Community-Impact Consulting

A Welcome to Practice Disrupted, a podcast where we find ways to create new solutions to current challenges while elevating the value of architects. I'm your host, Evelyn Li, an architect who spans tech as an angel investor, start up advisor, and founder of Practice of Architecture. Whether you're a seasoned architect or just starting in the field, this podcast is your gateway to think differently about the role architects play within our global community. Hello, disruptors. Welcome to this week's episode of Practice Disrupted. Today, we're thrilled to welcome Joshua a Foster, an award winning community builder, architectural designer, educator, and speaker. As a founder and CEO of JAF, Joshua leads a consulting firm focused on creating meaningful impact within the built environment by empowering the AEC and real estate industries to maximize their contributions to communities. His work redefines traditional architecture services, making community impact the core of every project.

A In addition to his work at JAF, Joshua serves on several influential boards, including the National Organization of Minority Architects or NOMA, and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture or ACSA and more. His commitment to advancing the profession and his experience across organizations make him an inspiring advocate for expanding how we think about architecture and consulting. Today, we'll explore Joshua's journey from traditional architectural practice to launching his own community impact consulting firm. We'll discuss his approach to charging for services that others often give away, his strategies for aligning with architecture firms, and how he's reimagining the role of architectural consulting in the AEC industry. Hi, Josh. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to join us. Welcome to Practice Disrupted.

B Thank you very much, Evelyn. Been looking forward to this and excited for this conversation.

A Yeah. So just like a quick icebreaker, is there anything you look forward to in particular either as we close out the year or in your personal or professional life as we go into holiday season too? Yeah. Well, I'll and professional life as we go into holiday season too?

B Yeah. Well, outside of the the fun things that usually happen during during this this time of the year, being able to connect with family. Usually, I always take my wife and son back to the northeast from where where I'm from and get to have them experience that because they're Southern California and your babies, and so always get to experience that cold part of the year. So that's that's that's just usually the the fun part about the end of the year for me. And, also, which we could possibly dive into later, but on the side of free time that I don't really have, I've coached high school football as as well. And so this is always a fun time of the year. We're gearing up hopefully for playoffs soon, so that's always fun as well.

A Wow. That is exciting. What made you wanna coach high school football?

B So myself, football was a big big part of just how how I grew up. I started playing probably when I was around 9 or 10 years old. Was fortunate enough to be able to play in college, and after I started my professional life, I always felt the itch to be a part of it again. And a few few years ago, I I was able to start coaching out here in Long Beach, California, which has been awesome. A way to be able to give give back to local youth as as well as to be a part of the sport again for for me.

A I just wanna piggyback off of that. I used to coach soccer too because I played in in college, so nice to have a fellow intercollegiate athlete on the podcast. But once they hit 9 or 10, the parents got too involved. So I was, like, always 8 and younger when I was coaching.

B Yeah. I've always said it would either be 8 and younger or high school because at least at high school, it seems like the the kids tell their parents to stop being so in involved. So it's it's that balance with that. But that middle part does get tough.

A Yeah. Okay. Not just soccer then. American football as well, not just European football. Football. Okay. So I wanted to talk a little bit about JF Creative Solutions. We ran it briefly in the intro, but can you elaborate a little bit more on what it means to run a community impact focused consulting firm?

B Yeah. Definitely. So JAF, really was born out of the, I guess, desire and passion for myself to to figure out how to break through the ceiling of impact that I felt personally I I didn't have in my role in traditional art architecture practice. Loved what I did, love art art architecture through its core. I mean, I still teach it and things of that nature, but I felt like there was a missing piece for myself of how to tie impact into that full development process, from design through construction. And and so with it being being birthed with with that eat eat those, really at the core of what we do is really just looking to figure out how can we make every part of the process be impactful. So from the beginning, entire settlement process, going through design, going through the construction process, and then wrapping it up and really seeing how that, encapsulates a successful building project. I think for myself throughout my educational career, the success of a building usually was focused on the way it looked and not necessarily how it impacted where where it was.

B And and so that's that's that's really the way that it it ties in into the the type of work that that we do. I I can get more specific though about

A Yeah. I mean, that was gonna be my follow-up question. So you talked about being more impactful and it being beyond just what the building looks like. So how would you define impact?

