From Drafts To Drinks: Navigating The London Architecture Scene With Daniel K Poku-Davies

From Drafts to Drinks - Navigating the London Architecture Scene with Daniel K Poku-Davies
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Stephen Drew: It is that time again Friday. Get your PIMS out, get your summer ready and load up Eventbrite, because we are gonna talk all about how you get around town. That's right. Gotta put on your fancy shoes. You don't wanna save them. Dust them off. We're going out in the town, put that BIM on the way.

Okay. 20 seconds. Best get professional. Here we go.

All right. Okay. Strapped in five seconds everyone.

Hello everyone. I should look into the camera here. How are you today? Happy Friday. I am blessed. I'm out in [00:01:00] town. I'm mobile. I've just been out on the on a few cool events this week as well. Hangover was yesterday, today. I feel good. Ready for one or two, pims later. But I've got a special guest for you now.

If you are in the London Architecture scene, there's a chance you've already seen this gentleman hustling and telling us about all the cool stuff that he's up to as well as having a good laugh. But on that note, may I introduce an awesome, experienced professional from the Architecture industry?

Daniel Davis. How are you sir? Are you okay?

Daniel Poku Davies: I'm good so far. Thank you. Thank you very much for having me on board, Steve, and I don't know what to even say right now. I don't even need, I don't even need an introduction right now

Stephen Drew: No you are the man about town. Now, for any of you in the audience so Daniel tell us about yourself. Do you work in the industry? Tell us a little bit about

yourself.

Daniel Poku Davies: At the moment I'm an Architectural designer. I call myself a designer. I think the web [00:02:00] assistant is very, is not the best way to do it based on the effort we put into it. And

Stephen Drew: Yeah,

Daniel Poku Davies: of our

Stephen Drew: yeah. Remember we tried to,

Daniel Poku Davies: space. is a c I C company that helps

Stephen Drew: called me and said, you give us this price, and we agreed on the price and.

Daniel Poku Davies: through collaboration with Malco RIBA.

And also big shout to Behind the Box for having us on board on the New Founders program. And that's a bit about us now. Yeah.

Stephen Drew: We, we're gonna dive into a bit more of our space later. We definitely will. But I'll put the link down if someone wants to be cheeky and go ahead. So they can check you out on Instagram. But Daniel, maybe we can say how me and you met first, so I don't remember when it was. But frequently we bump into each other, don't we?

Daniel Poku Davies: happened when we went to the London Build Expo, but I,

Stephen Drew: Oh yes.

Daniel Poku Davies: I've been seeing what you've been up to recently

Stephen Drew: yeah. Oh wait I'm around. I'm around. But you are also around as well, doing the hassle and the [00:03:00] bustle. Now I respect that not everyone is out as much as you. And I think that being about and being present, especially in Architecture careers, Or running a business or whatever really helps.

And we've had this heated debate about it as well over a few cheeky mojitos or whatever's knocking around. But Daniel, why do you do it? Why do you force yourself after a hard day shift? To go out and about and network?

Daniel Poku Davies: To be honest, think a lot of people find networking as a, they don't really like the word networking cause they feel, oh, I'm, it's not about me.

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: I love meeting new people and that is how I've just learned. Cause being at work, get very glued on doing one thing quite a lot and.

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: You get adapt to that system, that this is what Architecture is about. But if

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: is about connectivity and if you're designing from people, then we've got to be in a space to understand your needs. And it could be from [00:04:00] informal chats, coffees, dinners, I just personalized. We said I, I am, I'm a person that just love going out and that just love to meet people and have conversation.

That is just my experience so far. But we, I'm here to literally just people through it, young

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: how they can start getting themselves out there. And it's not even just about, talking about Architecture. I've met people from different, Careers, not even design

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: Some are caters, some works in waitress. You just have normal conversations. Share your passion about life, and you get to have this understanding of what the needs of what people need and how we are always shaped by our environment.

Stephen Drew: Yeah. Yeah, I agree with you. And I think sometimes when we use the word networking, some people cringe and they don't need to because it's not always like a boring room where people just hand around a business card and have a stiff conversation. It can actually be fun. The Young Architects Developer Alliance, which if anyone hasn't been to yet, I really [00:05:00] recommend, we were just there on Wednesday.

Now that's a bunch of Yeah, that was good. But there's another one coming up in three months I think. And that event,

Daniel Poku Davies: yeah.

Stephen Drew: Daniel, yeah, there was like 400 people, wasn't it? So it was architects and developer meeting each other. And I think that's like the perfect example of an awesome event. You basically, you have a drink, you get to meet people, you meet other architects, but you could even meet a developer.

And if you meet a developer, I'm sure that will further your career. Do you think it's very important then for people to network Daniel?

Daniel Poku Davies: I think to be honest, we met a young developer on that same event you were talking about, and the developer looked at my face and be like, you are the only first person that came up to me and

Stephen Drew: really?

