Anna Squier and Modern Studio

Entrepreneurial profile

Anna (Jones) Squier is the owner of Modern Studio, a small Midwest design studio based in Des Moines, Iowa. Established just three years ago, her practice offers custom residential and commercial interiors that are simple, elegant, and refined. Outside her firm, she has been heavily involved in leadership opportunities including the Central States Region Emerging Professionals Committee and Iowa Women in Architecture, which garnered her an AIA Associates Award in 2016.

While her accolades and design portfolio alone are impressive, I knew I had to share more about her career when I learned she had founded her firm as so early in her professional career. While she had plenty of experience to support her decision, Anna’s story is encouraging and necessary for other young architects and designers to hear. What follows is a summary of our conversation on how and why she built her business, her goals for Modern Studio, and advice to others on taking this path.

A custom single-family residence in Ankeny, IA featuring a sleek and modern kitchen.

Nathan Scott, n8works

Starting the Business & Licensure

Miranda Moen (MM): Why did you decide to start your architecture firm?

Anna Squier (AS): Personally, I was curious, had broad interests, and wanted freedom and flexibility. Before I started my practice, I found myself pigeonholed at work, bored, and unhappy with traditional firm structures. I desired engagement with a diverse spectrum of fields (architecture, design, business, and marketing just to name a few) and visualized a place that broke away from the norms of traditional practice.

I found myself looking for other outlets to explore my creative interests. Making jewelry became a side business of mine and my first step into entrepreneurship. Through this exploration, I had the opportunity to meet entrepreneurs in creative fields and was inspired by how they had built a livelihood in design by following their passions. I wondered if this was possible with architectural design. Around the same time, I took on a small project on my own – a kitchen remodel in downtown Des Moines. I fell in love with the scale, the process, the intimacy with the client, and the personal collaboration with the contractor(s). I knew this type of work was something I wanted to continue.

MM: What was intimidating about starting your own practice?

AS: Everything. I was young (29), a female in a still maledominated profession, and not yet licensed. That alone begs you to ask the question “why.” I did not have a solidified business plan or a backlog of clients or projects. It was crazy, but a path I needed to explore. So I quit my job, went to Europe for two weeks, solidified my business plan, brought home a puppy, and went to work.

MM: What resources did you turn to during this process?

AS: At the start, I reached out to many business owners to discuss how they did it. All of these individuals were outside the architecture profession but in related creative fields — a professional photographer, cupcake shop owner, an art installer. They provided great insight into the highs and lows of entrepreneurship as well as a list of references for helpful hints. I attended free lunch series, speaker presentations, and workshops focusing on starting a small business. I quickly built a team of experts in areas where I am not an expert –accounting, contract law, and insurance.

MM: How did you find mentorship as a female in the architecture profession?

AS: Iowa Women in Architecture, iaWia, a nonprofit organization geared towards the education, leadership, and advancement of women in the architecture profession has played a critical role in my professional journey as an architect. Not only does the organization provide mentorship for women across the spectrum of their careers, but it also challenges traditional practice by exploring best practice recommendations. Through discussions on negotiation, communication, diversity, benefits, and many other pertinent topics, I was provided the opportunity to learn from women at all stages of the profession.

MM: You started your practice as an unlicensed architect. What was it like preparing for the ARE while running your own business?

AS: It was an exhausting and stressful few years. Not only was I in the throes of creating and growing a business, but I was studying every night and weekend. My AXP hours were completed and I had two exams completed. I knew I had to complete the exams to gain credibility in this profession and to further advance my business goals. My advice to others is to take the exams as soon as possible. Don’t put them off. If you fail, keep trying and don’t stop until you complete them all.

MM: What have you learned about yourself and your professional motives through the process of starting your firm?

AS: Running a business is a humbling and eye-opening experience. [Through this process] I have learned the challenges of architecture as a business – financials, getting work, keeping work, maintaining clients, etc. There is so much that goes into a successful firm that is not visible from the outside. After a few years, I have a better understanding of where my passion lies and what I am interested in pursuing. I know I love design, creating a brand, and the marketing aspects related to the firm. I dislike invoicing and contracts, but you have to do both to stay afloat and I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn about them all.

