Growthitect

Alexander: I think it would be a bit more
of a letter of intent and requesting, a

down payment as well to get things moving.

Tyler: That is Alexander Buckeridge,
an architect based in NYC that just

started his own architecture firm,
and he has a few potential projects

in his pipeline, including one that
he's meeting with in just a few hours.

Alexander: then get on a call
today, which is this afternoon

with the further stakeholders

Tyler: but it turns out there's a lot
of stakeholders coming to the meeting.

Alexander: I've never actually worked
with the entire family the brother

sister the mother everyone's on the call.

Tyler: a game plan to help close the deal.

Alexander: How do you want
this meeting to go exactly?

Cause I'm happy pull out the
bells and whistles and all that.

Tyler: So listen in as I advise him
on how to approach the conversation.

you and I haven't had a chance to
catch up in probably a few weeks.

I guess now, partly my fault
because I could not get my, I

could not get my setup figured out.

tell me what's the update on the developer
project and on the distillery project that

we talked about a couple of weeks ago.

Alexander: Yeah, so, both I'm in
touch with, and one, essentially

meetings in August, are planned out.

One will be back in Ireland and it'll
be more of an informal touch base.

And then the other one I'm waiting
to get that on the calendar.

But ideally, again, another kind of like
launch or something, and just to check

in to see where we're at with, the scope
and the potential of it coming online

in the fall, which was what they said.

yeah, a bit of keeping an eye on
it and keep, making sure I follow

up and finding that right rhythm.

Yeah.

not like following up weekly per se
and knocking on the door consistently,

but what fields, And I think everyone
has to gauge that, isn't that right?

It's I'm using different
channels, As well.

And actually just another thing I'm
just thinking about as well as obviously

by posting on LinkedIn and Instagram
and whatnot about what you're doing,

that's essentially how I would see
is you're keeping yourself active.

People are still looking at that.

They're, Seeing what you're doing,
therefore, you're keeping on their radar,

which is ultimately the big thing here.

Tyler: Yeah.

You the appearance of working
and of being busy and of having

clients, I think is good.

And important right now, especially
like I saw, I think it was

just yesterday on Instagram.

I think I loved your post, right?

It was, or it was your story.

It was your story on Instagram.

It was

Alexander: yeah.

I had that on the back of
my head to do for a while.

Tyler: Yeah.

Which is great.

I thought that was brilliant.

But, two questions, the distillery
project, Which is happening.

You said you're meeting
with those guys in August.

Have you been able to do disco yet?

Like, have you been able to?

Have that

Alexander: No, it's been

Tyler: like what the scope is and

Alexander: quite challenging to, to
nail them down for that formality,

which that's the hard part I'm
finding with the nitty gritties.

And, maybe that's a bit of an indication
in some ways, like that they're happy

to informally catch up, whether it's
via lunch or, a drink or a coffee.

Yeah.

But getting into the nitty gritty
seems a little bit more challenging,

Tyler: Do you know when that
project will begin roughly or

not do they have a timeline Okay,

Yeah, it might be hey
before we meet in August.

Do you guys have any more?

Information that you think I should
know about the project because I can

come with some ideas for you Right?

and you could be like, for example,
do you know when you're planning to

start, what kind of work you're looking
for, things like that, or how you're

planning to scope out the project,
just something like that so that you

Alexander: Yeah,

Tyler: say, Hey, I can
come just with some ideas.

I know we're still, I know we're
just meeting, but I'd love to show

you some ideas that I have, I think
just a soft question like that.

And then on the developer project.

Which sounds like you said you
haven't nailed down a time yet.

But you have your friend there, right?

Do you have her number?

Alexander: have like, you know,
the usual LinkedIn, uh, email.

Um, I'm not sure I have her number.

I can check.

I haven't texted her or anything yet.

I haven't

used that.

Tyler: I think you do have something
you can use to help move this along.

And it's important because,
you do want to feel things out.

But I think generally, if you
rely too much on feel, things

are going to go too slow.

like you want to feel pressured on
your side Like You want to get a little

bit uncomfortable with how much you're
reaching out to someone And how much

you're guiding that, guiding that timeline
forward, because you said something

that I think is really important,
which is that you said, they said that

they want to get started in the fall
or that they have a fall timeline or

that's when they would want to do this.

And so you have that actually to fall
back on and you have the knowledge

for how long these things take.