B For me, the definition of impact really lies on exactly who the community is in and around what that project is. And so one one of the biggest thing I always push is that no one is the expert of a community, other than the people that are actually there. So the impact for a specific project if for us is is defined at the start of the project when we are communicating with the stakeholders, with with the people that are gonna be involved around it with the community, and then they let us know what would be an impactful project for them. And then for us, we we really see it as our our job is to get as many of those things as as possible. They can be tan tangible in terms of things we see. A a lot of it leans towards more more resources. And so overall, for me, Impact is just that people that are involved with that project, whether physically involved with it or live in the community around it, see that it better their lives in some way.

A Yeah. And from what I recall from our earlier conversation, I'm still trying in my head to wrap my head around, like, who is the actual client that you're working with? Because, you know, at the beginning of the process, you talk about engaging the community. In the middle of the process, the community through design. And then when it goes into, like, construction documentation and specification and even selection of contractors. You talk about ensuring that you're not only working with, you know, like, minority and women owned businesses, for instance, but they are really community focused. So who becomes your client or or who who is your client throughout this? Is it the person with the money? Is it the architect? Is it the general contractor? And how do you make sure that you're a part of the entire process all the way through?

B Yeah. So that's a great, great question. I think the the way I look at it is in a perfect world, it would always be the person with the money. So because that that had allowed us to come at the start of the project and work all all the way through. So there there are times we're able to do that whether it be a city municipality or whether it be, the developer or so so on and so forth. Most of, of of the times, unfortunately, this part of the process of impacting community engagement isn't always, thought out at the very beginning. So because of that, we slide in where we're, a, able to so that we can make the most impact with whatever that is. So sometimes that then ends up meaning we slide in with the architecture team.

B So sometimes our direct client is the architects, and then we work specifically with them through who to design. Sometimes it is directly with the GCs, and we work specifically, with them at the start of construction. So it really varies on client in the terms of who writes the check, but for us, we always feel like our responsibility is that community, period. So for us, that's technically our client. They're just not the one that writes the check, which is the way we like that and we don't want the community to have to pay for that.

A Right. So what does business development then look like for you? I mean, if you're chasing, kind of, these 3 clients and always have to know what project is going to be next within in the community so you can make sure you're a part of the community team?

B Yeah. So, for me and I think one of the things that allowed me to feel comfortable in even going this direction, because, to be honest, and not necessarily the the the business jump that I would recommend for everyone, but it was one of those, you know what? This is something I I wanna do. I'm about to quit my job with no clients and start this. That's how that really started. But for me, what made me feel comfortable about that is I felt like there was always a sense of business development personally even before I had a business and that, really came with I had a deep involvement with AIA. I had a deep involvement with NOMA, a deep involvement with UULI, u USGBC. And so I was just naturally around a lot of the in high hindsight, different clients that I would end up being connected with. So a lot a lot of it really comes off of word out of mouth, comes off of people knowing the involvement that I had with with these type of initiatives even before it became a business.

B But forward thinking, the business development usually ends up, at least for myself, looking at the thought leadership side of it. So whether it's speaking at lectures at schools or conferences and things like that, that's where a a lot of connections to potential clients come from. And now I'm really starting to hit hit the stride, I think because we're a little over 3 years in of now figuring out the business development strategy in terms of going after clients that may not have ever heard of the type of work work we do at at all. So so that's that's been more more strategic as as in looking up different types of companies and firms that align with the experience that we now now have over over these past 3 years. Sometimes it's cold cold calls. Thankfully, for the most part, the network that we've we've had is has grown enough that it usually is 1 or 2 degrees of salary operation. And so it's kind of asking, hey. We'd see this type of company and find someone that knows someone in there.

B And so it's it's it's been more organic that way. Because for me, there's been projects that we've turned down because we've we've realized that the actual goal of that potential client was, actual goal of that potential client was more so in the checkbox nature versus actually being able to create the most impact. And so, yeah, that's something that I could talk about for hour hours, that that balance. But yeah.