Daniel Poku Davies: anything about business. was just, how you doing? How's things? How's your day been? And it just

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: a smooth conversation.

I didn't even come up to him and be like, look, as you say, it becomes very strictly in the mindset of, I need this. It's not the best way. It's about just [00:06:00] relationship. And prior to that, we all end up in a very nice Cuban party. After that, when. From that point, it just led on to say, oh, you know what, Daniel, before leaving, just take my card.

And this are just relationship. And as some people are born into that network, some

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: have to just work their way through it. By the end

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: you'll just get to your end goal. You just have to just put yourself out there, hold

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: And I think this comes back to

Stephen Drew: Okay.

Daniel Poku Davies: system.

It all

Stephen Drew: And,

Daniel Poku Davies: rooted how

Stephen Drew: in terms of, yeah,

Daniel Poku Davies: school we taught

Stephen Drew: uh,

Daniel Poku Davies: spatially, but we

Stephen Drew: the.

Daniel Poku Davies: also haven't developed that mindset about. The inner entrepreneur, cause everyone has got an inner entrepreneur in them. In terms of how do you network, how do you talk, how do you sell your idea across, how do you engage with the normal public?

And I think this is one thing, the profession is still lacking. Creating a space where it doesn't have to talk about Architecture, just host event, host parties, bring a younger [00:07:00] generation together. Because I've been to other entities in finance. Engineering and I'll give a big shout to charter Institute of Building.

They've got an event ending of this month in June now, and I do recommend to see a lot of young people joining in because you see people from Mount McDonald, Arabs and these are the still the same age as me as 24 23. room building with contractors and manufacturers. And my

Stephen Drew: Yeah,

Daniel Poku Davies: is,

Stephen Drew: so all the ones you have.

Daniel Poku Davies: that is in that space in 10 years time will be, we'll see a career progression.

So networking is a great tool to see where met a lot of great mentors. me, meeting more people, speaking to people. I've got clear understanding of where I wanna be now. But if I was in the office, as you did mention, if I just did a nine to six and just went home, nothing is not gonna change.

So

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: is I do encourage and I'm happy. Just ask me questions and I'm happy to [00:08:00] start talking through that step of how still developing. I am still developing. I'm not there yet, but I'm still evolving, but I'm happy to share my progress to

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: of people. Yeah.

Stephen Drew: Nice. It's like practicing Architecture. You are always, I think working on it now. I will be really honest. So Gregory really quickly says here that he loves networking, especially

across disciplines. Yeah. Gregory, you got to, he got to pop into London. Me and Daniel. There, there's definitely a cheeky drink in there for you.

Daniel Poku Davies: LinkedIn and then we can with that conversation from oh yeah. I've actually got your LinkedIn here, so there we go. And I think that's a. I think that's a good point. Now let's focus a little bit more Daniel on physical cause I think it's really interesting. Now I've got a big confession, Daniel, years ago and now I know I talk a lot on LinkedIn. We're talking now and in person.

Stephen Drew: I you can't shut me up sometimes. But it wasn't always the case. It wasn't, I was really nervous when I was networking before and the idea of going in a room or [00:09:00] going up to someone that they didn't know. I just was scared, I was like, I don't know. I can't do it. I think I'm gonna say something stupid now.

Daniel Poku Davies: is stupid. Go ahead.

Stephen Drew: Yeah, exactly right. But I built that up in my head and that's what I was gonna ask you. What would you say to anyone that feels a little bit apprehensive about it, Daniel, is there any tips you think to just to start getting going and meeting people out and about?

Daniel Poku Davies: I just think just be yourself. I think, we, I think this is also a structure of how coaches has been set from schools to

Stephen Drew: Yeah, I think

Daniel Poku Davies: It's

Stephen Drew: It's more.

Daniel Poku Davies: People most of the time. Want to like someone else. But are all born with different talents and we all have different individuals.

Like for instance, had a friend of mine he loved watch, he is one of my good mates I always talk to him about, and I actually always, I mention is him, I'm not supposed to say that, but he's, he was always talking about his passion. And I think it

Stephen Drew: Over

Daniel Poku Davies: to

Stephen Drew: the names.

Daniel Poku Davies: [00:10:00] well. As we mentioned, being a shy person when I

Stephen Drew: Maybe it's something you guys would

Daniel Poku Davies: We were

Stephen Drew: do first and

Daniel Poku Davies: to speak to people

Stephen Drew: yeah,

Daniel Poku Davies: a lot of students

Stephen Drew: terms of

Daniel Poku Davies: from that

Stephen Drew: prioritization, four or five

Daniel Poku Davies: in them. And I think

Stephen Drew: in

Daniel Poku Davies: person empowers other people

Stephen Drew: they

Daniel Poku Davies: So this also can

Stephen Drew: current.

Daniel Poku Davies: with leadership.

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: organizational also empower bringing these young people into room.

