In this 3-part Small Firm Series, Rena M. Klein and her colleagues at CVG will share fundamental knowledge, strategies, tools, and resources for successful small firm adaptation and transformation. Tailored to the needs and interests of small firm practitioners, these interactive half-day sessions will include compelling presentations, case study features, workshop activities, and ample time for peer-to-peer discussion. Both full series registration and single-session registration are available.
It is not too late to sign up for all three sessions! If you purchase the April 14th session (either on its own or part of the full series), we will send you a link to the session recording and a pdf of the session slides.
April 14th, 9am - 1pm PST - Session 1: Stabilize Your Small Firm With Strategic Business Planning (Rena and Emily) 4 AIA LU|Elective available
Managing a growing design firm offers a variety of unique challenges and opportunities. An unpredictable business environment and a quickening pace of change requires firm owners to adapt, but how can firm owners proactively prepare for growth in uncertain times? We will demystify the business planning process. Each attendee will develop their own business plan outline in this interactive workshop – so you can leave inspired, organized, and one step ahead of the competition!
April 28th, 9am - 1pm PST - Session 2: Effective Strategies for Advancing Emerging Leaders and Transitioning Ownership (Rena and Sun) 4 AIA LU|Elective available
How do firms succeed in transitioning ownership and leadership? When should firm leaders begin thinking about ownership transition, and what options are available to firm founders approaching retirement? How can successors truly leverage the knowledge and connections of the founder? Planning for leadership transition brings up many questions and few answers; however if a firm leader intends to transfer ownership to the next generation, emerging leaders need mentorship, tools, and skills to succeed. This session will outline structured stages of professional development for emerging leaders as a key component to effective ownership transition
May 12, 9am - 1pm PST - Session 3: Streamlining Operations to Achieve Your Business Goals (Sun and Erin) 4 AIA LU|Elective available
Business planning and professional development mean little without proper implementation. How will you structure your team for the greatest results? What bottlenecks are slowing down your design execution? Can clear roles and responsibilities improve operations while also creating paths for advancement? This session will explore alternative ways of thinking about your day-to-day operations using case studies from other small design firms.
Pricing:
All Three Sessions
AIA Members - $80
AIA Associate Members - $50
Non-Members - $125
Students - free
Individual Sessions (per session)
AIA Members - $30
AIA Associate Members - $20
Non-Members - $50
Students - Free
Emily Hall
Partner, CVG
Emily leads CVG’s marketing program, with a joint focus on attracting new clients and managing the broader marketing team that serves CVG’s Investment Partners. She brings over 20 years of architectural marketing experience to CVG, with a focus on discovering a firm's authentic personality and using it to drive strategy. She served for over six years as Senior Associate and Director of Marketing and New Business Development at Union Studio Architecture & Community Design and for nine years at Durkee, Brown, Viveiros & Werenfels Architects, both architectural firms in Providence, Rhode Island that have experienced significant growth. She received an MBA from the University of Rhode Island, a Master of Industrial Design from Rhode Island School of Design, and a BA from Colorado College. Emily is based in Detroit, Michigan.
Rena M. Klein, FAIA
Partner, CVG
Rena leads CVG’s Investment Partnership Program. She has been instrumental in fostering connections between firms in the CVG network and developing the infrastructure of CVG’s knowledge sharing community. Additionally, Rena advises all CVG Investment Partners on best practices in finance and operations.
Rena is a nationally-recognized expert in small firm practice and author of The Architect’s Guide to Small Firm Management (Wiley, 2010). With 20 years of experience as the owner of a small architecture firm, and over 10 years as a consultant and educator, Rena brings a special understanding of design firms managed by entrepreneurial architects. Rena served as executive editor of AIA’s The Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice, 15th edition (Wiley 2013) and is past-chair of the National Advisory Group for the AIAPractice Management Knowledge Community. She is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Sun Joo Kim
Senior Management Consultant, CVG
Sun brings over twenty years of experience in architectural practice to her Senior Management Consultant role at CVG, where she focuses on helping firm owners improve financial and operational aspects of their businesses. With a passion for developing teams, Sun Joo supports clear communication and building trust. She has led teams and studios in both private and public realms including the Smithsonian Institution, Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates, and the State of Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality. Her most recent civic engagement is directing a pro bono project for a women's and children's day shelter in Portland, Oregon.
As a published author and contributor to books, magazines, and news blogs, Sun Joo is adept at communicating complex ideas and goals to diverse groups. She enjoys facilitating conversations to reach shared understanding and is often invited as a moderator and speaker for workplace and diversity, equity, and inclusion issues.
An active advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, Sun Joo co-founded Diversity in Design, a professional resource group for designers of color. She has led and championed DEI committees and task forces for organizations such as the Urban Land Institute and the CREW Network. Sun Joo holds a Bachelor of Architecture with an Additional Major in Social History from Carnegie Mellon University. She is based in Portland, Oregon.
Erin Murphy, AIA
Senior Management Consultant, CVG
Erin is a purpose-driven and collaborative leader with a passion for helping architects succeed. She brings broad experience in leadership and staff development, project management, and strategic planning to her Senior Management Consultant role at CVG. Her analytical and results-driven approach enables her to operationalize and execute high-impact initiatives that improve business performance.
Prior to joining CVG, Erin spent a decade at the American Institute of Architects. In her role as the Senior Director of Workforce Development and Strategy at the AIA, she advocated for emerging and mid-career architects. She also led the team that conceptualized the AIA’s ARE-prep program (ArchiPrep), the association’s first mission-driven product serving emerging professionals. She transformed the AIA’s Women’s Leadership Summit into the largest event for women in architecture while also stabilizing the business model to become revenue-neutral for the first time. Erin also contributed to the AIA’s Guides for Equitable Practice, an in-depth resource for architecture firms to advance equitable and inclusive policies and behaviors within their businesses.
Erin spent the first half of her nearly 20-year career as a practicing architect in New York City and Washington, DC. While at Robert A.M. Stern Architects, she led the campus-wide space planning and programming for a new library and classroom building at the Bronx Community College.
She holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Syracuse University. Erin is based in Arlington, Virginia.