Expanding and Hiring in RICHMOND

Team IONIC seeks additional talent

Ionic DeZign Studios is looking for several positions for our new expansion into the Richmond market. Production Architect

Junior Architect/Designers

IONIC is a Virginia Beach based Architecture and Interiors firm along with its newly acquired location in Richmond, WHHA + Ionic DeZign Studios. We work on a variety of project types, including retail, restaurants, hospitality, corporate offices, mixed-use and commercial, financial, municipality projects as well as a being a significant player in Religious Architecture. WHHA formerly known as Wm Henry Harris and Associates has a strong history of over thirty years doing work in the church community. IONIC is a firm that strives to set the bar higher in terms creativity and ingenuity throughout the design process. Team IONIC is about relationships. Within a supportive and mentorship philosophy, IONIC provides a climate where you'll succeed and be a part of a continuously growing and evolving family of designers.

We are immediately seeking individual/(s) to join our team specifically in the Richmond office but possibly both offices for new construction and renovation type work. Bulk of Richmond work is church related however we will be expanding our portfolio of work in that office. Junior Architect/Designers responding must be capable of working on multiple projects in various phases simultaneously. Proficient in Revit, AutoCad and 3D Max is preferred for production of construction documents. Must work well with others for team collaboration. 

We also seek a Production Leader for the Richmond office capable of multi-functioning and coordinating all work within the office as well as with our Virginia Beach office. Organizational skills are a must as well as leadership qualities. Responsibilities include managing projects, coordinating work, creating construction documents, time management of others. Qualified individual would initially meet and understand workings of Virginia Beach office to fully understand how the expanded practice will function.

Qualifications Summary:

Completion of three to five years in architectural degree program.
Minimum of 3 years total professional experience; experience required in construction documents; beneficial for all other phases of project work including preparation of conceptual, schematic, design development and supporting materials.

Proficient in AutoCad, Revit a plus.
Licensed or actively seeking licensure.

Send resume and references to info@ionicdezigns.com

D. Eugene Thompson, AIA

Team IONIC welcomes Bart McElfresh

Ionic DeZign Studios is excited to announce our new design team member Bart McElfresh. Bart joins us from a well established career participating in the design and development of many many church projects throughout Hampton Roads.

Previously with Barnes Design Group as an Assoicate, Bart was directly responsible for a sizeable number of projects handled from the initial client contact through long range master planning concepts,  preliminary/final building design, construction drawings and consultant coordination, negotiated (partnered) bidding and construction administration.
He  has been the lead Design Architect on more than 300 church projects which have varied in scope from small additions and renovations to the design of entirely new facilites, some of which approached or exceeded the 500,000 SF threshold. 

Notable buildings around the Hampton Roads area designed by Bart include  the Calvary Revival Church facility adjacent to Military Circle Mall, Christ The King Catholic School Cafeteria addition on Tidewater Drive in Norfolk, the New Life Deep Creek facility on Shell Road, Oak Grove United Methodist Church in Great Bridge, the initial River Oak Church facility off of 168 in Great Bridge, and most recently the Jolliff United Methodist Church expansion in Chesapeake. Other projects in Hampton Roads he has designed include Thomas & Thomas Dental Practice in the Great Bridge area of Chesapeake, VA, Plaza Azteca Restaurant adjacent to Chesapeake Square Mall and the Town Center IHOP site retail redevelopment in Virginia Beach. 

We are excited about him being involved in our new growth into the church market especially after our recent acquisition in Richmond of the newly rebranded WHHA + Ionic DeZign Studios. A valuable added asset to our team in helping establish IONIC not only as a local anchor for all church work but securing us as the "go-to-architect' on the east coast.

Welcome to the team Bart!

www.ionicdezigns.com

www.WHHAdezigns.com

Creating places and spaces that enrich the lives of those who use them.

You Got Your Peanut Butter on My Chocolate

Do you remember that old commercial.....okay maybe I'm certainly dating myself now. I don't remember how long ago that was advertised on television.

Regardless, if you haven't already heard.....IONIC and WHHA are now one firm. In seeking to grow and provide more and better services to our clients, Ionic DeZign Studios has come together .....like peanut butter and chocolate.....SWEET! with William Henry Harris & Assoc. Our office in Richmomd now supports our long endeavors to participate in more church relat d architecture.

Please take a look at our website.....it is still under construction.....but getting there, and check out some of our work. We will be adding some new projects soon that are under construction as well as just beginning construction documentation.

2016 looks to be a fantastic year....thank you for allowing us to serve you.

D. Eugene Thompson, AIA

President + Foumder

Ionic DeZign Studios

www.ionicdezigns.com 

www.WHHAdezigns.com

Check out our Facebook pages too!

