From Architecture Grad to Developer: How Baker Roddey Launched His First Investment Project | EP660
End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/framework What happens when a young architect trades a steady paycheck for a risky first project—with no guarantee of success? In this bold episode, Baker Roddey reveals how he navigated real estate rules, raised unexpected funding, and turned one deal into a springboard for his firm. But it wasn't easy—and what he shares will challenge your ideas of what it really takes to grow. You'll hear how strategy, sales, and sheer nerve played a role—but not in the ways you might expect. Baker opens up about the invisible barriers architects face, and how he learned to move through them without burning bridges (or cash). His story isn't just smart—it's surprisingly spiritual. Whether you're just starting out or ready to rewrite your path, this conversation holds insights worth stealing. The quiet financial tactic no architect is taught in school—but should be. How one phone call (and a mindset shift) unlocked the deal that changed everything. The one "soft skill" Baker used to raise five figures… without pitching like a bro. To learn more about Baker, visit his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bakerroddey To learn more about Mary Beth, visit her website: https://threerealestate.com/
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How Accountability Transforms Leadership, Culture, and Profit in Architecture Firms | EP659
End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/framework Architect Nation, this episode tackles the silent killer in many firms: weak accountability. Enoch and Rion reveal how polite habits and fear of conflict drain authority, profit, and joy. You'll hear why "safety" and "fierce compassion" can live in the same room. Through real stories, they show what happens when leaders avoid hard talks—or explode instead. You'll learn how language choices signal ownership, and why clients sense wobble long before you do. The result: missed deadlines, shrinking margins, and the "supplier" label. Then they point to a better way. A simple conversation frame, a different stance on responsibility, and a mindset that turns collision into creation. The payoffs touch culture, fees, and speed of execution. The two-word shift that changes everything with staff and clients. A ruthless-yet-loving move that ends chronic deadline drift. The profit leak hiding in your "nice" culture (and how leaders plug it).
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What Architects Can Learn from UX, Tech, and Real Estate | EP658
End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/framework Most architects feel like outsiders in the business conversations that shape their projects. They're left out of key decisions, treated as a line item cost, and frustrated when their design expertise isn't valued the way it should be. What happens when an architect trades AutoCAD for agile sprints and business models? In this episode, we sit down with Daplaah-Teng Aryene—an architectural designer turned UX strategist—whose career took a sharp turn during the pandemic. What started as a leap into startup life became a masterclass in value creation, entrepreneurship, and how architects can reclaim agency in a system that often undervalues their genius. Daplaah unpacks how real estate, tech, and business strategy reshaped his understanding of architecture's role—and where most firms leave opportunity on the table. From innovation frameworks to unexpected lessons in developer boardrooms, this episode challenges everything you thought you knew about the "architect's lane." To learn more about Daplaah-Teng Aryene, visit his LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/daplaah-teng-aryene
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Building High-Performance Architecture Teams with Rion Willard | EP657
End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/framework In this energetic live session, Rion Willard held at the AIA Austin Event, he asks a hard question: what does a true high-performance architecture team look like? He shares sobering industry stats and stories. Then he flips the script, turning the room into a workshop with quick audits, hands-up shares, and honest self-checks. You'll hear why profits power design, and why little things—like scattered emails, fuzzy roles, and quiet scope creep—silently drain margins. Rion sketches a simple score that top firms use to gauge performance, plus a brutal-but-kind way to map every teammate's fit. He closes with field notes from firms that made the leap, and a nudge to take one concrete action today. Along the way, he surfaces bottlenecks leaders rarely admit, and invites you to test with no-fluff prompts. Expect candid talk about hiring, delegation, and the real cost of turnover. If you lead a team, or want to, this is your wake-up call now. The surprising revenue-per-person target top studios chase—and how to gauge yours in minutes. A four-box lens that reveals who to elevate, coach, or release (without drama). The tiny leaks that steal profit each week—and the simple ritual that plugs them.
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Using AI to Eliminate Redundant Work and Boost Profitability in Your Architecture Firm | EP656
End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/framework Architects are under more pressure than ever to deliver projects faster, with fewer resources, and tighter margins. Yet much of their time is still spent repeating work, hunting for old files, or redrawing details they know they've already drawn before. This episode dives into how AI can help architects work smarter—not harder—by unlocking the power of their past work. In this episode, Rion reconnects with Natalia Bakaeva from ARKI and you'll hear how she is tackling everything from tedious workflows to profitability—without disrupting how firms already operate. Natalia shares how practices are turning their past work into a searchable database that actually helps them move faster. They explore how ARKI might evolve into a second brain for your firm—one that remembers everything and makes drawing easier, smarter, and even more profitable. Listen to learn: The hidden cost of "reinventing the wheel" in every project—and how to stop it What one firm did to slash production time by 50% using their own archive Why ARKI might be the missing link between your creative ideas and your business goals To learn more about Natalia, visit her website: https://www.getarki.com/
Discover strategies, tips and secrets for running a fun, flexible and profitable architecture practice. The focus here is simple: discussion of ways for architects to create a dream architecture practice: design what you want, when you want, and get paid well for it.
Österreich