At EntreArchitect, you’re encouraged to share your knowledge. When we share with other architects, we all benefit. We are able to learn from one another and the profession will grow. One of the goals of EntreArchitect is to provide a platform for other entrepreneur architects to share their stories.
We want to interview you! What’s your story? Do you want to share your knowledge or the story about how you were inspired to pursue this profession? How do you become an entrepreneur architect?
Join us for our series called The Entrepreneur Architect, where each guest has the opportunity to share their story and answer some questions that will provide value to each of you.
This week on EntreArchitect Podcast, The Entrepreneur Architect Series featuring Sharon George.
Background
Sharon is a sole proprietor and the principal architect at Architecture by George in Austin, Texas. She’s worked with custom residential architecture for the past fifteen years, specializing in high-performance homes. She serves on the advisory group for the National Custom Residential Architects Network (CRAN) as the chair of the emerging professionals’ committee.
Origin Story
Sharon grew up in India, and didn’t grow up around a lot of interesting architecture or architects. She was very interested in drawing, and her earliest memory was of her father taking her to an art competition. She was encouraged in her artistic skills, but also excelled in science and math. She chose to become an engineer as the path of least resistance.
Due to the system in India, the bar was very high for her to get into engineering school and she didn’t get in. She decided on a degree in mathematics, which was fun for all of six months until her moment of clarity: she didn’t belong there. She realized just because she was good at something didn’t mean it was her passion to follow it.
Sharon soon received a letter of invitation for a new college. There, she saw a huge studio with a bunch of drafting tables. She knew then that that was where she belonged. Though she knew little about the profession, she took the leap of faith. It was the best decision she could have made. Her five years in architecture school were the best years of her life and she enjoyed every moment.
In India, when you graduate from architecture you’re immediately an architect; there’s no need for registration. She worked for a year at the same firm that she apprenticed at. She applied to several universities in the States and loved that the University of Texas at Austin because of their program in sustainable architecture. She attended there and was a part of their first ever solar decathlon. When she graduated, she wanted to work for a firm that did high-performance, high-end homes.
Unfortunately, her education from India didn’t transfer to the US. She had to work for 8 years to gain the experience prior to taking the AREs.
Last year, she started her own firm, Architecture By George.
The Entrepreneur Architect Questions
What is one big goal you’ve achieved in your career and how did you get there?
Sharon isn’t big on goal setting, but it’s something she’s consciously working on. When she looks back at all the things that have gotten her to where she is, and follows her intuition most times. One of her biggest goals was getting her license. Starting her own firm wasn’t always a goal, but when it became her path she focused on getting...