(P.S. Will you be at AAM in Denver? Drop a line if you’d like to catch up there, or see if we can find Phil & Monique at the grab-and-go café.)   If a project is over budget, who does the cutting? How early should you estimate costs on a project? What should you do with expensive suggestions? How do you make your own cost estimate?  Host Jonathan Alger (C&G Partners) goes through a list of “Black Belt Cost Control Tips.” Along the way: the beauty of modularity, poker wisdom, and ideas that will save you a lot of time and money.   Talking Points: 1. Plan to NOT Be Over Budget 2. Modular Alternates 3. React Fast to Expensive Suggestions 4. The End Is Too Late / Estimate Insanely Early 5. Estimate Repeatedly 6. Adjust As You Go 7. Control the Cuts Yourself  Bio: We always start with a bio, but this is a solo show, so here’s mine: I am the Managing Partner of C&G Partners, a design firm in New York City working with cultural clients. I was taught architecture and graphic design in the day, and theater and music at night, but I never thought I could do all that for a living. Like every guest on this show so far, I got into this field accidentally. In fact it found me, decades ago, but that’s a story for another time.  About: Making the Museum is hosted (podcast) and written (newsletter) by Jonathan Alger.  This podcast is a project of C&G Partners | Design for Culture.  Learn about the firm's creative work at: https://www.cgpartnersllc.com Show Links:   https://www.makingthemuseum.com/newsletter/black-belt-cost-control-tips https://www.makingthemuseum.com/newsletter/plan-to-not-be-over-budget https://www.makingthemuseum.com/newsletter/five-whys https://www.makingthemuseum.com/newsletter/react-fast-to-expensive-suggestions   Show Contact:   https://www.makingthemuseum.com/contact https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanalger [email protected] https://www.cgpartnersllc.com   Newsletter:  Like the episode? Subscribe to the newsletter! Making the Museum is also a very short daily newsletter on exhibition planning for museum leaders, exhibition teams and visitor experience professionals. Subscribe at:  https://www.makingthemuseum.com