A I think we should touch a little bit on that. But I also wanna go back to something that you said about how you, you know, left a job with no clients to to kind of jump into this new role. Was is there anything else that was driving that entrepreneurial spirit within you? That's scary for any person, let alone any architect to to do. So what else is in your background was creating or driving that passion for you?

B Yeah, that's that's a really good question and and it's funny, so we started it in 2021 and so it was on on the hills of the pandemic boom of people wanting to go off on on their own, but I always found it interesting for me where I don't necessarily attribute that timing to be the reason why we started it and more so is that timing just allowed me to be in my thoughts at my own desk at home that allowed me to think a little bit more through, like, this has been something I've been thinking about, this gave me more time to figure it out. So I kinda want to preface it with that, but I think the biggest thing is I would say I've I've lived a lot of lives in my decently short short time on this earth that always somehow ties back to some sorta entrepreneurial excursion for the moment of me just having a passion about something and figuring out how to do it. So in college, I DJed. It was literally me me and a friend of mine. We ended up doing parties throughout New New York City. And I started d DJing because we realized how much it would cost for us to hire a DJ each time we did these parties. So I taught myself how how to do it so that we could pocket the most amount of money as possible. And so that started things like that.

B When I was in grad school, I started a digital MAGA HAG magazine that focused on really uplifting minorities, people of of color and their voices within the professional world that were just recently graduated. And so that's something I worked worked on for her a few years. There's all always been things, even the start of this business, when I was like because I didn't have clients, I taught myself how to design websites. And so I started working with small businesses to help help them develop web websites so they can get in in into the digital digital world, especially, again, coming off the hills of COVID. There was a lot of need need for that. And so it was just always like, okay, let me figure out a way to bring in some money and tie it with the things that I'm passionate, about. So I think I didn't think about it in that nature when I started JAF, but I think kind of now you ask asking that question, those things really attributed to I always kinda thought in that way and just kinda figured it out and made it work, but not really in in a formal business for format, until JAF, came here about when I was like, okay. I wanna actually make this a business, the the types of things that I'm passionate about, which all all all those different things just comes down to building community in some in some form or fashion.

A You and I talked about, like, it it would be so great if more architecture firms were able to even establish this type of work as a studio. But I also feel like this is the type of work that architects always end up giving away because they'll respond to an RFP, they'll win, and they'll say, like, we actually really we really need more engagement with the community, and they'll kind of end up just writing it into the contract. So what does that mean for you when you're actually trying to get paid for the work that you're doing? And architects are like, we're giving away the service right now.

B Exactly. And and so there's there's a couple different angles I I look at it. And so one is real really starts off again. I mean and this is probably reason, me not going to business school, so there's a lot of things that I I I say and talk about that I'm like, that might not be the best business way to to put it. But for me, it's like, honestly, in a perfect world, because I'm passionate about the work that we're doing, in the next 10 years, if we were completely obsolete because this was ingrained into the design process, I would actually be happy and that's fine. And, again, as you can tell by my answer before, that I will probably find something else to do that that excites me and figure out how to do it. So that's completely fine with me, and that really is is is this a goal. So for firms that are going after projects, where there really is no budget at at all, that's why a lot of the work that I'm really passionate about, whether it be the different non nonprofits that that I'm I'm a part of or whether it be through just speaking engagements and things, I really like to share our process as why at least possible.

B It's it's it's nothing that we're hiding or anything of that nature because I know a lot of the times it just isn't part of the project budget to get those things done. So for our end, how it actually is helpful for for her business and how we can actually sustain is we do tend to go after the projects that are large enough for those budgets to be woven into. And, again, in in in the nature of figuring out how to DJ or design websites or things like that, really, what we do is we just use our expertise to be able to plug in into any part of the project that will get us into the door. And I feel like I'm passionate enough about what we do and knowledgeable enough about the process of development, design, and construction that once we are in, whether it be even with a small scope, 9 times out of 10, the scope tends to grow because because we we can kinda now show that it's also important for us to engage in the construction side of this design process too or this part of it, things things just like that. So so there there's times where, case in point, literally before this, I was working on a proposal for RFP. And part part of the scope that we were boarding through the design team on as we're going after this was specifically, they only had listed 2 public workshop meetings, and this is for a large mass asset plan project. We know that it it should be way more than that. So how we started that scope is, yes, we could do this, and then we were able to dig into the rest of the RFP process and look look at all all of the rest of the requirements from the engineering side to the master plan process side to the entire entitlements package for the EEIR and things like that and tie in our scope because of the different types of projects we worked on that we can support on the EEIR process or we can support on the entire entitlement process to do things that technically has to be done, whether it be connect with stakeholders that are with the city or different things of that nature, and then tying into that how we then can still integrate community feedback throughout that process.

