Architecture & Engineering Business Strategies

How Dynamic Engineering Grew Profit 25% by Switching from Excel to Monograph Dec 27, 2024

Unbilled hours. Constant firefighting. Are broken systems holding back your A&E firm? In this episode, you’ll learn a simple question to find broken systems and get a concrete example of how a 10-person structural engineering firm in Florida grew profits by 25% after switching from Excel to Monograph.

Key takeaways:

Ask your team to perform the same task—if their results differ, your systems lack consistency and need fixing.
Use tools that visually show budgets, workloads, and schedules to make faster, more confident decisions.
Implement systems that automatically track billable hours and improve communication to recover lost revenue.

Need to streamline your firm? Visit monograph.com to get started.

How Workbench Cut Monthly Unbilled Fees by 75% After Switching from BQE Core to Monograph Dec 09, 2024

Many architects and engineers struggle to manage their business, from staying on top of budgets to streamlining invoicing and forecasting. In this episode, we explore how Workbench, a California architect-developer + design-build firm, transformed their operations. By switching to Monograph from BQE Core + Smartsheets, they reduced unbilled fees by 75%, cut their billing time from 20 hours a month to just 4 hours, and sped up staffing and scheduling for their team by 8x.

In this episode, you'll learn:

How to give your team real-time clarity on project budgets and schedules.
How Monograph simplifies invoicing, forecasting, and staffing adjustments.
How better tools can help reduce inefficiencies and improve team productivity.

Workbench used Monograph to save time, improve transparency, and focus on growing their business.

If you’re ready to spend less time managing spreadsheets and more time doing the work you love, this episode is for you.

Want to learn more? Visit monograph.com to book a demo today!

How Workshop/APD Transformed Their Architecture and Design Business with Monograph Nov 27, 2024

Many architects and engineers feel overwhelmed by the business side of their work. In this episode, we explore how Workshop/APD, a leading multidisciplinary design firm, tackled these challenges and grew their team by 78% with Monograph.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

How to align your team with real-time project and financial data.
How to take control of your firm’s financial health using tools designed for architects.
How to build a culture of accountability that empowers your entire team.

If you’re ready to solve the business challenges in your firm and scale with confidence, this episode is for you. Listen now and discover actionable strategies to grow your firm while staying focused on what you love—design.

Want to learn more? Visit monograph.com to book a demo today!

How Garrison Architects cut costs 50% by leaving ArchiOffice for Monograph Feb 22, 2024

Meet Garrison Architects — a Brooklyn-based architecture firm that specializes in sustainable, modular building design through highly refined modernist aesthetics across private residential and large scale public projects.

In 2023, the firm left ArchiOffice for Monograph to streamline and improve project tracking, staffing, and billing, while reducing the cost associated with managing their systems by 50%.

Here's what happened:

Before Monograph

- +$34k annual cost on project management and billing systems

- 40-48 hours a month on monthly invoicing

- 45-60 days time-to-payment

After Monograph

- 50% reduced cost on project management and billing systems

- 66% less time on monthly invoicing

- 2.6x faster time-to-payment

Read the story here - https://bit.ly/49nlNJp

New to Monograph? Start here - https://bit.ly/4bI3S1N

Design-build firm Woodhull streamlined collaboration after switching from BQE Core to Monograph Feb 07, 2024

Meet the design-build firm Woodhull — an integrated architecture, construction, and millwork firm delivering thoughtful and enduring residential and commercial projects throughout New England. Their holistic ethos and business model relies on transparency, communication, and collaboration to drive successful internal operations. Everything starts with the 80 active projects in Woodhull's 25-person design studio, which switched from BQE Core to Monograph to improve speed and accuracy across the entire business.

Here's what happened:

Before Monograph

- 4-6 hours per week on reporting latest project schedules

- 5-10 days invoicing process due to back-and-forth between PMs and bookkeeper

- 50% errors on retainer fee invoicing, causing client refunds

After Monograph

- 95% less time preparing project reports for firm owners

- 53% faster monthly invoicing process

- 100% error reduction on retainer invoicing, avoiding client refunds

Read the story here - https://bit.ly/3OBJ7Lj

New to Monograph? Start here - https://bit.ly/3w8y4mx

MVRDV: How To Win Work (w/ Inger Kammeraat, Jan Knikker) Jun 30, 2022

Systems are essential to organizing your workplace and maintaining order during a project. But how can you build systems to win new work? In this Best Practice interview, MVRDV Managing Director Inger Kammeraat and Strategy and Development partner Jan Knikker explained how they structure their firm to facilitate a healthy pipeline of new projects. They talked about how they use PR to drive business development, how they balance profit with their mission and how they close the cycle at the end of each project.

Interview Takeaways

Document new systems
Build a supportive culture
Don’t kill creativity
Use PR to showcase your wins
Close the project cycle
Check in regularly
Align with the client’s goals
Balance profit with mission
Overbook your projects
Set boundaries

Show Links

Connect with Jan Knikker on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Inger Kammeraat on LinkedIn
Check out MVRDV
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Level Architecture + Interiors: Success Stories: Leveling up Practice Ops (w/Adam Gayle) May 17, 2022

Forming the identity of a young business is difficult. Whether you’re branching off from a parent company or launching your own startup, without a consistent set of principles and practices, it can feel like you’re living in the Wild West. If you want your business to flourish, you need to establish law and order—namely, a consistent set of workflows and processes that will keep everyone on the same page. In this Section Cut interview, Adam Gayle, Director of Architecture at Level Architecture + Interiors, shared how you can help your business level up by organizing your practices and processes.

Interview Takeaways

Establish your identity
Create consistency
Start with good documentation
Guide your employees
Get the right people
Be transparent
Identify your weaknesses
Break down projects by phases
Form intentional habits
Generate staff buy-in

Show Links

Connect with Adam Gayle on LinkedIn
Check out Level Architecture + Interiors
Connect with Nathan Malone on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

bldg.collective architecture + design: Achieving Balance: Creative Expression Meets Professional Service (w/ Steve Perce) May 11, 2022

One challenge architects face is the pressure to deliver their signature creative style while also serving the client’s needs. This push-and-pull relationship between creative practice and professional service never goes away, but there are a few tactics you can use to help strike a balance. In this Section Cut interview, Principal Steve Perce of bldg.collective explored how to deliver an excellent client experience while also honoring your creativity. He talked about the importance of guiding the conversation, educating them throughout the process, and creating moments of delightful design.

Interview Takeaways

Get in the right mindset
Guide the conversation
Connect over creative opportunities
Create moments of delightful design
Communicate the impact of client decisions
Align on goals and scheduling
Educate clients through the process
Tailor your conversations to the client
Treat your work as an ongoing practice
Balance creativity with feasibility

Show Links

Connect with Steve Perce on LinkedIn or Twitter
Check out bldg.collective
Connect with Nathan Malone on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Defining Design Practice: Defining Change (w/ Lorena Galvao) May 09, 2022

Industry expectations and standards are constantly shifting. If you want your company to keep up, you have to adjust with the changing times. But to be ready for whatever lies ahead, you have to institute a flexible, agile mindset within your company and be ready to adapt to new practices. In this Section Cut interview, Lorena Galvao, co-founder of Defining Design Practice, shared her experience working in the changing architectural industry and how companies can prepare for future shifts.

Interview Takeaways

Spend your time wisely
Prepare tomorrow’s leaders
Find community
Recapture your market share
Think forward
Focus on innovation
Give opportunities to younger people
Keep adapting
Discover your niche
Find your communication channel

Show Links

Connect with Silvia Lee on LinkedIn
Connect with Lorena Galvão on Instagram
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Charrette Venture Group: Designing the Client Experience (w/ Lucas Gray, Dena Alspach) May 06, 2022

The client experience is at the heart of architectural work. Delivering an attentive experience through every phase is what will lead to a happy client, repeat business, and referrals for your firm. In fact, this experience starts before you even land a client. Becoming in tune with your potential clients’ feelings, thoughts, and questions will help you to meet them where they are. In this Section Cut session, Lucas Gray and Dena Alspach of Charrette Venture Group explained how delivering an excellent client experience from day one is what will elevate the relationship with your client beyond a transaction.

Interview Takeaways:

Get in tune with potential clients’ feelings
Nurture the client relationship
Set the right expectations
Strengthen your onboarding process
Find the best way to share documents
Document when you reach milestones
Reach out to the client regularly
Show where the money is going
Get feedback
Check in annually after a project closes

Show Links

Connect with Lucas Gray on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Dena Alspach on LinkedIn or Twitter
Check out Charrett Venture Group
Connect with Joann Lui on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Studio Balcones: Growth Rooted in Community (w/ Jennifer Orr, Tiffany Rasco) Apr 25, 2022

When growth is rooted in community, it becomes self-sustaining. At landscape architecture firm Studio Balcones, Principal Jennifer Orr and Office Manager Tiffany Rasco believe that being active in their community is essential to their firm’s growth and success. In this Best Practice interview, they talk about the importance of educating others by collaborating with project partners, applying for community certifications, participating in diversity programs, and teaching clients throughout the process to ultimately create designs rooted in the local landscape.

Interview Takeaways

Create designs rooted in existing ecologies
Design for the soil in each neighborhood
Align with the project partners
Get involved in community programs
Be prepared to wear multiple hats
Work with the landscape, not against it
Educate clients
Hire the right amount of hands
Build systems as you grow
Have the confidence to try something new

Show Links

Connect with Jennifer Orr on LinkedIn
Connect with Tiffany Rasco onLinkedIn
Check outStudio Balcones
Connect with Silvia Lee onLinkedIn
Connect with Nathan Malone onLinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph onLinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Ennead Architects LLP: How Civic Architecture Can Inspire Change (w/ Molly McGowan, Thomas Wong) Apr 22, 2022

Studio-based organizations can prevent architects from getting their hands on a variety of projects and experiences. Ennead Architects takes on a whole range of different scales, different typologies, and different locales in their projects. They see that as the dream training of an architect. Their teams are able to share ideas and transfer skills through this spectrum of projects. In this episode, Ennead partners Molly McGowan and Thomas Wong discuss how they manage all of their diverse civic projects, build teams, and define success.

