What do you want to be when you grow up? It’s a daunting question for most people. A purely acceptable answer is “I don’t know, but maybe I’ll try a few trades to discover what I like”. That’s exactly the way I approached the future career question and the first trade I tried was newspaper carrier.

It was the 1970’s and a cool day in Alaska, like everyday in Alaska. A financially-motivated 13 year old (me), who had his mind set on an Atari 2600, approached his parents to announce he had a new job. He inherited a friend’s paper route.

• The job paid $1.00/day for 2 hours of hard work
• There were no core business hours, but I had to deliver the evening edition of the paper to every subscriber by 6:00 PM
• Method of delivery, collection routine and scheduling was my responsibility.

Delivery Method:

Delivery method evolved and ultimately defaulted to on foot. I arrived at that conclusion after I tried bicycle and sled. The papers were too bulky to tote on a bicycle and Alaska terrain was incompatible for irregular sled travel paths that ventured across snow-covered debris, unchained pets and freshly shoveled walks. I’m sure the mental and physical effort required to deliver papers in freezing temperatures and terrain made me stronger, but I was driven by something stronger than character — capitalism.

Collection Routine:

I created a 15-day collection cycle. My customers lived on the financially-challenged side-of-town. The monthly subscription was $1.50 for weekends only and $3.25 weekday. Payments proved difficult to solicit because my customers valued food more than the news. I started collecting on the 15th of every month so I could pay the draw bill that was due on the 30th. If I didn’t have enough cash, I had to pay out of pocket. As soon as I finished collecting, I restarted for the next month. Collection was a perpetual and lengthy routine.

Schedule:

Schedule was a challenge. The sun set around 4:00 PM in the winter. Every day after school or practice, I’d drop off my clothes and books, load the saddle bags, bundle myself and speed walk the entire 2 mile route to finish delivery by 6:00 PM. I always discovered a way to meet the goal.

Fast-forward 40 years through a variety of trades:

• –baby sitter
• –grocery worker (twice)
• –food service (twice)
• –laborer, painter, handyman
• –teaching assistant – acoustics
• –structural engineer – intern
• –architect – designer
• –architect – supervisor
• –education director
• –management consultant
• –real estate portfolio manager
• –architect – principal

The last 40 years mark a notable position and financial progression but at the core, my current career shares similar characteristics to my first job.

Delivery Method:

Delivery method evolved and continues to evolve. I started with vellum and pencil originals reproduced as ozalid prints. That media evolved to electronic production, CAD, and hardcopy reproduction such as large-scale photocopies. Now I originate all deliverables via CAD or tablets and distribute copies via PDF and the cloud. The reproduction and large-scale prints proved too bulky. Technology drives certain changes so one company can compete with the others to make a profit — capitalism.

Collection Routine:

I created a flexible collection routine. Consulting clients receive invoices 1-week before the due date. I adjusted that delivery for design clients who need more planning time. After I collect all revenue and distribute all payments, I resume the collection process. Collection is a perpetual and lengthy routine.

Schedule:

Schedule is always a challenge.  I often adjust work days and hours around a colleague’s schedule, a client’s re-schedule, a contractor’s inspection or a continuing education seminar. I always discover a way to meet the goal.

I never knew when I earned the news carrier job years ago how similar it’s characteristics would be to my career. Perhaps the most deflating similarity is the notion I feel like I earn $1.00/day for 2 hours of hard work!

Read these articles to learn how other architects progressed in their respective careers.