Being a sole practitioner is one of the hardest jobs in architecture. They have to be all things to all people: a business winner, designer, technical consultant, accountant, and social media and marketing manager all rolled into one.
Add in a changing legislative landscape and a crushing cost of living crisis, and it’s no wonder why sole practitioners feel they’re operating at the most stressful end of the profession.
While being a sole practitioner can sometimes be difficult, there are advantages; the freedom of not working for a big company, being your own boss, and a work schedule that suits one’s lifestyle and family needs. However, sole practitioners need support perhaps more so than most – technical help, ideas sharing, and even a critical friend to provide advice.
Where do they get this support from, and what can sole practitioners do to feel less isolated?
What is the hardest thing about being a sole practitioner architect?
The hardest thing about being a one person practice is not having anyone in the same room to ask for help, says Nils Feldmann, principal of Leicester based Feldmann Architects. Every question, he says, often takes an hour out of his day to answer, simply because, unlike a regular office full of colleagues, there’s no one else to ask. He has to find the answer himself.
To help – and a way to feel more connected – Nils will make a phone call to a former colleague, another architect he knows to be in a similar position or someone who has worked on a similar project. Or at least that's what they used to do. For the last two years he has been a member, and more recently one of the administrators, of the Small and Emerging Practices WhatsApp group in the East Midlands, which he cheerfully describes as “fabulous” and “amazing”.
Online support communities, such as regional or local WhatsApp and Facebook groups like the one mentioned above, have become the go-to help centres for sole practitioners who need support and answers to their problems. Users describe them as “virtual RIBA branches”, whether or not there is any direct RIBA branch support or involvement.
“I can post a question and I would say in half an hour I’ll have at least three or four responses,” he enthuses. “I also monitor all of the conversations, which means that I’ll sometimes find that questions have been answered before I ask them. It’s my support network and almost my virtual office right there.
“Very often the response will be from someone I’ve never met in person. There are users who usually might stay quite quiet, but who will step forward when they feel they have the most useful advice.”
However, the group is not just about finding answers to technical queries and or asking about planning obstacles. There is also a 'mixture of agony auntying, self-help, and therapy along the way' he adds. Nils gives credit to Northamptonshire based sole practitioner Madeleine Adams, who practises as studioma, for setting up the group.
How can RIBA's local branches help?
Nils is active in RIBA’s local branch, the Leicestershire and Rutland Society of Architects, and puts great store by person-to-person networking at branch level, which he believes is far and away the best networking option for small practices. He loves the way small practices enjoy helping each other out because they - unlike larger practices - do not see each other as competitors.
Another way Nils connects and stays active is by sitting on the design review panel, Design Midlands, and teaching both of which are great for informative conversations and sometimes recommendations for other consultants or contractors to work with. For on-demand help and advice whenever you need it, the WhatsApp group has been a game changer. "If you don’t have something similar available, take the initiative and set one up" he suggests.
Find out more about RIBA's regional network and how they can help architects
What else can help a sole practitioner?
Christine Thornley, Director of Darlington based Grove Studio Architecture, has been a sole practitioner for 10 years and, like Nils, misses the interaction she used to get in an office and the ability to bounce ideas off other people.
To stave off loneliness, she has also joined an online support group for small practitioners, which she says is great for asking direct questions, or just letting off steam when frustrated.
Christine is Chair of RIBA Tees, the local RIBA regional branch, and always makes an effort to attend small practice group events, such as their co-working days. She sees it as a great way of interacting with other architects in the same boat who are likely to be facing similar challenges.
Recognising that covering all of RIBA’s core CPD topics can be challenging for isolated sole practitioners, she set up “CPD Snippets” as a weekly post for local members on the branch's social media channels. Each week she picks a topic from the core curriculum, or gets a suggestion from a member, and creates a series of links to research papers, websites, or video presentations.
Her advice to any sole practitioner who hasn’t already done so is to join the local RIBA branch, and if it isn’t doing what you need then get involved and have some influence. She also recommends seeking out online support groups and in person co-working groups for both practical support and a sympathetic ear.
“Talk to people and keep talking to them,” she urges. “Support networks take time to cultivate and you have to work to keep them alive, but the effort will be worth it practically and socially.”
Thanks to Nils Feldmann, Principal, Feldmann Architects; Christine Thornley, Director, Grove Studio Architecture.
Text by Neal Morris. This is a Professional Feature edited by RIBA Practice team. Send us your feedback and ideas.
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