Amending the Soil
I am eager to announce a new venture for myself, and a stepping stone for the future of Studio Siembra – a supporting role with Troyer Group in Mishawaka, Indiana. After two years since founding Studio Siembra as a sole proprietor in Denver, Colorado, I hit a ceiling that we don’t often hear about in entrepreneurship (at least not within our industry), and I was tasked with either completely abandoning my vision for Studio Siembra for the sake of sustaining myself, or shifting strategies to successfully carry on this dream.
As we study landscape architecture and come up in the industry, we are introduced to legacy firms such as Sasaki, SWA, GGN, Design Workshop; and in the last few years, a few star professionals have started their own legacy-in-the-making firms to break out of the mold, such as Land Collective, Agency, or Studio Zewde. We often hear these and other professionals talk about the many obstacles and challenges that firm leadership must overcome to be successful (especially minority professionals); however, the financial cost of starting (and sustaining) a business is often left out of the industry dialogue. I believed I could build a firm from the ground up through my extensive network, my grit to work as much as necessary, and the unique perspective I bring to the industry through my nine years of varied technical expertise. After months of waiting on proposals to turn into projects, taking on unrelated side jobs to pay the bills, and having to rely on one steady but small flow of consulting projects, it became clear that my growth and the success of Studio Siembra would require additional support and a strategy shift. Without any sort of financial capital in hand – whether from an investor, a large project lined up, or even a spouse with enough income to sustain a household – I found it is almost impossible to self-fund a start-up through its infancy; and without a business degree or extensive business development experience, it is incredibly difficult to convince public agencies or most clients that a fledgling firm with one employee can take on any sort of substantial projects. This new role with Troyer Group is helping me tackle these challenges and more.
After many conversations and brainstorms to better understand my own limitations and the ceilings I have been hitting to sustain and grow Studio Siembra, one of my dear friends and mentors, Jonathon Geels suggested this role to support Troyer Group in their own transition period. Jonathan, who is the newly appointed President of Troyer Group, is not only a longtime stakeholder of mine, but a Fellow of ASLA for Service, a recent Master of Business Administration graduate from Notre Dame, and has over 19 years of experience in Landscape Architecture. This new collaboration for us comes at the right time, as I have been preparing all summer to speak at the ASLA Conference on Landscape Architecture about redefining mentorship for a new generation of professionals. This role is the epitome of what I believe great mentorship can be - it’s equally an amazing opportunity for me to learn from Jonathon’s own leadership and business skills and experience; and a well-timed opportunity for Jonathon and Troyer Group to leverage my unique perspective, skills, and lessons learned from starting a mission-led practice. I am eager to use my skills and experience in supporting Troyer Group in their goals to diversify their team, strengthen their connection to the communities they serve, and widen their impact in the Midwest - all of which are very much in line with my values and mission in practice. On the other hand, I aim to use this experience as an incubator for my own growth and development as an individual and entrepreneur.
In 2021, I was nominated and eventually honored to be selected for the ASLA Emerging Professional Medal, and Jonathon was one of those who wrote letters of support for my nomination. “Like so many other professionals, her path was not a straight line, but one that demonstrated resilience and firm resolve. She met that challenge with continued bravery, frequently seeking to support and celebrate others. This temperament and subsequent achievement are tantamount to the leadership qualities we all should aspire to.” My commitment to individual and collective growth is one I take very seriously, and it is my resilience and resolve that led me to this decision. Through the challenges and opportunities this experience will bring, my mission and vision for Studio Siembra and my own practice remain steadfast. And although the future of any seed that is sown is always uncertain, I am optimistic that this is a step towards improving the environment in which the seed of Studio Siembra lives, and I am thrilled to bring you all along to see what our harvest will be in the future.