In this 14th edition of “Sound Advice with Joan Capelin,” Peter Piven, FAIA, founder of Peter Piven Management Consultants provides his perspective and advice on the following topics: -How the best do research about their clients -Ways that design firms are changing – and how a leader must handle change -Why people become architects -A strategy for fees. Click on the media player below to listen to Peter’s podcast.

In this 12th edition of “Sound Advice with Joan Capelin,” Craig Park, FSMPS, vice president and creative marketing officer at Leo A Daly provides his perspective and advice on the following topics: -How to market a firm during the recession -What are some new sources of funding for projects -Which path should a firm take during the downturn -Why marketing and business development are crucial to a firm's survival right now

In this 12th edition of “Sound Advice with Joan Capelin,” Stanley Stark, FAIA, vice president and national director of life sciences at HDR/CU2HA provides his perspective and advice on the following topics: -Lessons learned from past recessions -Building a constituency for change -How to maintain client loyalty -Whether innovation will diminish as a result of the recession -The importance of good communication Click on the media player below to listen to Stanley’s podcast.

In this 11th edition of “Sound Advice with Joan Capelin,” Ryc Loope – architect, president of HL Design-Build, professor of housing and community development, and also founding director of The Master of Real Estate Development Program at Arizona State University provides perspective and advice on the following topics: Five things design professionals should know before going into development Uncommon sources to fund development projects Why and how to strengthen the bottom line Why you need to be aggressive in today’s economy

“Focus on your clients.”  That’s fundamental communications advice, but, Joan Capelin says in her August column in Marketer, many marketers unwittingly forget.  Joan’s suggestion, if you think you DO remember: Take any three proposal cover letters, memos, or e-mails currently on your desk and look at the first sentence.  “It’s a safe bet that ‘I’ […]

“Focus on your clients.”  That’s fundamental communications advice, but, Joan Capelin says in her August column in Marketer, many marketers unwittingly forget.  Joan’s suggestion, if you think you DO remember: Take any three proposal cover letters, memos, or e-mails currently on your desk and look at the first sentence.  “It’s a safe bet that ‘I’ […]

In this 10th edition of “Sound Advice with Joan Capelin,” Ava Abramowitz, author of The Architect’s Essentials of Negotiation provides perspective and advice on the following topics: How negotiation is a win-win situation for architects and engineers, Why fees matter, Why return on investment is an important indicator of success, and How to communicate to clients about business issues.

Perspective and advice on how to manage time effectively; conducting the unending talent search, including interns; not taking on more than you can handle, why it isn’t necessary to drop fees; why Design Assist works as a new business line; and whether or not design professionals should run design firms.

Perspective and advice on how to help people conquer “emotional paralysis” during the recession, how to inspire new ideas, why pressure on fees isn’t so bad, why he’s worried about the “green revolution,” and how to benefit from “constructive paranoia.”

Asked to contribute an op-ed piece, Joan Capelin challenged the readers of Contract in the June/Neocon issue to consider how design firms may be constrained by a 20th-century approach to design-firm ownership structure.  “You Are Not What You Were” raises strategic questions for leaders who want to broaden their services and generate new sources of […]