Panel Designs. He’s also the founder of Self Built Architect, an online community and educational program where Winn shares his knowledge about leveraging technology and using online tools to create personal freedom, prosperity, professional excellence and more. Origin Story Winn’s love for architecture started in his mother’s basement where he woodworked as a kid. From that came a love of art and architecture. As a liberal arts major, he bounced around before discovering art history and falling in love with architecture. A professor suggested that he go to Austin, Texas. Several years later, the recession happened. Winn began to buy homes and fix them up when he discovered an old office building. Him and his ragtag team ran wires, ran equipment, and finished the building. A luxury jet designer then bought the building from him, earning him his first million dollars. After that, going to work for a firm was unappealing. He began developing and building unusual homes that realtors would tell him he had no chance of selling. Surprisingly, he always found a buyer. When the next recession hit, Winn had a trendy office and a bunch of employees. He noticed his expenses were eating up all of his profits. By 2010, all of his work had dried up, he had to let people go and get rid of his office. It was time to do things in a different way. As he began to realize the tools that had recently become available allowing people to work anywhere with an internet connection, he started to do his research. Slowly but surely, he began to build a virtual firm. He had a reputation for high end residential work and needed to figure out how to maintain the same high touch approach to architecture that he had before. He didn’t want the client experience to suffer at all as a result of his remote work. How did you start your remote firm? First, Winn realized he needed a luxury conference room to meet clients in. He rented an apartment in a luxury high rise that a resident could reserve a conference room in. He also sought out other conference rooms he could utilize in a pinch. Now, there are plenty of places that have conference rooms for rent. Many of his tools were the same, but he found them through different channels. Both the internet and GoToMeeting helped him become a laptop architect. When he wasn’t meeting clients, he could work completely remotely. He prepared his clients to know that he was not only very busy, but that he worked in different states. With the technology today, he still has a robust practice with a high degree of client services. His day is now freed up to work on whatever he wants instead of managing a business and office. Have you ever experienced pushback from clients? Only when Winn hasn’t properly prepared them. One client came with him on the transition, and wasn’t prepared for the new expectations. Do you think this is a model that someone can come at from scratch without having established a business before? If anything, there’s less expectation if you’re starting a new business. Young architects and their clients are so receptive to using new technology. The next generation realizes that life is more important than work, and technology is just another part of life. When you have a potential new client, how do they first interact with you? First, they get a live human being answering the phone instead of a voicemail. It sounds just the same as calling an architect’s office. The service Winn uses texts him right away so that he can connect with them to set up an appointment. Until you sign up a client, the purpose of every meeting is to have another meeting. Winn doesn’t send proposals and doesn’t charge for an initial visit. Winn then meets them at their property or a conference room and gathers information. After the initial meeting, he sets a second appointment on the road to figuring out what their dream is and if/how Winn can help them achieve that dream. How do you qualify leads? Winn gets between 2-10 inquires per day from new potential clients. Once they get to his website, they see the vision blueprint which allows them to answer key questions so he knows right away where they are in the process and what their dreams are. If it doesn’t seem like a good fit right off the bat, Winn refers them to someone who may be a better fit for them. Who answers the phone? Winn uses a company called Ruby Receptionist that screens calls and patches them through to the right person. They know everything about the business and function as an in-person front door for his firm. How do you manage each project? Winn starts by sketching on his iPad, snapping a picture, and texting it to a subcontractor for SketchUp. He only works with people who are extremely proficient at SketchUp. They hop on a video call to review. Then, he sets up meetings in person at least every two weeks and on the alternate weeks, he meets with them online. Why are your employees’ proficiency so important?  