EntreArchitect Podcast with Mark R. LePage

Building an Online Media Empire with Devon Tilly Devon is the Denver-based owner of Mountain View Window and Door, a nationally-recognized company providing windows and doors for high-end residential projects. He’s the creator and host of the Art of Construction Podcast and brand, cohosted by Kevin Keefe. There they talk about all things business, success, and building sustainable, thriving business. This week on EntreArchitect Podcast, Building an Online Media Empire with Devon Tilly of The Art of Construction Podcast. Devon’s Origin Story Devon was the oldest of five children whose father began as a contractor and worked himself up to district manager. Every time him and his large family moved, they would buy a house and fix it up. Devon was always interested in the art of construction and the marketing of construction. He is passionately interested in construction and has lived that life long enough to speak the language. Sometimes he felt the industry was too corporate (“what’s your lowest price”) or too construction (“we’ve always done it this way”). Devon moved to Colorado and earned his marketing degree, followed by a move into the construction world. He found he didn’t fit the corporate box very well as an expressive entrepreneur at heart. Thirteen years ago, he went to work for one of his customers. He loved the complication of construction that can either make or break the project. That passion drew him to focus on windows and doors. After meeting his wife, he bought a company out and started Mountain View Window and Door. Now, they have two locations in Colorado, twenty-eight employees, and are about to close on an expansion of Art of Construction. After being interviewed for The Chaise Lounge: Interior Design Podcast, Devon decided to follow a dream and begin a podcast of his own. How did you grow Mountain View Window and Door so quickly? The first step was to have a really good plan. Next, he assembled a support team of a board of directors and an advisory counsel. Devon’s team was led by his father in law, Greg, who copyrighted a presentation “The Full Life Perspective“. From that, he was able to develop his full life perspective. With a good plan, Devon knew he needed to take a risk to succeed. Him and Greg decided to buy a business. Greg helped him put his why together: to be the best supplier for windows, doors and hardware to contractors, architects and project designers in Colorado. As Devon put his plan together, he followed everything laid out in The E-Myth Revisited. He looked at different platforms to see what they did well and what they could improve on. He got his masters and figured out that he was a visionary leader. That was the key, to find out who he was and accelerate that.  Though most window and door companies wouldn’t hire a full-time, in-house marketing position, they did so that they could make changes and be active on the web. They hired an IT guy to create software and systems to scale in the future. What mistakes did you make along the way? Devon learned to hire slow and fire fast. At the beginning, he first hired really fast and filled the office up. None of the hires were bad people, but they didn’t fit the culture correctly. Where did the Art of Construction start and where is it going? The podcast began to grow the business, and Devon found that it really grew him. His goal was to learn and be able to teach the art of construction. The podcast has grown his business because he knows who he is, what the culture is, and where they’re going. One video they just released was about a house that he and his wife lived in, remodeled, and now rent out. Devon always wanted to do a show home on it, and, when it was all said and done, he loved getting to do it the way he wanted to showcase his project. From there, he started a monthly leads group where they discovered that everyone wants to do this, but small firms don’t have enough time and money. Devon decided to be the central point of creating a design center and project collaboration. Next week, they close on the property. They’re looking for Grand Junction collaborators in two ways: to be a lessee of some space to collaborate with others or to utilize a monthly membership in a coworking space. Do you have a consulting program? The Art of Construction has a master business acceleration program. It consists of three sessions including LinkedIn profile tips, presentation skills, and goal setting followed by access to a monthly group. What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business tomorrow? “Set up a plan. If you’re running the show, read The E-Myth Revisited and Versitale Selling or get Audible to listen to the books. Always be learning.” – Devon Tilly   Want to learn more about the design center?  Connect with Devon online at TheArtOfConstruction.net and MtnView.us. Also find him 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 designed specifically for architect’s project management! Get a free 15-day trial of CORE 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 Leave a Rating and Review at iTunes EntreArchitect Academy Small Group Mastermind is for architects in Europe, the Middle East, or Africa facilitated by Katie Crepeau. Enrollment is limited to the first 10 members, so join today! The Chaise Lounge: Interior Design Podcast Art of Construction YouTube Channel Mountain View Window and Door YouTube Channel How The E-Myth Revisited Book Helped My Architecture Firm Succeed (podcast) The post EA182: Building an Online Media Empire with Devon Tilly of The Art of Construction Podcast [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Build SmartFrosty & Fired Up

The Entrepreneur Architect Series featuring Meghana Joshi  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. We want to interview you! What’s your story? Do you want to share your knowledge or the story about how you were inspired to pursue this profession? How do you become an entrepreneur architect? Join us for our 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 Meghana Joshi. Background Meghana Joshi is an architectural consultant from Irvine, California. She has six of her architectural exams complete and one to go for her official architecture registration. She is the founder of Women in Architecture Committee at AIA Orange County and a member of the Communications Committee for AIA California Counsel and AIA Orange County. Her blogs are published at Equity by Design and the AIA National’s #ilookup page. She moved to the US when she was 22, and with a major in architecture and an employment permit she was set to go. She has a heavy emphasis on concrete construction, and her Indian education left her under-educated in wood construction. She has a Bachelors of Architecture from Karnatak University in India and a Masters of Architecture with an emphasis on green buildings from San Francisco Institute of Architecture. Meghana’s Origin Story Meghana grew up in India where on every corner there was a historical monument of architectural significance. Her favorite activity as a kid was to make up stories about the people who lived in the buildings around her. Layers and layers of information built, and Meghana wanted to be someone who created and left a story for generations to come. There were no architects in her family, but her parents wanted her to have a career that she did for her enjoyment. After school, she got married and moved with her husband to the US. When they moved to the US, she planned to start practicing architecture right away but found that it wasn’t as easy as she had expected. She interviewed and got a job as an intern, but found quickly that she didn’t understand the construction details that people were talking about. She began to study and relearn everything she thought she knew. A coworker shared with her the need to take the ARE and the benefit to join the