08/26/2026
I looked it up today.
43% of newly licensed architects are women. Not bad.
But only 28% of all licensed architects are women.
Only 17% of women are principal or partner.
And of the 100 largest firms in this country? Three are owned/run by a woman.
Three. So I stopped waiting for a seat at somebody’s table. It doesn’t mean I wouldn’t have made it. But I didn’t want to wait.
I built the table for myself.
In architecture, somewhere between “licensed” and “owner,” most of us disappear. Nobody talks about where we go. We work for others, we make decisions, we design, we have a say, but for some reason we have a hard time going past a certain point. Is it because we are scared to ask? Or because when we ask we get denied?
I came into this from that spot trying to build a multi-faceted business. I’ve stood in mud on a job site and had a GC explain my own drawings back to me and tell me how I should do things different. We’re not perfect and we always have things ti learn. I’ve made mistakes, missteps, and errors. Ive been told what I’m doing isn’t good enough, even to this day. I’ve also been told how incredible I am. I’ve been told how to do things and have had things demanded of me and it’s taken YEARS to learn how to respond. I’ve made wonderful friends in this industry, supportive contractors and build partners, realtors, designers, vendors and tradespeople, and friends and family. To everyone out there supporting us and eachother, especially to all of the women out there killing it day to day to be an absolute Boss, this is a thank you! Now, let’s keep going. And make our tables the most badass tables they can be.