Could it be that a framework being set up saying, as a part one or as a

Stephen Drew: And you can see what, yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: It would be Establish even network the a month. message. momentum will keep on building and that fear, because I don't believe in fear. It's I know first would be like, hello, really got to we're here. This is us, but let's start sometimes it going to networking.

I said to someone, you don't have to be there to the next morning, but just Yeah. attending one hour, listening to them, even just saying hi, introducing who you are to. It's better to [00:11:00] just rather just introducing yourself slowly, and

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: quite nerveracking, but to some degree you've just got to put yourself out there and build that relationship.

So as a younger person, back to what you were saying, I'll probably say just talk about your passion. Don't feel scared and also. You never know who you're gonna meet. Don't judge the book. The book by itself. I always have conversation with everyone. I don't care about what class, what background you're from.

Just have a conversation, talk about culture, talk about your passion. I always start with where places that I've lived

Stephen Drew: All right.

Daniel Poku Davies: lived in Ghana. Jamaica, and also I came here 10 years ago. So I talk about all my shared passions and this can, it could be like a book you're reading. I'll just ask someone what was it like today?

How's your day been? Yeah. conversation can go a massive long way. Then you build up that relationship Ah, yes, yes.

Stephen Drew: yes. It's I. doing business, it's about convincing them and persuading them into something you're interested about.[00:12:00]

Very interesting. The the one I was gonna say, Daniel, the one that I always do is if people get nervous and they say what do I say? The trick I say is always ask the person that you want to speak to about themselves, because people tend to like to talk about

themselves.

you go up to, Hey, how are you?

What was the way you I'm Steve. Are you an Architect or whatever? They go yeah. And I go, okay, cool. What do you design? They go, oh this is that. And it's the same thing. If he was a developer, he'd be like, oh, very interesting. What buildings are you, have you done anything?

I've seen? Are you developing anything at the moment? And people will just keep going. And then I've very interesting.

Daniel Poku Davies: now, the knowledge is an Architect. We've learned everything from vision to understanding, user experience, but when we meet people, we lack that skillset. And that's why we are not good at doing business because. We don't build that relationship quite a lot. I said to someone it could be an informal talk.

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: I had someone from JP Morgan as a good friend of mine, and he just invited me to one of the networking [00:13:00] event, and he made all these fancy bankers in a room have it 30 years career. as you said, one, one aspect could be there. Oh yes, no, they're talking about. You know what is gonna happen about the recession?

And it's just having this whole conversation and they didn't understand nothing about Architecture. And once we start talking about Architecture to them about, it's not just about the physicality of the building, but also the impact to make to people and all this conversation, they were amazed by it. So sometimes I think we've all got something to contribute.

To the world and we've

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: we need to start showcasing that through Architecture because we are the master visionist, but also at the same time, if we can't connect with people start holding normal conversations. So networking to one aspect, to younger generation. As I said, I'm still growing in the profession.

I'm still developing one great mentor of mine I always talk about it was Poage. If I wasn't working at K C A, I don't think I'll be having this conversation today.

Stephen Drew: Oh really? [00:14:00]

Daniel Poku Davies: yeah, because. I was at K C A when I was 17 no, I've grown quite, I'm still growing. And the way Paul used to do things was he used to just bring leaders and the young generation in one space as after work.

doesn't feel that it was just the senior members in a pub or anything, or going on in private dinners. I was just imagining everyone together. At lunchtime, there was a coach where. Everyone mixed together. So that is how my confidence grew from that point. If that didn't happen, we won't be having this conversation today.

So to some degree, I think those lessons could be something other organizations can start learning and building a succession plan. Because what happens to this generation in CAP in 10 to 20 years time, they're gonna be the future leaders of this organization. And if we're not

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: them about relationship building, That's key.

I think relationship building to any great company or organization is about building [00:15:00] relationship with people, and that's how things go from that point. Yep.

Stephen Drew: Yeah, I think you're right. I, it is very interesting, isn't it? And I do think once you get past that news and you get out there, the other thing with networking is I think it gets easier, doesn't it? The more you

do it.

Daniel Poku Davies: guess easier as it goes.

Stephen Drew: Yeah, I think half the time it's when your friend says, do you wanna come out?

And you're like, oh no, I'm tired. All this stuff, and you gotta push past it

Daniel Poku Davies: You've

Stephen Drew: you know,

Daniel Poku Davies: the energy going. You can't lose it. It is, I've met people from different places, from just having a normal random chat to them and

Stephen Drew: yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: friends and be, look, let's go out network. Let's go meet these people. There's this event going on. You never know who you're gonna meet.

Probably galleries, and you've got all this, the platform is there now.

Stephen Drew: How are you

Daniel Poku Davies: years ago, we won't be

Stephen Drew: Good.

Daniel Poku Davies: It'll

Stephen Drew: How Mm.

Daniel Poku Davies: But now the opportunity is there, the information is there

Stephen Drew: Nice. I like your shirt. Nice color. Yeah, you're right.

Daniel Poku Davies: tech technology to some degree [00:16:00] is in helping this generation.