AIA and learn more about architecture in the US. The Entrepreneur Architect Questions What is one big goal you’ve achieved in your career and how did you get there? The ARE is Meghana’s biggest goal. She took her most recent test about 8 months ago and was supposed to take the next test in January. Unfortunately, some family health issues have arisen that have prevented her from taking it a few times, and the next one scheduled is coming up. Another goal is to stay involved in the profession. Instead of just doing a job, she wants to connect with others outside the workplace, like in AIA. What struggles have you gone through? A few years ago, she was working as a stipulated sum consultant for a multi family project with an architect she worked with often. The client couldn’t get funding, and the project stopped halfway through. Luckily, she had a contract that she was able to use to get what was rightfully hers. Though it was awkward, she knew she needed to value her services. How did that situation affect you moving forward? Unfortunately, the relationship was strained and Meghana had to work hard not to be enthusiasm. Meghana always states her terms now, even if it’s a friend; she makes it clear the amount that she charges and is sure to have it written into a contract and signed by both parties. What was your biggest “aha” moment? Meghana’s “aha” moment came later in her career. She didn’t have a lot of people to talk to as a mother and an architect, and most people didn’t understand that the work didn’t end at the end of the workday. She read Rosa Sheng’s blog, “The Missing 32% Project Releases Complete Findings on Women in Architecture“. She learned that it wasn’t just her problem, but a problem for women and architects as a whole. Quick Questions At what age did you decide to become an architect? 17 years old What’s your target market? No set market, just whatever interests her What’s your fee structure? Stipulated sum What makes you happy? Blogging, posting on Instagram, volunteering in AIA chapters, traveling What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? Get licensed What’s one personal habit that contributes to your success? Keeping a paper to-do list by priority What’s a recommended app or internet resource? EntreArchitect, #architalks, and Archispeak Podcast What’s a book you’d recommend? Eames: Beautiful Details by Eames Demetrios What’s a parting piece of guidance? Respect your time and always value your talents What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business tomorrow? “Be open to new ideas and experiences, life has a lot to offer you! ” – Meghana Joshi Connect with Meghana on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Want to be a guest on the entrepreneur architect series? Connect with us on any social media platform or email podcast@entrearchitect.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. Referenced in this Episode Leave a Rating and Review at iTunes EntreArchitect Academy An Archimom’s Everyday Moments of Truth: Meghana Joshi The Missing 32% Project Releases Complete Findings on Women in Architecture Eames: Beautiful Details by Eames Demetrios (book)   The post EA181: Meghana Joshi – The Entrepreneur Architect Series [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpBuild Smart

Taking Action to Maximize the Value of the Architect with Ric Abramson, FAIA Ric Abramson, FAIA has been in professional practice as a licensed architect for 28 years. He established his small firm, WORKPLAYS, in 2003. He’s taught for over 18 years on the faculty of Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) and USC School of Architecture. He’s been invited as a keynote speaker at the BIG Ideas Conference and has produced educational workshops around the country. He’s a small firm advocate, spearheading new California legislation protecting architects’ creative work. This week on EntreArchitect Podcast, Taking Action to Maximize the Value of the Architect with Ric Abramson, FAIA. Ric’s Origin Story Ric’s story has been an organic process; he didn’t know he wanted to build things as a child. Looking back, he was always a “maker” of some sort, creating things and exploring. In high school, he was summoned to the counselor’s office to figure out what he wanted to pursue. His current class load and interests pushed him toward architecture school. He earned his undergraduate degree at California Polytechnic State University, and his progression through the program created more passion for what he wanted to do. His first job was with a small, well-established firm. It was a very old-school experience. That firm did primarily government work, but Ric stayed there for a year and a half before going to the next firm for 6 years. After that, he attended UCLA for his Masters of Architecture degree and returned to begin a doctoral program. He was awarded a full ride scholarship to go study architecture in Italy. That had a profound effect on the course that Ric would embark on. After a year there, he came back, started his own firm, was offered a teaching position and has been growing ever since. What kind of work do you do? Ric does mostly residential work, with some commercial and consulting work. Lately they’ve been doing policy consulting in Los Angeles, California. Like many growing urban areas, Los Angeles has a huge housing need. They’re looking for ways to be more innovative, integrating density and sustainable living. How can we house more people in closer proximity without giving up home ownership? WORKPLAYS responded to an RFP to write a new ordinance and design guidelines for a compact home ordinance in Los Angeles County. Why did you move from design work to working with government? Ric thinks it might go back to his Italian research roots. He was always fascinated with universal thinking, not only creating architecture, but the process by which it’s made and how architects fit into that role. Some of the control that architects once held has gone away, and that’s because architects aren’t at the table when housing policy is being made. How can others get involved in policy-making? There are so many ways to get involved. If you’re not already, get involved with a board, city commission, design review panels, etc. AIA National has a Center for Civic Leadership and a Citizen Architect Initiative, and they’ve been looking for those who want to get involved with making a difference in their community. In smaller communities, go directly to your elected politicians and get to know them. Have coffee with your counsel member. Start to understand at a deeper level, how policy is made. Many elected officials aren’t experienced in land use, and many want to learn about it. Right now, the majority of the input comes from planning, community development professionals or private developers. Relationships matter. We get caught up with the websites, marketing, blogs and everything else. The day to day, knowing the leaders, advocates and business entities in your community will help build relationships. How can we change the conversation about the value of architecture? We need to be able to communicate, in a very clear way, to the public why what we do matters. Ric has been working to explore a means by which the AIA would create a value index for new construction that could communicate to the public some things we do as architects that others don’t do because they don’t have the training. Scores could include measurables like energy efficiency, water consumption, building performance, sustainability, resiliency, and more. Architects can come together to measure the value in the things we do when we design. Assigning a measurable value to the work we do and comparing that to developed homes changes the conversation about what architects really do and why it’s valuable to homeowners. What other ways can architects get out there and show their value? The key for this idea is that it has to be flexible and scalable to local conditions.  