EntreArchitect Podcast with Mark R. LePage

The Entrepreneur Architect Series featuring Sharon George 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 Sharon George. Background Sharon is a sole proprietor and the principal architect at Architecture by George in Austin, Texas. She’s worked with custom residential architecture for the past fifteen years, specializing in high-performance homes. She serves on the advisory group for the National Custom Residential Architects Network (CRAN) as the chair of the emerging professionals’ committee. Origin Story Sharon grew up in India, and didn’t grow up around a lot of interesting architecture or architects. She was very interested in drawing, and her earliest memory was of her father taking her to an art competition. She was encouraged in her artistic skills, but also excelled in science and math. She chose to become an engineer as the path of least resistance. Due to the system in India, the bar was very high for her to get into engineering school and she didn’t get in. She decided on a degree in mathematics, which was fun for all of six months until her moment of clarity: she didn’t belong there. She realized just because she was good at something didn’t mean it was her passion to follow it. Sharon soon received a letter of invitation for a new college. There, she saw a huge studio with a bunch of drafting tables. She knew then that that was where she belonged. Though she knew little about the profession, she took the leap of faith. It was the best decision she could have made. Her five years in architecture school were the best years of her life and she enjoyed every moment. In India, when you graduate from architecture you’re immediately an architect; there’s no need for registration. She worked for a year at the same firm that she apprenticed at. She applied to several universities in the States and loved that the University of Texas at Austin because of their program in sustainable architecture. She attended there and was a part of their first ever solar decathlon. When she graduated, she wanted to work for a firm that did high-performance, high-end homes. Unfortunately, her education from India didn’t transfer to the US. She had to work for 8 years to gain the experience prior to taking the AREs. Last year, she started her own firm, Architecture By George. The Entrepreneur Architect Questions What is one big goal you’ve achieved in your career and how did you get there? Sharon isn’t big on goal setting, but it’s something she’s consciously working on. When she looks back at all the things that have gotten her to where she is, and follows her intuition most times. One of her biggest goals was getting her license. Starting her own firm wasn’t always a goal, but when it became her path she focused on getting there. Why did you start your own firm? Sharon had worked for almost 15 years in other firms and kept learning a lot. Her world was a steep line on a graph and she thrived on that. After that time, she had kids who were little and realized as an employee, the model wasn’t very sustainable. She decided to deep dive into something she wasn’t totally comfortable with and didn’t have plans for, but that was making itself clearer and clearer that it was what she was supposed to do. What is one struggle you experienced and how did you overcome it? Starting her own firm was challenging. She was dedicating all her time and resources to nurturing her business and getting it to a place where it’s thriving. She didn’t start her own business to work less, and certainly is working more now, but going through the journey of getting into a business owner’s skin has been great. She makes decisions from a different place and her time has a different meaning. It has been a lot of work in her own mindset to break her own stereotypes of what a business owner looked like. Have you had an “aha” moment? How did you turn it into success for your career? Sharon’s “aha moment” happened when she realized that the business model for architecture is broken. Though she doesn’t have a magic fix for it and she loves practicing architecture, but she was beginning to realize that time was money and people had a tight leash on their resources. She began a passion project of teaching kids about architecture in an after school project. It’s been a great creative outlet for her and she’s found so many kids who are interested in drawing and building. The younger they are, the more interested they tend to be. When they get older, other passions take the place or the creativity is stifled. The need to teach young people is a huge market and Sharon’s gotten a lot of traffic about others looking to do something similar with other kids. Are you seeing any influence on your practice because you work with kids? More on a subliminal level. Because Sharon is in a small niche, she’s forcing herself to learn about things that you can do just for fun.   Quick Questions At what age did you decide to become an architect? 17 years old What’s your target market? Custom residential homes for young families who are outgrowing their current home, focused mostly on high-performance homes Hourly or percentage-based fee? Prefer stipulated sum with a hybrid proposal, sometimes use percentage-based, doesn’t like hourly Other than architecture, what makes you happy? Traveling, drawing and painting, swimming, going camping and hanging out with her family What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? Growing up, her  mom told her to invest in her own education because it’s one of the only things no one can take away from you What’s one personal habit that contributes to your success? Sharon has coffee and quiet time each morning What’s an app or resource you’d recommend? EntreArchitect, of course! Plus QuickBooks Self-Employed app. What book would you recommend and why? Brand Identity Breakthrough by Gregory Diehl and Badass Your Brand by Pia Silva. What’s a parting piece of guidance? Learn about business. It’s been a huge revelation to Sharon to understand how the business world works and be able to strategize better and take a proactive approach to your business. What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business tomorrow? “Put yourself out there. Share your value in your own way. With all the apps and social media platforms that are out there, it’s easy to promote ourselves and share what we’re up to day to day. You don’t have to create content, just document what you do.” – Sharon George Connect with Sharon online at ArchitectureByGeorge.com or email sharon@architecturebygeorge.com. You can also find him on LinkedIn, Twitter 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 The post EA172: Sharon George – The Entrepreneur Architect Series [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpBuild Smart