And also Covid has not helped people. It's really locked, knocked people's confident down. People don't feel have got a lot of anxiety to go out now these days. So is also crap. Your work is always gonna be a large part of your

Stephen Drew: How's everything going?

Daniel Poku Davies: time. It's relationship building.

It's

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: sure a clear structure in terms of

Stephen Drew: Okay.

Daniel Poku Davies: and

Stephen Drew: Okay.

Daniel Poku Davies: understanding the need of business. And I personally think, mip him, we're having this conversation early this year, that next year we've got to have a younger generation going to MIP him. It shouldn't be the old school way of old directors going to me, him, and I've made it as a plan that I'm gonna be at mem next year because it is also gonna change the aspect.

Of younger people cause there's a lot of ego. People wanna do things, they want to help and it is been formed through the education system. So platform like what you're doing, what I'm doing, pretty much going there. I'm always encouraging students to say, look, I'm going to this event, just come with me.

I'm [00:17:00] more than happy to share my thoughts across because as I said, happy to support other people if they really need that help or breaking their ice. I'm happy to be there to hold conversations.

Stephen Drew: Yeah, good for you. We've got I was bringing up Julia comment here. Julia Nichols, who says, love seeing you both on Wednesday. Really enjoy how Daniel has made networking less about business and more about people. That's where it all starts. Great observation, Julia. And you are right. Danny, isn't it?

It's It is people. That's the reality of what business is. That's the reality of who's going out and do you know, sometimes I think like sometimes just going out, you haven't even gotta have an agenda. You just go out and things happen to come to you,

Daniel Poku Davies: you've just got to be optimistic about a lot of things. You don't need to overthink. I think

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: lot of people go with the intention that, okay this person is at this event. I'm trying to get this business opportunity, but you've got to see yourself as. Just let yourself grow [00:18:00] organically.

And this is also one aspect about organizations, about even you as an individual. Never underestimate people. It is just going there, have a glass of wine and have a conversation. Understand

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: started, who they are as a person. And I've come across different kinds of people,

Stephen Drew: Mm.

Daniel Poku Davies: kinds of characters, but I've now, as time has evolved, I've, I. Navigate through them with their thoughts and see from perspective. And I think that's how things should be. You shouldn't close be a close-minded person to be okay. There's that. I'm gonna speak to this specific person. It's about engaging, it's about having a laugh same day you don't have to get business or anything, but it would just evolve as times goes.

And as, as you said, relationship is key something great. And I'm still developing on that as well,

Stephen Drew: It's always ongoing and him, it's always ongoing and think that as well. I'll tell you one quick story down. A years ago I used to work for this company [00:19:00] and they paid a lot to go on this business trip for BIM Show Live. And the lady in charge was like, we have to go and you have to make deals and all this stuff.

And I was like, you're just taking the fun out of it. But actually, so you know, then there was like this pressure to find people and I think if you went to Nipping or whatever with that attitude, it's not good. Whereas

if You're like, do you know what, yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: lose out. You just got to be yourself And the opportunity to have a course. Now we've had a chat with people from Glads. Now, we've got Mario as our president. And I said to Mario that look, and this is a conversation with him I met him and we never talk about anything about his role as a president.

I just had a

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: And I said, how do we get a younger crowd? RIBA. For instance, you've got Ggl as one of the biggest consulting in terms in the construction

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: You've got Chartered Institute of Buildings. And I said, look, you've got a lot of young people and they're the same age as me.

They ran in contracts, they ran in businesses [00:20:00] in the same organization, that there's a kind of a clear career direction for them and now, think RIBA, in a way, can start forming collaboration with these people. So the role of an Architect doesn't lose because I think now people don't

Stephen Drew: The

Daniel Poku Davies: architects because they'll be like, oh,

Stephen Drew: they

Daniel Poku Davies: just come here and

Stephen Drew: did the stakeholders.

Daniel Poku Davies: the next commission.

And I say, look, forget about that. That is the old way of things. We are next generation and we are here to make sure that things are better. We're not here to have talk about Architecture. We are just here to have a normal love see how we can shape a better future. So is what I tell people. Just be in the room, have a conversation, and it's about encouraging, fostering a new generation of young voices.

I think this generation is much more about using tech, which is a, that's a great tool to use, but at the same time, you've got to also find a way to interact with people. That is really great because people these days are on their phones. not really, they [00:21:00] can't hold a normal conversation. They're great at using text or posting, but not really a great way to, if you meet them in person, they can't even hold one or two conversation, which I think we need to find a way to emerge technology and also human interaction as well.

So self-development is gonna be something key. I'm gonna recommend. I love practices to start considering about, having a life coach or having a business coach. And we are not talk, we are not tend to talk to people, but we all need to start developing all this skillset.

Stephen Drew: Yeah, said. And I think, like we talked about Cru cast earlier, it's hap it's important that it hap happens in the practice as well, isn't it? Because if the practice is not talking to each other, then you probably don't have a hope in, in, in how, like when you go out there in the public, and.

