Question: When is it appropriate for an architect to leave a firm and become self-employed?

Richard Meier: Well most states – I know New York state – requires three years after graduation from college . . . three years of practice before you’re able to take the license examination. And you take the license examination, you may not pass all seven parts or nine parts or whatever it is. So that’s another year. So that’s four years after architecture school before you’re licensed to practice architecture. And then you have to find some willing person who’s gonna ask you to do something for them, and that takes a little bit of time usually. So it’s a long haul. It’s a . . . It’s a 10, 12 year period before you’re really able to work on your own.

Recorded on: 9/17/07