Architects need to figure out the key measurables in their local area. Right now there’s a working group that Ric is the co-convener of. Contact him if you’d like to be a part of a national network of local architects who are passionate about creating a value proposition in their local area. What is the influence of architects in society? Ric is working with a local City Architect movement. In the formation of most American cities, there was a City Architect who was front and center with the planning and understanding of how a community would grow. Now, City Architects are few and far between. This person would be someone who was the visionary for the community, someone who would embrace the aspirations and goals, the sustainable and environmental interests and the cultural or social issues. How can we reinsert that person into the local government? Listen to this episode to learn more about how you can help promote the concept of City Architects. Connect with Rick at info@workplays.com or online at WORKPLAYS.com. Also find him on Facebook 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) 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. Want to collaborate with colleagues in real time? Visit EntreArchitect.com/ARCAT and click Charrette for more information. Referenced in this Episode Leave a Rating and Review at iTunes EntreArchitect Academy Small Group Mastermind is for architects in Europe, the Middle East, or Africa facilitated by Katie Crepeau. Enrollment is limited to the first 10 members, so join today! The post EA180: Taking Action to Maximize the Value of the Architect with Ric Abramson, FAIA [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpBuild Smart

Katie Hutchison Living a Portfolio Life Katie is an architect, an author, photographer and many other things based in Warren Rhode Island. She’s passionate about residential architecture, specifically small projects. She’s the author of The New Small House and she’s currently working on a new book. This week on EntreArchitect Podcast, Living a Portfolio Life with Katie Hutchison. Katie’s Origin Story Architecture didn’t come to Katie early. She was most interested in writing when she was younger and she pursued that initially. Throughout her early childhood and education, she was very interested in fine arts; she drew, painted, and felt like she was very spatially aware. After her degree, she went to work for magazines, including US Magazine, in Manhattan. Her friend worked for Robert A. M. Stern, and she ended up with a temporary position in the Publicity department there. She worked in the slide library of architecture from around the world. Katie spent hours in the tiny room going through the slides. After that, she decided to go back to school and her family connections brought her to the Newport, Rhode Island. She called the head of Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and inquired about their architecture program; they only had an undergraduate program and she wanted to know if they had any suggestions. They suggested that Katie enroll as a transfer student, essentially using her prior credits to advance as far as possible and then take the remaining courses required for a Bachelors of Architecture degree. Upon graduating in 1992 during a recession, Katie started at a Benefit Street Design, a firm in Providence that specialized in commercial interiors. After that, she jumped around a lot at many firms based on where her and her husband relocated to. When did you officially start practicing? Katie went out on her own in 2002. Shortly thereafter, she collaborated with an architect friend in Cape Cod which helped bring in some consistent work and get her off the ground. She has various other interests in addition to architecture, so her view of the small firm life is diversified. Not long after she went out on her own, she began freelance writing for Fine Homebuilding. It was a great way to keep her thinking about design and build some publicity. That’s what started her along the journey to eventually write her book. Katie had a friend who worked for another publication at The Taunton Press and continued to pitch them her ideas. Why did you decide to be a sole practitioner? Like any other career choices, Katie’s career evolved from who she was. She always followed design-oriented pursuits and didn’t want to do just one thing to the exclusion of the others. She loves the change in activity, bouncing around between writing, billing, administrative work, phone calls, and more. How did you begin writing your book? In 2007, she started pitching book ideas to The Taunton Press. They brought her in for a meeting to discuss concepts and figure out what was marketable. Because of the recession in 2008, her first book idea was killed. One day, she got a call that they had a book idea in the queue but no author to write it. In Katie’s case, it wasn’t a straightforward path, it was a lot of back and forth and working toward a goal. What are you working on next? The working title of Katie’s new book is The Cottage Now, and on her blog, House Enthusiast, she has a call for submissions spelling out some of the specifics of what she and her team are looking for along the lines of what does the cottage look like now? If you have a submission for something you think is a cottage, send it her way! Call for Submissions Do you have a submission for Katie’s cottage book? If you know of a new (or newly renovated) cottage that you think I should consider including in the book, please let her know. For now, simply email Katie at Katie@katiehutchison.com some low-resolution jpegs of the exterior, interior, and context, along with some background information about the size of the cottage, where it’s located, who owns it, who designed it, if it has been professionally photographed, and if it has been featured in another publication. Also, please let her know if you’re aware of any architectural drawings that depict its plan and its site. What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business for tomorrow? “Get connected. Do things that mean something to you and that you want to invest your time and energy into. Join organizations, groups, and committees in a field you’re interested in, you’ll meet people who are interesting to you. Those contacts will ultimately lead you closer to what you want to do.” – Katie Hutchison Connect with Katie online at Katie Hutchison Studio or find her on Twitter and Instagram. 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) 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. Want to collaborate with colleagues in real time? Visit EntreArchitect.com/ARCAT and click Charrette for more information. Referenced in this Episode Leave a Rating and Review at iTunes EntreArchitect Academy The post EA179: Katie Hutchison Living a Portfolio Life [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpBuild Smart