Daniel Poku Davies: Absolutely.

Stephen Drew: And what better way is that? This was me years ago, Danielle, is that I used to be the cheeky chappy part one and part two. Yeah. Who was like in the practice, [00:22:00] in the kitchen talking to everyone, so I think it starts there and it was great cause I'd learn everyone and then everyone know me in the practice.

Even if they never worked on the team, they'd be like, oh my God, Steve. Yeah, that Welsh guy, I've spoken to him you

Daniel Poku Davies: it was such a great thing because, I just said, being with poor car on. Wednesday. It was super inspiring to me. It was quite great to see someone and be like, look, you're such a great mentor because Paul knew me when I was 17.

you just admire his leadership of Royal because the way he engage people, and as we said, to some degree we're not talk to, we're not talk to the public and. Even at work sometimes I speaking to people that are very quiet or even shy, I just come up to them and just say hi to them.

And, oh, this girl at work, she said, Dan, if you didn't come to this company, I never spoke to anyone for a year. I just go to work just go home. to me I felt, my God,

You're such a talented person. You are telling me that the [00:23:00] company. Didn't really foster all of this. So these are skills that we need to start looking into.

Business is always gonna be business. People have to work. But also you wanna make sure that there's a space where people feel there's a belonging. And I think also some practices or not some practices, people in general, leadership people need to make sure that they encourage generation.

Cause my question is, you can't be in your fifties or sixties and still network. You can tell how drained you are and you still wanna keep on doing it, but you need to start teaching a younger generation from part one, part two cause you have qualified architects, but still can't even hold a conversation with people

It's about fostering a network of spaces. How do we organize c p D talks in organizations? Know MoCo is such a great place of fostering all these young talents and bringing new voices. Nothing. It shouldn't just be them. How can collaboration with them can start working? Can we work with a local business or a local food store and, you wanna make

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: there's something [00:24:00] engaging about all of this and. Empowering young people through all this conversation. Cause once you have them in a space, start hearing a lot of passion. I'm telling you, it took a while for me to speak to some people, but as time has you made them feel comfortable, it's about also making sure that people feel comfortable

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: It's just for all this aspect of things.

Yeah. And Judith from a Morrison company always empower young people out. They said, Dan, you know what? You guys need to, you guys are the young generation

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: Peter George as well. He's the ones who used to work at en Enfield fostering a younger generation of voices. So it's gonna happen, but it also needs to come through leadership as well.

I'm still young and you said, some people comes naturally, the only way to look at a better future every, we are having lack of young people in this spaces because they don't, they've not been taught this way and. They've, it's having roles and making sure that there's a whole [00:25:00] diversity.

And when diversity it's a whole range from age groups as well, because a lot of young people that, there's not as much women or there's not as, no, there's a lot of old people. It's a lot of old men or being the fifties. But I said, look, forget about the age you being in there is the start of something great because you're gonna help a younger generation coming in.

So I'm happy to start doing that.

Stephen Drew: Yeah. Good for you. My goodness, while we've been chatting and listen a lot of amazing points in there. We've had the comments coming in thick and fast. So I, if it's cool with you, Daniel, I'll do a quick rundown of what we've had come in. So Eileen says I love how you look at networking, Daniel.

It's all about building those relationships and it takes time. Doesn't it, building them up little bit by bit.

Daniel Poku Davies: I, I, I'm I'm still learning. I think yeah, I think it's all about relationship and even in any great thing, it's all about relationship. And as the years goes by, gets better and better from that point. I do recommend, [00:26:00] attending. Some

Stephen Drew: Usual review, the usual review cycle.

Daniel Poku Davies: you meet people, Toastmasters, about public speaking and I've met people from different industry.

It's not specifically about there to talk about presentation, but just meeting people after that and breaking breads, having a chat and just about all of our relationships. So do recommend. People doing that quite a lot and it's quite nerveracking. I'm not gonna sit here and say it is not,

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: gotta start putting yourself out there and is key to anything.

Great. That is how I see it.

Stephen Drew: Yeah,

I hear

Daniel Poku Davies: it gives a clear understanding

Stephen Drew: that means.

Daniel Poku Davies: where you wanna be as well.

Stephen Drew: No, I hear you. And you are right. So we've got one or 12 things that's come in. Mayette says hi. And Vanessa says, what a great movement. And Daniel now Mut a mutual friend of ours, red Mike has put.

Put this down twice. So Red Mic is bursting out the [00:27:00] seams. Don't worry, Mike, we were never gonna let you ha keep you hanging.

We will get to your red mic. Go save the best, for nearer the mid, the middle to the end or what have you. But Red Mic says, And what a great name, by the way. No one's gonna forget Red Mike. But Red Mike says, he says, ask Daniel about really going out of comfort zone and traveling abroad to events.

