EntreArchitect

JANUARY 19, 2016

Seven years into owning our own small firm, Annmarie and I decided to make some changes. One of the most important habits I developed during that year is the preparation of a financial schedule. Before I scheduled these tasks, I found that I would fit them in around project deadlines and client meetings.

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Small Firm Firms Architect Management 52

EntreArchitect

MARCH 21, 2017

Fees for Small Firm Architects. During a typical architectural project, we make thousands of decisions, work hundreds of hours and are responsible, by law, for the health, safety and welfare of the people using our buildings. We’re a disgruntled bunch of professionals. We are worth more. We Alone Are The Problem.

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Small Firm Firms Architect Regulation 52

EntreArchitect

SEPTEMBER 6, 2016

” When Annmarie and I launched Fivecat Studio more than 15 years ago we had no projects, no clients and no money. We were two young architects seeking the freedom of our own firm. A friend helped start us off with our first project; a new local restaurant named Meetinghouse located in Bedford, New York. A garage addition?

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Small Firm Firms Architect Client 52

EntreArchitect

SEPTEMBER 12, 2017

We make thousands of decisions during the development of a typical architectural project. We must protect ourselves, our firms and our families from the risk of legal action. We must create business systems that make these processes routine and automatic during the development of every architectural project.

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Insurance Small Firm Firms Architect 52

EntreArchitect

JUNE 14, 2016

As small firm architects, we are responsible for so many different roles and responsibilities. We need to meet with clients, develop and distribute marketing, respond to important email, manage our social media accounts, send invoices, collect payments and so much more. 6 Digital Tools to Automate an Architecture Firm.

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Small Firm Firms Architecture Architecture Firm 52

EntreArchitect

APRIL 18, 2017

For all professional design firms there are two different, yet interrelated levels of profitability – a firm’s overall profitability and the profitability of each completed project. Historically, the profitability of professional design firms is, on average, in the range of 8-12%. Profit is Independent of Projects.

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Small Firm Firms Architect Management 52

EntreArchitect

JANUARY 26, 2014

Project conversions have been up and down for more than a decade. Our best year, in terms of converting Prospects to Projects was 2004. I know this as fact, because I track my firm’s Prospect to Project Ratio. Every year since Annmarie and I launched the firm in 1999, we’ve had a full workload.

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Small Firm Firms Architect Contract 52

EntreArchitect

AUGUST 9, 2016

At Fivecat Studio , we’ve had several projects published. Apply each rule yourself and you’ll soon be seeing your best projects online and in print. 10 Rules For Getting Your Projects Published as an Architect. I am often asked, “How can I get noticed if my projects don’t have big budgets?” Every project has a story.

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Small Firm Firms Architect Client 52

EntreArchitect

FEBRUARY 23, 2016

Originally published in 2013 as Part 4 of the original EntreArchitect Academy Blog Series, this final article of our month dedicated to Business Development shares my firm’s simple sales system. A Simple Sales System for Small Firm Architects. Since that time, we’ve developed a system that works.

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Small Firm Firms Architect Client 52

EntreArchitect

JULY 25, 2016

The phones stop ringing and fresh prospects cease to inquire about new projects. For many of us small firm architects, this sounds a bit scary. How can we close the doors, shut down our projects, disconnect email for more than a day or two? Develop a Process to Communicate Your Schedule. How can we just shut down?

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Small Firm Firms Architect Management 52

EntreArchitect

SEPTEMBER 28, 2015

Whereas an architect of the 20th century would have always faced the difficulty of manually drafting each variation of the structure they envisioned, generative design now allows an architect to focus on the project’s vision, and the program does the rest. Generative Architecture for Small Firms.

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Small Firm Firms Architect Architecture 52

EntreArchitect

APRIL 6, 2015

To successfully complete a project, an architect is responsible for making thousands of critical decisions. To complete the development of a standard residential additions and alterations project, it takes several months of focus and dedication. While our clients shop, we develop the design. How do YOU make more money?

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Small Firm Firms Architect Client 52

EntreArchitect

MAY 3, 2016

As we move into a new month, we are shifting our focus to a new category of small firm success. How can we ensure that at the end of each project, we have inspired “raving fans” eager to spread the word about our exceptional skills, talents and remarkable customer service? How do we best serve our clients?

