year four: donna kacmar, aia
architect works
houston
www.architectworks.com staff: 1 (principal)
years in business: 4
projected revenue for 2003: $60,000
projects on the boards: 9
completed projects: 11
project types: residential, light commercial, institutional
awards: Honor Award, Texas Society of Architects Design Awards; three Honor Awards, AIA Houston Chapter Design Awards; William W. Caudill Award, Texas Society of Architects; Young Architect Award, AIA Houston Chapter
experience: Natalye Appel + Associates, Houston; Murphy Mears Architects, Houston; CRSS Architects, Houston; Case Design-Build, Falls Church, Va.|
education: Texas A&M University, Bachelor of Environmental Design 1988, M.Arch. 1992
affiliations: AIA, Texas and Houston chapters; Rice Design Alliance; Avenue Community Development Corp.
Houston architect Donna Kacmar, AIA, rarely does things in half measures. When she wanted to move out of her poorly maintained rental apartment in 1996, she and two colleagues bought a piece of land and built three townhomes for themselves. When a local nonprofit, Avenue Community Development Corp., asked her for some pro bono drawings, she ended up serving as president of its board. And after establishing herself as an important player at one of Houston’s most respected firms, Natalye Appel + Associates, she jettisoned the security of a staff position to start her own firm, Architect Works. “Everything was great,” she says of life before hanging out her shingle in 1999. “Except I was a little too comfortable.”
Co-designing the townhomes had given Kacmar, 38, some idea of what working on her own would be like. She also independently designed a house for her parents, completed in 1997. Both Modern, modestly budgeted projects won local AIA design awards, and the latter was published in the coffee-table book A House for My Mother. At Appel’s firm Kacmar had drawn up invoices, helped develop fee proposals, co-interviewed potential employees, and managed projects. But nothing in her experience prepared her for the exciting and terrifying autonomy of running a firm. “It’s hard,” she says. “To be your own promoter, own accountant, own everything, you have to try to keep your spirits up. You can’t really call your old boss and ask questions.”
She worked 80 hours a week for the first two years of the business. Now she’s down to an average 50-hour workweek, including the time she spends teaching on the tenure track at the University of Houston’s Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture. Kacmar has taught since her grad-school days, both for the pleasure it gives her and the financial stability it provides. “Because I teach, I don’t have to take every job in order to put food on the table,” she says. She sticks with projects and clients that appeal to her personal sensibilities. So her portfolio is filled with buildings she’s proud of–not A-list and B-list work.
Kacmar’s involvement with community organizations like the Texas and Houston AIA chapters, Rice University’s Design Alliance, and Avenue CDC have staved off the sense of isolation that often stymies sole practitioners. She does hire interns when she needs to, usually on a three-, six-, or nine-month basis, but so far her only long-term employee is herself. Former boss Appel, FAIA, has helped fuel the positive buzz about Architect Works in local design circles, underscoring the impact a supportive mentor can have on a start-up’s fortunes. In fact, Kacmar and Appel are currently working on a joint venture, a Montessori high school in Houston.
Like any small-business owner, Kacmar knows she made some missteps early on–charging too little for her services, for example. But she’s made her firm a success, to the point where she no longer worries about having enough work. And she’s proved she doesn’t need the supervision and structure of a payroll job to produce quality architecture. “I wanted to see if I had the ability to make those decisions,” she says of her impetus for starting her firm. “I wanted to know if I could do good buildings without that oversight.”
verbatim: donna kacmar How did you choose your firm’s name?
I picked a name for the firm that would work with a domain name for a Web site. Back when I started it was hard to find something that wasn’t taken. Also, an anonymous name allows the structure of the firm to evolve over time. It gives you flexibility.
Where’s your office?
On the first floor of my townhouse. I’m thinking about building a house that has an attached office to give me a little more separation between living and working space.
Do you ever feel isolated professionally?
I don’t learn as much anymore because I’m by myself. I used to learn from my co-workers. There’s this hurdle of how to keep learning. I try to ask other architects questions and learn from their answers.
When you started out, what did you do right?
I got advice from an accountant, who told me to incorporate. I also started a Web site right away, with photos of two built projects and my address and phone number. It’s still an issue to be a female architect, and having a Web site and business card give legitimacy to my practice. Also, I’m glad I’ve been involved with community organizations. It gives me access to experiences that I can learn from, that help me with my firm.
What did you do wrong?
I charged too little for my services at the beginning. You have to figure out how to say, “I’m $100 an hour” and be OK with it. I’m almost past that now.
Which contract do you use?
I don’t start charging the client until I have a contract. I use AIA contracts–not a letter agreement. They show the client you’re serious.
What was the biggest capital investment you made?
Computers and software were my biggest up-front investments. For me it was very important to get my software licenses by the book. It doesn’t cost that much in the grand scheme of things. When you get your architect’s license you start to understand that you’re a professional and you have to do things professionally.
Do you outsource any services?
I don’t have a plotter–I e-mail stuff to the reprographic firm and they drop it off the next day. I try to hire people to build models, etc. I try to be realistic about what I do and don’t have time to do.
What do you like most and least about having your own firm?
It’s still hard to get all the procedures down. But there are some really great aspects. I don’t have to work on any project I don’t want to.
What advice would you give other would-be start-ups?
It’s important to be clear in your mind about the type of work you want to do. I’ve been tempted by some things that aren’t in my area of expertise. Also, it’s great to be friendly with your clients, but you should still use a contract with clients and get the initial payment. If they’re not paying, call after 15 days. You have to educate your clients about the process and not just hope for the best.
What is your biggest fear?
You always wonder, what if you make a mistake? There are fewer people looking over my shoulder than there were when I worked at other firms. I hire my architect neighbor to look at my drawings. And I work with good contractors who will catch something if there’s a mistake.
What is your biggest hope?
I would like to figure out how to do lower-cost houses that are well designed. People making under $100,000 a year want nice-looking houses, too–houses that are a little inspiring when you come home.
