Search results

By Karen Poist | State licensing and tax compliance can make or break your deal, so you must plan early to protect value, avoid liability, and ensure a smooth transition.

By Mercedez Thompson | Performance reviews become powerful when they shift from box-checking to growth, clarity, and genuine investment in people’s long-term success.

By Brad Wilson | ESOP success in AEC firms depends on financial discipline, clear governance, and treating employee ownership as a lasting cultural investment.

Zweig Group announces launch of The Zweig List – a new digital platform celebrating excellence across the built environment. 

    “If you're going to be an entrepreneur and you're going to accomplish anything and you're going to grow your business in spite of a lot of negative things happening, you've got to be...

By Steve McAdams | Firms that scale successfully evolve their leadership approach, formalize operations, and stay grounded in culture.

By Mailena Urso | This year’s winners prove marketing done right delivers higher margins and stronger growth.

By Erik Stroemberg | Practical insights and recommendations for creating, communicating, and maintaining an effective AI policy.

By Liisa Andreassen | President and COO of OBMI (Miami, FL), a global master planning, architecture, and design firm.

Benchmarking the Future: AE Firm Performance Insights with Monograph and Zweig Group   “Whatever is the hardest path is probably the path we should be on. The hardest path is also the least traveled.” Robert...

By Ying Liu | These three common leadership personas quietly sabotage strategy execution.

By Jeff Adams | Maximizing AEC M&A potential requires proactive financial planning, risk management, and trusted advisors to secure lasting success beyond the deal.

Zweig Group is excited to join the 2025 ACEC Fall Conference as a Patron Sponsor, bringing leading-edge insights, research, and practical strategies directly to the engineering community. Held October 5-8 at the Marriott Marquis San Diego...

By Justin Gough | Group captives can offer design firms flexibility, savings and control over employee benefit programs.

By Ezequiel Tovar | Ownership transition is all about trust, so develop leaders early and communicate clearly to ensure lasting success.

By Alyssa Wagner | How to offer interns the chance to explore professionally and refine their passion into a fulfilling, long-term career.

By Liisa Andreassen | CEO and president of Drummond Carpenter, a service-disabled veteran-owned small business specializing in civil, environmental engineering, and applied research.

Zweig Group is excited to join the 2025 AIA Florida Convention & Trade Show – bringing leading-edge industry insights, market research, and practical strategies directly to Florida’s architecture community.

By Jared Maxwell | Despite recent success, AEC firms may need to navigate headwinds to mitigate risk and sustain growth and profitability.

Zweig Group, the leading provider of management consulting, research, and education for the architecture, engineering, and construction industry, is thrilled to announce the 2025 ElevateAEC Conference & Awards Gala, taking place September 9-11 at the...

By Niknaz Aftahi | Solving the silo problem in AEC firms starts with a connected tech stack that boosts collaboration, efficiency, and profit.

“Proximity is a place of power. If you are a design firm leader, design firm owner, and you’re trying to take your firm to the next level, sometimes it means you need to get around...

By Liisa Andreassen | President and CEO of Cedarville Engineering Group (Pottstown, PA), a civil and environmental design-build firm that delivers value through innovation.

By Kate Gray | Utilizing technology built around your best work can become an inspiration tool for marketing teams.

By Mailena Urso | The Zweig Group team is hitting the road to share fresh insights on how AEC firms can stay ahead.

Zweig Group and Stambaugh Ness are delighted to announce plans for a joint conference focused exclusively on M&A in the AEC industry this fall. The M&A Next Symposium will be held in San Antonio, Texas,...

“I think the employee experience—and we've seen over the last five years how important the employee experience has been with how tight the labor market has been and how everybody is competing for the same...

"Mistakes are not fatal, but don't keep them to yourself.” Mike Makris About our Guests: Originally from Washington, Duncan Robertson has spent the past six years honing his marketing and public relations expertise and now...

This comprehensive report contains information on the ownership agreements, responsibilities, compensation, billing rates, chargeability, work habits, and challenges of AEC firm principals, partners, and owners.

