Leads

Home show is paying early dividends from meeting new people, getting my name out there, and a great vibe. Launching my website, again, new facebook fan page, that will announce when I land projects, etc. I want to get these things started now so that there is a track record, showing how I have grown as an architect, businessman, etc. Linked in connections are getting bigger and better. Next is getting my BNI chapter to grow to get more leads. More pix to come for the website, blog, and portfolio.

Website Relaunch

Exciting news! hand-architect is relaunched! Uniting all of my web based content with facebook, blogger, linked-in, and hand-architect. Once all of these are connected and at the same level, it should be more of maintenance, not creating so much text and unifying the styles. I am aggressive about this web presence and sure that it will return on the investment quickly and have enduring use.

Home Show Follow Up

I had a chance meeting with a potential employer at the Home Show. This was a great chance to network and feel out how they see the market and growth in the future. Heard many positives from them and was also surprised at the small number of architects in attendance. Plenty of good leads coming. More to come.

Home show Update

Today was an unexpected pleasure, the Valley Forge Home Show. Similar to the Lancaster show from a month or so ago, I met with many builders and have some great contacts for future work. I can't stress enough how important networking is and having a successful business is just getting out to press the flesh. I hope to report back soon about work that has been shaken free!

Weekend Update

A nice drive to the Baltimore area renewed my enthusiasm for the Chester County farmhouse as I drove from central to southwestern Chesco. The land undulates and is dotted with great examples of farmhouses and barns.

I am still working on getting out and meeting more builders and potential clients. My only beef is the lack of communication from the AIA to regional architects about events. The last two home shows in King of Prussia have been totally under the radar and unpublished. Nonetheless, I will attend tomorrow and hope for the best.

Township Approval

Reviewing pix of the Upper Uwchlan buildings on the historic register or are over 100 years old, one revelation happened to many in the audience of the Village Concept Committee, Porches are great on houses! I have been preaching this for years, I hope that this enthusiasm for porches continues when we move forward with more concepts and builders in the years to come. I certainly hope that many of the other virtues of vernacular architecture are understood and appreciated to create a dynamic and vibrant village!

Buildings talk to me!

I hope that most architects can hear the words of buildings around them. Yesterday, while driving in some nice spring weather, with the kids yelling in the backseats and my wife trying to quiet them, I thought, "at least buildings don't talk." But that statement is false. Buildings talk, their volume can be loud and quiet, interesting discussions or boring, etc. Nonetheless, this is a way in which architecture is like music, physically, perceived by our senses, even before we begin to digest it or comprehend the art of the building. Sometimes the sarcasm that occurs makes you think about an everyday occurrence in a different manner. Don't stop looking for parallels in other facets of daily life.