Biggest Challenges Faced By An Architect Partner At Frederick Fisher And Partners
Marisa's biggest challenge as a partner at Frederick Fisher and Partners is balancing "everything"—managing personal workload while supporting team members—resulting in a demanding schedule with little downtime, even requiring responses to calls at 9 PM. The role also necessitates making "hard decisions" that may not please everyone, demanding a difficult balancing act between individual needs and business priorities.
Leadership, Time Management, Decision-Making, Work-Life Balance, Problem-Solving
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Marisa Kurtzman
Architect, Partner
Frederick Fisher and Partners
Wesleyan University, BA 1999
Yale School of Architecture, B.Arch 2006
History, Art History
Architecture, Construction & Design
Creative
Honors Student
Video Highlights
1. Balancing multiple responsibilities, including personal work and supporting team members.
2. Making difficult decisions that may not always please everyone.
3. The demanding nature of the job, often requiring immediate attention even outside of typical working hours, although with some scheduling flexibility.
Transcript
What is your biggest challenge in your current role?
As a leader in a firm, you have to balance everything. You're trying to get your own work done, but you're also trying to help others get their work done. I would say there's a time balance.
I don't have downtime. If I get a call at 9:00 PM, I need to answer it, which isn't ideal. However, I do have flexibility, so I get to pick and choose with my schedule.
I would also say that as a leader, you have to make hard decisions. These decisions are not necessarily going to make people happy, but you try your best to handle them. You also have to balance the needs of your business.