By Stuart McLendon | In uncertain waters, let strong financial leadership be your north star.

By Will Swearingen | A well-thought-out, proactive plan is essential for ensuring the long-term success and sustainability of your firm.

By Greg Sepeda | Success comes from creating a space where people feel comfortable asking questions, helping each other out, and wearing different hats when needed.

By Guy Geier | These conversations challenge conventional thinking, inspire innovation, and foster collaboration.

  "A lot of architects are rather introverted as well, so it takes some work to pull that out. And for me, my win is, did I get you out of your shell to share...

By Chad Coldiron, Casey Shea & Stefanie Richter | High-performing firms that embrace technology solutions are seeing transformative results across their operations.

This episode of the Zweig Letter Podcast dives into the journey of founding the John R. McAdams Company in 1979 by John R. McAdams himself. He discusses the company's initial funding, the deliberate planning, and...

  "25 years ago when I graduated the term design build, it wasn't unheard of, but it certainly wasn't something that we talked about." Dan Crist About the Guest: Dan Crist is the president of...

Randall Stevens is a long-time veteran in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, boasting over three decades of experience. He studied architecture but found his calling in software development, founding ArcVision in 1991 and...

Kristin Kautz delves into the evolving landscape of AI, emphasizing its transformative potential in business and daily activities. Highlighting tools such as ChatGPT, Microsoft's Copilot, and Unanet's CRM integration, she illustrates how AI can enhance...

By Ying Liu | How do you ensure your firm has both the will and the way to succeed in this increasingly competitive market?

This report details some of the biggest trends and movements regarding M&A activity in the AEC industry as of the end of Q3 2024.

Randy Wilburn sits down with Peter Johann, COO of Pirros, on The Zweig Letter Podcast to explore the innovative intersection of technology and the design industry. Peter reflects on his career path that transitioned from...

By Greg Sepeda | Embracing a results-focused approach liberates us from the constraints of rigid processes, opening up new possibilities and opportunities for problem-solving.

By Kristin Kautz | Six skills to succeed for the next five years in an AI-driven world.

By Eric Lannen | Internships provide real-world experience, mentorship, brand recognition, and foster long-term relationships, benefiting both students and organizations.

"The two most valuable things people have a design firm has is its people, number one. Right. That's obviously always going to be the case, but number two is really its history and its institutional...

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 Mailena Urso | Zweig Group’s Marketing Excellence Awards showcase top creative campaigns that elevate AEC industry branding.

By Mailena Urso | Zweig Group experts will present on mergers and acquisitions, AI, compensation, and recruiting and retention at key AEC industry conferences this fall.

We’re thrilled to bring back one of our most downloaded episodes on the Zweig Letter Podcast! In this popular episode, a seasoned structural engineer, Scott Harvey-Lewis shares his unique perspective on leadership, innovation, and the...

By Jane Lawler Smith | Creating non-traditional peer groups allows AEC marketers to gain fresh perspectives and enhance creativity.

By Ying Liu | Five essential practices you can use to actively engage board members and forge invaluable business partners.

By Greg Sepeda | Seizing opportunities fosters a mindset of continuous improvement, enabling us to refine our skills and expand our horizons.

By Stuart McLendon | The professional labor gap is an opportunity to rethink, reshape, and revitalize how we work.

By Shelby Smith | Although change can begin with one person, monumental, industry-altering change must be a cohesive, collaborative team effort.

By Westwood | Lessons learned and outcomes from the initial exploration through the process, and advice for firms looking to pursue an acquisition.

"What was the most important opportunity? And we heard two things. We heard learning management...and AI." - Christopher Parsons About the Guest: Christopher Parsons is the founder and CEO of Knowledge Architecture, a firm based...

By Leisbel Lam | Having a service recovery mindset in your projects is essential in order to keep your organization’s sustained competitive advantage.

"You really need to work on building your network and working your network because you never know what kind of doors are going to be open for you." - Josh Fowler About the Show Josh...

"The dynamic shift since post-COVID has started an all-out war on talent. Smaller firms like ours... we're getting marginalized trying to acquire that talent and to hold on to it." Scott Erricson About the Show...