How Does NCARB Serve the Small Firm Architect? The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards is a nonprofit organization made up of architectural licensing boards of 54 states and 8 rerrirotires. While each jurisdiction is responsible for regulating the practice of architecture within its borders,  NCARB develops and administers programs for licensure candidates and architects throughout the nation. Our community of small firm architects is filled with people with very mixed feelings toward NCARB. Many see the benefits that NCARB provides all architects, while some question the process and procedures required by the organization. Still others have questions about whether NCARB is even relevant in our profession. Do small firms see any benefit to membership and certification? In short, our community of entrepreneur architects have many questions for the leaders at NCARB. This week at EntreArchitect podcast, Mark R. LePage asks NCARB’s Kristine Harding and Greg Erny, “How does NCARB Serve the Small Firm Architect?“. Background Kristine Harding is an architect based in Alabama and the current president of NCARB. Greg Erny is a small firm architect out of Nevada and the incoming NCARB president. Kristine’s Origin Story Kristine grew up in Texas where her mother often used graph paper to draw floor plans. One day as she stood in the kitchen, her mom told her to be an architect. She took drafting in high school and fell in love with how they focused on buildings instead of just mechanical drafting. She studied architecture at Rice University and her passion grew. Eventually she ended up in Alabama where she worked for a firm who had a great transition plan and one day took over that firm. Greg’s Origin Story Greg’s from a small town in rural Indiana, and one of his earliest memories of recognizing the world of architecture was seeing the craftsmanship of his grandfather’s barn. He was involved in and around construction sites growing up and began down the architecture path in high school. He persevered through the five year program at Ball State University. After earning his license and working for a few firms, he branched out to start his own firm and has been there ever since. How did you get involved in NCARB? Kristine was appointed to the state registration board in the state of Alabama. At that point, she was a member of NCARB. She served on the board for 12 years and came up through the leadership to ultimately reach the board level. Greg became involved with his local AIA chapter. He became the president of the chapter and then the president of the state, and, when a spot on the state board opened up, he took it. He got more involved with NCARB on the regional level and found a home in the organization. What is NCARB? In 1919 at an AIA convention in Nashville, 13 states got together and thought it would be good to have an association to facilitate licensure. It’s grown to all 50 states and other jurisdictions that work together to help reciprocal licensure across state lines as well as promote education experience and examination for architects. The reciprocity benefit that NCARB has brought to architecture has allowed architects to practice across state lines. What specifically does NCARB do for small firm architects? For small firms, there’s an experience program to identify young professionals that are seeking experience. For young professionals, that’s a great environment. Greg has a small firm of four people, and he’s found benefit through the programs of experience and education. In looking at someone’s credentials, they need to be able to do everything since there are so few people doing the work. Small firms want people with broad backgrounds. What’s different about NCARB Portfolio, the AXP and the intern role? All of the programs are around one word. The ARE is the examination directory. NCARB has looked at rebranding to follow that, and has found that AXP falls more in the experience program. A task force looked at the word “intern” and found that it’s not a term that’s regulated. Because of that, it wasn’t something that NCARB needed to define. If a firm wants to call someone a project manager or a senior designer, that’s great; just make sure you aren’t using a term that is legislated in your state. There may have been people who stepped away from the profession for one reason or another who have a lot of experience, but they can’t step away from that to get more experience. You can use the AXP portfolio to document your previous experience. At NCARB, within 6 months you need to report your experience. The main reason is because the sooner it’s documented, the fresher it is in your mind. For up to 5 years, you can receive 50% credit. NCARB also has an app that you can use to document your experiences as often as you want. Questions from the Community What is IPAL? The Integrated Path to Architecture Licensure is a new program where education, experience and testing are being offered through seventeen university programs across the country. If you’re in that program, all the components of education, experience and testing that you would take on a traditional path would be completed during your time there. They’re set up with the opportunity to accomplish all of realms while you’re there, though it doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be able to be licensed when you graduate. Is that the future of architecture licensure? It’s more of an alternative. NCARB recognizes that you’ll have to be a very focused person to do it this way. This will be very successful to those who want to take the exam before life gets in the way. In the next year or so, NCARB will start getting metrics of the success to figure out the market for those who do want to move forward with this kind of program. What benefits are there for those who don’t need multi-state licensure? In the Monograph series, NCARB provides resources on health, safety and welfare continuing education to certificate holders. Additionally, NCARB helps people pursue renewing their licensure. They’re in the process of creating some software along those lines and hope to launch that in the next few years. As you gain education, NCARB can keep your certifications to help with renewing licensure. Can you use construction experience toward lisensing? Within the existing programs of NCARB, construction observation and work counts toward part of the experience requirement. One of the advantages of being in small firm is drawing in the morning and dealing with site issues in the afternoon. You’re constantly getting exposure to construction, and therefore gaining hands on experience. How are you working to make the NCARB process smoother? There used to be a bad customer service perception, and they’ve worked over the previous years to streamline things and improve the service. Anyone who’s been involved recently will see great improvement and find that everything is at the tip of your fingers and things can be moved very quickly. NCARB also has a brand new website that responds faster to what the user needs. What’s in the future for NCARB? NCARB is looking at where regulation is going in terms of software and individuals themselves. As they wrap up the first 100 years, the immediate future is looking to strengthen the mentorship program to bring experienced practitioners on in a more integrated way. The goal is to be a better resource for those architects who are utilizing them to get through the exprience component of the licensure process. What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business tomorrow? “Think about a transition plan. Who will carry the efforts, design and vision into the future.” – Kristine Harding, AIA, NCARB “Don’t be scared to participate in projects that seem unattainable. Be willing to affiliate and collaborate with other folks, and you can do projects of any scale.” – Greg Erny, AIA, NCARB 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 NCARB Portfolio: AXP Experience Credit for Seasoned Professionals My AXP App for iPhone and Android EntreArchitect Academy The post EA171: How Does NCARB Serve the Small Firm Architect? [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpBuild Smart

