For RA’s September-October issue (coming out in print and online in the next few days) I wrote a profile of Marlon Blackwell Architect in Fayetteville, Ark. During our interview, Marlon and I talked about his experience selling Bibles to pay for college. He told me how useful it was to learn how to sell, because architects are constantly called upon to exercise their powers of persuasion. Here’s an excerpt from our conversation:
“Selling ideas is what we [as architects] do. The principles of selling aren’t any different, no matter what you’re selling. That sales experience is very helpful for me all the time. I didn’t fully understand while I was in the midst of it how helpful it would be, but I understood once I left. It’s important as an architect that you can engage and relate to anyone.”
Stay tuned for the full story on Marlon and his dynamic firm, as well as a selection of images of his work.
