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.

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."

Interior Design Developments

Often times the smaller projects or interior projects take more work.......sometimes LOTS MORE WORK! That can be understandable due to the touchy feely conditions of fabrics, furniture, wallcoverings, textures, colors, floorings, lighting and whatever else that can possibly interfere with the mindset of a client ....... On that particular day.

Yes, sometimes we change our minds daily. It's our human nature I guess to continually think about different options if we are truly thinking about different options and not simply stuck with, " I know what I want!" mentality. I'm good with that.....I want our clients to walk away pleased that they have explored multiple possibilities for their new space......even if it means going back to the first one we started with.

Unfortunately there are many clients who simply cannot SEE their space with standard drawings. And that is where we are able to clear the mental blocks by giving them clearer vision. It takes much effort many times but is worth it......3D Interior models. Here are a few examples of our work that reflect the simplistic and the complex when it comes to presenting interior concepts.

Dining Area at 100 Main

Bar Area at 100 Main

 

Sitting Area at Westminster Canterbury

Sitting Area at Westminster Canterbury

Center Living Space at Westminster Canterbury

 

Have a great day my friends and we look forward to working with you.

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

www.ionicdezigns.com

"Where art and architecture come together"

Branding Wisdom

Words and thoughts from Andy Reid.

1. Go big or go home

Invest and commit – the more you put in, the more you get out. Every decision you make influences the direction your company takes. No revolutionary ideas were born from taking it easy or playing it safe.

2. Get organised

Understanding exactly what you need to deliver will ensure success. Carefully map out your daily, weekly and monthly to-do lists – meticulous planning is essential. Sitting back and hoping to reach your targets or goals is not an option.

3. Empty diary, empty business

Never have empty space in your diary – it means you wait for things to happen, rather than making them happen. Time is everything, and the way you use it reflects your character and business.

4. It’s all about the follow through

If you have an idea, get on it immediately. Act on your game plan. This is particularly important in a target driven industry, but is sound advice for any business. Follow through is what sets dreamers apart from achievers.

5. People first

A successful business is the result of a passionate and fulfilled staff complement. Always look for motivated individuals that are keen to progress, and can stick to a plan. Nurturing staff is vital for continued excellence.

6. Sell the experience 

Showing people a product – and all the bells and whistles included – is easy. Getting them to buy into an experience is a lot more interesting. Creating an interactive experience gives customers more than just a product and nurtures loyalty. Everyone wants to be part of something. Recognising that will put you in a league of your own.

7. Always be on the hunt for what’s new and exciting

You may have an amazing business idea this year, but that idea needs to be relevant in five years. Stay abreast of new trends relevant to your product or start trends yourself. You’re only as good as your latest offering.

8. Give them what they want

Look for innovation from your customers – they’re the ones who are most critical and know what they want.

9. Network, network, network

Keep good company that will help boost your business. Surround yourself with intelligent people who can be a source of constant learning. Get involved with professional organisations to interact with like-minded individuals.

10. Views, tweets, likes – find your brand its match

If you don’t have an online presence you’ll get left behind. Use social media as a tool to stay relevant and connected. Share product experiences in different ways that suit your offering, and look for honest feedback. 

Ionic Dezign Studios

D. Eugene Thompson, AIA

"Where art and architecture come together."

IONIC & WENDY'S....this is why we are so busy.

Restaurant remodel programs are all the rage these days, particularly in a fast food business that is busy trying to play keep-up with McDonald's. Just about every major fast food chain is in the midst of a reimage program, but perhaps the most interesting of these is coming from Columbus, Ohio-based Wendy's.

The world's third-largest QSR burger chain is instituting a costly remodel program—its top option has a price tag as much as $700,000, which is high for a chain that has average sales of about $1.4 million. That cost appears to be scaring off at least some operators. Brokers have told us that some Wendy's franchisees have been putting their stores on the market to avoid that remodel.

Still, the remodels could well be worth the price.

According to Wendy's, the $700,000 remodel option produces a sales lift of at least 25 percent, considerably higher than the 15 percent sales lift Burger King's remodeled units get, though at a much higher cost. Still, for the typical Wendy's, that equates into $350,000 in additional revenue every year, which makes for a relatively quick return on investment for restaurants that remodel their stores.

It also could provide a significant boost for Wendy's overall, particularly if the company is able to meet its remodel timeline.

The company plans to have 75 company-owned units remodeled by the end of the year. And it wants half of its corporate restaurant stock remodeled by 2015.

