Where can I listen to this podcast?

This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.

Does this podcast accept guests?

Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.

No Exceptions Taken

Claim This Podcast

by Apostrophe Consulting

5.0(4 reviews)

6 episodes

Updated Daily

Accepts GuestsHas SponsorsLocation 🇺🇸

Podcast Overview

No Exceptions Taken is a podcast about how architectural practice actually works and what it takes to move the industry forward. Hosted by Je’Nen Chastain, CEO and Founder of Apostrophe Consulting, the show explores the leadership, decisions, and systems that shape a practice over time. Each episode is grounded in real stories, experiences, and decisions from the field. We explore ownership transitions, leadership development, strategy, and the day-to-day creativity that shape how firms operate. Alongside stories from our clients, you’ll hear from allied professionals who are pushing the boundaries of practice. If you’re leading a firm, growing a team, or trying to help lift the industry forward, this podcast offers practical insight into how businesses are built and evolve.

Language

🇺🇲

Publishing Since

9/17/2025

Visit Website View on Apple Podcasts RSS Feed

Reach the team behind No Exceptions Taken

Verified contact details for this show aren't on file yet — sign up to get notified when they land.

Recent Episodes

July 14, 2026

EP. 005 Designing a Different Kind of Practice: How Architects FORA Is Redefining Architectural Services

In this episode of No Exceptions Taken, we explore what happens when a firm begins to see its practice as something that can be designed just as intentionally as the buildings it creates.Architects FORA has spent the last six years challenging traditional assumptions about architectural practice. As a 100% women-owned, fully virtual firm, they have continually tested new ways of working, expanded beyond traditional design services, and built a practice centered on research, community engagement, and resident experience.Rather than treating architecture as a fixed scope of services, FORA views practice as an evolving system—one that adapts alongside the needs of clients, communities, and the profession itself. Their journey demonstrates that innovation isn't only about new technology or new projects; it's also about redesigning how a firm operates, how decisions are made, and how people are served.In this episode, you’ll hear reflections on:<ul><li>How Architects FORA has evolved through six years of experimentation</li><li>Why community engagement has become a core professional service</li><li>How post-occupancy evaluation and research improve future projects</li><li>The growing role of trauma-informed and resident-centered design in affordable housing</li><li>Why firms don't need to conform to traditional business models to build successful, sustainable practices</li></ul> This conversation offers an honest look at building a practice that continually learns, adapts, and evolves. It is especially relevant for firm owners, emerging leaders, architects, and designers interested in innovation, organizational development, and designing businesses that serve both people and communities well.About Architects FORAArchitects FORA is a 100% women-owned architecture, community engagement, and research practice based in California. The firm's work focuses on affordable housing, resident-centered design, trauma-informed design, post-occupancy evaluation, and community engagement. Through an intentionally collaborative and fully virtual practice model, FORA continues to explore new ways architecture can create meaningful impact for clients, residents, and communities.Featured in this Episode<ul><li>Leah Alissa Bayer, AIA — President, Architects FORA</li><li>Kate Conley, AIA, NOMA, LEED AP — Principal, Architects FORA</li><li>Sarah Vaccaro, AIA, LEED AP BD+C — Principal, Architects FORA</li></ul> Explore MoreVisit the firm: https://architectsfora.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.

March 31, 2026

EP. 004 What Strategy Actually Is: Designing How Firms Lead and Operate

In this episode of No Exceptions Taken, we step back from a single firm story to explore a question that sits just below the surface of how many practices operate.Firms are moving fast. Deadlines stack up. Decisions get made. Work keeps advancing. And yet, underneath all of that momentum, something can feel just slightly out of sync. Not obviously broken. But not fully aligned either.So what is that?This episode explores what begins to shift when you start to see that tension more clearly — and how it connects to the way firms make decisions, navigate complexity, and move forward over time.Featuring perspectives from our team at Apostrophe Consulting, including Je’Nen Chastain, Erica Fornaro, and Megan Bowles, this conversation offers a different lens on how leadership, clarity, and day-to-day decisions shape the trajectory of a firm — especially in moments of uncertainty.In this episode, you’ll hear reflections on:<ul><li>How misalignment can show up even when things are moving forward</li><li>Why forward momentum doesn’t always mean clarity</li><li>What begins to change when teams start to see patterns more clearly</li><li>How leadership influences how decisions take shape across a firm</li><li>Where firms may be underestimating what’s already within their control</li></ul> About Apostrophe ConsultingApostrophe Consulting helps architecture and design firms navigate growth, leadership transition, and organizational change. We partner with AEC teams to build alignment, develop people, and design how companies operate — treating business as a design problem and focusing on systems that create clarity, stability, and long-term success.About Our TeamWe’re a dynamic team of business-minded industry leaders. We blend our education, training, and experience in architecture and firm management with a passion for the latest research on business and the workplace.Featured in this episode:<ul><li>Je’Nen Chastain, MBA, Assoc. AIA — CEO / Founder</li><li>Megan Bowles, AIA — COO / Senior Consultant</li><li>Erica Fornaro, MPH — Director of Operations / Research</li></ul> Explore MoreVisit our women-owned business design studio: https://www.apostrophe.consulting/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.

