There are several approaches to starting out. Whether you choose to go off on your own straight after university or after a long career working in an established office, founding your own business is very different from studying or practicing architecture, and architectural education rarely prepares students with the business development skills to manage this process well.

Here is a general list of practical things you should keep in mind and questions you should ask yourself when setting up a new, lean office structure for your first few years.

Starting an Architecture Firm: Are You a Lean Starter or a Pro Starter?

First, consider your path. Are you interested in becoming a solo­preneur, starting from home and operating in the leanest way possible, or are you preparing for a full office set-up with a designated workspace and professional equipment? This will help guide your decision making when prioritizing how to invest in your business.

Where Are You?

The process of starting an architecture firm differs from country to country. The costs of incorporation, liability insurance and public financial sponsorship opportunities will vary depending on your location. Are there practical advantages to starting a business elsewhere? Where do you want to do the majority of your work? For the non-European digital nomad looking to work across Europe, consider looking into the Estonian e-Residency program.

Business Development Strategies for Architects

Start with Hardware

Computer hardware is the essential starting point of your ­office. If you’re buying a new hardware set up, first consider your minimum requirements. What software do you plan to use, and what are the hardware requirements of those programs? What were the specifications of your last computer? Hardware costs depend on a number of factors: size, speed, age, operating system, brand, desktop or laptop. Laptops are popular with new founders who benefit from working on the go and bringing a computer along to a client presentation.

New or refurbished?

For the lean starter, an all-in-one printer/ scanner could be enough in the beginning. Consider a model which prints A3 sheets for presentation drawings and pay attention to the cost of replacement toner cartridges before selecting a printer— ink can add up!

TIP: For best value, consider refurbished laptops. There are several refurbished Lenovo Thinkpad laptops on Amazon and an online Apple store specifically for refurbished models. Summertime is usually the most affordable time to invest in a new computer, when prices are low before the release of new computer models in the early autumn for new students.

There is also a secondhand market for used printers online, and many co-working spaces provide printing services – unlimited printing could even be included in your membership.

Alternatively, founders can start by printing at a local copy shop instead of purchasing a machine. If your work style isn’t very paper-heavy and only the occasional final drafts of drawings are printed in hard copy, this could be a sensible option. Copy shops often give you access to top of the line printing equipment and papers to bring your designs to life.

Many large architectural offices have their own A1 printers which can be useful for printing planning and construction drawings. These larger printers and plotters can be leased or bought.

TIP: If you’re considering investing in a new expensive printer, see if service plans are available. There is nothing more frustrating than your printer having an issue when you need it most. It can be very reassuring to have printer issues serviced by a professional for a nominal annual fee.

Select Your Software

Be mindful that software and web services costs can add up significantly and are often one of the largest recurring expenses when starting an architecture firm. Today, most software and web services are available on a monthly or annual subscription service. This was a welcomed shift for startups without substantial startup capital, but don’t let the low investment cost trick you into unnecessary subscriptions and licenses. Be pragmatic from the start and only subscribe to the programs you need the most. There is always the opportunity to add more software and ­services later on.

If you have worked in a larger office before you may be used to a package of smoothly running programs set up and maintained by a technical team. When starting on your own, the installation and maintenance of your software is likely down to you, so start with programs you’ve used before and that relate to types of work you have first. Ensure you’re able to produce high-quality 2D drawings and images before springing for 3D capability.

Don’t forget to sign up for a cloud-based backup and file storage service like Dropbox from the start. There’s nothing like pulling long hours to impress a new client and then having a computer crash. Set up automated backups from the start and you won’t regret it!

Take A Seat

The cost of furniture will vary depending on your start-up approach. For those starting lean and working from home, a co-working space or from a small, furnished office space this may not be a concern. However, for the new office starter, sensible startup furniture is comfortable, great value and looks professional, well-designed and welcoming for you, your colleagues and your clients. Remember that furnishing your own office should be a creative task and representative of your ­aesthetic as a practice.

Tools of the Trade

Don’t forget to invest in office supplies in the beginning: the right pens, paper, tracing paper and folders can boost productivity, help you stay organized and feel positive. If you know what you like, consider starting an online account for office supplies which can be easily reordered. While supplies won’t be your largest expense, these materials are fundamental to your workflow. Make sure you have what you need.

Be Reachable

If you’re not interested in using your personal mobile phone for business use, but a landline feels too outdated, consider getting a second mobile for work. You can often get a new device when you start a monthly contract with the service provider.

Alternatively, if you are looking for a new professional number but you don’t like the idea of having two phones in your pocket, consider services like Google Voice and Grasshopper VoIP in the US or fonial.de and sipgatebasis.de in Europe which will help to set up a VoIP landline and you can conveniently redirect incoming calls to your mobile phone.