So you can go back to her and say.

I was just thinking, I know that
you mentioned this is something

that you want to do in the fall.

If that's the case, these
few things need to happen.

So I'd love to, have a conversation
with so and so soon so that we can

make sure it feels right, like we
can get the project completed and

started and completed when you want to.

so it's just reminding you of
how long these things take.

it's not just going to be like a, you
can't really push it off if you want to

get these things done, so I think leaning
on that would be good, but that's it.

that's exciting.

just keep nurturing and ideally,
in an ideal scenario, I think you

and I have talked offline about
this, but like you said, you can

probably take on Depending on the
size of the projects, you're thinking

like you want maybe three to five,

Alexander: Yeah, I think that's right.

I think in general,

Tyler: and if that's the case,
I think you probably want about

double that in your pipeline, right?

So right now it sounds like you have
maybe about three, like opportunities

in your pipeline something along
those lines that you're nurturing.

And I'd say a goal, a healthy goal
is probably to get to around 10, just

that you're continuing to nurture
and that might fall at any point.

And you can then you're just in
a much more comfortable position,

Alexander: yeah.

Tyler: but exciting things
have happened, right?

Since you, you launched, you, you did
like a formal launch of your brand, a

formal launch of your website, a formal
launch of your firm and the studio.

And you, And you have an
opportunity that came in.

So I'd love to hear about how that
opportunity came in and where it's at.

Alexander: Yeah.

reached out to I think let's say 70
to 90 roughly people the whole warm

up email situation was complicated.

So that had to be 25 per day It's a good
thing for people to know when they're

setting up their business and using their
email It's seems to have all worked.

Anyway, I didn't get flagged
by google or anything.

So that's

great You yeah, sent out, each
day last week, actually, I guess

it was, or the pre, no, the one

Tyler: Two weeks ago.

Yeah.

Alexander: Two weeks ago.

sent out each day, 25, and some of them
are still coming in, obviously, so I'm

still getting responses on some of them,
but yeah, I got about, I don't know, 10

to 15, somewhere in between that around
responses back, one couple of just meetups

probably, and then one particularly where
it was like, Yeah, we need some help.

again, can we, could we have conversation?

So I got LinkedIn to chat
to someone in the business.

it's a small kind of
like a retail, new brand.

And that's moved very fast, and that's,
I find true, previous experiences.

So when it moves that fast, there's
obviously intent, like There's no messing

around and yeah, so last Friday I jumped
on the call and so we're Friday today

and We just established I just listened,
let's say a bit of a discovery call I

can only get so much some of this was
under NDA So that's an interesting one

to navigate actually I couldn't get
nitty gritties around certain aspects of

it yet Now I have signed one since and
today apparently the book's being opened.

So that's also interesting but, yeah,
so we'd one discovery call, second call

with, another person in the business,
which was, one of the, with one of the

founders, and I took them through my deck
and took them through projects I've worked

on previously, took them through stuff
I'm interested in pursuing and my vision,

Tyler: what type of project is this again?

Sorry.

Alexander: It's retail.

And so then they had requested, some ideas
around a proposal and some experience.

So I did all that.

And that seemed to on that call went down.

Well, I use some of the advice that
you'd given around how to, structure the

proposal from our previous conversation
that I did for the Parisian apartment.

And that was really helpful because I
gave options, I gave different options.

Ways of engagement that would allow for
more flexibility and less, pressure, all

Tyler: them to choose
how to work with you.

Essentially.

Alexander: Yeah.

And I, And I, think
that was really helpful.

And I actually went back and I re listened
to the whole episode, and I think that's

important, like anything you got to go
back and, you've got to re go through

your notes and bring them back up.

And so I did that.

I ended up presenting three options,
consultation, straight up, hourly and

I tiered it by three different tiers.

If it was gonna be a shorter span of
time, it was at a higher price, and

again, and it worked its way down
the more they brought me into it.

and then the second option was a bit more
in between full services and consultation.

It was like a part, it was like
a partial services, I would say.

It was more like, do the design and
get out I can't be in all of it,

if you're not willing, if you're
not willing to fork that out.

and I just put that as a monthly retainer
for the initial one to three months.

And then there was the full services
that had a bit more traditional about it.

