As Built

Hosted by Brian Jones and Patience Jones

Business Marketing

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Episodes

127

Latest episode

Apr 2026

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About the show

The professionals who build buildings also need to build their practices. The key to business development in the built environment is understanding the relationship between architects, building materials, contractors, and clients - and how each group makes decisions. In As Built, you'll hear from industry leaders about how they built their practice. Hosts Brian Jones and Patience Jones will also provide insights from their experiences helping firms in the built environment industry grow and succeed. Our series on the Nelson-Atkins Museum International Design Competition received a Silver Medal in the 2025 W3 Awards in the category Podcast: General Series - Cultural Institutions.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

April 16, 2026Episode 12619 min

How to Stop Writing Boring Firm About Pages

If your architecture firm's About page sounds like every other firm's About page, this episode is for you. Hosts Patience Jones and Brian Jones break down why so many firms end up with generic, forgettable positioning statements and, more importantly, how to write one that actually works. We discuss: Why vague language like "excellence" and "collaborative" fails to differentiate your firm from competitors How to identify what makes your firm worth hiring How to create a framework for building an effective positioning statement that doesn't copy from competitors Whether you're writing your About page for the first time or overhauling one that's been collecting dust, this episode gives you a clear starting point. Subscribe to As Built for more practical marketing guidance built specifically for architecture and construction professionals.

April 8, 2026Episode 12516 min

How to Market a Project Type You've Never Done Before

Wanting to break into a new building type or market sector is exciting, but it comes with a real challenge: how do you win work you or your firm has never done before? In this episode of As Built, Patience and Brian tackle one of the most common growth obstacles for architecture and construction firms, and lay out a practical roadmap for making the transition. We explain how to: Identify transferable skills and processes from your existing portfolio Use photo and video storytelling Quietly expand into a new sector without alarming your current clients or signaling inexperience to prospects If you're feeling like you're stuck in a cycle of "wanting to do it but haven't done it to prove you can do it," this episode is for you. Subscribe to As Built so you never miss an episode.

March 26, 2026Episode 12413 min

Project Sheets 2.0: Win More RFPs With Smarter Submissions

Project sheets might not get your blood racing, but they can make or break your next RFP response. In this episode of As Built, co-hosts Patience Jones and Brian Jones dig into what it actually takes to upgrade your project sheets from a static archive into a strategic tool that wins commissions. Episode Highlights: The two core purposes every project sheet must serve Why a "kitchen sink" version is the right starting point for tailoring submissions to specific RFPs How storytelling, context-driven photography, and linking to dedicated project pages online can help your firm stand out from the competition. Patience and Brian also tackle why listing your project partners is a sign of strength, not a liability, and how to think about QR codes and hyperlinks that extend your document beyond the printed page. If you want to stop scrambling every time an RFP lands and start submitting materials that actually communicate your value, this episode is for you. Subscribe to As Built so you never miss an episode.

March 11, 2026Episode 12314 min

Questions We're Frequently Asked

In this episode of As Built, co-hosts Patience Jones and Brian Jones tackle the most frequently asked marketing questions they hear from professionals across all industries and leadership levels, no live audience required. They cover which social media platforms your firm actually needs to be on (and why cross-posting the same content everywhere is a waste of time), whether social media is truly non-negotiable for firm growth, and the real reasons your award-worthy project might not be getting published. They also dig into the "easy button" question every firm asks: what's the single most impactful thing you can do for marketing when time is limited? Whether you're just getting started or refining an existing strategy, this episode offers honest, practical guidance rooted in years of experience working with architecture and design firms. Subscribe to As Built wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss an episode.

February 26, 2026Episode 12212 min

How Are Your New Year's Resolutions Going?

We're almost two months into 2026, and most likely you are in the majority of people who feel like they're not as far along on their goals as they envisioned they would be. Don't beat yourself up! Listen to this episode and learn how to objectively determine how successful you've been, what to do to get back in gear, and when to abandon what now longer sounds like a good idea. Episode Resources Connect with Brian Jones and Patience Jones: • https://www.graphicmachine.com/ • https://www.linkedin.com/company/graphicmachine/ • https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-jones-graphicmachine/ • https://www.linkedin.com/in/patiencejones

January 28, 2026Episode 12110 min

Building Up Resilience

Resilience might be the thing your firm needs most right now: the ability to withstand hardship and to come back. Resilience is not never having a bad day. Resilience is not never being upset or never disappointed or never sad. What is resilience? Why does being resilient matter? How can you become more resilient? Episode Resources Connect with Brian Jones and Patience Jones: • https://www.graphicmachine.com/ • https://www.linkedin.com/company/graphicmachine/ • https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-jones-graphicmachine/ • https://www.linkedin.com/in/patiencejones

January 21, 2026Episode 1209 min

Should Your Firm Enter Competitions?

Competitions can be a very big part of an architect's professional life. Are they the right thing for your firm? How do you know? What can you expect to get out of entering, and more importantly, what will you need to put in to achieve that goal? In this episode, we unpack how to know if the competition approach is right for your firm. Episode Resources Connect with Brian Jones and Patience Jones: • https://www.graphicmachine.com/ • https://www.linkedin.com/company/graphicmachine/ • https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-jones-graphicmachine/ • https://www.linkedin.com/in/patiencejones

January 14, 2026Episode 11910 min

Communicating Across Generations

Instructions getting missed? Announcements being misunderstood or ignored? It's likely not what you're saying, but how you're communicating it. Each generation expects to receive information in their preferred formats, so how do you reach everyone? Spend 10 minutes listening to this episode and find out. Episode Resources Connect with Brian Jones and Patience Jones: • https://www.graphicmachine.com/ • https://www.linkedin.com/company/graphicmachine/ • https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-jones-graphicmachine/ • https://www.linkedin.com/in/patiencejones

December 3, 2025Episode 11811 min

Navigating an Acquisition

Acquisitions can cause a lot of panic, uncertainty, and confusion. They never go smoothly, so what we talk about in this episode are things to keep in mind so that it goes more smoothly. From how and what to communicate to how to be a good team player, this episode will help both acquirers and acquirees. Episode Resources Connect with Brian Jones and Patience Jones: • https://www.graphicmachine.com/ • https://www.linkedin.com/company/graphicmachine/ • https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-jones-graphicmachine/

November 6, 2025Episode 11710 min

The Architect Stereotype and How It Impacts the Profession

The architect stereotype of a bespectacled, tote bag-carrying curmudgeon makes for great insider jokes, but that can seep into how prospective clients think about both your firm and the profession. In this episode, we unpack the architect stereotype, what's really behind it, and how to be aware of it so you can use it to your advantage. Episode Resources Connect with Brian Jones and Patience Jones: • https://www.graphicmachine.com/ • https://www.linkedin.com/company/graphicmachine/ • https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-jones-graphicmachine/