Interview Takeaways

Build better architects with diverse projects
Merge business and creative goals
Help clients make the right decisions
Build trust and relationships
Be proactive about filling in where needed
Staff team strategically
Rely on peers for validation and inspiration
Create a lasting impact
Cultivate a culture of client service
Have a tech leader on each team

Show Links

Connect with Molly McGowan on LinkedIn
Connect with Thomas Wong onLinkedIn
Check out Ennead Architects
Connect with George Valdes onLinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Silvia Lee on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph onLinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

GLUCK+: Architects Who Build (w/ Thomas Gluck, Stacie Wong) Apr 13, 2022

In the architect-led design-build model, the architect is responsible not only for design but for construction as well. This represents a major shift from the traditional design-bid-build way of building projects. Yet it offers unique advantages on both the architect and client end, say Thomas Gluck and Stacie Wong, both principals at Gluck+. Most importantly, it makes for a smoother construction process and a better, beautiful building.

Interview Takeaways

Design for the build
Be the one point of contact
Scale by hiring
Preserve what matters
Ask contractors for advice
Price early and often
Zoom in and out
Diversity to problem-solve
Feed your architecture addiction

Show Links

Connect with Thomas Gluck on LinkedIn
Connect with Stacie Wong on LinkedIn
Check out Gluck+
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Stayner Architects: How To Design New Models for Practice (w/ Christian Stayner) Apr 04, 2022

Many traditional architecture practices are no longer sustainable. Firms that want to lead the path into the future will need to adopt new ways of thinking. In this Best Practice interview, Christian Stayner, Principal of Stayner Architects, explains how expanding your services, collaborating with consultants, and systemizing client interactions can help you create new models for the future of the industry.

Interview Takeaways

Compartmentalize how you present your practice
Showcase projects that attract your ideal clients
Find alternative approaches to your practice
Offer wrap-around services
Expand beyond hourly services
Continue your education to supplement your services
Collaborate with consultants who lend credibility
Research and develop your own passion projects
Systemize client interactions
Address the limitations of hourly work

Show Links

Connect with Christian Stayner on LinkedIn
Check out Stayner Architects
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Essel Environmental: How the Random Can Change Your Practice (w/ Nik Lahiri) Mar 31, 2022

When unexpected opportunities arise, sometimes it’s best to say yes and figure it out later. But in order to see the project through, you need to understand how to get to the finish line successfully. In this Best Practice interview, Nik Lahiri of Essel Environmental explores how to understand your metrics for success, know where you get your energy from, and set expectations for project milestones to build lasting client relationships.

Interview Takeaways

Say yes and figure it out later
Understand your role and metrics for success
Hire professionals from different experience levels
Don’t try to make it up in volume
Don’t equate past performance with future results
Know where you get your energy from
Avoid making assumptions that limit your business
Meet your potential clients where they already hang out
Show appreciation when your team goes above and beyond
Set expectations for project milestones upfront

Show Links

Connect with Nik Lahiri on LinkedIn
Check out Essel Environmental
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Runcible Studios: How To Start Your Own Practice (w/ Marilyn Moedinger) Mar 28, 2022

Not every architect should start their own practice. It comes down to how you want to spend your time. If you want to spend most of your time being an architect, don’t start a practice. Starting a practice requires you to spend time on business processes, marketing, sales, and most of all, thinking about money. From setting fees to planning for the future, there are many financial decisions you’ll have to make right from the start. In this Best Practice episode, Marilyn Moedinger, founder of Runcible Studios, shares her expertise on the money side of starting your own practice.

Interview Takeaways

Determine whether you should start a practice
Don’t lead with a sales pitch
Crowdsource information
Account for non-billable hours
Change to project fees
Show them what they’re getting
Pull the levers of efficiency and price raises
Experiment in the first 5 years
Keep a cash reserve
Talk money right away

Show Links

Connect with Marilyn Moedinger on LinkedIn or Twitter
Check out Runcible Studios
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

SK Development: How To Manage A Development Pipeline (w/ Scott Shnay) Mar 24, 2022

Developers need a steady pipeline of projects to keep their businesses thriving. That means juggling multiple projects that are in various stages, from design to starting construction, to completing construction. To stay on target, you’re always balancing what you’re working on now with what comes next. In this episode, Scott Shnay of SK Development told us the rules they follow to steadily feed that pipeline while keeping their work top-notch, like working with great partners and sticking to your convictions.

Interview Takeaways

Use non-union contractors to elevate design
Have conviction in your decisions
Find architects through referrals
Keep the development pipeline full
Partner with a large team
Offer turnkey services as an architect
Stick to your tasks
Rely on help if it’s a new type of project
Find people who approach projects like you
Stay ahead of new building trends

Show Links

Connect with Scott Shnay on LinkedIn
Check out SK Development
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram

Listen and read more about Monograph

Form Developers: How to Design Apartments Using Floorplan Data (w/ Bobby Fijan) Mar 14, 2022

When you think about design, data probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. Yet, that’s exactly what you should be thinking about according to Bobby Fijan of Form Developers. Data, especially on the local level, offers invaluable insight into what people really want in a floor plan and what they’ll spend money on. That’s why you should seek out data early on as you begin a new project. Just keep in mind that it’s not the only important factor.

Interview Takeaways

Consider the tenant experience
Listen to the data
Be the expert
Speak the developer’s language
Let the city guide your design
Prove your expertise
Share online if you won’t in real life
Measure to improve
Be humble
Read the code
Start off product-oriented
Make the inside count

Show Links

Connect with Bobby Fijan on LinkedIn or Twitter
Check out Form Developers
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Roundtable: Burnout Across Architecture (w/ Monograph's Growth Team) Mar 07, 2022

Burnout can decrease workplace efficiency, make employees sick, and even cause people to leave their careers. In the wake of the pandemic, workers are more likely than ever to suffer from burnout, so if you want to prioritize your health, you need to set firm boundaries to keep from wearing yourself and your employees out. In our first Roundtable discussion, four Monograph team members discuss what they do to maintain a healthy work-life balance and keep burnout at bay.

Interview Takeaways

Look back to build a better future
Pay attention to your people
Spend your assets carefully
Maximize your time with tools
Know when to say no
Control your productivity
Articulate your ideas
Work smarter
Take time for your mental health
Find supportive people
Develop a healthy work mindset
Advocate for your needs

Show Links

Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Connect with Joann Lui on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Silvia Lee on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

NADAAA: How to Own the Means and Methods (w/ Nader Tehrani, Arthur Chang) Feb 28, 2022

Owning the means and methods throughout the design and construction process can be challenging. This is especially true for new designers or architects who haven’t been involved in many projects before. How do you go about understanding your role, the client’s risk tolerance, and keep an open mind throughout the process? On Best Practice, NADAAA’s principals Nader Tehrani and Arthur Chang explain how they use collaboration and relationships with contractors to own the means and methods during each project.

Interview Takeaways

Collaborate as a team
Keep an open mind throughout the design process
Be flexible to other ideas
Understand the role of the architect in the construction process
NADAAA’s first experience with means and methods
Defuse the tension between designer and contractor with IDP
Evaluate a client’s risk tolerance early on
Demonstrate real world applications for students
New approach to the means and methods process

Show Links

Check out NADAAA
Connect with Arthur Chang on LinkedIn
Connect with Nader Tehranion LinkedIn
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

LERA: How to Move a Legacy Firm Into the Future (w/ Carrie Villani, Doug González) Feb 24, 2022

Business development is everyone’s job. Every employee, regardless of level or title, can and should do their part to propel their firm forward — to new clients, interesting projects, and positive PR. That’s what Carrie Villani and Doug Gonzalez of LERA believe. In a recent Best Practice episode, they talked about how marketing can naturally be incorporated into your workday, helping to grow both the firm and your individual career.
Interview Takeaways

Share your network
Business development is everyone’s job
Keep in touch with clients
Be consistent in marketing
Align your goals with your firm’s
Handle lead inquiries yourself
Remind your network of your expertise
Involve senior team members
Be upfront about problems
Learn the business of your business
Be the one who reduces stress
Grow from within

Show Links

Connect with Carrie Villani on LinkedIn
Connect with Doug González on LinkedIn
Check out LERA
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations: Rethinking the role of the Public Architect (w/ Curtis Clay) Feb 21, 2022

The Bureau of Overseas Building Operations has high standards to meet. The buildings they design have to be secure, functional, and stand the test of time. The embassies and other facilities they design are 50-year buildings. They have to withstand a place’s climate, fit in with the local culture, and confidently represent the U.S. as an open nation. In this episode, Curtis Clay, the OBO’s director of architecture, discusses how the bureau designs buildings that will become legacies—and how they keep the focus on the role the building will serve.

Interview Takeaways

Design resilient buildings
Design for the future
Hire secure firms
Solve problems beyond the brief
Understand the local context
Make purposeful decisions
Gauge when in person or virtual meetings are necessary
Bring the private into the public
Go back to basic problem solving
Look at a variety of public sector roles
Make people comfortable in your buildings
Solve for constructability and maintainability before aesthetics

Show Links

Connect with Curtis Clay on LinkedIn or Twitter
Check out Bureau of Overseas Building Operations
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

WXY Studio: How a Cross-Disciplinary Firm Prepares for Emerging Challenges (w/ Amy Hau, Colin Montoute) Feb 14, 2022

In architecture, as with almost any business, the environment you create in your office can make or break your team’s productivity. But with pandemic protocols forcing many businesses to work remotely, meaningful interactions and a positive workplace culture are even harder to cultivate—but still just as important. Colin Montoute, director of architecture at WXY Studio, and managing director Amy Hau, brought their expertise to the table during our latest Best Practice webinar to talk about how they build a positive workplace environment so their employees can thrive.

