Mariana Alvarez is a writer, speaker, entrepreneur, and Founder and CEO of Controller Works, a virtual accounting firm serving small businesses nationwide. At 43, after leaving a 17-year marriage, she began rebuilding her life, identity, confidence, and financial independence while simultaneously building a business. Today, Mariana speaks about what happens after survival, from learning to trust yourself again to creating stronger boundaries and meaningful work. Her message is simple: rebuilding isn’t always about becoming someone new, sometimes it’s about finding yourself again.

On this episode of Inside the Firm, where principals go wrong, F9 has a new Ai policy, and finally architects-do we need em? Join us as we go back Inside the Firm!

Francis Rodino is an AI growth architect and author who turns messy CRM and sales processes into predictable demand-generation systems for service and operational businesses doing 1m to 20m in revenue. His Amazon bestselling book: “Leads Machine: The nine-step system to generate consistent, predictable sales and scale your service business.” was shortlisted for the Business Book Awards 2026, and his systems have been used by over 300 service businesses to recover more than 128 million in revenue.

Richard Spegal is an author, disabled veteran, and former member of the 82nd Airborne Division and Pennsylvania National Guard. After years of writing as a hobby, he turned his passion into a full-time career, independently publishing adult-oriented fiction spanning dark fantasy, supernatural, romance, action, and science fiction. His works include the Wolves and Ravens trilogy and Eternal Nights series, where he explores darker, more realistic characters and consequences. Today, Richard continues building his independent publishing brand while releasing one to two books each year.

Samir Mokashi is an architect, entrepreneur, and exit strategist who went from working 14 years at a large AEC firm to co-founding Code Unlimited with his wife in the basement of their Portland home. Together, they grew it into a multimillion-dollar professional services firm with five offices, earning multiple fastest-growing-company awards before selling the business to Jensen Hughes in 2022. Samir says the sale produced a return of 200 times his initial investment. Today, he is the founder of Business Millionaire Club and author of The Millionaire Exit, helping other entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses and position them for profitable exits.

On this episode of Inside the Firm, Revit may be the greatest practical joke ever, U.S. architecture firms are understaffed and shrinking, and finally how your AIA dues support advocacy. Join us as we go back Inside the Firm!

Stephanie Peirolo is an executive coach, speaker, and author of The Saint and the Drunk: A Guide to Making the Big Decisions in Your Life. For more than a decade, she has helped leaders navigate career, business, and life decisions by combining practical leadership coaching with insights into values, intuition, and emotional intelligence. A Stanford graduate with a master's in Transformational Leadership, Stephanie's storytelling has been featured on NPR, The Moth, and The Guardian. Today, she helps people make intentional decisions that align with who they are and who they want to become.

Lenka Ilic is a New York-licensed architect and Principal of Apartment Renovation NYC, specializing in apartment renovations throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn. She guides homeowners through the entire process, from evaluating floor plans and developing the design to navigating building approvals, permits, contractor selection, and construction. With a candid, consumer-focused approach, Lenka helps clients avoid costly mistakes while creating homes that function better and hold their value. She can be found at https://apartmentrenovation.nyc/ potential clients are encouraged to read on owner’s protection at https://apartmentrenovation.nyc/owners-protection/

Sandy Gerber is a TEDx speaker, communication coach, and the award-winning author of Emotional Magnetism, which has received 24 international book awards. A former executive who helped build one of Canada's Top 100 Fastest Growing Companies, Sandy now helps leaders, teams, and families communicate with greater emotional intelligence and connection. Named the #16 Communication Professional in the world by Global Gurus, she teaches practical tools that strengthen relationships both at work and at home. Her mission is simple: help people communicate to connect.

On this episode of Inside the Firm, the July 2026 architecture billings still suck, what does the current run of Bitcoin mean for the macro economy, and finally why you should create your firm’s project database, like now! Join us as we go back Inside the Firm!