Protect Yourself

Insurance for your business is crucial—you want to protect yourself and your work in any new business venture. In most countries it is mandatory to have a professional indemnity or liability insurance when you are starting an architecture firm. The cost will vary from country to country and depending on whether you have any employees and the types of services you provide regularly. Reach out to insurance brokers who have helped start up architects before and will be eager to help you find the best policy and rate, or get at least 3 different quotes from insurance companies specialized in architect insurances. The price ranges of the companies are often very wide spread, so you will want to compare to find the best rate. If your buildings and tasks become larger, you may need to adapt the scope of your coverage, which is easily done.

Pay the Professionals

Business consulting advice is a great idea and valuable expense for first-time founders. Start by liaising with a lawyer, accountant or a business consultant who will help you fill in any gaps in your knowledge or understanding of the business start-up process.

Different corporate structures or types of businesses will have different incorporation and legal setup costs in the beginning. This will also vary drastically from country to country. In the US you could form an LLC, and in the UK an Ltd. Is a relatively simple and low-cost option. In other countries forming a company can be more expensive.

If you are starting lean in many countries, you can start as a sole proprietorship, or a partnership when you start as a team of founders. It might make sense to create incorporation documents to clarify the ownership levels of stakeholders or to protect the founders as private individuals in a legal company structure from liability issues.

Remember that as a new business, it is important to put systems in place to carefully track and pay your business taxes. This can be a particularly stressful area for architectural founders so if you don’t feel particularly proficient in this area, consider hiring a bookkeeping service for your annual tax filings so you can focus on your core asset, designing buildings.

You’re A Professional Too

Before you are starting an architecture firm you will need to register and pay for your architectural license which will cost a yearly fee charged by your architecture association of your country. Again, this fee will vary from country to country or in the US from state to state.

Promote Yourself

Your website is your business card. At the beginning you may not have many projects to show, but it’s more important that you have a professional online presence. You can achieve it with a simple one-page website if necessary.

If you’re in a hurry, consider using web hosting and design services like Squarespace. Prices are affordable and there are many attractive web templates to choose from.

If you are interested in designing your website yourself, you can lay out your pages with Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator and then partner with a web developer to publish your design online. You can find freelance web developers at websites like Upwork. You will need to buy a domain and pay for recurring web hosting from a site like GoDaddy or Bluehost.

The same is true for corporate identity and branding. As a lean starter you may be enticed to design your own logo, email signatures and title block. However, for a pro-started consider hiring a professional graphic designer, web designer or agency to design your corporate identity.

Business cards may seem old fashioned. For example, handing out cards really comes in handy when you’re focused on networking and presenting your new enterprise in the best possible light.

TIP: Moo.com is a great resource for contemporary business cards.

In conclusion, this is only the lean backbone for starting an architecture firm. Your real work will be to find your clients. In addition, getting your first projects and build your portfolio as your expand your practice. Here is a practical checklist for starting an architecture firm:

Lean Design Startup Checklist

General

• Decide on your location
• Decide on your practice name
• Determine your starting budget
• Register as a practicing architect

Business

• Schedule appointments at lawyer, accountant & business consultant (and take notes!)
• Choose your form of organization
• Set up an business bank account
• Get your professional liability insurance

Office

• Buy necessary hardware
• (laptop, monitor, all-in-one printer/ scanner)
• Decide on necessary furniture and office supplies
• Subscribe to the software solutions your need for the start
• Set up mobile phone and landline if you need it

Marketing

• Register domain name
• Setup lean website and email addresses of founders
• Setup social media accounts
• Print business cards

Go find clients!

The post Starting an Architecture Firm: Practical Steps for Taking The Leap appeared first on Archipreneur.

by Craig Applegath

When I first started my own practice I thought everyone wanted to run their own practice. It turns out not. Most people just want to work in a great practice run by someone else. But for those who are real archipreneurs – and you know who you are – there is nothing so thrilling and fun as starting your own business; and nothing so scary and anxiety producing as starting your own business! They are the flip side of the same coin. But in terms of general advice for people starting their own practice or business here are ten key lessons I have learned over the past twenty-five years of practice:

#1 – Design Your Life

Before starting your own business, make sure that starting a business is the right thing for you, and figure out what kind of business you want to be in. One of the best ways to do this is through something you are probably pretty good at already: design thinking.

However, to really see design thinking effectively applied to designing your career, reading Bill Burnett and Dave Evans’ book Designing Your Life, is one of the first things you should do. (I am actually using it right now to design the next decade of my career.)

One of the things that they show you how to do is ask the right questions so you can solve the right problems. The last thing you want to do is start a business that is smart as a business idea, but does not succeed in helping you develop the career that will be most fulfilling to you, and that you will be most successful in.

