EntreArchitect Podcast with Mark R. LePage

In this episode I'll share five ways to embrace your Personal Evolution. How, as we move through different seasons in our lives, our priorities change and the things that may have been important to us as an architecture student or as an emerging professional, may not be so important as we grow and our lives evolve. It’s a short one, but I feel its a fascinating and important topic to explore. Leave a comment below and let me know what you think. Topics Referenced in this Episode Last Week’s Episode: Episode 15: Architectural Fees This Week’s Blog Post: Conversion Rates for a Small Firm Architect Writing your Vision Narrative Send me your questions and I may answer them on the podcast.   The post EA016: Five Ways to Embrace Your Personal Evolution [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpBuild Smart

Since launching the blog back in 2007, there has been one topic that I have been asked about more than any other. Whenever I write about it, either at the blog or over at the Entrepreneur Architect Linkedin Group (which by the way is closing in on 6,000 members) the comment section lights up. It's the one topic that, for generations, has been untouchable. We've been trained by our schools and required by our professional organization to avoid discussing this topic at all costs or else. Well today, right here on the podcast, I am talking about fees for architectural services.   Topics Referenced in This Episode The Entrepreneur Architect Academy Pre-Launch List Episode 14 with Emily Grandstaff-Rice The Passion Profit Cycle of Success Architectural Fees Cost Per Square Foot Hourly Fees Stipulated Sum Fees (a.k.a. Flat or Fixed Fees) Percentage of Construction Cost The Hybrid Fee The Hybrid Proposal for Architectural Services Course Collaboration and Encouragement Among Architects Ask a Question To Be Answered on the Podcast The Entrepreneur Architect Resource Guide (Free) Who Is Mark R. LePage (About Page) The post EA015: Architectural Fees | How To Get Paid as an Architect [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Build SmartFrosty & Fired Up

She is the daughter of an economist inspired by an advocate St. Louis architect at the age of 15. This week's guest on the Entrepreneur Architect Podcast climbed her way up through the profession, making a difference every step of the way. She's an instructor at Boston Architectural College, an associate at Cambridge Seven Associates and the 2014 President of the Boston Society of Architects. She's married to a fellow architect and Mom” to 2 kids. This week on the podcast, I am honored to have had a wonderful conversation with a very inspiring woman, architect Emily Grandstaff-Rice. We talked about her journey to become an architect, the many influences on her career, her thoughts about young architects entering the profession and where she thinks the profession may be 20 years from now. I hope you enjoy this episode. I certainly did. I think Emily and I are kindred spirits. Secure your ear buds. You won't want to miss one second of this show.   Contact Emily Emily's website egraia.com ArchitectureDoesMatter.com On Twitter at @archdoesmatter Topics Discussed in This Week’s Show St. Louis, MO Eugene Mackey, Architect (“A Day of Architecture” program for high school art students. Mackey inspired Emily to pursue architecture at the age of 15.) Mackey Mitchell Associates, St. Louis, MO Carnegie Mellon University (6 weeks during the summer before high school year) Father is an economist Things can be analyzed through spread sheets Data analysis to select best architecture school for Emily Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Adolfo Perez, Architect, Boston, MA Cambridge Seven Associates, Cambridge, MA Boston Children's Museum Mentoring Legacy Project for AIA College of Fellows K-12 architecture workshops Students’ projects were centerpieces at Legacy Project ceremony Boston Society of Architects (BSA) Emily's rise to Presidency at BSA “Entrepreneurial streak” of Gen X and Y architects The future of the architecture profession The transition from hand drafting to computer technology Architecture Does Matter campaign Inspired by Alex Sheen “Because I Said I Would campaign Emily's plans for the future Virginia Beach Aquarium project My mission to make the architecture profession one that I would passionately encourage my children to pursue Entrepreneur Architect Academy Pre-Launch List The post EA014: Architecture Does Matter | An Interview with BSA President Emily Grandstaff-Rice [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Build SmartFrosty & Fired Up