B So we find ways to plug into the different things that are were acquired just from the building and the design process to allow us to really dial into creating the most impact.

A That's amazing. It's interesting because, again, going back to your clients, sometimes it's the people that are paying the bills, sometimes it's the architects, sometimes it's it's the general contractor. But it also sounds like, you know, a a part of what you need is to even grow that network beyond when it comes to, like, who are other community partners that you need to be partnering within these various communities. So how do you balance all of those relationships?

B And I think, I mean, that's the key word is is relationships. So we use the word, and I use the word a lot, network, but it really is the relationships that's that's created with it. And so, I think I've been blessed throughout my career that most of the people that I connect with has come in a non transactional way before I started the business, that being able to tap onto a lot of the connections that I have, they understand that it's genuine and really trying to create impact. So it's then allowed that when we do have to go to the transactional side of of keeping these partnerships, there's all always still still a clear connection with what the actual mission alignment of the the work we're trying to do is. And so, honestly, it's it's one of those things where just trying to stay as connected and in touch with the work that the different types of partners that we have done or wanna wanna do work with and and the things that they do allows there to really be a balance of resources and so a lot of times, for example, there's a really good friend of mine. His name is Kev Heves Jarad. And so he he works, officially at Gensler as as well as, he's a professor at UUSC. Kevin and I are good friends to start, period.

B Beyond that, we both know what we're both passionate about, which is along the same lines of of community building. And so, literally, it's him and a few, other of my good friends and colleagues like the DeMar Matthews and a few other people that if we pick up the phone and just say, hey. This is a project that's going on. Before they even get to what the details are, it's already a yes. How can I help? And and and so it's some some of those types of, connections that allow us to balance out the resources that may not necessarily be be there for certain projects. I think I I kinda went into a different direction of answering

A that question.

B But but, yeah, I I I think real really what the purpose of of of that side of that anecdote was is that it's understanding really what the person and the individual is passionate about makes it a lot easier to grow and keep keep those relationships whether, say, if Kevin and he has made no mention of this, so Gensler don't hold my mom and be mad at me, but as an example, if Kevin tomorrow decided to work for a different firm, it doesn't change our our connection and and base because I know what he's passionate about. It's not because of Gensler. It's because of who Kevin is. Gensler happened to be a part heard of some of the projects we work with because that's the resource that he has at this moment.

A So here's a big question that I always get for people like yourself and me who've, like, gone away from the traditional path.

B Yeah.

A Do you miss it at all?

B No. I don't miss it because I think I think it really comes down to I I feel like I'm still a part or a part of it. And and so I I'm just a part of it at a way that is just a different side of of of the table. So I I get to work with just Royal Lahonia Designers, constantly still really amazing contractors, really great people in the development world. And when I was working in traditional practice, I was sitting next to brilliant designers and project managements. I was on job sites a lot and things like that. So that collaboration effort, which every project I've worked on, it has you have to collaborate with different people. I still get to collaborate with those same types of people.

B I think for myself, it's probably been easier because a lot of how do people go into our our architecture school wanting to be the next big designer and see their buildings across the entire world? I realized quickly that while I did wanna be a part of a lot of really great projects, that the upfront design side of things wasn't where my skill sets were. My skill sets lied more heavily into the project management, construction, and administration, and really just getting the work done. I was fortunate enough while I was on on traditional side, I did I was able to have my hand in in a couple of design parts of projects, but I my my skill sets lean more and more toward the technical and project management side. So I feel like I didn't have to step away from seeing my design somewhere, which is isn't necessarily a a bad thing, but I I would imagine that if that was where my passion lied before, that might be the thing I would miss the the most.