The Entrepreneur Architect Series featuring Nathan Buhler 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. We want to interview you! What’s your story? Do you want to share your knowledge or the story about how you were inspired to pursue this profession? How do you become an entrepreneur architect? Join us for our 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 Nathan Buhler. Background Nathan is an Architectural Technologist and the owner of BLDG Workshop in Toronto Canada. He grew up in a logging community in British Columbia and lived overseas in South America. His creative experiences drew interests to architecture. When design became the main focus of his work life, Nathan’s themes relating to connection, authenticity and people became integral to his work. Nathan’s Origin Story From the small logging community in British Columbia, Nathan went to Bible school training in Vancouver and worked in ministry and counseling for many years. He felt like he was around people all the time but was still feeling alone. Nathan was always searching for something different. When he heard of a guy who built a house on top of waterfall (Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater), he knew he wanted to go to architecture school. He went to architecture school at 30 years old, and felt a little like a fish out of water with all the students that were younger than he was. Nathan completed his schooling on a different route and has a different certification. The Entrepreneur Architect Questions What is one big goal you’ve achieved in your career and how did you get there? Nathan had an idea for a design of a house that would stand as a silhouette of a house against a landscape. He wanted something that was connected with the design community. Nathan connected with a furniture designer and they changed the typology of how to do the project. With this project, Nathan felt like the story of what they were doing was fluent from start to finish; through the big picture and construction. What struggles have you gone through? At one point, it felt like projects weren’t coming in; things were looking bleak. One of Nathan’s partners went to do something else, and he had to lay another staff member off. It wasn’t a market-driven slowing down, Nathan felt he just got left behind when people were looking for someone to do their home. He read an article about cash flow and, when he worked through the numbers, he realized he needed to bring in a lot more work to keep things going. Unfortunately, he didn’t feel like he was taught that kind of stuff in school. Now, he’s worked through most of that. What was your biggest “aha” moment? A little over a hear ago, Nathan looked at their placing on Houzz and they were #1. He thought it was a glitch, but it hasn’t changed. It felt like a day of fruition after working so hard on their metrics to improve on all the things that Houzz is rating you on. What makes you unique? Nathan’s firm smiles a lot in client meetings. It comes through as though they’re going to enjoy the process of building. Additionally, most people they work with are makers who like working with their hands instead of just clicking away on AutoCad. Quick Questions At what age did you decide to become an architect? 29 years old What’s your target market? Almost exclusively renovations, additions and new builds What’s your fee structure? Hourly across the board What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? Work on your business rather than in your business. Push the same level of care and diligence when you work on your business. What’s one personal habit that contributes to your success? Smiling a lot! What’s a recommended app or internet resource? Houzz What’s a book you’d recommend?  The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It by Michael E. Gerber and Anointed for Business by Ed Silvoso What’s a parting piece of guidance? Be kind to people and do as good of work as you can What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business tomorrow? “Spend more time working on coming projects than you do on current projects.” – Nathan Buhler Connect with Nathan online at BLDG Workshop, Twitter or Houzz. If you want some help improving your Houzz profile, get in touch with him there! Want to be a guest on the entrepreneur architect series? Connect with us on any social media platform or email podcast@entrearchitect.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) 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. Want to collaborate with colleagues in real time? Visit EntreArchitect.com/ARCAT and click Charrette for more information. Referenced in this Episode Leave a Rating and Review at iTunes EntreArchitect Academy The post EA178: Nathan Buhler – The Entrepreneur Architect Series [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Build SmartFrosty & Fired Up

The Entrepreneur Architect Series featuring Daniel Robey 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. We want to interview you! What’s your story? Do you want to share your knowledge or the story about how you were inspired to pursue this profession? How do you become an entrepreneur architect? Join us for our 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 Daniel Robey. Background Daniel is a landscape architect and the owner of Huntlands Landscape Architecture in Northern Virginia. He has a bachelor’s from Clemson in Landscape Architecture and is a licensed professional architect in the state of Virginia, a LEED Green Associate  and a multi-award winning designer. He lives in Virginia with his wife Murphy and his three kids, Maris, Charlie and Hank. Daniel’s Origin Story Daniel started out loving to draw and always thought he wanted to draw cartoons. In high school, he fell in love with golf and everything in his life began to revolve around it. When he had to figure out what he wanted to do after high school, he fell upon architecture at a local golf course that was under construction. When he walked around the grounds with the architect, Daniel realized that was what he wanted to do. He knew that to get into golf course architecture he needed to have a name or professional behind him, so he did a number of internships: one for a land-planning company, one for residential install work, and another for the Charleston parks department. He was exposed to different avenues. After college he worked for a land planning civil engineering firm in Charlotte. Daniel felt he wasn’t doing a whole lot of creative work, so he planned to move to the residential side of things right before the birth of his first child. He moved from a smaller company to a large residential design build firm. This past year, he opened his his own business doing high-end landscape architecture. The Entrepreneur Architect Questions What does a landscape architect do? Daniel does high-end residential architecture. He works with elements of plantings, hardscape, architectural structures, water features and everything that ties it together like lighting, audio, and more. What is one big goal you’ve achieved in your career and how did you get there? Daniel didn’t ever dream of starting his own business, but it became clear that that was the best thing for him to do to advance his career. When he came to that conclusion, it was a huge goal for him to set out to achieve. He did a ton of reading, research, podcast-listening, and more to get as much business information as he could. What are the pros to starting your own business? It’s allowed Daniel more flexibility to be home with his family and to be involved with his kids. What struggles have you gone through? Early on, Daniel struggled with the simple things like setting his email up to issues building his contracts. He’s in a different area than where he worked previously, so he’s working to establish himself in a tightly-knit circle. What are you doing to establish yourself? Daniel reaches out to local architects, builders, interior designers, contractors, and others to share his business with them. He works to do direct marketing to professionals he wants to collaborate with, and that way he can reach out more directly to the people who he can work with. He’s also joined a number of local networking groups for small business owners and custom builders. It’s outside of his comfort zone, but he’s enjoyed pushing his boundaries and meeting new people. What was your biggest “aha” moment? Daniel’s biggest realization was that he needed to try his hardest to get his business to work out, but if he couldn’t for any reason, he could always get a job. What makes you unique? In Daniel’s area, there’s more design-build businesses than people doing what he’s doing. What he brings to the table is his experience designing and managing everything from ordering materials to working with contractors. Additionally, he