The world is your oyster when you work remotely, so there’s no reason not to find the most proficient person in the industry when your pool is so big. What’s your role in the process and how to you structure things? There’s not a fixed way of doing things, it depends on the task and the project. It’s important to know where your skills lie and to delegate to other areas where it doesn’t to capable, highly compensated people. Winn doesn’t charge or pay for hours, he charges and pays for outcomes. What are your favorite tools for remote work? Ruby Receptionist SketchUp Slack Asana Zelle QuickPay Dropbox iPad Pro More than anything, Winn likes to keep it simple. They use cloud based document sharing to keep track of where they are with each project and what the next step is, potential clients, and financials. Instead of chasing clients for payment, he sets up expectations clearly by making payment due by the next meeting. Do you have any systems in place that help you with creative collaboration? In remote working sessions, they often discover serendipitous things because of the process. Collaborative work is a conscious process. Remote work allows this to happen outside of the office; schedule brunch, find a time to connect over a weekend or a trip, etc. What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business tomorrow? “Start going to places where you’ll meet people of influence who may want to build the types of homes that you want to design. There’s only two things that can change your life: meeting a new person and gaining a new piece of information. Be receptive to meeting new people.”  – Winn Wittman For EntreArchitect listeners exclusively, check it Winn’s free gift at SelfBuiltArchitect.com/Entre. If you’re interested in exploring the idea of 1:1 coaching, Winn has some packages available on SelfBuiltArchitect.com. Connect with Winn online at SelfBuiltArchitect.com and WinnWittman.com, or find him on Facebook and YouTube. 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) Core by BQE Software is a brand new software 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. Want to collaborate with colleagues in real time? Visit EntreArchitect.com/ARCAT and click Charrette for more information. Gusto is making payroll, benefits, and HR easy for small firm architects. Get an exclusive, limited time detail. Sign up today and get three months free.  Visit EntreArchitect.com/Gusto and claim your free three months today! Referenced in this Episode Download the Profit For Small Firm Architects course for FREE. Leave a Rating and Review at iTunes   The post EA208: How to Build a Million Dollar Small Firm Using a Remote Team [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpBuild Smart

5 Steps to Unleash the Significant Power of Sleep Of our many skills, sleep may be the weakest. We know it’s important, and that it has a direct effect on our heath, well being, and overall success. Yet night after night we break the rules. This week on EntreArchitect, 5 Steps to Unleash the Significant Power of Sleep. A few years back, Mark began experiencing some significant health issues. After many tests, it was determined that his issues were a direct result of high levels of stress. Architects are stressed. The lifestyle that we lead often causes lots of problems. Mark has implemented a number of more healthful practices, one of the most important of which is sleep. He’s achieved significant improvement and felt the benefits, but he still has a way to go. In architecture school, late nights and even all-nighters are looked upon with honor like they’re something good. If you’ve ever done this, you know the effects on your mind and body. The effects can even reach to the dangerous side. As a profession, we need to make a change to look at sleep differently. Studies show that efficient sleep patterns allow us to accomplish things more effectively and be more creative, productive, and successful. What should we do as entrepreneur architects to improve our sleep habits? 5 Steps to Unleash the Significant Power of Sleep 1. Schedule Your Sleep Set a consistent sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up at the same time each day. Plan to sleep between 7 and 9 hours each night. Bonus tip: Find something pleasant to wake you up rather than the negativity of the news or a loud alarm clock 2. Practice a Relaxing Bedtime Ritual Turn off the technology and find something else that helps you wind down. Avoid all electronic screens, including your phone, TV and computer, which emit blue light stimulating your brain to stay awake. Read a book, listen to soft music, or maybe try out meditation! 3. Watch What You Eat Caffeine is one of the biggest challenges when trying to sleep better. It’s processed in our bodies up to 6-8 hours after that last cup of coffee! The best sleep routines start around 1 or 2 PM. Also try to avoid large meals and sweet snacks that keep your body up trying to digest when you’re trying to sleep. 4. Exercise Studies show that people sleep better and feel more alert during the day by getting 150 minutes of exercise each week. The better you feel, the better you sleep. 5. Design Your Sleep Environment Create a bedroom that helps you sleep. The environment that you’re trying to sleep in is important, including the temperature, lights, the sheets, and more. Your temperature should be set between 60-67 degrees for optimal sleep. Keep away from distracting noise and lights. Allow full exposure to natural sunlight first thing in the morning to reset your brain for a successful day ahead. Follow these five steps and sleep better! 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) Core by BQE Software is a brand new software 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. Want to collaborate with colleagues in real time? Visit EntreArchitect.com/ARCAT and click Charrette for more information. Gusto is making payroll, benefits, and HR easy for small firm architects. Get an exclusive, limited time detail. Sign up today and get three months free.  Visit EntreArchitect.com/Gusto and claim your free three months today! Referenced in this Episode Download the Profit For Small Firm Architects course for FREE. Leave a Rating and Review at iTunes EntreArchitect Live: New York 2018! For more information and to register, visit EntreArchitect.com/NewYork. The post EA207: 5 Steps to Unleash the Significant Power of Sleep [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Build SmartFrosty & Fired Up

