Tyler Suomala’s Post

I spent 25 years of my life chasing perfectionism. But perfectionists don’t get anything done. Why? Nothing is ever perfect. Literally nothing. It will never happen. So if you keep waiting to do something until it’s perfect, well, you’ll be waiting forever. And if you evaluate everything you do against perfection, you’ll be endlessly disappointed. Both of those outcomes suck. So I threw out perfectionism. And embraced imperfection. Now I make mistakes ALL THE TIME. But guess what? It’s 10 steps forward and one step back. Perfectionism is one step forward and 10 steps back. Progress over perfection is the only way forward. --- ✍ Have you ventured beyond perfectionism or is it an ongoing struggle?

Architects: Sales is not about selling. Sales is about solving. Remove the picture from your mind that a salesperson is some sleazy guy from a 1970s car dealership that will tell you whatever you want to hear as long as you buy a car. That is not sales. That’s just greed. Nobody wants that. You are the expert that can evaluate whether or not your firm is the best solution to a problem (because you see the same problems over and over). You’re not the right solution? Refer them to another firm. You are the best solution? Awesome, you will make their lives infinitely better. --- ♻️ Repost if this is helpful 🔗 Click the link below my name to join 10k+ architects reading my free newsletter every Sunday morning :)

I’ve posted on LinkedIn everyday for almost 3 years. The results have rocked my world. Here’s what’s happened: 🟢 My posts have received nearly 15 million impressions. 🟢 My following has grown from <500 to 31,000. 🟢 My profile has been viewed 50,000+ times. 🟢 I’ve connected with many incredibly talented and driven people in the AEC space. 🟢 I’ve been invited to 15+ podcasts with hosts I truly admire. 🟢 I’ve learned new, incredibly beneficial skills like copywriting & content creation. 🟢 I started a new business and newsletter for architects at Growthitect(dot)com 🟢 And 10,000+ architects have joined since September of '22! 🟢 I subsequently launched the Growthitect Podcast over the summer And guess what? When I started, I had no idea what I was doing. I wasn’t sure how to find ideas for content. I didn’t know how to write for LinkedIn. I didn’t know who would read it. I just started. Because sometimes that’s all you CAN do. So this post is for YOU. (Yea, YOU, the person reading this right now) Whether it’s posting on LinkedIn. Or trying something new. Or starting a business. Or overcoming a fear. Or asking for a raise. JUST START. And do it today. I’ll be shocked if the results don’t rock your world. 🙂

99% of architecture firms misuse social media. And leave behind a pipeline of clients... Here’s what they’re doing wrong: - Sharing images of every completed project. - Celebrating their own accomplishments. - Fishing for follows and compliments. It may help to stroke your ego, but those followers aren’t very valuable if they’re only following you for pretty pictures and renderings. Would you rather have: - 20,000 followers that just like architecture but will never be a client - Or 1k followers that are just waiting for the right time to hire you You should be using social media to find clients, not followers. “How do I do that?” Stop talking about yourself, start talking about your client. Instead of: “Redwood Tower is a 100k sq. ft. mixed use built to accommodate X companies and Y families…” Say: “When [client] came to us, they weren’t sure of what they wanted to accomplish. We worked alongside them to establish priorities, discover a vision, and execute their project on budget…” As a client, which are you more likely to follow up on? Change the perspective of your language. Write to your next client rather than yourself. Watch a new pipeline develop. 🙂 --- Click the subscribe button below my name to join 10,000+ architecture leaders getting sales & marketing growth hacks in their inbox every Sunday morning :)

The design secret top firms don’t want you to know: (It's the detail that sets them apart…🤫) They focus their design energy where end-users spend their time. This is most clear with restroom design. Restrooms are the MOST used spaces but often the LEAST considered. And when they’re neglected, end-users leaves with a tainted experience of the architecture. Top firms know this. So they make sure that they focus their energy on creating remarkable restroom experiences by partnering with The Splash Lab. It’s an easy way to differentiate. The Splash Lab has refined the look and function of thousands of restrooms worldwide. Award-winning firms like SOM, Gensler, and Foster + Partners trust them to create memorable restroom experiences that reinforce their brand. (And so do hundreds of other firms of all sizes) Reach out to The Splash Lab & they'll help to enhance your most used spaces :) --- Thankful for The Splash Lab x Growthitect 2024 Partnership! I love partnering with companies that make it easy for architects to increase their value :)

Season 2 of the Growthitect Podcast is coming soon! Here's a clip from Season 1 to think on: BTW - what will be on Season 2? I'm switching it up! Season 1 took us on an incredible journey of witnessing one talented architect launch his firm and land his first clients. I LOVED that we packed every episode with actionable advice and strategies. In Season 2, each episode will be with a different architect. They'll come with one or two of their BIGGEST challenges they need to solve right now. And we'll work together to tackle their challenges and come up with a game plan. If you're a firm leader or firm owner, this podcast is made for you. And it's not for entertainment. It's for action 😎 What's a challenge that you want to see addressed in Season 2?

Architects: Focusing solely on design will limit your success. Clients don’t speak your design language. They’re looking for more. This is why it’s so important to communicate the value and impact of your designs effectively. But because of this focus on design, many architects struggle to differentiate, grow, and flourish. Struggling to get clients to see your value is what leads to under-appreciated work, underpaid work, and burnout. Design might be the most important thing to you. Heck, it’s even the tool that gets the clients what they want. But it’s not the most important thing to them. You need to speak their language. Here are four steps to help you get started: - Highlight the unique outcomes (not features) of your design. - Show how your design solves specific client problems. - Use real-world examples to back up your claims. - Focus on long-term benefits for clients. This is how to differentiate yourself and diversify your value BEYOND design.

Hindsight is 20/20. But I wish I knew these sooner. Which one do you most relate to? → 01: The best way to enter any conversation is by assuming that you have something to learn. → 02: Your value is based entirely on what your client trusts you can do for them. → 03: Sales is not about selling. Sales is about solving. → 04: The person asking the questions is the one controlling the conversation. → 05: Never assume that the client knows what they want (they don’t). It’s your job to figure it out. → 06: Energy is infectious, so make your energy good. --- ♻️ Repost if this is helpful 🪴 Click the link below my name to join 10k+ architects reading the Growthitect newsletter

1500+ architecture firms discovered a cheat code: → 21% more efficient → 67% less time spent on business tasks → $25k additional annual revenue PER employee What is it? They use Monograph to measure and manage their firm’s projects and performance. It’s a project management platform built specifically for architects. I’ve worked there for 3 years and had more than 1,000 conversations with architects about the challenges they’re facing in their practice. Monograph is BY FAR the best option for architecture firms that want to take back control of their business. → Design-centric → Built by architects for architects → So easy your team will actually use it → Producing data-driven results for 1500+ firms So if you’re a firm owner or firm leader interested in: → 21% more efficiency → 67% less time spent on business tasks → $25k in additional annual revenue PER employee (not a typo) Then send me a quick DM that says "Monograph". I'll get you set up with our amazing team so you can check it out 🙂 --- PS - This is not a sponsored post. Just me sharing my opinion and experience from 3 years with an awesome company that makes life better for more than 10,000 architects. Happy to answer any questions in the comments!

Spread the word. (What else would you add?) --- ♻️ Repost to help spread the word 🪴 Click the link below my name to join 10k+ architects reading the Growthitect newsletter