Apostrophe Consulting

Check out this awesome new resource from IDEO U on the science of motivating young talent. This aligns closely with the work we've been doing with AEC teams on mentoring, talent development, and communication. Highly recommended! “We forget that young people are trying to make their way through a new industry and they don't know their place yet. The organizational structure of the company feels arcane and impossible to navigate. And as their manager, you are in many ways their only window into that hidden world.” -- DAVID YEAGER, PROFESSOR OF PSYCHOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, AUTHOR https://lnkd.in/eHB-SyXC

Today we joined Wake County Economic Development and Raleigh Chamber for the Innovate Raleigh 2024 Summit at Raleigh Iron Works. In addition to taking in the architecture, we caught up with the entrepreneur and innovators community to discuss startup growth in our region, small business development, funding, and more. We learned Raleigh ranks high for female entrepreneurs, for starting a small business, and as a fast growing tech hub outside of the Bay Area. Apostrophe Consulting proudly launched in the Triangle in 2019, and splits its origin story between Raleigh and San Francisco/Oakland. Photo: Raleigh Iron Works, designed by S9 Architecture & LS3P

If you haven’t caught the conversation with Evan Troxel, NCARB and Cormac Phalen yet, take a listen! Archispeak Podcast airs new episodes weekly!

We love the videos Architects FORA keeps creating. They've figured out how to bring their voice into the design of their business in more than one way, including having a little fun with social media. Keep up the great work, and congrats again on Solaire Apartments!!!

Yesterday AIA Triangle launched the kickoff of the Mini MBA Series, a year long program intended to introduce the fundamentals necessary to manage a successful design practice. The cohort gathered at the North Carolina Center for Architecture & Design to hear from a great panel of speakers. Congratulations to Shannon Robinson, AIA, NOMA and Sam Burner on their vision and leadership to create the program! Programs like this enrich the quality of professional development for everyone who participates. We look forward to seeing how this effort grows over time. We’re especially looking forward to speaking at next month’s May 21 session on Organizational Development & Design! Learn more about this program at: https://lnkd.in/e7B5hZvF

Check out the latest episode of Archispeak Podcast featuring our founder Je'Nen Chastain, MBA, Assoc. AIA! She shares more about her journey from practicing architecture to launching Apostrophe Consulting.

Retreats offer leaders the ideal setting to brainstorm, strategize, and realign team goals to move the organization forward. We've worked with various AEC teams to design and facilitate engaging retreats that inspire creativity and advance team development. Here are 5 ideas for designing your next retreat: 1. Leadership Development 2. Strategic Planning 3. Workshop 4. Team Together 5. Training & Development 🌟 Key Benefits: Increase team collaboration Boost creativity and innovation Improve employee morale and firm culture Grow and build your organization We create customized retreat experiences for AEC firms to support the growth of their teams and companies. Let us help plan your next retreat. Learn more at: https://lnkd.in/dpdm-N7M

Apostrophe Consulting has been growing steadily from initial startup in 2019 to a small team with a growing list of clients across the country. In the same way our consulting practice supports AEC business owners and leaders as they grow their companies, we also have an incredible community of mentors and industry leaders standing with us. In February, Ken Lambla, FAIA, the founding Dean of the UNC Charlotte College of Arts + Architecture visited Je'Nen Chastain at her office at the AIA North Carolina Center for Architecture + Design. Ken played a pivotal role in her early architectural education, inspiring her interest in art, design, community building, leadership development, and the belief that design studio should inspire collaboration and a healthy learning culture. Ken remains one of her most trusted mentors, and joined her for a strategy session to discuss the future of the consulting practice. Blending architectural education, training, and experience with her MBA, Je’Nen wanted to design and build a modern approach on consulting tailored to address the challenges AEC professionals and firms face. With each collaboration our team is helping individuals, groups, and organizations navigate change and grow.

We continue to partner with talented AEC teams nationwide to design, develop, and implement custom talent development solutions. Each program carefully fits the team's unique studio culture. When we partnered with brick., a mid-size Oakland-based architecture practice, we designed their mentorship program to work with their studio model. With a strong startup culture, we layered in the topic of communications, including group activities, discussions, and training. Our favorite part of the process is watching individuals find their voices and light up when they come together. Here are a few shots from our visit to their Oakland office. We prioritize culture because people are the most essential resource in a professional service firm. We believe that a healthy studio culture is a metric for success.

Each month, on the last day, we'll share a topic that deserves your time and reflection. We aim to inspire critical thinking across leadership, project management, and overall firm management to help lift leaders in the AEC industry. Below is our February email, and our focus is on leadership. The first quarter of 2024 is off to an unpredictable start, with rolling waves of changing market conditions across the country. As we navigate a complex year ahead, it’s crucial to be mindful of your communication, behavior, and leadership with the goal of helping your team and projects succeed. In moments of resistance and stress, every leader is challenged to show up at their best. This is an opportunity for each of us to observe ourselves and look for opportunities to improve as leaders. The attached image was our call to action as a team of AIA volunteers who worked collaboratively across time zones to build the AIA Leadership Institute from an idea to over 2,500+ participants. This message still resonates with us, and we hope you’ll remember it. Leadership is about lifting people up and forward. A’ CASE STUDY When offices began reopening toward the end of the pandemic, Je’Nen found herself supporting a group of 18 leaders. After such a tumultuous time, these leaders were doing their best to navigate forward and lead project teams while rediscovering their in-person communication skills. Our cohort conversations underscored the role of leadership in managing through moments of uncertainty. Sometimes, these moments are big, like an economic dip; sometimes, they’re a curveball in your inbox at 5pm. Setbacks can often feel overwhelming. However, with time, seasoned leaders recognize that they are common in our field. As a leader, your role is multifaceted: to not only guide your project but also manage people through challenging moments. To be effective, you have to start by learning to manage yourself. As this team accelerated, mid-level leaders learned to align their goals with leadership opportunities within the practice to drive positive outcomes. Collectively, the group focused on connecting to support one another to create a cohesive leadership team working in collaboration to adapt and navigate downward pressures, changing conditions, and unexpected setbacks. Last year they celebrated several leadership advancements within the team. Self-reflection prompt: Pause and consider the decisions currently evoking strong emotions in your project team. Identify the specific emotion(s) at play. Reflect on how emotion is influencing actions and outcomes. Can you cultivate awareness around how emotions impact you and your team? Consider the type of leader you aspire to be and how you will respond when your emotions are heightened.