tries to focus on hand graphics and the craft movement. Quick Questions At what age did you decide to become a landscape architect? Around 16-17 years old What’s your target market? Custom homebuilders for high-end residential, marketing more toward architects and home builders What’s your fee structure? Conceptual design and construction detailing are usually stipulated sum, project administration is all hourly Other than architecture, what makes you happy? Family, coaching kids’ sports, golfing What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? After you graduate, work three jobs in your first five years to find your niche. What’s one personal habit that contributes to your success? Disciplined scheduling and taking time for himself What’s a book you’d recommend? Architect and Entrepreneur: A Field Guide to Building, Branding, and Marketing Your Startup Design Business by Eric W Reinholdt and The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It by Michael E. Gerber What kind of systems do you have in place? Lead tracking, invoicing; tracking things helps me feel more in control of the process What’s a parting piece of guidance? Get out of your comfort zone and put yourself out there! What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business tomorrow? “Work on business development every day. Get out there, do research and reach out to people. See what’s going on in your area.” – Daniel Robey Connect with Daniel online at Huntlands Landscape Architecture or Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Want to be a guest on the entrepreneur architect series? Connect with us on any social media platform or email podcast@entrearchitect.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) 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. Want to collaborate with colleagues in real time? Visit EntreArchitect.com/ARCAT and click Charrette for more information. Referenced in this Episode EntreArchitect Academy EA084: Field Guide Series Building, Branding and Marketing Your Startup Design Business with Eric Reinholdt [Podcast] EA089: Field Guide Series Passive Income for Small Firm Architects [Podcast] EA097: Field Guide Series How to Self-Publish Your Book as a Small Firm Architect [Podcast] EA099: Field Guide Series Marketing Your Self-Published Book as a Small Firm Architect [Podcast] The post EA177: Daniel Robey – The Entrepreneur Architect Series [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Build SmartFrosty & Fired Up

The Entrepreneur Architect Series featuring Danei Cesario 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. We want to interview you! What’s your story? Do you want to share your knowledge or the story about how you were inspired to pursue this profession? How do you become an entrepreneur architect? Join us for our 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 Danei Cesario. Background Danei is the 333rd black female architect in history. Originally from Manchester, England, Danei was enamored with the architectural prestige of New York buildings from an early age. Her early career began with her scholarly pursuits at New York’s Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture served as treasurer for the City College chapter of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS CCNY) and earned the J. Max Bond Jr. memorial scholarship while working on complex public sector projects. She’s currently the youngest architect at Francis Coffman architects, managing the execution of multifaceted healthcare projects. Danei’s Origin Story Danei moved to the US when she was about six, and spent most of her childhood moving back and forth between the US and England. She lived in various homes and cities over time, but the sense of home for her was wherever her family was. She saw the way a city was planned and observed her feelings moving through out it. The contrast of Manchester vs. New York City, post-industrial with deep history compared to newness and skyscrapers. She grew up sketching and drawing. Her dad was an engineer, and was well schooled in isometrics and technical drawing, so he and her mother fostered Danei’s eye for that. Danei always knew she wanted to be an architect. Danei has education from both sides of the pond, but she was always drawn to the energy in New York City. She wanted to stay close by for college, while her mother wanted her to return to England. She ended up at City College, where she found out the hard way all that architecture school entailed: long hours and hard work. She decided to move close by, and after the school built a closer building to where she lived, she was able to live and work there. That was a pivotal moment in her life and career, as it allowed her to establish what she wanted for herself as an architect and as a young woman. The Entrepreneur Architect Questions What is one big goal you’ve achieved in your career and how did you get there? Danei always knew she wanted to be an architect. She continually strives to achieve that warm, fullness of heart that she herself felt when she sees something that is well-executed, well-thought out and enjoyable. Her road to becoming an architect was a 20 year journey. Some of the other things she didn’t know were goals just sort of happened along that journey. She met her husband in school, and they got engaged at the end of their fourth year. Danei moved through life following what made her feel fulfilled: as a wife, as a mom, as an architect. Her goals evolved as she evolved. What struggles have you gone through? It’s a bit of a struggle of the mind. Danei has experienced anxiety prior to sleep, worrying about home life, work, and whether or not she’s doing a good job. She’s worked to overcome her struggles and make opportunities out of them. As a black female architect in an industry that doesn’t have the best representation of people like her, some people might see her position as something that might limit her. Those responsibilities add a richness to the architecture that you provide; it’s another layer of sensitivity and empathy that she’s very passionate about. What was your biggest “aha” moment? When Danei was 18, she fought for her independence and what she wanted. She wanted to prove that she could take an opportunity and make something of it. She lived in the city and worked three jobs to make it happen. She knew that if she fell on her face, her family would be there to support her, but she wanted to go out there and take what she wanted. What are you doing to share your story? Danei is active on Instagram, as she feels drawn to the visual aspect of connection. She’s also chair at the Center for Diversity and Inclusion where she’s working on sharing different stories and experiences to join them and give them a seat at the table. They’re currently working on a research project to determine what’s happened between architecture school and the profession. Perhaps people find out that they want to pursue something else or others want to pursue architecture but they don’t have the support to do so. Why are people leaving? Danei and her teammates are trying to figure out why people are moving on. What can we do to encourage people to stay? Quick Questions At what age did you decide to become an architect? 6 years old Other than architecture, what makes you happy? Traveling, seeing different places What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? “Wherever you go, there you are.” What’s one personal habit that contributes to your success? Danei carries a notebook and is always writing things down, which helps her visually organize things and be able to track progress. What’s an app or resource you’d recommend? Life of An Architect and Jenny Cestnik on Instagram What book would you recommend and why? The Art of Risk: The New Science of Courage, Caution, and Chance by Kayt Sukel What’s a parting piece of guidance? Stay true to yourself What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business tomorrow? “Take your blinders off and look up. Continue to be positive about what you love, find a passion within it and begin to pursue that.” – Danei Cesario Connect with Danei in person at the Center for Architecture New York, Diversity & Inclusion Committee. You can also find her on LinkedIn and follow her on Instagram. Want to be a guest on the entrepreneur architect series? Connect with us on any social media platform or email podcast@entrearchitect.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) 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. Want to collaborate with colleagues in real time? Visit EntreArchitect.com/ARCAT and click Charrette for more information. Referenced in this Episode EntreArchitect Academy The post EA176: Danei Cesario – The Entrepreneur Architect Series [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpBuild Smart