By Will Swearingen | Explore the latest data on compensation, perks, and key challenges shaping the industry’s ownership landscape.

By Mark Zweig | Exploring common questions – and their answers – from firm leaders about the buying and selling process.

By Stjepan Mikulić | This approach ensures the foundation of change is built on a solid understanding of human behavior, enabling more sustainable firm-wide implementation.

Zweig Group announces the release of its 2024 Principals, Partners & Owners Report of AEC Firms. This comprehensive report contains information on the ownership agreements, responsibilities, compensation, billing rates, chargeability, work habits, and challenges of AEC firm...

By Monica Heil | It is essential to develop high-performing staff and provide them with opportunities to elevate themselves into leadership positions within our firms.

The event, to be held May 22-23 in Atlanta, will bring together AEC industry leaders to explore and collaborate on the transformative impact of technological advancements shaping the field.

By David Keith | Legacy programs reinforce a firm’s commitment to nurturing talent, fostering innovation, and preserving a dynamic, forward-thinking design culture.

By Mallory Lindgren | Improve your ability to solve complex problems and better support your colleagues and clients.

By Jeremy Clarke | Job descriptions need radical simplification for authenticity, brevity, and impact in attracting top talent.

By Shirley Che | Engaging with cultural holidays in the workplace requires genuine interest, education, and inclusive celebration.

By Annie Rezac | Organizations can drive positive change and contribute to a culture that values diversity as a strategic asset by setting clear goals and consistently sharing progress.

By Matthew Douglas | We must adapt or we could miss out on an opportunity to transform the future of the AEC industry.

New focuses align with evolving AEC needs, including AI, tech, and small business growth.

By Jesse Sievers | Enhance recruitment by focusing on individual connections, forming partnerships with diverse institutions, and building robust internship programs.

In this special episode of the TZL podcast, we feature an enlightening keynote speech by Harry Clark, delivered at the Zweig Group's 2023 Elevate AEC Conference. Known for his exceptional track record as a serial...

By Kristin Kautz | AI is becoming a crucial component in reshaping the AEC industry, especially in the realm of marketing.

🎙️ In our latest TZL Podcast episode, we dive into an enlightening chat with Zweig Group's data analytics guru, Keith Sequeira. We unpack how data is revolutionizing decision-making in design firms.

By Keyan Zandy | Generation Z can teach older generations valuable lessons about how they think and view their work.

Breaking Boundaries: How Collaboration Transcends Competition for Design Professionals - Carey Balogh and Lauren Genest   "In this day and age, storytelling is a powerful tool for design professionals to amplify their brand and foster...

Elevate AEC Keynote - Empowering AEC Professionals: Trends and Strategies for Success with Chad Clinehens and Bill McConnell "People want to work for firms that have a great vision and a mission. How are we...

By Danielle Eisenstock | Three questions managers should begin asking themselves and their team to ensure employees are growing and enjoying the work they do.

By Javier Suarez | Successful newsletters are relevant and valuable to readers, easy to consume, actionable, and loyal to your brand.

Jerrod Hogan, CEO of OWN, Inc., discusses how his unique journey to leadership, influenced by his upbringing and a life-altering event, led him to transform his firm into an employee-owned company. This change fostered growth, client satisfaction, and...

By Janki DePalma | When you notice feelings of resentment, take a moment to explore what that warning sign is trying to tell you before it escalates into something more.

By Paul David | Boost your staffing by training your interns from day one to become some of your best employees.

Anna Finley, director of operations at Zweig Group, unpacks the power of celebrating workplace achievements to foster a positive culture and stresses the importance of kindness in cultivating strong relationships with clients and colleagues.

Kristin Kautz, an artificial intelligence consultant, discusses the impact of AI on the design industry and how essential it is to get into this technology race.

By Travis White | If you want your firm to be an early adopter, you must be aware of this new technology and be willing to adapt.

In this enlightening episode of the TZL podcast, Melvalean MacLemore and Zhetique Gunn, dedicated committee members of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) and key players in the HBCU Professional Development Program (PDP), sit...