Business by Design: Organize Your Business Beautifully Using 6 Proven Principles of Design Vision, mission, goals, hiring, culture, business systems, planning. These are all critical elements of success. Do you want to organize all of these into a successful business plan? Can you use the creative side of your brain to see your firm from a different perspective? This week on EntreArchitect, Business by Design: Organize Your Business Beautifully Using 6 Proven Principles of Design. Jane Walton is a published author, a public speaker and a trained executive coach with a masters degree in Human Resources Management training and development. She’s developed and facilitated numerous programs focused on leadership, team effectiveness and management specific to architecture firms. You can hear her entire origin story on EA088: How to Avoid Burnout as an Architect with Jane Walton [Podcast]. Taking inspiration from the art world, Jane will discuss how to design your firm beautifully by utilizing the basic principles of design organization: focal point, contrast, scale, unity, movement and rhythm. Designing your firm is the perfect balance of vision, partnership, and execution.  How can architects solve some of the issues they’re dealing with? First, figure out the focal point. For architects, they really need to think that through. They may want to do healthcare or civic residential, but take time to think through that. Is your firm doing what you say you want to be doing? Some firms say they’re on the cutting edge of technology, but if you want to be in that space you have to invest properly to get the level of talent to be able to do that. For what it’s going to take to reach your goals, is that where you want to be? Be clear and intentional about where you want to be. Next, go back and look at the contrast: What are your clients expectations? What is the market like? What are industry conditions that will support or not support your focal point? Once you have your focal point, what do you do? Test it and figure out if the clients understand what you’re trying to do. Is your focal point something that people are going to be excited about?  Figure out what’s going on with the competition and how you compare to that. How do you build an organization around your focal point? Once you know who you are and what you are, what you want to do and how you want to do it, then you can build a team around those concepts. Sometimes you get to the point where you have to consider what your life will be like if you have 20 employees and decide if that’s really what you want for your focal point. For some people, it’s better to stay a sole practitioner and accept the realities of what that type of business entails. How can you create unity in your firm? Unity is the elements have have a logical relationship to the progression and results. For example, finding a project, concept, to design to execution, the unity piece needs to be understood. What does communication look like? What is your pace? What expectations do you have? Learn from companies like Zappos and Southwest who hire the right people from the start and are clear about their culture and expectations to create the best teams. How can you find your rhythm? Rhythm is recognizing that we have the work to do, but asking what other things we need to have in place. Are there monthly meetings to course correct if needed? How can you continually execute your marketing plans? What do you need to do to keep interest and keep growing? For architects, rhythm is getting out there and connecting with old and new potential clients. Get involved in continuing education programs and events that allow you networking opportunities. What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business tomorrow? “Become a masterful influencer and be able to educate and inform companies that are calling on you to help them understand the value of design and what it can do for businesses and individuals.”  – Jane Walton Learn more about Business by Design and connect with Jane online at JaneWaltonConsulting.com. 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) Core by BQE Software is a brand new software 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. Want to collaborate with colleagues in real time? Visit EntreArchitect.com/ARCAT and click Charrette for more information. Gusto is making payroll, benefits, and HR easy for small firm architects. Get an exclusive, limited time detail. Sign up today and get three months free.  Visit EntreArchitect.com/Gusto and claim your free three months today! Referenced in this Episode Download the Profit For Small Firm Architects course for FREE. Leave a Rating and Review at iTunes Building a Story Brand   The post EA206: Organize Your Business Beautifully Using 6 Proven Principles of Design [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpBuild Smart