MM: How have your professional motives grown through the process of starting your firm?

AS: My professional motives are ultimately to create quality design that impacts people and communities in a positive way. I hope to create a place (Modern Studio) where creatives come together to share ideas and collaborate with each other while following their unique passions and advancing their skill sets in architecture and design.

One of Modern Studio’s residential projects that showcases Squier’s refined and elegant design work.

Nathan Scott, n8works

The Business Plan and Financials

MM: Architecture is ultimately a business. How did you go about developing a business plan?

AS: My business plan is an ever-changing, ever-evolving document. When I started Modern Studio, my business plan was a way to formulate ideas surrounding my brand and the studio I wanted to create. It was about who, why, what, and how. It is also where I outlined the financial means I needed to start and run the company.

MM: What form did your business first take, and how did you go about finding liability insurance as an unlicensed architect?

AS: I started my business as an LLC, and I obtained professional liability insurance and general liability insurance from the get-go. In addition, Modern Studio is a certified targeted small business by the state of Iowa.

MM: In terms of finances to sustain your business, what proportion of work do you need to break even and then to make a profit?

AS: When I first started the business, I outlined my monthly financials right away. I knew what I hoped to make annually, so I used that number to estimate what I needed to bring in monthly as well as anticipated expenses. I use QuickBooks to manage my financials and invoicing. I have a weekly balance of the books, as well as monthly analysis of profit versus expenses. Currently, my profit average is good. I keep my expenses low so that I can create enough savings to eventually bring in a full-time employee and/or have an office space outside of the home. In addition, I continue to diversify my services in hopes of maintaining profitability with the ebb and flow of construction.

MM: From your experience, how can architects help stabilize their businesses financially? Or, what do you attribute business instability to in our profession?

AS: We need to charge our worth and our value as professionals. I’m not sure what the answer is, but we as architects have a specific skill set and professional expertise that is providing for the health, safety, and welfare of the public. That’s no small feat and we should be compensated accordingly. It’s a balance of submitting a fee proposal that will get you the work versus submitting a fee proposal that matches the hours and worth of the work. It’s a balance of saying no and saying yes to keep workload in check.

Spreading Knowledge to Others

MM: What would you like to have known before going down this path?

AS: Entrepreneurship is an ongoing journey. It’s overwhelming and scary, it’s enlightening and inspiring, it’s empowering, and it’s isolating at times. You continually second guess everything, including the sustainability of the business. You work harder than you ever have and have an even harder time turning work off. But in the end, you’re building something unique from the bottom up and for that, you should be proud. It’s a continual evolution where a ‘business plan’ is never set in stone but the continual growth of it is exciting.

Anna’s Advice:

1. Find what interests you. Our education provides us a unique way of thinking and problem solving that is beneficial to many creative fields. Explore how you can follow your passions whether or not in a traditional form.

2. Stay curious and ask a lot of questions. Be present and get on site as much as you can. Interact with the people building your project to learn more about how things are constructed and what they need from us in terms of drawings and communication.

3. Be open to change. I originally thought I was going to be at one of the top design firms for many years, even taking a leadership role one day. However, things don’t always work out the way they are “supposed to,” and that’s OK.

4. Build and maintain relationships. Success in business comes from solid relationships. Interact with people outside of your profession. It is a lot of who you know, or who knows you. And in building those relationships, focus on how you can help them, rather than what you can get out of it.

5. Get involved. Volunteer and engage with the community. Get to know the individuals for whom you are designing and constructing places and spaces.

Email: anna@moddsm.com Website: www.moddsm.com IG: Instagram.com/mod.ern.studio

Author Bio:

Miranda Moen is an architectural designer based in Austin, Minn. Moen is passionate about rural design and cultural heritage research, working with artists, economic development leaders, and private clients in Minnesota and Iowa.