080: Cari White: Architecture Firm Finances and Profitability

Cari White is currently an Outsourced Controller with BlueStone Accounting Solutions. She has almost two decades worth of experience in the accounting industry where she has built meaningful relationships with her clients and colleagues. She prides herself on presenting financial information in an easily digestible format. When not working, Cari is spending time with her family; watching the Ravens, Orioles, and Terps; and seeing Broadway shows at the Hippodrome.We talk about: - The relationship between design excellence and business sustainability. Cari explores the basic tenets of financial literacy for architects and defines essential KPIs. She explains how architecture firms can improve cash flow through more efficient invoicing and proactive communication with clients about scope creep.- She highlights the positive impacts of introducing mid-career architects to project management concepts like budgets, staffing strategies, and profit margins to prepare them for leadership roles.- As a person with architecture firm and non-architecture firm experience, Cari candidly discusses the benefits of seeking outside financial support when running a business.- We end by chatting about the financial impact of caregiving on women’s careers, including how flexible work arrangements can retain talent while supporting long-term financial stability. Cari shares her experience negotiating flexible work schedules, making the business case for reduced hours, and maintaining trust in client-facing professional services roles.>>>Thank you to our Sponsor:⁠⁠Arcol ⁠⁠is a collaborative building design tool built for modern teams. Arcol streamlines your design process by keeping your model, data, and presentations in sync- enabling your team to work together seamlessly. Learn more about Arcol on their ⁠⁠Website⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠, ⁠⁠X⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠.>>>Connect with Architectette:- Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.architectette.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Learn more)- Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @architectette⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (See more)- Newsletter:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.architectette.com/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Behind the Scenes Content)- LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Architectette Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Page and/or⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Caitlin Brady⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠>>> Support Architectette:- Leave us a rating and review!>>>Music by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AlexGrohl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pixabay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.