The Entrepreneur Architect Series featuring Kurt Krueger 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. 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 Kurt Krueger. Origin Story Kurt’s firm is based in Brentwood, LA, and specializes in modern design-build residential architecture.  He grew up in a small town called Mexico, Missouri, and never had any exposure to architects. He was artistic and could draw, but had no idea what to do what that moving forward. During his junior year in high school, a perceptive geometry teacher asked if he’d ever thought about being an architect. He took some basic drafting classes at the vocational school attached to the high school and found the perfect marriage between the artistic side and his propensity for using art for practical purposes. He went to college at Kansas State University and something clicked. Kurt enjoyed the drawing and design aspect of school when he found a way to combine what he loved with hard work to get good at it. During his third year in school, he interned for an architect in North Carolina. He began to learn more about his love for design and the construction/building side. When he graduated, as opposed to getting an office job, he worked for an architect in Lawrence who runs a studio called Studio 804 where the team does design-build projects. Kurt did hard work for little pay, but knew there was value in being able to learn first hand how things come together. From there, he relocated to Los Angeles because of the weather and the greater opportunities to get engaged with different architects. There can be some experimentation and craziness that he fell in love with. His construction experience got him a job with design/build architect Marmol Radziner for four years. After that, he worked for a high-profile firm doing the work for some beautiful homes. The Entrepreneur Architect Questions What is one big goal you’ve achieved in your career and how did you get there? Kurt has worked to take the structure of design-build and moving it into an architect-as-developer where they have their own clients and are able to work on projects on their own. He’s been talking about it with his firm for some time, and, for them, they had a leg up since they were already doing the things developers would do. If they had all the pieces in place to get the structure in place and get the numbers right, it was a no-brainer. It finally came down to them stop thinking about it and just doing it to see what works and what doesn’t. Though they’re early on, it’s a goal they’re in the process of getting it to where they want it to be. What is one struggle you experienced and how did you overcome it? Of course there’s the struggle of everyday practice. Kurt had a big turning point in his third year of architecture school. The first few years, there’s no computers at all. The transition to the computers and doing things with 3D design and renderings was completely new. He had little experience with computers and doubted that he could pull through. Though he had the talent and work ethic to succeed, he didn’t know if it was something that was too far over his head. The things that helped him to overcome it was to have mentors and to keep telling himself it would get easier as he pressed on. Who was the person that supported you most through that process? A younger professor took Kurt under his wing and helped him rethink they way he understood architecture and design. He encouraged him not to focus on the things that were limiting him and gave him confidence to succeed. Have you had an “aha” moment? How did you turn it into success for your career? The more Kurt was around construction, the more it made sense to him. He saw more control over the process, the budgets and the schedule. There were so many things pointing to that as the logical way to do the work. How is your firm structured? They have the architecture company and the general contracting company that are under separate contracts. The firm has Kurt, who heads up the architecture company, and his business partner is the licensed general contractor. How do you market your work? They started having everything separate and leaving it as an option for their clients to choose from if they didn’t want to jump straight into everything. In that way, the client thinks that they can separate things and that’s not always the ideal route. If the client is more interested in architecture in special projects, that’s doable but they’re getting to the point where they’re offering it as a package deal. It’s what makes them special and that’s what their clients are coming to them looking for. What’s one thing that makes you and your firm unique? The biggest thing is their method. They’re design-build, but they’re architect-led design-build in every sense. They have an interesting team of people in house: an architect and designer, a structural engineer and general contractor, site superintendents, licensed electricians and framers. There’s lots of experience that gets brought to the table. They’re unique because they’re able to improvise a lot without fear of costly change orders or time delays; it’s just built into their process. They can come up with the basics of the big idea, but the advantage is that they can move faster into permitting and construction because of the control they have over what needs to get done. How big is the firm? The architectural staff is Kurt plus two other architects in house with remote help as needed. The construction team fluctuates depending on need around a dozen people. How did you find your business partner? Kurt and his business partner met when they worked together previously. They worked on a hotel project in Long Beach and moved into the trailer on the site to get things done quickly. Quick Questions At what age did you become an architect? 