A Well, I mean, what I love about JF Solutions and what I'm seeing from Gen z that's, you know, graduating into the workforce now is they're really impact using your definition of impact. They're very impact driven. Right? And they want to work for I think they want to work directly with the communities that are being affected. They wanna see their impact that they are bringing through their work, through architecture within those communities. And I don't know. I I feel like you're the target audience for some of these new graduates that are coming out of university right now.

B Yeah. And and that's that's that's been been something that is is been one on a I I think the the the toughest things, about the small business and new new business within these first few years is that the great thing, there's I can't tell you how many times I get approached by college students or recent college graduates that are looking for a job and, like, we want to work for you. I'm like, hopefully, at some point, right now, I can't sustain hiring all all of these different types of people and graduate staying. Thankfully, we've been able to have have a few in interns here. I mean, they're both high high school and college, which has helped helped out. Looking forward to getting to a point where I could say yes to all all these amazing new students, but but, yeah, I I definitely agree it's something that that I've I've realized that which makes me feel great about this next generation of of just design lead leaders is that impact is really at at at the core of a lot of what they wanna do within this world. And and the way I I try my best to stay connected with that is is through the teaching side, that that I do as well. And so that that allows allows me to feel a little bit less bad and like, yeah, I I I technically can't hire y'all, but I'll I'll pour in as much as I can and I'll direct you to a lot of the great partner firms that we do work with that that you may be able to still fulfill that that part of, your your just career journey with.

A Yeah. So architects always talk about, like, measuring our value and getting paid for our value. Impact, I think, you know, is equally hard to kind of measure. So when you look back on this year, like, how how are you measuring your own growth and effectiveness as a partner to the various different clients that you have?

B Yeah. And it's when I first started the business, I told myself that I wasn't gonna measure impact by numbers. A few years into the business, I realized I can't continue to get projects if I can't measure impact by numbers, but that just won't be the driving force of why how we do things. So that that's always a funny thing for me to think hang about. So on a numbers base, whenever we're going after our RFPs or different proposals or or things like that, we can kinda touch on numbers. Like, in the past few years, we've worked on almost a half half a $1,000,000,000 of projects that have impacted the community, which has been a couple thousand people that have been affected through these different projects. And so we I work in broad numbers that way because of the way that we've been attached to projects. They always look for the project value, and things like that.

B But the the biggest way that I like to measure impact internally is just by the stories, that any of the projects we've worked on or we're currently working on, there's at least a dozen people from those projects each that I can go up to and talk to and just ask them about the the process or how how they felt about the the the project that was being worked on. And not necessarily saying that all of them will say it was a perfect process. I don't think man would say that, but just about the fact that something changed within that project process because they were able to even be just a part of it, just just on the communication aspect of it, let alone resources that were provided or things of that nature. And so this past year, we've actually been looking in internally and we're trying to figure out a way to make this as a bigger part of the work we do. We started doing some internal research on how we can leverage the metaverse, how we can leverage a AI tech technology to really start to capture these stories and figure out a way that we can show the qualitative and quantitative data of what impact is so that we can extract numbers for the people that need the numbers to continue to invest in these types of projects, but also still be able to show the stories that actually make the projects impactful in in in the way it is. So that's something we've been working on and we're trying to figure out how to how that can become a a consistent thing. But it's it's it's been one of those it's been one of those ideas and thoughts that the company was started with, but it's it's always one of those chicken and the egg things where you you wanna show impact, but you can't really do it unless you have the projects that can be the case studies, but you can't get the case studies for the projects unless you show that you can prove impact. And so it's it's kind of been that cycle, and now we're finally hitting the phase where there's been enough projects we've worked on that now we're trying to go back and see how do we really look at that and turn it into data on both sides.

B Because we do realize there has to be data that's number driven so that if things are just plugged into a pro form a for for example, though these projects will still happen at an impactful level because it makes sense for for the pro form a even though that's not the goal. You know, money drives the way these projects go. And so we're trying to figure out that balance right now.

A So how have you been documenting these testimonials? Is it just, like, literally reaching out and emailing and say, like, can you tell your story? How have you been gathering those stories?