It had the option of a percentage of
it, or I would say a retainer based on

the percentage that we agree on what
we agree on a fee for the entire thing.

so overall they were very happy with it.

they didn't want, and they said, send
it through, and it was straight away

after the call because then they wanted
to send that to other stakeholders and

then get on a call today, which is this
afternoon with the further stakeholders

Which turns out to be an entire family.

So going to be an interesting dynamic.

I've never actually worked with the
entire family the brother sister

the mother everyone's on the call.

That's that's interesting.

and so feeling good about
it, feeling positive.

I feel like it's aligned with exactly
the kind of thing I should be jumping

straight into because my expertise from
previously is totally and utterly, I can

see myself doing something here with them.

So a few things to know, there's
already a GC, so there'll be

no bidding, there's someone, there's a,
there's an opening date for November,

which, is six months away, in one way
it's great, because I could have a

build project by the end of the year.

In another way, that's,
we that there's a separate

conversations to have about how
well the management, just in

general of my time, and stuff.

I have ideas around that, which we can
talk, but, budget stuff still is TBD.

And they said, again, with
sending a being signed, there's

a lot more going to be opened up
today about the conversation and.

I actually requested this morning.

I signed the NDA.

I sent it over and I asked for
an agenda for this meeting to be

more specific around what, because
it could go very different ways.

It could be like, are we
going into negotiation?

are we doing a big sales pitch?

I requested one guy to particularly,
you know, How do you want

this meeting to go exactly?

Cause I'm happy pull out the
bells and whistles and all that.

But, so anyway, that's super positive.

And I mean, it's only
been two weeks, right?

Since I launched.

So I'm here again in the driving
seat, going through the process.

Now I have a full deck
built out last time.

I had only a letter

now I've got a deck.

So I don't see a lot of time
went into that to get it right.

Dialed in.

I'm feeling confident, I would say, in
what I can do here and what I've done.

we're all going to make mistakes
as we go, but I, what I have

right now feels like I'm solid
foundations going into it, you know?

Tyler: Yeah.

Yeah.

Do you think the deck that you created, do
you think that's like repeatable or that's

like a system that you can use for future

Alexander: Oh, yeah, Oh, no, 100%.

I would always see these things as
things you evolve, but it's, the

deck is evolving throughout the

Tyler: Oh yeah, absolutely.

Alexander: solid, it's,

Tyler: But it takes that push.

Like you need the push that, before
we started recording, you were

telling me that you feel like you've
been spending all of your time.

Which is generally how these things work.

you're getting started out and
it's like, I've got a hot lead.

I've got a hot lead.

I'm just

Alexander: yeah, you've got to

Tyler: all of my, yeah,
you gotta jump on it.

And especially when you don't
have another active project,

I think that all makes sense.

But just to reiterate,
cause this is perfect.

I think it's so picture perfect.

this whole opportunity
and this whole situation.

Because it literally came out, I think
Any architect can do this and any

architect has this, like this exact
situation sitting in their network

somewhere, because you launched and
you did all of the right things.

You were public about the launch.

you're still sending out, launch
emails and launch announcements

across social and these different
things, but you specifically decided

to target your close network of
colleagues or people that you've.

Worked with or maybe worked with or

Alexander: Touched around

Tyler: yeah, switched around and you
were like, I've got, about a hundred of

these people, 70, 70 to 90, I think is

what you said.

And you just sent out a
really short, warm email.

It was like three sentences,
hey, I've launched.

This is what I'm focusing on.

You happen to know anyone
that might be interested.

10 or 15 responses, which is great.

that's a really high reply rate.

I don't think people don't generally
realize, you think, oh, I sent out 100

emails, I hope I get 100 responses.

realistically, if you get a 5
percent reply rate on that's amazing.

even for warm emails.

So it sounds like you got closer
to it was between 10 and 20%.

So that's amazing.

so that means these were
great relationships that

you've already been nurturing.

And then of course, you get
potential project that pops out of

this and you're already, it's like
already flying down the highway.

Like you are, you've met
with them a couple of times.

You've done discovery, you've signed an
NDA and now here it is this afternoon.

You're meeting with the family and you
don't know exactly where you're going

to, but you've got you've got a great

Alexander: mean, I'm at this point, right?

Tyler: yeah, this is,

exactly how you like, it's perfect.

It's perfect.

This is exactly what should be happening.

So I'm really excited for you.

I think this is just a testament to,
you know, well planned execution,

putting yourself out there, doing the
uncomfortable things, taking a little bit

of extra effort to learn how to warm up an
email address, how to send a warm email,

how to, nurture these relationships.

