How Should Architects + Structural Engineers Work Together? w/ Point B Design Group & A-1 Engineers
Why don't Architects sketch with clients anymore? And why don't Engineers invest in teaching their Architect collaborators? These two Austin firms have revolutionized collaboration by front-loading coordination, using paper to build trust, and aligning billing phases perfectly.In this episode, you will learn:→ Why front-loading structural knowledge eliminates late-stage coordination disasters→ How paper sketching prevents "too precious" client paralysis in early phases→ The transparent billing model that forces perfect architect-engineer phase alignment→ Why trust reduces process steps and speeds project delivery→ How to break the linear design-coordinate-redline cycle that burns monthsMeet our guests:Maggie Wylie, AIA, is founder of Point B Design Group in Austin, Texas, specializing in residential and commercial projects with a focus on collaborative efficiency. Moises Cruz is principal structural engineer at A-1 Engineering, bringing military training and forensic expertise to prevent construction failures. Together, they've completed 6 projects with 4 more in progress.Ready to monitor your business health and make smarter decisions about when to hire, find work, or pull back? Join over 12,000+ Architects and Engineers on Monograph! Get started at https://monograph.com
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How this Architect quit corporate life to start a new firm but without all the growing pains
In this episode, two ex-corporate architects explain how running their own business actually meant less admin than being employees at a large company.What you'll learn: → Why small firms can now punch above their weight with the right tools → How to set up professional operations in 30 days instead of months → The payment processing strategy that gets you paid in 27 days → Why custom corporate tools often create more problems than they solve → How to focus on design work instead of managing business systemsDanielle Elzahr and Bryan Anthony Alzati are the founding principals of Rescale Design Collab, a boutique architecture and interiors firm in Miami. They left successful careers at a large corporate firm to build a practice that prioritizes design over administrative overhead. With three people and a network of production partners, they work with commercial clients while maintaining the personal attention only small firms can provide.Ready to build professional operations from day one? Learn more at monograph.com
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Hospitality Design w/ Michael Hsu, FAIA + APTUS - How Should Architects + MEP Engineers Work Together?
Creating the perfect restaurant vibe requires controlling air temperature, velocity, day lighting, and acoustic quality all at once, but most architect-engineer teams can't coordinate at this level.In this conversation, you'll hear how these Austin-based firms have sustained their decade-plus partnership working on everything from P. Terry's locations to the iconic Headliners Club renovation. They share their approach to early MEP integration, project selection criteria that protect both profitability and design ambition, and the trust investment required to learn each other's design language.What you'll learn:→ Framework for selecting projects that balance financial viability with design ambition→ Why bringing MEP engineers into conceptualization prevents expensive redesigns→ How to achieve precise technical coordination for hospitality experiences→ Trust investment strategies for building decade-plus consultant partnerships→ Real-time collaboration challenges and timing protocols that actually workAbout the guests:Michael Hsu, FAIA leads Michael Hsu Office of Architecture, a nationally award-winning practice in Austin focused on hospitality-driven projects. His design philosophy roots in empathy, storytelling, and aesthetic connection to culture and nature. Eric Zissman and Sujay Regmi co-founded APTUS Engineering, a performance-driven MEP firm known for service-oriented culture and collaborative approach across commercial, healthcare, and educational sectors.Ready to improve your project coordination? Monograph helps architecture and engineering firms track projects, manage resources, and collaborate more effectively. Learn more at https://monograph.com/
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How this Architect became more selective with clients using Monograph
Architecture firms often accept any project that comes their way, but what if you could use data to choose only the clients who value your expertise?In this episode, you will learn:→ How to replace fragmented spreadsheets with unified financial tracking systems→ Why historical project data transforms proposal accuracy and profitability→ How to identify profitable vs. unprofitable project types using past performance→ Unexpected scheduling benefits for firms with mixed employment models→ How financial clarity gives you confidence to price appropriately and choose better clientsMeet Wendy Klepcyk, AIA, Principal Architect at Envisage Architecture, a 8-person Cincinnati firm that evolved from reactive project acceptance to strategic client selection through three years of data-driven decision making.Ready to gain financial clarity like this Architect? Learn more at https://monograph.com
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How Should Architects + Structural Engineers Work Together? (w/ Arch11 and KL&A Engineers)
Most architects treat engineers like a service you hand work to, but what if your breakthrough moments happen when you start conceptual conversations before making any structural decisions?What you'll learn:→ Why bringing consultants to the table "as quickly and early as possible" unlocks structural innovation most firms never discover→ How to reject the three-legged stool myth and achieve budget, schedule, AND quality through honest upfront planning→ The resource coordination system that prevents "everyone else's fires from becoming your fire" across multiple firms→ Why picking up the phone beats endless teams chats for solving complex design problems fast→ How fifteen-year professional partnerships enable vulnerability and breakthrough collaborationIn this episode: Ken and Jeff reveal how their fifteen-year partnership transforms projects through early integration, transparent resource planning, and maintaining human connection in an increasingly digital world. From conceptual conversations about "what the building wants to do" to weekly coordination meetings that prevent project chaos, this episode challenges every assumption about how architects and engineers should work together.Guest Bios:Ken Andrews is a principal and partner at Arch11 in Boulder and Denver, delivering artful and resilient design across residential, commercial, and institutional scales for over 20 years.Jeff Myers is an executive principal at KL&A Engineers and Builders, a 30-year-old firm generating $40-50 million annually across five Rocky Mountain offices. With 25 years of structural engineering experience and an architecture degree, he brings unique dual-discipline perspective to collaborative practice.Ready to transform your consultant relationships? Visit https://monograph.com to see how over 12,000 architects and engineers coordinate resources and manage projects.
About Architecture & Engineering Business Strategies
Welcome to The A&E Business Strategies—a podcast hosted by Monograph about the architecture and engineering leaders who run great projects and firms. Monograph is the easiest project management software used by 12,000+ architects & engineers to manage projects on time, on budget, and profitably. Learn more about how it works at Monograph.com
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