Business of Architecture Podcast

This week, we are speaking with Bee Rarewala who is the Vice President and Director of Corporate Brand Strategy and Communications at CRTKL. She recently joined the LA office and she centered her 20-year career around the nexus of design-thinking and business strategy. She actually holds a degree in Economics and she's not formally trained as an architect, so she brings a very deep insight and spe...

This week, I am speaking with David Hacin who is the Founding Principal and Creative Director of Hacin + Associates, an interdisciplinary architecture design firm founded in Boston in 1993. They're currently a 30+person team dedicated to design excellence and client service. David has a plethora of recognition and awards for the studio's broad portfolio of architecture, interior design, graphics a...

This week, I am speaking with Geoff Ross. Geoff is a real estate development executive who has interdisciplinary expertise. He has both been trained as an architect and has worked in several architectural offices in New York City, and then he transitioned into the ownership and development side where he has worked with some of the largest and most active New York City developers. He's had projects...

This week, I'm speaking with architecture firm IT Specialist, Boris Rapoport. Boris has had over 20 years of experience helping architectural design and engineering firms make their business more efficient and profitable with the use of technology. He is the founder of the IT support firm, ArchIT, who exclusively serves architecture, design, and engineering firms and helps them utilize and protect...

This week, I'm speaking with Griff Davenport, FAIA, who is the DLR Group's Chief Executive Officer. Griff leads the firm's executive leadership team and collaborates with the senior leadership to craft the firm's business strategy and to progress the evolution of DLR Group design. He's been instrumental in developing and driving the growth of the group's vertical markets and expanding their geogra...

This week, I am speaking with Arnaud Zannier, Founder of Zannier Hotel Group. This is a must-listen for those firms who are interested in working in high-end hospitality. Arnaud entered into hospitality after a successful career running his own fashion brand. When building the Zannier Group brand, Arnaud's focus was on creating an alternative luxury experience, which led to developing a series of...

This week, we're speaking with Anthony Laney, an architect, designer, Co-Founder, and Partner of Laney LA, an architecture firm based in Los Angeles predominantly focused on residential work. In this conversation, Anthony discusses their marketing strategies and their business approach. He goes into a lot of depth about the core values and beliefs of the firm and why they are so important for ever...

Today, I'm speaking with Michelle Fenton who runs Khora Architecture, a firm based in Vancouver, Canada. She also hosts the podcast Happitecture, which aims to explore ideas and discover what it takes to develop resilient, sustainable, thriving, inclusive, and happy communities. Michelle has always been one of our star fellows in the Architecture Firm Freedom Formula (now SMART Practice Method). W...

Architect Peter Twohy runs residential architecture practice in Baltimore, Maryland. Over the past 16 years, Peter has gone from designing basements and porches to being recognized as one of Baltimore's premier architects. Today, Peter shares lessons learned building his firm as well as a powerful strategy he's using to win better clients and earn fees that he deserves for his creative work.   ► S...

Today, I have the honor to speak with Paul Petrunia, founder of Archinect. Launched in 1997, Archinect.com is the most established online architecture communication and content source for the architecture and design community. Tens of thousands of architects, students, and fans browse the site daily for the latest jobs, news headlines, competition, event listings, featured editorials, and active d...

This is a Business of Architecture Bonus Episode. Hello, and welcome back architect Nation. I'm Enoch Sears and this is the show where you'll discover tips, strategies and secrets for building an architecture practice that lets you do your best work, more often. Architects and related professionals design our world ... They make it safe, beautiful and sustainable. Yet for many, it feels like an up...

Today we speak with architectural lighting designer and founder of Nulty, Paul Nulty. Nulty was originally in London and is an award-winning lighting design consultancy renowned for delivering immersive lighting projects for huge global brands such as Nike, Samsung, Harrods, Bloomingdale's, and Burberry with an international footprint spanning Europe, the U.S., the Middle East, and North Africa. N...

Today we have not one, not two but three directors of Billings Jackson Design, an industrial design firm working at the interface of construction and product manufacturing. Duncan Jackson is an engineer and a furniture designer by training. He founded Billings Jackson Design in London in 1992 with Eoin Billings to bring industrial and product design expertise to the construction industry. Eoin Bil...