The Entrepreneur Architect Series featuring Michael Kilkelly 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. We want to interview you! What’s your story? Do you want to share your knowledge or the story about how you were inspired to pursue this profession? How do you become an entrepreneur architect? Join us for our 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 Michael Kilkelly. Background Michael Kilkelly is a principal at Space Command, an architecture and consulting firm in Middletown, Connecticut. He’s also the founder of ArchSmarter.com, a website dedicated to helping architects work smarter not harder. Michael has received his bachelor of architecture from Norwich University and his masters of science, design and computation from MIT. Previously he was an associate at Gehry Partners in LA where he worked on several high profile design projects including New York by Gehry and the Guggenheim. He writes regularly about architecture on ArchSmarter, Arch Daily and Architect Magazine. Michael’s Origin Story Michael liked to play with legos and draw as a kid, and had a hunch that architecture might be the profession for him. However, he had no idea what an architect did on a daily basis. Aside from going to the library and taking a drafting class in high school, he had very little exposure to architecture. He felt that he had both the technical and creative components necessary to pursue architecture as a career path. When he got into school in Vermont that he realized what architecture really was; it wasn’t totally what he expected. He pursued his 5 year bachelor of architecture. They did a lot of hand drafting, built physical models and had a computer class. His thesis was set at Burning Man. He was making physical models and hand drawing while using rendering and animation on 3D studio. After graduating, he worked for a firm in Connecticut for several years where he worked to figure out how to integrate design and technology. He knew he wanted to go back to school, so he headed to MIT. His degree there was mostly up for him to define, with a big requirement to pursue a thesis at the end. His research was into construction documents and how to better develop them to support architects. Following MIT, he worked in the Boston area for a few firms, a landscape architect, an internet startup developing project management software for construction companies, and another medium-sized firm. Then, an opportunity came up looking for something with both architecture and technical experience. In 2005, Michael and his wife move to LA where two of his kids were born. He worked for Gehry Partners for several years before moving back to New England. He’d seen people work their whole lives at a firm and one day be let go, and he knew that working for someone else wasn’t always the most secure option. Michael read up a lot on business and thought the move back to Connecticut would be a great time to jump out on his own. He offered to do some consulting and remote work for his previous company as a great consistent transition into working for various clients. Since then, Michael has been working on developing consulting projects, building out ArchSmarter as a sustainable business, and getting local architecture projects. The Entrepreneur Architect Questions What is one big goal you’ve achieved in your career and how did you get there? Michael’s biggest goal, apart from becoming licensed, was to start his own firm. He didn’t know what that would look like, but he knew it would be a lot of work. Michael wanted to build something that was his own. What was the inspiration to start ArchSmarter? A lot of it came out of working at Frank Gehry’s office where Michael was working on a huge project and putting in a ton of time. They had a deadline coming up, and as the technical person, Michael had to do a lot of cleanup. He began looking at ways to automate the tedious tasks, learning how to program and looking at more efficient workflows to make gradual improvements. He got an eight-hour process down to one hour, and was able to hand it off to someone else. He was thinking about things from an innovative point of view, which brought him some security when the recession hit. He wanted to build a platform to talk about working more efficiently for architects and engineers. Studio culture in school didn’t teach him how to balance work and life and manage his time well, and Michael wanted to change that. ArchSmarter was a reaction to that. How do we do things? How can we approach it differently? How does ArchSmarter deliver information? Michael started by writing a blog about the issues he faced. Then, he released a program to teach Revit. He built an audience, and then went where his audience guided. What was your biggest “aha” moment? Michael saw the inefficiency in the firms he worked for, and that was the biggest moment he’s seen that’s impacted his path. Once he began ArchSmarter, he saw feedback from others who wanted to work smarter too. Hearing back from others affirmed that his work was something that people needed and spurred him on. What makes your firm unique? There are a lot of people who write about technology or train on products, but Michael’s zone of genius is breaking concepts down into small bites and using humor and narrative as a teaching tool. What does technology mean for you as an architect? How does it affect and impact you? Quick Questions At what age did you decide to become an architect? 12 years old What’s your target market? For ArchSmarter, it’s architects and engineers who want to be more efficient. For Michael’s firm, he does residential and light commercial projects. Stipulated sum, hourly or percentage-based fee? Stipulated sum for his firm, and hourly for the products on ArchSmarter Other than architecture, what makes you happy? Spending time with his family, watching his kids play soccer, getting outside, cycling, practicing yoga, and completing projects around the house What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? John Connell told him he could practice architecture however he wanted, but how he made a living was a whole different story. What’s one personal habit that contributes to your success? Michael makes his bed daily and reads each night before bed. What’s an app or resource you’d recommend? Michael uses The Hemingway App to improve his writing. What book would you recommend and why? The Personal MBA: Master the Art of Business by Josh Kaufman, Badass: Making Users Awesome by Kathy Sierra, and Here by Richard McGuire What’s a parting piece of guidance? Find opportunities to be creative in your business What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business tomorrow? “Produce content of some sort. Every company is a media company whether they know it or not. You don’t know what will come out of it.” – Michael Kilkelly Connect with Michael online at ArchSmarter.com or email him at michael@archsmarter.com. You can also find him on LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube. Want to be a guest on the entrepreneur architect series? Connect with us on any social media platform or email podcast@entrearchitect.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) 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. Want to collaborate with colleagues in real time? Visit EntreArchitect.com/ARCAT and click Charrette for more information. Referenced in this Episode EntreArchitect Academy The post EA175: Michael Kilkelly – The Entrepreneur Architect Series [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Build SmartFrosty & Fired Up