#2 – Aim to Make a Difference

I think to be successful you need to lead a meaningful, purposeful life – that is, a life that provides you with a powerful and meaningful raison d’etre for what you do. As part of designing your life you will be thinking a lot about this. You don’t want to get into late middle age and wonder what the hell you have done with your life!

Life is short and needs to be lived with passion and intent. Having the goal of making money, or winning design awards, as your life’s purpose is a good recipe for a mid-life crisis. You have to make money to succeed, and winning design awards will probably help you succeed, but they should be understood as a means to an end.

And that end is something you need think very carefully about. Some purposes that serve people well include increasing the wellbeing of your community; providing your clients with consulting that makes a real difference to their success; designing projects that reduce environmental harm; and designing projects that increase the quality of life for the people who will use the project.

As designers, we have a wonderful opportunity and responsibility to create things that improve the lives of others, and this provides wonderful opportunities for practitioners to find very rich and meaningful careers.

#3 – Develop a 20-Year Plan

Whenever I tell young interns this, they seem incredulous, and typically tell me that they are having a hard enough time figuring out what they want to do over the next five years, let alone twenty years. But there is a very good reason for having a 20-year plan. A 20-year plan is really the length of a well-thought-out career, and therefore, if you are looking to plan a meaningful career, you will need to think about it in a 20-year time frame.

This is in no way at odds with the fact that most professionals change jobs or positions on average every five years. A job is not a career. A job is simply a place of employment with defined roles and responsibilities. In designing a career, you should be looking at it as a life’s project, and it having a beginning, middle, and end. The beginning of your career provides you with the knowledge and expertise you will need to be successful in your mid-career. And mid-career experience provides you with the foundations to build your legacy in your late career.

The objection I hear most often to creating a 20-year plan is that “I might change your mind about your career direction as you go along.” Actually, you will most likely change your mind as you go along, and you should make a point of taking stock each year about whether or not your 20-year plan still makes sense. But the planning process is still very useful.

One of the most important things a 20-year plan does is that it provides your unconscious brain with a map of what is important, and once your brain has this map, everything in the environment that in any way relates to your plan will be picked up by your brain and brought quickly into focus.

In other words, it is a way of your brain cutting through the clutter and noise of everyday life to make sense of what is important to you and what is not.

#4 – Business 101

Most architecture schools do not provide you with a good grounding in the business aspects of architecture practice. So, before you quit your day-job to start your own practice, it’s probably worth taking a continuing-end course at your local college or university on how to start and run a small business. It will teach you the basics of sales, marketing, bookkeeping, and managing your team.

I would also recommend taking a course in negotiation. Architects, for some reason, are typically terrible negotiators, especially in negotiations for fair compensation for their services! And you will also want to start building yourself a library of go-to business books. One of the best books you can read on how to lead, manage, and develop business for a professional service firm is David Maister’s book, Managing the Professional Service Firm.

This is certainly my go-to bible for understanding how to successfully lead and manage a design practice. I don’t think there is any better advice out there then Maister’s wise and insightful guidance.

#5 – Read, Read, Read

I think that one of the most important ingredients for success is to be constantly at the intersections of culture, science and technology, and business, and to do so you will need to be constantly reading – reading books, blogs (like Archipreneur), newspapers, and journals of all sorts. You need to read both broadly and deeply. You need to understand the bigger world around you; but you also need to maintain your expertise in whatever your specialty niche is (and you will want to have at least a couple of specialty niches!).

So what is on my current reading list this month? In addition to the standard journals and mags, I am reading: Before Happiness, by Shawn Achor; Hope in the Dark, by Rebecca Solnit; Designing Your Life, by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans; Surviving the 21st Century: Humanity’s Ten Great Challenges and How We Can Overcome Them by Julian Cribb; The Inevitable: Understanding the 12 Technological Forces That Will Shape Our Future, by Kevin Kelly; and The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson.

#6 – Find a Blue Ocean

This is a reference to W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne’s book, Blue Ocean Strategy, that suggests that entrepreneurs look for business opportunities in uncontested waters – blue oceans – rather than competitive, bloody waters – red oceans. This is good advice if you can find your own blue ocean. One thing is for sure, in North America and Europe, architecture, urban planning, and design are mature markets with limited opportunity for new traditional practices.

If you are starting a traditional practice, you will be up against dozens, often hundreds of competitors who will have much deeper portfolios and much broader client networks than your new business will have. So you will need to offer something that really differentiates you from your competitors.

Maybe you will be the new expert in computational design? Maybe you can team up with an emerging builder to become a niche design-build practice? Maybe you will be a developer-architect? Whatever you plan to do, you need to develop a “secret sauce” that your competitors will find difficult or impossible to copy.

When I started my own practice just as the Internet was emerging, I positioned myself as a “virtual architect” and used the Internet to pull together consultants form all over North America to do projects – mostly buddies from grad school. But it sounded cool, and got me some good speaking gigs at conferences, and conferred a degree of uniqueness on my practice that got me noticed.

