Are Architects running a Business?
I am an ex architect turned BIM / AI consultant turned entrepreneur and I had started to notice a pattern in the industry.
I have been interviewing a lot of architects, builders, brokers and realtors to get a better understanding of the building process - outside of my own experience in architecture. The common denominator amongst all these professionals is that they depend heavily on their network for deal flow. The better they do the job the more likely they are going to be recommended to someone in their network. It’s like a private trustpilot, very old school, very “I know a guy” (or girl!) - but when it works it tends to at least give these professionals a way to get projects, and that is sometimes enough to run a somewhat profitable business.
But that’s kind of it. They do the work, and hope the Rolodex of people they’ve worked with gets them more work via their own private conversations. No sales team. Usually basically no marketing. Just reputation and trust - which don’t get me wrong, sounds very respectable. But I also think it’s the reason why architects (more than the other professionals) make so little money. It’s because they are barely running a business - it has no data on what works, lead engines, marketing strategies, margin viability, growth tactics, etc. I am generalizing but I would say 80-90% of the people I have interviewed do the bare minimum when it comes to any business functions.
Those are the things that need to be done at a firm level to allow architects to make more money - but architects don’t want to do that stuff because it is literally not their job. But no one is hired to do it? So it just doesn’t get done? Or if it does get done it’s done not very well?
Curious how it’s going for my architecture business owners and if I’m out to lunch or if I hit a nerve!