Architecture & Engineering Business Strategies

Latest Episodes:

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

Show notes

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
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Listen and read more about Monograph

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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