What can you do with an architecture degree besides traditional practice? Is it possible to blend your design skills with other passions? Elliot Felix, Founder and CEO of Brightspot Strategy, is an architect turned higher education strategist, shares his journey from architecture school to running his own consulting firm. Elliot talks about how an influential middle school teacher inspired him to study architecture, and how that led him to get his undergraduate architecture degree from UVA and a Master's from MIT. After practicing at a large firm for several years, Elliot realized he wanted to better understand the people that architecture serves, so he pivoted to strategy consulting focused on workplace and education. This eventually led him to found his own firm Brightspot, which was acquired by the larger firm Buro Happold. Brightspot focuses on research, vision and strategy for higher ed institutions to improve the student experience.Elliot shares insights on making career transitions, finding meaningful work, taking risks, dealing with challenges, and building support networks. He also discusses his recent book "How to Get the Most Out of College" which contains evidence-based advice for student success.Key Takeaways:
Inspiring teachers can spark a career direction from a young age
Architecture school teaches you to be a creative problem solver
"Design thinking" skills are valuable in many fields beyond architecture 
Making career transitions involves experimenting and testing out options
Find opportunities to "prototype" new roles to get a feel for the day-to-day
It's important to understand the people you're designing for
Strategy consulting can complement architectural design 
Look for personal role models to guide your career journey
Concrete goals like "I want to be like X person" are most useful
Develop a growth mindset to take risks and handle setbacks
Build your support network before you need it
Links:
Learn more about Brightspot Strategy https://www.brightspotstrategy.com/

Buy Elliot’s book: https://www.elliotfelix.com/book



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