EntreArchitect Podcast with Mark R. LePage

Have you ever considered following a dream other than a traditional practice in architecture? Do you have a passion that is burning inside? Maybe you have a great idea for a new business, but you are afraid to pursue it because of all the work it required to become a licensed architect? You don't want to leave behind your dream of being an architect, for a new dream pursuing something else. B...

We all have a story. We all have knowledge that we can share. We are all experts at something. I think… we all have a book in us that needs to be written. On this.. Part Three of the EntreArchitect Podcast Field Guide Series , I welcome back to the show, the founder of 30X40 Design Workshop and author of two self-published books, our friend Eric Reinholdt. This week on the EntreArchitect Pod...

We all work so hard at what we do. We spend hours meeting with potential clients, preparing proposals and selling our services. When we finally get the job, we spend months developing the designs for our projects to be the best they can be. They're built under our observation and we provide construction administration services to ensure a safe, healthy complete project and to ensure a happy c...

Your story in the mind of the client is your brand. That story is told, one chapter at a time, through everything you do and everything you say. At every point of contact your client is learning more about who you are and what you do. They are developing their thoughts and carrying their opinions about your firm at every step and throughout the entire process. It’s an overwhelming process wi...

We are living at a time when massive, paradigm shifting technologies are being introduced everyday. Change is happening very rapidly. New technologies are going to change the way we practice, how we run our businesses and how we live our lives. Reach into your pocket and pull out that iPhone and you will understand what I am talking about. Do you remember what it was like before we had the knowled...

Last week on the podcast, I shared my 12 Steps to Business Success in Architecture , the same presentation I shared at the recent AIA CRAN Symposium. I proposed that if you learn how to execute on each of the 12 steps, you will be a successful architect, with a profitable business leading to creating more art and better architecture. This week we are continuing where I left off last week. We will...

12 Steps to Business Success in Architecture I'm a day late on producing this episode because Annmarie and I just returned from Minneapolis, Minnesota where we attended the Custom Residential Architects Network 2015 Symposium (aka CRAN). This was the second CRAN event we attended. Last year we traveled to Charleston, SC, which was a fantastic introduction to the symposium and certainly the in...

One guest-post that has made a major impact on the EntreArchitect Community was written by architect and educator Kevin J. Singh about a year ago. That post, 21 Rules for a Successful Life in Architecture , is consistently one of the most visited articles on the site. This week I invite Kevin to join us here on the EntreArchitect Podcast to expand his thoughts on that article and discuss his new e...

One of my favorite parts of running things here at EntreArchitect is that I get to speak with people who are thinking outside the box; people who are coloring outside the lines; people who have new, innovative ideas and have “jumped in with both feet and are making things happen. They are taking their ideas, developing plans and making progress, one small step at a time. This week on the Ent...

Imagine working in your studio, designing a great project for another happy client and your receive a notification on your iPhone that Paypal dropped $50 in your pocket. Then after work, you head over to the ball field to watch your daughter's game. As you are cheering her on, Paypal drops another $50 in your pocket. The next morning, you wake up, check your email and there are 5 more notific...

Leaders of small firms are experiencing many of the same challenges as the leaders of large firms. Leadership transition, balancing our firms and our families, and equity in architecture (as my friend Rosa Sheng calls it) The Missing 32% . As architects and leaders, we all have our issues and we are all struggling with finding our way to be successful in the many roles to which we have committed o...

After you have all your business fundamentals in place; your branding is nailed, your marketing is set up and your sales system is bringing in consistent new work… you are going to start getting busy. Your going to need some help. This week on the EntreArchitect Podcast, I will share my 12 Rules for Hiring Your First Employee . Photo Credit: Shutterstock / Roobcio   The post EA087: 12 R...

Imagine taking your client for a tour of their new building. Entering the front door, walking through the lobby full of natural light and vaulted ceilings. You point to a detail above where the sunlight enters the space and reflects from the wall surface and explodes into a rainbow of colors. Imagine taking this tour with your client before the foundation is poured, or the walls are constructed? I...

He committed to taking all 7 sections of the Architecture Registration Exam in 7 days. He launched a new scholarship program where recent graduates of architecture school can be reimbursed for the cost of their first exam. He has worked with his team to rebuild the operational structure of his organization to better serve its members. This week on the EntreArchitect Podcast, I welcome back, the no...

Many of us have a dream of starting our own firm. Others of us have already taken the plunge and launched. The first question, after we make that fateful decision is, How do we find work? “How do we get noticed by the clients with whom we want to work?” This week's guest on the EntreArchitect Podcast has some answers for us. He's a residential architect based on the eastern c...

A Progress Report from EntreArchitect EntreArchitect is a movement that is slowly growing. It's a community of like-minded architects who are tired of the status quo; tired of working long hours, tired of society not recognizing the role of architects, beyond that of the creators of big shiny buildings designed by the most public of architects. Entrepreneur Architects are tired of struggling...

I often find myself living in the past or in the future. I have my head down, focused on my plans and getting things done. It is not uncommon for me to go days without really experiencing the present. It's not good for me. It's not good for my work. It's not good for my family. I'm a dreamer. My number one strength according to the book, StrengthsFinder 2.0 , is Futuristic : &#...

For 11 years Fivecat Studio was located in Pleasantville, New York about 10 minutes from our home in Chappaqua. It was a 2000 square foot space with hardwood floors, large windows, exposed structure and tall ceilings. It was a fabulous space for an architecture studio and we enjoyed being there for all those years. In November 2013, Annmarie and I made the decision to move out of that space and we...

Building a successful business can be fun if you play it like a sport. Learn the rules, build your skills, make small improvements on a consistent basis and you will soon master the game. Soon you will have a successful small firm architecture studio. This week on the EntreArchitect Podcast, I had the great pleasure to speak with the man who knows all about the game of business He quite literally...

Your career in architecture is what you make it. Your success. Your failures. Whether you grow or stay small. Each decision you make will lead you to your destination. Choosing to be a leader sometimes adds complication to your life. Finding the time to build an architecture firm and raise a family AND taking the responsibility to lead others with a mission to make the world (or our little part of...

Establishing a culture of profitability starts with you, the small firm architect. You need to change the way you think about business and money before you can foster a culture of success for your firm. but when you do, everything else will fall into place. You will have happier staff. You will have happier clients. You will make more money and you will spend more time on the things you love to do...

Success is not difficult. It's not a secret or magic. There are rules to success. There are steps we can take. The knowledge is out there. The knowledge is on the podcast and here at the blog. It’s everywhere. There are so many other sources of knowledge that we can use to find the information we need to build a successful firm a successful family a successful life. Knowledge alone will...

Imagine an architecture firm where the systems are in place, the people are in place, the roles and responsibilities of everyone is established both at the ownership level and at the employee level and the trust is so strong that everything gets done when and how it should. Imagine the benefits of such a firm. Imagine how enjoyable it would be to work at such a place. Imagine the quality of projec...

I know we have all heard the hype about Evernote. Many of us have downloaded the free app, took a spin and never looked again. Others have given it a try, created a few notebooks, added a few to-do lists and found no use. I know I did the same thing. This week on the EntreArchitect Podcast, I will share 12 Ways To Quickly Get Started Using Evernote .   Please review this podcast on iTunes. Re...

Each month, a group of dedicated architect bloggers, lead by my friend Bob Borson over at the Life of an Architect blog, participates at an online event called #ArchiTalks. Bob assigns a specific topic or theme and we each prepare a post written in response to that specific subject and we all coordinate our posts to go live at the same time. A few topics that we have explored are: Crafty Architect...