Hello Everyone. I'm part of an Architecture Firm that's just been established a year ago. Currently we have been doing small projects such as ADUs, remodels, and we are trying to transition to commercial and industrial projects. I understand the economy isn't in great shape now, but how does a new firm start getting any projects in those sectors? All calls we have gotten were extremely cheap people who would never respond to our low fee proposals. I've tried cold calls, emails, reaching out to contractors for referrals to their clients, etc... but none of that seems to produce any results. I understand a great majority of projects come from word of mouth but how can that happen if you can't even get one project to start with? Additionally, how would one break into the healthcare market as well with no experience or connections? I really appreciate all the help since we are desperately looking to get some projects.
pandahut
Jan 8, 23 4:30 pm
This usually comes with hiring someone who has 20+ years experience with a deep rolodex of clients and relationships. Extremely difficult to get brought into the fold with no experience in a sector. Maybe if you are brought on as a local or partnership with another office on a specific project.
Tyyler
Jan 9, 23 1:10 am
What would be the best way to work with other firms on their projects? I tried cold calling, emailing, and reaching out to other medium-large firms to assist with design work and none seemed too enthused. Our Principal has 20+ years of experience but his old boss is no help at all.
monosierra
Jan 8, 23 5:40 pm
Healthcare tends to be a specialized sector requiring experienced designers and planners. Unless you mean smaller boutique clinics, in which case an interior designer could be paired with an experienced specialist partner.
Question is, what do you bring to the table? Design flair that others don't possess? A minority's participation in projects that mandate a women's or minority-owned business as part of the bidding team? Passion alone wouldn't count for much. What value-add are you offering in exchange for a slice of an already small pie?
Face to face networking - Meeting contractors, fabricators, real estate agents, suppliers, civic leaders, clients and so on via industry conferences, local meet-ups, neighborhood committees, zoning public forums etc. Again, what do you bring to the table? Can you chip in to help out a homeowner with zoning or code issues? They might appreciate your input and one thing could lead to another. I would say offering concrete professional advice (But not so much you are working for free) is on par with excellent design solutions.
A former colleague of mine did start her own practice with her husband with about four years of work experience. She was an international student and leveraged her language/culture to work her way into the local diaspora market. A lot of talking to people, schmoozing, interviews with sympathetic social and traditional media organizations to sell her personal story - branding the young firm so to speak.
What is your background? I hope you are not fresh out of school and actually have professional working and project management experience. Too often I've seen kids start their own virtual practices right after graduation, trying to get their school projects built IRL. The only ways that could work are1) Academia and 2) Very wealthy family's backing
Now, friends and family are always helpful even if they are not uber rich - so many young designers get their start with the help of a parent's remodel project. Or a friend's bubble tea bar. Downside is, you might wind up doing bubble tea bars for years to come.
Tyyler
Jan 9, 23 1:14 am
Thank you for the really detailed response! Our firm is new but our Principal has over 20 years of experience in residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial architecture. I haven’t tried reaching out to any news/media outlets yet. Principal is an immigrant from Iran that then studied in Italy and became a licensed Architect in CA. I’m not sure if that’s a story to talk about. Also what’s the best way to network in person and how? Architecture and developer events are not very common so I’m not sure where else to look other than NAIOP and Bisnow.
x-jla
Jan 8, 23 6:09 pm
People hire designers for lots of reasons, but one of the clients main benefits is to remove uncertainty from the outcome of a project. By being “new” you come with uncertainty baked in. That’s a hard thing to overcome unless you partner with someone who has the experience in whatever sector, or you start with low risk smaller gigs and work up. Unfortunately that’s really the only way.
Tyyler
Jan 9, 23 1:15 am
What’s the best way to partner with other firms?
ill_will
Jan 19, 23 4:43 pm
There are some competitions where the winner's work is built. It's a pretty niche solution, but if successful you often have an opportunity for publication on various platforms. Again it is a very niche solution because these competitions aren't always running and some have rules that make them difficult to work on.
