#24: Marc Spector, founder of Spector Companies, unpacks landing one of the most iconic projects of his career: a commission inside the legendary Seagram Building by Mies van der Rohe. No flashy pitches. No designs. Just pure, relationship-driven strategy. In this conversation, Marc breaks down how trust, intuition, and human connection led his team to win big, proving that sometimes, the most powerful tool in architecture isn’t the drawing board – it’s the people around it.

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Learn more about Spector Companies: https://spectorcompanies.com/ 

Here’s what you’ll learn in the episode: 

→ What never gets shown in a design presentation, but helped Marc win the Seagram Building project before it even began.

→ The unconventional move Marc made before the RFP that built trust and changed everything.

→ Why understanding a client’s culture beats out the best design proposals.

→ The truth about working inside a global architectural icon, and the surprising challenges no one warned them about.

→ What happens when your process becomes the product? Inside Marc’s game-changing “experience strategy workshop.”

→ The quiet system behind Marc’s repeat business and steady referrals.

→ When every firm is talented, how do you stand out? The overlooked edge Spector Companies uses to win high-stakes projects.

→ What Marc really uses to measure success, and why it has nothing to do with awards or headlines.

→ The biggest lesson Marc learned from the Advent International project – and the hard truth architects need to hear before taking on prestige work.

(04:11) Inside Advent International’s bold new project

(09:37) How real estate visionaries think differently

(13:29) What it’s really like to renovate the Seagram Building

(16:13) The clever design move that made a mid-floor layout possible

(20:33) Why Marc built a “growth studio” for firm owners

(23:14) How design and construction teams actually collaborated

(28:02) The key to truly understanding what clients need

(30:53) Planning strategy before the site even exists

(33:35) The power of asking: “What’s the why?”

(35:29) How Marc keeps client relationships strong post-project

(39:27) What 60 years of success looks like from the inside

(41:33) The truth about building a business through relationships

(44:49) How custom design starts with putting the client first

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