And so I think, it makes a big difference.

So that's just exciting.

I just wanted to say awesome job.

that's, that's really great.

Cool, so let's talk about, what do
you know so far about this project?

Alexander: what I know about the
project is someone was brought in.

I

know there's a layout done.

I know there was some kind of interior
experience, let's say atmosphere created

that they were unhappy with and didn't
feel like was aligned with the brand.

And it just didn't seem to work.

I know, he mentioned it's at SD level,
which, that's quite pushed along, so,

for me, again, it's good that there's
a bit of legwork done here so I can

deconstruct it or completely, start
with a blank canvas a little bit.

That's going to be part of
figuring this out together.

I think once we can all agree.

This makes sense for us
to collaborate on it.

I think it'll be a process of dissecting
the project a little bit to understand

and also the different voices.

From what I'm understanding, I can
already see lot of chefs in the kitchen.

that's what I'm hearing from them.

And I think the other part of
having the GC on board is helpful.

I think, that process can take a lot of
time if they have someone they trust.

it's my job to, to build
that relationship with him.

with short deadlines, you've got
to have such a close relationship.

it's like you're sending over
information when required to them.

You're getting things
moving where you can.

that part, I know, I think the budget
is a big question mark, which I

need to know because, you know, I'm
going into this meeting, not about

me finding what my price will be.

It's me finding out what
am I designing towards?

am I designing towards something
that's going to be a couple of

interesting millwork pieces,

or am I doing, an entire environment?

so I need to have that
conversation to figure out.

what is the level of scope
here, And again, that will

then adjust to my involvement.

It sounds like they'll want to
bring me on probably more or less.

we'll see on the call of course,
but to follow it through, because I

took them through everything, right?

I said,

look, I can give you a concept deck,
but someone's gonna have to bring the

contractor through that process, right?

And then you're gonna have to deal
with stuff that's coming up in field.

And that is a lot of work.

any of us architects that gone through
that, it's one thing, packaging it

and making it the feel good, but
then to execute it, and under a

short period of time.

So I know all that stuff essentially.

I think a lot more will come out of
the call today because they seem very

locked up about like sharing so much.

They haven't shared the
layout or the design.

I think they didn't feel comfortable
unless I did sign this NDA.

I think this meeting is pretty critical,
obviously, if we've got everyone on at

this point, and I think, more information
coming out, look, there's stuff already

said that the dad's going to be in L.

A., blah, blah, blah, in in two weeks,
and also, what's my availability?

Can I work on it straight away?

So

there is, there's all that stuff floating
around, but, with anything, whether it's

employment, whether it's jobs, nothing
is given until there's a contract signed.

Tyler: amen to that.

yeah, you can't.

Yeah, it's not there until
you have that signed.

and maybe even until you get that
first, retainer payment really.

so there's a few things
to talk about here.

one, the way that you just explained
that to me is so perfect I think

it's important to kind of speak
almost in the same way when you're

talking to the family today, because.

What I was going to ask you, and it sounds
like the answer is definitely yes, but

in your previous experience, have you,
picked up work like this before that's

it's been, it was covered by someone
else and then they weren't happy with it.

So you guys

Alexander: it is quite
common in the industry.

Yeah,

it is.

Yeah,

Tyler: So I think it's important to say
that, to say, I have experience in this,

this is relatively common, I've done
this so many times, and here's how this

generally works, you all were unhappy
with that, you have a deadline that you

want to hit, there's these different
things that need to happen, I have

experience with hitting these deadlines.

Making this happen.

And I think, the best option for you
based on everything that you've told

me, is probably this option because
it, allows these things to happen.

And, specifically, it's great that
you guys already have a GC in place.

and that makes it a lot easier
for me as well, be assumptive

with the way that you're talking.

Don't say, just say this is the things
that should happen, with working

with the GC I know this is going
to have to be a close relationship.

He and I are going to be, Discussing
the project probably on a daily basis

Alexander: Yeah.

Yeah.

It

Tyler: that these things happen if you
want to hit this November deadline Like

these are the things that need to happen.

And that would be my goal

Alexander: I did try a timeline as
well, actually, just to note that.

So I did put in project stages and
basically what we need to happen.

So already I've outlined, it's tight.

It's tight.

Tyler: yeah.

It's tight.

