Baachu Talk

Join us as we delve into the inspiring journey of Thomas Mitchell, a man who has seen facility management evolve from the 90s to the present day. We explore his transition from military service to the private sector, his influence in global initiatives, and the challenges and opportunities he sees in today’s facility management landscape. A thought-provoking episode for anyone keen on understanding the dynamics of leadership and the future of facility management.

 Educational Background: Unravel how Thomas Mitchell’s education set the foundation for his success in facility and asset management.

• Inspiration: Discover what motivated Thomas to build a career in facility and asset management.
• Military Service: Gain insights into his memorable experiences as a civil engineer officer in the U.S. Air Force.
• Transition to Private Sector: Understand how moving from the military to Booz | Allen | Hamilton shaped Thomas’s career trajectory.
• Joining IFMA: Explore what drew Thomas to the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) and how it sculpted his professional journey.
• Chairmanship at IFMA: Uncover the initiatives and projects he takes pride in from his time as Chairman of the IFMA Global Board of Directors.
• Influence on IFMA: Discuss the industry-advancing initiatives Thomas spearheaded as a member and former board chairman at IFMA.
• Community Influence: Learn how being part of IFMA’s community moulded his approach to facility management and leadership.
• Facility Management Evolution: Understand how facility management has evolved from the 1990s to the present day from Thomas’s perspective.
• Current Challenges and Opportunities: Identify the most significant challenges and opportunities in today’s facility management landscape, and hear Thomas’s advice on how to navigate them successfully.
• Advisory Roles: Explore how Thomas contributes to the advancement of the facility management field through his advisory roles, such as serving on the Facility Management Degree Program Academic Advisory Council.

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Tune in to Baachu Talk Equity Matters and be inspired by our guest's tireless dedication to championing social justice and compassion: https://baachu.com/baachu-talk-equity-matters-podcast/ 

Mark Levy is the founder of Levy Innovation LLC, a positioning and strategy firm that helps organizations and thought leaders differentiate by using, what he calls, a Big Sexy Idea. The ideas Mark and his clients have created are known worldwide by hundreds of millions of people.

Mark has consulted to some of the world’s most prominent companies and individuals, including CEOs of major brands; the former head of Strategy at the Harvard Business School; and thought leaders, such as Simon Sinek of “Start with Why” fame. Mark has also consulted to a TV special on the History Channel, as well as to the iconic TV and streaming series, “Mystery Science Theater 3000.”

In 2018, he was elected into the Million Dollar Consulting Hall of Fame. The hall’s founder calls Mark’s positioning and messaging skills “unparalleled.”

Before devoting his work full-time to Levy Innovation, Mark served as Chief Marketing Officer of an Inc. 5,000 experiential branding organization with clients such as Nordstrom, Time Warner, and Stanford University.

Mark is a keynote speaker. He’s spoken about strategy to dozens of organizations, including Adobe, American Express, and Google. He is in fact a member of the National Speakers Association, and served as the organization’s 2023 Winter Conference chairman. Previously, he served as an organizer for TEDx.

Mark is a writer. He has written for the New York Times, and has written or co-created five books, including  “Accidental Genius: Using Writing to Generate Your Best Ideas, Insight, and Content,” which has been published in eleven languages, and has been a bestseller in three different formats.
 
He has taught entrepreneurial strategy and persuasive business writing at Rutgers University.
 
Besides his positioning work, Mark creates magic tricks and shows. One of the shows he co-created, “Chamber Magic,” has run for over two decades, and appears on TripAdvisor as New York City’s highest-rated live show, ranked higher than even the musical “Hamilton.”

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Tune in to Baachu Talk Equity Matters and be inspired by our guest's tireless dedication to championing social justice and compassion: https://baachu.com/baachu-talk-equity-matters-podcast/ 

Simon Fanshawe OBE is a renowned diversity consultant, broadcaster, and author. With a passion for promoting inclusivity, he co-founded Diversity by Design, an organization dedicated to helping companies achieve true diversity in their senior leadership teams. In December 2021, Simon published his latest book, "The Power of Difference – where the complexities of diversity and inclusion meet practical solutions," which received critical acclaim. His expertise and contributions to the field led to him being voted the second Most Influential Thinker in 2022 by HR Magazine.

Currently, Simon serves on the Board of Powerful Women and holds the position of Chairman at Hexagon Housing Association. He has previously held prestigious roles such as Chairman of Sussex University, non-executive director of Housing & Care 21, Governor of the Museum of London, and Board member of Brighton Dome & Festival. With a career spanning over three decades, Simon has actively participated in campaigns advocating for equality and positive social change. He has served on the boards of various companies and charitable organizations. Simon's notable achievements include co-founding Stonewall and the Kaleidoscope Trust.