How to Develop a Powerful Owner Architect Agreement for Your Architecture Firm If you purchase the Hybrid Proposal Digital Course TODAY – including complete documents ready for you to edit for your small firm – we will throw in a FREE bonus including access to the Construction Management for Small Firm Architects Course and the GetFocused Productivity Course for Small Firm Architects . That’s over $600 for only $197. The offer ends Friday, February 2, 2018 at 11:59PM ET! Click HERE to receive BOTH the video course AND the complete template package that's ready to edit and help you sign more projects and make more money today! About 10 years ago, Mark was inspired by a talk to create his own owner architect agreement, one that works for his small firm. It needed to be easy to understand, look friendly, and be an integral part of his firm’s simple sales system. How can we go from prospect to project as effectively and efficiently as possible? After a decade of slow evolution, it’s the best small firm agreement. This week at EntreArchitect Podcast, How to Develop a Powerful Owner Architect Agreement for Your Architecture Firm. Note: EntreArchitect strongly advises that you have your attorney and insurance company review all of your legal documents. Why is it called a “hybrid proposal”? It’s both a proposal and an agreement. Typically, architects send out a letter of proposal defining what they understand the project to be. If they are ready to move forward, the architect prepares a legal agreement for the prospect to review and agree to. Mark created the Hybrid Proposal to condense both actions into one simple step. Next, Mark developed the hybrid fee with gives the client a flat fee and a percentage fee. The Four Parts of the Hybrid Proposal Cover Letter The cover letter is a simple form letter. It has a logo and a return address, but the intent is to explain to clients what we’re going to do and give them a call to action as to what next steps to take. The next part explains what was discussed at the meeting and what will happen next. All of this is malleable, but is the first step. Next, the prospective client can sign and initial the proposal and return with the initial payment to the firm. Proposal This six-page document is incredibly user friendly. Use your design skills to make it look appealing. Make it clear and easy to understand. Do you want to be more efficient and make more money? Find a target market and create a template proposal that fits your needs. Then you can use it over and over again! We also get into the different phases of architecture, including the pre design and architectural services. Explain the process you’re going to go through to execute your client’s project. EntreArchitect also includes construction administration as another phase of their process and fee. An initial payment is taken up front and held as a credit until the final payment. The hybrid language says that compensation for basic architectural services is a stipulated sum fee per the attached compensation schedule.  After schematic design, we know the scope and the budget, and we can make the project based on our stipulated sum. It doesn’t need to be perfect, just start confirming that you’re understanding what they want. Terms and Conditions This two page part is intentionally short to make it more manageable. The legal terms – including compensation, services, and more – are all put into easy-to-read terms. This section also includes photography rights, insurance, dispute resolution, and more. Reference Sheet This is a standard document that lists clients’ names and locations to for prospective clients to take a look at and reach out. Mark’s code system allows them to easily find like projects so that they can obtain references from people who have similar projects to what they’re looking for. 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) Core by BQE Software is a brand new software 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. Want to collaborate with colleagues in real time? Visit EntreArchitect.com/ARCAT and click Charrette for more information. Gusto is making payroll, benefits, and HR easy for small firm architects. Get an exclusive, limited time detail. Sign up today and get three months free.  Visit EntreArchitect.com/Gusto and claim your free three months today! Referenced in this Episode Download the Profit For Small Firm Architects course for FREE. Leave a Rating and Review at iTunes EntreArchitect Membership Access Mark’s fully customizable Owner/Architect Agreement at EntreArchitect.com/hybrid. TODAY ONLY! Purchase the Hybrid Proposal Digital Course and receive BOTH the video course AND the complete template package to help you sign more projects and make more money today! Click HERE to claim yours by midnight!  The post EA205: How to Develop a Powerful Owner Architect Agreement for Your Architecture Firm [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Build SmartFrosty & Fired Up