Creating places and spaces that enrich the the lives of those who use them.

NERVE 2015 - Nashville

Be Legendary! For my first experience at a global EO function, this was LEGENDARY! The amount of learning and note taking I did over the few days we stayed in Nashville was massive. About 50 pages of written notes filled my iPad. I tried to capture all that I could. Numerous speakers filled my head with self-motivation and focus on being a better leader and business man. They provided I site how to grow your business to points that are beyond your expectations. They encouraged you to share your knowledge with your own team/staff and allow them to better their abilities.

Each day was filled with speakers during the day and networking opportunities each evening. From keynote speakers to breakout sessions and even celebrity country singers, Nashville was filled with more than I could imagine. To make a choice of which breakout speaker I intended on hearing was probably the toughest decision. None we bad....all were awesome. I emerged with an enormous amount of learning.....including a pile of books to add to my reading list! I can't wait to get through them all.

I connected with several individuals including the great Jack Daly. What a huge motivator! Not only did I hear him speak but got the opportunity to run with him Thursday morning and chat a bit. There were about a dozen of us. I feel I am going to be adding an Ironman to my bucket list. What an amazing way to start off my first Global EO experience!

 

Day one was filled with multiple speakers (9 in total) brain was about to explode and I filled my iPad with notes. Here is my day one take-aways. There were many!

Verne Harnish: Locamotion of Species; "With enough pieces of ribbon I could conquer the planet", Napoleon; The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing; In the 21st century we are not confined to our four walls; Passion Purpose & Persistence.

John DiJulius: They don't put people in Disney, they put Disney in people; Day in the Life of a Customer; Making price irrelevant; SIGN: We do $10 haircuts....SIGN: We fix $10 haircuts!; Customer Bill of Rights...never & always.

Jack Daly: Systems and Processes; If you don't have an assistant you are one; Vision = Magnetic + Compelling; Keep people in Key spots; Hire slowly, Fire quickly; Always looking for the number 1 salesman.

Cameron Herold: The little engine that could, I think I can; Ride the roller coaster and scream, or wave and laugh.

Tim Corbin: people are like: Marshmallow-soft outside and inside, Jelly Bean-hard on outside and soft in the middle, Rock-hard on both because of experience; Life isn't fair, it rewards us on its own clock; Don't judge every season by the outcome of the last game; The first part of teaching is trust.

Ron Friedman: Intelligent risk taking; Mistakes are the tuition you pay for success; Exercise makes you smarter.

Biz Dev Done Right: Right Target, Right Message, Right Answers to objections, Right Door Opener, Right execution; 1st 10% improvement, 2nd 10% price change.

Andy Bailey: 7000 thoughts in one day, only ONE task account mp,I shed at a time; You get what you're focused on.

Tommy Spaulding: His story was amazing.....can't wait to read the book after listening to him for just a few minutes.

And the the day was over and off we went to dinner. Right there in the hotel at the Country Music Hall of Fame with entertainment by John Rich who had spoke to us earlier in the day too.

 

All in all it was a fantastic event with lots to learn from. A great time getting to know my fellow members and many of their wives better as well as a lot of others from around the country.

 

D. Eugene Thompson, AIA

Ionic DeZign Studios

 

www.ionicdezigns.com

www.WHHAdezigns.com

 

Team IONIC welcomes Melinda

Melinda joined IONIC in September 2015 after relocating to Virginia from Colorado. Since receiving her communications degree from Oklahoma State, she has explored all aspects of her field of study. Melinda expanded her technical skills and experience as the videographer and editor for a state training agency in Oklahoma. From there, she gained valuable experience as a project manager and grant writer for a small agency in Colorado. Most recently, she began polishing her marketing skills while working as an executive assistant at a financial planning company. 

Melinda brings a varied skill set as she joins the team at Ionic DeZigns. Her experience will allow IONIC to expand their presence in additional markets along the east coast and throughout the mid and southwest. Effective in communications, Melinda will promote further awareness of IONIC's architecture and design talents through various websites and social media venues. Her former project management experience will allow her to effectively help with CA and assist the project managers.

Team IONIC welcomes Gideon

Gideon came to Ionic Dezign Studios after graduating from Oklahoma State University and entering the financial industry in Colorado Springs. He gained experience in finance, project management and system administration with a Colorado-based credit union. He functions as accountant and system administrator for IONIC's financial responsibilities. Gideon organizes and manages the administrative side of the business to occasionally include marketing and business development efforts as well.

Team IONIC open employment

Team IONIC seeks additional talent

Ionic DeZign Studios is looking for a Junior Architect/Designer to join our ever growing practice.

