From the moment I stepped out to start my own Practice, I was conscious of the fact that this new journey was beyond my love of design and beyond the desire for independence and a bump in income.
Having read several Architecture business books and listened to countless podcasts discussing Architectural Firm success; naivety was definitely not what was going to let me down. I had seen what worked and what hadn’t - having been employed in different companies. So with all hope and excitement I stepped out on my own.
Two years later, nothing has really caught me by surprise but a lot of it has shaped my view on money, career success and the decisions I continue to make in my career. This series (Diary of a Kenyan Archipreneur) will get into this journey and wherever the road leads. I hope it speaks to the side of you dreaming to start your own Architectural Practice.
As promised, let me get into the lessons from Year two of the journey:
1. Bringing in new work is just as important (if not more) than doing good work.
Doing good work speaks to the Architect in you while bringing in new work speaks to the business person in you. You need both to survive and one without the other is a point of weakness in the company.
Architects running their own practice have to think about systems that are driven towards marketing, brand development, management, project delivery as well as leadership. You are not just a designer but also running a business.
2. Diversification into other business ventures reduces pressure on the Firm to support you.
Generally having one source of income is a risky place to be, and running an Architectural Firm is no different. Recession has a great impact on our cash flow, more so than our fellow professionals, such as Doctors and Lawyers. When the country is stable, people are comfortable to invest in architectural projects and when the future is uncertain, wallets remain tightly shut.
Seeing as our needs remain constant, how can Architects be in a better position to survive?
One way is to diversify. This looks different for different people. To you it might be diversifying the services you offer, being a part-time farmer, being a board member or being a Lecturer, while to another it might be investing in commercial, residential or hospitality properties in varying scales.
Sure does help.
3. Good work will get you halfway there, Good networks will get you all the way.
Good work gets new work through referrals, something Professionals rely heavily on. The initial start point however is the ‘who-you-know’. And who you know can be a product of privilege or hard intentional work.
An Architect related to a local leader is in a privileged position for sure and for those without heavy-pocketed connections need to work on business development. Constantly meeting new people and talking about what you do with passion. Professional tactics feed the machine and this is where it can get challenging.
4. The business will test your commitment to your dream.
The resilience that your business will ask of you is extreme. When they say it’s challenging - IT IS CHALLENGING! Starting your own business should be in the category of Extreme Sports!
It takes a certain person, with a certain set of characters and a certain approach to life.
You work extremely hard and the uncertain future leaves you with a constant worry of where the next project will come from. On good days, you feel like you can conquer the world but on bad days, you question yourself and your abilities. Are you going to make it? Will your business fail or succeed? It will require tough decisions that might at times involve a radical change of direction or even involve letting go of the business!
5. The fate of the Firm lies so much in recognising weaknesses in the system and structures in place.
Recognising individual weaknesses that are holding the company back cannot be overemphasised. The fate of your business lies within this and your ability to pivot and compensate for those weaknesses sooner rather than later.
This would mean evolving from Solo practice to a Partnership, or looking for a different set of partners with a shared purpose, commitment or drive. It might look like leaving a Partnership that’s holding you back to starting your own Solo Practice. Whatever it takes to succeed, that pivot point is a crucial one.
All in all, I am on a journey searching for the answers of what it takes to run a successful Architectural Practice - the vessel is Café Construct, welcome on board this treacherous journey.
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