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NEW FROM ZWEIG GROUP

NEW SURVEY FROM ZWEIG GROUP 2018 Principals, Partners & Owners Survey of Architecture, Engineering, Planning & Environmental Consulting Firms is a comprehensive study of owners and top managers of U.S. architecture, consulting engineering, and environmental consulting firms. This eye-opening report covers ownership, stock appreciation, buy/sell agreements, non-compete agreements, voting rights, roles, responsibilities, perks, compensation, and more. The 2018 Principals, Partners, and Owners Survey has data on the following: Zweig Group’s ❚ ❚ Principal compensation, benefits, and perks ❚ ❚ Common issues and challenges related to running an A/E/P or environmental consulting firm

❚ ❚ Qualifications, job requirements, and demographics of principals, partners, and owners in the industry ❚ ❚ Employment agreements, non-competes, and stock buyback provisions ❚ ❚ How principals manage time and break down the work day Zweig Group’s 2018 Principals, Partners & Owners Survey of Architecture, Engineering, Planning & Environmental Consulting Firms is the one annual report for, by, and about principals and top managers in U.S. A/E firms, and it’s the only source of inside information on the issues that principals are really concerned with. For more information visit bit.ly/2tHjsqk or call 800.466.6275

CHRISTINA ZWEIG NIEHUES, from page 3

A/E industry, I have experienced being taken for granted. Starting as a temporary file clerk 11 years ago and working my way to the role of business manager, I have faced many challenges – one of them being I do not have a degree in engineering. Not having an engineering degree hasn’t prevented me from fulfilling my responsibilities, but it has caused others to treat me as if I was less ‘smart.’” “Being a registered engineer or architect does not make someone any better at managing an AEC firm than someone who does not have this professional designation.” How often do those without engineering or architecture degrees, or professional registrations, end up in ownership and leadership roles in the AEC industry? Zweig Group’s recently released Principals, Partners & Owners Survey found that 14 percent of owners describe their background as “business management” instead of “engineer/architect,” or other technical professional. The survey also found that just a little less than half, at 46 percent of firms, have “professional registration/licensure” as one of the criteria necessary to be eligible to become an owner. We tell any new hires at Zweig Group that it takes two years of working in the industry to understand it. Unequivocally, you need industry expertise to do well – but expertise and experience do not necessarily mean letters after your name. Being a registered engineer or architect does not make someone any better at managing an AEC firm than someone who does not have this professional designation. Not everyone in every role in an AEC firm needs to be working on billable, technical projects. I would argue that NOT having to do these kinds of activities may make certain people even better at doing the jobs they do – jobs that are extremely important in firms just like yours. CHRISTINA ZWEIG NIEHUES is Zweig Group’s director of marketing. Contact her at christinaz@zweiggroup.com.

I can’t tell you how to build a suspension bridge or use cross-laminated timber in construction – and that’s OK, because it doesn’t make me any less able to help you structure your marketing department, motivate your employees, or create a great website. Because I don’t make money as an architect or engineer, I’ve had other experiences. In addition to working in quite a few unrelated industries, I’ve toured a hundred different AEC firms. I’ve looked at and analyzed thousands of industry websites, marketing materials, marketing campaigns, and proposals. I’ve read more than 36,000 employee responses to surveys. I’ve conducted client interviews and client perception studies with hundreds of different firms working in nearly every market sector and geographic region in North America (and internationally). I’ve worked in email marketing platforms, CRMs, and e-commerce websites. I’ve participated in dozens of strategic planning retreats. I’m Mark Zweig’s daughter – I literally grew up talking about engineering, architecture, and business management at the dinner table every night. I still have that to this day, too, as I married a registered landscape architect who works at an engineering firm. “Unequivocally, you need industry expertise to do well – but expertise and experience do not necessarily mean letters after your name.” I work with some incredible professionals from a variety of backgrounds, everything from journalism and graphic design, to business and law. Their own experiences, expertise, and passion for the industry make them highly qualified for the roles they hold. Unfortunately, not everyone in the AEC industry feels that way. I spoke with a business manager at an engineering firm on the West Coast. She recently became a shareholder in the firm. Here’s what she told me: “Building my career in the

THE ZWEIG LETTER August 6, 2018, ISSUE 1259

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