So I think that's important.

like leaning on that just in case,
it sounds like it's hard to tell

from what you're telling me, I
would say that they're probably

not talking to anyone else,

Alexander: I don't think so.

Actually.

I did feel like I should have
pressed on that, but I'm not

getting that sense just because

it's been so many over the week and they
just, they trust what I've done before.

Tyler: Yeah.

So I don't think it would be disingenuous.

As you reverse engineer it, especially
given the timing, November is

actually, it's not six months,
like that's four months away, ish.

it's not too, it's not too far
away, or five months, whatever.

That's not too far.

so to like reverse engineer
that timeline, that's listen,

we got to start like next week.

if you

Alexander: no, a hundred

Tyler: it's this is no joke.

you gotta get going now if
you want to hit this deadline.

and so I think, timing it that way
and saying, I'm ready to start then.

that's like you, you're teeing yourself
up and it sounds like you don't have

to do that much teeing up because it is
actually the situation that they're in.

Alexander: Yeah, it is.

Tyler: I think that's important.

now the other thing,
two other things, right?

One is, I would try to remove
budget from your vocabulary

a bit in this conversation.

I think more about investment, right?

I think what you want to understand

first, before you want to, I know
that you want to understand, Hey,

what's their budget for your work?

But I think first you want to
understand globally, what's the

investment that they're planning to
make into this store, into this retail

Alexander: That's Right.

Yeah,

Tyler: because then you can figure
out where you want to fit in.

that's an opportunity for you
to shine your knowledge, right?

So, Oh, cool.

So if you're planning to invest,
whatever, 2 million into this retail

project, that generally means this
amount of money can be set aside for this

interior experience that you want to do.

And if you do that, this
is what you can expect.

these are the outcomes
that you can expect.

However, if you're concerned about that,
and you're only thinking about something

smaller, probably talking about a
couple of millwork pieces here, and this

Alexander: Yeah.

Tyler: And so that's like an opportunity
for you to shine and just educate

them and walk them through what that,
what those outcomes are, I think.

So that's really good.

Sounds like the most
dangerous thing though.

I actually don't think that the
budget is that their budget, their

investment, what they're planning put is.

Is the biggest challenge for
you, based on what you've said,

because they're already doing it.

Like they have, if they have a
deadline in place, if they saying

they want to go in November, if they
already had someone that they were

hired, like there's, listen, they
have an investment set aside for it.

And there's an opportunity,
like there's work for you to do.

There's work to be won.

And there's, there's scope
for you to take in that.

So that's almost less concerning, right?

Because the project has already started.

I think what's most concerning now is
the amount of stakeholders that are

That you have, in it and specifically
the fact that it's all one family.

Alexander: Absolutely.

I think that's gonna be
the biggest challenge of

this project, honestly,

Tyler: those are,

family dynamics.

And that's, that's, it's like
doing a residential project, right?

that's.

difficult.

So I think, part of this is you
comforting them in this conversation,

making it clear that you understand
the situa empathizing with them, right?

Making it clear that you understand
the situation that they're in and

the pressure that they're feeling.

I think that's really important.

But I think the other important
thing is that as you're talking,

you have a lot of pauses.

And you have a lot of questions
back that say something like,

how do you all feel about that?

It does that align with your experience?

and you wait to see like how,
who's responding, how they're

Alexander: Yeah.

Yeah.

Tyler: I think it's important to
understand who's got the loudest

voice in the room, so to say, right.

And even maybe even at the beginning
of that call, probably will be

really important to be like,
Hey, I'm Alexander Buckridge.

I'm really excited to
meet with all of you.

I know I've been talking
with so and so for a while.

I'd love to just learn about
who's in the room really quick and

what your role is in the process.

I think that'll be important for
you to have, especially if you're,

even if you're recording the call or
just make a note, like you just want to

know, what's their role in the business?

Are they just, are they just
an influencer, so to say, in

the sense that they're just

the decision and they're
just part of the family?

Or are they, do they actually have like
formal roles in the project itself.

And so I think you understanding that you
have to be, you are quick on your feet,

so you'd be able to adjust to that, but
you want to know that kind of upfront, a

super helpful question, cause everyone's
already going to be in the room and, it

might just be maybe towards the middle of
the conversation whenever it feels right.

But like, or, if it gets into
the negotiation phase, like help,

help me understand how you all
are going to make a decision.

