In this episode of No Exceptions Taken, we explore how RATIO, a multi-office architecture firm, approached a challenge many practices are quietly facing.

How do you transfer knowledge across offices and teams, navigate busy deadlines, and prepare next-generation project managers to lead with confidence?

What began as a conversation about project management training evolved into a firmwide dialogue on standards, communication, and mentorship.

Through a multi-phase partnership with Apostrophe Consulting, RATIO designed a firmwide project management program that supported leaders across the firm and fostered connection among offices. Emerging from COVID, the work became a way to re-establish shared dialogue about how the firm wanted to lead moving forward.

In this episode, you’ll hear reflections on:

1. Why project management training became a catalyst for broader leadership development
2. How shared systems created clarity and space for leaders to grow
3. What it looks like to lead ahead of the organization while still creating pathways for others to follow
4. How structured support and training can remove isolation as leaders grow into new roles
5. Designing systems that outlast any single generation of leadership

This conversation offers an honest look at what it takes to design intentional leadership development. It is especially relevant for firm owners, design leaders, technical leaders, and next-generation managers who want to build structures that support people, not just projects.

About RATIO

RATIO is a multidisciplinary design firm that “connects people and place to shape environments of purpose, beauty, and meaning.” They work across sectors — from higher education and K–12 to civic, workplace, parks, mixed-use, health, and more. Their teams bring together architecture, interior design, historic preservation, landscape, and urban design to create integrated solutions.

Explore More

Visit the firm: https://ratiodesign.com/

Subscribe to the podcast and join us for future episodes as we explore how transformation takes shape — one firm at a time.

No Exceptions Taken is produced by Apostrophe Consulting. We help AEC firms lead with clarity, strengthen their culture, and navigate transformation with intention.

In the first episode of No Exceptions Taken, we explore the story of Neighboring Concepts, a Charlotte-based architecture firm that has spent three decades shaping community spaces and strengthening underrepresented neighborhoods. Founded by Darrel Williams, the firm grew into a respected practice grounded in mission-driven design and a deep commitment to civic impact.

When Darrel began preparing for his transition, four leaders stepped forward to guide the firm into its next chapter. Cathy Morrison, Luke Volkmar, Daniel McNamee, and Frank Little brought experience shaped by two historic minority-owned practices, Neighboring Concepts and Gantt Huberman Architects. Their leadership approach reflects the mentorship and values passed down by Darrel Williams and former Mayor Harvey Gantt. Instead of following a traditional succession model, they chose a shared structure built on collaboration, continuity, and a commitment to purpose.

In this episode, you’ll hear the team reflect on:

• The origins and founding values of Neighboring Concepts
• How the firm has shaped underrepresented communities across Charlotte
• What it means to pass leadership across generations
• The importance of trust, connection, and shared responsibility
• How an ownership transition can reinforce and expand a firm’s mission

This is a candid and inspiring look at what it takes to evolve a practice with purpose. If you are a firm owner, next-generation leader, or someone navigating the future of architecture, this story offers a powerful example of what leadership can look like when a team steps forward together.

About Neighboring Concepts

Neighboring Concepts is a community-focused architecture firm based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Their work centers on public engagement, inclusion, and shaping environments where people thrive.

Explore More

Visit the firm: https://www.neighboringconcepts.com/

Subscribe to the podcast and join us for future episodes as we explore how transformation takes shape — one firm at a time.

No Exceptions Taken is produced by Apostrophe Consulting. We help AEC firms lead with clarity, strengthen their culture, and navigate transformation with intention.

No Exceptions Taken is a podcast for the architecture community and creative leaders who believe the future is shaped not only by what we build, but by how we lead. Hosted by Je’Nen Chastain — a designer turned entrepreneur and founder of Apostrophe Consulting — the show explores what it really means to lead, create, and evolve in the world of architecture, design, and beyond.

Each episode brings candid conversations with leaders, innovators, and culture-shapers navigating the in-between moments of transformation — leadership transitions, cultural shifts, experiments in new ways of working, and the personal journeys of designing their way through change. Alongside stories from our clients, you’ll also hear from allied professionals who are pushing the boundaries of practice.

This isn’t just another architecture podcast. It’s where business strategy meets creativity, where human-centered leadership takes the spotlight, and where we uncover what it really takes to guide organizations through evolution and transformation.

Expect thoughtful stories that spark curiosity, challenge assumptions, and inspire how we shape the future of architectural practice.