After sharing some of my old blog posts about running your own practice yesterday (on twitter) I get this message via the website:
I’m an architect working with a renowned firm in india for the past 10years. I want to start a practice. Can you give me a road map. (I don’t have money to sustain myself if I quit my job tomorrow and that’s my financial status now!)
I won’t give his name in case he’d prefer to remain anonymous.
What online resources can we share with him? Many of you have started up on your own in the past few years. What advice would you offer him?
Image: Architect of Your Future Tattoo Design by DukeOne (creative commons)
First, take off your architect hat and then become very knowledgable about the business of providing services. Start by reading up on business and marketing in books. Also having an affluent social network will definitely help the cause. Good Luck!
Very good advice Carlos, running a business is an entirely different kettle of fish. Thank you!
Hi Su, this is a great topic, and one that many are interested in! I recently went out on my own to start my own architecture firm and I will be sharing, via my blog, the “behind the scenes story” of how it goes…all the ups and downs, etc. I hope this becomes a resources to help other architects market themselves better and create great architecture! Here is the link where I’ll be posting this information:
http://www.businessofarchitecture.com/business/start-an-architecture-firm/
Thanks as always Su for the great blog!
That’s brilliant Enoch, how timely.
It will be interesting to see how your journey progresses!
Hi Su, I recently published a series of 10 things an architect will need when starting a practice. If you head to our blog (www.panfilocastaldi.com) and go to the architecture practice category, the 10 most recent posts are it: beginning with chutzpah and ending in the future.
Hi Warwick,
Thanks very much for these – for convenience of our readers, here’s a permalink to the first post:
Chutzpah
and the last
The Future
Here is a link to a recent RICS piece we were http://www.daylebayliss.co.uk/2013/06/tips-for-start-ups-the-building-surveyors-perspective/a case study –
A surveyors perspective but hopefully relevant.
Also, contacts – use ever contact you have to promote what you do and the services you offer.
Thanks Dayle, some good advice there. I agree about contacts, and the internet can help you with some joined up thinking.
I recently had a good look at my Linkedin network and aligned it to me address book again, and there result has been some new opportunities to get back in touch with people who know me and like my work. Now we are connected on Linkedin, recommending each other has become that much easier.