On this project, Or help me
understand how you make decisions.

cause then someone's going to walk
through the process and be like, we'll

meet as a family and then so and and
then we'll meet with you and we'll

let you know what our decision is.

you'll get some kind of sense of
what that decision making process is.

And you want to understand that
too, because you might find out who

the main stakeholders are, who the
champions are, and that's something

else to listen for on the call as well.

It sounds like you might already be
connected with, the Can't tell if it's the

decision maker or if it's the champion.

Alexander: I think the dad
has a lot of gravitas here.

So I'm getting that impression, but at
the same time, that's an impression,

as you said, so it's better to have a
open conversation to figure that out.

Tyler: Yeah.

And so that might even be, if you have
your champion it turns out, and maybe

the dead is the final decision maker.

that is someone that I would
maybe consider reaching out to

shortly after your meeting today.

And just being like, Hey,
felt like that went well.

I think we're all in agreement here.

What did you think?

or I don't know if you have
their phone number yet.

Like I'd just give them a call and
just be like, Hey, what'd you think?

Like, how did it go?

just want to make sure, it seems
like these things are moving, right?

Is there anything else you think
I can do to help impact, to help

influence the decision here, or make
it easier for you all to move forward?

Cause you have, you have that person
in there, but I think those are the

main things it sounds like, you are
in a really good position, and maybe

there is the potential to have a
verbal agreement from them on this call

that they're willing to move forward.

I think that's probably the end goal.

that you have some kind of agreement
that says to make forward and even

that yeah, cool, I'm going to send
over this after we jump off the call.

and if you sign it by this time,
then I can get started by this time,

Alexander: yeah, I'd need to
definitely put together a bit

more of a, formal or even a letter
of intent more so I think it's a

bit more simple with this situation.

I think it's with this pace.

It's moving up.

I think it would be a bit more of a letter
of intent and require, requesting, a down

payment as well to get things moving.

So

wherever we land on that monthly retainer,
I think I would just request, 10, 20%.

Thanks.

another one for you.

So it seems like they want to negotiate
the monthly, I'm getting, I'm definitely

getting that five from the last call.

again, I was happy.

It was really bad to catch
up with someone yesterday.

I had a coffee at their office and, I
didn't actually play the situation out.

We just gave me advice around.

If people are looking to negotiate the
fee, what do you make it a two way thing?

So it's you want to get
something out of any negotiation.

We both got to get something.

And I thought was pretty good.

he was like, you got to
take off your architect hat.

You've got to put on your business hat.

And you've got to sit there
and you've got to defend your

business and you've got to go.

So one strategy he was like, Hey, how
about I take 10 percent off every invoice.

If you agree to paying me by seven
days, if I seven day working or

whatever, five working days or
seven normal days or whatever.

And so I will take 10 percent
of each invoice, which whatever,

let's say that's a thousand bucks

per invoice.

Let's say it's, let's hypothetically
say we're invoicing 10 K a month.

I'm just, I did, there could be a
negotiation in this conversation.

It could be a family, but it could
be a family that are all working as

like a business, obviously together.

So they could be used to each other,
negotiating them a hundred percent.

Tyler: it's a difficult situation,
I think, but I think it's less

necessarily about, I think defending
might not be the right word.

The question is why do
they want to negotiate?

Do they just want to negotiate because
they like to negotiate and they're like,

there's, this is something that they do
as business people, that there's always

room to negotiate and they're just
trying to save as much money as possible.

Or do they want to negotiate because
there's things in that package that you

have that they don't think are necessary.

Alexander: Yeah.

Tyler: And so I think
that's where it's leaning.

It's Oh, that's not necessary.

You know, then we can remove this.

I think it's, what's important for you
to know going into that, like you need

to know what your absolute minimum is.

And I would even maybe add like
a 20 percent padding to that.

going into that because.

You can say, that's just not, it's
not, it's literally not sustainable

for me to do that, at that.

And I don't think you'll get the
best outcome for it, in this way, but

when they start pushing it, I think
what's important to know, help me

understand, why you want to negotiate.

Help me understand what's not sitting
right with you about this price.

Alexander: Yeah, it's true.

it's not outrageous.

Tyler: I think this is fair given what's,
I think given what's delivered, given the

timeline that you have all in place and,
my ability to begin the project right now.

