Characteristics of all successful AED businesses What separates the average (and most) Architecture, Engineering, and Design (AED) firms from the most successful? Is it the design work? Their business processes? The personalities at the top? How are they able to consistently create great work, while growing their businesses, and achieving impressive profitability?
There are common characteristics across these leading and high performing firms that enable them to succeed where many others struggle. They are industry leaders that are dedicated to building relationships and they work selectively, allowing their expertise and skills to shine. It is the characteristics of leading architecture, engineering, and design firms that, not coincidentally, enable them to be the most commercially successful. They tightly control the design process and fewer people are involved Leading AED firms tend to have less (and not more) people involved in the design initiation process. Working with fewer people at the initial stages allows them to have tighter control of the design process. The central idea is strong, consistently applied, and clearly communicated to the client by the design initiators—a core group within the business. To borrow from Mies van der Rohe, “ less is more”. They focus on what they are great at Expertise comes with experience and talent—which doesn’t come overnight. Great AED businesses have clarity about their expertise and they focus on this. They concentrate on what they are great at. They don’t take on work that isn’t within their expertise and they clearly articulate and deliver their value proposition. They thrive in their specific niche.
