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7 mistakes traditional architects usually make

I just talked with a small architecture firm owner that was working hard to keep the studio open, just to pay minimum wage and survive until the next month. He is close to burnout.

Jesus Christ! What the hell is happening with all the architecture studios out there?

And why do 90% of architects fail when launching their own business. 

Why? 

I guess it’s because architecture schools didn’t show us how to run a business. 

I guess, who knows…

But architects’ awareness level of business topics is very limited, and they commonly repeat the same mistakes, over and over again.
In my opinion, these are the 7 common mistakes architects usually make.

Let’s see if you agree or not:

1 Employee

If you are an employee, working for someone else on your 9 to 5 “comfortable” job, you are selling your time in exchange for a fixed salary, in other words, a single income stream. ☝🏻

Okay, I get it. It’s supposed to be secure.

Well, maybe? But If you are fired (or you resign, who knows?), your whole life structure can collapse.

Dude, that’s risky!

Why would you only depend on one income stream that isn’t even under your control? Someone else, your boss, manager, or even Putin could have more to say than yourself.

Construction goes down? Fired 🔥

Inflation goes up? Fired 🔥

Next housing bubble explodes? Fired 🔥

Your employing company goes bankrupt? Fired 🔥

You depend on all these external factors…
Did that scare you? No? Let’s see the others…

2. Business

If you already have a business, you might have a poor plan (or no plan at all!), so you might be improvising and assuming huge risks, aren’t you?
There are so many things that need to be done, where do you start? How do you prioritize?

Was the risk of independence worth it?

Unless you have a clear plan, I guess not. 🤷🏻‍♂️

3. Assets

Have you ever heard about passive income?

Assets are products and services that make money while you are sleeping. Like Intellectual Property (IP). That’s passive income. Even though you design IP every day through your designs and projects, do you have a strategy to monetize it?

Or are you leaving a ton of money on the table?

Maybe it’s the first time you hear about passive income in architecture, so you are not giving so much importance to this. You will regret it…  

4. Outdated

Even if you think you are using the latest technology, you might still be using windows, word, excel, AutoCAD, and maybe BIM software… that’s not enough 🛠

Are you using project management tools like Trello, Asana, and Notion? Are you using communication tools like Slack, Discord, or Chat?

You may be out of the market, my dear friend.

5. Local

Ou, ou, this one might hurt you the most.

You are a small fish, in a small tank 🎣

You are still playing local, with local customers and local resources. You are afraid to get out of your comfort zone and get new customers from other areas, and regions, aren’t you?

No? Seriously? 

So why are you still lowering your prices 👎🏼 to get the next customer?

Touche…

6. Alone

And this is maybe the one that will most resonate with you.

You are feeling alone, and you miss people talking about business issues. Your actual network is limited (of course, you are playing local), and you don’t find those curious minds who can help you fix your problems, or grow your business.

You need to make new friends, those who listen, who take care of you, and encourage you to explore the limits. 

New friends that are all over the world 🌍

7. Mindset

Last but not least, your surrounding local and limited network affected negatively your subconscious mind and told you to stay small, do not grow, that’s risky, you are not qualified or do not have the right skills, so you’d better stay where you are. Your mind starts to believe all that bullshit, so you stay.

But how long should you stay?

How long should you wait until you realize that you are limiting yourself?

All your wasted potential… 😣 (When I heard this the first time, it hit so hard on me. I hope it has as well for you.)

If you would have to choose your 2 bigger mistakes, which one’s would they be?

If you are aware of any of these mistakes, and you want to improve any of those skills (even if it’s only one), you should join the Global Architect MBA

It will show you everything that architecture schools didn’t offer you.

This program will change the course of your architecture career in 180º:

  • from uncertainty to predictable revenues
  • from stress to a controlled working environment
  • from pain to gain
  • from failures & mistakes to success
  • from employee to business owner
  • from boring to exciting

Wasn’t this what you were looking for?

Visit Global Architect and learn how to avoid those mistakes. 

If you are not convinced, you could stay where you are. Even though you are already there, what would you lose?

Wish you a great day.

Full of mistakes ✌🏼

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