Business Matters: People, Culture & the Business of Talent
Description
ACA QLD/NT and the Regional Architects Association (RAA) present Business Matters, a new breakfast forum series bringing together architects from metropolitan, regional and remote practices for honest conversation about running an architecture business, with regional voices at the centre.
This session tackles talent: attracting and keeping good people, the real cost of training staff, why regional recruitment is hard, and the workplace cultures getting it right, plus succession, knowledge retention and hybrid work models.
Format
An in-person breakfast and networking session followed by a live streamed panel, live Q&A across all locations, and practical takeaways to implement on Monday. Attendees are also welcome to attend exclusively online.
Topic 1: People, Culture & the Business of Talent
Talent is the foundation of every practice, yet it's rarely discussed with the same rigour as design or delivery. This session brings together practice leaders to talk openly about the real cost of building a team: what it takes to attract and keep good people, why regional firms often struggle to recruit, and what the strongest workplace cultures are getting right. We'll also look at succession, knowledge retention and the shift toward hybrid and remote working, and what these changes mean for the future shape of practice.
Panellists
Shreya Khanna, designandarchitecture - early career practitioner, working regionally
Stephen Sims – Sims White, Toowoomba – sustainable, community and institutional design
Tomas O'Malley – Architect, Bundaberg – small practice, large project experience
Convenor: Sarah Aldridge – Space Studio, Byron Bay and RAA Secretary
Where to attend
Join a satellite location for breakfast, networking and the live panel (see FAQs for exact locations). You can also attend exclusively online.
Agenda
- 7:30 am - 8:30 am
Breakfast, coffee and networking
- 8:30 am - 9:00 am
Panel discussion
- 9:00 am - 9:30 am
Live Q&A from all locations
- 9:30 am - 9:40 am
'3 Things You're Changing on Monday'
- 9:30 am - 10:00 am
Local networking
FAQs
- Where can I attend Business Matters?
Join a satellite location for breakfast, networking and the live panel:
HHH Architecture – 143 Ferry Rd, Southport QLD 4215
Bark Design – 413 Sunrise Rd, Tinbeerwah QLD 4563
Bloc Design – Suite 11/58 Torquay Rd, Pialba, Hervey Bay QLD 4655
Colin Strydom's Architectural Studio – 29 East Street, Rockhampton City QLD 4700
Counterpoint Architecture – 487 Flinders St, Townsville City QLD 4810
Fulton Trotter - Level 1/61 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane, QLD 4000
People Orientated Design – Suite 1, Level 1/116 Grafton St, Cairns City QLD 4870
AJAR – 3 Vickers St, Parap NT 0804
Sims White – Suite 6/111 Campbell St, Toowoomba City QLD 4350
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