People for Urban Progress with Donna Sink Donna Sink is a practicing architect at Rowland Design based in Indianapolis. Until her recent move there, she was a small firm architect who owned her own practice. She was recently the campus architect at Indianapolis Museum of Art and she’s involve din the local arts and design community as past President and current member of the Indiana chapter of AIA, a board member at People for Urban Progress and a member of the Indianapolis Sign Ordinance Revision Task Force. You may know Donna best from her active Twitter presence or from her work as cohost at Archinect podcast. This week at EntreArchitect podcast, People for Urban Progress with Donna Sink. Donna’s Origin Story Donna’s journey in architecture started when she set up her Barbie’s condo in a bookshelf as a young girl. Her parents recognized her interest and encouraged her to take drafting classes in high school. For her, art felt too personal as an awkward teenager, but she loved drafting. It led her to a visit with her sister in college in Arizona, and when she walked into the lobby of the architecture school, she knew she was hooked. She did a five year bachelor of architecture at University of Arizona before going to Michigan for grad school. She was a fan of John Irving and loved the stories about him spending time in Vienna, Austria. Michigan had an exchange program that went to Vienna, and she spent a semester there. She realized she had a bachelor of architecture that she could get licensed with and she wanted to spend her two years in grad school doing crazy, more philosophical and theological discoveries at Cranbrook. Her five year degree prepared her practically to put together a set of documents and function in an office. In grad school at Cranbrook, she wanted to explore more theory and round out her philosophical attitudes. She was entirely responsible for doing the creative work that she wanted to do. She was 100% immersed in the program. The studio had a kitchen and a huge table where they would make group dinners. When you work in the saarinen design studio and walk home to your dorm through the most beautiful outdoors environment. Everything else felt bland. Donna met her husband at Cranbrook and they left together to go to Philadelphia where she went straight into an internship at Atkin Olshin Shade. She was there for 10 years and received a ton of help to grow. After she had a baby, her best friend called from Indianapolis and asked her to come on as a partner for high end residential remodels. When 2008 happened, Donna panicked after seeing the repercussions around the country. She got a call from Ball State University to be an adjunct professor for a guaranteed paycheck, and put the partnership on hold. Donna was now facing these college students knowing that they weren’t going to get a job when they got out of school. She began teaching them how to be entrepreneurs to use their skills in other ways. She got involved with AIA National’s emerging professional’s group and started pressing the idea of teaching students how to be business people. She put together a local conference talk about how to go about nontraditional practices and has rolled with it ever since. How do we practice in the world where we know each other through Twitter? She got an opportunity to go to the University of Indianapolis as the campus architect and loved it, but missed practicing. She realized that architecture is a long profession and that there was time to wear different hats and do different things. While pursing different things, she came into contact with the Executive Director for People for Urban Progress, Michael Bricker. What is People for Urban Progress and how did you get involved? People for Urban Progress (PUP) is a nonprofit in Indiana that was founded by Michael Bricker. Michael has a degree from UT Austin who came back to Indianapolis ten years ago and looked for the opportunities. At that point, the Colt’s NFL stadium was being torn down because they were building a new one. The old stadium, built in the 70s, was a concrete structure with a air supported, vinyl roof. Michael wanted to know what was happening with the old roof material. Since it was going to a landfill, he quickly started a nonprofit, found storage, partnered with Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, and stored 13 acres of salvaged vinyl-coated canvas. With his interior designer sister, he began making bags and selling them. Indianapolis natives or Colt’s fans started buying bags like crazy. Donna came on as a board member as they began doing shade structure around the city in various parks. Since then, they’ve expanded and become known as the reuse nonprofit of the city. There was another structure taken down and reused into apartments, PUP salvaged the seats and they got people to pay for them to put stadium seats at bus stops throughout the city through sponsorships. When the Super Bowl was Indianapolis, PUP went to the NFL and asked to repurpose the banners. Because of that conversation, the NFL has a rule that when a city hosts the Super Bowl, they have to come up with a reuse plan for the banners.   Right now they’ve just moved to a new headquarters on the west side of Indianapolis, which hasn’t seen a lot of development.  As the design nonprofit of the city, they’re hoping to start a design hub on the west side. They’ve started some public conversations about design and tossed around the idea of starting a podcast. How are you getting the word out? They have a great volunteer social media team. They have an upcoming fundraising event and hoping to get some heavy hitters in the cultural world around Indianapolis to attend and make sure they’re aware of what PUP is doing. Now that they have the fabric of the company, they’re able to tell their story that much better. Another job they’re working on now at IUPUI, a collocation university, is replacing their cedar boards with aluminum. There are procurement issues stating that they were only able to be used on campus in some other way. From that, they’ve designed some furniture to be made out of them and placed around campus. How difficult was it to launch this idea into a successful business? First, you have to have a good story. PUP also started with a loan from one of the founders. Everyone had to have another job to get things off the ground. Michael also did production design, and he had to go disappear for a few months to a film set to make enough money to be a minimally paid executive director for a nonprofit. You have to commit your free time and enlist your families’ help in order to do this. Architects are primed to do this kind of work since they often see the big picture. Are there any plans to expand PUP? There are other cities who are interested. PUP has some great cheerleaders who have taken them under their wing to attend some great events and share their story. There’s some people in Denver and Atlanta who are familiar with what they’re doing and might want to bring it to their area. What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business tomorrow? “Say yes to things. How do you network and get out there in the world? Say yes to things that are interesting and might lead somewhere. We build success by knowing people who will tell other we’re architects. Yes I will serve on this committee, yes I will be on this board, yes I will volunteer.” – Donna Sink How can you get involved? Learn more about People for Urban Progress at PeopleUP.org and find them on Twitter and Instagram. Connect with Donna online via LinkedIn, Twitter, or Houzz. Visit our Platform Sponsors NCARB is helping architects reach their goals! Get back on track with the new AXP Portfolio. Visit EntreArchitect.com/NCARB to learn more 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) 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. Want to collaborate with colleagues in real time? Visit EntreArchitect.com/ARCAT and click Charrette for more information. Referenced in this Episode EntreArchitect Academy The post EA174: People for Urban Progress with Donna Sink [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Build SmartFrosty & Fired Up

