In 2005, Matthew Boland’s gut told him to leave his job at a design firm so he could launch his own studio in Scottsdale, Arizona. Since then, he’s ditched a number of traditional business methods, opting for a more fluid, flexible approach that allows him to go deep with his far-flung clients, get more done and build a nimble, do-it-all team.
What was the inflection point in your career that helped you spring ahead?
There were two, but the first was in 2005. I worked for another firm for nine years prior to that, and I really enjoyed working there—I certainly could have stayed my entire career. But that year, I wanted this particular project. The couple was interesting, and they had hired an interesting architect, too, but I knew that what they were doing would not be a fit for the firm where I was working. I thought, “You know what? I need to go for that project.” I had three months to get my shingle up and present my firm well to be able to interview for the project.
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