The books highlighted here are available through most major booksellers and online retailers, making them easy to add to your professional library.

To support aspiring founders, here’s a curated collection of recommended books and resources, organized by theme.

Foundations: Setup, Vision & Workflow

Get grounded in the essentials of starting a practice, from business planning to financial structure.

  • How to Start and Operate Your Own Design Firm – Albert W. Rubeling Jr., FAIA
  • Financial Management for Design Professionals: The Path to Profitability – Steve Wintner & Michael Tardif
  • The Architect’s Essentials of Starting a Design Firm – Peter Piven & Bradford Perkins
A pragmatic starter guide covering ownership, legal structure, staffing, and business planning.

Business Systems & Leadership Mindset

  • The E-Myth Revisited – Michael E. Gerber
  • First Things First – Stephen R. Covey
  • The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Stephen R. Covey
  • Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Action – Simon Sinek
  • The Alliance: Managing Talent in the Networked Age – Reid Hoffman
  • Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business – Gino Wickman
  • Profit First – Mike Michalowicz
  • Simple Numbers, Straight Talk, Big Profits! – Greg Crabtree
Lays out practical frameworks like EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System), with actionable guidance on leadership, accountability, and financial growth.

Management & Operations for Small Firms

  • Architect and Entrepreneur, Vol. 1 – Eric Reinholdt
  • Architect and Entrepreneur, Vol. 2 – Eric Reinholdt
  • The Architect’s Guide to Small Firm Management – Rena M. Klein
  • Law for Architects: What You Need to Know – Robert F. Herrmann
  • The Business of Architecture – Kathy Denise Dixon, Timothy A. Kephart & Karl L. Moody
  • How Firms Succeed: A Field Guide to Design Management – James P. Cramer & Scott Simpson
  • Firm Forward: A Practice Management Guide for Architects – Frank Stasiowski
From project delivery to firm governance—insights into small practice leadership, management, and sustainable growth.

Culture, Equity & the Future of Practice

  • Race and Modern Architecture: A Critical History – Edited by Irene Cheng, Charles Davis II & Mabel O. Wilson
  • Design Justice: Community-Led Practices to Build the Worlds We Need – Sasha Costanza-Chock
  • Let My People Go Surfing – Yvon Chouinard
Resources that center equity, purpose, and community empowerment in professional practice.

Culture, Teams & Client Experience

  • The Five Dysfunctions of a Team – Patrick M. Lencioni
  • Art’s Principles: 50 Years of Hard-Learned Lessons in Building a World-Class Professional Services Firm – Art Gensler
  • Unreasonable Hospitality – Will Guidara
  • The Future Architect’s Handbook – Barbara Beck
Inspiration for cultivating culture, teamwork, and client relationships that define your firm’s experience.

Productivity & Personal Freedom

  • Buy Back Your Time – Dan Martell
Optimize time and priorities to build a firm that supports both business and personal growth.

Bonus & AIA Trust Resources

Further reading, podcasts, and trusted AIA Trust resources to support firm founders.

Final Encouragement

Whether you’re sketching out your first business plan or preparing to scale your practice, these resources can help you anticipate challenges, embrace opportunities, and lead with confidence.

Starting a firm is a bold step—but with the right knowledge and support, you can build not just a business, but a thriving practice that reflects your vision and values.

Special Thanks

Leah Bayer, AIA – Architects FORA
Website: architectsfora.com | Instagram: @architectsfora

Kurt Neiswender, AIA – Principal Architect, Urban Colab Architecture, L.3.C. / Assistant Professor of Practice, Lawrence Technological University
Website: urbancolab.design | Instagram: @urbancolabarchitecture

Katherine A. Serrano Sosa, AIA – Rooted Architecture Studio
Website: rootedarchitecturestudio.com | Instagram: @rooted_architecture