New technology has helped our world operate more efficiently, and there’s no more fitting or timely example of this than the current global pandemic. Companies everywhere, in every industry and on every scale, are interacting with technology in new ways to help them rise above the challenges COVID-19 has put on their survival, often stepping outside their comfort zone to do so.
In architecture and design fields, new tech is something that’s generally embraced. Firms want to invest in the best tech available, in hopes of both increased productivity and talent acquisition and retention.
On the other side of the table, professionals seeking employment in architecture and design are required to jump through many hoops in working toward sought-after positions. The career advancement process in the architecture and design fields is quite a lot to keep up with, and that’s where Marc Teer, founder and CEO of Black Spectacles, taps into the ring.
Black Spectacles, founded in 2010, was born out of Teer’s feeling a lack of guidance in the early stages of his education and career in architecture.
The company offers architects “support through education and inspiration in every stage of your career – ARE test prep, software learning and career insight from leading experts in the biz all help you get to the top of your game – and stay there.”
To give you an idea of the scale of Black Spectacles, here are a few telling numbers…
>50% of candidates who take the ARE use Black Spectacles
>75% of the top 50 architecture firms subscribe to Black Spectacles
>Inc. Magazine recognized Black Spectacles as the 11th fastest growing education company in the country
We recently spoke with Teer about the company and its services, as well as the architecture and design communities’ ability to continue career advancement during a time of unprecedented, pandemic-induced global unrest.
“I looked at colleagues who worked at prestigious firms straight out of school because they had resources and mentors, and thought, ‘How do they have the inside track?’” Teer recounts on the Black Spectacles website. “Black Spectacles was created to be that inside track for architects.”
“As the Chair of the AIA Young Architects Forum, I talked to emerging architects at networking events who could benefit from career guidance, and as an Adjunct Professor at Illinois Institute of Technology I saw my students struggling to keep up with software updates, and as someone who was licensed knew the importance of conquering the ARE. Facilitating the development of fellow architects was something I enjoyed doing through my personal channels and I strived to do it on a larger scale.”
“I launched Black Spectacles in 2010 to democratize learning and remove barriers to career expansion. Starting with software learning, and expanding to ARE Prep, we now help thousands of architects get licensed and are the only NCARB-approved test prep for all six divisions of ARE 5.0. We are passionate about making our network and expertise available to everyone – with our ARE Community and in our podcast, ARE Live, which are both free resources. Collectively we want to educate and inspire architects to thrive throughout the entirety of their careers.”
The company’s test prep materials are created “by architects, for architects” – so students are gaining access to real-time practitioners in the field.
“Early on when you start any sort of business, you ask yourself, ‘what is our key differentiator?’” said Teer, who was elevated to Fellow by the AIA in 2020. “We got our start as a software learning platform, and at the beginning, we had to decide who would be teaching the programs. I had a lot of really great relationships with architects and firms, and we thought it was really important and different to have architects being the ones teaching architects.”
“Our competitors often used teachers who don’t practice day-to-day, but we think that’s a really important piece to learning architecture and how to design. We’ve pulled in architects from some of the best firms around the world to teach our customers, and that makes a difference. We started our business, that was our early judgement, and our instincts proved right. People want to hear and learn from others who are actually working in the field.”
Black Spectacle’s beginnings in software learning were doing okay, but the business really took off in May 2014, when it partnered with AIA Chicago to offer test prep services. That initial partnership evolved quickly into a partnership with the national chapter of AIA the following year.
“Our work with AIA put a lot of wind in our sales,” Teer said. “And then we really continued listening to the needs of the people using our services, and we worked really, really hard to get new products and new offerings off the ground constantly.”
In 2018, Black Spectacles agreed to be the first company to allow NCARB to review its courses and become the first participant in NCARB’s Approved Test Prep Provider Program.
“This was another big thing that really helped us establish credibility and grow our business,” Teer said. “I always think of the analogy of starting a business to climbing a mountain. You’re so focused on getting to the first base camp, and once you do, you’re so excited, but then you keep looking at the mountain, and there’s still so much more ground to cover. So, you start the process over and over, slowly climbing the mountain and getting to the various base camps. I’m really proud that we started with nothing, and have built something really valuable on our way up the mountain. But we’re never done – we’re endlessly climbing the mountain.”
Black Spectacles’ subscription services are available in several tiers – individual, firm, school, and AIA chapter. Head to Blackspectacles.com for full details.
Teer noted that like many other firms and companies, Black Spectacles saw a slow-down in business due to the COVID-19 pandemic; but they also saw an opportunity.
“In March, as everything was closing down, ARE testing centers closed down as well, for two and a half months. They opened back up in June, but at just 50% capacity, and the number of seats available to take the test in these testing centers has gone down. Before the pandemic, taking the test online wasn’t possible, and there wasn’t a real driver for that.”
“NCARB wanted to begin offering online testing and was initially targeting Q1 2021, but they were able to expedite it, and starting November 1st, they’ll be offering an online version of the test.”
“The pandemic made our team really aware of the impact on jobs in architecture. I personally have many friends who’ve been affected, whether through furloughs or being let go, or new business not coming in. We began asking ourselves as a company, ‘Is there a way we can help architects connect with work and continue to put their best professional foot forward, by expanding our offerings?’
In that vein, Black Spectacles has a couple new ventures in the works, though they’re not quite ready to introduce just yet.
“We’ve really used this time to reflect and understand what the architecture profession needs – what the people working in this profession need.”
It’s fitting food-for-thought at a company built on helping architects get to where they want to be. It was a pleasure speaking with Mr. Teer and getting to know the culture and mindset behind Black Spectacles. Best of luck to the team!