Construction Administration for Architects is NOT an Option A very popular topic around EntreArchitect is the role of the architect in the construction phase.  The number of firms providing architecture services and forfeiting Construction Administration is surprising. One member of The EntreArchitect Community recently shared, “I need to get better at selling my clients on construction administration. Most think they don’t need it and refuse it when I offer. I had a recent client back out on the service because my drawings were essentially too well done. Once they saw the final drawings, they decided the contractor could handle it without my involvement.” This week at EntreArchitect Podcast, Construction Administration for Architects is NOT an Option. During the past few years, we’ve began to discuss, as a profession, taking back the process.  The goal is to be viewed once again as the leaders of the construction industry. To make this happen, we must literally take control of our projects and lead the process from beginning to end. Construction Administration is not an option to be offered as an additional service, it’s an integral part of the architecture process. Do you need to get better at selling your clients on construction administration? Imagine a surgeon preparing for surgery and then handing it over to someone else to execute, or a lawyer spending months preparing a prosecution and then heading back to the office to prepare for a new case before the trial is over. It’s no different for architects. We spend months preparing a design, we work our way through three levels of increasingly difficult development and documenting exactly how a structure is to be built. How can we give it away? We’re responsible for the health, safety and welfare for the creations we make and we’re legally liable for what’s constructed from our designs. It’s our responsibility as licensed professionals to observe the construction of our designs and confirm that they are being built as we designed them. Fivecat Studio Architecture provides Construction Administration on every project from a storage shed to a completely new construction. How do we do it? We’re a full-service architecture firm. We help our clients organize from their first ideas of the projects all the way through the end of construction. Most clients have no idea how our process actually works, and yours don’t either. If you offer a service as optional, a client will look at it as such. Fivecat Studio proposes one fee that includes Construction Administration as a part of the overall service. If a client asks if they’ll work without construction administration, Mark and Annmarie let them know it isn’t an option for them. 8 Reasons Why You Provide Construction Administration We lead weekly project meetings and review the progress of construction.We’re there to monitor things and support them in answering questions throughout the process. We confirm that the contractor is executing the project as per the design and specifications.Our client just went through a whole process that involved a lot of time and money, so they want the project done the correct way. We’re available to quickly resolve unforeseen issues and unexpected conditions so construction progress isn’t delayed.Time = money, and, in our clients’ mind, having an experienced professional to walk through that process and keep things on track during inevitable crisis is invaluable. We review the contractor’s payments so we can have more leverage during construction.This allows us to protect the clients’ interest and confirm that they’re only paying for what’s appropriate at that stage of the project. Now the client feels confident that what they’re paying is accurate. We review shop drawings and submittals.We make sure they’re what the owner has payed for and help the contractor resolve any issues that may arise. We assist with preparing and confirming the completion of the punch list and that the certificate of occupancy is issued. We’re there to review and assure that everything is taken care of. We are legally responsible for the health, safety and welfare of the users of the buildings we design.We confirm that all the building and environmental codes are being observed. As licensed professionals, it’s our firm’s policy to be involved in the construction of every project. Ultimately, we need to protect our firm’s legal exposure in terms of liability. If you want to work with us, we have to be involved in Construction Administration. The success of our firm depends on this. When we waive Construction Administration, we lose our ability to resolve issues quickly and may create bigger problems for ourselves. We’re ultimately working for our clients’ satisfaction, and, if we’re absent during construction, it’s really hard to manage expectations and keep our clients happy. The experience during construction is what clients will remember most when others ask for their referral. The success of your firm depends on your involvement every step of the way.  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) Core by BQE Software is a brand new software 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. Want to collaborate with colleagues in real time? Visit EntreArchitect.com/ARCAT and click Charrette for more information. Gusto is making payroll, benefits, and HR easy for small firm architects. Get an exclusive, limited time detail. Sign up today and get three months free.  Visit EntreArchitect.com/Gusto and claim your free three months today! Referenced in this Episode Download the Profit For Small Firm Architects course for FREE. Leave a Rating and Review at iTunes EntreArchitect Membership Access Mark’s fully customizable Owner/Architect Agreement at EntreArchitect.com/hybrid. The post EA204: Construction Administration for Architects is <br>NOT an Option [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Build SmartFrosty & Fired Up