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Architecture Firm Firms Development Developer 52

EntreArchitect

OCTOBER 13, 2013

A perfect storm has developed and we are taking advantage of our opportunity to be more efficient, more effective, more flexible and have more freedom. We reduced expenses, expanded our market and relaxed our focus on our target project type. The large residential additions and alterations projects in which we specialize have returned.

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Small Firm Firms Architect Client 40

EntreArchitect

JULY 25, 2017

We may have perfected our marketing, developed a strong reputation, executed a flawless sales process and have received our prospective client’s eager authorization to proceed with a new project. This one step could kill the project before you ever have a chance to demonstrate your skill as an architect. It’s your proposal.

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Architecture Firm Firms Development Developer 52

EntreArchitect

FEBRUARY 6, 2022

Empowering architects to better serve the world with more than 681,000 total downloads in 2021, the EntreArchitect Podcast has grown to serve small firm architects from every corner of the planet. Number 2 with 7,072 downloads is episode 416 with Edward Shannon – The Sole Practitioner Architecture Firm.

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Small Firm Firms Architecture Firm Consulting 98

EntreArchitect

JANUARY 9, 2023

The IRS Research and Development (R&D) tax credit is a valuable opportunity for practicing architects to potentially save money on their taxes. To qualify for the R&D tax break, an architect must be working on a project that involves experimentation or the development of a new product or process.

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Architecture Firm Firms Insurance Architecture 97

EntreArchitect

JANUARY 23, 2018

Effective project execution is associated with successful achievement of design intent, high-quality construction, profitability and efficiency. Effective management indeed rests in part with a project manager’s ability to deliver a quality project on time and within the approved fee. The Four Corners of Every Project.

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Project Estimating Architecture Client 52

EntreArchitect

FEBRUARY 13, 2018

Take the Time to Examine Project Financials—You Won’t Regret It. Your projects have many moving parts, and sometimes tracking their financials might seem overwhelming. You might not get all the information you want or maybe, you don’t even bother to determine the profitability of each project because it would involve too much time.

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Architecture Firm Firms Project Architecture 52

EntreArchitect

JANUARY 18, 2015

As design professionals, most of us are not educated, trained, nor have an affinity for administrative systems such as accounting and/or financial management or any desire to be involved in monitoring these ‘soft’, non-project activities. For every professional design firm this is their ‘Bottom Line’.

Management 52

Management Development Developer Firms 52

EntreArchitect

APRIL 5, 2016

A Culture at Your Architecture Firm Will Make or Break Your Firm. As your small firm grows beyond its infancy of the sole practitioner and you develop a strong team , the culture of your firm will evolve. Your firm’s culture and how you manage it is critical to the success of your firm.

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Architecture Firm Firms Development Developer 40

EntreArchitect

JUNE 27, 2017

As a small firm entrepreneur architect working from home, it’s easy for me to roll down the stairs to my studio each day, sit down in my soft office chair and get to work, tapping the keyboard from morning to night. My 10X Project. So, this week I started a project to form a new habit for my health. Let’s help it grow.

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Development Developer Small Firm Finishes 52

EntreArchitect

FEBRUARY 2, 2016

All this month at EntreArchitect, we’ll be focusing on Business Development. Listen to the podcast , subscribe to the newsletter and return back here to the blog each week for more information on how to generate more sales for your small firm by creating long-term value from your clients, markets, and relationships.

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Development Developer Architect Firms 52

SW Oregon Architect

JANUARY 9, 2022

Rather than manually modeling walls, doors, and columns in our BIM programs, Allen foresees feeding computers “rules” that tell them how to develop a buildings’ optimal footprint, structural load capacity, thermal performance, etc. capturing the manipulation of a study model developed in SketchUp in real time within a linked Revit file).

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Industrial Management Information Contractor 193

EntreArchitect

DECEMBER 8, 2014

Two years ago on December 12, 2012 I launched my 12/12/12 Project and announced my plans at the introductory episode of the Entrepreneur Architect Podcast. If you are newer to this platform and have not heard about my 12/12/12 Project, let me give you a bit of background. What is a 12/12/12 Project? It may be spiritual.

