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By Chad Coldiron | The AEC industry is facing uncertainty, but leaders remain optimistic, practical, and focused on adapting to what comes next.

By Brandon Pinkerton | Your leadership impact is shaped by aligning your platform, message, and the audience you are intentionally trying to reach.

By Mark Zweig | Market cycles are inevitable, and firms that act before revenue drops will outperform those that wait and react.

By Kyle Ahern | Employee survey data reveals the hidden drivers of culture, retention, and performance in AEC firms.

By Greg Sepeda | Many AEC leadership groups operate like golf teams – strong individuals, but little coordination – leaving collective results far short of potential.

By Mark Zweig | Annual performance reviews fail AEC firms because real leadership requires continuous feedback, not once-a-year management theater.

By Ying Liu | Real success depends on alignment, courage, and people ready to own the future.

By Mark Zweig | Being an employee is like running a one-client business, requiring service, marketing, relationships, and constant value creation.

Zweig Group client KGD Architecture has entered into a strategic partnership with Signal Hill Equity Partners.

GMB, a professional services firm focused on the education market, has acquired Richard L. Johnson Associates. This acquisition represents an exciting new chapter for Richard L. Johnson Associates and GMB as the firms combine their experience,...

One of my all-time favorite Zweig Letter articles was written by no less than Mark Zweig himself, titled, “Frank Wouldn’t Be Happy.”  The “Frank” in this case was Frank Lloyd Wright, and the article described...

By Janki DePalma | Recognition matters, but real growth happens when leaders value quiet progress, not just visible wins.

EMA Engineering & Consulting, Inc. is pleased to welcome Engineering Elements, a respected 20-year-old MEP firm based in Fayetteville, Arkansas, into our growing family. This strategic step expands EMA's presence into the Arkansas and Oklahoma...

By Mark Zweig | Pick and choose what you will say “yes” or “no” to wisely – and do it early and guilt-free – if you want to maintain your sanity.

By Mark Zweig | Practical career advice for new AEC graduates on landing a great job and accelerating early career success.

By Liam Watson | These four virtues will help you survive and thrive in all parts of daily life, both personally and professionally.

Zweig Group is proud to announce SCHRADERGROUP, a Pennsylvania-based architectural, interior design, and structural engineering design firm, has joined its client Hord Coplan Macht, an integrated architecture, landscape architecture, interior design, and planning firm.

By Lucas Gray | Why most architecture and engineering firms overspend on design software and underinvest where it matters.

Fayetteville, AR – Zweig Group, a leading provider of advisory services, research, and education for the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, has released its 2025 Valuation Report of AEC Firms. This latest edition continues the...

February 1 - IMEG Corp. (Rock Island, IL) acquired Warner Larson Landscape Architects (Boston, MA), a firm specializing in Architecture, expanding its capabilities in landscape architecture and site design and strengthening its presence in civic,...

October 14, 2024 – Fayetteville, AR – Zweig Group, the leading provider of consulting and research services for the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, is excited to announce the release of its latest report:...

By Sara Parkman | Compensation trends reveal critical strategies to boost employee retention and satisfaction.

By Morgan Stinson | Delegation is crucial for growth, helping managers shift from doing the work themselves to empowering others effectively.

Zweig Group is proud to announce Tim Schroeder of Neumann Monson Architects as the recipient of the 2024 Jerry Allen Courage in Leadership Award, which recognizes outstanding leadership and exceptional achievements within the AEC industry. 

By Mark Zweig | Sparkplugs are the people in your business who make things happen – and they are essential if you want to grow beyond what you alone can ignite.

Zweig Group is the leading AEC Industry advisory service provider. We blend industry and sector knowledge with experience across the M&A lifecycle to help you capture value for shareholders. Reach our Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory team...

This refinement of our service structure is designed to streamline our offerings, providing our clients with a more efficient path to enhanced business performance and optimization.

  We’re thrilled to bring back one of our most downloaded episodes on the Zweig Letter Podcast! In this popular episode, Justin Smith, a distinguished leader in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry, joins...

By Elizabeth Preston | Managers can unintentionally hinder their team’s writing by not providing clear standards, dedicated time, and constructive feedback.

Zweig Group is the leading AEC Industry advisory service provider. We blend industry and sector knowledge with experience across the M&A lifecycle to help you capture value for shareholders. Reach our Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory team...

By Janki DePalma | Late bloomers gain wisdom, resilience, and unique insights, proving there’s no fixed timeline for achievement.

Zweig Group is the leading AEC Industry advisory service provider. We blend industry and sector knowledge with experience across the M&A lifecycle to help you capture value for shareholders. Reach our Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory...

By Sara Karstetter | The employee-focused recruiting, retention, and compensation strategy.

Zweig Group is the leading AEC Industry advisory service provider. We blend industry and sector knowledge with experience across the M&A lifecycle to help you capture value for shareholders. Reach our Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory...

By Ezequiel Tovar | Firm owners must have a clear vision, build a solid culture, and celebrate achievements big and small to be good stewards.

By Mark Zweig | Stand out by steering clear of cliches, as they make firms seem generic and may push clients away.

By Kraig Kern | In our digitized age, the very tools designed to enhance communication can sometimes become barriers.