Interview Takeaways

Over-communicate to keep expectations clear
Give people opportunities to contribute
Be willing to pivot to meet your client’s needs
Partner with other companies
Build trust with your clients
Create dialogue with your community
Help your clients plan their architecture
Equip your team to succeed
Add value to your firm
Frame your conversation around your client’s knowledge
Hire team members who will elevate their colleagues
Delegate tasks according to people’s strengths

Show Links

Connect with Colin Montoute on LinkedIn
Connect with Amy Hau on LinkedIn
Check out WXY Studio
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Studio Rick Joy: Fireside Chat (w/ Rick Joy, Taylor Dickson) Feb 10, 2022

An architect’s role by definition revolves around the planning, designing, and construction of buildings. But Rick Joy, principal at Studio Rick Joy, doesn’t see it that way. He believes his role is to create a lifestyle, not a building. It’s taking the setting and landscape into account and bringing the best experience to life with what you design. It’s letting nature and light in and pushing inconveniences and burdens out. It’s talking a client out of building a house on a hilltop and instead down by the pond so they can easily watch their kids swim. In this Best Practice webinar, Rick and his Director of Communications, Taylor Garcia Dickson, discuss how that philosophy shapes their brand and is brought to life through their practice.

Interview Takeaways

Connect to the world around you
Hold live-in workshops
Bring diverse perspectives into your office
Tune into each other
Be in sync with nature
Treat nature as a luxury
Create a lifestyle, not a building
Enhance the experience of the project
Bring customers around to your timeline
Stick to the work that makes your firm happy
Stay in the present of your practice

Show Links

Connect with Rick Joy on LinkedIn
Connect with Taylor Garcia Dickson on LinkedIn
Check out Studio Rick Joy
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Selldorf Architects: How To Build Collaborative Practices (w/ Sara Lopergolo, Oliver Link) Feb 03, 2022

Building a strong team sounds simple: put a bunch of talented people with complementary skill sets together in the same room. But in reality, there’s a carefully calibrated science to crafting a team that produces great work. On the latest Best Practice episode, Sara Lopergolo and Oliver Link from Selldorf Architects share their experience handpicking team members and facilitating collaboration. They end up with teams whose members not only work well together, but also teach and learn from each other.

Interview Takeaways

Close the loop
Check in, but not too much
Hire to fill a need
Don’t rush into hiring
Find employees who stick around
See the big staffing picture
Diversify your staff’s experience
Start projects with a small team
Prepare for meetings
Collaborate with clients
Listen & learn

Show Links

Connect with Sara Lopergolo on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Oliver Link on LinkedIn
Check out Selldorf Architects
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Diller Scofidio + Renfro: How To Run Projects And Lead Teams (w/ Holly Deichmann, Zoë Star Small) Jan 31, 2022

Strong leadership is the secret sauce of strong companies. You may be the most creative and most groundbreaking firm on the planet. But if your teams don’t work well together, if they spend too much time on the wrong parts of the process, and if they don’t keep clients happy—you’ll see subpar results. In this Best Practice interview, Holly Deichmann and Zoe Small, Associate Principals at Diller Scofidio + Renfro, share exactly how good managers can uphold the business: by empowering employees, setting up processes that manage client expectations, and maintaining just the right amount of anxiety to keep everyone on their toes.

Interview Takeaways

Embrace anxiety
Take off some of your hats
Diffuse the smallest icebergs first
Cap off the creative process
Get input early on
Make time for actual work
Be persistent in your creativity
Repurpose, rather than reinvent
Show, don’t just tell
Take time to establish trust initially
Match the right people to the right project
Prep clients for their responsibilities

Show Links

Connect with Zoe Small on LinkedIn
Connect with Holly Deichmann on LinkedIn
Check out Diller Scofidio + Renfro
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Mancini Duffy: How to Reinvent a 105-Year-Old Design Firm (w/ Christian Giordano, Bolanle Williams-Olley ) Jan 28, 2022

A technology-first firm is not one that merely uses the latest technology in their practice. It’s a firm that leverages that technology to allow collaboration in the sketching process all the way through a 3D experience. It’s having designers, project managers, technical architects, and software developers all working together to make things happen in tandem and instantaneously. Mancini Duffy is a firm that takes that collaboration seriously. In this Best Practice webinar, President Christian Giordano and CFO Bolanle Williams-Olley explain how that collaboration works through everything the firm does, including how they support their employees.

Interview Takeaways

Create a collaborative environment
Carry tech into the construction process
Meet client expectations
Have a unique selling point
Bond with your team to be a good leader
Bring in changes gradually
Focus on revenue before optional things
Increase efficiency and salaries
Offer vacation stipends and flexible hours
Ask for what you want in a firm
Find a staffing procedure that works for your firm
Look at things as you go and at the end

Show Links

Connect with Christian Giordano on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Bolanle Williams-Olley on LinkedIn or Twitter
Check out Mancini Duffy
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Woods Bagot: How To Increase the Impact of Digital Culture (w/ Shane Burger) Jan 25, 2022

Digital is taking over the working world, and it’s time for your company to catch up. More and more, clients are clamoring for digital-based options, but many businesses are reluctant to shift their policies to accommodate new technology. On the latest Best Practice, Shane Burger, principal and director of technical innovation at Woods Bagot, shares how to accommodate digital culture at your workplace so you can keep up with the competition.

Interview Takeaways

Make your data work for you
Modernize your thinking
Build an experience with the client
Prioritize your client’s concerns
Help your people connect
Involve everyone in innovation
Organize your operations
Create a positive community culture
Cooperate to succeed
Prepare for change now
Develop your people’s abilities
Reduce your carbon footprint

Show Links

Connect with Shane Burger on LinkedIn or Twitter
Check out Woods Bagot
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Moody Nolan: How To Launch Operations in NYC (w/ Latoya Nelson Kamdang, Dawne David-Pierre) Jan 25, 2022

Launching an office in a new city requires a solid operations team and a structured plan for growth. Moody Nolan’s New York City office started with four people just over a year ago and now it has 20. The secret to that fast success? Delivering high-quality projects to the clients you have. It’s the best marketing tool to achieve steady growth. In this Best Practice interview, Associate Principal and Director of NY Operations Latoya Nelson Kamdang and Senior Associate and Project Manager Dawne David-Pierre talked to us about launching operations in New York City and how they’ve grown with excellence.

Interview Takeaways

Focus on the clients you have
Involve PMs from the beginning
Approach each client individually
Offer diversity to a big city
Let the larger firm support you
Justify staff growth
Hire senior-level employees first
Merge design into a business
Use office time to learn each other’s processes
Collaborate in person
Share clients and talent across offices
Communicate when clients’ values are misaligned with yours

Show Links

Connect with Latoya Nelson Kamdang on LinkedIn
Connect with Dawne David-Pierre on LinkedIn
Check out Moody Nolan
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Dattner Architects: How To Build Firm Health And Vitality (w/ Kirsten Sibilia) Jan 24, 2022

Midsize architecture firms face unique threats to their longevity compared to small and large firms. Mega firms seem poised to gobble them up, and it’s hard to compete with extra large firms that offer far more services. There’s also the issue of leadership transition. Many midsize firms that started off small and haven’t given enough thought to how they’ll evolve into the future with new leaders. Without a plan, there is no future. But all is not lost. In this Best Practice episode, Kirsten Sibilia, managing principal of Dattner Architects, discusses how midsize firms can do more than just survive. They can grow with health and vitality.

Interview Takeaways

Be proactive against threats to midsize firms
Aspire to a variety of work
Let go of certain tasks in order to grow
Gauge your success with KPIs
Use your website to show who you are
Use your website to amplify your brand
Approach recruitment like marketing
Share information and communication
Recognize marketing’s value
Open up paths for leadership
Create peer connections at larger firms
Define your needs before hiring

Show Links

Connect with Kirsten Sibilia on LinkedIn or Twitter
Check out Dattner Architects
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations: How To Manage A $20B Global Design Program (w/ Angel A. Dizon, III) Jan 17, 2022

The idea of a $20 billion budget can make your head spin. But in the right hands, that kind of funding can accomplish a world of good. That’s exactly the mission of Angel Dizon, Managing Director of the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations. While the government may get a bad rap from time to time, there’s a steady revolution happening from within the OBO department. Angel joined us on Best Practice to explain how an embassy is so much more than just a building, how his team goes about solving complex problems, and why working in government leads to more opportunity than meets the eye.

Interview Takeaways

Recognize what you can accomplish with a billion-dollar budget
Remember that US buildings are symbolic
The Embassy Effect
Make a positive social impact
Educate others on the true meaning of architecture
Create buildings that can last for decades
Hire people with passion and perseverance
Identify future drivers of the built environment
The professional perks of working for the government
The power of peer-to-peer collaboration
Redefine “good enough for the government”
Seek employees with a good attitude

Show Links

Connect with Angel A. Dizon, III on LinkedIn
Check out the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

SHoP Architects: How To Re-invent What Practice Is (w/ Gregg Pasquarelli) Jan 10, 2022

You own your career trajectory. Whatever field you’re in, you have the power to make your work stand out, so clients take notice and want more. It takes a little daring and a strong stomach for risks (and the inevitable failure), says Gregg Pasquarelli, founding principal at SHoP architects. In this Best Practice interview, Gregg explains why as long as you pick yourself up and learn something from every project, you’ll keep advancing your business—and your industry—at the same time.

Interview Takeaways

Know the financials of your industry
Tell a compelling story
Blow up the last 10%
Get some skin in the game
Take risks to expand your opportunity
Go the extra mile
Don’t say “We can’t!”
Do it yourself
Pull the positive from failures
Mitigate risk by doing a good job
Set aside time to recharge
Get your ideas out there

Show Links

Connect with Gregg Pasquerelli on LinkedIn
Check out SHoP
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Moody Nolan: How To Design Sustainable Operations (w/ Allen Schaffer) Jan 06, 2022

A growing number of firms are combining two major responsibilities into one role: chief operating officer and sustainability director. It’s a lot to juggle in a small firm, let alone a quickly growing one spread across multiple cities. But Allen Schaffer, COO and Director of Sustainability at Moody Nolan, has handled the two roles for almost two years now as they’ve expanded into new markets. In this Best Practice interview, Allen discusses the ways the two roles overlap and how they differ, how the firm is managing growth, and how success all comes down to having a plan and communicating.