#7 – Build and Support Your Network

I have not met any successful entrepreneurs who do not have a deep network of people they trust and can rely on. Networks are for support; networks are for leads; networks are for advice; networks are for collaboration. Networks are the important bonds that allow you to see and realize potential opportunities. One of the best guides to developing your network is Harvey Mackay’s book, Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty. And one of the most important lessons in Mackay’s book is that networks are not to be exploited, but rather supported.

You build a network of people whom you will try to support, and care about, and they will in turn do the same for you. I can’t say enough about how important building a good network is. Without a good network success will be virtually impossible. And make sure your network is made up of smart, decent, and honest people, because as John Rohn once said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”

#8 – Build Great Teams

Part of building a good network will be spotting great talent for your team. Unless you plan to work as a sole practitioner, you will need to build a great team to be successful. Volumes have been written on how to recruit, manage, and inspire great teams, and you will need to familiarize yourself with the field of management and leadership if you are to be successful. From my experience of leading both a small and a larger practice, there are three important aspects of building and leading great teams that you will want to focus on.

The first is talent spotting, long-term networking, and relationship building with future potential team members. The second is selecting and hiring the right team members. And the third is leading, inspiring, and nurturing your team. For the long-term growth of your practice, talent spotting will be one of your most important tasks – and one not often talked about in management and leadership literature. How do you spot great future team members? You always need to be looking!

When you are at industry conferences; when you are giving public presentations; when you are at professional industry events of any kind, you should be constantly on the lookout for future talent. And when do you spot bright, able, ambitious, innovative people, make a point of connecting with them and building a relationship. Make them an important part of your network. At some point in the future the stars may align and you may be able to invite them to be part of your team. Talent is a long game!

#9 – Take Care of Yourself

You will not be able to succeed in any new venture unless you are physically and mentally up to the challenge – and can maintain your physical and mental stamina over the long haul. You will be pulled in a thousand different directions when you start your practice, and you will continue to have a private life with its own demands and stresses.

So you will need to learn how to take care of yourself to manage your energy, and your physical and mental health. There are two very important things you should be doing, even when things are crazy busy – in fact especially when things are crazy busy.

First, you should set aside a minimum of an hour at least three to four times per week for exercise – some combination of cardio and resistance weight training.

Second, learn how to meditate and do so each day. If you are new to meditation try the Headspace App on your iPhone or Android. I have talked with a number of entrepreneurs who say they could not function without exercise and meditation, and most accounts of successful entrepreneurs I have read have said the same.

#10 – Be a Rational Optimist

Of the list of ten lessons learned, this lesson may be the most important. My personal experience over the past 25 years of practice has taught me to make every possible effort to see failures and setbacks as doors to new insights and opportunities that one would not have otherwise been able to see.

As a personal coach I know asks when one of her clients runs into a particularly difficult setback: “What is the gift provided by this situation that you would not have otherwise had access to without the setback?” This is a powerful re-framing question because it cleverly redirects your brain away from the negative emotions associated with the setback, and forces it to start exploring new opportunities that may exposed by what you might otherwise simply see as a failure. This turn of mind is what I like to call rational optimism – an optimism founded on the realities of a difficult set of circumstances, where you are willing to explore the positive opportunities that may be inherent in those circumstances.

For example, like most architecture firms in North America, we are experiencing significant fee competition based simply on the supply and demand for architectural and engineering services. This fee pressure is making it ever more difficult to maintain the high levels of both expertise and client service that our firm is known for. Instead of cutting both service and expertise to remain fee competitive, we have instead been heavily investing in various design and production technologies that will allow us to be more effective and productive and even improve client service. So as you face significant challenges and even failures, keep asking yourself: “What’s the gift?”

There are no guarantees of success in this world, and starting a business venture in the design sector is especially fraught with challenges. But your chances of success will most likely be greater if you look for ways to deploy, in your own fashion, these ten principles. Most importantly, try to be a rational optimist. Business, like life, is one challenge after another. Do your best to look at these challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. So always ask yourself when you are faced with a tough challenge, or a failure, “what’s the gift?” Good luck and have fun!

***

Craig Applegath is the founding principal of DIALOG’s Toronto Studio, and a passionate designer who believes in the power of built form to meaningfully improve the wellbeing of communities and the environment they are part of. Since graduating from the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University with a Master of Architecture in Urban Design Craig has focused his energies on leading innovative planning and design projects that address the complex challenges facing our communities, as well as on his advocacy of sustainable building design and urban regeneration and symbiosis.