It’s Official! The Entrepreneur Architect Podcast is now on a weekly schedule. In this, my 13th episode, I share the new schedule for everything Entrepreneur Architect including the weekly podcast and the new publication date for The Entrepreneur Architect Report, my free weekly newsletter. My weekly blog articles will continue to be published on Monday mornings. A new episode of the podcast will be posted every Thursday morning, taking the slot from the newsletter. The newsletter will move to Friday afternoons. Read the newsletter while you are preparing for your weekend, or save it to read with your Sunday morning coffee. The best part is that there will be more Entrepreneur Architect every week for you to enjoy. This episode of the podcast is my first solo show since introducing the podcast over a year ago. With the new weekly schedule, I will have the time to produce more solo shows where I will share more of my personal thoughts on business success in architecture, as well as anything else I care to discuss. No worries though… my interviews with interesting and inspirational people will continue as well. The topic for this episode is Profit… Then Art. It is inspired by the first section of my ebook, The Entrepreneur Architect Manifesto, which reads; I believe we need to focus on profit before art. I hear it everyday from architects, saying that the money doesn’t matter. We should do it for the love of the profession, for the art of architecture. Yes. We must do it for the love of the profession and for the art, but we should be rewarded commensurate with what we bring to this world. We bring beauty and function and design and comfort and consistency and warmth and convenience We do that. Architects do that. No other profession can do that. Each time we board an airplane, we are reminded of the procedures in case of an emergency. We are told, if the cabin loses pressure, oxygen masks will drop from above. We are told to first care for ourselves before assisting other passengers. Why is that? We must care for ourselves first because if we are unconscious or incapable, we can be no help to other passengers. Similarly, if we do not first care for our businesses before we care for our art, we will not be around to create our art. We must have healthy, profitable businesses in order to continue our mission of making the world a more beautiful, more functional place. If you want to read all of The Entrepreneur Architect Manifesto, you will receive a copy for free when you subscribe to my newsletter, The Entrepreneur Architect Report. If you are already a subscriber and did not receive a copy of the ebook, thank you, because you were an early subscriber. Send me an email and I will send you a copy for free. Other links from this episode: How to Become the Richest Architect You Know Sign up for the Entrepreneur Architect Academy Pre-Launch List *** photo credit: jirotrom via photopin cc The post EA013: Profit… Then Art | Architects Build a Better World By Making More Money [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Build SmartFrosty & Fired Up

Rena Klein, FAIA is a teacher, a speaker, an author and principal of RM Klein Consulting; a firm offering a variety of services aimed at small firm architects. On this episode of the Entrepreneur Architect podcast, Rena and I discuss the many ways a business consultant may help you build a better business. We talk about everything from how the AIA is focusing on the small firm architect, marketing, work/life balance, ownership transitions, firm valuations and so much more. Go grab your Moleskine or open your Evernote, because you are going to want to take notes on this episode. Be sure to listen all the way to the end, because Rena shares some exclusive inside information about the recently published 15th edition of the Architects Handbook for Professional Practice, of which she is the AIA Executive Editor. As I say to my kids, “Get your listening ears on.” This is an information packed episode. I hope you like it.   Contact Rena Klein, FAIA R M Klein Consulting Send Rena an email and say, “thank you”. Call Rena at 206-898-9740 Books Mentioned in this Episode The Architect’s Guide to Small Firm Management: Making Chaos Work for Your Small Firm Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice, 15th Ed. Financial Management for Design Professionals: The Path to Profitability Strategic Planning for Design Firms Topics Discussed in this Episode AIA and small firms Small Firm management Business consulting for small firm architects Best practices for small firm architects Industry trends benefiting business success Marketing and business development Work life balance Business consulting fees How much to expect to pay for business consulting Strategic planning process Business coaching Business benchmarks Marketing and Sales Ownership transition Firm valuations One year anniversary of the Entrepreneur Architect Podcast Entrepreneur Architect Academy The post EA012: How Business Consultants Will Help Small Firm Architects Build Better Businesses with Rena Klein [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Build SmartFrosty & Fired Up

In this eleventh episode of the Entrepreneur Architect podcast, I speak with architect Kevin deFreitas about his success as an Entrepreneur Architect using a virtual studio business model. Annmarie and I have shifted our business model at Fivecat Studio to look much like what Kevin describes. I learned a bunch from Kevin and I hope you do too. Visit Kevin’s website at www.deFreitasArchitects.com or send him an email to say thanks for sharing what he knows on the show. I’d love to know what you think about this episode. Please leave a comment below. The post EA011: The Virtual Studio with Kevin deFreitas [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpBuild Smart

