Economy Forces Design Professionals to Rethink Their Business Models
“It’s hard to find a place to hide when the economy goes down,” said Kermit Baker, the chief economist at the American Institute of Architects. “There aren’t any strong sectors now.”
And it’s not clear when the industry will recover. Architecture firms are still laying off employees, and Mr. Baker doesn’t expect them to rehire until billings recover, which he thinks won’t be until the second half of this year at the earliest.
The above quote is from an article in the New York Times published on Jan. 27. The article talks about how design professionals are coping with the loss of jobs and their attempts to rethink their business models. Some of the new paths taken by laid-off design professionals include:
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A Seattle architect that started an advice booth at a local market, charging 5 cents for design advice. That eventually led to $50,000 in new projects, more than he made while employed at a firm.
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A Los Angeles designer and her friend in real estate development started selling homemade ice cream, retrofitting an old postal truck. They eventually secured catering deals with multiple companies and are trying to get their treats on shelves in Whole Foods stores.
During every major recession, reductions-in-force at major firms have resulted in highly creative professionals establishing their own design firms or using their talents in innovative ways outside of traditional design firm environments.