Ni Li

I think I'm super success because I'm a good listener as architect. I don't let my clients talk. I have to understand them. I'm trying to provide my service, so I'm not going to superimpose my ideas on them. I try to understand my clients better. If I have a new project, I usually don't start right away. I usually try to have them sending me pictures, or whatever. I talked to them for, like, a good two weeks, at least. I'll think about what they want, and we write down everything, what they want, and try to work back and forth.

I think still most professional in the field are males, women are I have to work harder, you know, to be better. I think just believe yourself. As an architect, you just have to see more, to visit, to go to look at architects, to look at other people's design, just learn, learn from other people. Go to see the real architecture, go to different cities, go to museums, just culturally. Woman is definitely doable.

The challenge as architect is always you have big dreams when we were young. In reality, you always end up your clients is your boss, more or less. You have to do what they want. And money is a big thing. Nashville was booming like crazy. Everybody was moving to Nashville. All of a sudden, I was super busy. That's opportunity. But then right now, it was interest rates, or economy. No one wants to build anymore, then you have no opportunity. We have a sense of responsibilities to what we put down this land. For the environment, net zero project, energy reserve, that's a good opportunity.

Being architect is part of me. I am trying to do the right thing. I guess just be yourself, try to be a good person at the end. Just be a good person.