30 years old What’s your target market? Single family modern residential design Hourly or percentage-based fee? Prefer stipulated sum with a hybrid proposal, sometimes use percentage-based, doesn’t like hourly Other than architecture, what makes you happy? Traveling, being outdoors, sunny days and reading What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? “You need to get out of here.” His boss told him he’d learn more outside of the office then he’d ever learn in the office. What’s one personal habit that contributes to your success? Trying to get exercise in first thing in the morning and keeping a habit of gratitude What’s an app or resource you’d recommend? Google Docs to develop systems and share What book would you recommend and why? Living Forward by Michael Hyatt What’s a parting piece of guidance? Spot thinking and start taking action What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business tomorrow? “Find a niche and really target it. It can be scary to feel like you’re limiting yourself, but that’s not usually the case. By targeting a niche and people will be able to find you better.” – Kurt Krueger Connect with Chris online at KurtKruegerArchitect.com. You can also find him on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter and  Facebook. Visit our Platform Sponsors Freshbooks is the easy way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access your free 30 day trial at EntreArchitect.com/FreshBooks. (Enter EntreArchitect) NCARB is helping architects reach their goals! Get back on track with the new AXP Portfolio. Visit EntreArchitect.com/NCARB to learn more today. BQE Software is designed specifically for architect’s project management! Get a free 15-day trial at EntreArchitect.com/BQE. ARCAT has huge libraries of free content, Specs, CAD, BIM and more. No registration required. 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 EA170: Kurt Krueger – The Entrepreneur Architect Series [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpBuild Smart

Architecture for Children with Vicky Chan One of the main struggles we hear is that the general public is ignorant of what we do as architects. If people don't know what we do, how will they ever value our services? How can we better educate and share our purpose with the world and, in doing so, increase that perceived value of the profession throughout the world. This week, Mark R. LePage talks with an architect based in New York City and Hong Kong, the founder of a thriving architecture and design firm who has found a way to educate society on the value of architecture one child at a time. This week on EntreArchitect podcast, Architecture for Children with Vicky Chan. Background Vicky is the founder of Avoid Obvious Architects, with offices in New York and Hong Kong. The firm specializes in sustainable design for buildings and cities with a focus on combining art and green technology. He also founded a volunteering organization called Architecture for Children, teaching over 3,000 children about sustainable design and architecture. Origin Story Vicky grew up in Hong Kong and his family moved to New York about 20 years ago. He always loved art and science, and didn't immediately realize that architecture was the perfect combination of the two. Throughout his academic studies, he decided to pursue architecture. After graduation, he worked at a large architecture firm, in one season working over 100 hours in a week. He decided then to get out and do something different and fund his own ideas. Along with wanting the freedom to choose his clients, Vicky began pursuing more sustainable design. Having his own business allowed him to take time out of his week to go to the local school and teach children about architecture. Vicky knows that most kids won't become architects, but he hopes to influence society toward green design. When the kids that he's teaching grow up, perhaps they'll retain the knowledge they received from him and use it to make decisions on their future homes. Through teaching children, Vicky has had many opportunities to refocus his values. He also works with special needs children, and, while other children tend to want to design things from their favorite movies or cartoons, the children with special needs want to design hospitals to help others. He learns a lot from the children. In addition to finding meaning through teaching, Vicky has also found encouragement for more innovative thinking. Instead of getting fancy and complicated, what about looking at design through the innocent lens of a child's eyes? What if the crazy ideas that kids have actually come to fruition in the near future? What's your inspiration? When Vicky was in college, he was invited into a program where he went to a local school and teach them math and English. Soon, he was encouraged to do a side project in teaching children about architecture. After that, he realized how difficult it was to teach architecture to children. He worked to refine the idea so that the children could come out with a keyword or key concept. To come up with something simple that the children can complete in a short period of time has helped him a ton with his own design. Finding the simplicity in it make it easier to understand. Vicky also learns from different cultures when teaching children in both New York and Hong Kong. In general, kids in New York are exposed to more art and are more imaginative and creative, whereas the children in Hong Kong are more practical. He works to encourage the children to fail and try things they aren't sure of so they can learn from what doesn't work. How often do you teach? Vicky teaches with three local schools up to twice a week. He also has volunteers who study architecture, design, marketing and math, and each comes in and teaches their field to the children. They work mostly with kids after school. How have you seen children's innocence influence your work? One child proposed that when a wind turbine she was designing was not in use, they could turn it into a ceiling fan. Though that's not possible, it made Vicky think about dual-purpose design. Additionally, one child told them that they wanted a hole in the middle of their roof so that they could open it in the middle of the night and see the stars. Vicky presented the idea in a similar way in one of his other projects. What's some advice you can give someone who may want to start a program of their own? When Vicky first moved here, he had no connections. He set up a page on his website and printed some booklets and sent it out to various schools. The best advice he can give is to reach out to your community. It's not hard to tell a school that you want to teach their kids for free! Since they're a non-profit, they have to be very conservative with their materials. For necessary supplies things like pencils and scissors, they found a company that donates supplies for educational purposes. Last, come up with something that the children will remember. Their attention span is so short that it's hard to keep them focused, but, many times, Vicky holds competitions to motivate the kids to finish well. What ages do you teach? Often 6 12 years old. On the older edge is his primary focus, but he teaches anywhere in that range. Where did the name Avoid Obvious come from? Since their architecture firm was fairly young, they wanted to shake things up and tell people that they were more than capable. Instead of naming it after someone's last name or something standard like that, they openly encourage potential clients to do things out of the normal and avoid the obvious . Unfortunately, the phrasing doesn’t translate perfectly to his Hong Kong clientele. Are you considering a rebrand? Not presently. They work to rebrand following ABC; A for architecture, B for branding, and C for children. They’re working to get their name out there and create a presence. What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business tomorrow? “Write an app. It can help automate something and tell your client that you’re not just doing architecture, but you’re trying to be efficient and diversify.” – Vicky Chan Connect with Vicky about online at AOArchitect.us or via Facebook for Avoid Obvious and Architecture for Children. 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 Profit for Small Firm Architects course (unlimited free access) EntreArchitect Academy is a digital program and private online community of architects working together to build a better profession. Learn more at EntreArchitect.com. The post EA169: Architecture for Children with Vicky Chan [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpBuild Smart

