What is a Sole Practitioner Architect?
Sole: (adjective) (a) being the only one; (b) having no sharer; (c) functioning independently and without assistance or interference
A Sole Practitioner Architect (SPA) is a self-employed architect with no employees. SPA here is defined as a full-time, for profit, complete entity. This means the SPA will act in many roles or wear many hats.
This practice type has pros and cons. The advantages to being a Sole Practitioner are:
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Being your own boss
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Controlling your designs
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Not having to manage people
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Having fewer administrative tasks
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Being able to practice your craft
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Freedom
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Flexibility
Some of the disadvantages are:
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“Having to do everything myself”
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Inability to work on larger projects
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Longer time to deliver projects
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Salary generally lower than that of a large firm principal
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Isolation
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Decisions are all mine – nobody to collaborate with
To many architects, practicing as an SPA is a stepping stone to growing a firm. It is a place to start until you build a project volume or client base to get more projects and hire staff. Many look at this time as “roughing it” until you can grow your practice.
I consider Sole Practice a destination! It is a viable practice model, a way to make a decent living, and (to me) more fulfilling than running a practice with employees. I happen to enjoy designing and putting buildings together. I enjoy the BIM process and feel a sense of fulfillment when completing a project. Because I find this practice model to be so fulfilling, I have assembled my thoughts into a cohesive “Guide” to help other architects reach success as Sole Practitioners. I also administer a Facebook Community with over 1,300 members! Please join us there for lively discussions that affect the Sole Practitioner Architect.