So help me understand how you're seeing
this, give them the space to justify the

negotiation because they might not have
a reason if they don't have a reason.

like, there's no, there's no negotiation.

they almost have to
sell you on their need.

and so hopefully with that, in doing
that, what you, you come to understand

what the actual objection is, right?

Maybe their budget is smaller
than what they need it to be.

And so there's different things
that need to be taken off.

And so I think in terms of I'm
not sure that I would do the, pay

within seven days, only because.

they don't pay within that.

that's not anything because you can say
you'll get paid within seven days, but

realistically, if they pay within 14,
like you're still going to be happy.

And so I think, like you
just want to get the money.

So I think that's, I think
that's a harder one to do.

I think it'd be

Alexander: The scale of
it is not appropriate.

Tyler: yeah, we can do that, but I
don't think it's realistic that we

can finish that project by November.

Okay.

if you're negotiating, then you
have to move with the things

that they care most about.

Alexander: Yeah.

And the more investment in terms
of financially having me there,

the more time I can spend on it.

Is the main thing.

Therefore we'll move through it faster,
but you know, the minute we start to

reduce it, I've, got to guard my time
and I've got to guard what I'm doing.

And

so

Tyler: Those other projects that are going
to take over my, these priorities for me

and these, and these different things.

And so if you want my full
attention, if you want my best

attention, then this is that.

If you need to reduce it, I, I understand
that, but there's a definite possibility

that this could push back the timeline.

Alexander: yeah, look,
it's a simple thing.

It's it's either I'm on a three
day, you're either on two days a

week, you're on a three days a week,
you're on a four days a week, yeah.

And that's how I have
to manage it currently.

Tyler: And from that, discovery call,
those discovery calls that you've had with

them, I do think, I can send over the, I
can send over the article, and I can link

it here, but there's three great questions
that you should ask yourself going

into this meeting that you should know.

The first one is, what is their priority?

from all of the conversations that
you had, what is their top priority?

Is their top priority,
opening the store in November?

Is their top priority
staying within budget?

Is their top priority, having a space
that perfectly reflects their brand?

what is that top priority?

Because that is your negotiation.

that's the top of line
negotiation for you.

Whatever their priority is, is the
thing that you should be referring

back to constantly if they're
negotiating with you, right?

I'm focused on perfectly reflecting
your brand as closely as possible

and the way that you want.

And that's generally what this requires.

So if we remove that, there's a chance
of these things being pulled away,

Alexander: Yeah.

Yeah.

Tyler: So that's the first one.

The second one is what
objections do you anticipate?

And I don't know if
there's that many of them.

it sounds like you've maybe
already addressed them.

maybe there could be one on size.

Maybe there could be one on timeline.

it's hard to say.

There might not be any.

Alexander: The only objection that
I tried to get that I earmarked was

the fact of working in LA, but I
really have a lot of covering on that.

I've done two projects there already

and I think it's, I'm not in LA sure,
but I always work in that method.

just finding something locally to support
on the code compliance stuff and all that.

That's about it.

Tyler: Yeah.

Okay.

And then the other one is what,
what reasons do they have to say no?

Basically.

If they say no, why are
they going to say no?

I think you want to
know that going into it.

Based on the knowledge that you
have because you want to avoid

that outcome as much as possible.

You want to stray from it.

You want to keep them.

those are the things.

It's a little bit different.

It's like the heavier thing than
an objection, An objection is just

it's more like a hesitancy, but the

reason that they're going to say
no is going to be, it's going to.

Alexander: I'd say really pissed
them off on the call would be the

Tyler: yeah, exactly.

so

with them and and things.

But I think,

I, think you're in a great position.

I think, these are just the
things to watch out for.

But even the way that you've been talking
about it with me is honestly exactly

how I would talk about it with them.

Alexander: know I'm in the
right frame of mind for it.

I do feel in terms of, it feels right.

that's just the way it is.

Sometimes things you're pushing
things you're forcing things

and that's not how this is.

I feel now.

Let's see I don't know the dynamics.

we'll see how that plays out But it
could be a shouting match between the

all family members on the call, which
should be right, It's interesting

and look I think there's stuff I
can always play back on like I come

from a family of five five kids so

I haven't

Tyler: Oh, perfect thing.

Alexander: a very much
so helpful thing of like

understanding, that
there's a ton in my family,

Tyler: that's the perfect way
to build rapport at the very

beginning of the conversation.