Sometimes the guest that traveled the farthest gets the warmest welcome. Now, what does that mean? Daniel, can you let, can you expand

Daniel Poku Davies: I think what Red Mic is definitely saying is that for the fact that you've already traveled to somewhere a different continent or country, don't know anyone, and I think it all comes down to your charisma as well. It also comes as we, back to what I was saying before about passion because.

I met Red Mike at the AKI Bar Awards and it was much more informal sets of informal environment. We just had a nice dance and we talked, I think the next day we met with Christopher Adle and then, and on a dinner together. [00:28:00] So we were just, he was talking about his shared passion through his Architecture studies about filming. And I think coming off your comfort zone is just an illusion because we are, we humans. As humans in general, we are scared of change and I'm

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: but to some degree it is just an illusion because if you look at great things that have changed the world, it was just people falling their gut intuition.

And not following the standard way of doing things and everything is possible. You just got to do it, and you just got to start and you'll surprise yourself how much you've got in you, but it's just you've not been taught that way because as in

Stephen Drew: Every,

Daniel Poku Davies: beings,

Stephen Drew: company has

Daniel Poku Davies: been taught in a negative kind of mindset.

It's always making sure that you speak how. to yourself. So I think zone is just an illusion. You just got to try and keep pushing and trying something new. We are scared of change, but we also have to adapt to change as well. That's really important. And we can lend that through Covid.

It was something that really happened and we [00:29:00] all find a way to adjust through working. And that on its own, as an analogy, should be a lesson that we all can start picking up from about doing. We just need to adapt to change and Yeah. nice. But you've got to always move on and try new things.

Stephen Drew: Yeah, I agree with you. We've had a guest join us as well. So Judith is in the audience from and co representing as well. Now I think actually Joe Morris is at an event next week, isn't he? Which is called

Architects, not Architecture. Yeah. Oh, me too. There you go. So shout out to MA's company, but I think that would be really cool, and I think that's

point. younger students to, to Understanding. you know there's gonna be a room of people and you never know who you're gonna meet. And, Probably future collaborators, but it is not about, as we said before, it's not about business, it's about building relationship that is the key thing having a shared passion together.

Daniel Poku Davies: So yeah,[00:30:00]

Stephen Drew: Agree. I agree. I think it's great. We will be there, Judith. We will be there in the

audience now.

Daniel Poku Davies: for sure.

Stephen Drew: I'm interested, isn't there? Architects not Architecture. The people behind the projects are just as important. Now, what I was gonna say then, Dan, is that I'm a big believer in person is the hardest, probably the most rewarding, probably the most fun.

So obviously you don't drink too much and don't get too hungover. But, we've all been there. I've been there getting into the Uber at two o'clock. We've all done that, but that's fine. I do think though the combination of in person and online is quite powerful. Like we're here now online as well.

I really think it's really good to start if someone hasn't, I think it's really good to start putting one or two posts out on LinkedIn or Instagram and and stuff like that. Do you think then, Daniel, it's a combination of both in-person and online. That is quite

Daniel Poku Davies: I think So, goes hand in hand. It is about making sure that, you've got, we all got a great sense of how to use technology and post, but to some degree [00:31:00] you've also got to start developing you as an individual, because I wouldn't mention names, but I've met some people in general and.

They agree at posting, but if you meet them in person, they can't even hold two conversations. It's about build it's, it is about establishing this relationship. And this is where my point comes in. It's about self-development, Now we need to stay in corporate in that, and I hope that at some point we'll be running some workshops or inspiring organizations to start making sure I listen to a lot of self-development books, and that is what keeps me going because as everything starts from the mind before it manifests, so it's very keyed up.

You've got to start building relationships. I said to people, You don't have to drink. It could be your faith. It could be health, but just even holding a water or holding a lot of people have had this conversation before, oh, Dan, you know what I'm, this, these people are drinking. I said, no, it's not about that.

Just be there, can hold a glass of juice and just hold a conversation with them. [00:32:00] So as everything is in their mind, and I just tell them. There's a human as you, because they're holding alcohol doesn't mean that more opposite superior than you. So it is just being in that space, and as I said before, person is very great.

You never know, and they start to understand about who you are your religion, your perspective about the world, and just have a normal conversation. Yeah.

Stephen Drew: Well said. Said. I just. If I may, it's just cuz there's a chat next door. I was getting really into it, but may maybe he's networking as well in some zoom somewhere,

Daniel Poku Davies: Probably, yeah.

Stephen Drew: Yeah, you know what, you can't be shy in this world, isn't it? I've got

another question.

Daniel Poku Davies: well. So Yeah, go ahead.

Stephen Drew: Yeah, no, I hear you. I've got one other question after this, but here says, I feel that in an industry which is heavily concentrated with multiple sec with multiple sectors and experts in order to increase visibility, net networking is key.

It is true, isn't it? You've gotta be, I hate the expression. There's the lottery, [00:33:00] but you gotta be in it to win it. You've gotta be there, you've gotta be in the room. Maybe you don't want to be that guy.

Daniel Poku Davies: let's,

Stephen Drew: on.