By Shirley Che | ElevateHER® is identifying sustainable workforce solutions to address our industry’s recruiting and retention challenges.

By Andy Chavez | We’re seeing increasing M&A activity in AEC industry, rising private equity involvement, and growing demand for infrastructure-related sectors.

By Kyle Ahern | A look at some of the trends from this year’s Best Firms To Work For award program.

By Liisa Andreassen | CEO of UES (Orlando, FL), a privately held, rapidly growing engineering and consulting firm and No. 1 Hot Firm three years in a row.

Chad Clinehens, Zweig Group CEO, discusses how attending the ElevateAEC Conference & Awards Gala can help you make meaningful connections, acquire valuable knowledge, and celebrate the accomplishments of the industry. 

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 Janki DePalma | It’s hard to shake off the feeling of being lazy, but it’s critical that we redefine our work-rest balance to enhance well-being and productivity.

By Somshekhar Kundral | Developing effective problem-framing skills can help your people think outside the box, challenge assumptions, and find innovative solutions.

By Keyan Zandy | This tool can help you develop a deeper understanding of your client’s experience by exploring their emotions, motivations, and attitudes.

By Will Swearingen | How does your firm’s financial performance stack up against the rest of the AEC industry?

Chad Clinehens, president and CEO of Zweig Group, dispels three myths and shares the truth about what it takes to create the ultimate leadership team.

By Chad Coldiron | AEC firms must offer variety, identify employee interests, and create a positive work environment to retain top talent.

By Dathan Gaskill | A chief financial officer provides critical financial leadership, insight, and guidance to your firm.

By Lillian Minix | When prompting AI like ChatGPT to generate content, you are responsible for applying the program conscientiously.

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

   Venture Capital Meets Design: Exploring Opportunities with Shadow Ventures and Nick Durham "You want to be a part of building something that's really important to lots of people."  - Nick Durham Get ready to...

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

  Domestic Transactions: 2/1/2023 International engineering, architecture, surveying, and geospatial solutions firm Merrick & Company (Greenwood Village, CO) acquired water/wastewater engineering specialist Mountain Waterworks (Boise, ID). Link to Details.   1/31/2023 Infrastructure and environmental solutions provider Atlas Technical Consultants (Austin, TX) entered...

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.    ...

Mark Hodges, chief growth officer of Edafio, discusses how design firms can better protect their data from cybercriminals.

By Melanie Harris | Instead of making predictions about the future of work, take part in actively shaping it.

By Liisa Andreassen | Senior vice president of AFG Group, Inc., a woman-owned firm with 30 years of experience providing program, project, construction, and relocation management services.

By Kart Vaith | Provide added value to your clients and approach every project with an emphasis on building trust and exceeding expectations.

By Liisa Andreassen | Project director at OBMI (Miami, FL), a leading global master planning, architecture, and design firm that has been creating timeless spaces for 85 years.

By Mark Zweig | Improving this will not only help you attract and keep good people, but it will also bring in new clients.

By Andy Chavez | Some of the best practices that the most experienced buyers in our industry employ to get deals across the finish line.

By Justin Smith | Explore uncharted territory for the opportunity to access a more resilient future.

By Ernesto Aguilar | Achieving rapid expansion through both organic and inorganic growth while maintaining a strong, employee-centric culture.

By Liisa Andreassen | President of FEH Design (Dubuque, IA), a full-service architectural, structural engineering, inter design team that’s creating a better world through design.

By Chad Clinehens | The roundtable, although now almost a thousand years old, is providing tremendous value to AEC firm leaders.

By Liisa Andreassen | Principal at VMDO, an architectural planning and design firm that creates community-centered environments that connect people and place through design.

By Will Anderson | When coming into the market to acquire a firm, it’s often wise to expand your horizons and think outside the box.

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:...

Leading advisory and publishing firm for the AEC industry, Zweig Group, has opened registrations for an exclusive, in-person, leadership roundtable. This event will be held at the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas, Texas, on June 23-24,...