By Leslie Jenkins | Instead of trying to impress potential clients, focus on emotional intelligence, really listening, and creating relationships built on common goals and trust.

By Todd Hay | If you can learn to actively listen to and understand your clients, you and your firm will reap the benefits.

By Mark Zweig | See how you stack up against the best in the industry – and remember, it’s never too late to change your behavior.

Zweig Group partnered with the University of Arkansas College of Engineering to host a drone competition to highlight the importance of nontraditional and emerging professions within the AEC space.

Zweig Group is the leading AEC Industry advisory service provider. We blend industry and sector knowledge with experience across the M&A lifecycle to help you capture value for shareholders. Reach our Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory team here.    ...

Zweig Group announces its client ISG has acquired Unit Architecture, expanding ISG's footprint into Arkansas.

Zweig Group is the leading AEC Industry, advisory service provider. We blend industry and sector knowledge with experience across the M&A lifecycle to help you capture value for shareholders. Reach our Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory team here.   Domestic...

By Liisa Andreassen | Executive principal and chief strategy officer at AG&E (Dallas, TX), a full service firm that provides sustainable structural engineering design for all types of projects.

By Mark Zweig | If you don’t want your people or yourself to be judged unfairly, there are a few common problems that must always be avoided.

Zweig Group is the leading AEC Industry, advisory service provider. We blend industry and sector knowledge with experience across the M&A lifecycle to help you capture value for shareholders. Reach our Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory team here.    ...

By Peter Atherton | These shifts have fundamentally changed the way we must lead and develop our teams and organizations if we want to sustainably grow and prosper in this new era.

Zweig Group is the leading AEC Industry, advisory service provider. We blend industry and sector knowledge with experience across the M&A lifecycle to help you capture value for shareholders. Reach our Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory team here.   Domestic...

By Janki DePalma | Recognizing this bias helps managers and company leaders create spaces where everyone can thrive. 

Zweig Group is the leading AEC Industry, advisory service provider. We blend industry and sector knowledge with experience across the M&A lifecycle to help you capture value for shareholders. Reach our Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory team here.   Domestic...

By Kevin Johns | In order to remain competitive, AEC firms need to understand and embrace new technology.

Zweig Group announces promotion of Justin Ramirez to director of mergers and acquisitions for the firm.

Zweig Group is the leading AEC Industry, advisory service provider. We blend industry and sector knowledge with experience across the M&A lifecycle to help you capture value for shareholders. Reach our Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory team here.   Domestic...

By Josh Nord | As we continue improving work-life balance, we need to keep asking how we can foster those growth opportunities that come through listening and proximity. 

By Phil Keil | It’s time to start building a strategy for how you will compete and stay relevant in this rapidly evolving environment.

Zweig Group advisedShumaker Consulting Engineering and Land Surveying through its acquisition by HUNT Engineers, Architects, Land Surveyors & Landscape Architect, DPC.

By Ezequiel Tovar | Principals must plan for the future, mentor younger staff, and genuinely care for their people to be good stewards of their firms.

Fayetteville, AR (January 11, 2023) –  Zweig Group has announced the 2023 ElevateHER® cohort, a special task force comprised of individuals with a commitment to promote diversity as a means to combat recruiting and retention...

By Julie Smith | Podcasting is a unique way to share the story of your company, and it should be part of your marketing strategy.

These are 10 of the most read columns that appeared in The Zweig Letter last year, but they represent only a small fraction of the content we released. Thank you to all of our contributors and readers...

Zweig Group is the leading AEC Industry, advisory service provider. We blend industry and sector knowledge with experience across the M&A lifecycle to help you capture value for shareholders. Reach our Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory team here.   Domestic...

By Ezequiel Tovar | These continuing education opportunities offers valuable insight into what makes successful AEC firms stand out from the rest.

Zweig Group’s media arm, Civil + Structural Engineer Media, continues to Elevate the Industry by highlighting outstanding projects completed in 2022.

By Linda Schulte | When your team views you as a leader and not just a manager, they will work much harder and be willing to go the extra mile when necessary.

By Alexis Eades | You can work to improve retention by promoting a positive culture, giving employees autonomy and empowerment, and actively showing appreciation.

Zweig Group is the leading AEC Industry advisory service provider. We blend industry and sector knowledge with experience across the M&A lifecycle to help you capture value for shareholders. Reach our Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory team here.   Domestic...

Zweig Group, a full-service AEC management advisory firm, announced its client Williams + Paddon Architects + Planners has merged with 19six Architects, one of the oldest architectural firms in California. Zweig Group advised Williams +...

  Zweig Group is the leading AEC Industry advisory service provider. We blend industry and sector knowledge with experience across the M&A lifecycle to help you capture value for shareholders. Reach our Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory team here. Domestic...

By Christina Zweig Niehues | The rapidly changing economic conditions we’re experiencing are putting salary pressure on AEC firms.

Burke Pemberton, CFO and principal with Stok, discusses his firm's focus on the built environment, sustainability as a good business practice, equitable governance, and why Stok invests so much in its company culture.

Zweig Group is the leading AEC Industry advisory service provider. We blend industry and sector knowledge with experience across the M&A lifecycle to help you capture value for shareholders. Reach our Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory team here. Domestic Transactions:...