The E-Myth Revisited: Why Every Small Firm Architect Should Read This Book Fivecat Studio Architecture launched in 1999, and Mark discovered a book that changed the way he viewed business. It helped him realize that running a successful architecture firm required so much more than designing great architecture. Inside the owner of every small firm exists a battle among the entrepreneur, the manager and the technician. If we don’t attend to the needs of each one, our firms are destined for failure. This week on EntreArchitect Podcast, The E-Myth Revisited: Why Every Small Firm Architect Should Read This Book. The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It by Michael E. Gerber inspired Mark to build Fivecat Studio Architecture as a franchise prototype. Even though they knew selling their business systems as a franchise was never a goal, it was still important. Those systems have allowed them to thrive and have given them the tools needed to balance the requirements of the firm with the responsibilities of their family. This book inspired Mark to work on his business rather than in his business. Since 1999, Mark and Annmarie have experienced the startup pains of infancy, the hard-earned successes of adolescence, and the launch of a new virtual business model. Part 1 Michael E. Gerber defines the E-Myth as the entrepreneurial myth and discusses how small businesses are often the result of entrepreneurial seizures. What does that mean? “The technician suffering from an entrepreneurial seizure takes the work he loves to do and turns it into a job.” Have YOU done that? How many architects do you know who have launched their own firms with the goal to do it better than the firms they worked for? The three phases of business are infancy, adolescence and maturity. It’s important to build a mature company right from the beginning. “A mature company is founded on a broader perspective, an entrepreneurial perspective, a more intelligent point of view about building a business that works not because of you, but without you. Because it starts that way, it’s more likely to continue that way. Therein the true difference between an adolescent company, where everything is left up to chance, and a mature company, where there is a vision against which the present is shaped.” Part 2 Gerber introduces the concept of the franchise prototype and working on your business and not in it. He encourages the creation of systems, and the predictable results and happy clients that come from them. “The systems run the business, the people run the systems. The system integrates all the elements required to make a business work. It transforms a business into an organism, driven by integrity of all its parts, all working in concert toward a realized objective. With its prototype as its progenitor, it works like nothing else before it.” As architects, our first thought of having a system is negative. What if it takes away or limits creativity? In fact, systems do just the opposite. First, build the business, then you’ll have more time and more flexility to be the architect you want to be. “Great businesses are not built by extraordinary people, but by ordinary people doing extraordinary things. For ordinary people to do extraordinary things, a system is absolutely essential in order to compensate for the disparity between the skills of your people and the skills your business needs in order to produce consistent results.” At McDonald’s, the systems in place allow their tens of thousands of stores to deliver exactly what customers expect every time they walk into one of their locations. “It delivers exactly what we’ve come to expect of it every single time. That’s why I look to McDonald’s for a model for every small business, because it can do in it’s more than fourteen thousand stores what most can’t do in one.” Who among us can say that we do things as well as McDonald’s does? Part 3 Do you want to build a successful small business? Gerber leads readers through a fully-developed business development program, a how-to guide for success. The E-Myth Revisited is not only your guide to success, but it’s entertaining as well.  Why is this Mark’s favorite business book? If you take action to implement the lessons that Gerber teaches, The E-Myth Revisited will take your firm to places you’ve never imagined. Read through the book and go through the process of creating a master plan for your life. 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) Core by BQE Software is a brand new software 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. Want to collaborate with colleagues in real time? Visit EntreArchitect.com/ARCAT and click Charrette for more information. Gusto is making payroll, benefits, and HR easy for small firm architects. Get an exclusive, limited time detail. Sign up today and get three months free.  Visit EntreArchitect.com/Gusto and claim your free three months today! Referenced in this Episode Download the Profit For Small Firm Architects course for FREE. Leave a Rating and Review at iTunes EntreArchitect Membership Visit the home page at EntreArchitect.com to join now. The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It by Michael E. Gerber The post EA203: The E-Myth Revisited: Why Every Small Firm Architect Should Read This Book [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Build SmartFrosty & Fired Up

