Designing Profit and Purpose: How Drew Pedrick Built a Remote, Values-Driven Architecture Firm | EP666
Business of Architecture Podcast
Release Date: 12/22/2025
How Architects Can Harness Technology to Run Smarter, More Profitable Firms | EP683
Business of Architecture Podcast
End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/framework Running an architecture firm has never been simple. Between creative demands, clients who want more for less, and the ever-shifting landscape of technology, many practice owners feel stuck. But what if the very tools and habits you rely on are holding you back? In this episode of Business of Architecture, host Rion Willard sits down with Matthew Nickerson, serial entrepreneur, consultant, and longtime ally to design firms. Matthew shares hard-earned lessons from building...
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Surviving a Lawsuit and Building a Stronger Solo Practice | EP682
Business of Architecture Podcast
End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: A solo architect shares the real story of launching a practice as the world shut down—then facing a legal fight that could have ended everything. You’ll hear what it did to his mindset, his marriage, and his business; it’s a field report from the trenches, and it also shows what long stress costs when you try to carry it alone. Then the conversation turns to the pivot: how he stopped drowning in volume, reclaimed his week, and began to earn more with fewer jobs, without living in constant rush or losing sleep over...
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How Modern Firm Leaders Use Software to Scale Smarter | EP681
Business of Architecture Podcast
End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: Running an architecture firm today means more than great design — it means mastering the business side. In this episode of Business of Architecture, host Enoch Sears sits down with Matt Cooper, CEO of BQE, to explore how firm leaders can finally break free from outdated tools and habits that hold them back. You’ll hear why so many architects unknowingly run their practice like it’s still the 1990s, and what shifts the most successful firms are making right now. Matt also shares lessons from scaling businesses in...
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Chris Bryant on Pro Bono Work, Participatory Design, and Building a Profitable Practice | EP680
Business of Architecture Podcast
End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: Most architects fear that free work devalues their profession. But what if there was a way to offer pro bono design without losing money—and even turn it into projects that fuel your practice? In this episode, Enoch Sears speaks with Chris Bryant, founding director of Alma-Nac. Together, they explore a bold approach that mixes generosity with business sense and how it has led to opportunities that would never have appeared otherwise. Chris shares lessons from the early days of “free architecture” to a structured...
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Architects on Risk: Business Models, Liability, and Expanding Your Practice | EP679
Business of Architecture Podcast
End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: This episode drops you into a live AIA New York “Risk” event, where architects, developers, and legal experts get brutally honest about what it really takes to build in today’s world. You’ll hear how risk actually moves through a project, and why the current system keeps architects stuck at the bottom of the food chain. The panel shares real stories of projects that almost died, then turned around when someone was willing to take on a different kind of risk. You’ll also hear how some architects stepped into...
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Growing a Profitable Architecture Team Inside CBRE with Dominic McAndrew | EP678
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 Dominic McAndrew, Head of Architecture and Design at CBRE Design Collective for the UK and Ireland. What’s it like to run a high-performing design team inside one of the world’s largest real estate companies? Dominic shares a rare behind-the-scenes look at how he’s growing a profitable practice—without following the traditional path of starting his own firm. You’ll hear how his team doubled revenue, secured a more diverse client mix, and...
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Running a Practice That Supports Your Life | EP677
Business of Architecture Podcast
End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: Michele Grace Hottel sits down with Enoch Sears, founder of Business of Architecture, for a talk on what practice ownership can quietly take from you—and how it doesn’t have to. Enoch shares stories from behind the “awards and accolades” and points to the hidden patterns that keep firm owners stuck, even when they love the work. From a hard truth an accountant once delivered, to why outside coaches can change the game, the conversation moves from money to meaning without turning into a lecture. They also wander...
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How Top Firms Are Using AI to Free Up Time & Command Higher Fees | EP676
Business of Architecture Podcast
End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: What happens when AI meets the business of architecture? In this episode, Rion sits down with Dr. Sam Zolfagharian—co-founder of YegaTech—to explore how AI is reshaping the AEC industry. Sam shares insights from years of experience in structural engineering, construction tech, and leading-edge AI. But this isn't just about tools and tech. It’s about mindset, risk, and what happens when firms approach AI the wrong way. Sam unpacks how small firms can gain a huge edge—without chasing every shiny new tool. You’ll...
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Designing the Practice: Mentorship, Mindset, and Building a Strong Firm | EP675
Business of Architecture Podcast
End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: Anthony Laney didn’t “get lucky.” He was nudged by a mentor who asked a few pointed questions that changed his path. What followed was a slow, intentional climb from modest beginnings to a studio known for exceptional residential work. In this conversation, you’ll hear how Anthony thinks about designing the practice, not just the projects. He shares how he built momentum without betting the farm, why he keeps investing in guidance, and what happens when a team learns to treat truth as fuel instead of a threat....
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Transition Planning and Firm Valuation with Jeff Krieger | EP674
Business of Architecture Podcast
End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: For many architects, the idea of stepping away from their firm feels overwhelming. In this conversation with Jeff Krieger, we explore what it really takes to prepare a practice for life beyond the founder. Jeff reveals candid lessons from nearly four decades of leadership, touching on both the practical and the deeply personal sides of transition. You’ll hear stories about navigating valuation surprises, handing over control, and the emotional tug of letting go. Rather than a checklist, Jeff shares the lived reality of...
info_outlineEnd chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/framework
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 “conscious” firm. This conversation is honest, bold, and full of unexpected lessons for any architect ready to stop playing small.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
- The surprising structure behind a firm that looks freeform
- Why most architects’ “budgeting system” guarantees stress and burnout
- How to protect your peace—and your profit—before the first client call
Tune in and rethink how architecture can work.
To learn more about Drew, visit his website: https://www.mctiguearchitects.com/