Welcome to our Member Spotlight series, where we proudly showcase the businesses and individuals making a difference in our Strive community and beyond. Today we have the pleasure of highlighting MMD architects, a residential and commercial architecture and design firm operating out of Flex at the Gild in Dallas Park Cities.
Tell us a little about MMD Architects.
For thirty-three years we have been design leaders in DFW and the state of Texas. We do work we are proud of, for clients who appreciate good design and who want an experience as well as a product. Our approach requires an elevated level of client engagement and in turn we are able to team with them to make exceptional buildings and interiors. We also have a strong focus on community service both to philanthropic and service organizations and the profession itself. All three of our principals, Audrey, Paul and Michael have been past presidents of the Texas Society of Architects.
What inspired you to start MMD Architects?
The initial impetus for starting the firm was disappointment with how many architectural firms were managed and provided services. We believe first and foremost in the design process and the time it takes to come up with good solutions to our client’s design problems. To work the way we wanted and to structure our client relationships in a manner that allowed us to do the best work we could, we could not adhere to typical formulas or offer typical services. It has been a slow process developing our client base and reputation, but it has allowed us to accomplish many wonderful things and work in a manner that provides us all satisfaction.
What sets your business apart from your competitors?
It is our goal not to be the largest or the best architectural firm in Texas but the most admired. We have gone a long way to achieving that. Most of our competitors consider the fee as a determinant of how they work with their clients and what they are willing to do to accomplish the design of their buildings. We consider projects first and if the resources are there for us to do the kind of project we are known for (and frankly our clients expect from us). If the client isn’t right or the fees are unreasonable to do a project with an elevated set of expectations and outcomes, we have learned that we are not the right fit. It is the ability to know where we can be successful and how to deliver the services we want to provide that sets us apart.
What’s something you wish you’d known when starting your business?
That selecting to be design focused would be so hard. That a lot of potential clients and projects were only interested in product and not design. However, it was learning by repeatedly failing and having small successes that we finally figured it out.
How do you maintain work-life balance?
We work a very normal schedule and virtually no overtime. We all have families and interests outside the office and in our culture those are the important things and we make them a priority. It is extremely rare for any of us to work more than forty hours a week.
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
For architects the act of designing and seeing your ideas built is a tremendous reward. We are constantly having the opportunity of seeing the things we have helped our clients create come to life. It is incredibly gratifying to see a thing you conceived realized.
How has being a part of the Flex at the Gild community impacted you and your business?
We are glad to be a part of life at Flex at the Gild. It is conveniently located near many of our projects and a pleasant place to work, filled with very nice people. There are only five of us so we like feeling part of a larger community.
If a friend visited, what’s one of your favorite local spots or restaurants you’d take them to?
We like a few places but our go to place for lunch with clients or friends of the firm is Penne Pomodoro in Snider Plaza.
We’d like to thank the MMD Architects team for taking the time to tell us about their business! If you’re interested in spotlighting your business with us, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your community manager; we are always eager to help elevate your business in any way we can!