The Map

Note 008: Amazing client origins

This week has been one of reflection.

Reflection on what is really important in life at its end, and of how lucky we are to be alive and chasing our dreams in the present.

I have also been reflecting deeply on how to answer the most common question from you all:

Andrew, how do I get amazing clients like ADAD?

The Map

There is no simple answer, no one size fits all, so I have undertaken the complex task we will unpack over the coming months by the only way I know to tackle something complex – through drawing – and my interim findings have been fascinating.

Below is a preview of The Map.

The Map. This 2M long drawing spans 21 years, from 1999 to today, connecting every key relationship and significant event that has eventually led to a completed ADAD project.

It outlines every significant interaction over the course of 21.5 years of Architecture that has directly led to the 8 Completed ADAD Projects and 8 Live ADAD Projects.

Importantly, it also outlines the tiny little side-hustles back when I was a student, that are important as they are points where I was paid for services, the point that we leave the vague world of hobby behind, and forge into the exciting world of professionalism.

Epochs

While there a general Epochs throughout the 21 years:

1. 1999-2005 – Architecture Student at UoN

2. 2002-2012 – Employment at Architect Marshall

3. 2012-2013 – Fractional Lecturer at UoN

4. 2012-2021+ ADAD

These interweave….

Interweave

• I continuously worked at Architect Marshall from 2002 - 2012 even while returning to Study in 2004 and 2005.

• The first nibbles of after hour’s visualisations occurred while working full time.

• A period of fractional lecturing from mid 2012 – 2013 cushioned the jump from Full Time employee to launching ADAD (with no clients)

• Most importantly, Andrews Notes will parallel ADAD while you all build your successful practices

Strands

Amazingly, there are only 8 key strands, or tentacles of the networking octopus across the 16 in-progress or completed ADAD works.

There are 8 key ‘tentacles’ that have linked the 16 ADAD works undertaken over the last 9 years, tentacles that have been built over friendship and camaraderie over 21 years in surprising and unpredictable ways.

I will unpack these 8 strands over the next series of 8 Andrews notes. While I can’t give the easy-fix answer on how you can get amazing clients in a single sentence, I can honestly and in detail show exactly the chains of events that have led to mine.

And I cant wait to share the surprising results :)

See you soon, and thank you all so very much for the very kind words over the last week, I have read them all and it really warmed my heart.

Here’s to mapping your success.

Andrew Donaldson

Note 008 done and dusted!

Please give me any feedback whatsoever, I would love to hear from you - after all, this is for you :)

PS - if you have a friend, colleague, or archi-buddy that you think would benefit from Andrew’s Notes, please feel free to send this to them or share with the button below: - lets grow this tribe :)