B Yeah. So for for some of the projects we've done so far, a lot of it has come on in that way. And you usually whenever we're a part of whether we're leading our co leading community events or workshops or things like that, it's it's it's a pretty intensive documentation process. 1, again, because a lot of it is always making sure that we can continue to prove the value of the work we're doing so that it doesn't get cut in the next phase of of the project. So a lot of it is just based on that, but different ways that we've been low hooking at it. So, for example, one of the projects we we actually did on on a pro bono basis for a nonprofit down in San Diego, we we work we work with a few teams off off top design and then a company out of Las Vegas called Aero AI to create a virtual museum that's housed in the metaverse to be able to show the findings of this nonprofit which teaches young women of color how to become drone pilots and map different genealogies throughout time. It it goes over my head because they are brilliant. I I can't even tell you exactly how it's done, but they produced a lot of really great work, but didn't have a way to really show it at the level it it needed to be.

B So long long story short, we we helped in that facilitation of creating a virtual museum that is kinda like a video game in the metaverse where people can jump in and see all of these things. And then part of it is that's the collection of stories of those young girls, but also the collection of stories of the people that they had to interview to build this this collection of data. And then the goal for this project is to continue to be a space that there can be, community virtual community events. Like, there's a theater that's built outside the metaverse. There are different, ways that the non nonprofit could hopefully raise raise money through virtual events, but all also ways that more stories can continue to be collected. That is, like, a completely separate type of day to collection, but one that, we we realize is a really unique way to provide building resources to communities or nonprofits that don't actually have the resources to make the physical building. They couldn't build an entire museum. That's gonna cost tens and tens of 1,000,000 of dollars to be able to show what they were doing or not saying they couldn't, but it probably wouldn't be the best use of their their funds because they're trying to create the most impact in the communities they're doing.

B And so we're really just throwing darts at a dart board in terms of a bunch of different ways that we could start to collect that data in story format that now we're trying to figure out now what does that look like in in more of a new numerical format that can tie back to seeing, okay, now after seeing this for x amount of years or months or or whatever that is, we saved x amount of dollars by not building this building in May, making it virtual and they actually made x amount of dollars that went toward their their funding and their impact. So we can look look at it in that way. Or if it ends up being a completely separate project, that's a that's a physical building for someone else, seeing, okay, how many people were engaged throughout this design process? What what what were the stories from them? But what was something throughout that process? Because us us working with the design team, let's see the design where it was before we engaged it with the community. Let's see what it is after. And then now start to figure out, did any of those design changes save money from the actual project team itself, or or what does that design change have in in in relation to the actual, involvement that people had with that project after the fact? Or so there's a lot of different ways to try to capture it, and that's what we're really wrap up in our head, around now. We just we just completed that project, the virtual museum project. And and so it's it's really been the better part of the last 6 months that we're now trying to figure out how to use data from projects like that, and then also the physical projects we worked on to to track, different forms of impact. But that that it might take some some some years to really make it all make sense, but yeah.

A That kind of segued to my next question. And I think it sounds like a very unique experience with a very specific type of technology forward thinking nonprofit organization, obviously, drones and and everything else. But, you know, the the question that I was going to ask you is a lot of architecture firms are trying to figure out what does the evolution of technology mean for how they do work going forward. And, you know, I see kind of a bountiful opportunity for you, and the example you gave actually created a a potential new revenue stream for the nonprofit organization. But in terms of the ability for more of the community to interact with your community engagements, right, from, you know, maybe there are people that because of job and time, caretaking, or disabilities that actually couldn't get out to the in person engagements. So are you looking at different ways to leverage technology to actually engage larger numbers within your own engagement?

B Yeah. Very very very much so. And so I think the, I guess, initial gut reaction to taking community engagement from in person, person to person to a virtual space sounds counterproductive, but I think the way you described it is the same same way we think about it is that we don't wanna look at it as a way to replace, but more so to increase accessibility for a lot of the reasons you you just mentioned. And and so that's that's been things we've been looking at because there's different projects and physical projects. We we've worked with different companies, like Rios and our our our Arcadis and different companies that have their in house technology team that creates these amazing models, And and so we we can work with them to have these models and be our glasses for community, members that are there, but all also it it could be a space that can be a link that community members can go into and kinda walk around and things like that as well too. And I think for different ways, of course, this thing like the virtual meetings that we could do on Zoom for people that can't attend, there's always those types of things that are really practical. But even just the different ways that technology can be a part of the the design process through engagement is is is another opportunity just to show just more inclusion into now the the the tech side of things, for for people in these these communities that may not have realized that that's a potential pathway here to have. Like, I didn't even know the the drone side of things my myself.

