Claim OwnershipArchitecture & Engineering Business Strategies
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Welcome to A/E Business Strategies — a podcast hosted by Monograph about architecture and engineering leaders who run great firms. Monograph is a project management software built exclusively for A/E. Over 1,000 firms use Monograph to get clarity into their budgets, projects, time, and clients so their entire team can make smarter decisions. Get started today at Monograph.com
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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-paymentAfter Monograph- 50% reduced cost on project management and billing systems- 66% less time on monthly invoicing- 2.6x faster time-to-paymentRead the story here - https://bit.ly/49nlNJpNew to Monograph? Start here - https://bit.ly/4bI3S1N
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 refundsAfter Monograph- 95% less time preparing project reports for firm owners- 53% faster monthly invoicing process- 100% error reduction on retainer invoicing, avoiding client refundsRead the story here - https://bit.ly/3OBJ7LjNew to Monograph? Start here - https://bit.ly/3w8y4mx
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 TakeawaysDocument new systemsBuild a supportive cultureDon’t kill creativityUse PR to showcase your winsClose the project cycleCheck in regularlyAlign with the client’s goalsBalance profit with missionOverbook your projectsSet boundariesShow LinksConnect with Jan Knikker on LinkedIn or TwitterConnect with Inger Kammeraat on LinkedInCheck out MVRDVConnect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or TwitterConnect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn Check out MonographFollow Monograph on LinkedIn or InstagramListen and read more about Monograph
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
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
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
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
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 on LinkedIn
Check out Studio Balcones
Connect with Silvia Lee on LinkedIn
Connect with Nathan Malone on LinkedIn
Check out Monograph
Follow Monograph on LinkedIn or Instagram
Listen and read more about Monograph
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 on LinkedIn
Check out Ennead Architects
Connect with George Valdes 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
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
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
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
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
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 TakeawaysUse non-union contractors to elevate designHave conviction in your decisionsFind architects through referralsKeep the development pipeline fullPartner with a large teamOffer turnkey services as an architectStick to your tasksRely on help if it’s a new type of projectFind people who approach projects like youStay ahead of new building trendsShow LinksConnect with Scott Shnay on LinkedIn Check out SK DevelopmentConnect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or TwitterConnect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn Check out MonographFollow Monograph on LinkedIn or InstagramListen and read more about Monograph
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
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
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 TakeawaysCollaborate as a teamKeep an open mind throughout the design processBe flexible to other ideasUnderstand the role of the architect in the construction processNADAAA’s first experience with means and methodsDefuse the tension between designer and contractor with IDPEvaluate a client’s risk tolerance early onDemonstrate real world applications for studentsNew approach to the means and methods processShow LinksCheck out NADAAAConnect with Arthur Chang on LinkedIn Connect with Nader Tehrani on LinkedIn Connect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or TwitterConnect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn Check out MonographFollow Monograph on LinkedIn or InstagramListen and read more about Monograph
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 TakeawaysShare your network Business development is everyone’s jobKeep in touch with clientsBe consistent in marketingAlign your goals with your firm’sHandle lead inquiries yourselfRemind your network of your expertiseInvolve senior team membersBe upfront about problemsLearn the business of your businessBe the one who reduces stressGrow from withinShow LinksConnect with Carrie Villani on LinkedInConnect with Doug González on LinkedIn Check out LERAConnect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or TwitterConnect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn Check out MonographFollow Monograph on LinkedIn or InstagramListen and read more about Monograph
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
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 TakeawaysOver-communicate to keep expectations clearGive people opportunities to contributeBe willing to pivot to meet your client’s needsPartner with other companiesBuild trust with your clientsCreate dialogue with your communityHelp your clients plan their architectureEquip your team to succeedAdd value to your firmFrame your conversation around your client’s knowledgeHire team members who will elevate their colleaguesDelegate tasks according to people’s strengthsShow LinksConnect with Colin Montoute on LinkedInConnect with Amy Hau on LinkedInCheck out WXY StudioConnect with George Valdes on LinkedIn or TwitterConnect with Chris Morgan on LinkedIn Check out MonographFollow Monograph on LinkedIn or InstagramListen and read more about Monograph
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