As Built

Architect Carol Ross Barney, FAIA, HASLA is a Design Principal and Founder of Ross Barney Architects. She is also the 2023 recipient of the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal , the highest honor the AIA can bestow and a recognition of individuals whose work has had a lasting influence on the theory and practice of architecture. In this episode, Carol discusses her career path and how it i...

When your business is interwoven with the supply chain, you have the unenviable task of explaining to customers why something costs more today than it did yesterday. While you can't do much about the costs themselves, there are ways to address changes with your customers that can help keep and grow your business. Highlights The importance of identifying cost-saving benefits of using your products...

Everyone's tired. Everyone's over it. Life is hard, and no one cares. Amidst this backdrop of existentialist crisis, how do you keep your team - and yourself - motivated?  In this episode of As Built, we discuss what does - and doesn't - work for architecture and building materials firms trying to keep everyone going even when you don't feel like it.  Highlights Everyone is motivated by different...

Connecting with people outside your firm is essential to your health, well-being, and business. When you're running a firm, though, this is something that can easily take a backseat to daily operations. Before you know it, you're trying to remember the last time you talked with someone about something other than a project. In this episode, we offer some tips on building relationships outside of th...

Brian Jones interviews Anthony Pope, founder of Atelier 7, about his transition from traditional architecture to using shipping containers for innovative and cost-effective design solutions. Atelier 7 focuses on developing affordable housing and has collaborated with container companies to create modular buildings. They have also acquired a 95,000-square-foot warehouse in Georgia to further their...

Whether you're trying to grow your firm or it's already in growth mode, you're likely trying to figure out how to pack 36 hours of thought and activity into a 24 hour day. If it feels like the more you do, the more you have to do, this episode is for you. In this installment of "Growth Challenges," we discuss how to take control of the time you have and stop feeling bad about things left undone. H...

Getting published has long been considered the pinnacle of architecture success. If your firm's work gets published, the assumption goes, you've "made it" - and you don't have to do anything else but sit back and wait for the work to roll in.  In this episode, we unpack what it really means to get published, what to do to make sure you have the best chance of getting your work published, and why i...

In this episode, Brian Jones interviews Daniel Piselli, Principal and Director of Sustainability at FXCollaborative, an architecture firm with a strong focus on sustainability and social responsibility.  Daniel's career path to sustainable architecture began with a love of the outdoors and an awe-inspiring first-grade trip to a hockey rink designed by Eero Saarinen; today, he helps shape the firm'...

Your firm has a lot of great image resources - congratulations! Now you need a place to store them so you can find what you need, when you need it, and give other people in the firm access as well. In this TechStack episode of As Built, hosts Brian Jones and Patience Jones explain the wonders of the DAM - or Digital Asset Management system.  Highlights What a DAM is and how it works How a DAM is d...

Good photography is a crucial part of your marketing and sales. It can help you get published, specified, and recognized as "the" firm to go to. Too many firms, though, forego professional photography or try to DIY it in-house. In this episode, co-hosts Patience Jones and Brian Jones discuss the importance of professional photography for architecture and building materials firms. They explain why...

There's an old advertising adage that a mattress store doesn't sell mattresses - it sells a good night's sleep. By positioning your products and services as solutions, you help your potential customers understand what you can do for them - and why they shouldn't go to anyone else. In this episode, hosts Brian Jones and Patience Jones explain the importance of talking about the problems you solve a...

Hosts Brian Jones and Patience Jones are kicking off "Growth Challenges," a new series focused on the challenges faced as they grow. In this episode, we talk about how internal communication can break down and what to do to guard against that. Highlights All the ways your firm communicates - even the ones you don't think about The telltale signs that communication isn't working Why communication m...

Who's currently doing business development in your firm? If the answer is anything other than "everyone," then you need to listen to this episode. Hosts Brian Jones and Patience Jones unpack the traditional model of one person or a small team dedicated to business development and the potential pitfalls that can create. We discuss ways to help your entire staff participate in business development s...

