By Dani Forbush
We met two sisters at our yearly Chief Academy and were impressed with the business they’ve built, with family roots, just 90 miles from our headquarters.
Harby + Points is Monique Harby and Morgan Points, partners in their architectural design company based in Moscow, Idaho. These sisters combine their educations in Arts and Architecture and Advertising with their experience growing up and working with their father, a general contractor, to build a successful and growing business.
As Morgan explains, “It all started when Monique was in high school. She started doing residential design work for our dad. By the time Monique completed her Architecture degree at the University of Idaho she had a healthy side business she’d built through relationships with contractors.”
Seven years later, the two sisters became partners and Morgan, with her background in advertising and marketing, “immediately had to learn design through full-on immersion and lots of practice to get up to speed.”
We needed a program that was specially intended for residential design and great for quick conceptuals.
“As we started focusing more on residential design we realized that we needed a program that was specially intended for residential design and great for quick conceptuals. Monique stumbled across Chief Architect, started using it and was hooked. It wasn’t until later that we found out it was a north Idaho based company. Nice bonus!”
Monique and Morgan identify a number of ways that Chief Architect helps them communicate with clients:
- INSPIRING NEW CLIENTS: “When we get a new project, we have a consultation meeting with our clients during which we listen to them and together, brainstorm about their project. Often during our initial meeting, we show our clients previous jobs we’ve designed in Chief Architect which gets them really excited about the possibilities.”
- VISUALIZING DESIGNS: “During our meetings, we have a monitor facing the client so they can see the 3D Chief Architect models as we present their plans to them. We use materials and colors that reflect their style. Before finding Chief Architect, we would just have 2D floor plans and maybe one or two perspectives but now, using the Chief Architect software, we can actually walk our clients through the model.”
- NO SURPRISES: “Not only do clients love seeing everything in clear 3D images, but this also makes such a difference in how smoothly and efficiently we can make changes to their plans as we talk.”
I love being able to customize a design exactly to our clients’ specifications down to the last detail.
“Chief Architect helps us sell our designs by presenting them in a realistic and accessible way. I love being able to customize a design exactly to our clients’ specifications down to the last detail. They are usually amazed that they get to see their house in such detail before it’s even built. We’re so thankful we found Chief Architect and its been a great tool we’ve used to help grow our business.”