Zweig Group is the leading AEC Industry advisory service provider. We blend industry and sector knowledge with experience across the M&A lifecycle to help you capture value for shareholders. Reach our Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory team here.   Please...

By Mark Zweig | You can’t make people do what you want, so you must get your people to realize you’re all on the same team.

  Zweig Group is the leading AEC Industry advisory service provider. We blend industry and sector knowledge with experience across the M&A lifecycle to help you capture value for shareholders. Reach our Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory team here. -...

Zweig Group, a full-service AEC management advisory firm, announced its client TowerPinkster merged with Kovert Hawkins Architects in October 2021 to create a stronger and more geographically diverse design firm. Together, the firms boast nearly...

By Mark Zweig | There are some things you can do to “tune up” your organization structure, even if you don’t completely overhaul it.

By Eduardo Smith | With more work than we can handle and the current recruiting challenges we face, we need to be sure that our organizations have the foundations for sustained growth.

Domestic Transactions: STV Group, Inc. (Douglassville, PA), has acquired an employee-owned engineering, architectural, and field services consulting firm, CP&Y, Inc. (Dallas, TX). Link to Details RESPEC (Rapid City, SD), a mining, energy, water, environment, and...

By Mark Zweig | If you truly want “best practices” for your firm, you need to look for real innovation versus following the pack.

Zweig Group, a full-service AEC management advisory firm, announced its client Galloway & Company, Inc. has acquired JRCA Architects, creating a dynamic alignment of knowledge and culture. Jamie Claire Kiser, Zweig Group’s managing principal, served...

Leanne Baribeau – an architect with Modus Studio in Fayetteville, AR – discusses her career, her love of architecture, and why diversity is essential for the design industry. 

Idaho-based neUdesign Architecture has announced its merger with Colorado-based architecture and engineering firm EVstudio. This merger will open the door to Colorado’s and Idaho’s ever growing industry for both firms and will better serve clients...

By Mark Zweig | Not only do you need to monitor and report on the right performance metrics for your firm, but you also have to explain what these numbers mean to your people.

By Kevin Token | Anyone who touches other people’s lives, whether personally, professionally, or in their communities, can choose to make a positive impact.

By Keyan Zandy | There are a lot of heroes in our companies, but some are less noticeable. Their successes are quieter and less dramatic, but no less valuable.

By Mark Zweig | We create much of our own good luck – and a lot of that comes down to understanding probabilities and doing things that increase our odds for success.

FAYETTEVILLE, AR (February 3, 2021 – Zweig Group today announced the 2021 ElevateHer™ cohort, a special task force comprised of individuals with a commitment to promote diversity as a means to combat recruiting and retention...

By Mark Zweig | Marketing starts with identifying who your target clients are. Your entire business needs to be focused on them.

By Mark Zweig | Entrepreneurs and small business owners have fundamentally different views on the opportunity each has in front of them.

President and CEO Arora Engineers, Inc. (Chadds Ford, PA), a firm that meets the evolving needs of its clients through more intelligent, sustainable, infrastructure solutions.

By Mark Zweig | Firms seem to be doing better than most anyone would have predicted when everything had to shut down in March. Why is that?

By Mark Zweig | With new cases of COVID-19 on the rise, now is not the time for complacency. Instead, it is a time for self-reflection and new action.

By Christina Zweig Niehues | Press releases haven’t gone the way of the dinosaurs yet. Keep them short and simple to get the most out of this powerful marketing and exposure tool.

It’s our responsibility as AEC professionals, as well as citizens, to champion solutions to problems that affect our global and local communities.

Montrose Environmental Group (Irvine, CA) has acquired CTEH (Little Rock, AR), a scientific consulting firm that specializes in emergency preparedness, response and recovery. Montrose partnered with funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management to finance the...

By Christina Zweig Niehues | The situation is changing quickly, but versatility and fast decision-making have become necessary.

“To maximize your chances for success, remember you are in the consulting business. Keep these points in mind as you guide the growth and development of your business.”

Chairman and CEO of Mabbett & Associates, Inc. (Bedford, MA), a verified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business.

FAYETTEVILLE, AR (January 20, 2020) – Zweig Group today announced their 2020 ElevateHer™ cohort, a special task force comprised of individuals with a commitment to promote diversity as a means to combat recruiting and retention...

FAYETTEVILLE, AR (November 11, 2019) – Zweig Group’s commitment to promote diversity as a means to combat recruitment and retention challenges in the architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry is realized with 2020 launch of...

President and CEO of Falcon Engineering, a woman-owned engineering firm in Cary, North Carolina.

“People who show any signs of a lack of character must be confronted and dealt with immediately.”

Sadly, fewer and fewer of us are interested in developing writing, speaking, or other communication skills as a significant professional goal.

Montrose Environmental Group (Irvine, CA) acquired Emerging Compounds Treatment Technologies (ECT2) (Portland, ME) from its parent company Haley & Aldrich (Burlington, MA). ECT2 is a leader in cutting-edge solutions that mitigate the impact of emerging...

“What causes AEC firms to fail? I have been a student of this business for 39 years now. Here’s what I have seen.”

By Christina Zweig Niehues | There’s plenty of support out there for women in the AEC industry, but the stats still have to catch up to the sentiment.

President of JBCI, a small, but venerable, repair and restoration firm based in Philadelphia.

