10 ISSUES OF GROWTH

There are 21,000 architectural firms in the US.

17,500 of them have fewer than 10 people in total.

Why is the typical architectural firm small?

Every time you double the size of your firm, you also double the complexity that has to be addressed. 1 person; 2 people; 4 people; 8 people - three doublings is about the limit most firms learn to handle.

In military terms architects work in squads, never mastering the platoon, much less the company or battalion.

I think these 10 issues are the key to growing beyond that limit.

I struggled putting the list in order. The arrangement that I settled on is to list the ten issues in decreasing importance. However, I think you would take on the challenge that each issue presents in reverse order. Start with #10, but always keep your eye on the goal of having a niche.

I would have liked to grow my firm beyond the 10 person limit that our architectural training normally imposes. Not everyone feels that way. I have talked to quite a few architects who do not want to get large because of the correct assumption that it will mean that someone else is doing the design and leading the project. I can see their point.

The interesting thing about these 10 issues is that they lead to a better firm whether you master them to grow or not, except perhaps #3.

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