IONIC is a Virginia Beach based Architecture and Interiors firm along with its newly acquired location in Richmond, WHHA + Ionic DeZign Studios. We work on a variety of project types, including retail, restaurants, hospitality, corporate offices, mixed-use and commercial, financial, municipality projects as well as a being a significant player in Religious Architecture. WHHA formerly known as Wm Henry Harris and Associates has a strong history of over thirty years doing work in the church community. IONIC is a firm that strives to set the bar higher in terms creativity and ingenuity throughout the design process. Team IONIC is about relationships. Within a supportive and mentorship philosophy, IONIC provides a climate where you'll succeed and be a part of a continuously growing and evolving family of designers.

We are immediately seeking individual/(s) to join our team in possibly both offices for new construction and renovation type work. Respondent must be capable of working on multiple projects in various phases simultaneously. Proficient in Revit, AutoCad and 3D Max is preferred for production of construction documents. Must work well with others for team collaboration. 

Qualifications Summary:

Completion of three to five years in architectural degree program.
Minimum of 3 years total professional experience; experience required in construction documents; beneficial for all other phases of project work including preparation of conceptual, schematic, design development and supporting materials.

Proficient in AutoCad, Revit a plus.
Licensed or actively seeking licensure.

Send resume and references to info@ionicdezigns.com

D. Eugene Thompson, AIA

2015 Race for the Cure

Thanks to all those from Team IONIC that participated in the Race for the Cure at the beach on Saturday. It started off a bit windy and rainy but all in fun and support of a great cause. We will continue to join together as a team as this was something like ten years we have done this race together.

A nice organized picture of our crew.

A selfie that wasn't easy to take to get everyone in. NICK you blinked again!

Even the young get involved.....Slater is probably saying, "What in the world are all these crazy people doing?"

A quick stop for breakfast afterwards. We did burn a few calories!

Thanks again Team IONIC. Have a fun run! 

Eugene Thompson

Ionic DeZign Studios

www.ionicdezigns.com

IONIC grows Bigger

Ionic DeZign Studios and William Henry Harris & Associates have teamed up to expand our businesses. IONIC owner Eugene Thompson and WHHA owner Harry Harris will work together to bring the two firms together. WHHA has a solid history and portfolio in the Richmond market having completed more than 200 church projects since their founding in 1983. IONIC has a diverse and creative portfolio that ranges from large commercial projects to intimate residential plans. They have more than 1,000 projects on their books as they begin their 16^th year of business. Building client relationships and producing projects that surpass expectation remain the focus of each company. Uniting these two successful firms should make for an excellent partnership. By combining the two firms’ services, history and experience, we hope to be able to continue to grow and better serve our clients. 

 

D. Eugene Thompson, AIA
Ionic DeZign Studios + WHHA

www.ionicdezigns.com
www.WHHAdezigns.com coming soon

Make Meetings Productive not Pointless

As the English proverb goes, “Time is the soul of business.” What are the biggest time thieves in business? Research shows that, next to conversations at the water cooler and computer and software problems, meetings are the biggest culprit. They are an insidious productivity killer for small-business owners. I had never thought about this. I always thought it was a good thing to meet and get an update all the time regarding my team's progress. That is until one of my team leaders told me he felt the meetings were a waste of time......can you imagine my dismay?

Well-conducted meetings can lead to enhanced communication and greater buy-in and consensus. However, many meetings fail to achieve objectives because the person running the meeting didn’t plan the end properly. I needed to make sure that I established a better method on meeting (pun intended!) the objectives......and accomplishing a take away. Do you do any of the following at the end of your meetings?

1. Not paying attention to the “meeting after the meeting.”

Someone who holds a meeting after the meeting, usually behind closed doors, to disagree with a course of action is hurting productivity. End with a “closing round” to give everyone a chance to comment on the meeting out in the open. Often, this unveils issues you can address to prevent them from surfacing later. As Ev Williams, co-creator of Twitter and Medium, explains, in a closing round “there is no discussion or back-and-forth allowed. People tend to talk for less than 30 seconds (often a lot less), so you could close a large, 10-person meeting in less than five minutes …The closing round is worth doing, because it gives everyone, in a sense, a ‘last word’—the chance to get something off their chests that they might otherwise carry around or whisper to their colleagues later.”

In his seminal book, Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make The Leap … And Others Don’t, author Jim Collins researched highly successful companies and found that one of their practices is to unify behind decisions. No matter how heated and vigorous the debate is in search of the best answers, when they leave the meeting, people stand united regardless of parochial interests. If this is not the norm in your company, confront team members to change the culture.

Rarely do we have any major disagreements or heated discussions but the point of our production meetings would be and should be feeling unified with a direction to pursue during the week. A course of action with a purpose.....preferably their purpose. Value of purpose is a far greater inspiration when it is held within the individual rather than the leader.