“We need to collect our money sooner. With dragged out collection periods, most companies don’t have the working capital they need without borrowing.”

“There’s a lot to know about your people. And we have to keep updating this information because your people are constantly changing.”

A good attitude and honest effort are central to California engineer’s mission to build a meaningful career.

By John Bray | It’s easy to send texts and emails, but to make a great and lasting impression, frequent phone calls throughout your network are essential.

Marci D. ThompsonChief Learning Officermthompson@zweiggroup.com800.466.6275 FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (January 30, 2019) – Zweig Group, a global leader in products and services for the AEC industry, announced today that Marci Thompson has joined the firm as chief...

“When we are going through times like this, we all have a choice. We can sit back and think of all the reasons why we are in the mess we are in, or we can...

“Clients, co-workers, partners – they aren’t always completely forthright in their communications. Despite this fact, your success ultimately depends on understanding them.” If you work in an AEC firm as a leader or manager, it’s...

If your firm makes a sincere effort to learn, teach, develop, innovate, and improve, old and new hires alike will notice. As president of a 400-person design firm, one of my favorite activities is one-on-one...

South Carolina-based O’Neal, Inc. acquires DME Alliance, Inc. of Allentown In a nod toward the ongoing growth and dynamism of the biopharmaceutical market, South Carolina-based O’Neal Inc. moved into the Northeast corridor by acquiring a...

LandDev Consulting acquires CivilE to form rising Austin metro firm Zweig Group continues to increase its footprint in the AEC market for mergers and acquisitions in the booming state of Texas. A full-service consulting firm...

August 1, 2018 Available for Purchase: The Insider’s Guide to the State DOT Market for AEC Firms 2018-2021 FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (Aug. 1, 2018) – Anchored by a 10-year, $5.3-billion transportation bill, Oregon, for the foreseeable...

July 19, 2018 Press Contact: Christina Zweig (800) 466-6275 corporate (479) 445-7564 mobile Zweig Group, LLC 1200 N. College Ave Fayetteville, AR 72701 czweig@zweiggroup.com www.zweiggroup.com FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (July 19, 2018) – American author, television host,...

In this episode of The Zweig Letter podcast, Randy Wilburn speaks with Mark Zweig about the importance of managing clients for any owner or leader of an AEC firm. There are several keys to effective...

CEO of Ware Malcomb (Hot Firm # 21 for 2017), a 440-person international design firm based in Irvine, California. By Liisa Andreassen Correspondent “Succession planning has been an important part of our culture for more...

With the promise of passion, collaboration, and positive impacts on local communities, Blueline, based in Kirkland, WA., recently announced its merger with The LA Studio, a firm based south of Seattle in Tukwila. The merger...

Expanding its multidisciplinary services in Northern California, engineering firm LACO – based in Santa Rosa, Eureka, and Ukiah – recently acquired surveying firm DobleThomas in a match that increases LACO’s surveying capacity DobleThomas, based in...

Client management is something anyone who owns an AEC firm should be concerned about. After all, if you don’t do it effectively, not only will your projects probably turn out poorly, but your firm won’t...

Zweig Group just released its 2018 Policies, Procedures & Benefits Survey of Architecture, Engineering, Planning and Environmental Consulting Firms. The report covers many of the questions that firm leaders are faced with when they look...

Baton Rouge firm gains footprint in New Orleans with acquisition, cites growth and innovation. A big deal in the Big Easy recently closed with Baton Rouge-based GraceHebert Architects acquiring New Orleans-based HMS Architects. Zweig Group,...

Randy Wilburn had a chance to sit down and talk with architect and journalist Murrye Bernard from Architect Magazine. Murrye had a lot to share on the podcast about the pros and cons of licensure....

Randy Wilburn had a chance to sit down and talk with architect and journalist Murrye Bernard from Architect Magazine. Murrye had a lot to share on the podcast about the pros and cons of licensure....

Social responsibility can be one of the biggest and most powerful marketing and recruiting tools at your disposal, but be careful. How much should your firm be concerned with social responsibility? And are charitable donations...

As great as business is right now for most AEC firms, believe it or not, there are still some out there struggling. Struggling to grow, struggling to make a profit, struggling to be successful. If...

Joining three other firms, ATI Architects + Engineers merges with the Planning Architecture Engineering Alliance. Working on the seller side of the deal, Zweig Group, a full-service AE consultancy based in Fayetteville, AR., represented California-based...

Getting the information you need on how to run your business in a timely manner is an absolute requirement for survival and success in the A/E business today. As business owners this has to be...

If you’re looking around but not seeing many people like you, try Zweig Group’s new 2018 seminar, CEO Roundtable. Click here for more information. We hear it all the time: “It’s lonely at the top.”...

What are some of the duties and responsibilities of the typical board in an A/E firm? An excerpt from A/E Board of Directors Manual The board described below, for most A/E Firms, falls somewhere between...

Zweig Group released the brand new 2017 Project Management Survey on October 24, 2017. To conduct this study, Zweig Group surveyed project managers working in architecture, engineering, planning, and environmental consulting firms, to get their...

One of my theories about why A/E firms do so poorly with at-risk construction projects is we are just not equipped for the people we deal with in that “other” world. There are some bad...

