Architectette

REPLAY!
On today’s episode of Architectette we welcome Bolanle Williams-Olley.
Bolanle is CFO and co-owner of Mancini Duffy, a New York based architecture firm. She is also the author of Build Boldly: Chart Your Unique Career Path and Lead with Courage and has founded several non-profits including SheBuildsWaves, SheBuildsLives, SheBuildsMoney, and REACHNigeria. 
We talk about: 
- How Bolanle, as a math major, didn’t want to pursue a career in finance, yet ended up as CFO of an architecture firm. 
- The importance of creating opportunities for yourself, but also how being open to encouragement/ support by mentors and colleagues can transform your career (even if you feel a tinge of imposter syndrome). 
- We also hear from Bolanle about the importance of transparency, consistent financial monitoring, what tough conversations look like at the C-Suite level, and the benefits of maintaining good relationships with clients. 
- In the second half of the episode, we cover all things non-architecture! We talk about party planning, Bolanle’s book and her non-profits, work-life balance, and motherhood. 
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Music by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AlexGrohl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pixabay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Lauren Chipman is the Chief Executive Officer of Chipman Design Architecture, where she leads a 100-person practice shaping retail, restaurant, and hospitality environments for brands like Ulta Beauty, Gap Inc., Chick-fil-A, Hilton, Reformation, and Cava.
As a licensed architect, NCARB certified, and WELL accredited professional, Lauren is a sought-after industry voice who believes the best design performs under pressure, listens closely, and never forgets the human experience at the center of it all.
We talk about: 
- Lauren’s unconventional career pivot from professional musician to architecture firm CEO, and how skills in performance, communication, and entrepreneurship translated into business leadership.
- Becoming CEO just one year after joining Chipman Design and what it was like to pursue an architecture degree AND take the AREs while actively running a firm, balancing work weeks in excess of 80 hours.
- The business of architecture, including national retail growth, client relationships, business development, quality control, mentorship, and Lauren’s advice to ambitious architects.
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Connect with Lauren:
Website: www.chipman-design.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-chipman-aia-ncarb-well-ap-040193b2/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chipmandesign/
YouTube: https://youtu.be/nfPPj4ZwNds?si=w9ibFJGvF6mGlnQi
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Thank you to our sponsor:
The American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) is a not-for-profit technical institute for structural steel. The Architecture Center is an initiative of AISC, and was created for architects by architects. It provides resources to help architects save time and money, reduce risk, and achieve their project goals.
Website: ⁠⁠www.aisc.org/architecture-center⁠⁠
LinkedIn: ⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/company/american-institute-of-steel-construction⁠⁠
Instagram: ⁠⁠www.instagram.com/aisc⁠⁠
>>>
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- LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Architectette Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Page and/or⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Caitlin Brady⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
>>>
Music by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AlexGrohl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pixabay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

REPLAY!
On today’s episode of Architectette we welcome Dena Prastos, AIA. Dena is an architect, engineer, and founder of the New York City based company, Indigo River. Indigo River is a women-owned transdisciplinary design firm focused on progressive waterfront architecture and resiliency. The firm specializes in climate adaptation through waterfront solutions.
We talk about:
- Graduating with a degree in architecture, feeling pigeonholed, and breaking out of a CAD jockey cycle with a master’s in civil engineering and a decade of exciting, diverse work in architecture, engineering, and construction.
- Dena’s realization that there was an opportunity to focus her work on the waterfront which led to the start of Indigo River. 
- Recent projects and how the firm specializes in waterfront projects like marinas, sea walls, offshore infrastructure, climate adaptation, and code development. 
- Dena’s leadership at Indigo River: we talk about how she supports her employees with systems to encourage continuing education and self-improvement .
- We end by talking about the relationships that cities have to their waterfronts.
>>>
Connect with Dena:
Dena's LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/denaprastos/⁠
Indigo River: ⁠https://www.indigoriver.com/⁠
Indigo River Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/indigo_river_/⁠
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Connect with Architectette:
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- LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Architectette Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Page and/or⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Caitlin Brady⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
>>>
Support Architectette by leaving us a rating and review!
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Music by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AlexGrohl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pixabay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

For 45 years, serial entrepreneur Marilynn Deane Mendell, now president of WinSpin CIC, Inc. has contributed to the worlds of business and arts. She is a national keynote speaker and has authored two books, numerous business articles, and works of poetry. She is also a botanical illustrator, abstract artist, and fungi expert. 
Her awards include those received for her writings from the Virginia Writers Club, Golden Nib; a National Conservation Gold Medal from the Daughters of the American Revolution; and Woman of the Year (WOY) awards from Washington Women in Public Relations, NY State Department of Labor, and Everywoman Opportunity Center. She has a BA in Philosophy from the University of Buffalo and is a former adjunct professor at Georgetown and George Mason Universities.
We talk about:
- Unexpected advice that inspired Marilynn to pivot from a successful catering business into marketing and strategic planning.
- Why architects struggle with business development, how firms unintentionally market to other architects rather than clients, and practical strategies for communicating value to decision-makers.
- Generating leads in economic downturns and why firms that continue investing in marketing often emerge stronger from recessions than their competitors.
- The importance of small actions and how firm owners and employees can maintain lifelong client relationships rather than just calling and asking for work.
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Connect with Marilynn:
Website: https://www.winspincic.com
LinkedIn: Marilynn Mendell
Instagram: marilynnmendell
>>>
Thank you to our sponsor:
The American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) is a not-for-profit technical institute for structural steel. The Architecture Center is an initiative of AISC, and was created for architects by architects. It provides resources to help architects save time and money, reduce risk, and achieve their project goals.
Website: ⁠www.aisc.org/architecture-center⁠
LinkedIn: ⁠www.linkedin.com/company/american-institute-of-steel-construction⁠
Instagram: ⁠www.instagram.com/aisc⁠
>>>
Connect with Architectette:
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- LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Architectette Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Page and/or⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Caitlin Brady⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
>>>
Music by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AlexGrohl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pixabay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

REPLAY!
On today's episode of Architectette we feature Dr. Tami Hausman. Tami is the founder and president of Hausman LLC which is an agency that helps architecture and design professionals amplify their influence inside and outside of AEC industries. In addition to her role as president, she is a media specialist, expert communicator, art historian, and design aficionado. Her international roster of clients includes architects, engineers, construction firms, expeditors, interiors firms, real estate developers, project management firms, construction cost consultants, artists, and non-profit organizations.

We talk about:
- Transitioning from Semiotics-French to marketing for architecture firms
- Establishing her firm, winning her first clients, and learning how to run a business
- A special segment called 'Doctor in the Haus' where Tami advises on common AEC public relation questions including:
a. How do I network?
b. Does my firm really need to invest in PR?
c. How do I reach my target audience? What message do I share?
d. Do awards matter?
e. What publications have the most impact?
f. How to avoid being left out of marketing efforts by collaborators?
g. What is too much content?
h. Why does a firm need a marketing strategy?
- We end by talking about rising trends in the AEC industry and what Tami wishes AEC firms knew about communications and marketing
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Connect with Tami: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamihausman⁠
Hausman LLC Website: ⁠http://www.hausmanllc.com/⁠
Connect with Hausman LLC on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/HausmanLLC/⁠ & LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/hausman-llc/⁠
>>>
Connect with Architectette:
- Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.architectette.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Learn more)
- Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @architectette⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (See more)
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- LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Architectette Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Page and/or⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Caitlin Brady⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
>>>
Support Architectette by leaving us a rating and review!
>>>
Music by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AlexGrohl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pixabay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.