2. Failing to designate responsibility.

How often have we attended meetings, or strategic retreats, where the gathering ends with a lot of excitement and decisions to pursue new directions, only to see it all fizzle a few weeks later? This is because the meeting ended with no clear accountability on who will do what. Apple has a system it calls the Directly Responsible Individual (DRI). This is assigning one individual, not a team, to be responsible for an action item.

Adam Lashinsky of Fortune magazine explains how the DRI concept establishes accountability and helps a giant company such as Apple function like a small startup. All meetings at Apple have an action list, and next to each action item is the DRI. Consider following this model so you eliminate any confusion on who’s responsible for what at the end of each meeting.

We have recently added this line item to our production reports. While we already have a project manager in place to take responsibility, often times other team members are jumping in to assist or are responsible for a piece of the whole.

3. Not following up on action items.

A surprisingly common problem with meetings is not having a system in place to follow up on action items, making sure people do what they say they’ll do. By having something in place, possibly within your current project management software, you can eliminate redundant follow ups later. The leader knows, by some tracking method, that the task was completed. Now we all don't have to waste time following up with an email or in the next meeting by recognizing what was finished and what still remains. You can focus on the tasks that need to be done rather (the future) rather than the tasks that have been completed (the past). 

4. Taking too long to share notes from the meeting. 

I am so terrible at this! So I can share how important this is from my team's perspective. Meeting notes are crucial to help everyone remember what was discussed and decided. In our case, to turnover a project initiation to the design team. Often, the designated note taker makes detailed notes but they are either distributed too late or not distributed at all. I mostly listen in all my meetings with minimal note taking and unfortunately never get around to providing detailed notes. One way to get around this problem is to use a program such as Evernote, which helps you minute your meetings easily and make notes available to everyone without delay. It’s free and you don’t need to be connected to the Internet during the meeting to use it. Two other note taking tools that will help you simplify your meeting process are OneNote and Less Meeting. Setting this task should be a priority because it helps you keep record of the meeting's intent and gives direction to others if they will be performing the tasks discussed.

5. Not evaluating the meeting.

Ending each meeting without evaluating how it went is a surefire way to ensure that unproductive behaviors and procedures will be repeated from meeting to meeting. You show respect for people’s time and efforts when you take a moment at the end of each meeting to check in on how people feel about the meeting. A simple, “What worked well?” and “What could we improve?” can yield useful information that will save time in the future. You can even designate someone to monitor the meeting and provide a brief, verbal report at the end. Tough practice because not everyone gets the same thing out of our production meetings. Mostly ours relate to getting me info and keeping me up to date with the firm's activities. Something we may need to try.

6. Not ending the meeting on time.

One of the worst practices in meetings is not respecting the announced ending time. Frequently, this is due to the meeting starting late, or the meeting chair letting some team members ramble on or go off topic. As the principle of the firm take the huge guilty pledge right here. When I was once told that the production meetings weren't an efficient use of time by a colleague, I took it to heart. I recognized that we needed to be more productive in our productive meetings and get through them quicker. Just yesterday my schedule for out of wack and we had to move the meeting to the afternoon. I said, "Only 15 minutes!" It took 45 :( I was unsuccessful at getting to my goal so I certainly need to continue to work on this. Maybe I'll take inspiration from Google, which often has a giant timer on the wall to exert subtle pressure and prevent meetings from running off schedule. 

7. Ending a meeting at a bad time.

Often, customers, employees or other stakeholders who work in others cities join the meeting by phone. When these individuals are in different time zones, they sometimes have to excuse themselves from the meeting just before the meeting is concluded. This can result in inefficiencies as they may miss last-minute details of what was decided concerning action items that are their responsibility. Make an effort to schedule meetings that take into account optimal times for everyone’s attendance. Use the World Clock Meeting Planner to help you in this regard.

Originally written By Bruna Martinuzzi

Edited by D. Eugene Thompson

Ionic DeZign Studios + WHHA

The Entrepreneurial Marathon

The Entrepreneurial Marathon

by Eugene Thompson

Planning, commitment, perseverance and endurance are just a few words that often are used to describe individuals that run a marathon. Those adjectives are also often used to portray entrepreneurial leaders that successfully run a corporation. I don't believe there is any question of the similarities in both endeavors. Being a successful business leader is about engaging your journey like a marathon, not a sprint. If you’ve actually run a marathon, you know the high at the starting line and the low of mile 20 when you just can’t take one more step.

The real question we should ask ourselves is, “Do marathon runners make better leaders?”

