Michelle Mongeon Allen: Building an Architecture Firm for the National Stage

In this episode of Word on the Street, Mick Morrissey, Mark Goodale, and Katharine Van Leer sit down with Michelle Mongeon Allen, CEO of JLG Architects, to explore how a small architecture firm from North Dakota grew into a nationally recognized design practice. Michelle joined JLG in 2000 when the firm had roughly 12 people. More than 25 years later, she has helped guide its growth to approximately 200 employees, expanding across the Upper Midwest while developing nationally recognized expertise in areas including sports architecture and ice facilities. Michelle shares the story behind JLG’s “accidental expansion,” how a move to Minneapolis helped unlock an entirely new market, and why the firm’s one-company, single-profit-center model became an important foundation for growth. She also explains how JLG evolved from a regional generalist into a firm built around specialized expertise and discusses the role that design excellence, branding, relationships, and business development have played along the way. The conversation also dives into JLG’s growing national presence, its work on the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, the strategy behind its sports and hockey practice, and how the firm is approaching AI and the rapidly changing architecture industry. Most importantly, Michelle offers a practical look at what it takes for a firm to move onto a bigger stage: focus, depth, a strong bench, and the ability to recognize when the market is already telling you that you’re ready. 0:00 Introduction and welcome 1:25 Meet Michelle Mongeon Allen and JLG Architects 2:50 Joining JLG when it had just 12 people 3:45 From a small firm to a 200-person organization 4:20 The challenges of scaling a design firm 5:20 Putting yourself in position to capitalize on opportunity 6:40 Michelle’s journey from North Dakota to Minnesota 7:45 JLG’s “accidental expansion” 9:40 Building the Minneapolis office from a second bedroom 10:00 The power of the one-firm, single-profit-center model 11:20 Winning JLG’s first major Minnesota project 13:45 The roots of JLG’s design excellence 16:15 When Minneapolis became a major market 17:10 Letting opportunities shape growth 19:15 What it really means to become a national firm 21:00 The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library 23:45 Building a national sports architecture practice 25:00 Finding JLG’s competitive advantage 26:45 Branding, marketing, and relationships 28:20 The importance of knowing what to say no to 30:45 Designing the ultimate hockey experience 34:30 Building a growth and business development engine 37:45 How JLG is approaching AI 41:05 The story behind JLG’s Minnesota conference rooms 45:35 What excites and concerns Michelle about the future 47:40 Word to the Wise Subscribe to the WOTS Podcast: https://www.morrisseygoodale.com/word...