By Christina Zweig Niehues | Your firm needs to be where conversations are happening – online.

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...

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 | Founder, design principal, and CEO at Snow Kreilich Architects (Minneapolis, MN), a nationally recognized, award winning architectural studio.

By Phil Keil | Firms with purpose driven leadership have tangible benefits and more successful outcomes.

By Tom Godin | To get your people working better as a team, you need to bridge the divide between the different groups in your 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 Dathan Gaskill | Our industry hasn’t done a great job of managing risk comprehensively or systematically. There’s a better way.

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 | President at ELEMENT (Tampa, FL), an award-winning, certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise and Minority Business Enterprise, consulting 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...

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:...

Happy New Year! 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...

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. 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....

By Roger Marquis | What is a self-perform general contractor and why should your firm consider working with one?

By Gustavo Rodriguez | A collaborative design process where a diversity of voices are present and have ownership allows room for new ideas and points of view to emerge.

By Susan Miller | Developing an internship program will build your firm’s talent pipeline and develop future leaders.

By Stephanie Warino | Our industry can’t afford to meet the complex challenges we face today with a one-perspective approach.

President of Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam (Houston, TX), a civil engineering firm that delivers exceptional quality and measurable value for the nation’s infrastructure.

By Stephanie Warino | External members on boards of directors increase innovation and spur growth.

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 Rob Hughes | With the market hardening for AEC professional liability insurance, an accurate and complete application may help keep your firm’s premium as low as possible.

By Stephanie Warino | These 10 ideas can increase engagement and create a truly effective doer-seller culture.

By Lindsay Young | Making mistakes is an essential part of running a successful firm, so stop waiting around and start taking action.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (Wednesday, May 5, 2021) – The impact of 2020 evident in cash positions, equity value/book value, and increase in ownership transition activity. Zweig Group recently released the 2021 Valuation Report of AEC Firms,...

By Liisa Andreassen | President of Fishbeck (Grand Rapids, MI), a firm of engineers, scientists, architects, and constructors in the business of problem solving, inspiring results, and bringing ideas to life.

Zweig Group's media platform, Civil + Structural Engineer Media has announced the opening of the annual 2021 Engineering Drone Video of the Year (EDVY) Competition and a partnership with SPH Engineering's UgCS, the leading drone...

We must apply our human intelligence to identify the real problems and leverage technology as a platform to bridge the gaps between tools, people, and processes.

To manage time effectively, you need to know – not just believe – you are spending time productively.

Managing partner at Method Architecture (Houston, TX), a firm that practices ego-free architecture, creatively solves problems, and provides unparalleled customer service.

We need to remain flexible for the foreseeable future as we continue to determine what is resonating with our clients.

President and senior principal of ICON Architecture (Boston, MA), a women-owned, SOMBDA certified firm that’s staffed over 50 percent by women.

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

Changing your mindset and discarding your assumptions allows you to start a dialogue to improve performance, relationships, and model the type of leadership that you want to see in others.

It’s possible for a mature company to stay innovative – the key is unlocking talent from within.

President and CEO of BSI Engineering (Cincinnati, OH), a consulting and process design engineering firm that’s building on the past to design the future.

Asking questions is a critical skill if you want to understand and anticipate your clients’ needs.

Through solid communication, planning, and leadership support from both organizations, a smooth transition is under way.

By Phil Keil | Use careful thought and consideration when defining your firm’s value, moral, and ethical framework.

Trust your judgement, speak up, and keep learning. Your efforts will pay dividends down the road.

Just by doing what comes naturally for cutting-edge AEC firms, they are likely eligible for a refundable tax credit.

You must constantly rethink your marketing strategy, using traditional and trending methods, if you want to be effective.

By John Bray | With a low unemployment rate, more firms are relying on a national approach for recruiting.

Industry leader NV5 (Hollywood, FL) acquired 91-person GeoDesign (Wilsonville, OR), a geotechnical, environmental, and geological firm with five offices in the Pacific Northwest. Link to details Westwood Professional Services (Minnetonka, MN) acquired EA and environmental...