It's also hanging $10 million in incentives in front of franchisees to entice them to remodel their stores next year. In so doing, Wendy's joins rivals McDonald's and Burger King in employing a carrot approach to increase the number of restaurants that get remodeled. As McDonald's has proven with its remodeling program, and then Burger King, carrots work far better than the far more common "stick" approach at getting franchisees to remodel. And given the apparent sales lift these remodels can generate, those incentives produce good returns for the franchisors.

Ionic DeZign Studios Hits Growth Spurt

It all started thirteen and a half years ago. Out of the front living room and dining room of the Thompson household and then into it's office near town center in Virginia Beach. Slowly and steadily (minus the economic speed bump of 2009) IONIC has been progressively getting a little bit bigger and doing a bit more and more. Where once we were limited to focus on a select area of work within a certain distance within Virginia's borders, we now have projects in Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. There are only a few in those distant states so I don't want to sound like we are bigger than we are but that is still a beginning.

One project at a time we have continued to serve our clients by being attentive to their needs and listening to their concerns. We have focused our practice around serving others by helping accomplish their goals while having a little fun along the way. But most of you already knew that about us if you have worked with us before.

What you may not know is about how we are growing. Initially we planned to incorporate some new finishes and fixtures to our front office space. After all we had been there for almost nine years. Even though it served our needs, we felt a need to project more of the style of work we do within our own surroundings. It quickly became evident that we needed others things for our growth. To handle all the work we needed more people, to handle all the people we needed more desks and chairs, to handle all the furniture, computers etc......yep you got it....we needed more space.

After shifting and compressing and everything else possible it was simple.....we needed to grow. Our quaint little conference area no longer handled the bigger meetings we were no having. It didn't even handle our own staff. Storage for files was a premium. Our library of products, catalogs and finish samples was bursting at its seams. Fortunately we had a plan to solve all this. Actually for an architect....we had many plans. Just which one to choose?

Proudly, with the assistance of our landlord, Suburban Asset Management and their leasing agent CB Richard Ellis, we have that plan. Our new expanded office space will allow us to stay in the same location but stretch out in the areas where we need the most growth...THE DESIGN STUDIO. Nearly doubling the size of our current office footprint, the space will allow for a few new private offices, lots of storage, lots of working space for samples and catalogs, a new contemporary conference room, break room and of course space enough to comfortably accommodate all the design staff giving us ample room to accommodate a staff of nearly 20.

We are just beginning, and as we have preached to our clients it doesn't have to break the bank to accomplish great design. We hope the renovations will not only reflect some of the character of our work to our clients, but also provide for the needs of a very hard working group of architects, interior designers and engineers that collaborate here. Our goal is that before the end of the year our office will be ready to celebrate it's new diggs.......no pictures until then....just wait a see.

Thanks to all those that have helped us grow.

Ionic DeZign Studios, Inc.

www.ionicdezigns.com

What's Next? Design & Cost of Your New Home

The IONIC Process
Building Dream Homes by Design
Architecture -Design and Cost

Upon acceptance of the Pre-Construction Agreement, Team IONIC will begin the process of design. Over a period of approximately 6 months, our architects and designers will schedule periodic design meetings with you to review the plan in progress and receive additional feedback. Long distance communication is not a problem; electronic files and overnight mailings work great. With today's technology we are able to hold Internet meetings and communicate digitally without delay. We have worked with consultants in England and France on past projects and met with great success.

In addition to visiting with our architects, you will also be meeting with our interior designers at intervals to determine selections and finishes for costing purposes. IONIC will prepare periodic cost updates during the design process if desired.

Construction Documents

As design development continues and is completed, IONIC will prepare final Construction Drawings, Specifications and Selections for Final Cost Analysis. These Construction Documents are very comprehensive, engineered and detailed while representing our collective collaboration to prepare your dream home. These documents also represent our commitment to you for a successful construction experience. They will be attached as exhibits to the construction contract along with proposals for the contract price by qualified general contractors or by our CA management division. We will be ready for a quick construction start without delays of re-design due to cost overruns.

From the earliest design stages to the final construction Team IONIC will provide first rate services in every way. We want you to thoroughly enjoying the building process of your house all the way until the time you walk thru its doors and it becomes your home. This is what sets us apart from other competitors.

D. Eugene Thompson, AIA
President
Ionic DeZign Studios, Inc.

www.ionicdezigns.com