Interview Takeaways

Find the overlap in operations and sustainability
Juggle the differences between two roles
Look internally for operations and sustainability roles
Engage in responsive architecture
Strive for structured growth
Lean into diversity
Deliver solutions to clients and your team
Monitor and adjust to stay on budget
Use communication to stay on track
Create strategic plans for sustainability
Find consultants who challenge you
Care deeply and look for others who do too

Show Links

Check out Moody Nolan
Connect with Allen Schaffer on LinkedIn
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Snohetta: Collective Intuition & Operations (w/ Elaine Molinar, Michelle Delk) Jan 03, 2022

In the workplace, collaboration is the glue that holds a company together. But getting your employees to function as a cohesive unit is a unique challenge, especially in the design and architectural world. So how can you get a bunch of creative individuals to create solutions as a collective force? It begins with your workplace environment. In this Section Cut interview, Elaine Molinar, partner and managing director at Snøhetta, and Partner and Landscape Architect Michelle Delk share the importance of collaboration and how to encourage collective intuition in your business.

Interview Takeaways

Good design won’t automatically equal financial success
Approach design with a work-together mentality
Learn how to scale as an employer
Aim for work-life integration over work-life balance
Opposing viewpoints are equally valuable
Refresh your mind by taking breaks
Gain second-hand experience through your peers
Cultivate a collaborative mindset
Set aside your individual point of view
Let go of the fear of looking foolish
Set your design in motion through site planning
Nurture the next generation

Show Links

Connect with Elaine Molinar on LinkedIn
Connect with Michelle Delk on LinkedIn
Check out Snøhetta
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Check out Section Cut
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Rossmann Architecture Inc: Success Stories (w/ Shane Balcom) Dec 23, 2021

Today’s business landscape calls for new and disruptive ways of doing things. You wouldn’t typically think of placing a software professional at the helm of an architecture firm. But that’s exactly what Rossmann Architecture did when they tapped Shane Balcom for the role of Managing Director. Thanks to new ways of operating from the ground up and the adoption of tech tools like Monograph, the team at Rossmann has grown from 14 employees to 33 in just one year.

Interview Takeaways

Think outside your vertical to scale
Dial in your tech deck
Efficiency is good for business
Incentivize staff with bonus targets
Get into a forecasting rhythm
Align your company culture
Build strong habits with Monograph
Let Monograph enable hyper-growth
Pivot structure as you grow
Keep ops on pace with billable growth
Design a different practice

Show Links

Connect with Shane Balcom on LinkedIn
Check out Rossmann Architecture Inc.
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Check out Monograph
Check out Section Cut
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Colloqate Design: Success Stories (w/ Bryan C. Lee Jr.) Dec 20, 2021

When the focal point of your work is design justice, your processes look a bit different than the average design firm. For one thing, processes need to be simultaneously more efficient and also more unique. When you’re seeking diverse voices and shaping public spaces, steps like community outreach are complex and time-consuming, making efficiency key. At the same time, conducting radical thinking and seeking to overturn past injustices requires brand new modes of operation. Bryan C. Lee Jr. is the CEO and principal of Colloqate Design, a firm focused on shifting the power dynamics inherent in the built environment. In this Section Cut interview, he described the type of work Colloqate does, and why thinking about processes is so important.

Interview Takeaways

Understand the implications of architecture
All power dynamics are tied to the land
Design justice requires radical thinking
Think outside of architecture processes
Serve diverse communities
Prioritize the outreach process
Focus on public spaces
Justice is greater than equality
Engage with stakeholders
Consider the communities you serve
The value of efficient work

Show Links

Check out Colloqate Design
Connect with Bryan C. Lee Jr. on LinkedIn
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Check out Section Cut
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

HOPEWORKSDESIGN: The Value of Investing in Performance Marketing for Your Practice (w/ Hope Trory) Dec 16, 2021

Does this sound familiar? You need to bring in more clients to your practice to increase your revenue, but you don’t know if the money and time you spend on marketing will bring the right results. That’s where performance marketing comes in. It’s a measurable, concrete way to drive new business to your practice. Performance marketing is a comprehensive term for marketing and advertising where you only pay when a certain action occurs. You set a budget and know exactly what you’ll get for that price. In this Section Cut interview, Hope Trory, founder of HOPEWORKSDESIGN, outlines the steps you need to take to build a performance marketing strategy and enjoy the benefits.

Interview Takeaways

Invest in data-driven marketing
Be proactive and save time
Know your acronyms
Calculate LTV
Find out your CAC
Generate brand awareness
Increase website traffic and retarget
Increase engagement and conduct lead generation
Choose your digital channels
Create, then measure
Only pay for the actions you want
Be confident in your ROI

Show Links

Check out HOPEWORKSDESIGN
Connect with Hope Trory on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Joann Lui on LinkedIn or Twitter
Check out Monograph
Check out Section Cut
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM): Operationalizing Business Development (w/ Iben Falconer) Dec 05, 2021

If you’re a doer-seller, you’re probably more comfortable “doing” than “selling.” Nobody goes to school to become an engineer, a designer, or an architect because they want to sell engineering, architecture, or design services. They want to do whatever their skill set is. But in today’s business world, doers need to become sellers—or at least active partners in the business development of the companies they work for. That’s what Iben Falconer has observed in her career. An architectural historian by training, she’s evolved into a marketing and business development leader, currently at SOM. In this Section Cut interview, Iben shares why you have to be organized, active, and focused about getting new work, and why everyone on the team has to play a role.

Interview Takeaways

Don’t confuse marketing and business development
Plan with your destination in mind
Own your leads pipeline
Forecast by looking ahead
Ask: Do I really want this job?
Assign a point person for prospects
Recognize personal strengths
Acknowledge your weaknesses
Empower & guide your team
Never take business development off your plate
Make every team member count
Pitch even with a full plate

Show Links

Check out SOM
Connect with Iben Falconer on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Check out Monograph
Check out Section Cut
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Lake|Flato Architects: How to Leverage Synergies at the Intersection of Sustainability, Design Technology and IT (w/ Scott Lelieur, Dan Stine) Dec 01, 2021

If you want your business to run efficiently, you have to give your employees access to the proper tools and technology so they can get the job done. But it can be a challenge to find and implement the tools and tech that will best help your company achieve its goals. In this Section Cut interview, Scott Lelieur, director of operations at Lake Flato, and Director of Design Technology Daniel Stine, share how their company implements tools and technology to optimize their work at the intersection of sustainability and design technology.

Interview Takeaways

Integrate tools and technology slowly
Balance current and future needs
Assess the efficiency of your tools and systems
Give your team more independence
Implement the right tools
Leverage technology with care
Cultivate a compelling culture
Look to remote work
Make the most of every opportunity
Foster growth within your company
Share similar values
Pinpoint your passions

Show Links

Check out Lake Flato
Connect with Scott Lelieur on LinkedIn
Connect with Daniel Stine on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Check out Section Cut
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Slack Technologies / Practice of Architecture: Building & Running a Hybrid Practice (w/ Evelyn Lee) Nov 23, 2021

If your firm is considering going hybrid, it’s a much bigger decision than deciding how many hours per week you’ll ask staff to spend in the office. It also means overhauling processes that may have been in place for years or decades. Careful thought is needed, as is employee buy-in at every level. Evelyn Lee is the founder of Practice of Architecture and currently works at Slack. In this Section Cut interview, she shared the wisdom she’s gathered over the last 10 years as a workplace strategist, including where to focus your energy so you can innovate and thrive.

Interview Takeaways

A hybrid practice is the hardest practice
Re-examine your company culture
Create shared ownership in culture
Create new people processes
Consider a year-long onboarding process
Support employee career journeys
Hybrid processes sometimes look like 100% remote
Set time for live responses and deep work
Invest in cloud technology
Don’t get into process debt
Hybrid work requires investment at all levels

Show Links

Connect with Evelyn Lee on LinkedIn or Twitter
Check out Practice of Architecture
Connect with Joann Lui on LinkedIn or Twitter
Check out Monograph
Check out Section Cut
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

HKS Architects: JEDI in Practice (w/ Yiselle Santos) Nov 16, 2021

With the surging demand for diversity in the workplace, many companies are scrambling to figure out how to increase—and manage—gender and ethnic diversity within their own firms. To help your people to work well together, you have to learn how to handle a diverse team of employees, which means focusing on four values: justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI). In this Section Cut interview, Yiselle Santos, VP and Director of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at HSK, Inc., explains what a JEDI mindset looks like in the workplace and how to direct your company toward a more equitable future.

Interview Takeaways

Prioritize a JEDI mentality
Create a safe space
Learn how to manage diversity
Gender equality increases profitability
Encourage authentic conversations
Focus on transparency
Challenge yourself and others
Think people-first
Establish goals to achieve success
Accountability comes through transparency
Disrupt your biases
Data defines the truth

Show Links

Check out HKS, Inc.
Connect with Yiselle Santos on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Check out Monograph
Check out Section Cut
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Charrette Venture Group: Financial Management Basics for Small Firms (w/ Rena M. Klein) Nov 11, 2021

Financial management isn’t just standard accounting. It also involves looking at the big picture of your financial performance to make smart business decisions. When you understand what’s going on financially, you can improve and plan for the future. In order to get that understanding, you need to track your time and do some calculations. In this Section Cut interview, Rena Klein, Vice President for Investment Partnerships at Charrette Venture Group, explains why firms need to know things like their utilization rate, break-even rate, and billable ratio in order to understand and enhance their profitability.