Craig’s area of practice includes the master planning and design of institutional projects, including cultural and museum, post secondary education, and healthcare facilities. In addition to his professional practice responsibilities, Craig speaks about his research and design explorations at conferences and workshops internationally. This has included recent presentations at conferences in Prague, Munich and Beijing.

Craig was a founding Board Member of Sustainable Buildings Canada, and a Past President of the Ontario Association of Architects. Craig has lectured or taught at Harvard, the University of Toronto, the University of Waterloo, as well as at many professional and sector related conferences around the world. In 2001 Craig was made a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada for his contributions to the profession.

The post The 10 Most Important Lessons Learned in 25 Years of Architecture Practice appeared first on Archipreneur.

This week’s interview is with Alexis Dornier. Alexis started his career in architecture like many young architects do: working for starchitects. But Alexis always knew that he wanted to be his own boss.

In 2008 he started his industrial design firm M AD Ltd. Fed up with the saturated architecture market of the Western world, Alexis expanded his business to Bali where he found his niche. In addition to his architecture studio he founded a construction company that provides the infrastructure for his projects.

Alexis has completed a number of projects in Bali and around the world, among others the co-living space Roam and other hospitality projects that he not only designs but also develops and part owns.

Keep reading to learn how Alexis started his own business and the tips he has for young architects.

Enjoy the interview!

What made you decide to found M AD LIMITED? Was there a particular moment that sealed the decision for you?

From very early on I wanted to get a foot in the door and create small-scale interior design projects, furniture and products. But there is simply no chance to do architecture as a newbie. Working as an architectural slave in some corporate office for longer than necessary was a no go.

I needed the infrastructure and I founded my first company M AD Ltd. Now, after 10 years, we have a ‘real’ architecture studio and a construction company that provides the infrastructure to operate in various scales and fields of development, hospitality and creativity.

You explored the fields of PR and Advertising before you studied Architecture and then worked for starchitects. Which skills that you learned along your way proved the most helpful for starting your own business?

Architecture, just like any creative discipline, is ultimately a form of communication. You communicate through what you create – unconsciously or consciously – and bring something to the respondent or viewer: feelings, statements, personal attitudes, interests, agendas, intentions, and meanings. You create symbols to inspire others, to give them ideas.

There is no difference between designing a house, a chair, an advertisement campaign, a logo, a movie or a piece of music. It’s only the parameters that differ from creation to creation, such as responsibilities, budgets and clients. We are somehow always dancing a thin line between personal agenda and service ­like diplomats, managing expectations that are both our own and those of others. We mediate and mix these, like a chef creates a dish. We want to override the disconnect between what we want and what others want. This disconnect is what drives me in what I do.

You call your practice ‘method-based architecture.’ Could you elaborate on that?

What interests me is the lead-up to an outcome – it interests me even more than the outcome itself. Imagine a movie consisting of only the final act – not too inspiring. Same with the people you meet. The experiences that shape people’s character is what inspires me. The countless stories and experiences both good and bad that influenced their personality, their aura, and what they have to say. The same can be said for architecture.

A method is a narrative, as is a program and a sequence of decisions that have been taken along the linear path of time, whether they were made unconsciously, consciously or intuitively. ‘Method’ sounds dry but it is the most beautiful, exciting and inspiring thing. And it is somewhat explainable. Methods are always changing from task to task, and we choose the methods that feel best at a particular moment in time.

Imagine the divisions of architecture as martial arts styles. Frank Gehry would be the ambassador of wrestling, OMA taekwondo, Louis Khan boxing, and Zaha Hadid the master of judo. Mies van der Rohe might be a samurai, and Calatrava a master of jujutsu. Each of them has cultivated their own way, philosophy, intention, meaning, technique and agenda – and ultimately method, before stepping into the ring.

What interests me is in using a combination of those methods whenever we have a specific task or need to fulfill a condition.

I believe that architecture is a little like mixed martial arts – clearly the strongest fighters are those that are able to adapt, and are not attached to the style that they have mastered. Simply put, they will do what is necessary or available to succeed.

Most of your projects are located in Bali, for instance the recently completed Origami House. What are the challenges of working in Bali, what is completely different there from Western architecture?

It is all about managing expectations. I have to be a diplomat; someone who mediates between personal expectation and reality. Patience is key, as is the willingness to be inspired by different cultures, energies and philosophies. Working in another culture is ultimately about finding the sweet spot between surrendering to their methods while also pushing your dreams, your passions and agenda.

Do you work on these projects from your Berlin office or do you have to be on site?

I am mostly travelling or at my studio in Bali. The Western world at this moment in time feels overwhelming for architecture. Too many people are doing the same thing in a saturated environment where nothing is really needed – at least to the scale that I am operating.

To start a career in a saturated environment, you have to be extremely talented, extremely rich or extremely lucky. None of the above applied to me, so life led me to a place where is actual stuff to do. I never found it a joyful though to work in someone else’s office for a long time, wearing Corbusier specs and black. I simply thought that would be a waste of energy and lifetime.