Walking the Talk of Equity by Design Sometime in the next few weeks, the AIA San Francisco Equity by Design comittee will launch it’s third Equity in Architecture Survey and distribute the findings from their previous survey. Check it out and take it, because it will affect everyone in the profession of architecture. Equity means that all people, regardless of their socioeconomic, racial, or ethnic grouping, have fair and just access to the recourses and opportunities needed to thrive. This week on EntreArchitect Podcast, Rosa Sheng is Walking the Talk of Equity by Design. Background Rosa is a respected designer, architect, thought leader and innovator with over 23 years of experience. She’s led a variety of award winning and internationally acclaimed projects. As founding chair of Equity by Design and AIA San Francisco Chapter president, Rosa has led two Equity in Architecture surveys and authored AIA National Resolution 15-1 in 2015 and served on the Equity in Architecture Commission from 2016-2017. She’s presented on why equity matters for everyone nationally and abroad, and since she was last on the podcast, Equity by Design has been featured in Architect magazine, Architectural Record, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and on the TEDx stage in Philadelphia. After 20 years at the San Francisco office of Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, she recently joined SmithGroupJJR. Now, more than ever, a foundation of equitable practice and what that truly means is ever so more important not just in architecture, but in society as a whole. Equity minimizes barriers to maximize success. It’s not just what’s fair and equal, it’s a mindset of “we first” instead of “me first”. The 2016 Equity in Architecture Survey will be out soon, and the key findings started out with career pinch points and added career dynamics. While career pinch points happen once during your career, career dynamics happen throughout your career, like work/live balance, having a break from architecture, and pay equity. Equity by Design has also had a lot of great reports written by Annelise Pitts. For example, pay equity relates to how we’re comparing tings on the concept of temporal flexibility: you’re only as valuable as the hours you’re perceived to be working in the office verses your influence and impact beyond the physical hours you’re in the office. In this paradigm of how we should work, what is our value as architects? Were there any big surprises with the last survey that’s about to release? Burnout engagement was a new topic to the 2016 survey. Someone’s access to a senior leader in a firm, having friendships at work, seeing a clear pathway to advancement, and doing work that is meaningful to longterm career goals shows a huge impact on whether someone thrives. Does the survey address the community of small firm architects? The survey did look at sole practitioners and small firm architects, but they could use help to expand the pool. Of the 8,000, about 600 were sole practitioners. Hopefully more small firms and sole practitioners participate in the survey in the future! How have you applied some of these things to your new firm? The irony is that the last thing Rosa was planning to do in 2017 was transition into a new job. They were renovating their house, and she applied for the FAIA amidst traveling and various other projects. When she was initially approached, she didn’t think it was possible in 2017 but continued to be intrigued. Equity was important to SmithGroupJJR, and they were looking for talent retention and for a way to create more value within the design practice. Rosa was ready to influence a large firm and put theory of all the things she’d been talking about into practice.  She came in as a shareholder and has been able to help steer the practice of developing higher education and workplace projects along with spearheading equity, diversity and inclusion as an official program that helped leaders across the firm learn more about what that practice looked like for design. Are there specific things that you know you’re going to try to change? The goal is not a complete overhaul, but she found a strong foundation for pay equity analysis and other changes. The goal is to truly disrupt how we think and be able to lead the conversation. Is an equitable culture built into the business plan of SmithGroupJJR? A lot of it is. The goals are in parallel about engagement, getting more voices at the table, how people are nominated for promotions, and more. They’re evaluating how things use to be done and working to make them better. Will you build a team to help you with this? There will be people that act as a steering group of sorts, the reality is that it’s for everyone. The team is the whole leadership group, because they’re the ones who are going to be involved and invested first. What events do you have coming up? The EQxD Hackathon: Architecture and the Era of Connection (and Disruption) will be held on Wednesday, June 20th, the day before the AIA National Conference on Architecture formally starts. There will be a design justice workshop that will be hosted in Connecticut. Other than getting the word out about the upcoming survey, what can our listeners do to help you move forward? There are groups inspired by EQxDesign, like Girl UnInterrupted, who are working to make sure that women get the access to influencers, mentors, sponsorships, and project opportunities. AIA WIELD is for women in leadership development. If you feel inspired, do your research and start your own resource based on your particular affinity within this topic. None of this happens without passionate individuals getting involved on the sponsorship level. Sponsors get the first release of the survey plus a personalized walkthrough of the findings. If you’re interested in sharing your inspiring story that you think will help motivate others who are feeling disenfranchised, reach out! Sign up HERE with your email address to receive weekly #EQxDActions in your inbox! What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business tomorrow? “Read outside the realm of architecture. Look at business, sustainability, things that are outside your normal comfort zone. Find the emerging business models and see what skillsets in business correlate to architecture.”  – Rosa Sheng Books Rosa’s Reading: Wired to Care: How Companies Prosper When They Create Widespread Empathy by Dev Patnaik Design for Good: A New Era of Architecture for Everyone by John Cary Connect with Rosa on Twitter @EquityXDesign, on Facebook, at EQxDesign.com & TheEquityAlliance.com. 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) Core by BQE Software is a brand new software 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. Want to collaborate with colleagues in real time? Visit EntreArchitect.com/ARCAT and click Charrette for more information. Gusto is making payroll, benefits, and HR easy for small firm architects. Get an exclusive, limited time detail. Sign up today and get three months free.  Visit EntreArchitect.com/Gusto and claim your free three months today! Referenced in this Episode Download the Profit For Small Firm Architects course for FREE. Leave a Rating and Review at iTunes EntreArchitect Membership Visit the home page at EntreArchitect.com to join now. The post EA202: Walking the Talk of Equity by Design with Rosa Sheng [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpBuild Smart

We’re Building a New House for Our Family We’re building a new house for our family! I’m going to share our process and our progress with you – right here – at EntreArchitect Podcast. This week on EntreArchitect Podcast, We’re Building a New House! Last fall, Mark LePage and Annmarie McCarthy purchased a lot on a subdivision in Weddington, North Carolina. Mark and Annmarie are husband and wife, and also partners at Fivecat Studio in Westchester County, New York. About 20 years ago, several of their family coincidentally moved from the New York metro area to North Carolina, just outside the city of Charlotte. Both Mark and Annmarie’s parents still live in the New York metro area, and have been a huge part in helping them raise their children while they were building their careers. Being close to New York City allows their family the convenience of visiting as often as they choose, and provides a fantastic client base for their high-end residential architecture firm. There are many opportunities that living in Westchester county affords them. However, there are also opportunities that living in North Carolina would bring too. They would have business contacts, since both of Annmarie’s brothers are in construction, Mark’s older brother is a photographer, and his younger brother is a high-end residential real estate broker in the Lake Norman region just north of Charlotte. Over the years, they’ve gone through the list of pros and cons, and have found that the pros of staying in Westchester have always outweighed the cons. This past summer, something big changed. After almost fifty years of living it the house that Annmarie grew up in, Annmarie’s parents surprised everyone by buying a home in South Carolina and moving within 4 months. Though they wanted their kids to go to great schools and they wanted to be close to both sets of parents, they knew that with their kids growing up and family moving far away, they had more flexibility to make other decisions. When they were freed up to look at moving, they didn’t find any homes that met their requirements as architects! Most of what’s available is being built by mega-developers, which would be a hard transition from a cottage in the woods of upstate New York. They were left with no choice… It’s time to build a new house!  They found the perfect plot of land in one of the best school districts in the state of North Carolina. They’re going to make the move slowly, taking time to build and uproot their entire family, including allowing their oldest, James, the opportunity to finish his senior year in Westchester. There’s so much in store! Follow Mark’s personal Instagram @markrlepage to see the progress. Question: Have you built your own home? Share your story! Visit our Platform Sponsors Gusto is making payroll, benefits, and HR easy for small firm architects. Get an exclusive, limited time detail. Sign up today and get three months free.  Visit EntreArchitect.com/Gusto and claim your free three months today! 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) Core by BQE Software is a brand new software 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. Want to collaborate with colleagues in real time? Visit EntreArchitect.com/ARCAT and click Charrette for more information.   Referenced in this Episode Download the Profit For Small Firm Architects course for FREE. Leave a Rating and Review at iTunes   The post EA201: We’re Building a New House for Our Family [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpBuild Smart