President and CEO of Stonebrooke Engineering (Best Firm Civil #41 for 2017), based in Burnsville, Minnesota. By Liisa Andreassen Correspondent “We have found that ‘growing’ our employees has been much more successful than bringing in...

It’s always good to periodically take stock and ask yourself what you have recently learned. My experience – if you don’t do this – is that you are bound to repeat the same mistakes. And...

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (September 1, 2017) – Zweig Group released the annual Fee & Billing Survey of Architecture, Engineering, Planning & Environmental Consulting Firms yesterday, August 31, 2017. The 2017 Fee & Billing Survey of Architecture,...

President of ESG (Hot Firm #36 for 2017), a 120-person architecture and design firm based in Minneapolis. By Liisa Andreassen Correspondent “We have a small SWAT team that focuses on networking and about 75 percent...

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (July 25, 2017) –Zweig Group’s 2017 Operating Expenses Survey provides a comprehensive view of the largest line items that impact an architecture, engineering, planning, or environmental firm’s overhead, including human resources, marketing, IT,...

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (July 24, 2017) – Zweig Group’s 2017 Policies, Procedures and Benefits Survey of Architecture, Engineering, Planning and Environmental Consulting Firms released earlier this year, surveyed industry firms on a wide variety of topics...

David Arends, president and CEO of CR architecture + design (Hot Firm #19 for 2016), a 175-person firm based in Cincinnati, Ohio. By Liisa Andreassen Correspondent “Entrepreneurship is not a standard genetic of architects, so...

Keep your accounts receivable on a short leash if you want your collection period to shrink, and your bank statement to grow. How does a growth oriented company in our industry manage the balance between...

We often talk about compatibility in the context of marriages. Oftentimes, when there’s incompatibility, one spouse tried to change the other. We all know how well that works out! It rarely does. If people aren’t...

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (May 1, 2017) –Eppstein Uhen Architects (EUA) Expands into Rocky Mountain Region through Denver’s Burkettdesign Milwaukee-based Eppstein Uhen Architects (EUA), a leading architecture and design firm that has more than 180 employees in...

Milwaukee-based Eppstein Uhen Architects (EUA), a leading architecture and design firm that has more than 200 employees in three offices in Wisconsin and Iowa, today announced that it has expanded into the Rocky Mountain region...

Zweig Group recently released the 2017 Recruitment & Retention Survey of Architecture, Engineering, Planning and Environmental Consulting Firms. The survey found that the average firm is spending a significant amount on new hires, even at...

Zweig Group recently released the 2017 Recruitment & Retention Survey of Architecture, Engineering, Planning and Environmental Consulting Firms. The survey found that the average firm is spending a significant amount on new hires, even at...

Wold Architects and Engineers, based in St. Paul, Minnesota, recently acquired Ruck Pate Architecture, a move that expands Wold’s presence in Illinois by adding design capabilities and enhancing services offered to its clients. Jamie Claire...

Install rigorous controls with your PMs when it comes to the average collection period, and watch the money flow back into your accounts. As 2016 fades into the past and we prepare the year-end analysis,...

The first industries to adopt a new technology are the ones that succeed. Is your firm prepared for the age of artificial intelligence? According to Zweig Group’s 2016 Financial Performance Survey, net service revenue per...

Press Contact: Christina Zweig czweig@zweiggroup.com www.zweiggroup.com FAYETTEVILLE, AR. – Zweig Group, a global leader in products and services to the architecture, engineering and professional services consulting industry, announced today that Chad Clinehens has been named...

Nancy Ruddy is a big reason why the firm she cofounded, CetraRuddy, continues to grow and evolve, and can solve complex problems. By Liisa Andreassen Correspondent It all started in 1987 in the living room...

It’s not always the employees’ fault. Improve the quality of your office, celebrate the individual, and watch your staff come alive. Workplaces across the globe are suffering through a zombie apocalypse. These zombies don’t have...

My Dad, Fred Zweig, died on August 16. He was born in 1920 – lived a long and, for the most part, happy life. He grew up poor in St. Louis. His mom was married...

Take a good hard look at your firm and what it’s saying to the world. If things appear stale, it’s because they are. Fix it or lose out. Here are ten signs it’s time to...

The Zweig Group 2016 Hot Firm and A/E Industry Awards Conference on Sept. 22-23 at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix will celebrate growth and success. The Best Firms To Work for Awards honor the creation...

The Zweig Group 2016 Hot Firm and A/E Industry Awards Conference on Sept. 22-23 at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix will celebrate growth and success. The Best Firms To Work for Awards honor the creation...

Zweig Group’s 2016 Financial Performance Survey of Architecture, Engineering, Planning and Environmental Consulting Firms, released on August 19, 2016, is a comprehensive study of industry firms with nearly 100 financial ratios, indicators, and statistics. The...

In a recent article, I wrote about how important it was to prepare your firm for sale even if you are not thinking about an external ownership transition. You can read that article here. This...

By Mark Zweig | Many folks working in firms in the A/E/P and environmental consulting industry don't understand commonly-used financial terminology. How can you blame them? If no one ever explained it to them you...

Registration for the Best Firms To Work For Awards, Zweig Group’s ranking of the best workplaces in the A/E/P and environmental consulting industry, has come to a close, but entries to Zweig Group’s other awards...