I didn’t consider myself a runner when I started in 2013 at 47 years old. Runners are  naturals who stride through the miles with the greatest of ease and speed. It was something that was vital for me to learn. How many people think the same thing of successful leaders? …that it must be natural and easy for them? Maybe for some, but not for most of us. Anything less than a marathon might be accomplished by sheer determination. However for consistent success, proper training is required. 

Here are some similarities that I have found along my personal journey.

COMMITMENT

What level of commitment has been given to this new endeavor? For myself, I announced on social media of my intentions of running a marathon in January of 2014. This was in response to my mother passing away from the ill effects brought on by diabetes. My father passed away from the same twenty-five years earlier. I too have diabetes.

How about your determination to succeed in your business? For myself, I resigned from my job with no other options but to push ahead and force myself to succeed. My family expected me to provide for them. Sheer desire and will power were the determining factors for success.

Failure wasn’t an option.

GAME PLAN

Less than 1% of the country's population will run and complete a full marathon. Similarly about that many entrepreneurs achieve businesses with revenue over $1M. In the case of a marathon, not many can just decide to run a marathon without training. It takes countless hours of training short and long distances to finally achieve that 26.2 mile reward. A strategic plan is created outlining the number of miles each week with increasing goals as the imminent date approaches. Food plans and diets are an important factor in maintaining your energy and fuel. Other foods like greasy burgers or alcohol might need to be eliminated from your diet. 

Likewise with a business you cannot expect to open the office doors and have the “they will come” attitude. Probably not the best business plan. An idea requires a well thought out plan and proper preparation. Maybe smaller steps are required at first with modest increases as the business develops and grows. Don't think about making more revenue as your only objective. Hiring employees, developing marketing strategies, customer service and accounting procedures should be carefully considered for the business to grow successfully.

Consider all the requirements necessary to succeed.

STARTING LINE

On the day of your first marathon the excitement is high. There are thousands of individuals packed into the corral awaiting the start. Feeling insignificant for the moment and very much alone. Butterflies in your stomach exist but you tell yourself you got this, after all you have trained and prepared for this day. A few friendly strangers share words of encouragement on your new adventure. Waiting for the start of the race is the most difficult part.

Beginning a business venture can feel like the start of a race. Exciting but lonely. Scary and not necessarily secure in oneself. Sure a few people congratulate you and share encouraging words but honestly when times get tough they will not be there to help you. You'll need to run it on your own. At the start everything takes so long until you can actually RUN. Waiting for your opportunity to do what you have prepared for.

And then you hear the bullhorn……it's time to begin!

ENDURANCE

The race begins and the first thing you do……start off way too fast. Your training and game plan reminds you of the intended pace, however the excitement of the moment and the adrenaline has you nearly sprinting during the first few miles. Slow down and stick to your agenda. This is an endurance race not a sprint. Consistency will be required if you intend on making it to the finish line. By mile 5 or 6 you begin to pass those that started too fast as well. At mile 12 or 13, the half way point, you see others struggling. You wonder if they will finish. You wonder if you will finish. 

So many times there are those that get caught up in the beginning of a business and do not focus on their business plan. To run a business for a few years is not your goal, it is a long term investment and it will take endurance to achieve success. 50% of businesses never make it past the fifth year. Only 25% will see their fifteenth anniversary. 

Endurance is the ultimate driving factor in completing the entrepreneurial marathon.

PERSEVERANCE

It was never explained how difficult it would be when you “hit the wall”. That invisible barrier somewhere after mile 18 hits hard. Knees are hurting, legs aching, stomach empty and by now your soaked in sweat. Inside your mind you ask yourself why you ever wanted to run a marathon. Your self confidence wavers as doubt begins to grab a foothold inside your head. 

Every business has it’s own struggles and every leader needs to respond to the hurdles it faces. There will be some, possibly even many, over the course of the business life. That wall presents itself as a slowed economy, difficult clients, competitors, finding responsible employees and more overwhelming problems. The only way to navigate through is to remember your initial motivation and dreams, grit your teeth and push through the pain. 

Defy the doubt!

THE FINISH LINE

A successful leader takes responsiblity for action and reaction, decision and indecision. Likewise for every success and every failure. The same holds true for a marathon runner. Failing to develop proper plans in the beginning can guarantee failure before the starting gun fires. The inability to maintain your endurance or persevere through the difficult times can cause you to collapse before gaining sight of the finish line. The successful leader knows how to run the race and balance all aspects of the challenges of a marathon. They understand the skills which are required to position themselves with just enough reserves to sprint that last half mile and cross the finish line victoriously!

These are the remarkable parallels between the qualities required to be a marathon runner and that of a successful leader in any organization. Victory is now yours.…..now try repeating that over and over. Have a FUN RUN!

