What do you do after 100 job rejections? David Drazil turned to the one skill that always set him apart: sketching. That pivot became Sketch Like an Architect, a multi-six-figure business teaching thousands worldwide via books, courses and online workshops.
In this episode of the Modern Practice Series, we explore:
➕ The “gap in training” that inspired his first product
➕ How one Instagram post sparked his first sale
➕ Why email became the backbone of his business
➕ What it takes to run it all while raising two young kids
David's experience is a case study in how design professionals are rethinking traditional practice, spot opportunities, and design a career on their own terms.
▬▬▬▬▬ Resources ▬▬▬▬▬
➕ All the tools I use to run 30X40 (free): https://thirtybyforty.com/toolbox
➕ Digital drawing templates: https://thirtybyforty.com/digital-drawing-templates
➕ Specification + Schedule templates: https://thirtybyforty.com/spec
➕ Architect's Toolkit: https://thirtybyforty.com/toolkit
➕ Architect + Entrepreneur Course: https://thirtybyforty.com/a-e-course
▬▬▬▬▬ Timestamps ▬▬▬▬▬
00:00 I'm an Ex-Architect
00:22 100 job applications. 100 rejections. What came next
01:05 The problem + pivot
04:02 First Six-figure year
05:19 His first product idea
08:15 Pricing experiments
09:46 Failures
11:28 Presales
12:55 DIY Marketing
14:33 Risks of Social Media
16:22 Work - Life Balance?
17:25 Learn how to design your own business
Most architects graduate with big ideas, but reality hits hard. Boring projects. Creative stagnation. Wojciech faced the same thing. Stuck in a traditional firm, he felt disconnected from the creativity that drew him to architecture in the first place. Instead of settling, he turned a small side project into a business built on his terms.
He didn’t start with a grand plan. His success came from small, daily experiments—testing ideas, following his instincts, and letting results guide him. Over time, those experiments turned into something much bigger: a business that quadrupled his income, feeds his family and keeps him creatively fulfilled.
Want to see exactly how he did it?
→ Download the free PDF case study: https://thirtybyforty.com/case-study-selling-plan-sets
▬▬▬▬▬ Resources ▬▬▬▬▬
➕ Digital drawing templates: https://thirtybyforty.com/digital-drawing-templates
➕ Architect's Toolkit: https://thirtybyforty.com/toolkit
➕ Architect + Entrepreneur Course (lessons on selling plan sets): https://thirtybyforty.com/a-e-course
▬▬▬▬▬ Timestamps ▬▬▬▬▬
00:00 Introduction
00:48 Simple Side Project
01:58 Validating the Idea
03:06 Could this be a real business?
03:54 "I lost my job"
05:06 Focus on the 80-20
06:02 Kaizen!
06:50 How to price plan sets
08:00 Financials
08:49 Lumpy income
09:59 Managing your time
10:18 Another Side Hustle
11:08 What you get bored?
11:43 New business
12:42 Download the Case Study PDF
13:08 Resources to Sell Your Own Plan Sets
🔗 Connect with Wojciech: https://homemadesauna.com/
→ Download the free PDF case study: https://thirtybyforty.com/case-study-selling-plan-sets
Marketing doesn’t have to be manual work, and it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. You can invest in a better process and get started today with the Investment Guide Toolkit. Download here: https://thirtybyforty.com/guide
#architect #interiordesigner #marketing
To find better clients you have to ask different questions. Here's a step-by-step, proven system for finding new (+. better) design clients. Learn more: https://thirtybyforty.com/new-course
Are you tired of working with difficult clients and accepting projects that don't align with your vision? Instead of asking, "How do I find better clients?" Try this: "How do I become the obvious choice for my ideal client?" I made this new course specifically for design pros to help them find new + better design clients. In it you'll learn all the things they didn't teach us in design school. Lessons I've learned (the hard way) over the years running my practice, 30X40 Design Workshop. Presented via video lessons, the case studies, PDF guides, templates, tools and resources will walk you through it, step-by-step. Everything has been field-tested, hand-crafted and beautifully curated.
00:00 How do I find better design clients?
00:22 Asking the wrong question
00:38 Better Clients bring better projects
00:59 New Course Offering: How to find new & better clients
01:27 Course details & templates included
See all the assets and everything included here: https://thirtybyforty.com/how-to-find-new-clients
#architecture #interior designer #business
Download the Blueprint Style Canvas +: Brushes: https://thirtybyforty.com/procreate-pack
I use the custom white Prismacolor pencil on the custom blueprint canvas for quick coordination and design sketches. I typically export the JPG, email or text it to my cabinet maker and we can jump on a call to work though questions and design it in real-time.
When the pain of inaction exceeds the pain of change, choosing change will become the obvious choice. Planning and dreaming are important, but ultimately, action is what brings about real change.
Starting a business has been life-changing for our family but it hasn't been without challenges. In this video my wife, Laura, joins me for an honest discussion of the personal and financial struggles we've faced running 30X40 Design Workshop over the past 10 years.
Although Laura doesn’t work for 30X40, the decision to start this business 10 years ago had profound personal and financial implications for both of us. I couldn’t have done this without her support and buy-in.
This is a candid, wide-ranging discussion of three phases of business growth and the countless lessons learned along the way. #architect #business #interiordesigner
Access all the bonus resources here:
https://thirtybyforty.com/blog/ten-years-of-making
▬▬▬▬▬ Timestamps ▬▬▬▬▬
00:00 Intro
00:54 Getting Ready to Get Ready
02:10 A Painful Moment
03:25 Minimum Viable Income
04:25 Side Hustle to Solopreneur
05:08 Fear Setting
06:03 No Paycheck Anymore
07:40 Undervaluing my Services
08:06 Experiments (Things I Tried)
09:44 Lumpy Income + Cash buffer
10:31 Social Isolation
11:40 Challenges of Working from Home
14:00 Imposter Syndrome + My Cat
15:05 Phase Two - Entrepreneurship
17:40 Scarcity mindset
18:45 More Work = More Liability
20:05 Choosing Better Clients
21:20 Saying, “No” (and when to do it)
22:33 CEO vs. Worker Bee
23:40 Is this all there is? Again?
25:42 Owning Successes + Failures
27:07 Financial Risk + Reward
These are a few of the lessons learned from my first 10 years in business. With hindsight, it's easy to connect the dots and see three major phases. An excerpt from an interview with Mark LePage on the Entrearchitect podcast. https://entrearchitect.com/30x40
#designbusiness #lifeofanarchitect #architectlife
Can you spot all the differences between what I drew and what was built? There's one more that I didn't mention in the video see this link: https://thirtybyforty.com/drawn-vs-built
Clear drawings matter, download my template here: https://thirtybyforty.com/autocad-bundle
Use more contrast. Red annotations are clear, hatches add depth, varying line weight/type delineates what's important.
Download my template: https://thirtybyforty.com/autocad-bundle
If you're a design professional tired of working for others and ready for a change, the A+E Course is your guide, your shortcut + your MBA: https://thirtybyforty.com/a-e-course
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