“ As a creative profession, architects are often the first to see the potential of a given project. Enthusiasm quickly outpaces the business case, and they want to design instantly.”
-Quote from ‘How to Win Work’-
The Café Construct podcast continues to host several podcast episodes featuring Construction Consultants in Private Practice. For a taste you can listen to Engineer in Business, Urban Planner in Private Practice and Starting Your Own Firm. We are continually inspired to churn out fresh episodes with every season.
To active practitioners and our avid listeners it comes as no surprise that starting and running your own firm is quite the difficult undertaking with a plethora of challenges.
The learning curve is steep but the mountain is not unsurmountable. Through intentional learning, entrepreneurs can grow to realise their full potential.
This continued research inspired this book selection ; How to Win Work by Jan Knikker-The Architect's Guide to Business Development and Marketing. A book that recognises Architects shortcomings and devotes its 250 pages to exploring different solutions that can work for different personalities and their respective startups.
To start out, it's interesting to have a look at the varying combinations of 'diseases' that plague Architects in business. Have a look at these and see if they resonate with you:
Lured to work for free with the promise of future lucrative commissions.
Working long hours on weekdays and over the weekends too.
Losing in tenders that require several years of built experience which your young firm lacks starting out.
Inheriting toxic office culture when setting up your own firm
Unaware of the importance of (let alone the difference between) Public Relations (PR) and Business Development (BD)
Having an office space that does not communicate the work philosophy or show your love, respect and appreciation of Architecture
Prioritising the wrong agenda with the content in your company's website.
Not taking full advantage of any or many of the assorted media available- print, digital, social, tv, vlogs, podcasts among others.
Not realising awards are a commercial business and cost of participation has to be evaluated.
Making renders that cannot stand to be compared to the built project.
Losing the general audience with technical jargon and drawings for the sake of showcasing knowledge and education - ego alert!
Not studying the performance of built projects to learn from users for the next commission.
Not being clear on whether your efforts in marketing and publicity are targeting potential clients or recognition from fellow peers.
Ignoring that your likeability as a person plays a big role in getting commissioned.
Not knowing how to speak to a potential client in order to convince them that you are the best architect to work with.
Not getting into a Contract with the Client or being unfamiliar with all that needs to be addressed.
How to survive and thrive during crises and recession
If any or a combination of several sound relatable, this book will give you practical tips to navigate these shortcomings. Each chapter is packaged to point out a mistake then concluded with a numbered list of practical actions the entrepreneur can take. Concluded with case studies on different firms and their approach in winning new work.
Well written and thus easy to read, I highly recommend adding this one to your library. Definitely giving me renewed energy to evaluate my business and all the moves I am making - or not.
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