After completing six marathons Eugene’s first year, he signed up for fourteen full marathons for 2015. All in the hopes of encouraging more awareness about diabetes for those suffering. Follow his exploits on Facebook. RunEugeneRun

http://insidebiz.com/news/entrepreneurs-entrepreneurial-marathon
 

Westhampton Baptist Church

Survival of an old historic 1914 gothic revival church in Richmond VA becomes the next great project that Team IONIC will be engaged in. Ionic Dezign Studios and WHHA will join forces to tackle this aging giant as it suffers from much neglect and imposing elements of nature as so many older structures do. Listed in Style magazine earlier this year as one of the nine most desired structures to save in Richmond has found its savior. St. Bridget School has purchased the structure with the intentions of converting it to a middle school. Richmond Times Dispatch

The Nine Most Endangered Places in Richmond

Currently the sanctuary has a collapsing roof that the previous owner just didn't have the funds to maintain and repair. The beautiful architecture will be preserved as the school intends on seeking historic tax credits. The original part of the structure was built in 1914 while the extension was added in the 1960s.

Our scope of work will be challenged with creating a new arrival entryway that complements the structure while inviting the students. The main entry as well as a drop off entry that will feed directly into the cafeteria for holding before classes begin. Smaller church classes will be enlarged by removing dividing walls to increase classroom capacity as well as bringing up all the mechanical services.

The cafeteria will get an overhaul while the sanctuary will be converted to a performance hall. The team hopes to maintain as much of the history of the structure while infusing some liveliness with color to inspire the new middle school residents. This is a great project that infuses school, church and historic preservation all in one. Schedule is aggressive but certainly manageable as the hopes are to have the project out to bid and permits before the end of the year.

Stay tuned for further updates.

D. Eugene Thompson, AIA

Ionic DeZign Studios + WHHA

www.ionicdezigns.com

"Creating places and spaces that enrich the lives of those that use them."

16 Year Anniversary

It is pretty amazing when you go back and look at the path you have traveled. The perspective is so much different while you are on that journey. While on a hike, or as I have been doing a lot lately, running a marathon, your eyes are usually focused on each foot step. Sure, from time to time you raise your head up and take a peek around and gaze upon the sights. However, more often each of us are paying attention to our feet so we don't trip or fall.

In comparison, last year I ran the RimRock Marathon in Grand Junction, Colorado. I was out of my league in many ways. Racers, altitude, hill climbing and being a novice marathoner. However the surroundings proved to be the most beautiful......before the race. Yep, I could see the mountains (I did say mountains) in the horizon that early morning. I was about to run up, over, and back down again. After about mile .5 I didn't see much. My head was focused on surviving this crazy run. Focused on getting past mile points that was required or the race officials would scoop me up off the track.

Yes I finished. And yes several times I was able to pick my head up and look at the canyon below. I felt a little like Chevy Chase in National Lampoons Vacation looking over the Grand Canyon. " yep, nice......lets go." I wasn't able to appreciate where and what I had accomplished up to that point. 

Head back down......keep running.

It wasn't until after the race when we took the drive retracing the race course. We actually ran on the roadway that spiraled through the canyon. WOW, I was amazed at the scenery. I missed a lot! WOW, this hill is crazy steep....in the car.......how did I do that? We stopped the car for time to time at various points to go out and look over various areas and admire the surrounding nature. It was beautiful.

I say all that because after 16 years of IONIC, I have, more often than not, had my head down and kept pushing forward. There was always something that required my nose to be on the grindstone. A new project. A new client. Most often they were all good things. Good things that I always enjoyed working through. I just didn't raise my head to look around and see the journey as much as I probably should have.

So now we have reached a milestone of sixteen years. I finally raise my head and look around and see the many blessings that we have experienced. We have made so many wonderful relationships during the course that I would be hard pressed to count every one of them. There are many! I remember them all.....and all of them are important and special.

I want to thank each and everyone of our friends that have made it possible to achieve so much. Our clients have given us the opportunity to create and provide for our families. Our consultants have made it possible to piece together wonderfully successful projects.....over 1000 of them! Our vendors have supplied us with inspiration and tools to implement beauty, sustainability and quality into our designs. Most importantly our family of employees have made all this possible by their unending perserverence to seek perfection in their work and giving IONIC a name that others can trust.

Thank you again my friends. We are engaged in many new wonderful projects and look forward to sharing them with you. Be watching for some exciting news that we hope to share in the very very near future......like maybe next week!

Until then.....keep your head up and enjoy the run!

Eugene Thompson

President + Founder

Ionic DeZign Studios, Inc.

www.ionicdezigns.com

"creating places and spaces that enrich the lives of those who use them."