Last year you completed the co-living space Roam in Ubud, Bali. Could you tell us a little about the project?

We converted a run-down apartment complex into a co-living environment. Co-living is noble because it suggests that what you do for a living is something you love – not work. Work implies burdens, struggles, 9-5 jobs, endurance and hustling. It has a very egotistical underpinning where you have to work in order to get to somewhere better – an uninspiring way to live.

Living on the contrary more flexible. It can be shaped how you want it to be. You don’t just live in order to get somewhere. You live to enjoy and to have fun; shape things to how you want them to be. So you shape available space and time according to your needs.

At Roam, we offer simple and humble facilities to do so. Of course, it’s done in a way that you can meet people and engage. Meeting people piques your curiosity. When you are curious, you learn new things and get a feel for your role in the universe, reflect on and combine thoughts, and create new ideas.

Do you think co-living is a sustainable form of living?

It depends. Co-living is eco-sustainable in that you share things. If you share stuff, you don’t need as much than if everyone had their own car, kitchen or living room. The less we consume, the better. The smaller our footprint is, the less energy we consume, and so on. But what I find most sustainable about this way of living together is that you are constantly inspiring, reflecting and exchanging. In the best case co-living can inspire you to come up with new ideas on how to solve today’s challenges. It’s great for finding ways to wake people up and remind them that they can live their own life the way they are meant to be living it.

What are you working on right now?

In terms of architecture we are working on an organic restaurant and hostel project in Miami, a healing retreat center in Ubud, a housing development, an eco surf resort, a few residential projects and an extension of a museum.

We just opened two vegetarian restaurants, a barbershop and a home stay renovation – we are part owners for all of these projects. We are working on building out our PR and development agency in Bali to support other startups, companies and individuals.

Do you have any advice for archipreneurs who are interested in starting their own business?

As architects, we have learned to be systematical. We have learned to provide a service but are also interested in using architecture as an individual outlet or medium to manifest our own agendas.

If there is anything I have to say to architects, it would be to really use the skill set that they have, and to see that anything has a structure whatever the scale, scope or idea might be behind it. Everything with a structure follows universal rules. To make any idea come true, we need to apply structure. Do other things in addition to architecture, like part owning what you build. It’s a good feeling.

It’s about the fun – and the method – that this process brings along. Go cross-disciplinary. Cooking is like architecture, as well as music. Stop wasting time creating a ‘signature’ because it is egotistical and outdated. That was for those dusty masters. Now there is a new concept – to understand that everything is alike.

How do you see the future of the architectural profession? In which areas (outside of traditional practice) can you see major opportunities for up and coming developers and architects?

Architecture for most people is hard to comprehend or even notice it. We are surrounded by built environments almost all the time and no one, except maybe architects, really acknowledges it. There is something wrong with that – there is a disconnect. Architecture has to find ways to bridge that gap so that people can actually help to shape the world and really engage with architecture. It is about finding out new methods.

As of now architecture is still such a dusty, abstract, so-called sophisticated profession; even young architects look the same in their uniforms looking for their own brand, their own so-called sophisticated way. I include all the grasshoppers too – liquid shapes done by stiff people. I include myself here, for some of our completed projects. It does not require being meaningful. Meaning refers to engaging with other disciplines in a hands-on way.

Architects should be writing pieces of music, rather than creating another variation on the Barcelona Pavilion or some other unnecessary knock-off. They should liberate themselves, look beyond the immobility of the profession and start having a little fun. Crisis is good. It’s a wake up call.

About Alexis Dornier

Alexis Dornier was born in Germany in 1981, where he grew up under the constant influence of aviation and engineering. After exploring the fields of PR and Advertising, he studied Architecture at the University of Fine Arts Berlin and the Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan in Stockholm. He worked in New York City as an architectural designer at Asymptote Architecture, OMA NY, and REX in 2004–2007.

Alexis started his industrial design firm M AD LIMITED in 2008 and graduated with his thesis entitled The Pool, which was awarded the prestigious Max Taut Prize 2009.

Alexis is now consulting on a number of architectural projects of different scales in various countries. He part owns a number of startup businesses and projects in the field of hospitality.

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It is easy to look down on freelancing. Those who are employed by a traditional company or firm see freelancing as an inferior work model that automatically implies less financial security and suggests to employers a loose definition of responsibility. People often imagine freelancers as slumming it in their pajamas doing just a few hours of work per day, or as Jacks-of-all-trades, overworked and constantly chasing new commissions. While data from recent studies and surveys show that freelancers do indeed work fewer hours than those in traditional employment, the rising number of freelancers proves that this trend is not waning. In fact, according to recent reports, increasing numbers of US and European workers are choosing to go freelance.

