Flying solo

Have you ever wanted to work for yourself? Venture out on your own? Be your own boss? Jumping out from the safety of another firm can seem risky — especially if you are a young architect who has never flown solo. Many architects have taken the leap in many different ways. Whether they venture out alone or in flocks.

Woodpeckers make it happen by door knocking. They make endless phone calls and build social media followings. It’s headache inducing, but they find enough work by sheer force of will.

Night owls build a clientele and portfolio while maintaining a day job. It’s hard work. (Just make sure your employer allows it in your contract.)

Eagles start out by scavenging jobs or clients from a former employer. If done in good faith, they can soar on majestically. (However, if the deals are shady, they seem more like vultures.)

Oxpeckers live a good life on the back of a big client or another architecture firm. They solve problems as consultants and specialists.

Herons thrive within their local environment. They live, work, and specialize in the needs of their local community.

Parrots simply copy what other firms do well. (Which can be a little annoying.)

I’ve heard there are peacocks who render award-winning architecture. In the right setting, the clients come to them. (It is a rare type of architect — once they attract the attention, they need to be able to deliver on their beautiful design.)

Turkeys get fat on whatever work they can find. They don’t mind what they do — there are always code reviews, remodels, and other off-the-beaten-path projects to get by on.

Ugly ducklings, like myself, never fit in anywhere else. So they slowly and steadily work their way into entrepreneurship, hoping one day to look down and find they are gliding along gracefully as a swan.

Finally, there are penguins. They try their hardest to fly on their own but never succeed. Failing at entrepreneurship isn’t a total loss — they learned something by taking on the risk. In failing, they discover they can swim. (And the cold never bothers them anyway.)

The only similarity between the birds in this aviary analogy is simply that they are birds. As architects, we have many ways of approaching projects, serving clients, and working with a team. Understand your unique strengths and passions to synthesize your efforts. If you want to fly solo, start by clarifying your vision for the work and life you want to live:

1. What are you looking for personally and in professional practice?

2. What do you want to do that you can’t do by working for someone else?

3. Why start now? What will trigger the shift to working on your own?

The path to entrepreneurship is shaped by your process, profit model, people, and project type. Embrace your entrepreneurial species and leverage it to do your best work and live your best life.

Once you make the decision to start your own firm or do some freelancing, there are many logistical challenges. Try reading other Connection articles about Starting Your Own Firm or the classic Rena Klein book “The Architect’s Guide to Small Firm Management.” Below are the most valuable resources I’ve leaned on while launching Pasque Architecture:

Find mentors: Talk to architects who are doing what you want to do. You can find them online, through AIA committees, or other entrepreneur events in your community.

Connect: Meet the people or businesses who need the architectural services you want to provide. Talk with them and understand what they need from your business.

Read, listen, or watch: Learn as much as you can. As architects, our education only starts with licensure. EntreArchitect, 30x40 Workshop, and Business of Architecture are architects who produce content for other architects. (Start with EntreArchitect Podcast episodes EA013, EA024, EA031, and EA040.)

Special thanks to the review and comments of Christopher Fagan, AIA.

Katie Kangas, AIA, NCARB

Kangas founded Pasque Architecture in Minnesota to provide story-centered architecture and design. Kangas worked in other firms but had ideas and interests that didn’t align. She is building a process-centered practice to provide simple functional design that is beautiful and inspires.