B And there's been people through who who did that project that now started their process of becoming drone drone pilots and making extra money for doing different things like that as as part of the community we're working down within San Diego. And so there's ways that that can be integrated into it as well. Few years ago, part of the SoCal Noma song, hummer camp that I've worked with for a number of years, IBI group who's now our our arcade is act actually made the virtual full space of all the designs that the youth in that summer camp did, and they kinda put that together, and it still lives that people can go around. And I can imagine that, saw saw some of these kids that did something that may just have been hand drawings or or Google Google SketchUp model that now lives in this really awesome space, like, I can, imagine that that's something that they're just gonna be proud of forever even if they never touch design again. And so there is a lot of, just ways that that just creates inclusion and opportunities for different, youth and community members to be a part of this this world beyond it being helpful for actual project to prioritize the level of getting feedback.

A I wanna make sure if you know of any of those links to any of the projects that you're working on or have worked on, that they get dropped into Yes.

B Definitely will.

A The show notes. So our listeners can go and check out the work that you're doing as well and and the community engagement. So it's interesting to have heard about your entrepreneurial journey. What is your view on where the industry, more broadly, architecture needs to head to remain relevant?

B Yeah. That's a great question. And is is is one that is is funny. I wrestle with it daily because on the educational side of things, one one on, one of the classes that I teach consistently at a local community college is intro to architecture. And that gets a extremely broad spectrum of people that are interested in it, are not, are just taking it because it's a quick one credit ahead of course that that they need for their GE or something like that or people that really are trying to get into it. And one of the biggest things, and also being on the other other side of academia, having been involved or connected with or lectured at a lot of, quote, unquote, elite institutions, is that architecture, for me, has always seemed something that has been surprisingly so traditional when all of the people that I've met in it are really so innovative. And so I think that the state that things are and then even transitioning that transitions into the professional world of things is that there's we're we're at that, I guess, that that tension line of wanting to keep the nice box that being an architect should be in for for the professional side of it to everyone that has even touched an architecture education in some way, whether it was AA degree up to a master's degree, they are part of this ecosystem of designers in the built environment that whatever trajectory they go into, I see that as a success for the profession because it's it's it's growing the people that are knowledgeable in design thinking and creative problem solving and things of that nature. So I think as a whole for the world, we're in a good place.

B As the profession and people that are running architecture practices, I think we're at a pretty behind pace because we're not figuring out how to maximize maximize on all these amazing talents and thoughts and ideas that people that were in our in industry for however many point that they are however many points of their career that they felt like they had to completely leave it to be able to be innovative. So I I think right now as a profession, it's important for us to figure out how do we capture these ideas and innovations into the way that traditional practice is so that it doesn't necessarily have to I have to go start a whole new company to to do something that I think is innovative within. Because that was never my goal when I started Argoire Architecture School was to possibly start a firm, but it was gonna be a traditional our our architecture firm at some point. I never thought I was gonna do something different. And I think a lot of people that did end up going in a different direction, I I would imagine didn't necessarily think right away that that's what they were gonna do also, but I think it's because of the constraints of of the profession where it is right now. Do I have a solve for that? Not necessarily yet, but that is something I think about daily and really want want us as a profession to figure out because there's so much money left on the table, I think, for architecture firms that that doesn't have to be left there. It's just it's just because we aren't going and getting it.

A So at the top of the conversation, you mentioned, you know, if JAF Creative Solutions went away because the work that you are doing is being done in every single architecture firm, you know, like, all the better. And I would say, it would mean that there's been a tremendous mind shift in the industry towards opportunity and being more entrepreneurial. But you are in Long Beach, and you have a lot of things on your plate. So what is what's next in the near term for you, and do you see opportunities to kind of expand what you're doing more broadly, and how do you wanna do that?

