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Who We Are

The mission of the AIA Small Firm Exchange (SFx) is to advance the mutual interests of architects practicing in small firms. The objectives of the AIA SFx are three-fold:

1. Advocate the value of small firms, the national SFx, and local SFx groups, both within the AIA and to the public.

2. Curate and disseminate the most pertinent resources and information, from the AIA & elsewhere, that benefit small firms.

3. Inform the AIA of current issues facing small firms and areas in which current resources/information are lacking.

Approximately 75% of all firms within the AIA are small firms (less than 10 employees), which equates to 14,459 small firms within the organization.

~26.8% = sole practitioners = 5,173

~33.5% = 1-5 employees = 6,459

~14.7% = 5-10 employees = 2,827

For context, small firms share of staff is 16.0% and share of billings is 12.0%

We need to find ways to leverage that size for collaboration and influence, just like the individual large firms do.

   

  

2015 Deltek A/E Industry Financial Performance Survey

  • 1.  2015 Deltek A/E Industry Financial Performance Survey

    Posted 07-26-2015 05:40 PM
    This message has been cross posted to the following Discussion Forums: Small Firm Round Table and Practice Management Member Conversations .
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    Again this year, Deltek's survey had the highest number of respondents among all similar A/E industry surveys.

    A copy of the Final Report is attached.

    While there are minor improvements pretty much across the industry, of particular note again is the performance of what are called the High Performing Firms. While the industry had a median Operating Profit Rate of almost 12%, that of the HPFs was almost 26%. Pre-Tax Return on Equity was similarly impressive: 20% for All Firms vs. 43% for the HPFs.

    Plus, there is evidence that these HPFs are not 'one-year-wonders'. Rather, they are performing at these higher levels year-after-year.  In all, the HPFs constituted almost 25% of All Firms, and were rather evenly distributed across the size-of-firm groups.

    I am updating a research paper from last year regarding HPFs and the factors that set them apart. It will be posted here soon. Suffice it to say that it seems that HPFs do not have significantly higher Utilization Rates, Salaries, or Benefits. It is their Net Revenue Multipliers that set them apart, and, in turn, the higher Bonuses they give out to reward performance.

    Use this report to benchmark your firm, both against the industry as well as against the HPFs.

    Mike Webber
    A/E Finance
    801 67th St.
    Downers Grove, IL 60516 USA
    C 1-630.732.5423   O 1-630.963.5423
    mawebber@aefinance.net
    www.aefinance.net