Listen to this articleBelow is our recent interview with Mark Grisafe, the Founder Of Grisafe Architecture:
Q: Hi Mark! Tell me a bit about yourself and Grisafe Architecture.
A: I was born in Southern California in the late 1960s. I am the fifth of seven children. By the time I was a freshman in high school, I had lived in about five different places. I enjoyed drawing, so in my sophomore year, my mother suggested that I take a drafting class. The drafting teacher was one of my favorite teachers and it was hard to believe that they would actually give me class credit for doing something I loved so much. When it was time to start thinking about college, my drafting teacher suggested that I pursue a degree in architecture. I went on to receive my Bachelors of Architecture from Cal Poly Pomona.
While in college, I worked at various offices, including one that did work for Disney. I had the opportunity to study abroad and, while there, work on Euro Disney (now called Disneyland Paris). I worked for several other firms and then started Grisafe Architecture in Long Beach, California shortly after I received my license in early 2002. When I launched the company, I was still actually working for another architecture firm that did a combination of residential and commercial work. The owner was kind enough to let me work nine-hour days at his office, so I could put in a half day at my own emerging company every Friday.
In the early days of Grisafe Architecture, I worked out of a spare bedroom in our condo and I was the only employee. By 2005, we had moved out of the condo and into a home. It was then that I decided to formally set up a sole proprietorship. I soon began getting busy with residential projects and with our growing family. I built a studio attached to the back of our house so I could still enjoy being near my family, but also have a dedicated place to go to work. In 2009, when the economy crashed, I had to let go of the two drafting consultants who were working for me. Residential work dried up and many people in the architectural world were struggling.
I soon realized that if the company was going to stay afloat, I would have to expand our services to include commercial work. Despite the bad economy (or maybe because of it) there was a lot of commercial work out there for architects. Some companies were moving out of state, larger companies were consolidating, and companies were relocating to other buildings. All of this meant a boom in what is called “tenant improvements,” which involves customizing commercial spaces for the specific needs of the tenants leasing them. By 2010, I was so busy doing tenant improvements that I needed help. The first draftsman I contacted assumed I was looking for work from him. His initial response was, “No, I don’t have any extra work for you.” With all of the layoffs that were occurring at that time, he was shocked to discover that I was asking if he would be able to help me.
Ever since that time, we have continued to experience what I would call sustainable growth. In 2019, we incorporated and now have three employees, a strong core of consultants, and are looking to hire a fourth person.
We continue to do a mix of custom residential projects and ground-up and tenant improvement commercial projects.
Q: What are the key services that you provide for your commercial and residential clients?
A: We provide high-quality architectural and engineering services for small to mid-size ground-up commercial projects, as well as large commercial tenant improvements. In addition, we have recently completed several ground-up custom homes, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and large residential remodels. But what we are most proud of are the relationships that we have built over the years.
We often get asked to provide services for clients that other Long Beach architects don’t typically provide. Whether it’s surveying, industrial engineering, or working with specialty products, I never want our clients to feel like they have hit a dead end when they need special services. For this reason, we put a great deal of effort into seeking out and maintaining good relationships with great employees, consultants, partners, and clients. When people enjoy their business atmosphere, they are likely to introduce you to other like-minded people, who can then be resources for any needs our clients might have.
We were recently looking into options for office giveaways. We found out that the father of one of our employees knows a bit about wine. He was more than happy to share his knowledge, which helped us successfully purchase some delicious wines at great prices that everyone enjoys.
To me, the services a company can provide is only limited by its ability to align itself with quality people.
Q: Who is your ideal client and how do you help them?
A: Our ideal client is someone who has done his or her homework and welcomes honest feedback. Someone who has a good sense of the potential costs and pitfalls of doing their project, who enjoys working with our firm as a team member, and is willing to be open and honest if something just isn’t working for them. They also understand that we’ll do our best to realize their dream, but because of code requirements, their own requirements, or something else, compromises might have to be made. Although it often happens that those compromises turn into opportunities for even better project outcomes!
Q: Where do you see the future of Grisafe Architecture?
A: My goal right now is to grow and develop a work ethic and culture that will continue and be passed on even if I’m not here full time to oversee every step of each project. I’m not planning on retiring anytime soon, but I do envision taking on more of a business development role and trusting my employees to handle more of the day-to-day operations at our architecture firm.
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Q: What are a few of the best things about your company that people might not know?
A: Two of our greatest sources of work are repeat business and referrals. This says a lot about the satisfaction of our clients. People won’t hire you again or refer your company unless they previously had a great experience and outcome. We work hard to give them both.
In addition, many of our business relationships turn into friendships. We work with some great clients and find ourselves wanting to continue the relationships even after their projects are complete.
We also have great relationships with local government agencies. Several years ago, our architecture firm was one of only a few firms that was asked to beta test the City of Long Beach’s new online plan submission system. In addition, I was recently appointed to the City of Long Beach’s Cultural Heritage Commission, where I help oversee proposed changes to historic homes and buildings in Long Beach. It’s opportunities like these that have solidified our standing as one of the top architecture firms in Long Beach. City officials know that when Grisafe Architecture is involved with a project, it will be done right! This benefits our clients greatly when it comes to the plan approval process.
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