Let’s Talk: Inside the A+D Studio

Elisabeth Sporer, business management consultant, architect and founder of SO|arch in Berkeley, will discuss how top A+D Firms stay competitive in a down market. Small and medium sized firms learn to better understand tools and tac-tics to weather the storms and even grow their firms during challenging periods.

What are the “profiles of success” for A+D business? How are purpose, profit and portfolio interconnected? Why is a good business strategy dependent on financial health?

SO|arch’s best practices are grounded in financial health. Drawing from Elisabeth’s extensive experience helping cli-ents successfully navigate the various phases of their business’s life cycles . Elisabeth will present hybrid case studies showing blueprints to address immediate needs, such as balancing a short-term impact plan with an annual strategic plan; creating leader-ship strategies to keep employees engaged while managing costs and cash flow, and navigating the long-haul through a 5 to 10-year business plan.

This presentation will better equip sole proprietors, boutique studio founders, and leaders and managers at mid-size and large firms alike to be responsive in the near-term, but also, proactive, and future-facing in their pursuit of peak performance for their businesses.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion, participant will be able to:

1. Identify operational tactics for immediate implementation

2. Create or refine their own blueprint for success

3. Learn how to best measure financial results

4. Establish solid connections between purpose, profit and portfolio

About the Presenter:

Elisabeth Sporer, AIA LEED AP, CIC

Principal, SO|arch

Elisabeth is a licensed architect in California and Berlin/Germany, a LEED Accredited Professional, a business strategy consultant and certified integral coach Her multi-faceted professional experience spans design and architecture to business strategy, business and practice management in her native Germany and in the US for firms such as EHDD, Perkins & Will and STUDIOS, among others. She holds a Master of Science in Advanced Architecture Design from Co-lumbia University in New York, as well as a Master of Architecture and a Bachelor of Architecture, both from TU Berlin and is an Adjunct Professor at the California College of Arts in San Francisco.