How to Transition Firm Ownership - Leah Bayer and Kate Conley

Join us on Thursday, April 15th for Best Practice, a virtual fireside chat series dedicated to practice operations at architecture firms and beyond. From pain points to potential, hear how leaders in the architecture and engineering industry are innovating through new business models and managerial techniques.

We’re chatting with Leah Bayer and Kate Conley of OJK Architecture + Planning.

Leah is President and Owner of OJK Architecture + Planning. She is a licensed architect in California, Hawaii, and Washington State. Leah has a strong background in creative business design and management focused on transparency and equity, having grown multiple small businesses to success, which she put to the test just prior to joining OJK by founding EVIA Studio, a highly collaborative, women-led, and virtual architecture practice. Leah is passionate about volunteering to improve the profession, currently serving as AIA Silicon Valley’s 2021-2022 Vice President/President-Elect and Chair of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) Experience Committee.

Kate Conley is a Principal and Owner at OJK Architecture + Planning. She is a licensed architect in California and Washington State. Her passion for sustainable design led her to become a LEED AP and drew her to the Bay Area, where she has gained well-rounded technical expertise in a broad spectrum of project types. Focusing first on higher education residential projects, she then pursued flagship retail design opportunities in Chicago and Seattle and commercial office developments in the South Bay. Improving equity and justice in the design and engineering professions is an expanding area of emphasis for Kate, leading her to participate in the AIA Silicon Valley Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Task Force and serve as Events Director for the WIA Committee.

In this 45 minute chat, we'll talk to Leah and Kate about firm mergers and acquisitions and running a fully remote women-led architecture firm.

Find out:

• What Leah and Kate learned having gone through an M&A process themselves in the last 12 months
• How to create transition plans for firm leaders who plan to retire in the next decade
• Ways to engage the many highly capable young professionals available
• What opportunities exist to bridge the gap between leadership generations
• Everything from passing down portfolios and knowledge to providing runway for young architects and rewarding owners with retirement funds

and more!

‍