Doug: That’s right. Outsourcing has been exactly the strategy that I’ve gone with. One of the pluses and reasons that I’ve stayed with that strategy is because the consultant is a business owner. They don’t necessarily have the employee mentality. It’s their business, so they have as much to lose as I do as a business owner. I think I have more dependable people, in a sense.
Ken: That’s an interesting perspective. So Doug, if somebody was just starting out in architecture, say they just got out of college with a degree, and they’re looking to start a business similar to yours. What do you think the one thing is that you’d say they’d have to get just right to really be able to grow their business and be prosperous?
Doug: If you’ve just graduated college, I’d recommend you work at least 5 -10 years, before venturing out on your own. As I said before, relationship is everything. You have to build a client base to maintain a flow of projects. Becoming a rain-maker is key.
Ken: How have you been able to do that? Have you taken courses in communication, or do you just put yourself out there? A lot of people are fearful for going out and just meeting new people and doing that cold call type of thing. What was it for you, apart from having to because you were in effect forced into it. You have a family to support and were laid off and pretty much had to make it happen. For someone that doesn’t have that for a push behind them, what do you think it is that they’re going to have to really make sure happens? Is it networking and developing relationships with power partners to grow?
Doug: Yes, that’s really it. You have to start by simply putting yourself out there, getting the word out that your company is available and why it’s difference from the others. For someone to refer you, they have to know you and trust you; because they’re sticking their neck out by recommending you. You have to build a relationship with other business owners, as well as clients, so they feel comfortable saying, “yeah, DesignLine Architects, you can trust them. They’ll come through for you. Give them a call.”
Ken: It takes time to build a history and a trust with someone, that doesn’t happen overnight. Relationship building and building up that trust and those types of things come from constantly connecting with your power partners and building that relationship over time. For new architects when they’re first starting out, what do you think the biggest mistake that they make is?
Doug: I would say getting into too much overhead would be a big mistake. Getting an office right away is a liability, for instance. Make sure that you have enough work to sustain the rent. You really don’t need a conference room, for instance. So many of your meetings are going to be at the client’s site, so having an office is something that you want to hold off as long as possible. Low overhead will help you through the beginning period anyway, until your revenue starts picking up.
Ken: I know a lot of places like MidFirst Bank will allow customers to come in and use their conference room for meetings. There are a lot of places to meet clients if you’re not meeting them at their location.
Doug: There’s professional places and also just even the casual coffee shop are perfectly good places. Everyone can get a drink, and it’s convenient for the client. It’s usually all about the client for me.
Ken: So someone in this business, what do you think the mindset has to be for someone to really see success?
Doug: Sounds like a cliché, but hard work, long hours, doing whatever it takes to make sure each and every project comes in on time and exceeds (not just meets) the clients expectations. At the end, and throughout every project, you really need the mindset that you’re truly helped your client.
Ken: Right, just going above and beyond and over delivering; under promise and over deliver. For someone that’s starting out, a new architect, what do you think the two or three questions are that they really have to ask themselves and answer about growing their business to really be successful?
Doug: I would ask yourself, are you willing to do what it takes. This is not going to be an easy endeavor. You have to really, really want it. It’s got to be almost everything to you because of the sacrifices that you’re going to have to make in order for it to work.
Ken: Not a typical nine to fiver, right?
Doug: Definitely not. It’s 24/7, is really what it is. It’s weekends, and you have to be willing to do it, for the client, because it’s the right thing to do.
Ken: And then Doug, another thing I wanted to ask you is, are there some things that architects are supposed to do or they think they’re supposed to do but that can actually hurt their chances of success?
Doug: Things they’re supposed to do … I would say that you need to really make sure that you balance and blend your personal and work life. You think you’re supposed to work all the time but you have to make sure that you have a personal life for your family, as well.