Interview Takeaways

Understand financial management
Conduct cash and accrual reporting
Know your utilization and break even rate
Track your hours
Increase utilization rates
Increase billable ratios
Nix scope creep
Use best practices to avoid over-delivery
Have routine projects to up efficiency
Calculate your hourly rate
Check for profitability
Use a fixed fee for greater profitability

Show Links

Check out Charrette Venture Group
Connect with Rena M. Klein on LinkedIn
Connect with Joann Lui on LinkedIn or Twitter
Check out Monograph
Check out Section Cut
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

KatalystDI: Organizing Work Towards Adaptive Organizations (w/ Libo Li) Nov 08, 2021

The world is changing fast. In order for your practice to survive, you’ll have to change along with it. New technologies and new ways of communicating can be scary, but humans have always evolved and adapted by using new tools. During this Section Cut interview, Libo Li, CTO of KatalystDI, talked to us about how becoming an adaptive organization has to start from the firm culture, how better organization tools can lead to better design, and how experimentation and permission to fail is key to improving.

Interview Takeaways

Adapt to survive
Organize for better designs
Move past paper-based communication
Be a tool maker, not just a tool user
Create an adaptable culture
Experiment and iterate
Adapt in the right direction
Reduce blocking events & introduce independent action
Create tools within Notion
Use templates for repeatable work
Code what you know
Keep a growth mindset and allow failure

Show Links

Check out KatalystDI
Connect with Libo Li on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Check out Monograph
Check out Section Cut
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Talentstar: Marketing for Talent (w/ Marjanne Pearson, Linda Wallack) Nov 04, 2021

Finding and hiring top talent is a challenge for any company, especially in today’s competitive hiring environment. To give your business the best shot at attracting and retaining great employees, you have to know how to market your business to job candidates. In this Section Cut interview, Talentstar’s founder Marjanne Pearson and Principal Connector Linda Wallack share how to attract potential hires by knowing who your brand is, what values you need your employees to share, and how to utilize every company resource.

Interview Takeaways

Acquire talent through effective marketing
Know your brand
Share core values and a common approach
Stay competitive by following industry shifts
Keep up with the latest technology
Hire people with compatible goals
Look at future potential
Take care of your current team
Cultivate diversity by getting involved
Make every member a marketer
Utilize a nontraditional workforce
Ask tough questions

Show Links

Check out Talentstar
Connect with Marjanne Pearson on LinkedIn
Connect with Linda Wallack on LinkedIn
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Check out Section Cut
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Workshop/APD: Success Stories (w/ Thomas Julliard Zoli) Oct 29, 2021

How can you finally say goodbye to an unwieldy spreadsheet system and streamline your operation from start to finish? At Workshop/APD, the team develops strategic and custom solutions at scale. When they doubled their team over the course of the pandemic, a smooth project management system became more important than ever. Thankfully, they already had their “secret weapon” in place in the form of Monograph. During this Section Cut interview, principal architect Thomas Zoli shares how the once boutique New York design firm is now bigger and better than ever.

Interview Takeaways

Grow your verticals as you grow your firm
Foster cross-pollination
Scale your custom work
Use Monograph to enable data fluency
Let Monograph be your secret weapon
Say goodbye to Excel spreadsheets
Don’t throw meeting money out the window
Create an internal workflow
Enable ownership of time tracking
Drive meetings with Monograph

Show Links

Check out Workshop/APD
Connect with Thomas Zoli on LinkedIn
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Check out Section Cut
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Traverse Landscape Architects: Success Stories (w/ Arthur Eddy, Marie Eddy) Oct 28, 2021

Architects don’t receive a lot of training on business and finance. And staff members with business experience don’t often understand the design side. So, how do these two groups collaborate and run a practice? During this Section Cut interview, Arthur and Marie Eddy of Traverse Landscape Architects shared how they’re using Monograph to speak the same language across groups and get things done faster. From better understanding the project process to determining what’s working and what’s not, Monograph has allowed them to streamline tasks and educate their staff.

Interview Takeaways

Use Monograph to take stock of business operations
Educate people in the whole business
Streamline reporting and accounting with Monograph
Understand what’s working
Speak the same language
Reduce time on monthly invoices
Do revenue forecasting as a team
Collaborate across projects

Show Links

Check out Traverse Landscape Architects
Connect with Arthur Eddy on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Marie Eddy on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Check out Section Cut
Connect with Joann Lui on LinkedIn or Twitter
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Verdant Studio: Success Stories (w/ Jessica Hester, Natasha Brand) Oct 26, 2021

How do you operate a national practice that encompasses art, architecture, historical preservation, and construction documents all under one roof? That’s the task of Verdant Studio, an Arkansas-based firm with incredible breadth and reach. Founder Jessica Hester credits Monograph for keeping the team on schedule and on budget while shaving hours of meeting and accounting time off their plate every week. In this Section Cut interview, Jessica and colleague Natasha Brand shared how Verdant Studio tackles complex projects and uses Monograph to pave the way.

Interview Takeaways

Create places people love
Enable public art
Bring historic projects to life
Marry research and art
Enable innovation with Monograph
Reduce meeting time with Monograph
Streamline billing with Monograph
Use saved time to recharge

Show Links

Check out Verdant Studio
Connect with Jessica Hester on LinkedIn
Connect with Natasha Brand on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Check out Section Cut
Connect with Joann Lui on LinkedIn or Twitter
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Krueck Sexton Partners: Success Stories (w/ Tom Jacobs) Oct 21, 2021

When an architecture firm is just starting out, almost anything goes in the quest to get up and running. But once you’re more established, two things need to become foundational to how you do business: transparency and discipline. In this Section Cut conference interview, Tom Jacobs, co-managing partner at Krueck Sexton Partners, discusses how these two values were key to the firm’s success story—and how Monograph has helped make it all possible. He explains why embracing data-driven project planning and performance allows you to scale your business while also scaling your time for creativity.

Interview Takeaways

Stay transparent
Define your spheres of activity
Create a nimble value proposition
Share documents widely
Monograph links data with project performance
Upgrade your resource planning with Monograph
Organize planning and execution
Monograph is a technology accelerator
Fuel innovation with greater purpose
Choose collaboration over competition

Show Links

Check out Krueck Sexton Partners
Connect with Tom Jacobs on LinkedIn
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Check out Section Cut
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Talentstar: The Future of Practice Operations (w/ Marjanne Pearson) Oct 18, 2021

When you think of practice operations, you may think of the tools, information systems, and resources that have to be managed on a daily basis. But Marjanne Pearson, founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Talentstar, wants you to reframe how you look at practice operations. It should be about mobilizing all those resources to create value and seek opportunities for transformational change. As a speaker at our Section Cut conference series, Marjanne talked about the future of practice operations and how firms can position themselves for long-term, sustainable growth.

Interview Takeaways

Look for ways to create value
Determine how to improve in the future
Reframe practice objectives
Leverage your developmental assets
Embrace transformational change
Focus on what’s next
Establish an energy grid
Get leadership support for innovation

Show Links

Check out Talentstar
Connect with Marjanne Pearson on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Check out Monograph
Check out Section Cut
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

RIOS: Silver Linings, Audacity and Joy - The New Practice Playbook (w/ Jessamyn Davis, Andy Lantz) Oct 14, 2021

Have you considered a unique firm structure? RIOS’ practice structure might just take the cake, as it is unique at every level. Not only do they have two CEOs, but they have a multidisciplinary office with architects, interior designers, and graphic designers all working together. What really stands out about the practice is its values. Things like audacity, joy, and agility top a list of core values that are all about breaking the rules and doing something new. During this Section Cut interview, co-CEOs Jessamyn Davis and Andy Lantz discuss how those values are put into action and what they see as their practice’s playbook.

Interview Takeaways

Balance skills with co-CEOs
Create a management committee
Harness the passions of your team
Celebrate trying new things
Get clients to take calculated risks
Bring joy into the office
Break the rules with a multi-disciplinary office
Embrace change
Go global with your staff
Stick to short-term strategies to stay agile
Rely on data
Stand out by prioritizing joy

Show Links

Check out RIOS
Connect with Jessamyn Davis on LinkedIn
Connect with Andy Lantz on LinkedIn or Twitter
Check out Monograph
Check out Section Cut
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Adjaye Associates, Decanthropy: How To Build Communities As An Architect (w/ Farida Abu-Bakare, Ian Rolston) Oct 08, 2021

Now more than ever there’s an opportunity to design with purpose, and with a goal of equity so that spaces are built for everyone. But in order to do that, we need to do two things: keep the new generation of young designers engaged and supported, and involve our clients and communities in the design process. In this Best Practice interview, Black Architects + Interior Designers Association Canada (BAIDA) co-founder Farida Abu-Bakare and Director of Advocacy Ian Rolston explain how two-way mentorship, developing a voice, and learning from the communities you build in can transform the architecture industry.

Interview Takeaways

Be your authentic self
Collaborate at every level
Understand local building methods and environments
Share information in a mentorship
Keep the younger generation in design
Develop your voice
Look for a place where you’ll fit
Leaders should transform, not transact
Set out to achieve community impact
Bring clients into your process
Spend time in communities
Pursue equity in design

Show Links

Check out BAIDA
Connect with Farida Abu-Bakare on LinkedIn
Connect with Ian Rolston on LinkedIn
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Olson Kundig: How To Blend The Art Of Business With Architecture (w/ "HP" Hemanshu Parwani) Sep 29, 2021

In a world of seven billion people and counting, innovative design has become more important than ever. From residential to transportation to healthcare, how can we create an innovative built environment that caters to humanity’s changing needs? These are the questions that occupy leading design firms. For Olson Kundig’s CEO Hemanshu Parwani, or "HP" for short, the goal is to source top talent and deploy staff in ways that solve specific problems for clients—and benefit the world at large. Here, HP explains why it's valuable to follow a design-led approach, ask the right questions, and embrace innovation at every turn.