In recognition of his outstanding contributions, Simon was awarded an OBE in 2013 for his services to Higher Education. Furthermore, the University of Sussex bestowed upon him the honor of being made an Honorary Doctor for his exceptional contributions to diversity and human rights.

Support the show

Tune in to Baachu Talk Equity Matters and be inspired by our guest's tireless dedication to championing social justice and compassion: https://baachu.com/baachu-talk-equity-matters-podcast/ 

Dr. Craig Knight is Founder and Director of Identity Realization Limited (IDR), a commercial organization based in Scotland with strong connections to blue chip industry.  Dr Knight retains research links with global universities.  Working with various organizations, this combination of commercial focus and scientific application has seen Craig help realize increases in well-being of up to 40%, productivity of up to 32% and effective intelligence of up to 19%.

Craig has been at the forefront of Covid research projects. His commercial, post-doctoral research points to what people need to thrive when working from home and in the third space, as well as what the new, post-pandemic workplace must provide. 

Craig applies evidence-based science to improve leadership, employee retention, and the impact of design and management. Craig is a Chartered, Registered Doctor of Psychologist who has operated at Director and Managing Director levels across business leadership, design and consultancy sectors since the turn of the millennium.  

Published, peer reviewed studies by Knight and colleagues consistently show that the most important factors in a successful working environment are:

• a willingness by leaders to fully engage with employee input into business processes

• the development of open decision making

• developing trust

Building this new dialogue between psychology, leadership and staff has been at the heart of television documentaries, academic discussion and commercial debate.  IDR directly challenges existing leadership and management practices.  The effects are rapid, positive, dramatic and long lasting.

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Tune in to Baachu Talk Equity Matters and be inspired by our guest's tireless dedication to championing social justice and compassion: https://baachu.com/baachu-talk-equity-matters-podcast/ 

Dr. Robin DiAngelo is an Affiliate Associate Professor of Education at the University of Washington. In addition, she holds two Honorary Doctorates. She is a two-time winner of the Student’s Choice Award for Educator of the Year at the University of Washington’s School of Social Work. She is the co-author of the award-winning textbook: Is Everyone Really Equal: An Introduction to Key Concepts in Social Justice Education. In 2011 she coined the term White Fragility in an academic article which has influenced the international dialogue on race. Her book, White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism was released in June of 2018 and debuted on the New York Times Bestseller List, where it remained for over three years and has been translated into 12 languages. It has now been adapted for young adults. Her follow-up book, released in June of 2021, is: Nice Racism: How Progressive White People Perpetuate Racial Harm. Her latest book is The Facilitator's Guide for White Affinity Groups: Strategies For Leading White People in an Anti-Racist Practice. Her work or interviews have been featured in the New York Times, The Guardian, CNN, MSNBC, CBS, NPR, PBS, and The BBC, among many other forums. In addition to her academic work, Dr. DiAngelo has been a consultant, educator and facilitator for over 20 years on issues of racial and social justice.

Support the show

Tune in to Baachu Talk Equity Matters and be inspired by our guest's tireless dedication to championing social justice and compassion: https://baachu.com/baachu-talk-equity-matters-podcast/ 

Yasmin is the Founder of Diverse Matters (https://www.diversematters.org) which seeks the promotion of the values of Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity in organisations. Over 8 years’ experience as a successful and sought-after Executive coach, Trainer, Consultant, Speaker and Mentor, combined with a background as a lawyer practising for 12 years in a large international law firm, enabling professional people to achieve peak performance in inclusive workplace cultures. Established expertise in diversity issues, specializing in disability issues in the workplace via speaking, tailored webinars, workshops, events and coaching.

Yasmin is also the former Vice-Chair of the Disabled Solicitors Network at the Law Society and a multi-award winning international speaker, TEDx speaker and has recently been awarded an Honorary Doctor of Law from the University of Law for her work.

Support the show

Tune in to Baachu Talk Equity Matters and be inspired by our guest's tireless dedication to championing social justice and compassion: https://baachu.com/baachu-talk-equity-matters-podcast/ 

 Bärí A. Williams is an attorney and startup advisor and cofounder of The Runda Lab. She currently serves as an advisor to Vera, and fractional GC for Career Karma. Her primary practice areas include emerging technology transactions, privacy and data protection, IP licensing, and terms of service. She is also a published author with bylines in the New York Times, WIRED, Fortune, and Fast Company. She is the former Head of Business Operations Management for North America at StubHub, where she was responsible for business planning and operations to manage and oversee technical internal and external metrics, product innovation, and partnerships and drive P&L results across the company. Prior to StubHub, she served as Lead Counsel at Facebook doing legal work supporting Connectivity Labs to build drones, lasers, and satellites. During her Facebook tenure, she also built the company's Supplier Diversity Program.

