The PPS Dispatch_008: An ode to small-scale gatherings with big ripple effects

Learnings from the small-scale developer forum (SSDF'23 recap)

Unscalable solutions for wicked problems

Unapologetically unscalable. That’s what a Post-it note says that has been hanging above my desk ever since my days flying through the world of tech. I got too dizzy from the constant obsession with “scale above everything” and got disenchanted by the constant focus on growth for the sake of growth.

I understand the value of economies of scale and why it is an important goal or factor in the success of businesses, products, ideas, etc. BUT I have found that many of the things I believe in are not scalable and maybe shouldn’t be. It’s one of the reasons our work now focuses at the hyper-local level, working in a relationship- and trust-based model. That’s how we hope to do our part, working at a small scale on some of our largest, systemic wicked problems—like housing, loneliness, well-being, and connectivity.

For context, I spent 15+ years working in research and innovation in tech and corporate America, and Jim spent his career in design and storytelling, mostly in film, television, writing, and photography. Both of us had been slowly but intentionally moving our work toward community-focused efforts, the built environment, urbanism, and architecture over the past few years. We officially combined that work under the umbrella of Process/Practice Studio almost 3 years ago. Now, with Jim having finished his architecture degree, we shifted to more formally pursue shared projects, specifically small-scale infill development, thoughtful housing, and connected community spaces like new hospitality and retail concepts.

Reflections from our first Small Scale Developer Forum

“Have you guys been to the Small Scale Developer Forum yet?”

Over the past couple of months, we each got asked that question a couple of times by a couple of different people whom we admire and respect. Hm, we thought. No, we hadn’t, but this felt like a great opportunity to learn and connect with others doing this work. I loved what I heard and read about the event, especially the fact that it was a small, intimate group of roughly 65 people AND the agenda was a thoughtful mix of panels, presentations, in-context case studies, and immersions in the host city. It didn’t hurt that SSDF ‘23 took place in San Luis Obispo, CA, one of my favorite parts of the West Coast.

Here is how SSDF is described on their site: “The Small Developer Forum (SSDF) is the premier gathering of entrepreneurial real estate professionals working with small-scale, incremental, and transformative development projects. Held twice a year, each SSDF visits a new city to provide fresh inspiration and take-home lessons from a variety of projects and settings. Attended by a diverse group of over 80 individuals, the common thread is a passion for transformative real estate development and the bond created through the challenges and joy of being a small-scale, entrepreneurial developer.”

So we went, learned a TON, and made some really great connections.

On Sunday night, we met the group for an informal happy hour as people arrived for the event, even getting to meet Jim Heid’s wife, who was managing the welcome booth and handing out name tags—we love a good family business. ;) On day 1, we learned small housing lessons from Jim Heid, founder of the Small Scale Developer Forum and an infill developer and development advisor based in Sonoma County, California, as well as the author of “Building Small: Tools for Doing Development Different.”

After learning about the history, the hotel, and the different developments in SLO through presentations and panels in the morning, we immersed ourselves in the beautiful city through narrated walking tours, lunches, happy hours, and dinners. Day one ended with the apparently infamous PechaKucha, where EVERY conference attendee presents a project, a trend, or a value they hold—3 slides, 10 seconds each. Super casual, not too serious, and a great way to learn a little bit about everyone there—DEFINITELY not scalable and so much fun.

Day two started similarly, with delicious breakfast and coffee followed by a panel on “The Art of the Deal” and the 3x3, where three small developers unpacked their projects, followed by a Q+A on financing and a session from a local boutique hotel developer. Some more exploring and a delicious lunch, followed by a session called “Letter to Myself,” closed out Day 2 and the event.

The “little big things” and the art of hosting

The learnings, the networking, and the general camaraderie that come from an event like this are worth the price of admission—but for me, there was something even more important that these guys did exceptionally well.

They thoughtfully and intentionally created an environment in which all that could happen—not by accident, but by design.

They were excellent hosts. They made sure the food wasn't just available as part of the program but that it was nourishing, local, and delicious. There were plenty of cocktail hours integrated, which included open bars during some of the sessions with curated cocktail lists to align with the programming.

The program considered the undulations of energy throughout the day, with the presentations and panels in the mornings, which were followed by the immersive walking tours and experiential pieces of the program in the afternoon (and an opportunity to try local coffee shops for the expected afternoon energy slump). The hotel was beautiful and centrally located, and it was also integrated into the program as an example of a successful hospitality concept in downtown SLO. You could feel camaraderie and friendships in the room during a recognition of those who had attended 5+ or even 10+ SSDF events, while attention was also put on “first-timers” (like us) and the small scholars—a small group of aspiring and emerging developers who receive scholarships to attend.

The space was a comfortable temperature, there was sunlight coming into the room, and the seating arrangements were around circular tables in small groups or in an arched seating arrangement around the panelists so that we felt connected to one another and like we were all in this together (because we are).

And most importantly, while it was a packed program over 2 days, there was LOTS of time scheduled for lingering, for having actual conversations with folks, for long lunches, and for evening sessions (or moments to sneak into your hotel room and take a moment to recharge those low introvert batteries).

I feel really strongly about the importance and value of hosting—or what I call “the little big things” that turn an event from just an event to something that stays with you because of the connection you felt to the place and the people there. This small-scale gathering for small-scale developers achieved that. (And no, we were not paid to write this, just a sincere reflection of our experience.)

Small-scale gatherings = big ripple effects

Moving away from the world of “scale-for-the-sake-of-scale” and “growth-for-the-sake-of-growth” and purposefully walking towards the world of incremental, small-scale development feels a bit like a full-circle moment for us. The opportunity for deep impact is at the local level. Changes and shifts within a system need context and emergence—this happens at the community level. Creating the future we hope for takes trust and a relationship-based approach; this happens at the individual level.

Our practice is built on some core principles that represent our beliefs and values:

We are taking many of the learnings and the connections from SSDF with us and are already planning to attend the next forum later this year. We gain a lot simply by being in a space intentionally designed to connect with each other, a place and a broader collective mission.

I believe that thoughtful hosting, facilitating, convening, and gathering are more important than ever. Being good hosts (just like being good guests) is how we create opportunities for deep connection, learning, and forward momentum together. Small-scale gatherings leveraging the art of hosting can have big ripple effects.

And that is the kind of scale I can get behind—one that enables deeper human connection and better collaboration with the simple goal of moving forward, together. Maybe true scale is just one connection that starts small and ripples out organically into our neighborhoods and communities—one by one…

Thanks for coming along!
Lena