The Entrepreneur Architect Series featuring Chris Bailow 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. 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 Chris Bailow. Background Chris is the Principal Architect at Bailow Architects, a custom residential design architecture firm that works in New England. The firm’s work consists of thoughtful, innovative design rooted in New England tradition. Chris works remotely Origin Story Chris felt fortunate to grow up on an island in Maine. It has a great culture and community, and it was also connected to the mainland by a bridge. When he was a kid, he spent a lot of time outdoors and would find the summer cottages of those who weren’t there any longer. He and his friends would go up on the porches and peek in the windows, and he thought about the layout and spaces of each home. That simplicity is a part of his design aesthetic to this day. As he grew up, he was interested in how things were put together and how buildings were constructed. His dad wasn’t particularly handy, but he was encouraged to explore what he was interested in. One summer, he got a job building boats. In high school, he thought he may want to be an architect. His guidance counselor pointed out his low math scores, and Chris went to a liberal arts school to level things out. Chris got a job as a carpenter and was hired by a contractor. He loved learning how to build houses, and that’s some of the most foundational learning he received. After hauling shingles for a while, he realized he did want to pursue architecture. He earned his undergraduate degree from St. Laurence and an internship in Vermont at the Yestermorrow Design/Build School. Soon he found a graduate program at the Boston Architectural College in Boston where he could work in a firm during the day and go to school in the evenings. Following school, he got a job as a mail person in a 100+ person firm. He was exposed to tons of different architects, none of whom were doing what he wanted to do. He soon got a call from a firm he’d given his resume to who was doing residential architecture in Massachusetts. After interviewing one-on-one, he got the job. There he learned to hand draft and was exposed to the elements of a small business. He was there for a few years before he hit his ceiling. Next, he went to a high-end residential firm where he was exposed to 7-8 different architects using CAD software who he got to learn from. He was confident in his abilities to pick CAD up quickly and moved around to different projects helping with whatever they needed at the time. He quickly worked himself up to an associate and project manager. Within years, he felt he was doing the same thing day-to-day and needed a new challenge. With his wife’s nudging and support, in 2014 he decided to jump out on his own. He stayed home with their son and worked on some projects, and they haven’t looked back since. The Entrepreneur Architect Questions How did it work out for you raising a child and building a business? Chris doesn’t know any other way. Raising a child is an amazing experience that taught him a lot about himself, and the same can be said of building a business. He worked to have clear separation between home and work, but it’s a constant process to set boundaries. It’s been great for his business because it makes him relatable to many clients who are looking for space for their families. What is one big goal you’ve achieved in your career and how did you get there? Family is the biggest achievement for Chris. After he originally got his job as a hand-drafting architect with long hours, he one day decided to do a triathlon. He had to separate himself and put in a ton of time to work toward the goal, but it gave him back some of what he felt he’d lost. To get to where he was, he had to make some sacrifices, like not having the time to ski for a while. After some time, he felt it was important to reset after the hard work and find things that he loved to do. What is one struggle you experienced and how did you overcome it? Chris isn’t naturally organized and has to work at it all the time. He thinks it’s funny that others perceive him as organized, and feels lucky that his wife does have that personality trait. Have you had an “aha” moment? How did you turn it into success for your career? Chris always looks for opportunities to try new things. He used to send out resumes and go for interviews if it worked out, and he found one firm that he made it through a few rounds of interviews for. He didn’t really need or want the job, but he was naturally trying to better himself. The firm wanted to fly him to Manhattan and interview him. It was a great experience and good practice for moving forward, so he went. That firm was cloud based without a central space, and he got to look at an architectural firm in a whole different way. It wasn’t what he wanted at the time, but he took a lot from that. He found that there was a niche space for doing the work outside of a big office with lots of capital. What’s one thing that makes you and your firm unique? Chris’s firm is cloud based, and they’re also scalable. He works to put a team together that meets the needs of a specific project with those who are best fit to complete it. What did you learn when you went cloud-based? There are bumps in the road with a home office, but as with anything, Chris tries to be introspective to see what’s working and what’s not. The hardest is that family life is cyclical too, and adjustments need to be made. Clear boundaries of when he’s working and when he’s not are important for Chris. Quick Questions At what age did you become an architect? 33 years old. What’s your target market? Custom single-family residential. Hourly or percentage-based fee? Chris prefers percentage-based, but will do hourly if needed. Other than architecture, what makes you happy? His family, the ocean, and the band Phish. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? His father taught him that he can do a lot in life as long as he acts like he know what he’s doing. What’s one personal habit that contributes to your success? He drops his daughter off at daycare each morning, creating a clear delineation of work time vs. personal time. What’s an app or resource you’d recommend? Building Science Corporation for detailing resources and great information for best practices. Instagram is his favorite social media application; it’s a great place to put things out there as you’re working on them. What book would you recommend and why? Rob Thallon’s Woodframe Construction helps you understand how a building gets put together. What’s a parting piece of guidance? You don’t stay the same, you get better or you get worse. It’s not a straight line, your craft needs work. Work on being an architect and a business owner. What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business tomorrow? “Recognize bad habits and figure out how to fix them. If something isn’t working for you, there’s somebody out there that can help you fix it.” – Chris Bailow Connect with Chris online at Bailow.com or email him at  chris@bailow.com. You can also find him on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Visit our Platform Sponsors Freshbooks is the easy way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access your free 30 day trial at EntreArchitect.com/FreshBooks. (Enter EntreArchitect) NCARB is helping architects reach their goals! Get back on track with the new AXP Portfolio. Visit EntreArchitect.com/NCARB to learn more today. BQE Software is designed specifically for architect’s project management! Get a free 15-day trial at EntreArchitect.com/BQE. ARCAT has huge libraries of free content, Specs, CAD, BIM and more. No registration required. Want to collaborate with colleagues in real time? Visit EntreArchitect.com/ARCAT and click Charrette for more information. Referenced in this Episode EntreArchitect Profit for Small Firm Architects course (unlimited free access) Rob Thallon’s Woodframe Construction (book) Building Science Corporation The post EA168: Chris Bailow – The Entrepreneur Architect Series [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Build SmartFrosty & Fired Up

For Architects, By Architects: The Story Behind ArchiOffice This week, we have another inspiring story from an architect turned accidental entrepreneur. He turned a need for managing finances at his own small firm into a new software tool to solve the problem. He shared the idea with some colleagues, formed a small company, and eventually sold that company. Today, it’s offered to architects throughout the world. This week on EntreArchitect podcast, For Architects, By Architects: the story behind ArchiOffice with Steven Burns.  Background Steven is an architect based in Los Angeles and the creator of ArchiOffice project management software. He’s currently the Chief Creative Officer of BQE Software, the makers of ArchiOffice. Steven’s Origin Story Steve majored in sculpture at Syracuse University. When he had his senior show, by accident a woman approached him and asked his plans after school. He joked that he was going to wait tables, but she prompted him to study architecture. He went to MIT for architecture, which he didn’t love, after not getting into his first choice, Harvard. After his first year, he went back and reread his application essay and decided to reapply to Harvard. This time, he got in. The second time around, his classmates and experiences were great and he thrived. After graduation, he started his career at SOM in Chicago. During his time there, he put a few goldfish in an empty bowl. People liked it, so he went and bought a tank, some sand and a fish for every partner – fourteen – with a sign that said “Please don’t feed the partners.” Within three months, every partner knew him. Eventually, Bruce Graham took an interest in Steve and helped shape much of his journey in architecture. When Steve and his wife were in Berlin working for SOM and were about to have children, they decided to take the risk to move to Chicago and Steve opened an office on his own in 1993. There was no business plan and nothing written down. After a month of working alone, he brought a friend on board to join the business. They were frugal, finding a small space and building it out on their own. Eventually they hired someone, and they felt the pressure of having to provide for them. In 2007, he sold the firm. They chose two partners and were able to watch both of them grow into the roles perfectly. They learned that their partners weren’t like them, which was good; they should be able to fill in the spaces where you have weaknesses. Steven felt that he and his partner were able to retain some control while still giving the partners some ownership of their roles. Would you do it differently if you had to do it over again? If Steven had to do it all over again, he would hope that he would at least have written some kind of business plan before starting out. However, he knows himself well enough to know his spontaneity and that, in some ways, he hasn’t changed since then. How do you pick the right person to transition your firm over to? It’s a hard decision, and you have to trust your intuition. Steve feels lucky to have had great picks with his wife and his partner, but has also learned that when you have something that isn’t a fit, it’s better to take care of it right away. In the end, it’s best for everyone. Why did you sell your company and where were you headed after that?  Steven was a designer at heart, and he wanted to work on designing a software for his firm. He bought a Mac-based program, File Maker Pro, and used their easy scripting program to build things to solve problems. He’d set a task to take care of and, after work, for three years he would work until 3 or 4 AM creating things. When he showed coworkers, they would challenge him to create different things. One of their employees called his old boss and told him about Steven’s software. When he came to look at it, he asked if he could buy it. Steven cleaned it up and let the guy try it for a year for free. Realizing he lacked the formal background, he hired a team in Melbourne, Australia who could work with him at night three or four days a week. In a few years, ArchiOffice was a commercial product. Word of mouth was the key to spreading the word. They quickly had 500 firms using the software, so they brought in a management team to make sure they were doing things correctly. Since they were providing something to help with people’s businesses, Steven wanted to make sure they were doing things correctly. Surprisingly, one of the recommendations was for Steven to fully pursue software development. He decided to dive in 100%. In 2007, he sold his portion of the firm and started in a new space with four people headed toward software design. What were the next steps for ArchiOffice? Unfortunately in that season, they found that architects weren’t buying software, they were letting go of employees. They got very close to shutting down the company in 2009. That same year, Steven had purchased three booth spots at the AIA Convention and rented a Volkswagon Bug with a jet engine in it to bring along. They had a ton of people come, including the CEO of one of their competitors. After returning to Chicago, Steven got to talk to Shafat Qazi, BQE Software’s CEO, about the ArchiOffice. A few days later, Shafat came back and asked to acquire the company. Steven felt the burden of building a company, the need to provide for those who were working for him and the desire to fulfill the needs of his clients. He agreed to the deal, and