If you are interested in this route, I would pursue it as a back up or have something more practical waiting in the wings. I'm also not saying this with much experience, but I could see this working under specific conditions. Situational solution.
Hello Everyone. I'm part of an Architecture Firm that's just been established a year ago. Currently we have been doing small projects such as ADUs, remodels, and we are trying to transition to commercial and industrial projects. I understand the economy isn't in great shape now, but how does a new firm start getting any projects in those sectors? All calls we have gotten were extremely cheap people who would never respond to our low fee proposals. I've tried cold calls, emails, reaching out to contractors for referrals to their clients, etc... but none of that seems to produce any results. I understand a great majority of projects come from word of mouth but how can that happen if you can't even get one project to start with? Additionally, how would one break into the healthcare market as well with no experience or connections? I really appreciate all the help since we are desperately looking to get some projects.
This usually comes with hiring someone who has 20+ years experience with a deep rolodex of clients and relationships. Extremely difficult to get brought into the fold with no experience in a sector. Maybe if you are brought on as a local or partnership with another office on a specific project.
What would be the best way to work with other firms on their projects? I tried cold calling, emailing, and reaching out to other medium-large firms to assist with design work and none seemed too enthused. Our Principal has 20+ years of experience but his old boss is no help at all.
Healthcare tends to be a specialized sector requiring experienced designers and planners. Unless you mean smaller boutique clinics, in which case an interior designer could be paired with an experienced specialist partner.
Question is, what do you bring to the table? Design flair that others don't possess? A minority's participation in projects that mandate a women's or minority-owned business as part of the bidding team? Passion alone wouldn't count for much. What value-add are you offering in exchange for a slice of an already small pie?
Face to face networking - Meeting contractors, fabricators, real estate agents, suppliers, civic leaders, clients and so on via industry conferences, local meet-ups, neighborhood committees, zoning public forums etc. Again, what do you bring to the table? Can you chip in to help out a homeowner with zoning or code issues? They might appreciate your input and one thing could lead to another. I would say offering concrete professional advice (But not so much you are working for free) is on par with excellent design solutions.
A former colleague of mine did start her own practice with her husband with about four years of work experience. She was an international student and leveraged her language/culture to work her way into the local diaspora market. A lot of talking to people, schmoozing, interviews with sympathetic social and traditional media organizations to sell her personal story - branding the young firm so to speak.
What is your background? I hope you are not fresh out of school and actually have professional working and project management experience. Too often I've seen kids start their own virtual practices right after graduation, trying to get their school projects built IRL. The only ways that could work are1) Academia and 2) Very wealthy family's backing
Now, friends and family are always helpful even if they are not uber rich - so many young designers get their start with the help of a parent's remodel project. Or a friend's bubble tea bar. Downside is, you might wind up doing bubble tea bars for years to come.
Thank you for the really detailed response! Our firm is new but our Principal has over 20 years of experience in residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial architecture. I haven’t tried reaching out to any news/media outlets yet. Principal is an immigrant from Iran that then studied in Italy and became a licensed Architect in CA. I’m not sure if that’s a story to talk about. Also what’s the best way to network in person and how? Architecture and developer events are not very common so I’m not sure where else to look other than NAIOP and Bisnow.
People hire designers for lots of reasons, but one of the clients main benefits is to remove uncertainty from the outcome of a project. By being “new” you come with uncertainty baked in. That’s a hard thing to overcome unless you partner with someone who has the experience in whatever sector, or you start with low risk smaller gigs and work up. Unfortunately that’s really the only way.
What’s the best way to partner with other firms?
There are some competitions where the winner's work is built. It's a pretty niche solution, but if successful you often have an opportunity for publication on various platforms. Again it is a very niche solution because these competitions aren't always running and some have rules that make them difficult to work on.
If you are interested in this route, I would pursue it as a back up or have something more practical waiting in the wings. I'm also not saying this with much experience, but I could see this working under specific conditions. Situational solution.