Entrepreneur of the Week

It was pretty exciting to be named the Entreprenuer of the Week by HR Business Weekly. First of all just to be asked was a great honor amongst so many other individuals in Hampton Roads. Cheryl Tan gave me a call the day before asking if I would be interested in telling a little of my story......OF COURSE!

Thank you again for allowing me the opportunity to share my story and the success of our team at Ionic DeZign Studios.

Here is the link to the broadcast.

http://bit.ly/hrbwep8

Have a great day my friends.

D. Eugene Thompson, AIA

President + Founder

www.ionicdezigns.com

Where Art and Architecture Come Together

HRACRE Rumble in the Jungle

We had a great time at the annual Rumble in the Jungle HRACRE event this year at the Norfolk Zoo. As always it was a huge success and so much fun for everyone. It was great to talk with so many of our friends as well as meeting a few new ones. Thankfully we didn't have too many cookies left over.....I certainly didn't need to eat anymore! The photo booth is too much fun as well. Somehow everyone always gets so silly in front of that thing.

Have a great day my friends.

D. Eugene Thompson, AIA

President + Founder

Ionic DeZign Studios

www.ionicdezigns.com

Success Is No Accident

I ran across this image the other day and posted it on our Facebook page. It got a little reaction and even a few people "borrowed" it. That's perfectly fine because I don't own it nor did I say it. This platform is about sharing and helping others get better. That's what I like to do. Help others. 

What I like about this quote is that so many people jump into business without a plan......or not much of a plan. Likewise they do the same with marriage or relationships etc. Successful businesses don't just accidentally happen. It takes work. Some times lots of work! That is the same thing with relationships.....they require attention as well or guess what? You don't have one anymore. You probably can guess that is the same thing with business success. You might surely still have a business if you ignore it.....but what kind of business?

Along with success comes failures. It is inevitable unfortunately. It happens.....get over it and get on with it. A small child first learning how to walk never falls down right? Wrong! He or she will fall down lots of times. Scuffed knees, little bruises here and there.....it just happens. It is great to have mommies and daddies run over and pick them up and kiss their boo boos and set them off and running again. Unfortunately we don't always have those "mommies and daddies" in the business world. We have to dust off ourselves and get back out there.

Accidents is not a business planning strategy. And certainly it won't lead to success.

Enjoy your week my friends. Please keep watching for news coming soon regarding exciting new things happening at IONIC.

D. Eugene Thompson, AIA

President + Founder

www.ionicdezigns.com

"Where Art and Architecture Come Together"

Raleigh News - Wendy's New Bern

Wendy's announcement in New Bern.

http://raleighpublicrecord.org/news/2015/04/13/development-beat-18/

D. Eugene Thompson, AIA
President + Founder
Ionic DeZign Studios, Inc.
www.ionicdezigns.com

Mental Toughness

I just finished one of the best inspiring leadership growth books I have read in a long time. Now I seem to read little these days but certainly have been trying to do better so I can grow......any every way. The book is Executive Toughness by Dr. Jason Selk. I was fortunate enough to hear him speak a few months ago at a local lecture. Inspired by his words of encouragement regarding mental toughness, I went home and bought his book.

Again I'm less than a wonderful reader.....more than finding time. But I found myself engulfed in the book and its principles presented by the writer. Why? Well because I want to achieve more, to succeed at higher levels and feel more complete as a person, husband, father and business leader. There were basic principles and exercises provided that were accompanied by examples of others. These helpful tools allowed me to jot down my own priorities and to begin my check list of principles I wanted to improve upon.

For nearly two months I have been pretty consistent on maintaining my schedule that I set up to check off my "tasks" of the day. This are things that I want to accomplish professionally and personally. Now I don't always check off every box.....as a matter of fact I have yet to check off every box for a single day. Far from it. 

My list consists of two columns of ten. The first ten are typically always done when I first wake up and completed up until I leave for the office. The second half or second column begins when I leave the front door and wraps up when I return home. I he my own set of lists for the work at the office. These are things that I want to focus on to make be better. If I cannot make myself better how do I plan on helping others. I do really well consistently on my morning routine......not so much on the end of the day things.

Each day I see where I succeeded and where I need improvement.....no failures! Just improvement! I will keep on working it until I'm consistent at accomplishing 100%. And then I will probably reset my goals......that's the way it works. We always need improvement.

Enjoy your day my friends (TIBs) and I look forward to our talks.

Have a blessed day.

Be watching for our upcoming news soon at IONIC. We are making some exciting waves in Hampton Roads and beyond. Stay tuned for more.

D. Eugene Thompson, AIA

President + Founder

Ionic DeZign Studios, Inc

www.ionicdezigns.com

"To the future.....and beyond!"