She has served as an advisor to startups in the enterprise and e-commerce space, including Blavity (and AfroTech), Bandwagon, Owl (acquired by CallPass), and Telepath. She recently gave congressional testimony on bias in AI in financial services in Feb. 2020. Her book, Diversity in the Workplace: Eye-Opening Interviews to Jumpstart Conversations About Identity, Privilege, and Bias, was released on March 31, 2020, and she is awaiting her second book to be published, detailing her experience as a Black woman from Oakland working in tech in the heart of the Valley.

Support the show

Tune in to Baachu Talk Equity Matters and be inspired by our guest's tireless dedication to championing social justice and compassion: https://baachu.com/baachu-talk-equity-matters-podcast/ 

Welcome to Baachu Talk: Equity Matters, the podcast that boldly champions diversity, equity, and inclusion through the power of human stories. Join host Baskar Sundaram, a seasoned entrepreneur and leader, as he guides you through thought-provoking conversations with inspiring advocates who dare to challenge the status quo, smash barriers, and ignite positive change in every corner of our world.

In each episode, you'll hear heart-stirring narratives, frank discussions, and unshakable truths from those leading the charge towards a more equitable future. We shine a spotlight on the voices of social activists and human rights advocates, who have dedicated their lives to promoting equality and justice.

Baskar draws from his extensive knowledge and personal experience to offer invaluable insights and practical tips for fostering positive change in the workplace and the wider world. Through powerful stories and raw emotions, we forge a path towards a diverse, equitable, and inclusive future.

At Baachu, JEDI lies at the heart of everything we do, driving our commitment to excellence and positive impact. We stand firm against all forms of oppression, including racism, transphobia, classism, sexism, and xenophobia. We are continuously learning about injustice and are committed to dismantling discriminatory systems, policies, practices, and ideologies within ourselves and our networks.

Join us on this journey towards a more equitable and inclusive workplace. The Equity Matters Workplace Series offers informative, empowering, and inspiring insights and actionable tips that can help you drive positive change in your own organization. Whether you are a leader, manager, or employee, this podcast is for you.

So, fasten your seatbelts, and let's dive into the DEI universe, right here on Baachu Talk: Equity Matters! Stand up, speak out, and transform the world with us.

Support the show

Tune in to Baachu Talk Equity Matters and be inspired by our guest's tireless dedication to championing social justice and compassion: https://baachu.com/baachu-talk-equity-matters-podcast/ 

Nicola Lathbury is theMD of Hexagon FM, Recruitment specialists to the Facilities Management sector. Speaker & Chair of Women in FM and Midlands Region for the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM). She is passionate about helping people carve careers to achieve their life goals and equipping companies with the most engaged and talented professional to deliver their business strategies. 

With over 15 years recruitment experience and three years operational as an FM, Nicola knows what good looks like, which is why customers in the public and private sector choose to work with her and the Hexagon brand. 

Delivering on promises and daring to be different.

Nikki used to have lots of hobbies before she adopted her daughter such as sewing, baking, cooking for friends and walking with her cockapoo Ruby. She also spend a lot of time volunteering for the industry, so that takes up her free time. Nikki is also involved with meditation and women’s circles and retreats to recharge. Currently, her time is spent doing things with her daughter who loves to be out exploring in the fresh air and loves animals. So, she has lots of trips to farms and zoos.

Support the show

Tune in to Baachu Talk Equity Matters and be inspired by our guest's tireless dedication to championing social justice and compassion: https://baachu.com/baachu-talk-equity-matters-podcast/ 

Nicola Lathbury is theMD of Hexagon FM, Recruitment specialists to the Facilities Management sector. Speaker & Chair of Women in FM and Midlands Region for the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM). She is passionate about helping people carve careers to achieve their life goals and equipping companies with the most engaged and talented professional to deliver their business strategies. 

With over 15 years recruitment experience and three years operational as an FM, Nicola knows what good looks like, which is why customers in the public and private sector choose to work with her and the Hexagon brand. 

Delivering on promises and daring to be different.

Nikki used to have lots of hobbies before she adopted her daughter such as sewing, baking, cooking for friends and walking with her cockapoo Ruby. She also spend a lot of time volunteering for the industry, so that takes up her free time. Nikki is also involved with meditation and women’s circles and retreats to recharge. Currently, her time is spent doing things with her daughter who loves to be out exploring in the fresh air and loves animals. So, she has lots of trips to farms and zoos.

Support the show

Tune in to Baachu Talk Equity Matters and be inspired by our guest's tireless dedication to championing social justice and compassion: https://baachu.com/baachu-talk-equity-matters-podcast/