Life at the High End

摘要

Through the years, more than a few watershaping professionals have asked me how to break through and start working with high-end clients. I respond by giving them the disappointing news that there is no magic key here: Serving the high end takes commitment, hard work and a willingness to focus your thinking on a distinct set of fundamentals that must take over and guide your work. Depending on the level at which you're currently functioning, getting to the high end may involve climbing a mountain or might simply be about making a series of crucial adjustments to the way you do business. Figuring out where you stand involves asking and answering the following questions: Are you doing quality work? Are you able to do quality work? Affirmative answers here mean that you've probably spent years in the business; know quality materials and construction techniques inside and out; have a good working knowledge of hydraulics; are familiar with principles of exterior design, design traditions and maybe even art history; and finally, have a firm grasp on client relations and the business of contracting.