A professional firm should have professional collateral, but all too often, bad photos, poor design, and sloppy writing dilute the brand. Of course you’re not an amateur. You are a professional. You work for a...

Fayetteville, AR. — June 13, 2016 — Zweig Group survey on incentive compensation plans for the architecture, engineering, planning, and environmental consulting firms is due for release at the end of June. Profit sharing, bonuses...

Fayetteville, AR – April 20, 2016 — Zweig Group provided consulting over the recent HFA Architectural and Engineering firm acquisition of ALLEVATO Architects. The Northwest Arkansas based HFA is consistently ranked nationally in the top...

‘Job Descriptions & Organizational Charts’ Offers Two AEC Resources for Price of One Fayetteville, AR – March 23, 2016 — Zweig Group’s newest managerial resource, Job Descriptions and Organizational Charts for A/E/P & Environmental Consulting...

You may have an “open door” policy as a CEO or manager, but you could still be seeing your firm through rose-tinted glasses. If you want to grow, are having a hard time recruiting or...

Zweig Group Releases 2016 Valuation Survey for the A/E/P Industry FAYETTEVILLE, AR (February 1, 2016) – Zweig Group, a management consulting and publishing firm that produces comprehensive surveys for the A/E/P and environmental consulting industries,...

Zweig Group Debuts 13 New Survey Publications, Announces ‘Take 3’ Promotion All Questionnaires Now Open for Participation FAYETTEVILLE, AR (February 3, 2016) – Zweig Group – the architectural, engineering, planning, and environmental consulting industry’s go-to...

FAYETTEVILLE, Ar. January 15, 2016) – Four Zweig Group award programs for the architecture, engineering, planning, and environmental consulting industry are now open and accepting registrations/nominations: Hot Firm, Best Firms To Work For, Marketing Excellence,...

‘Mini-Surveys’ Offer In-depth Look at Trending Issues FAYETTEVILLE, AR – January 14, 2016 — Zweig Group, publisher of more than a dozen annual surveys about the most important issues in the A/E/P and environmental consulting...

Annual Publication Includes Case Studies of A/E/P, Environmental Firms FAYETTEVILLE, AR – January 14, 2016 — Do you know how much your architectural, engineering, planning or environmental consulting firm is worth? If you're the leader...

Garver, LLC (North Little Rock, AR), a 375-person multidiscipline engineering firm, is taking home fifth place in the Integrated Marketing category of Zweig Group’s 2015 Marketing Excellence Awards for its 95th anniversary campaign. 2014 marked...

FAYETTEVILLE, AR (December 22, 2015) – Zweig Group congratulates Westwood Professional Services on their acquisition of Pogue Engineering and Development Company of McKinney Texas. Zweig Group has provided ongoing consulting services to Westwood Professional Services...

New Guidebook is a Revision to 2007’s ‘M&A Cookbook’ Fayetteville, AR; December 8, 2015 — Zweig Group – the architectural, engineering, planning and environmental consulting industry’s go-to resource for insight and advice – has released...

FAYETTEVILLE, AR (November 6, 2015) – Zweig Group, which publishes more than a dozen comprehensive surveys about the A/E/P and environmental consulting industries each year, is proud to announce the launch of its first Recruitment...

FAYETTEVILLE, Ar. October 30, 2015– On November 15, Zweig Group releases the latest Project Management Survey of Architecture, Engineering, Planning, and Environmental Consulting Firms, which contains an expanded look at project management trends. “In every...

From the early responses to Zweig Group’s 2015 Marketing Survey, we can already see differences from last year, but there’s still time to have your data included. A lot has changed in marketing approaches, budgets,...

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (August 20, 2015) – For the first time, Zweig Group’s Annual Salary report for the architecture and engineering industries will include data gathered from two sources: HR professionals and employees themselves. Previously, the...

Hickok Cole Architects (Georgetown, DC) is taking home first place in Zweig Group’s 2015 Marketing Excellence Awards in the Special Event category for its social marketing event – Art Night. Every October, HCA transforms its...

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (May 29, 2015) – Zweig Group successfully completed a strategic search for Wold Architects and Engineers (St. Paul, Minn.). Wold A&E is a 150-person industry leading service provider for public sector education and...

Allowing late payments because ‘this is the way the client has always paid us’ is a cash-flow killer. Accounts receivable is, for most of our clients, the source of all the cash that fuels the...

This over-used word can be working against you. In one of our seminars, we ask the attendees to spend 5 minutes developing a short pitch to convince a potential client why they should hire the...

And since they are, follow these eight tips to improve their effectiveness. What is a job posting? C’mon, think about it. It’s simply an advertisement. Aren’t you advertising an opening that you want to fill?...

Go deeper on the statements you make to potential clients. Convincing them to hire you takes a customized approach every time. How many times have you used the “we’re local” crutch as one of your...

It doesn’t look good right now, but in a changing world, architects will always be needed. There’s a lot of discussion about the future of architecture. It’s happening in the media, it’s occurring in the...

This article first appeared in The Zweig Letter (ISSN 1068-1310) Issue # 1000 Originally published 3/25/2013 Follow your passions, people – for a rich and successful life! It was an interesting week for me here...

