#37: Most architects and engineers say their work comes from word of mouth. But few ever ask the follow-up question: what are people actually saying about us?
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00:31) Why “word of mouth” isn’t a real growth strategy
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01:10) How most firms get commoditized by being “relationship businesses”
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02:00) The question every firm should ask: what are people
actually saying about us?
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03:15) How Rens built H+O Structural Engineering into a premium brand
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04:25) Why business strategy matters more than technical skill for long-term success
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06:44) The blind spot that keeps architects and engineers stuck in low-fee work
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07:45) How competitor-based pricing kills growth and profit
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09:39) Why focusing only on keeping people “busy” keeps firms broke
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10:32) The difference between solving for income vs. building enterprise value
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12:10) How scarcity and short-term thinking show up inside firms
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13:41) What a decade of compounding looks like—and why patience wins
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14:26) Why H&O grew by saying “no” to the bottom 20% of work
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16:59) How most firms climb one tier at a time, not in one big leap
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17:30) The business lesson Rens learned from
The Compound Effect
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19:22) Why extreme ownership is the antidote to “hope marketing”
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20:57) The first question every firm should ask before chasing leads
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21:25) Why generalists struggle to get referrals (and how to fix it)
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23:18) What M&A thinking can teach small firms about reducing risk and increasing value
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24:07) Why specialists win in down markets
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25:33) How to communicate your value in your client’s language—not yours
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26:07) Using cost as the universal language between engineers, architects, and developers
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27:45) The “column example” that changes how clients see your value
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28:30) Why developers don’t care about design—they care about ROI
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31:22) The mindset shift from scarcity to abundance
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31:47) How to attract great clients (and talent) through founder-led marketing
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33:12) The real purpose of content: pre-selling trust and eliminating risk
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34:53) Why understanding client pain points makes every conversation easier
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35:52) Two questions to ask yourself: How are you filling your space—and what are you making space for?
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36:14) The no-brainer offer that turned H+O’s expertise into consistent growth