Today, we're speaking with AUX Architecture founder Brian Wickersham. AUX Architecture is an award-winning architecture firm based in Los Angeles with an eclectic array of different types of project typologies, working in high-end residential, mixed-use, multi-family, and a number of cultural projects as well. Brian and I discuss how AUX was born out of adversity in the middle of a recession and h...

Today, we're speaking with one of the co-founders of Charlap Hyman & Herrero, Andre Herrero. Andre received his architectural training at the Rhode Island School of Design, graduating with a degree in Fine Arts and a degree in Architecture in 2012. He then went to the UK, working for David Chipperfield Architects in London. He then worked for SANAA in Tokyo and SO-IL in New York before co-founding...

Our guest this week is business coach and entrepreneur, Ray Brown. For about 5 years, Ray has worked at CEO-level across six companies, including overseeing the sale of Scotland's largest watercolor business Premier Water to global food giant Danone in 2005. In late 2005, after moving to Australia with his family, he was selected to join the international business coaching organization, Shirlaws G...

This week I'm speaking with Christian Giordano, president and majority shareholder of Mancini Duffy, a technology first design firm based in New York City and New Jersey. Christian is an innovator, an entrepreneur, a visionary, and a disruptor; he's the inventor of The Toolbelt LLC, a software suite that allows users to explore and manipulate 3D models collaboratively to explore and make decisions...

We continue honoring the women in architecture in today's interview with architect Julia Nagele. Nagele is making her mark on the Seattle skyline, currently leading the design of her second high-rise tower in the city while working at Hewitt, at which she is a Principal and the Director of Design. In today's interview, you'll discover the skills Julia feels are essential for firm leaders, as well...

Today kicks off Women's History Month here in the United States. Today, I'm joined by three impactful and accomplished women who are making history in their own right here with us today. Carrie Byles, Xuan Fu, and Laura Ettelman compose the executive committee of Skidmore, Ownings and Merrill, one of the world's most highly respected and successful architecture firms, otherwise known as SOM. SOM h...

Today I speak with Bryon McCartney, a branding and web design expert who helps AEC firms use branding & marketing to increase their visibility & influence so they can attract & win better clients and projects. In today's episode, you'll discover the difference between "brand" and "branding" as well as Bryon's opinion on what you should be thinking about when you market your firm.   Resources: ARCH...

Today I speak with Alex Gore and Lance Cayko of the Colorado architecture firm F9 Productions. These guys also run a great podcast related to everything about running a firm, search for "Inside the Firm" in your favorite podcasting app. In this episode, you'll discover how Al and Lance have added construction services to their business model, by offering to build their clients' projects. As a resu...

Our guest today is Lee Skolnick FAIA, who runs an award-winning architecture practice based in New York City. The firm, Skolnick Architecture + Design Partnership is about 30 people strong, and has an accomplished portfolio of museum, cultural and luxury residential projects. In today's episode, we discuss how Skolnick has grown the practice to win significant commissions around the world.   ► Sub...

Today, I speak with architect Mark R. LePage, founder of EntreArchitect. Today we discuss entrepreneurship, especially as it relates to the world of architecture. We also discuss innovation in business including one trend today that can set you up for success tomorrow. Check out Mark's work at EntreArchitect - https://entrearchitect.com/ Gābl Media - https://gablmedia.com/   ► Subscribe to my YouT...

Today I speak with the managing partner of Page's office based in Houston, Texas. Page is a multi-disciplinary firm with 9 offices around the world. Previous to his position with Page, he led design teams at CRS and HOK. Today, Chavez speaks about the key to leadership, working with people, and how to create an organization that performs at its best.   ► Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for updates...

Today I speak with the former Business Development manager of OMA's Hong Kong office, Viviano Villarreal-Buerón. Viviano has since launched his own successful architecture firm, Mass Operations, based in Monterrey, Mexico. Today we talk about how to get business development done as a busy architect running a small practice.   ► Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for updates: https://www.youtube.com/c...