February 24, 2026

EP. 003 Building a Career, Shaping a City: Mentorship, Practice, and Civic Leadership with Clark Manus

In this episode of No Exceptions Taken, we step back from a single firm story to explore the long arc of a career and the role mentorship plays in shaping both practice and the profession.Clark Manus, FAIA, Founding Principal of Heller Manus Architects and the 87th President of the American Institute of Architects, has spent more than four decades practicing architecture in San Francisco. His work spans complex urban mixed-use towers, civic leadership, disaster recovery, and national advocacy for resilient and sustainable communities.But this conversation is not simply about architecture. It is about how a career is built over time. Through perseverance. Through service. And through mentorship.In this episode, we’ll explore:<ol><li data-list="bullet">How Clark’s early experiences shaped his perspective on architecture and civic impact</li><li data-list="bullet">The evolution of San Francisco, including the lasting impact of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake</li><li data-list="bullet">The emergence of Heller Manus Architects and the firm’s influence on San Francisco’s urban fabric</li><li data-list="bullet">The connection between practice, ownership, and civic leadership</li><li data-list="bullet">Why mentorship is essential to building resilient firms and sustaining the profession</li></ol> Following the 1989 earthquake, Clark became a key advisor to Mayor Art Agnos and later chaired successive Mayoral Citizen Advisory Committees, helping catalyze the removal of the Embarcadero Freeway and the transformation of the Central Embarcadero. His leadership extended beyond project work into public policy, planning commissions, and national advocacy through the AIA.Throughout the episode, we reflect on how architecture is learned through practice and guidance. How firms that invest in leadership development tend to be more resilient. And how stewardship of a city and stewardship of the profession are deeply connected.This episode is especially relevant for:<ol><li data-list="bullet">Rising leaders building their careers</li><li data-list="bullet">Practice owners thinking about long-term impact</li><li data-list="bullet">Architects who want to serve their communities beyond individual projects</li><li data-list="bullet">Mentors and mentees navigating growth across generations</li></ol> About Clark ManusClark Manus, FAIA, is the Founding Principal of Heller Manus Architects, a former Oakland Planning Commissioner, and the 87th President of the American Institute of Architects. Over his 40-plus year career, he has influenced the built environment of San Francisco and Oakland through complex mixed-use developments, civic leadership, and advocacy for resilient communities. He has served on numerous boards and advisory councils and remains an active voice in urban design and professional leadership.Explore MoreVisit the firm: https://hellermanus.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.

6 total episodes available

Deep-dive analytics for No Exceptions Taken

Frequently asked questions

Have a different question and can't find the answer you're looking for? Reach out to our support team by sending us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.

What is No Exceptions Taken?: No Exceptions Taken is a podcast about how architectural practice actually works and what it takes to move the industry forward. Hosted by Je’Nen Chastain, CEO and Founder of Apostrophe Consulting, the show explores the leadership, decisions, and systems that shape a practice over time.

Each episode is grounded in real stories, experiences, and decisions from the field. We explore ownership transitions, leadership development, strategy, and the day-to-day creativity that shape how firms operate. Alongside stories from our clients, you’ll hear from allied professionals who are pushing the boundaries of practice. If you’re leading a firm, growing a team, or trying to help lift the industry forward, this podcast offers practical insight into how businesses are built and evolve.
How often does this podcast release new episodes?: This podcast updates daily.
Where can I listen to this podcast?: This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
Does this podcast accept guests?: Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.

Legal Disclaimer

Pod Engine is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected with any of the podcasts displayed on this platform. We operate independently as a podcast discovery and analytics service.

All podcast artwork, thumbnails, and content displayed on this page are the property of their respective owners and are protected by applicable copyright laws. This includes, but is not limited to, podcast cover art, episode artwork, show descriptions, episode titles, transcripts, audio snippets, and any other content originating from the podcast creators or their licensors.

We display this content under fair use principles and/or implied license for the purpose of podcast discovery, information, and commentary. We make no claim of ownership over any podcast content, artwork, or related materials shown on this platform. All trademarks, service marks, and trade names are the property of their respective owners.

While we strive to ensure all content usage is properly authorized, if you are a rights holder and believe your content is being used inappropriately or without proper authorization, please contact us immediately at hey@podengine.ai for prompt review and appropriate action, which may include content removal or proper attribution.

By accessing and using this platform, you acknowledge and agree to respect all applicable copyright laws and intellectual property rights of content owners. Any unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or commercial use of the content displayed on this platform is strictly prohibited.