Interview Takeaways

Why now is the time to become an architect
Design is not a commodity
Be a design-led firm
Identify problems to find opportunities
The summit is not the goal
Don’t fixate on titles
Embrace innovation
Look for talent, not resources
Let the project create the budget
The role of operations
Running a firm is like running a project
Set criteria for new projects

Show Links

Check out Olson Kundig
Connect with Hemanshu Parwani on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Kontextur, Subtilitas: How To Share Architectural Knowledge (w/ Katharina Benjamin, Jeff Kaplon) Sep 28, 2021

Social media has allowed us to share our ideas on just about every subject. But free-flowing discourse on architecture styles and design careers hasn’t always been available. Katharina Benjamin of Kontextur and Jeff Kaplon of Subtilitas have each carved out online spaces for criticism, conversation, and inspiration while spotlighting topics and architecture offices that don’t get enough attention. On Best Practice, they talked to us about why sharing architectural knowledge is the key to a thriving professional life.

Interview Takeaways

Create a space to collect projects
Give a voice to young designers
Keep it visually simple
Talk about money
Resurface older works
Fuel the creative fire
Get value from the unseen messages
Find where your images fit into the discourse
Index the information you’ve gathered
Make money but stay true to your mission
Separate aesthetic influence from your design practice
Keep an eye on the new generation

Show Links

Check out Kontextur and follow them on Instagram or Twitter
Check out Subtilitas and follow them on Instagram
Connect with Katharina Benjamin on LinkedIn
Connect with Jeff Kaplon on LinkedIn
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Michael Hsu Office of Architecture: How To Grow From 17 To 71 In 7 Years (w/ Michael Hsu, Maija Kreishman) Sep 27, 2021

Growing a firm by a dozen employees each year can sound daunting. But the truth is that when you look at growth as a puzzle rooted in organizational structure, you can begin to make steady progress. Michael Hsu Office of Architecture did just that when the growth rate of Austin, Texas caused them to grow the firm from 21 to 78 people in just seven years. By doing things like doubling down on culture, working with diverse clients, and fostering employee growth, they have created a firm that is making an impressive mark.

Interview Takeaways

Grow with your city
Hire for talent, not projects
Retain your best clients
Don’t cave to imposter syndrome
Use metrics to select projects
Cultivate self-awareness
Find a financial consultant
Recognize firm inflection points
Should you hire a COO
Employee growth isn’t one-size-fits-all
Pick clients with the same goals
Mitigate growing pains with organizational structure

Show Links

Check out Michael Hsu Office of Architecture
Connect with Michael Hsu on LinkedIn
Connect with Maija Kreishman on LinkedIn
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Talentstar: How To Empower Talent In Architecture (w/ Marjanne Pearson) Sep 17, 2021

How do you achieve successful growth as an architecture firm? It all comes down to having the right people on your team. Today, there are small 20-person firms that are making incredible revenue and ranking on lists alongside much larger counterparts. There are firms that have been acquired by larger firms, only to see their original talent leave. There is no magic formula for hiring and retaining the best people. But according to Marjanne Pearson, an industry force and the Chief Strategy Officer of Talentstar, there are ways to empower your strategic agenda and fill the roles you need.

Interview Takeaways

Architecture is more than design craft
The birth of strategy and specialization
The four levels of leadership
Think beyond full-time employees
Grow slowly and steadily
Make change as easy as possible
Learn how to become a change manager
Evaluate hires for cultural fit
Perfect the art of the interview
The dangers of acquisition
Help clients understand what they’re missing
Design firms are not a hierarchy

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Madame Architect: How To Inspire A Generation Of Architects (w/ Julia Gamolina) Sep 14, 2021

What do business strategists and editor-in-chiefs have in common? They both require you to build relationships. Lots of them. As the director of strategy and partnerships at Trahan Architects, founder and editor-in-chief of Madame Architect, and a lifelong collector of mentors, Julia Gamolina is an expert relationship builder. In this episode, she shares how her roles overlap, how she approaches business strategy, and the steps she recommends to follow in her career footsteps.

Interview Takeaways

Find the common threads among women architects
Grow from media site to community resource
Produce content, not just buildings
Connect with people
Let business strategy take you to the next level
Develop a central message and use it everywhere
Keep developing new ideas
Use social media to find collaborative partners
Growth can only happen with a strong culture
Get experience in as many roles as possible
Explore your career, don’t plan
Find mentors by approaching people you admire

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KPF: How to Manage a BIM Practice (w/ Veronica Quintero and Alex Wilson) Sep 10, 2021

Most architecture firms are grappling with the question of how technology and data fit into their practice. For many firms, the solution is a self-contained design technology team, similar to an IT department. But at KPF, they’re championing the idea of a digital practice, where technology is a means to deliver their projects in the best way possible. It’s not just support, it’s a way of operating. In this episode, BIM Practice Manager Veronica Quintero and Senior BIM Specialist Alex Wilson explain how their team is integrated into the practice, how they help solve problems for every department, and how they stay on top of training so that everyone knows how to use relevant tools.

Interview Takeaways

Foster digital expertise
Keep the focus on the practice of architecture
Work with other departments to improve efficiency
Create a flow of data
Build a project dashboard
Collaborate as an industry
Train with accountability
Incentivize training by tying it to career progress
Uplevel skills
Harvest journals to understand what problems are recurring
Value soft skills in leaders
Create opportunities for advocacy

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Check out KPF and follow them on LinkedIn or Twitter
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Connect with Alex Wilson on LinkedIn
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Bjarke Ingels Group: How to Project-Manage Architecture (w/ Flora Bao) Sep 08, 2021

In the past decade, the number of small architecture firms has been shrinking while the number of large firms has increased. The reason? A steep rise in the complexity of the projects firms are working on. As buildings get taller and more advanced, firms need bigger teams to handle the scope. And those teams would be lost without a good project manager to organize it all. Flora Bao, project manager at Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), shared what it takes to be an excellent project manager, from soft skills to design knowledge to balancing internal and external goals.

Interview Takeaways

Meet demands of large projects with larger firms
Balance design experience with communication
Change the PM role based on firm size
Use simple tools
Figure out org charts
Cut up large projects into chunks
Develop soft skills
Clarify internal and external goals
Work with each team member individually
Embrace generalist teams
Gather experience
Succeed by making everyone happy

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Snow Kreilich Architects: How to Run Operations at a Mid-size Firm (w/ Trevor Bullen and Sarah Hughes) Sep 03, 2021

Life at a busy firm can be a mad scramble. When partners and owners start to wear too many hats, key information can slip through the cracks. Over time, the value of that missed information and haphazard staffing plans can add up. That’s why mid-size firms with a healthy budget should consider investing in a new hire: a financial operations role. When Snow Kreilich Architects hired bookkeeper and architect Sarah Hughes as Director Of Finance + Operations, they quickly felt the benefits.

Interview Takeaways

Do the math when hiring for operations
Connect the dots on staffing and financials
Prepare to navigate paused projects
Engage in cash flow forecasting
Find ways to absorb downtime
Educate clients on the ramifications of paused projects
Monitor staff hours to prevent burnout
Use project data to make better decisions
Create new proposals based on past projects
An operations role lets you track data consistently
Every firm can benefit from an operations role
Improve operations through collaboration

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Connect with Trevor Bullen on LinkedIn
Connect with Sarah Hughes on LinkedIn
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Trahan Architects: How to Collaborate Across Fields (w/ Brad McWhirter and Margaret Jankowsky) Aug 30, 2021

If you want your firm to become known for a clear ethos, aesthetic, and vision, then you need to fold that identity into everything you do. From the clients and contractors you choose to work with to your office culture and the computers you buy, every action—large or small—should contribute to that overarching vision. This is the case at Trahan Architects. Partner Brad McWhirter and Director of Urban Design Margaret Jankowsky joined us to share how Trahan has forged a unique identity.

Interview Takeaways

Define urban design
Maintain the ethos of a single firm
Hone your virtual client skills
Foster office-wide communication
Start the design process from square one
Foster collaborative partnerships
Blur the line between disciplines
The solution isn’t always a building
Bring the client along for the design ride
Bring the best idea forward
Embed your firm’s ethos in everything you do
Align with the right clients

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Check out Trahan Architects
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Connect with Margaret Jankowsky on LinkedIn
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Studio NYL: How to Build Your Technical Team (w/ Amy Baker of Amy Baker Architect and Chris O'Hara) Aug 27, 2021

The world of architecture is getting more interesting—and complicated—by the day. Sometimes the best way to tackle your projects is to loop in specialists and consultants who have both the skill and network needed to get the job done. Amy Baker is a spec writing consultant and freelance architect who loves digging deep into the “nerdy” side of projects. Chris O’Hara is a founding Principal of Studio NYL, a group of structural engineers and facade designers. Amy and Chris teamed up to walk us through what specialists do, and how they can work to help firms like yours.

Interview Takeaways

Assign someone to capture big decisions
Expect consultants to interview you
Don’t wait until the last minute to involve consultants
Rethink the project bidding process
Let consultants act as translators
Consultants can help lock in specific products and vendors
Benefit from consultants who are doing constant research & development
Let consultants speak their own language
Prioritize a holistic project view
Don’t be intimidated by consultants
Navigate the complexity of today’s construction industry
Understand how consultant and manufacturer spec-writing compares

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Check out Amy Baker Architect and connect with Amy Baker on LinkedIn
Check out Studio NYL and connect with Chris O’Hara on LinkedIn
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NS Builders: How to Learn From Construction (w/ Nick Schiffer) Aug 25, 2021

To design and construct the best building possible, you need to be intentional every step of the way. From honing your toolkit of best practices to creating SOPs to collaborating with other professionals, excellence is the name of the game. That’s the philosophy of Nick Schiffer, owner & CEO of NS Builders. In this interview, Nick shares his process and explains why the best results happen when builders and architects work side-by-side.