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Project Small Firm Firms Inspiration 52

EntreArchitect

JUNE 20, 2021

Construction Administration (CA) is often the most neglected phase of a building project. It may come years after the initial design, but CA is what brings projects to life. Here are the five key steps that can make all the difference with your next project. Develop processes that make teamwork easy.

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Project Consulting Construction Construction 52

EntreArchitect

OCTOBER 15, 2014

He is not only a principal at Gallin Beeler Design Studio, an award winning firm creating some fantastic modern designs, but he is also a software developer and has recently launched a project management and collaboration tool for architects named Adosar. Michael Gallin is our guest on the podcast today.

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Development Developer Mining Architect 40

EntreArchitect

FEBRUARY 16, 2016

Running the numbers on business development. But when it comes to business development specifically, I realized it might just be my secret weapon. In my current state, I spend a lot of time on business development. I make an effort to consistently book two business development meetings with referral partners per week.

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Development Developer Contractor Firms 52

EntreArchitect

AUGUST 14, 2018

Project Fee Budgeting for Architects. Sadly, there’s no way for an architect to guarantee their projects will be profitable, let alone earn a minimum 20% Net Profit at the completion of any project. My preferred best practice method for developing a project fee is the “Top-Down, Bottom Up” approach to fee budgeting.

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Project Architecture Client Clients 52

EntreArchitect

JULY 12, 2018

Project Name. Project Location. Firm Address. What was the marketing strategy behind acquiring this project? What was the marketing strategy behind acquiring this project? If its a development project, what is the marketing strategy to sell it? What type of fee structure did you use on this project?

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Small Firm Firms Client Clients 52

EntreArchitect

AUGUST 25, 2013

Even if we had met live at a convention or a conference, it is doubtful that we could have developed the friendships that we have today. We recognize a grassroots movement developing throughout the profession. Project Undercurrent is coming. Architects are coming together, dissatisfied and ready for action.

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Project Small Firm Residential Development 40

EntreArchitect

NOVEMBER 9, 2015

This month, the #ArchiTalks topic is “My First Project”, so I decided to repost a 3-part article I originally published back in 2013. It’s not only the story of my first project, but the complete story of how my wife and architect business partner Annmarie McCarthy and I started our own architecture firm.

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Project Architecture Firms Consulting 52

Landscape Architecture Magazine

SEPTEMBER 14, 2022

A past national president of ASLA (1987–1988) and Rome Prize recipient, Barton was appointed in 2004 to the board of the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, a California state agency. That project is now with SCAPE, which is also working on China Basin Park in San Francisco.

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Design Firms Small Firm Restoration 97

EntreArchitect

AUGUST 2, 2018

EntreArchitect: Behind the Design is a weekly blog series where we feature work designed, developed and/or built by small firm entrepreneur architect members of The EntreArchitect Community. Project Name. Project Location. Project Design Team. Firm Address. Click here to learn how. Architect’s Name.

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Small Firm Contractor Client Clients 52

EntreArchitect

NOVEMBER 7, 2017

During the past few years, we’ve begun to discuss, as a profession, “taking back” the process, regaining control of our projects and working to be viewed, once again, as the leaders of the construction industry. To make this happen, we must literally take control of our projects and lead the process from beginning to end.

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Construction Construction Project Client 52

Architizer

NOVEMBER 14, 2023

As well as celebrating some of the most innovative, recently completed projects around the globe, the A+Awards also serve as an incredible indicator of which designers will be at the forefront of innovation in the coming year. The team comprises Alain Yves Twizeyimana, Emmanuel Havugimana, Aziz Farid Shyaka, and Marie Minerve Dukunde.

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Firms Architecture Design Residential 94

EntreArchitect

JUNE 22, 2015

I look at where we’ve been over the past 12 months and I prepare a projection to plan for the year ahead. Several years ago, I developed a Google Docs spreadsheet to calculate my projections. If I plan on growing (or shrinking), I include the projected amounts for those changes as well. Setting Income Projections.

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