The Entrepreneur Architect Series featuring Lee Calisti 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. We want to interview you! What’s your story? Do you want to share your knowledge or the story about how you were inspired to pursue this profession? How do you become an entrepreneur architect? Join us for our 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 Lee Calisti. Background Lee Calisti is based in Greensburg, Pennsylvania and is a licensed architect and founder of Lee Calisti Architecture and Design. He was one of the original founders of AIA Pittsburgh chapter’s Young Architects’ Forum and was a co-chair for seven years. He’s served as a regional liaison representing Pennsylvania as part of the AIA National Young Architects Forum. He serves on the City of Greensburg History and Architecture Review Board and trustee for the Greensburg Alliance Church. He’s active in social media and is a regular writer for the #ArchiTalks blog series. Origin Story Lee wanted to be an architect ever since he was a child. Early in grade school he discovered drawing and had a passion for comic books. He worked to replicate what he saw in the comics and developed skills in his early days. In junior high, he had an art teacher who was a great inspiration, he promoted creativity and encouraged Lee to develop his skills further. He was fascinated by architecture, checking out books from the library to learn more. Soon enough, he designed houses and built model. His mother bought him a drafting table as a kid and he spent hours there. Lee focused singularly on architecture. He applied for school and plunged into the world of architecture. He took design classes at night and got connected twitch an adjunct professor who was hugely inspirational to him. His professor was working for a firm and doing work on the side. Recently, Lee was able to connect with him to thank him for his patience and inspiration. After finishing school at the top of his class, he went to work for an architect he’d spent summers with previously. He learned the nuts and bolts of working in an architecture practice. After that, he went to work in downtown Pittsburg. He loved the big city where he was exposed to lots of different things, and it was those experiences that prepared him to launch his own firm. His son was born shortly after, and Lee started teaching as an adjunct professor. He wanted to be an architect and a teacher just like those who mentored him. Everything leading up to that point prepared him, but couldn’t replace the hard work it takes to start a firm. Lee borrowed money from his personal savings with the promise to pay it off within a year. He brought work in slowly but surely and paid off the loan without having to borrow from a bank. Down the road, he realized that, unfortunately, he couldn’t do both architecture and teaching. His personal practice was growing and he needed to focus on that exclusively. Last year, Lee began considering hiring his first employee and started the wheels in motion to expanding his firm. The Entrepreneur Architect Questions What is one big goal you’ve achieved in your career and how did you get there? When Lee was an intern, it was important to him to become licensed. He wanted to reach that goal as soon as possible, and he had to do a ton to fulfill the requirements. He wanted to do it in the minimum amount of time, which was three years, and was upset when he didn’t. He disciplined himself and spent time doing the work every day. After finally making it through the exams and waiting a few months to hear his results, he got a letter in the mail with his passing scores. It was such an intense experience for Lee, that he got a nosebleed literally during the 11th hour of his testing. What is one struggle you experienced and how did you overcome it? After being practice several years, Lee had a situation where he thought legal action might take place. Thankfully it didn’t! After working with his insurance company, he wrote a letter and the whole ordeal ended. He ran into the client years later, and the client admitted fault. Having an LLC gave him some peace of mind, but more than that, he wanted to keep good terms and maintain pride in himself and his brand. What makes your firm unique? Balance has always been the key to Lee’s success. He feels he hasn’t always been the best at design, but he was able to balance that skill with all his others. There’s so many things that architects are expected to do or be good at, some of them may not be inspirational, but you have to get them right. Lee has learned to do lots of different things, despite his various strengths and weaknesses. Are you seeing any influence on your practice because you work with kids? Quick Questions At what age did you decide to become an architect? 9 years old What’s your target market? Adaptive reuse projects for urban buildings and modern contemporary residential homes Stipulated sum, hourly or percentage-based fee? Stipulated sum for commercial, hourly for residential Other than architecture, what makes you happy? Family, faith in Jesus, and making things What are some of your hobbies? Photography, graphic design, traveling, trying new things What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? Listen to what the client is really needing, it’s different for everybody, and then work to meet that need What’s one personal habit that contributes to your success? Sketching What’s an app or resource you’d recommend? Pitch Gauge to figure out the pitch of a roof, or take approximate measurements What book would you recommend and why? All In by Mark Batterson and The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabil What’s a parting piece of guidance? Promote the profession of architecture first, and then the individual results will come in What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business tomorrow? “Adapt. Depending on where you’re coming from, you could come from a lot of different scenarios. Adapt to dealing with different kinds of people, work settings, work days, building types, and more. It may not come easy, but adapting, learning new things, and adjusting to how the world of architecture is going will help you from getting lost in the back.” – Lee Calisti Connect with Lee online at ThinkArchitect.Wordpress.com or leeCALISTI.com. You can also find him on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Want to be a guest on the entrepreneur architect series? Connect with us on any social media platform or email podcast@entrearchitect.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) 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. Want to collaborate with colleagues in real time? Visit EntreArchitect.com/ARCAT and click Charrette for more information. Referenced in this Episode EntreArchitect Academy Ian Morgan Cron How Self-Awareness Makes You More Successful The post EA173: Lee Calisti – The Entrepreneur Architect Series [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Build SmartFrosty & Fired Up