Interview Takeaways

Take an intentional approach to design and construction
Pursue excellence at all costs
Get innovative when solving design problems
Don’t let builders rein in your imagination
Allow builders and architects to join forces
Bring in a builder early on
Seek out feedback to build better budgets
Don’t get stuck in the architecture status quo
Standardize every process for accurate estimates
Measure management success
Be a risk-taker
Build a business that gives back

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Alloy Development: How to Build as an Architect-led Developer in NYC (w/ Alexandra Militano) Aug 23, 2021

Real estate developers often keep their eye on the bottom line—for them, it’s all about how a property can make money. Architects, meanwhile, focus on design, but rarely have control over the built environment. But it’s possible to do both. Alloy Development is a hybrid architecture-development firm. Director of Construction Alexandra Militano joined us to explain how they’re equally focused on design impact and property value.

Interview Takeaways

Make design a priority in development
Balance design and construction knowledge to cut back on adjustments
Bring out the best in a location
Invest in amenities
Treat the community as a stakeholder
Learn real estate development by doing it
Cultivate investors
Add to the five phases of architecture
Understand the client’s frustrations with time
Build relationships at the construction site
Use a construction manager to bridge gaps

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Olson Kundig: How to Foster Design Culture in the Firm (w/ Alan Maskin and Jerry Garcia) Aug 16, 2021

There are many ways to grow an architecture firm, and many values that can guide you along the way. But one quality in particular will allow your firm to grow and evolve far into the future: generosity. In this episode Alan Maskin and Jerry Garcia, principals at Olson Kundig, told us how the spirit of generosity has influenced their growth over several decades and runs through their team today.

Interview Takeaways

Design your office to reflect who you are
Create space for group discussion
Keep crits alive in the pandemic
Make education a priority
Look for passion in design
Pay attention to the elephants in the room
Bring in experienced architects
Don’t try to do it all
Grow to accommodate interesting projects
Business-focused leadership relieves a burden
Use crits to learn in real-time
Encourage design evolution with crits

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Connect with Jerry Garcia on LinkedIn
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OJK Architecture: How To Transition Firm Ownership (w/ Leah Bayer and Kate Conley) Aug 11, 2021

For an architect hoping to own their own firm one day, there are two paths available. One is the traditional path: starting your own firm from scratch. The other is to buy an existing firm and transition into its new owner. This second option is less talked about, but with the rate of Baby Boomers retiring, it will become more and more important to the future of architecture. Leah Bayer and Kate Conley recently took that path, and created a new partnership at the established firm OJK Architecture.

Interview Takeaways

Map out a partnership
Balance strengths and weaknesses
Get to the important work faster
Create a buyout plan that works for both parties
Find paths for new owners
Shift firm culture
Use tech to build a remote culture
Welcome asynchronous talent
Make more spaces for conversation and collaboration
Stay local even when you’re remote
Continue relationships with founders
Feel legitimate as a fully remote firm

Show Links

Check out OJK Architecture
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Connect with Kate Conley on LinkedIn
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Rossmann Architecture: How to Run the Business Side of Architecture (w/ Shane Balcom) Aug 06, 2021

Shane Balcom joined Rossmann Architecture in July 2020 and hasn’t looked back. Since Balcom’s arrival, the Ottawa-based firm has seen its revenue triple and the size of its team double, thanks in part to the leadership principles the managing director has brought to the table. In a conversation with Monograph’s Best Practice co-hosts Chris Morgan and George Valdes, Balcom discussed the role company culture plays in the health of a company’s bottom line, how routine has created a needed sense of stability, and the best practices he’s instituted to make Rossmann a thriving firm.

Interview Takeaways

Streamline decision-making to help increase revenue
Culture is an essential part of company growth
Vertical leadership structure is still important
Use weekly one-on-ones to create stickiness
How retaking control in project management shapes strategy
Institute a ‘forecast rhythm’ to help with planning
The value of staying consistent
Transparency and respect go hand in hand
Understand the role work plays in people’s lives
The power of delegation
Pay incentives can help bolster company culture
Source ideas from everyone

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Check out Rossmann Architecture Inc.
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Saltmine/Harvard GSD: How to Design an Architecture Firm Today (w/ Jacob Reidel) Aug 03, 2021

The common issues that architects struggle with -- getting paid, project control, long hours -- have been around since the dawn of the profession. There are traditional ways of working that have remained in place even as the world rapidly changes. But Jacob Reidel of Saltmine thinks it’s time to embrace a different way of practicing. His take? Firms should close the loop between design and outcomes, build teams that focus on customer success, and accept that design doesn’t have to be king.

Interview Takeaways

Dive deep into architecture subjects
Trace present issues to the past
Embrace different ways to practice architecture
Close the feedback loop between design and outcomes
Bridge the gap between design, delivery, and sales
Design doesn’t have to be king
Expand your professional vocabulary
Make a path for researchers
Connect the dots with a customer success team
Make room for customer success in practice
Tie performance bonuses to NPS
Use data to measure building performance

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ARCHITECTUREFIRM: How to Lead the Design of Award-winning Projects (w/ Adam Ruffin) Jul 30, 2021

Your firm can’t deliver incredible projects without a great team working in the wings. Building and leading a team is an art form in and of itself. It requires transparency, setting clear milestones, and providing room for talent to grow. Adam Ruffin is doing just that with his two partners at ARCHITECTUREFIRM, a small design firm that is split between two locations and adeptly managing remote work. Adam shared how they are creating a unified vision while being physically separated, how he approaches leadership, and the steps they’re taking to develop a formative culture while growing the business.

Interview Takeaways

Learn to do things at a small scale first
Develop one office voice
Save costs with tech tools
Question iteration
Let the sense of place shine
Hire people you like and give them room to grow
Work with a business director
Spread company information however you can
Form partnerships with vetting and teamwork
Take initiative if you want to move up
Create normal tiers for growth
Explain the process to clients and use feedback

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Check out ARCHITECTUREFIRM
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Randy Deutsch FAIA: How to Think and Adapt like an Architect Jul 28, 2021

Buildings are more than a design made real. They are a collection of data. Firms that leverage that data in their organization will be able to adapt and grow and thrive in the future. But the key to doing so doesn’t lie in the technology tools themselves; it lies in the people in your firm. Architect, author, and professor Randy Deutsch explained how becoming a data-driven company is important for survival. It all starts with building a culture that empowers people, lifts up “superusers,” and puts human needs before technology.

Interview Takeaways

Welcome superusers
Relieve anxiety with new org charts
Become information intermediaries
Create a new model for the profession
Seek change in startups
Shift culture during economic downturns
Make things, don’t just design them
Embrace automation
Focus on the problem to solve, not the technology
See people as humans, not tools
Adapt by looking to the future and the past
Put people before data

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Building Science Fight Club: How to Manage Technical Risks (w/ Christine Williamson) Jul 23, 2021

Favor technical knowledge over soft skills
Become more open-minded
Accept embarrassment as part of the job
Choose between good options
Draw to communicate design intent
Negate risk by understanding the technical stuff
Embrace continued professional development
Slowly expand your building science vocabulary
Learn how projects are financed

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Voyansi: How to Build a Teaching and Learning Culture (w/ Libo Li) Jul 21, 2021

Imagine your company’s operations working so smoothly that it’s like you’re a hive mind. Sharing data and knowledge. Anticipating next steps. Solving problems with surgical precision. As COO of Voyansi, a building intelligence firm, Libo Li helped create a data-centered operations program that looked a lot like that.

Interview Takeaways

Make better decisions with building intelligence
Use tech tools to free up time for connection
Build data-centered operations
Build a hive mind
Evaluate and own your solutions
Stick to small, surgical fixes
Give people the right tools to fix a problem
Capture reality in 3D
Map unknown space
3 intuitive tools for redesigning operations
Share knowledge across your company
Give permission to fail through iteration

Show Links

Check out Voyansi
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Check out Libo’s new company, Katalyst DI
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Idan Naor Workshop: How To Run a Boutique Architecture Firm in NYC (w/ Idan Naor) Jul 16, 2021

When you start your own architecture firm, you’re in for the ride of your life. You quickly need to learn how to put together a successful team, partner with the right clients, and save money for a rainy day. Idan Naor learned all of this through trial and error when he started Idan Naor Workshop. The passage of time has allowed him to appreciate good advice and follow his intuition.

Interview Takeaways

Think of your career like riding a bike
Orchestrate your team
Seek out a mentor
Get your team on the same page
Let people excel
Find the sweet spot between creative and technical
Consider the client, the interest, and the fee
Prepare for booms and busts
Be selective with projects
Follow your intuition
Set up client onboarding
Organize your business differently

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Black Spectacles: How to Build a Business with a Mission in Architecture (w/ Marc Teer) Jul 14, 2021

There is a saying that you don’t become a good architect until you’re 60. But what if it doesn't have to take that long to acquire major skills and hit career milestones? There is a sizable learning gap in architecture. Marc Teer, CEO and founder of Black Spectacles, is on a quest to close that gap by delivering on-demand software education, test preparation, and career development resources that can push you to the next level.

Interview Takeaways

Solve the software learning problem
Improve test prep
Help architects throughout their career
Follow your passion
Narrow your options through your purpose
Use values to evaluate candidates
Keep everyone swimming in the same direction
Give people a tool for making decisions
Go remote to clear hiring roadblocks
Learn from the master/apprentice model
Democratize learning
Make skills attainable earlier

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HKS: How to Design a Culture of Diversity and Inclusion (w/ Yiselle Santos Rivera) Jul 09, 2021

Do you want to be a JEDI? At HKS Architects, the acronym stands for Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. From defining shared vocabulary to setting benchmarks for success, it can be a long process to get such programs off the ground. JEDI Director Yiselle Santos explained why it’s well worth it, and how you can start.

