Architect's Essentials of Starting, Assessing and Transitioning a Design Firm

Peter Piven, FAIA, is a principal consultant of The Coxe Group, Inc., Philadelphia, the oldest and largest multidisciplinary firm providing marketing and management consultation to design professionals. He is a guest lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Fine Arts, the Harvard Graduate School of Design, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.Bradford Perkins, FAIA, MRAIC, AICP, is the founding principal of Perkins Eastman Architects, PC, a 750-person architecture, planning, and interior design firm based in New York. He is the author of Building Type Basics for Elementary and Secondary Schools, Building Type Basics for Senior Living, and International Practice for Architects, all published by Wiley.

• Introduction. PART 1: STARTING A DESIGN FIRM.Introduction.Deciding to "Go on Your Own".Marketing and Sales.Financial Management.Negotiating Fees and Contracts.Organization and Personnel.Legal and Ethical Issues.Resources and Support.Strategic and Business Plans.Planning for Excellences.Potential Cuases of Failure.Launching your Firm.Appendix A. Study Guide.Appendix B. Charting Your Course.PART 2: OWNERSHIP TRANSITION.Introduction.Ownership Transition Options.Determining Candidate Selection Criteria and Communicating Founders? Expectations.Valuing the Firm: How Much is it Worth?Making the Purchase Affordable: Ownership Transfer Mechanisms.Design the Ownership Transition Program.Getting the Ownership Transition Program Started.Documenting the Ownership Transition Program.Choosing the Form of Entity.Developing Leadership in the Firm.Preparing for Future Transition.Glossary.Bibliography.