Designing Profit: How Bill Caleo Built The Brooklyn Home Company | EP662
Business of Architecture Podcast
Release Date: 11/24/2025
How This Architect Built £30M in Property Without Leaving His Practice | EP672
Business of Architecture Podcast
Add the CTA before the copy: End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: What does it take to run multiple companies and build £30 million in property, without losing your mind? In this episode, architect and developer Ben Richards returns to share what’s really changed since his last viral interview. You’ll hear what’s working, what’s not, and the hidden lessons most architects never get to learn. Ben lifts the hood on how he structured his practice to run without him, and the price he’s paid for that freedom. He also shares the real risk of juggling...
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How Thomas Smith Transformed TS3 Architects With Higher Fees, Culture Shifts, and Hidden Profits | EP671
Business of Architecture Podcast
End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: TS3 Architects founder Thomas Smith joins Rion Willard to share how he moved from scraping by to leading with purpose. He reveals the turning point that made his firm’s numbers—and culture—finally click. Tom talks about the fee trap that many architects fall into and the surprising move that got his clients saying yes. He hints at a simple review that uncovered cash hiding in plain sight. You’ll also hear how opening the books shifted his team from employees to true partners. From vision days to a fresh org...
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Escaping Hustle Culture to Build an Architecture Business You Love | EP670
Business of Architecture Podcast
End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: Architects are trained to hustle, but what if the grind is actually holding you back? In this episode, coach Jenna Harrison joins Enoch Sears to explore a radical shift—one that swaps overwork for a schedule that fuels creativity, clarity, and growth. They dive into the unseen toll hustle culture takes on your body, mind, and most valuable relationships. You’ll hear how an unexpected turning point made Jenna rethink everything about success, and the surprising ripple effects that followed. This isn’t...
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The Architect’s Money Story: Why Beliefs Shape Your Practice More Than Numbers | EP669
Business of Architecture Podcast
End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: Architects often feel torn between their creative calling and the pressure to “talk money,” leaving many unsure how to price their work, defend their value, or navigate client conversations without anxiety. Money is supposed to be boring, distant, and handled by someone else, especially in architecture. In this episode, Enoch and Rion pull back the veil on the quiet myths architects inherit about fees, value, and what their work is really worth. They show how those hidden stories shape firms, projects, and even your...
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How Architecture Firms Can Build High-Performance Remote Teams | EP668
Business of Architecture Podcast
End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: In this episode of Business of Architecture, Rion Willard sits down with Camila Brugger, founder of WorldTeams—the company quietly transforming how architecture firms grow. Camila shares her personal journey from witnessing the chaos of her parents’ small practice to building a 650-person global team that serves over 200 firms. Her story is raw, energizing, and full of practical insight for any architect tired of doing it all alone. You’ll hear how remote talent can unlock growth, freedom, and surprising...
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From Reactivity to Responsibility: How Architects Can Regain Control and Create Calm in Their Practice | EP667
Business of Architecture Podcast
End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: Architects often find themselves juggling client demands, project deadlines, and team issues while feeling like they have no space left for themselves. This episode tackles that hidden pain—why architects run on panic even while designing calm, beautiful spaces for others. Many firm owners live in constant “firefighting” mode, but don’t see the cost on health, team, and profits. You’ll hear stories of monks, pilots, scuba divers, and tax bills that show the price of knee-jerk reactions. You’ll also see how...
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Designing Profit and Purpose: How Drew Pedrick Built a Remote, Values-Driven Architecture Firm | EP666
Business of Architecture Podcast
End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: When Drew Pedrick started his architecture firm, he didn’t follow the usual rules. No office. A global team. A deep focus on meaning, not just design. In this episode, Drew shares the mindset shift that helped him build a profitable, values-driven practice from the ground up. Host Enoch Sears digs into how Drew balances creativity and business, and what most architects get very wrong about profit. They talk about staying aligned without an office, building strong partnerships, and what it really means to run a...
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Why Architects Struggle With Fees—and How to Fix It
Business of Architecture Podcast
End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: Fees start everything in an architecture firm: the work you take, the team you pay, and the life you live. In this episode, Enoch Sears and Rion Willard cut through “competitive pricing” and show why fee stress is rarely about the number on your proposal. They point to what low-fee fear is really signaling—and why it’s hard to fix later. You’ll hear how sales and marketing shape fees more than most architects admit, and why confidence is built from real inputs, not hype. They also preview an updated industry...
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From Overwhelm to Ohm: Mindset Shifts for Architecture Firm Leaders | EP665
Business of Architecture Podcast
End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: Architects often find themselves buried under deadlines, staff questions, and the pressure to deliver flawless work—leaving little room to breathe, lead, or think creatively. This episode explores why that overwhelm feels so persistent and why traditional fixes rarely move the needle. Drowning in projects, staff issues, and nonstop client demands? In this episode, Enoch and Rio dig into what really sits beneath overwhelm for architecture firm owners and new partners. You’ll hear how ego and pride in being “the busy...
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From OMA to Developer: Rethinking Architecture Through Ownership and Value | EP664
Business of Architecture Podcast
End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: What do two architects do after working at one of the most elite firms in the world? In this episode, Alex Yuen and Minkoo Kang share how their time at OMA shaped their view of architecture—and why they chose a very different path. They now work at the intersection of design, development, and teaching. But they didn’t just trade desks—they rewired the way they think about value, money, and impact. If you’ve ever felt stuck between being a visionary and being profitable, this episode speaks directly to you....
info_outlineEnd chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/framework
What happens when a trained actor walks away from the stage and steps into the world of real estate development? In this episode, Rion Willard speaks with Bill Caleo, co-founder of The Brooklyn Home Company, about how one bold move—and one deeply personal project—sparked a $500 million design-led business. You’ll hear the journey of how heart, family, and instinct came together to form a vertically integrated firm that’s rewriting the developer playbook.
Bill shares how his theater background gave him a unique edge most developers miss—and why he believes developers have a duty to shape culture, not just buildings. You’ll also hear a surprising story about one handcrafted object that saved an entire project during a financial crash. And for architects dreaming of more control, more beauty, and better margins, this conversation just might crack something open.
In this episode, discover:
- The unusual career path that became a secret advantage
- A costly mistake that revealed the most profitable design move they ever made
- Why their most powerful marketing strategy isn’t what you think
To learn more about Bill, visit his website: https://www.thebrooklynhomecompany.com/