A recent survey of the freelance economy, conducted by the NYC-based Freelancers Union and the freelancing platform Upwork, shows that the number of freelancers is growing, making up 35% of the US workforce. The survey also showed that freelancers are upping their rates and earning more than they did while in more traditional roles. Around 63% of surveyed freelancers said that they chose to go freelance, which is a significant jump from 53% in 2014. This also destroys the stereotype that freelancing is a primary consequence of the recession. Although the economic crisis did play a major role in the proliferation of freelancing, figures suggest that an increasing number of workers are not forced into freelancing by unfortunate circumstances.

Before getting into the nitty-gritty of what freelancing is, we should make a distinction between sole proprietorship and freelancing. A sole proprietor has to file appropriate paperwork with local and state authorities to register his firm and acquire the option of hiring workers. Freelancers don’t have the legal ability to hire employees. A freelancer can later choose to file the necessary paperwork to acquire a taxpayer identification number and a business license, in which case they are no longer registered as self-employed but as a sole proprietor. While sole proprietors have to register the address of their business, freelancers have the opportunity to work from anywhere in the country. Freelancers can telecommute, work from home or work part-time in an office while simultaneously pursuing their freelancing gigs outside work hours.

Working abroad depends on the type of requirements of each state, and will potentially require you to file for specific Visas and permits. Self-employed EU citizens have the right to work in any EU member state. As an EU national, you generally do not need a work permit to work in a country within the EU, with a few exceptions. There are also several freelancer associations that promote the interests of freelancers across the EU.

Some of the main advantages of being a freelance architect are: greater control over every aspect of your business, more autonomy, and less bureaucracy that comes with running or working in a large firm. Although the financial insecurity of freelancing is typically linked to the volatile relationship between freelancer and client (as opposed to established, long-term contracts with a single company), around 53% of freelancers believe that having several employers is a more financially secure option than working full-time for one business. The truth is that every job post-recession is relatively insecure, as markets change and companies close or downsize.

However, having versatility and freedom also supposes a lack of employee support, as offered in companies and firms. Freelancing can, in addition, be quite lonely. Not having the opportunity to learn from superiors and talk things through with colleagues can be an isolating experience, causing freelancers to become less productive. Furthermore, managing work hours, figuring out rates, acquiring clients and protecting work can be tricky hurdles to overcome. To circumvent these problems, freelancers are advised to follow a few key guidelines:

Create Relationships and Affiliations

While there are many websites where you can find work, the best way to find work is the same as with any other form of employment: through networks, connections, and relationships with other architects, construction companies and builders. Keep in touch with former co-workers and colleagues, join professional associations, and consider teaming up with other professionals on new projects.

Figure out Your Rate

Some of the common mistakes that freelancers make is undercharging for their services, thus lowering the standard for the entire freelancing community. Set up a contract that ensures you get paid independently of the project development. Construction projects often take months to complete. If you offer design services and commit yourself to a project, you might consider asking for a monthly fee, or getting paid in installments. This will ensure you get paid even when the firm doesn’t need you at specific times, or if the project goes into overtime.

Protect Your Work

Don’t give usable digital copies of your work to anyone until you are paid. If you do give anything away, it must be in accordance with your contract. Create read-only versions of signature-protected files. Similarly, make sure to respect the intellectual property of your clients. Stealing projects, violating authorship regulations and passing off other people’s work as your own will not benefit you in the long run.

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Setting up a freelancing business isn’t much different to running a firm. You’ll need expertise, a good marketing strategy, and good relationships to compete against others for work. It might be useful to start off by working full time in an office or studio before going into freelancing. This can be a great learning experience and a way to gather a number of contacts. What’s more, if you do decide to establish your own firm after a few years of freelancing, the transition will go much more smoothly because you will be aware of the similarities and differences.

Another smart strategy is to create additional income streams to support your freelancing career. Similar to archipreneurs, freelancing architects are on a less conventional career path, which brings with it a specific set of challenges. As with startups and small to medium-sized businesses, it is important that freelancers have contingency plans and income sources that get them through tough times. Start blogging, podcasting, and creating digital products to get steady income streams that free you up to work on the type of projects you want. Your brand identity and long-term success depend on it.

To learn more about passive income and different ways of creating sustainable business models, check out our book The Archipreneur Concept.

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This week’s interview is with Tian Deng and Qi Su, co-founders of the startup Modelo based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Tian and Qi developed a browser-based 3D design collaboration tool, which makes it easy to share and comment on digital 3D models. From his work in various architectural offices, Qi’s experience was that sharing a 3D model with a client for giving feedback could be difficult. The process was hardly optimized, involving converting the 3D model into a flat image, printing it out for the client, marking on the print, and then scanning it and updating the 3D model.