This article first appeared in The Zweig Letter (ISSN 1068-1310) Issue # 995 Originally published 2/18/2013 Sometimes it’s more about gut, patience, clarity and follow-up than just following recipes. You can talk all you want...

ZweigWhite knows… and can help you learn them. Architecture, engineering, planning and environmental firms often lament the amount of money spent on training. According to the ZweigWhite 2011 Proceedures, Policies and Benefits Survey, employee training...

Press Release: September 1, 2011 FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (September 1, 2011) – It’s hard to overcome adversity! Politics, the government, and the economy are major thorns in the side for many architecture, engineering, planning, and environmental...

By W. Hobson Hogan Principal, Investment Banking Our ego makes us think that we are irreplaceable; there is no way that our organizations could soldier on without us. You imagine your office falling apart the...

Press Release: August 18, 2011 FAYETTEVILLE, AR (August 18, 2011) –Statistics from ZweigWhite’s 2011 Valuation Survey show a reduction in staff but a general holding of value for many sectors of the architecture, engineering, planning...

Press Release: August 15, 2011 Time to love thy neighbor or raise the draw bridge? A/E/P Experts have mixed feelings on when to share information and if it’s always beneficial. FAYETTEVILLE, AR (August 9, 2011)...

By Mark C. Zweig CEO, ZweigWhite The tough times haven’t gotten any better. If you look at the American Institute of Architects’ billing index, it goes up a little and then falls back again. Money...

Press Release: August 9, 2011 FAYETTEVILLE, AR (August 9, 2011) --Despite recent news about slow economic turnaround, a surprising number of A/E/P and environmental consulting firms report an acceptable or increasing backlog of work. An...

Press Release: August 8, 2011 FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (August 8, 2011) – A ZweigWhite survey reveals that while many architecture, engineering, planning and environmental firms still see value in participating and attending trade shows, other faster...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 7, 2011 Press Contact: Christina Zweig (479) 582-5700 direct (800) 466-6275 corporate (479) 445-7564 mobile ZweigWhite, LLC P.O. Box 1528 Fayetteville, AR 72702-1528 christinaz@zweigwhite.com www.zweigwhite.com FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (July 7, 2011) –...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 19, 2011 Press Contact: Christina Zweig (479) 582-5700 direct (800) 466-6275 corporate (479) 445-7564 mobile ZweigWhite, LLC P.O. Box 1528 Fayetteville, AR 72702-1528 christinaz@zweigwhite.com www.zweigwhite.com FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (May 19, 2011) –Two...

Press Release: May 11, 2011 FAYETTEVILLE, AR (May 11, 2011) — Design firms have been among the most affected by the recent recession, but new data shows that the carnage may soon be over. While...

Press Release: May 10, 2011 FAYETTEVILLE, AR (May 10, 2011) — Up one day, down the next. The volatile economy means many firms are no longer able to rely on a static budget. Almost 37%...

Press Release: April 1, 2011 FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (April 1, 2011) – An expected resurgence in private spending in 2011 means that diversified architecture, engineering, planning and environmental consulting firms will be better poised to benefit...

By Ed Friedrichs In a fascinating recent book, Fred Reichheld asks The Ultimate Question (also the title of the book), “On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely are you to refer __________ (fill...

Press Release: March 8, 2011 FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (March 8, 2011) — Architecture enhances people’s lives, and the emerging recognition of this effect is earning the profession newfound respect, says Clark Manus, the new president of...

Press Release: February 22, 2011 FAYETTEVILLE, AR (February 23, 2011) – ZweigWhite’s new eLearning courses offer easy, convenient project management (PM) training ideally suited for today’s time-pressed, on-the-go professionals in the architecture, engineering, planning and...

Press Release: February 16, 2011 FAYETTEVILLE, AR (February 16, 2011) — Management consulting, publishing and training firm ZweigWhite is pleased to announce the acquisition of Stagnito Media’s Engineering Group—its architectural and engineering resources—through a new...

In this video, Mark C. Zweig discusses how ZweigWhite's database of 40,000 companies allows for a broad, yet specific search of A/E/P and environmental consulting firms looking to buy or sell firms.

Press Release: February 2 , 2011 FAYETTEVILLE, AR — Firms in the architecture, engineering, planning and environmental consulting sphere are joining the national chorus of opposition to a provision that would significantly boost tax-reporting requirements,...

Press Release: February 1 , 2011 FAYETTEVILLE, AR — Anyone who is—or wants to be—a leader in the architecture, engineering, planning and environmental-consulting fields will benefit from an MBA-style crash course offered by ZweigWhite experts...

DUBLIN, Jan 07, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/e27350/management_from_a) has announced the addition of the "Management From A to Zweig, Revised Edition - A Collection of Articles from 1992-2010" book to their offering....

Press Release: December 30, 2010 The down economy presents many real estate options for the small business owner; but the tight A/E/P and banking climate might prove too difficult for many businesses to grasp the...

Over the years of working with A/E and environmental firms, I have run into those who will try to tell you that some managers are “too intense.” It’s as if these people are saying there...

Anyone who knows me can tell you that I have a passion for this business. I have always enjoyed both doing design and being critical of design— I love seeing construction projects get built— and...

With clients not in any hurry to pay their bills and banks clamping down on firms that are non-compliant with their loan covenants, now more than ever is the time to do what it takes...