When your best junior associate ‘unexpectedly’ leaves, the decision was probably in the works for a long time, you just never saw it coming.

If you want to run a successful firm, there are employees you just have to keep. But in other instances, turnover can be a good thing.

AEC firms have new options for addressing the ‘Duty to Defend’ obligation in indemnification provisions. As clients continue to look for ways to transfer greater amounts of project-related risk to design firms, it has become...

We need a comprehensive approach to encourage heterogeneity in our firms. It starts, but certainly does not end, with simple awareness. Zweig Group’s new mission to Elevate the Industry was unveiled at the 2018 Hot...

By Edward Friedrichs | Things I could not have imagined just a few years ago are now coming to market, are affordable and practical, and are changing the world for the better.

By Edward Friedrichs | Of all the things I can think of to recommend to fellow professionals, the top one is this: Never stop learning.

Marketers for professional services firms should expect, and be prepared for, inevitable setbacks in the submittal process. I play bass in a classic rock band. We were doing a sound check at a recent gig...

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,...

HGA has acquired the Sustainable Engineering Group, a leading engineering firm focused on energy optimization and sustainable design. The acquisition of SEG, based in Madison, Wisconsin, reinforces and broadens HGA’s existing expertise in energy and...

By Edward Friedrichs | Reducing consumption and finding new ways to re-use water will become increasingly important as populations grow.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (June 5, 2018) – Zweig Group has announced the winners of the 2018 Marketing Excellence Awards. The Marketing Excellence Awards recognize outstanding and effective marketing in the architecture, engineering, planning, and environmental consulting...

Understanding what fans their flames and what douses their embers will foster a more productive and fulfilling environment for everyone. Editor’s note: This top eight list was borrowed from Tony Morgan, chief strategic officer and...

Be honest. Don’t puff up yourself or your credentials. Explore the nature of the job and, more importantly, the idea behind the company. You can read many stories about how to get a job and...

Clients have evolved, and if you want stay connected with them, you have to learn who they are, what they want, and where you fit. Change – a simple yet loaded word, particularly these days....

While having a fun workplace is great, the good times must be underpinned by hard work and an ever-present commitment to the firm’s mission. Let’s not kid ourselves. Our workplace cultures are about a lot...

The confidential information memorandum will save you a lot of hassles when and if you want to sell your firm, so have one crafted. A confidential information memorandum, also referred to as the “deal book,”...

There’s nothing wrong with using visuals in your presentation, but you must remember that you’re the star, not the slide show. From PowerPoint and Keynote to Prezi and boards, visuals are an important element of...

Good old American ingenuity is what we need to save the planet, not a cumbersome set of rules and regulations. A great deal has been written, and there has been significant handwringing, about America backing...

While the lure of them is understandable, there are probably better, more human ways of evaluating candidates before you hire them. Some people are enamored with personality tests. But despite their popularity in certain circles,...

The workplace is at its best when teams are as close as tribes, but the only way to get there is to retain your talent. Retention is a growing concern, fueled by lower unemployment rates...

You don’t want to lose sight of your current business, but fostering ideas and innovation with your staff is increasingly essential. Achieving the seemingly impossible could be one way to sum up several epic sporting...

Book about elevating sustainability as a national strategic imperative is an impressive guide on how the US can shape a prosperous future. My daughter was at a sustainability conference in Santa Clara, California recently. She...

Science, technology, engineering, and math are great, and adding art to the mix can elevate all of them. It’s an age-old debate: Right brain or left? Science or art? Or today’s version: STEM or the...

If firms employ these operational and financial strategies, their chances of weathering a downturn, regardless of how bad it is, will increase. Last week, June Jewell outlined five ways to insulate your firm from the...

Over the years, we have developed work styles that are not good for our physical, mental, or emotional health, but that can be changed. It’s not that we’re bad people, or that we aren’t working...

The annual Hot Firm and A/E Industry Awards Conference in Phoenix was a success, and it’s heading to Seattle for 2017. By Richard Massey Managing Editor The 2017 annual Hot Firm and A/E Industry Awards...