Oscia Wilson has built an architecture firm based on the ideas she learned through practicing Integrated Project Delivery (IPD). Using a distributed business model, with members of the firm working remotely and coming together as necessary, Oscia has built an efficient, effective and rather flexible architecture firm. She shares why she chose an alternative business structure and gives us a detailed breakdown of how her firm works. Oscia is also the founder of the Women Entrepreneurship Retreat. We discussed the reasons she launched this event, and we break down the successes and failures of developing and marketing a major live event. … And I “Spill the Beans” About Major Changes at Fivecat Studio Be sure to listen all the way through. Throughout this episode, I talk about the changes Annmarie and I are making at Fivecat Studio. It’s big news and this is the official preview of our plans for the future. Subscribe to The Entrepreneur Architect Podcast on iTunes Topics Discussed in the Episode Architects with Masters of Business Administration (MBA) Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) Employee-Owned Company (Shared Ownership) Transparent Business Model Distributed Business Model “Virtual” Firm Co-Working Space Remote Access The Big Announcement of Changes at Fivecat Studio Links from this Episode Boiled Architecture Skype (Online Communication) Dropbox (Data Storage) Revit Podio (Project Management) Grasshopper (Telephone System) Women Entrepreneurship Retreat Financial Management for Design Professionals: The Path to Profitability (Book) Fivecat Studio Please Rate the Entrepreneur Architect Podcast on iTunes The post EA010: Alternative Business Structures for Architects with Oscia Wilson [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpBuild Smart

In this episode of the Entrepreneur Architect podcast we’re hanging out with a long time online friend of mine, Susan Serra. Susan is a kitchen designer, an online marketer, an entrepreneur many times over and a great friend. We talked about Susan’s many business ventures and how engaging online has helped her succeed. Its all about the connections. Whether you find people online or off, your success is built upon the relationships you have with other people. The tools have changed, but the lessons have not. If you want to succeed in architecture… make friends and influence people. Links Mentioned in this Episode Susan Serra Associates TheKitchenDesigner.org My Architect vs. Kitchen Designer Guest Post from 2007 Bornholm Kitchen Scandinavian Made Susan’s View Susan on Google+ Susan on Twitter The post EA009: The Power of Connection with Susan Serra [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpBuild Smart

Like many architecture students, Brian Corcodilos and Vincent DeFazio had a dream of one day starting their own architectural design firm. But they didn’t let the rules get in their way. While still attending Philadelphia University, Brian and Vince invited the top ten percent of their class to join them and they launched Designblendz, LLC. Today, the multidisciplinary design firm serves architects and corporations throughout the United States. In this episode of The Entrepreneur Architect Podcast, Brian and Vincent, both recent graduates, share their story and talk about how they started their firm while still in school and how they grew Designblendz into a full time business. I know you are going to learn a lot from these two guys. I hope you enjoy it. Subscribe to The Entrepreneur Architect Podcast on iTunes   Links Designblendz.com Email Brian Email Vincent @designblendz on Twitter The post EA008: Breaking all the Rules | Building a Successful Design Firm While Still in Architecture School [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Build SmartFrosty & Fired Up

Pat Flynn graduated from UC Berkeley Architecture, loved the profession and was working his way through the ranks to become an architect. He was living his dream until the day he was Let Go. In this episode of the Entrepreneur Architect Podcast, Pat Flynn tells the story about how he made the decision to leave the architecture profession and follow his passion for internet business. Today he earns more than $60,000 per month through his many online properties, including his very popular blog SmartPassiveIncome.com. (Yes… you read that correctly. That’s $720,000 per year.) Pat shares his thoughts on how architects can apply the lessons he has learned through building his online businesses and tells a story of how small choices can lead to big things. Subscribe to The Entrepreneur Architect Podcast on iTunes.   Check out some of Pat’s online projects: PatFlynn.me GreenExamAcademy.com SmartPassiveIncome.com SecurityGuardTrainingHQ.com CreateAClickableMap.com Let Go (Pat’s Book) NicheSiteDuel.com (Pat is publically documenting the development of his newest online business) Smart Passive Income Podcast Pat’s Podcasting Tutorial on YouTube (the videos that helped me launch The Entrepreneur Architect Podcast) Say thanks to Pat on Twitter @PatFlynn   The post EA007: Opportunities Come from Unexpected Places | An Interview with Pat Flynn [Podcast] appeared first on EntreArchitect // Small Firm Entrepreneur Architects. Mentioned in this episode:Frosty & Fired UpBuild Smart