Project management training tends to emphasize the legal and liability aspects of what we do, along with scheduling and budgeting techniques. But, there is so much more to it beyond the science of project management....

Short term marketing fixes? There aren’t any. You can hold a lot of meetings, make some calls, and get out and aggressively try to sell some new projects, but it probably won’t make any real...

One would think that with the business climate being what it is for A/E and environmental firms (lower volume and less profit), that everyone would be staying on top of their accounts receivable. But, guess...

Regardless of how you feel about the results, the national, state, and local elections are now over. Yea! We can move on with our lives and get back to business. Lord knows many A/E/P and...

Things aren’t looking real great out there for a lot of firms in this business. The stock market is in a free-fall, we’re in the midst of pre-election paralysis, banks are failing, housing is in...

It is not easy— finding enough leaders to fill all of the leadership needs inside your company. Some (many firm founders) might think one factor could be that most everyone in your firm probably did...

Architects, engineers, planners, and allied professionals by and large have a really hard time defining exactly who they want to sell their services to. The unfortunate truth is that most will sell their services to...

I am getting really tired of principals (and, in some cases, finance and accounting people) telling me that there’s no way they can do better than a 96-day, 105-day, or 119-day average collection period (ACP)...

We have a terrible problem with accounts receivable in this business. The average A/E or environmental firm waits 80 days or so to get paid for their services whereas attorneys and accountants often get their...

This morning, I am sitting on a bench outside Vol Walker Hall in the beautiful old campus area here at The University of Arkansas. Vol Walker Hall is home to our School of Architecture. Today,...

For years, we told principals of architecture, engineering, and planning firms that they should have a mission defining what their firms were all about. The question of “why are you in business?” is fundamental, we...

Every year, after we announce the winners of The Zweig Letter Hot Firm List, we get contacted by other firms wondering why they are not on the list. It’s always one of two reasons: Either...

A recent article in Fast Company magazine focused on Despair, Inc., the makers of calendars and posters that poke fun at those motivational posters from companies like Successories and others. The fact that Despair, Inc....

It just doesn’t matter what type of business one talks about. Whether you are a housepainter, you sell window blinds, or you are in the architecture, engineering, or environmental consulting business— ALL of your clients,...

On the one hand, it would be easy to get negative and discouraged about the current business climate. The war efforts are dragging on with no clear end in sight. The Middle East, in general,...

As you get your A/E/P or environmental firm ready for 2003, you may be patting yourselves on the back. The fact is that while overall, 2002 was not as good as 2001, a lot of...

The older I get the more convinced I am that being a successful leader in a design firm is every bit as much an art as it is a science. You just can’t teach someone...

It seems to me that the mega management consultants have gotten their comeuppance recently. Read your local business pages or The Wall Street Journal. Many of these firms are hurting as evidenced by revenue reductions,...

Remember the story about the emperor who had no clothes? Everyone was afraid to tell him, though, so he paraded around in the buff and made a complete fool of himself. I see the same...

When it comes to leadership, there are many different paths that lead to the same destination. Attila the Hun, Moses, Jesus Christ, Mohammed, Tom Peters, and even our kindergarten teachers can all be pointed to...

I have always been interested in design and construction. When I was as young as seven years old, I was drawing up floor plans for houses on graph paper and building them with my Legos....

It seems to me that a lot of people in leadership roles in A/E/P and environmental consulting firms are just waiting around. Whether the discussion around the table is related to dealing with a non-performer,...

I hate to say it. I thought the past was behind us. But the fact is some architects are repeating history right now. They’re getting ready for another fall. They’re making the same mistakes they...

We’ve talked about it for decades, but the labor shortage in the A/E/P and environmental industries is finally here. Our clients are telling us that it’s hard to hire just about anyone. Every job takes...

Let’s face it. Some clients just aren’t worth dealing with. They are too much trouble, they are dishonest, they don’t pay, they don’t do what they say they will...and the aggravation that comes from trying...

“The client will hire us because we have a long-standing relationship.” Don’t get too comfortable. Many firms take existing clients for granted. And when this happens, the deterioration in service quality is almost imperceptible (in...

We just got back from the 15th Annual Inc. 500 Conference and Award Ceremony held in Philadelphia. Zweig White & Associates made it onto Inc. magazine’s list of 500 fastest-growing privately held firms for the...

You’re all aware of it. The “circular theory,” otherwise known as “what goes around comes around.” It’s one of nature’s laws that seems to hold true as much as the laws of physics. If you’re...

Every firm in this industry must do four things to survive— sell work, do work, bill for work, and get paid for work. That’s it. If you ask me, architects, engineers, and environmental consultants (along...

From time to time, architects and other design professionals all come under fire from the business types for not being sufficiently “business-minded.” And, the standard line of defense from those under attack is “I didn’t...

We just had the experience in the last few weeks of working with an architect. Business has been good, and we are committed to growth, so we decided to triple our office by moving to...

We were talking in our office the other day about the “Big 6” accounting firms and their problems. One of our newest staffers just joined us from a Big 6 firm, and, believe me— those...

We’re convinced that 1993 is going to be a good year for the A/E and environmental consulting industry. No matter how bad the last few years have been, every single firm has the potential to...