Is Your AEC Firm's Culture Ready for What's Coming?

Your AEC firm runs on your people. And your people run on your AEC firm's culture—the shared values, beliefs, and expectations that should inform every decision your firm makes, from who you hire to which projects you pursue to how you plan for succession.

But here's the uncomfortable truth: the culture that got you here may not be the culture that gets you where you need to go.

Generational change is accelerating. Outside capital is flooding into our industry. AI is poised to fundamentally reshape how projects are sold and delivered. In this environment, a "good enough" culture isn't good enough anymore. The firms that thrive will be the ones that deliberately design, communicate, and nurture a high-performance culture built for today's realities—not yesterday's.

5 Questions That Keep AEC Leaders Up at Night

If you're like most AEC executives, you're wrestling with challenges that don't have easy answers:

1. How do we preserve what makes us great while preparing for what's next? Your firm has a legacy worth protecting. But honoring that legacy while empowering next-generation leaders to take bold new directions? That's a delicate balance.

2. How do we stay nimble as we scale? Whether you're growing organically or through acquisition, every expansion tests your culture. The client-focused, entrepreneurial spirit that defined your early years can easily get lost in process and bureaucracy.

3. Where do we find people who truly "get it"? The talent war is real. But the bigger challenge isn't just finding skilled professionals—it's finding people who share your values and can carry your vision forward.

4. How do we build leaders, not just managers? Technical excellence got your current leaders where they are. But developing the next generation of leaders requires something different—a systematic approach to growing the strategic, relational, and business capabilities your firm will need tomorrow.

5. What does sustainable ownership look like? With valuations skyrocketing and transition dynamics shifting, the old playbook for ownership transition may no longer apply. What worked for the last generation of owners may not work for the next.

Culture Isn't Soft—It's Strategic

Research consistently shows that an AEC firm's culture is the single biggest predictor of employee engagement, client satisfaction, and long-term financial performance. Culture isn't a "nice to have" or an HR initiative. It's the engine that either accelerates your growth or holds you back.

The firms that will win in this new environment are the ones treating culture as a strategic asset—something to be designed, measured, and continuously refined. They're asking hard questions, testing new approaches, and building the organizational capabilities that innovation, flexibility, and bold thinking demand.

An Invitation to Think Differently

This challenge is why we're bringing together a select group of AEC firm leaders for an intensive, small-group working session unlike anything you've experienced before.

AEC Business Accelerator Lab: Build a Sustainable and Scalable High Performance Culture is an executive retreat designed for no more than 27 leaders who are ready to move beyond conventional thinking and build cultures that can actually deliver on their firm's potential.

When: April 13–15, 2025
Where: The Meritage Resort & Spa, Napa Valley

This isn't a conference where you sit and listen to presentations. It's a true working lab where you and your peers will roll up your sleeves, share real challenges, and develop specific strategies you can implement immediately.

What Makes This Different

You shape the agenda. We've designed four core lab modules, but you and your fellow participants determine how much time we spend on each based on your most pressing challenges:

• Strategy & Growth: The fundamental underpinnings that drive long-term success—from strategic planning to governance structures to BD models that attract the best clients at premium fees.

• Talent Optimization: Breakthrough approaches to recruiting, developing multi-generational teams, building leadership pipelines, and creating compensation structures that actually work.

• AI & Technology: Where the real opportunities are hiding, what early adopters are learning, and how to build a business case for smart investments without getting swept up in hype.

• Ownership Transition: Positioning your firm for sustainable growth when you're no longer at the center—and empowering the next generation to take it even further.

Radical candor, real connections. We limit attendance to ensure every participant gets meaningful attention. The setting is designed to be "defenses down"—a confidential environment where you can share real challenges, test unconventional ideas, and build lasting relationships with peers who understand what you're facing.

Immediate applicability. You'll leave with a concrete action plan—specific strategies tailored to your firm's unique situation, informed by diverse perspectives and pressure-tested through collaborative discussion.

The Experience

We kick things off Monday evening with dinner, drinks, and conversation designed to help you decompress and get to know your fellow participants. Come ready to think differently about your firm's future.

Tuesday and Wednesday are intensive working days, but we've built in space to breathe:  networking lunches, optional one-on-one coaching sessions, and evening social events that let you step away and recharge.

By Wednesday afternoon, you'll have a new framework for thinking about culture, practical strategies you can implement immediately, and a network of peer executives who will be valuable sounding boards long after you return home.

This Isn't for Everyone

If you're looking for motivational platitudes or generic best practices, this isn't the right event for you. The AEC Business Accelerator Lab is for architecture and engineering firm executives who are ready to question assumptions, embrace discomfort, and do the hard work of building something better.

Our last session sold out. If you're serious about positioning your firm for what's ahead, secure your seat now.

The AEC Business Accelerator Lab: Build a Sustainable and Scalable High Performance Culture takes place April 13–15 at The Meritage Resort & Spa in Napa Valley. Space is limited to ensure a high-impact experience for every participant. Learn more and secure your spot at www.psmj.com/accelerator