First off, a sincere thank you to those who have contributed to this Spotlight feature. Even in the short time that I have been working on this I have learned so much already from you brave souls who put yourselves out there in the world, chasing after your dreams! Thank you for your willingness to share your story with us and contribute to this community of fellow dreamers.We are very very excited to present to you Lauren Moss, Architect and Partner of Moss Yaw Design Studio (MYD Studio). Lauren is a graduate of UC Berkely and has started her own architecture firm based in south Orange County. Lauren and I crossed paths during our involvement with the U.S. Green Building Council, and I soon discovered that she has a ton of energy, ideas and commitment to offer and our goals for our companies were closely aligned. A great person to kick off this Spotlight event. Enjoy!
MDS: Lots of people have great ideas but never act on them for one reason or another. What made you take the leap into making this real for you and taking it to the next level?
LM: Though there are a number of factors, I’d have to say the impetus came from a combination of a sense of obligation to myself and increasing desire to advance my career goals. The catalyst to actually make some enormous changes in my life was as simple as circumstance.
On January 9, 2009, I became yet another statistic reflecting our increasingly distressed economy. Being forced out of that comfort zone, I starting looking more closely at the world around me. Without projects and deadlines dominating my life, I was compelled to address those things I wished I was able to do if I wasn't chained to a computer all day. So, in addition to making a commitment to broadening my exposure to things other than work (reading, travel, painting, etc.), I also decided it was time to do what I had intended to do with my education all along- work for myself.
Since that surreal Friday in January, I have attained my architectural license, opened my own sustainable architecture and design firm (MYD studio), started a non-profit with other entrepreneurs I've met along the way, but best of all, I find myself inspired on a regular basis.
On January 9, 2009, I became yet another statistic reflecting our increasingly distressed economy. Being forced out of that comfort zone, I starting looking more closely at the world around me. Without projects and deadlines dominating my life, I was compelled to address those things I wished I was able to do if I wasn't chained to a computer all day. So, in addition to making a commitment to broadening my exposure to things other than work (reading, travel, painting, etc.), I also decided it was time to do what I had intended to do with my education all along- work for myself.
Since that surreal Friday in January, I have attained my architectural license, opened my own sustainable architecture and design firm (MYD studio), started a non-profit with other entrepreneurs I've met along the way, but best of all, I find myself inspired on a regular basis.
MDS: What has been your biggest challenge so far with taking on all of this?LM:The biggest challenge I have faced personally is getting past the fear of the unknown and figuring out where to start and how to do it. This encompassed a number of issues, tasks, skills and logistics that I had never dealt with previously. Working in mostly larger-sized offices for the majority of my career, I wasn’t exposed to many aspects of business operations- things that would have seemed simple before became more uncertain without guidelines to follow, especially regarding such basics as communications standards, writing contracts, types of insurance, marketing and branding, and a host of other seemingly unexciting , but necessary items.
To compound this uncertainty, it was very difficult to do this mostly on my own in the beginning. Though I have a full-time partner now, for over the first year of my practice, I had to either teach myself, reach out to colleagues and mentors, or turn to the internet to understand and implement the necessary elements of a small practice. The value of direct contact and physical proximity to colleagues who know the ropes and are willing to answer questions, clarify uncertainties and give direction, cannot be understated, and when you’re on your own, you have to put a little more effort into creating and maintaining those resources.
MDS: What is the best piece of advice anyone has ever given you regarding attaining your goals?
LM:I think to sum it up in simple terms, it would be to keep moving forward and avoid self-doubt, regardless of setbacks and uncertainties. It’s a bit of a cliché, but true.
I’ve also been told (and finally started to learn) that it’s important to take things in stride, try to minimize stress, and enjoy life while you’re at it. No matter what happens, I know there will probably always be plan check corrections, that not every potential client will hire me, and that I will definitely make mistakes on the way.
Inevitably. But it happens, and life goes on.
I’ve also been told (and finally started to learn) that it’s important to take things in stride, try to minimize stress, and enjoy life while you’re at it. No matter what happens, I know there will probably always be plan check corrections, that not every potential client will hire me, and that I will definitely make mistakes on the way.
Inevitably. But it happens, and life goes on.MDS: What tips or advice would you offer to someone who is considering a venture like this for themselves?
LM: Be as informed as possible, but also be prepared to be unprepared! You can never account for everything and unanticipated hiccups are inevitable. More importantly, though, they’re almost never insurmountable and there are usually multiple solutions to every problem… It’s okay to take risks. I have grown so much in such a short period of time by taking risks.
That said, one should still take whatever measures possible to think realistically about the pros and cons of being a sole practitioner and running a small business. Every individual has to decide what’s right for himself or herself, taking into consideration all the factors that will affect or will be affected by this new venture. It’s a difficult exercise, because often one doesn’t know what those factors are until they happen, so that’s when you just have to trust things will work out.
That said, one should still take whatever measures possible to think realistically about the pros and cons of being a sole practitioner and running a small business. Every individual has to decide what’s right for himself or herself, taking into consideration all the factors that will affect or will be affected by this new venture. It’s a difficult exercise, because often one doesn’t know what those factors are until they happen, so that’s when you just have to trust things will work out.