Quote of the Week

"Everything you can imagine is real." Pablo Picasso

Ionic Dezign Studios, Inc
www.ionicdezigns.com

Ionic DeZign Studios, Inc. - Small Firm, Big Ideas

Ionic DeZign Studios, Inc. - Small Firm, Big Ideas

IONIC will work closely with you to understand your building requirements, and understand the importance of working together with you while using our knowledge, skill and network of experts to develop ideas that provide the best value for your investment. Working closely with the client, construction and design teams, we design effective, sustainable solutions for your building and space requirements. Our design leadership and coordination with the other members of the project team from inception to completion help ensure the successful delivery of your project. We can help you with new construction, tenant improvements / remodels and improvements of your facility. We consider it our mission to lead the design process in the pursuit of excellence. 

We focus on three core areas of excellence to provide the greatest value for our clients. 

 

We are: 

 

1. Efficient - we use the latest technologies and techniques to deliver our services faster, better and more affordably. Most all of our construction projects are created using the BIM process, Building Information Modeling. All of the documents are created using three dimensional design which creates much more accuracy and less opportunities for conflicts in the field. 

2. Knowledgeable - research and an extensive network of industry experts provide us with expertise that allows us to lead the design process and make informed recommendations for alternate solutions enabling our clients to make effective decisions that enhance the value of the project. This along with a wealth of experience allows to create exactly what is needed, from jurisdictional approvals to construction related techniques. 

3. Sustainable - understanding building systems, construction processes, material properties, and planning principles necessary to integrate your project into its site context and within the project budget are as important to us as they are to you. We take great pride in developing site appropriate designs that connect well within the urban fabric because we understand that a well integrated project enhances the value of our clients investment. 

 

Contact us to see how we can help you!

D. Eugene Thompson, AIA

President + Founder

Ionic DeZign Studios, Inc.

www.ionicdezigns.com

 

Creating Places and Spaces that enrich the lives of those who use them.

Quote of the Week

“The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is today.”

                                                                                                      – Chinese proverb

3 Simple Start-up Steps

This week I was asked in an interview about how I began Ionic DeZign Studios fifteen years ago and what were the struggles. Well I could write a book on all the struggles.... where to start: knowledge of starting a business, fear of starting a business, how to market a business, where to market a business, who to market my business to, so on and on and on......

Don't worry.... I didn't ramble on to the interviewer. I narrowed down to three aspects that I had focused on that I felt were important. Those three things ultimately helped me grow into the business and become successful.

1. NETWORKING. I never really knew what networking was all about. Today we use it almost too much and put too much "business" into the real meaning.....in my opinion. When I started out I came up with a mental list of all my friends that I knew and who I thought could help me the most. They were necessarily business relationships because I hadn't developed those yet. They were people that I knew from my everyday life and activities that I led; kids activities, church, neighbors etc. my first project involved many of the friends I had met while coaching rec league football in our community. My team mom introduced me to and was my first client. Another football coach was the general contractor. Yet another football coach fabricated all the millwork. All great connections.

2. FAITH. This isn't necessarily an easy one because no matter how much faith you have you still need action behind it to make it succeed. Even the bible tells us "Faith without Works is dead"  James 2:18. You can't expect to just sit there and watch the phone until it rings......it will eventually but it'll probably be a bill collector! The faith I had was that I believed in myself. I had an earnest desire to make my new found business successful and a real need to provide for my family. They counted on me. It didn't happen overnight and it didn't happen without hard work and struggles......but it did happen. 

3. DELEGATION. At first you may not have much that you can pass off on someone else. In the beginning I did it all......I had to! First there was no extra money and secondly I really didn't know who to help. And honestly the third was I just recently had a WHOLE LOT OF TIME on my hands since I quit my job to start this crazy idea of starting my own business. As time went on however I realized I needed help. Initially it was just someone to help with all the paperwork and filing. Later it was adding designers. I couldn't do it all. I needed staff. On and on it grew.....more people. Each of those employees I hired I was trusting and delegating work to. However, initially I did a lot of micro managing. I looked over their shoulder to insure everything was being done. That is a nature inclination of new business owners, but you cannot DO THE WORK FOR THEM. Later we hired consultants and others to assist our business: IT professionals, insurance professionals, payroll specialist etc. We just couldn't do it all. Delegate those tasks in order for you to have the time you need to continue to grow and market your business.

Those were the few tips I learned when beginning IONIC.....plus a lot more. I could equally write a post on the gazillion things NOT TO DO......maybe I will save that for another day.

Enjoy your day my friends and remember what I read on my fortune cookie this week.....

The greatest risk is not taking one.

So true.

D. Eugene Thompson, AIA

President + Founder

Ionic DeZign Studios, Inc.

www.ionicdezigns.com

"Creating places and spaces that enrich the lives that use them."