There’s a tension in architecture that I’ve never quite understood. The idea that design and business are somehow at odds.
That caring about growth, profitability, brand, marketing, or business development somehow takes away from the purity of the work.
But the more time I spend in this industry, the more convinced I am of the opposite.
Great design and great business aren’t competing priorities. They’re complementary forces that make each other stronger.
A healthy business gives firms the resources to invest in their people. The ability to be more selective about the work they pursue. The
stability to think beyond the next project. And ultimately, the opportunity to do more of the work they actually want to be doing.
The intersection of design and business was at the heart of a recent conversation Katelyn and I had with Rachel Gresham and Ali
Alsaleh on The American Institute of Architects’ Built for Business podcast.
A big part of our conversation centered on storytelling. And how architects may be great storytellers
in their work, but that doesn’t always translate to how they position themselves in the market.
Clients aren’t only evaluating the building or the design solution. They’re trying to understand what working with your firm will enable
them to accomplish. They want to know that you understand their challenges, can help them navigate complexity, and can deliver an outcome
that matters to their organization.
It’s not about diminishing the importance of design. It’s about helping clients understand its value.
If you care about doing great work and building a stronger firm around it, I think this conversation will resonate.