MDS:What made you choose this business/ field above everything else out there in the world to do?
LM: Architecture is never stagnant- it’s constantly evolving and as such, there are always new ideas to explore, new problems to solve and opportunities to learn, allowing for an incredibly creative, stimulating, and fulfilling practice. I am grateful for the opportunity to be in this profession and of course, I think it’s endlessly interesting… but it's difficult to think back to why I chose this field in the beginning! I love to make things and I always have. I don’t know if becoming an architect was a choice or an inevitable result of an instinctive desire to create.
MDS: How long have you been at it and where do you want to take this? Or have your arrived? Are you living your dream? If not where do you want to be in 1 year… 5 years… 10 years??
LM: I’ve been working in the field since I graduated from UC Berkeley in 2002- I started out for a year or so at small firms, building models and doing some basic drafting- the usual. I then worked for three years at a larger residential office, where I spent a year in the production department, on construction documents, details, etc. I spent the rest of my time there as a designer and was fortunate to have the opportunity to actually design early in my career. This was a critical element in gaining confidence in my abilities, and it enhanced and informed my understanding of the relationships between aesthetic considerations, such as scale, massing, style, and the functional needs of residential project types.
After that, I moved on to another large office, and spent several years working on K-12 projects. Large-scale project management in the context of institutional and public realms exposed me to the details of the construction process, how to handle code-related issues, and team coordination. Now I’m back to residential (mostly), and this feels right. As I see it, different product types are almost completely different practices. Working with stakeholders and school districts is a world away from working with individual families on a very intimate level. However, I will always value the time I spent working on public and institutional projects, as it gave me a broad base of experience, as well as the working knowledge necessary to obtain my license.
So, back to the question… In short, yes? I don’t know what my dream specifically is (or was)- I think if someone asked me the same question 5-10 years ago, though, my answer wouldn’t be too far from my current reality. However, I can’t say that I’ve arrived or reached all my goals, because of the inherently changing nature of architecture and design.
So, back to the question… In short, yes? I don’t know what my dream specifically is (or was)- I think if someone asked me the same question 5-10 years ago, though, my answer wouldn’t be too far from my current reality. However, I can’t say that I’ve arrived or reached all my goals, because of the inherently changing nature of architecture and design.
MDS: If you had to make a transition from the corporate world or at least the security of a 9-5 job, how has your experience been? Have you been able to support yourself?
LM: The transition felt fairly significant- moving from an office of over 200 architects, engineers, and support staff to an office of 2 was a shift in not only my environment, workload, and comfort level, but also required coming to terms with the lack of job security. I've had concerns about financial instability; however, my partner and I assessed the options, risks, and benefits to moving forward on our own, and the circumstances have been favorable for us so far. My fiancé continued to work at his small residential firm for well over a year before he quit to work full-time at MYD. Though that did mean an increased risk factor in terms of security and stability, we knew it was what we wanted and neither of us would have changed that decision. We didn’t take it lightly however, and provided ourselves with sufficient cushion for the inevitable ups and downs of the industry. We’ve also been fortunate to have the quantity and quality of the projects that are currently active in the office, and by planning thoughtfully and minimizing overhead, we’ve been able to support ourselves and our business. We’ve got our fingers crossed for further growth as we move forward!
MDS: What has helped you get your business off the ground and moving forward? Blogs, Facebook, websites, books, professional affiliations?
LM: We have maintained a blog for a couple of years now, and the website has been online for about a year. MYD studio also has a facebook page, and we try to stay active in online social media. In addition, becoming a part of the growing community of sustainability-focused designers and architects has helped us to stay current and involved. MYD is a strong supporter of the local chapter of USGBC, and we also work with a number of non-profit and community organizations.
In terms of obtaining work, MYD had a few small projects completed or in the works before we actually started marketing our firm, and that probably helped ease the transition to a full-time commitment. And full-time truly means twenty-four hours a day, especially when social media, marketing, and pro-bono work is taken into consideration. The huge difference is that it doesn’t feel like work- I think that’s how entrepreneurs maintain sanity while trying to take on the responsibilities of starting and running a new business- it has to be an engaging, challenging, and inspiring endeavor.
MDS: What are the top 3 things that excite you about your work and motivate you to keep plugging along?
LM:
1. The opportunity to contribute positively to the built environment.
2. Developing meaningful relationships with clients within a collaborative design process.
3. The ability to create and manage my own schedule and to be accountable for the work that I produce.
2. Developing meaningful relationships with clients within a collaborative design process.
3. The ability to create and manage my own schedule and to be accountable for the work that I produce.
Name: Lauren Moss
Age: 29
Hometown: Laguna Beach
Current Location: Aliso Viejo
Title/ Company: Architect at Moss Yaw Design studio (MYD studio)
URL: http://www.mydstudio.com/
Check out her blog:http://www.mydstudio.com/blog/
Find MYD Studio on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Aliso-Viejo-CA/MYD-studio/116965947698#!/pages/Aliso-Viejo-CA/MYD-studio/116965947698
On behalf of Murray Design Studio, again thank you to Lauren Moss and MYD Studio for a very genuine and insightful contribution to the Creative Minded Community Series Spotlight!
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