in late 2009 BQE acquired ArchiOffice. With this transition, Steven and his family moved from Chicago to LA. What’s next? Today, Steven and his family live in a new-urbanism area near LA. BQE Software had a goal to be the best, and Steven moved into a role to help bring things together. Currently there are some exciting things coming down the pipeline. What did your hardships building the business teach you? For a long time, Steven didn’t talk about how hard it was to build the business. Eventually he learned that his problems weren’t unique, and that there’s a lot to be learned from going through challenges. What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business tomorrow? “Don’t open your email until 2 PM. If you start your morning with your email, all of the things you wanted to do keep getting pushed off. The beauty of email is that it’s a-synchronistic communication. Whatever opportunities you have that you want to pursue, use your time for those.” – Steven Burns Connect with Steve about online at BQE.com or via LinkedIn, 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) 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 Profit for Small Firm Architects course (unlimited free access) The post EA167: For Architects, By Architects with Steven Burns [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpBuild Smart

Architects Practicing Beyond The Traditional Design Firm Beyond The Box Architects are trained to find solutions. We have a superpower many other people don’t have: we can see a problem and create a way to solve it. This gives us a huge opportunity to lead both as traditional practitioners and in roles in our society that require creativity and solutions for critical problems. This week on EntreArchitect podcast, Beyond the Box: Architects Practicing Beyond The Traditional Design Firm with Katie Crepeau. Background Katie is an architect and a business consultant based in London, England. She’s an advocate for and a practitioner of social impact design. She’s the founder and editor for Design Affects, an online platform that inspires, teaches and connects those involved in social impact design and much more. Origin Story The earliest memory Katie has of engaging with architecture is around the age of five when she was living in a home she was moving out of. She remembers drawing the plan of her bedroom, complete with the red-orange carpet, and she added all the various elements of that space. Katie’s dad is an engineer and her mom is a teacher who studied art, so a big influence was seeing both of their personalities and approaches to doing things. Both of them inspired Katie and her family to be creative: her dad was focused on precision and technique, and her mom on the expression of creativity. As she began studying and practicing, she wanted to connect with people. Katie studied at Tulane in New Orleans, a very different and distant place from where she grew up in California. There she explored and grew in a new city around new people and was able to define who she was as a person. She thought she’d be pursuing the traditional architecture path, but she’s also aware that she’s a “question-asking” type of person. Following graduation and licensing, she wanted to improve the profession of architecture and reconnect it to who we are as people and to the people we’re trying to impact in the first place. Early in her career, Katie worked with small firms that did residential and urban repurpose and regeneration in New Orleans. When she moved to San Francisco, she got more involved with commercial and developer-led projects. Her background, including volunteering and seeing the change in people because of her giving, led her to take a night course from Berkley called Architecture is Activism. Then began the journey of the next six years of her life to focus on social impact design. What is social impact design? Social impact design is working with marginalized or underserved communities and developing products or services that help them create a better environment for themselves. It includes architecture, systems, and everything that comes along with it. Eventually, Katie became an advocate for social impact design. Though working with a group of architects who were all pressing toward the same goal but lacking a certain business acumen, Katie started looking at other firms who were doing similar things. What is your advice for someone who has a problem they want to solve? Katie advises people to start with a project. Don’t start an organization until you have a project and a client and can validate the demand for what you’re doing. She has a ton of eagerness as well, and a lot of her early projects reflect that. In actuality, it’s about validating your idea before you do anything. Identify the people you want to help, get out there and talk to them about what they do, why they do it, their challenges and more. Following that, you can pitch something to them, similar to the ideas presented in the book, The Lean Startup. Sometimes when you go down that road you get so wrapped up in the funding that you forget to ask if there’s actually a need for what you’re doing. It’s important to find the middle ground of what you’re passionate about and who it is that has a need for that. What inspired you to serve architects who want to grow beyond the traditional practice? Through conversations Katie had with architects and designers and following business communities, she observed that everyone wants to provide value to others. It’s not only about social impact, it’s about anyone who can provide value to a group of people who need it. Now, Katie works to help people identify their vision and the change they want to see. What does that mean for their skills and interests as well as those they want to work for? How can that all tie together? Social impact comes in many different formats, and it’s up to us to decide how we want it to come about in a way that makes sense. How can someone branch out on their own social impact project? Katie works to develop a five year plan. What does it look like day to day and where do you find the purpose through what you’re doing? Today, who is doing something similar to what you want to do and how can you get to know them? After those conversations, what resonates with you and how can you craft your vision to include potential opportunities to embody this? You never quite know if it’s the right path, but you have a gut feeling from those around you that you know will support what you’re doing. What are some first steps to build a team and execute a big idea? Really understand where you want to focus and what you want to do. Figure out your assets and how you want to drive your energy toward that. Then, what do you need to balance or supplement that? Katie uses personality tests, like Instinctive Drives, to gain insight into where your strengths and weaknesses lie. Then, find someone who compliments your weaknesses and can drive their energy toward those. What’s next? Katie really enjoys one-on-one consulting, but she really wants to help architects reconnect with why they entered the profession. She’s developing an online program to help people find