I don't know how many people
are going to be on that call.

Alexander: five.

Tyler: Oh, perfect.

Then you just, you start and be
like, this feels a little bit

like my own family gathering.

I'm, one of five, It's fun to be
on a call with all of you as well.

that's a great way to just
make a connection right at

the beginning of the call.

So I'd probably start it
that way if I were you.

Alexander: Yeah.

Yeah.

And I think the call is about
making the connection, making sure

people feel somewhat comfortable.

I think we can obviously get
into what happens after let's

say this does move forward.

I think there'll be a bit more.

Signing up, get running on it.

and one thing I've noticed from, my
previous position, is really getting

to know them quickly and getting
them to trust you quickly as well.

And so getting a bit of face time
with them person to person is going

to be really important initially.

it's something that I saw was
an issue with some projects we

had where we didn't build that
relationship as well as we could have,

and you got to a point
in the project where.

There wasn't the stable footing there
should have been to get through those

solutions that we needed to find together.

And I feel like with this family in
particular, once I understand more

about them and their decision process
and their communication and who is the,

going to be the final decision, I just
think there needs to be They might ask

me, on this call, which is potential,
okay, what will happen next, after we

agree to start this?

And I think

Tyler: I'll fly out there.

Alexander: no, that's
already been mentioned.

It's already been mentioned that I will
go straight out there and meet with, we

meet with as much of them as possible.

See the site, which is critical
before I get into the weeds.

and just, yeah, just give them
that assurance that look, we're

going to make this happen and,
somewhat enjoy the process.

And, I don't want to be pulling my
hair out for the next six months,

and, I want to enjoy this and make
sure we all understand each other.

Tyler: Yeah.

Yeah, absolutely.

That's a great, that's a great

Alexander: So that's really, so that's
where I'd like to get to just with like

roughly that, informal verbal agreement,
then some kind of letter of intent.

And then I think figuring a date to
actually meet there ASAP, because just

initially meeting in person, getting
dinner after building a little bit more

relationship beyond what the brand is and
beyond what I am as a business, as people,

I think this is a huge important
point that I've obviously

learned over the last decade.

Parking is People want to work with
people and at the end of the day, I

can come in here at this and I can tell
them, Hey, I've done all these incredible

projects and they actually are stuff
you want to do for your own brand.

But the GC is just, it's a
person that I have to be in

communication with every day.

Your dad, he's got his own issues.

at the end of the day, we all have to just
work together here and find a nice balance

of, the symphony or whatever
you want to call it.

Tyler: Yeah.

And I think that's especially important
for you given you're like global, you're

taking on, you're, you have potential
projects all over the world at this point.

you, you know, you have to be willing
to make that jump and to go see, and

to, Have the face to face, kind of
relationship building experience as

early as possible in that project.

So I think that's good.

The only, so at the very end, the
next steps are going to be important.

Like you said, like they might ask
what's next after this signed, but in

terms of, I think it's also important
to give them a deadline and when you

need a decision, if they want to.

Hit their deadline, right?

Hey, you know, I'm gonna put this
letter intent together and Hey I'll

probably need this decision by Monday
or I will need this decision By Monday

if you want me to start by then and
I'll book a flight and I'll be in

so that we can chat About it at that

Alexander: Yeah, because I think that's
right, because I think, even if we, they

send a letter over and, it could take a
few days just to iron out that, right?

So we're already, you're

already using a bit of next week.

So the realist fee, the earliest
I could be out there is the

following week, which is the 22nd.

So for me, that's what I'm considering
as like a start date for this.

Tyler: Yeah, I think you're right.

I think you're right

Alexander: give next week to
iron out any nitty gritties.

But

Yeah

so look, that's really exciting.

And I feel like if that's, if this
all goes ahead and, it will be great

and it will be a great opportunity to
just, get my hands in on something and

get it built by the end of the year,
which would be astonishing, actually.

Tyler: That'd be great.

And it does sound like the
perfect project based on your

experience too.

I mean, this is like, this is
your bread and butter, right?

So it's it's a, it's your exact project.

Yeah.

Alexander: So yeah, that's exciting.

And obviously we can have a follow up on,
on where that's all going to go now next.

I think I'm well prepared for that call
and I just have to, as you said, listen,

take stock a lot and just see where this
is all, where is it all landing, right?

And who's it, find a way forward
and stay solid with what I'm

coming to the table with.