Daniel Poku Davies: put

Stephen Drew: So what am missing?

Daniel Poku Davies: or any scenario. If anything is to happen, if I'm someone wants to give something to someone,

Stephen Drew: Yeah,

Daniel Poku Davies: So they'll rather give it to that person than know.

Stephen Drew: yeah. Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: relationship. As you'll not give something to a stranger, you'll give it to the person you've known for five years because you trust them.

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: knowledge, you work together as it's all about relationship. And I agree with what Ahed is saying is that the key to anything is networking and. We are not taught to do that. But also there's this book was reading, it says How to Win Friends and Influence

Stephen Drew: Yeah. Good

book.

Daniel Poku Davies: It's a really good book. I'm gonna recommend it was by a great mentor of mine. a business book as well, and it's about Jack Carnegie. This book goes way back in 80 years ago. But this a whole it all comes down to self-development and understanding the aspect about business and [00:34:00] just about the physicality of just working, but also establishing relationship.

And that's the only way we can foster a great. Companies. Cause you know, I look at McDonald's as a corporation, and if you look at Ray Clark, everything about him was free networking. And that's how they grew as a big franchise company now is the McDonald's corporation. But that's another conversation.

But my point

Stephen Drew: Okay.

Daniel Poku Davies: We need to

Stephen Drew: Do you agree?

Daniel Poku Davies: lasting

Stephen Drew: with this?

Daniel Poku Davies: the model of business

Stephen Drew: Do you agree with.

Daniel Poku Davies: we need to start fostering talks about it. Rich, I'm happy to start putting some folks across with RIBA and start making sure that we've got younger generation, how they empower them and putting themselves out there, and also helping companies grow because.

As far this amazing Architectural companies have crossed. But the question is, where would that company be in 50 years time? How are we preparing a younger generation to be in those spaces? So these are very important. Yeah.

Stephen Drew: I agree. [00:35:00] Jason has put in a quite a

Daniel Poku Davies: Jason,

Stephen Drew: calm and the king of networking.

Daniel Poku Davies: to

Stephen Drew: Dot. Yeah, he says, for our audio listeners later, Jason Ball says king of networking. Dot. I have a challenger. Jason, you are the king of the north. King of the North, but king of the south right now is Daniel for sure.

And I float around in between. But Jason's great. I tell you what, I used to be in Manchester. I wonder what events are in Manchester. Jason, if you're still here, do drop a few now. Now, what I thought Daniel would and you can ask me any questions before

we up, but that As we get into the end, I was gonna say one or two actionable tips that I think people should do.

And I want people to follow what you do as well. But if anyone was, look. I. If anyone was looking for events, Danielle go.

Daniel Poku Davies: I

Stephen Drew: Where would you look first

Daniel Poku Davies: where do I look first?

I

Stephen Drew: go on.

Daniel Poku Davies: as we said, it is just been, it is been through relationship invitational, through people I've built that relationship with, but you've got a [00:36:00] lot of platforms around, you've got event Bride, you've got RIBA is what it's doing. Tonight MoCo has got a talk.

Tonight these, they need a whole younger crowd. So it's about putting yourself out there. No, I'm just gonna recommend students to not just look at Architecture, but now. You've got Toastmasters right

Stephen Drew: Yeah,

Daniel Poku Davies: you've got businesses

Stephen Drew: well.

Daniel Poku Davies: conferences, and now

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: the London Festival of Architecture.

Now there's a lot of

Stephen Drew: Yeah.

Daniel Poku Davies: going free, so I'm gonna recommend students to start using those platforms now just talk about what you've done and who you met. And we are gonna create a whole kind of forum, a demographic forum where we've got. Younger

Stephen Drew: doesn't make sense.

Daniel Poku Davies: leadership,

Stephen Drew: doesn't make sense.

Daniel Poku Davies: sure that we've got business leaders

Stephen Drew: Today. We're the 2nd of June.

Daniel Poku Davies: finish part two or part three, have a

Stephen Drew: Yeah. Today we are the.

Daniel Poku Davies: do next because lacking that skillset. And I've got

Stephen Drew: How long did take,

Daniel Poku Davies: McDonald just ran me up two days because I done, we're looking for someone on a [00:37:00] board, on sustainability. And I said, look, I've got a younger generation of people that wanna talk about sustainable design and people need to start putting themselves out there.

So second tip is, Just go out there, just do it. recommend if you're shy right now, just probably try during two days, twice a month, just go at put yourself out there. Just network. Say, look, my goal for this month, I'm gonna network at least twice a month, and then the confident will just build up.

It's just like a building block. You just don't call it a war. You just, it's brick by brick, and then it becomes that beautiful wall of death. So I recommend and might also suggest that just do two days a week and two days a month, not us, that during three days a week or five days a week, but, and

Stephen Drew: Yeah,

Daniel Poku Davies: goes

Stephen Drew: I mean,

Daniel Poku Davies: build that momentum.

