Niche identification

[Mike Carter]

Anyone done the niche identification exercise and ended up with a very high score and “Right” niche to target that you actually loathe and desperately want to get out of that line of work. Then have possible niches that you thought might be a goer then rated lower due to not really knowing the complexities of that market?

Suppose I’m struggling with the subjective nature of the ranking system – results this morning are different to what they were last night (yesterday was sunny, this morning is cloudy – illogical that results could be that erratic)

[David Sisson]

It took me a long time to come up w/a niche. Subsequently I’m second guessing the choice-mainly based on info about how hard it is to break in to & also additional thinking about what I want out of life. Yes, it needs to be interesting to you.

[Bruce Mitchinson]

Mike, our niche came out of left field after bashing around with the obvious project categories, and not coming up with anything at the beginning. Like Dave, it took a while for us too. It was right there all along but we didn’t see it for trying too hard.

[David Sisson]

My niche-so far no biz-is private k-12 educational . I’ve been informed it’s going to be an uphill climb for me. I may be looking elsewhere, but not yet.

[Andy Hunt]

Mike, presumably you’re good at the niche you loathe? Could you learn to enjoy if you coached/mentored an assistant to do the least enjoyable parts? Good experience for them, and perhaps in taking on a slightly different role in a field you’re already good at it might be a different and perhaps profitable experience?

[Mike Carter]

I’ve been a specialist in the education sector (K-12 equiv) for 17 years, I’m well reknown and have long service agreements in place with several schools so work comes to me without me having to chase it. I know this is the holy grail of architectural commissions. BUT – whilst I love working with the schools and it fits my social agenda that architecture should be for the people not rich idiots who think its OK to spend $16m on a house in a world where there is so much need, what I loathe is the Government meddling. New policies which add exponentially to my work, (with pressure to keep them low cost) no benefit (ie form filling and reports that achieve nothing other than butt covering for someone higher up the chain). What I’m finding is that with these policies 20-25% of the project cost is lost upfront – consultants, consents, project managers etc. Schools get so little funding anyway that they are not able to achieve what they have been tasked and are expected to do. I care!

[Vince Abela]

Hi Mike, my sentiments exactly after over 23 years working on school work – enjoying the relationships and doing something you felt worthwhile. Now it is just a pain in the arse!! I’ve returned to my first love – residential, particularly adds and alts to villas and bungalows. Real people/clients with their own money, and no f…ing Project Managers in the way!

[John Jones]

I have no idea what the niche idenitification exercise is, but I’d suggest the following is most important to picking your niche:
what work do you enjoy the most?
what work do you have the most experience with?
what municipality are you most familiar with?
what work do you enjoy the most?
what work do you enjoy the most?
what work do you enjoy the most?

That is all. It’s your life. Choose it. : )

 

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