Introduction
Ernie Munoz, an architect with a long career leading design teams, joins Jack Ossa on The Power of Design Podcast. Jack worked for Ernie years earlier and describes him as a mentor and role model who taught him leadership lessons that shaped the leader he wants to be.
The conversation covers how to run a successful architecture office, Ernie's path from Texas to Houston, Washington, DC and Charlotte, the importance of relationships with contractors and real estate teams, and the future of the profession.
About the Episode
Ernie says a successful office comes down to hiring good people, and that he has always valued attitude above talent. He grew up in Texas, decided on architecture in eighth grade, and credits his mother, a seamstress who loved designing clothes, with giving him an appreciation for well-crafted things. His first architecture job came in college because he lettered well by hand.
He describes working on apartments in Houston, joining a firm with gifted designers, and then a turning point at a large design firm, where a small airport retail store taught him that every square inch is seen and touched by thousands of people. There he helped build an architecture studio from nothing to about 50 people, then moved to Charlotte in 2004 to lead an office that grew from about 12 to 50 people over 15 years.
Ernie and Jack discuss leadership and appreciation, trusting your instincts, turning down clients that are not a fit, bringing contractors in early, understanding the pressures on real estate teams, and why architects should not treat a client's project as their own. They close with technology, the future of firms and how design shapes how Ernie sees the world.
Key Takeaways
- Hire for attitude: skills and experience matter, but attitude is the multiplier.
- Leadership is about the team: a leader learns quickly that it is about everyone else, and that people need appreciation.
- Followers matter too: you do not have to become a leader to be successful, you can work at your craft.
- Build a reputation for reliability: accurate documents and owning up to mistakes establish trust.
- Choose clients carefully: you do your best work for people you want to work with.
- Bring the contractor in early: shared pride in the building makes a better, more enjoyable project.
- It is the client's project: collective ownership with the real estate and contracting teams beats falling in love with your own design.
Highlights from the Conversation
A leader very quickly learns it's not about them, it's about everybody else.
Ernie Munoz
I'm convinced that appreciation is a deep, deep human need.
Ernie Munoz
I think that you're going to do your best work for people you want to work with.
Ernie Munoz
Topics Discussed
- Hiring for attitude and building a team
- Early career in Texas and Houston
- Design in everything: from buildings to interiors and retail
- Starting and growing an architecture studio
- Leadership, appreciation and self-confidence
- Choosing the right clients
- Partnering with contractors and real estate teams
- Technology and the future of architecture firms
Why This Conversation Matters
Ernie's focus on detail, team culture and collaboration with contractors reflects how good interior architecture projects are delivered, as in the BWM Office and the Collet Office. His view that a client's goals come before the architect's ego, and that design should make people feel good when they walk in, also guides our architecture work and the brand thinking we bring to a space.
About the Guest
Ernie Munoz is an architect who has worked as a designer and leader at several design firms. He grew up in Lubbock, Texas, studied architecture at Texas Tech University, practiced in Houston, helped build an architecture studio in Washington, DC and led an office in Charlotte, North Carolina for 15 years before moving to another firm. Jack worked for him early in his career. Connect with him on LinkedIn.