That pain point is what eventually led to Modelo, which Qi founded together with industrial designer Tian Deng in 2014. Their product is now in its beta development stage and the full commercial release is coming soon. The startup has raised more than $1 million in funding and has 12 employees. Way to go!

Keep reading to learn how the two founders managed to finance their startup, about their Software as a Service (SaaS) business model, and about the similarities of being an architect or software entrepreneur.

I hope you enjoy the interview!

What are your respective backgrounds and when did you partner up?

Qi Su: I was an architectural designer and had worked for several firms before I went to The Harvard Graduate School of Design. While there my major focus was on technology, so it’s fair to say that at that point I became half architect, half programmer.

Tian and I met through a mutual friend. At the time, I was mainly doing everything by myself, showing my prototype to friends. I still remember the first time Tian and I talked about potential collaboration; we actually did it on a model page of Modelo where we could both chat and rotate the 3D model together.

I think we shared the same vision for and interests regarding the solution we are offering to the industry, and so that’s why we decided to partner up.

Tian: I had worked as an industrial designer before, so the design disciplines were different for both of us. But our experiences gave us a great combination of perspectives to build our product.

What made you decide to found Modelo? Was there a particular moment that sealed the decision for you?

Qi Su: The first moment must have been when I first saw a 3D model get rendered in the browser using WegGL; that was back in 2012. My director at Harvard, Panagiotis Michalatos, showed it to me. I was so excited because finally our major digital production outcome, CAD models, could reside in a web browser and be shown to the others interactively, in 3D. As a result, I decided to do something with it.

How do you finance your startup? Any tips for our community on how you managed it?

Qi Su: We were supported by our friends (mainly architects) at the beginning and also got some funding from an accelerator program called BetaSpring. After that, we went on the same track like every other technology startup in the world: getting money from institutional VCs.

Regarding tips, I think you really have to think your business through, keep your mind open and learn as much and as fast as you can.

You developed a browser-based 3D design collaboration tool. Could you give us some examples of how the tool is used and how it helps architectural practices?

Tian: Modelo provides web-based communication and presentation tools for architects and people who use CAD as their production tool. The goal of Modelo is to help our users get things done faster: making presentations, rendering, giving design feedback, sharing files, getting clients’ approval or validating building issues with engineers and consultants. We’ve seen our customers extensively using Modelo for internal design feedback, file transfer and client-facing presentations.

We’ve heard from one of our customers that their design partner wouldn’t allow anyone to show him models that are NOT on Modelo; besides that, they use Modelo for most of their client presentations and the clients love it.

In what stage of development is your tool?

Tian: We are still in beta, but the product has been pretty stable and we already have many paying customers using it in their work. We will probably launch our full commercial release in the next couple of months; by that time, we will have released several very exciting functions.

What is your business model for your startup?

Tian: It is Software as a Service (SaaS) and subscription based. Users go to www.modelo.io, sign up, choose a plan, try it out, and then they get to decide whether they want to pay after a 14 day trial. We also have a free plan where people can sign up and try Modelo out by uploading models that are under a certain file size.

Qi Su, first you worked in an architectural office, now you are an entrepreneur. What do you find the most fulfilling about it?

Qi Su: I found both very interesting, and in some ways similar to each other. They are both about creating things for people to use and getting big projects done – but the pace is very different. As an entrepreneur you can probably (and have to) learn new things faster than as an architect.

Do you miss working as an architect?

Qi Su: Sometimes. I still love architecture very much. My family’s background is in architecture and civil engineering. So becoming an architect was my childhood dream – except during my teenage years when I tried to become a professional soccer player!

The building industry is known for being slow to adapt to new technologies. What is your experience with this?

Qi Su: We are dealing with buildings, not toothpaste. I think it is reasonable for the industry to be slow. It’s such a complex industry, and it involves many stakeholders.

The bigger problem I see is in architectural design education. I think it’s very broken; it’s rare that people coming out of it will know anything about how to run an architectural practice. I think we need to change that.

Do you have any advice for archipreneurs who want to start and build their own business?

Qi Su: Follow your heart and do what you love to do. However, if it’s business you want then you need to learn to take care not only of yourself but also your customers.

In which areas (outside of traditional practice) can you see major business opportunities for up and coming architects?

Qi Su: Wherever our skills can be sold and the Internet can help us in selling.

About Qi Su and Tian Deng

Qi Su is an architect who has worked for the architectural offices amphibianArc, MADAs.p.a.m. and Michael Sorkin Studio. He graduated from Harvard Graduate School of Design and is the only master’s student in school history who has won both the Peter Rice Prize for structural design invention and the Digital Design Prize for the innovative creation of digital tools.

Tian Deng worked as an industrial designer after graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design. He worked on several hardware design and interactive design projects before he joined Qi Su and start working on Modelo in 2014.

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