B Yeah. That's a really good question. I mean, I I think from a a couple different, I guess, thoughts that that I have on that, one from a personal level, I mean, just every everything right now is pointed in the direction of me trying to figure out how can I end up spending more time with my family, how how can I end up, hoping to build generational wealth with an in individual level? So I would hope that if j f was gone in in 10 years, that would all also be because I made enough money that I can do those things. But from know knowing myself and just being passionate about the work that I'm doing, for me, it it really probably falls within the 2 buckets related to this profession. 1 is to continue teaching. That's something that I didn't necessarily start my career thinking I'd ever be interested in. I was, fortunate to be connected with a mentor when I was in grad school that was the chair of the department at East Los Angeles College, which is community college out out here as well as being a, practicing art architect. And he talked me into starting my teaching career there, and I've loved teaching since then.

B So I do see myself, probably in the near future leaning into full time professor track, not necessarily full time in in the in the thought of I'd completely stopped doing what I'm doing, but full whole time in in in the sense, which I'm sure you you know, but from a a broad audience, full time as as a professor in the our our architecture world doesn't mean that you have to just stop everything else. So so yeah. So so I think that's definitely something that I will lean into more as the teaching side. And then also something that I I kind of walked backwards into because of that word again, relationships and just trying to figure out how how I can be the most helpful to the relationships that I have, but into the impact development side of of of the world. And so I got a certificate of real estate development when I was in grad school, mainly just to be able to figure out what does this actually mean in the grand scheme of architecture. This is still when I thought I was gonna be in traditional practice, for the majority of my career. I I was like, I don't really understand how we get paid as architects or who pays us and why we get certain percentages and where do these performance look like and the reasons why we had these design decisions. So I got the certificate purely for just I just wanted to know.

B As I kinda gained that knowledge, I was like, yeah, I don't think I ever wanna actually be a developer though because that's not where my passion is. Again, relationships kinda backing into just saying how can I help and have a good relationship with a really dynamic nonprofit leader, philanthropist down here, his name is Styx, and he runs an organization called ThinkWatch Foundation and I'll share that in the show notes as well too? And so a lot of the work he does or all all of the work he does is based around community impact. A lot of it has gotten tied to impact, tied to the real estate development and the built environment world. He has no background in that. And so me me and him, by a bunch of different random connections and then come home to find out that his blood cousin grew up with my wife and was actually ended up being the one on of my groomsmen in my wedding, we didn't me me and Styx didn't know that connection until after we had at all already started doing some work together, and then we realized we were actually connected beyond that. And we we we were having conversations, and he's like, I know you are in this world. Can you help me figure out how to develop a impact focus, develop a how how long may company so that a lot of the work we're doing can really fully be tied back into resources giving to the community rather than just, oh, hey. We give advice or consult to different developers, and they can decide to take our advice, our knowledge with these communities or not.

B And so for the past probably year and a half, I've been help helping him build that. There's a really strong possibility, that going into 2025, we'll have a number of of projects kind of getting off off off of the ground focusing on that ethos of of community impact being at at the core. There's there's that side of things where I I guess, and I don't wanna claim the name developer, not that I have anything against developers, but I just never thought that would be the direction I'd go. I always tell people, no matter what, I'm you could just call me a community builder. I love going by that the that nature, but that that might be a a big part of the work that I continue to do with and then beyond JAAF, beyond my continued involvement in JF because I I I really do hope and see that JF continues on and evolves into what whatever the profession needs at at at that moment. So whether that's me running a day here today or at that point, hopefully, I'll have have enough people on on on staff and on team that I can lead it into whatever direction it may need to lead into. But that develop development side seems like it's something that that might last for the duration of my life, I guess.

A Hi, disruptors. Thank you for joining us today on an episode of Practice Disrupted. If you like the content for today's show, you can find all of our past episodes over on practice of architecture.com slash podcast. Be a part of the conversation by joining me, our speakers, and other disruptors in our community at practice of architecture.com/community. Our social media handle is practice of arch. That's practice of a r c h, we'd love to hear from you. So feel free to drop us a DM and say hello. Tune in next week for a new conversation on change in the profession.