and craft their vision and then have the follow-up support to make it happen. What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business tomorrow? “I would challenge people – especially those who like to make to-do lists – to cross something off that won’t add to what you’re doing and don’t do it.” – Katie Crepeau Connect with Katie about one-on-one support or group support online at DesignAffects.com or via LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Exclusive EntreArchitect Opportunity: Learn more about booking a FREE 30 minute Clarity Call with Katie. Visit our Platform Sponsors Freshbooks is the easy way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access your free 30 day trial at EntreArchitect.com/FreshBooks. (Enter EntreArchitect) NCARB is helping architects reach their goals! Get back on track with the new AXP Portfolio. Visit EntreArchitect.com/NCARB to learn more today. BQE Software is designed specifically for architect’s project management! Get a free 15-day trial at EntreArchitect.com/BQE. ARCAT has huge libraries of free content, Specs, CAD, BIM and more. No registration required. Visit EntreArchitect.com/ARCAT for more information. Referenced in this Episode EntreArchitect Profit for Small Firm Architects course (unlimited free access) Essentialism by Greg McKeown (book) The post EA166: Beyond the Box with Katie Crepeau [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpBuild Smart

Working Toward an Equitable Future in Architecture This week, the Chair of the AIA National Equity in Architecture Commission, Emily Grandstaff-Rice, FAIA, shares an update on the work that the commission has done to promote equity and diversity in the profession of architecture. How is the AIA working to make the changes needed to have the profession of architecture more accurately represent the society in which we live? What’s planned for a more equitable future? This week on EntreArchitect podcast, Working Toward an Equitable Future in Architecture with Emily Grandstaff-Rice, FAIA. For Emily’s origin story, visit Episode 014. Boston Society of Architects Though Emily had never been the chair of a board of directors this size, at the beginning of this journey she jumped right in and got to meet the mayor of Boston and the mayor of Rome. During her tenure as President of the BSA, she became more comfortable in the public eye and developed leadership skills that she hadn’t encountered in her day-to-day architecture life. Equity in Architecture At the end of 2015, Emily was asked to chair the AIA National Equity in Architecture Commission. Though she felt fear and had some reservations about taking on such a responsibility, she knew she couldn’t say no. At the end of the commission, they presented 11 recommendations (see below) to the AIA Board of Directors with the goal of having the profession of architecture reflect the society that we serve. Emily recognizes this as some of the most important work she’s done in her career. One the commission’s recommendations was to create a stronger pathway for students to go from community colleges to accredited degrees and to increase the number of scholarships aimed at diversity. Following the presentation, the AIA donated $1 million toward diversity advancement scholarships, funding 20 new school scholarships. Creating Awareness Based on research, making the profession of architecture diverse isn’t a “one size fits all” solution. It’s very nuanced, and has to be something that reaches to various levels because of different people and their unique approaches to the profession. As architects, we should be asking how we can be role models in our community. Can you go to the local career day at your school? Should you stand up for something within your influence? Create awareness in the public realm to what we do and how we change the environment, and we’ll make a difference.  11 Recommendations to AIA National Board of Directors Make equity, diversity, and inclusion a core value for the Board of Directors Measure and report how EDI permeates the AIA Launch EDI training for AIA volunteers and components Create guides for equitable, diverse, and inclusive practice Create a position paper on EDI and the profession Develop a firm self-assessment tool Require EDI data as part of AIA awards submissions Advocate for a more accessible path to higher education Engage children with K-12 architecture programs Tell our stories Ensure that AIA publications reflect EDI To read more about all 11 of the commission’s recommendations, click here. Emily says that when we look at diversity, it’s like an iceberg. We see the tip of the iceberg – the clear, physical qualities – but we don’t see everything underneath. You may have a panel of seven men and think it’s not very diverse, but you’re not looking at the whole picture of the differences of each of those men. We have to understand that people are more than what we judge them by. Instead of looking to find similarities, we should recognize that our differences help us to learn about one another. What’s Next? Emily and Rosa Sheng are co-chairing the new Equity and Future of Architecture Committee, which is tasked with charting these recommendations and reporting progress on how they are being implemented. What is the one thing that small firm architects can do today to build a better business tomorrow? “Ask yourself, ‘Am I reaching the whole of the community or just a piece of it?’ You don’t have to do everything, but there’s a large untapped market of future clients out there that small firms have a direct connection to. Marketing comes from who we see socially, and I challenge you to think about your connections in a larger, more equitable way. Are there connections you’re not tapping that you could? “Secondly, listen to the people you work with and that you employ. Value their differences and work to understand that someone does something differently because they have a different viewpoint. Have conversations about what you don’t understand and what you want to know more about. Differences strengthen our relationships.” – Emily Grandstaff-Rice, FAIA Connect with Emily online via LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. Visit our Platform Sponsors Freshbooks is the easy way to send invoices, manage expenses, and track your time. Access your free 30 day trial at EntreArchitect.com/FreshBooks. (Enter EntreArchitect) NCARB is helping architects reach their goals! Get back on track with the new AXP Portfolio. Visit EntreArchitect.com/NCARB to learn more today. BQE Software is designed specifically for architect’s project management! Get a free 15-day trial at EntreArchitect.com/BQE. ARCAT has huge libraries of free content, Specs, CAD, BIM and more. No registration required. Visit EntreArchitect.com/ARCAT for more information. Referenced in this Episode EntreArchitect Profit for Small Firm Architects course (unlimited free access) The post EA165: Working Toward an Equitable Future in Architecture with Emily Grandstaff-Rice, FAIA [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpBuild Smart

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

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