When prospective customers or clients visit your website, they come with expectations: it will be easy to use your website, they'll find what they're looking for, and they'll leave with the information they need. If these expectations aren't met, prospects can rule you out as an option, make a beeline for your competitors, and tell their colleagues about their bad experience. In this episode, host...

In this episode, Brian Jones interviews David Thompson, AIA, founder of Los Angeles-based architecture firm Assembledge+. Since 1997, Assembledge+ has built an impressive portfolio of award-winning residential, commercial, public, and planning projects.  David discusses how the firm's ethos of collaboration applies not only to how the internal studio works, but also to how the firm works with clie...

In this episode, Brian Jones and Patience Jones discuss the importance of creating a social environment in the workplace that aligns with the values of the firm and that meet the needs of employees. They suggest firms be flexible and ask for employee input, stay true to company values, be open to change, and be intentional in creating a supportive environment that fosters relationships. They also...

In this episode, Brian Jones and Patience Jones discuss the concept of hybrid selling and business development for building materials and architecture firms. They explain that it combines traditional in-person sales with digital and virtual options to save costs and expand reach. They offer tips for implementation such as obtaining information from the sales team on what works and what doesn't in...

Architect Shawn Basler is the Co-CEO and Executive Director of Perkins Eastman, the tenth-largest firm in the United States and the fourth-largest firm in the world by revenue. Founded in 1897, Perkins Eastman has a global body of work that includes major projects in almost every vertical. Prior to joining Perkins Eastman in 2007, Shawn was a founding partner in Basler Mosa Design Group. In this e...

In this episode, Brian Jones welcomes Shawn Basler, Co-CEO and Executive Director of Perkins Eastman, to talk about the challenges and excitement of running your own firm, as well as the professional practices that have helped him in his current role. He discusses balancing design work with running a firm, how three Co-CEOs work together, and how the firm created an ethos of collaboration and part...

In this episode, Brian Jones and Patience Jones emphasize the importance of understanding who you are marketing to and not defaulting to marketing to other architects. They provide the three scenarios when it is okay to market to other architects: if you're selling to them, recruiting staff, or going after professional awards. It's important to tailor your marketing materials in a way that makes s...

Architect Yen Ong is a partner and co-founder in the award-winning, international architecture and interior design firm 5G Studio Collaborative . Since 2005, 5G Studio has produced a significant body of work across the world as well as skyline-defining projects like the Omni Dallas Hotel, The Stack office tower in Deep Ellum, and Virgin Hotels Dallas in 5G's headquarter city. In this episode, Yen...

This episode discusses how to modernize marketing for architecture firms. It outlines the necessary hard skills needed, such as knowledge of SEO, web design, and CRM platforms, as well as soft skills like listening, empathy, and understanding the firm's target market. It also emphasizes the importance of the marketing team feeling integrated into the firm and passionate about the work, so they can...

In this episode, Brian Jones and Patience Jones discuss how to overcome the boom and bust cycle in architecture firms. This cycle (or more accurately, this trap) happens when firms become so busy that they don't allocate time for business development or marketing (the boom), leading to a lack of incoming projects (the bust). The way to get out of this cycle/trap? Consistent marketing effort, wheth...

Are the things you're doing in your firm creating value for your clients, your employees, anyone? Or are they just things that you've been doing for a long time? Does anyone else have flashbacks to Google+? In this episode, hosts Brian Jones and Patience Jones talk about the importance of evaluating where you're spending your time and resources. If what you're doing is delivering an identifiable b...

Inbound marketing is a great way to attract new clients. By creating useful content and experiences tailored to your ideal market, you establish a rapport with your audience and showcase your knowledge. This makes prospects more likely to purchase your services when they are ready.  In this episode, hosts Brian Jones and Patience Jones explain how inbound marketing works, why it's more successful...