Interview Takeaways

Get buy-in at every level
Define the JEDI framework
Anchor your program with a mission and vision
Focus on business outcomes
Solidify common language
Empower high-performing diverse teams
Set metrics for social justice
Delve into the data
Bridge the gap between technical and experiential
Look at the long game
Set your scope for social justice
Start your JEDI journey

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H+O Structural Engineering: How to Run an Operationally Efficient Organization (w/ Rens Hayes) Jul 07, 2021

Architecture and engineering are careers that offer a lot of autonomy and entrepreneurial spirit. But these industries also breed chaotic organizations and burnout. Rens Hayes, founder of H+O Structural Engineering, has set out to do things differently. He shared with us how he’s built a people-first business that’s all about value-driven growth.

Interview Takeaways

Help good people find you
Define your mission, vision, and values
Fight back against burnout culture
Use your core values to create results
Integrate your values into every decision and message
Attract the right people by sharing your story
Create a triangle-shaped framework for success
Incentivize great performance
Develop leaders who want to stay
Reward continual improvement
Weigh value alignment over local availability
Balance the eight core areas of business

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Airtable: How a Focus On Operations Can Improve Your Business (w/ Jackie Park) Jul 02, 2021

How can architects benefit from a collaborative platform like Airtable? If you’re interested in getting organized, it’s a no-brainer. Airtable’s own Jackie Park joined Monograph to explain how Airtable features can help hone your firm’s operations, from FF&E to recruitment. Whether you use Airtable or something else, the best part is that digital tools can free up more time for the creative work architects love.

Interview Takeaways

Use digital tools to organize information
Airtable is a digital tool kit
Jackie Park’s journey from architecture to sales
Hone your digital customer pipeline
Use Airtable for FF&E tasks
Leverage a customizable database
Use Airtable to organize the approval process
The value of a shared workbench
Organize and automate recruiting tasks
Use Airtable to streamline operations
Free up time for design
Choose a digital platform based on your needs

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Common: How to Design a Design Organization (w/ Jenn Chang) Jun 29, 2021

Common is the nation’s leading co-living brand operator. That means it’s two things at once: a housing company and a tech startup. It's a company where designers bridge the gap between software developer and property developer clients. It’s a unique role for an architect, and no one knows that better than Jenn Chang. Jenn started out as Common’s very first architect. Today, she serves as the company’s Vice President of Studio, Common's in-house design and construction team. Both Common and Jenn’s success has hinged on adaptability - and the ability to learn from lessons along the way.

Interview Takeaways

At Common, tech meets residential
Jenn Chang charted new territory as Common's first architect
Find the balance of creative ideas
Create new opportunities with a proactive approach
The brand operator model
Offer flexible services based on client needs
Analyze building performance data
Hire for internal aptitude
Foster an autonomous work environment
Advocate for yourself and your team
Shift your company concept

Show Links

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UpSpring PR: How to Build a PR Strategy (w/ Tiffany Rafii) Jun 23, 2021

PR can seem complicated. But Tiffany Rafii knows that the right marketing strategy is a game-changer for every industry. The CEO and co-founder of UpSpring PR, Tiffany has been running her full-service communications agency for the architecture, design, and real estate markets since 2009. Today, her 25+ person team leverages digital and strategic PR to increase brand awareness and market share for dozens of companies.

Interview Takeaways

Leverage growth with PR
Time your PR efforts right
Grow business step-by-step
Position for initial growth
Use the talent you have
Choose how to grow
Double your focus group benefits
Balance focus and flexibility
Define your goals
Get out there with SEO
Open the door with PR
Let go of the paid-ad dream

Show Links

Check out UpSpring PR
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SHoP Architects: How To Structure Innovative Project Teams (w/ Luisa Mendez) Jun 22, 2021

Few architecture firms can be seen as true trailblazers. But SHoP Architects is defying convention on everything from design to fabrication to installation. Luisa Mendez is a Senior Associate at SHoP Architects in New York City, where she has worked on projects like the Design Miami Pavilion, the Barclay Center, and the Porterhouse building. So how can you use technology and unique construction design to disrupt an industry? By leveraging digital delivery and tracking specific goals.

Interview Takeaways

SHoP’s 3 pillars
The roles at SHoP
Why you should mix experience levels and specialties
Give designers the choice to specialize...or not
Set up systems for employee success
Three-fold project goals: value, data-driven, and time-driven
Meet goals thanks to an invested team
How a 3D project delivery system improves communication
Leverage digital delivery tools
The lagging tech at city agencies
Luisa’s dream firm setup
How digital tools can catch problems before they happen

Show Links

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ZGF: How To Win Projects with Great Storytelling (w/ Matthew Keeshin) Jun 21, 2021

How can you turn your architecture business into a PR machine? By telling incredible stories about the services you provide and the projects you’ve completed. Matthew Keeshin has a rich background in both architecture and writing. Currently the digital media manager at ZGF, he explained why telling great stories goes beyond the buildings themselves.

Interview Takeaways

Stay connected with analytics
Treat social media like blackjack
Take stories beyond the building
Act like an advisor
Define the communication strategy
Seek inspiration from other industries
Craft a signature look and feel
Create bite-sized information
Keep imagination alive
Position yourself as a leader
Your online presence is your calling card
Build relationships to reach your goals

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HOPEWORKSDESIGN: How To Market Your Architecture Firm (w/ Hope Trory) Jun 11, 2021

When architecture firms collapsed during the ‘08 recession, Hope Trory realized that the traditional architecture industry desperately needed better online marketing. Hope is on a mission to help architecture firms grow - in any market. As founder of HOPEWORKSDESIGN, she helps small to midsize firms implement modern marketing strategies in traditional industries. Hope combines industry expertise, online marketing strategy, and her architecture background to help firms connect with their online audience.

Interview Takeaways

Recession-proof your architecture firm
Go deeper with your website
Define your messaging
Attract your dream clients
Learn your customers’ language
Build your online reputation
Filter for better leads
Tap into more budgets + markets
Crunch the marketing numbers
Look back to move forward
Automate the filtering process
Find the right marketing firm

Show Links

Check out HOPEWORKSDESIGN
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Hassell: How To Run a Data-driven Architecture Firm (w/ Dr. Daniel Davis) Jun 10, 2021

How does technology influence architecture? How does architecture influence people? Those are the questions that consume Dr. Daniel Davis, senior researcher at Hassell and former Director of Research at WeWork. Daniel joined Monograph’s George Valdes to discuss the various ways that firms can approach, apply, and measure data.

Interview Takeaways

Which firms should embrace data
Applying technology to business, not just design
Rationalizing research
Justifying design decisions with evidence
Where firms don’t step in, other companies will
Why certain firms don’t care about data
Post-occupancy data is the holy grail
Finding inspiration in the tech world
Experimenting with new lines of revenue
The dream of shared data
Seeking new ways to analyze performance

Show Links

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Slack & Practice of Architecture: How To Empower Your Team Beyond Projects (w/ Evelyn Lee, FAIA of AIA) Jun 04, 2021

Evelyn Lee is a pillar of the architecture industry. Currently a senior internal experience designer for Slack, over the last two decades she has also played a role in AIA National and founded a podcast called Practice of Architecture. Evelyn’s eyes are set on the future of architecture: how both individual practitioners and leadership need to approach work in a way that is more innovative and inclusive than in years past.

Interview Takeaways

Growing your career as an individual contributor or manager
Exploring better & faster task management
Promoting transparent communication at every level
Approaching work with an entrepreneurial mindset
Taking the architecture role beyond building
Fostering fledgling ideas
Fighting back to regain lost work
Navigating implementation risk
Capturing data for business development
Pushing the boundaries of the architecture business model
Rethinking the time-based service model
Cultivating a great customer experience

Show Links

Connect with Evelyn Lee on LinkedIn or Twitter
Check out Practice of Architecture
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

Archmark: How To Find Clients By Building A Brand (w/ Bryon McCartney) Jun 02, 2021

Architects don’t learn about marketing in design school - and few learn about it after. When Bryon McCartney and his wife discovered just how many architects were missing out on opportunities by avoiding digital marketing, they founded Archmark, a marketing agency focused on architectural firms and their success. Bryon joined host George Valdes on a Monograph webinar to talk about how architects should start building their brand, the best social media platforms for firms looking to connect with new clients, and how developing a career and marketing niche is the best way to find your ideal clients.

Interview Takeaways

Many firms are not taking advantage of digital marketing
Advertising, marketing, and public relations all play a unique role in branding
Branding stems from an alignment of messaging
There are three principles that should guide your branding
To find clients, map out a client journey and identify pain points
Stick to your purpose and keep your expertise focused
Use your story to guide the content on your website & client outreach
Communicate targeted messages on the right channels
Create a specific ideal client and niche so you can target messages appropriately
Use LinkedIn for client outreach
Use Instagram for building brand awareness
A good reputation will open many doors - even when you pick a niche

Show Links

Check out Archmark
Follow Archmark on LinkedIn and Twitter
Connect with Bryon McCartney on LinkedIn or Twitter
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

EntreArchitect: How To Build A Successful Architecture Firm (w/ Mark LePage) May 27, 2021

Are you a small firm architect? Then you’re also a businessperson. The problem is that architecture school is all about design, with very little training on the day-to-day practicalities of running a company. When Mark LePage and his wife started their architecture firm in 1999, they succeeded by dividing and conquering. Mark headed up the business side, while his wife focused on design. In a quest to create a community to help other small firms, they started EntreArchitect: a thriving online platform to help architects build better businesses. In an interview with Monograph’s Best Practice host George Valdes, LePage shared the importance of honing basic business skills, weeding out bad clients, and valuing a culture of transparency over secrecy.

Interview Takeaways

Architecture requires business education
Financial management is a critical skill
Filling in gaps with the right players
First things first: create a roadmap
Layering in marketing and sales strategies
Architecture community helps spur growth
Don’t be embarrassed about business
Profit is not a dirty word
Knowing who your ideal client is
Embracing an “all for one” mentality
Building a community to spark a career

Show Links

Check out EntreArchitect
Follow EntreArchitect on LinkedIn or Twitter
Listen to the EntreArchitect podcast
Connect with Mark LePage on LinkedIn
Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or Twitter
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph

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