Turning Setbacks Into Setups For Success

About this episode

Joe Steele interviews architect Lance Cayko about the challenges and successes in running an architecture firm.

In this episode, host Joe Steele sits down with Lance Cayko, an accomplished architect and co-founder of F9 Productions, to explore the inner workings of his architectural firm. The episode provides a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges and triumphs of running a successful architecture practice. Lance shares his insights on the creative process, the business side of architecture, and the importance of balancing innovation with client needs. Whether you're an aspiring architect, a design enthusiast, or curious about the architecture industry, this episode offers valuable perspectives on what it takes to thrive in the world of architecture. 00:00 - Introduction 01:15 - Lance’s Origin Story 04:10 - Rich Dad, Poor Dad 07:50 - For Me, Freedom is Everything 10:00 - Running a Business 11:50 - Meeting a Partner 20:40 - Building the Brand 22:15 - The Michael Jordan Chip 25:00 - Finding the First Clients 29:30 - The First Hire 31:50 - How AI is Impacting Architecture 34:05 - A New Kind of Proposal 36:00 - The Focus Had to Be Customer Service 36:45 - Inside the Firm Podcast 40:25 - Fishing with Lance 44:20 - What’s Next for F9 47:00 - Connect with Lance Show Resources…

People in this episode

Host: Joe Steele

Guest: Lance Cayko

Topics covered

• architecture
• business challenges
• creative process
• client needs
• innovation
• success strategies

Keywords

• architecture
• business
• innovation
• client service
• F9 Productions
• Lance Cayko
• creative process

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: F9 Productions

Books & works: Rich Dad, Poor Dad

More episodes of Decision State with Joe Steele

• When Momentum Never Arrived · June 9, 2026 · 29 min
• When Everyone Agreed and Nothing Changed · June 2, 2026 · 31 min
• The Call Nobody Wanted to Make · May 26, 2026 · 34 min
• You Thought You Could Fix It Later · May 19, 2026 · 32 min
• The Check You Almost Wrote · May 12, 2026 · 25 min
• The Fix That Made It Worse · May 5, 2026 · 30 min