But for now, I suggest just during two days a month, we'll go a massive long way and I'm, I'll be i'll. I'm more than happy to be start posting events that is going on through my LinkedIn post, so stay tuned as well and we'll just grow [00:38:00] together. I'm still growing as well, so yeah.

Stephen Drew: Brilliant. Brilliant. We've got one or two last quick

questions, quick fire rounds. Okay.

Daniel Poku Davies: you.

Stephen Drew: Herman says what would you suggest for a post-graduate international student? Maybe if you're not in the country yet, you could probably start making plans and stuff and

engaging

events.

Daniel Poku Davies: I will be happy to start hosting. We, as we said, OurSpace I'm one of the co-founders of OurSpace and the plan

Stephen Drew: I want you to,

Daniel Poku Davies: So we're going to be hosting events through Line Rich Station, around we're gonna have the rent series.

Stephen Drew: we had,

we also, we also had an.

Daniel Poku Davies: So it's gonna be like a whole conference online and we're gonna have conversation.

Big shout to Morrison Company for having us and beyond the box. yeah,

Stephen Drew: Oh, cool.

Daniel Poku Davies: I think it's also about hearing young voices and creating conferences as well. How do we have like young mip? And I think MIP should be something we need to do next year is get a young crowd of people in a space and.

this is a conversation

Stephen Drew: Yeah, I, [00:39:00] I understand.

Daniel Poku Davies: architects, developers, aliens, of bringing, and I think they're doing such a great job. On Wednesday you meet a lot of young people in that space that I've worked with, part ones, part twos, and it was quite unique that kind of space, and that's how they'll just grow the confidence slowly.

So we're still the seed of things. We're still a young organization and we've just run through a workshop, but as now, we're still growing. So stay tuned. Next week's side date, we've gone workshop on. design, which you should definitely sign up for, will be great.

Stephen Drew: Wonderful. I'm really excited. So I think anyone in the audience, if they wanna to catch up with you, Daniel, they can also find you

on in a LinkedIn.

Daniel Poku Davies: LinkedIn.

Stephen Drew: Hi.

Daniel Poku Davies: I'm happy to do that.

Stephen Drew: So you're there. You're on Instagram as well. But just before you go, Daniel there, I know you've gotta go back to work. I know you've gotta go, but is there any questions for me that you have in particular at all?

You can flip the script and ask me anything on the spot

Daniel Poku Davies: you've put me on this spot right now. What should I [00:40:00] do now? I, no, nothing. You question, I don't have any question in mind so far, but I think we're having a na

Stephen Drew: I've escaped then. Yeah,

I,

Daniel Poku Davies: it.

Stephen Drew: I've escaped from now, isn't it? I really appreciate this. Maybe if you want to hear Daniel's question for me, we'll, you'll, you can find us next week where we will be in person at the architects, not a

Architecture talk.

Daniel Poku Davies: funny. We should have a live show on that day.

Stephen Drew: Yeah, we should.

Daniel Poku Davies: We'll

Stephen Drew: They were.

Daniel Poku Davies: make sure that we get as much different audience. It will be live on that day. So stay tuned

Stephen Drew: So just smuggle in a camera, Daniel and livestream, eh.

Daniel Poku Davies: I'm ready for that. I'm ready for that. Just make sure that we've got like a whole young audience and Architect, Joe Morris is there, so it'll be quite great to also hear from his input as one of the great architects.

And at this time, and we all look up to him on what he's done. So you'll be talking Yeah, we'll literally just have a normal conversation. As I said, it's about relationship. It's not about going there with a mentality of you need [00:41:00] to get business. Business will come later on, but as for now, just build the relationship with people.

Stephen Drew: You are well said. I think that's the perfect note to end it on. So thank you so much for being here,

Daniel, if I had my, if I had my soundboard, I would do it, but until then, I really appreciate you being here. I can tell that this has been actually quite, IM popular, we've had a lot of stuff coming in, but if you did not manage to get your questionnaire, you watch this replay.

Do connect with Daniel on LinkedIn.

Daniel Poku Davies: on

Stephen Drew: Um,

Daniel Poku Davies: happy to answer any questions. As I mentioned as well, I'll be posting through if people looking for events or some, some places we are going into. I'm always being encouraged that Dan bring a younger audience, so happy to just connect with me through LinkedIn and yeah, we'll favor this conversation up from that

Stephen Drew: let's get.

Daniel Poku Davies: also stay tuned. Aperson chat soon. So

Stephen Drew: Oh yeah I love it. You definitely are the man for red. Now, Daniel, I'm gonna end the live stream here, but stay on the stage and thank you for everyone in the audience for being here or watching this [00:42:00] again without most stuff coming up, however, Do follow all the stuff that Daniel's doing, and maybe he'll come back again at another time because as Daniel said, we're building relationships, learning as we're going.

But thank you so much for joining us and we'll see you next time. I'll

take care.

Daniel Poku Davies: you very much everyone.

Stephen Drew: Bye bye-Bye everyone.