This year’s event, as in previous years, featured a full slate of breakout sessions with dynamic speakers. Here’s what they had to say about the 2016 conference. “As our industry heats up, good people are...

Did your interns live the dream? If so, great, but if not, it might be time to retool your program by taking these six simple steps. As a communications major with an interest in broadcast...

ACI Boland Architects of Kansas City was betrayed by an office manager who, over a decade, funneled millions into secret bank accounts. By Richard Massey Managing Editor A long-time office manager at one of Kansas...

Friendships are not only good for the soul, their good for business, so make as many of them as you can if you want your firm to prosper. Personal engagement with clients determines so much...

Successful ownership transition is difficult to achieve, and for it to happen, the first tier has to embrace the transformation brought on by the second tier. Over the last two years, Zweig Group has supported...

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...

Keynote Title: Driving more ROI from your Existing IT Investments Speaker: Noah Eckhouse, VP Portfolio Development Description: Plenty of software vendors are anxious to sell CIOs and CFOs "the next great thing”; however, only a...

Have a conversation about project details and fees so you can staff them right and finish work on time, preferably below the allocated fee. On the architecture and engineering professions, we measure everything by time....

A test of your staff’s commitment to you so you know what to fix. Architects and engineers are seeing increased activity in the marketplace and firms are hiring. This is not news to most of...

It needs to be relevant, user-friendly and affordable but is well-worth the investment. Recruiting is not so simple an enterprise anymore. Like it or not, recruiting has become increasingly sophisticated over the years – in...

This article first appeared in The Zweig Letter (ISSN 1068-1310) Issue # 1001 Originally published 4/1/2013 The long love affair between design firm leaders and cars continues, Mark Zweig writes. We were doing an in-house...

By Christine Brack Principal, Business Planning Consulting Many firms are glad to be leaving 2011 behind and are casting a warmer, more positive outlook to the New Year. Other firms claim they enjoyed moderate success...

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...

I’m often asked two questions about leadership: 1. Are leaders born or made? 2. How did you become a leader? I believe everyone has the potential become a leader. Despite endless debate on the subject...

Press Release: February 8, 2011 Increasing regulation and a new focus on efficiency are turning the water market into one of the hottest commodities for engineering firms, The Zweig Letter discovers. A reinvigorated focus on...

Purpose. Now, that can be a difficult concept to nail down. All three panelists at a The Zweig Letter 2010 Hot Firm Conference session in late October had different views about what purpose means and...

It’s commonly said that a design or environmental firm is only as good as its staff. That’s why I always felt recruiting was so critical and one of the MOST important functions of any firm...

The bad economy of the last couple years, with the A/E/P professions being particularly hard-hit, has created a serious problem for many firms today— that being disillusioned workers. It is not easy to pin down...

Although it doesn’t happen to everyone who becomes a principal in an architecture, engineering, or planning firm, it happens to many of us. What I am speaking of is the dilemma one faces when you...

After seeing their black and white VW New Beetles running around town all of the time, I just saw an ad the other night on TV for The Geek Squad (Richfield, MN). If you don’t...

My theory is that no firm is completely happy with how it handles project management. There are always problems. And one of the common complaints heard is, “We don’t have enough good project managers.” While...

Let’s face it. The economy of the last couple of years has led to diminished expectations and in some cases, declining values, not just in our 401(k) plans and stock portfolios, but also in terms...

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...

Want to get some new jobs? Need them fast? If so, you aren’t alone. We have seen a number of our consulting clients and readers of The Zweig Letter face major reductions in their workload...

Schweitzer, Rosenblatt, Tunick, and McBlarsky had just ended one heck of a run. The 250-person E/A firm had grown from 40 people to 250 over the past five years. And while it was undeniably exciting,...

Every once in awhile I feel compelled to unload a few disconnected thoughts that might be of value to our readers. This is one of those times: Company cars: When it comes to picking company...

This is the time of the year that the majority of firms in the A/E/P and environmental consulting industry decide who gets how much in the way of pay increases and/or bonuses— in other words,...