In this episode of Building Doors, host Lauren Karan sits down with Daryl Sadgrove, a leader who has worked across healthcare, telecommunications, e-commerce, logistics, education, and professional services before joining Struber, a business focused on unlocking human potential in infrastructure. Daryl brings a rare cross sector lens to one of the industry's most stubborn challenges: flatlining productivity.

From his time at Telstra under David Thodey through to his current role as CEO of Struber, Daryl reveals what actually creates momentum in large organizations. He challenges the belief that AI is a magic bullet, warning that accelerating an inefficient model only makes things worse, faster.

Daryl also shares a powerful sliding doors moment from his time at Australia Post during COVID, when a reactive fear based decision could have led to mass layoffs, but curiosity and analysis unlocked 20% year on year growth. He makes the case that infrastructure's real constraints aren't technical, they are human. And he explains why leaders must supercharge their people with AI, not replace them.

Tune in for a thought provoking conversation on productivity, legacy, and the future of infrastructure leadership.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Building Momentum in Large Organizations:

• How strategic clarity from the top creates a “tsunami” of alignment
• Why leaders need to repeat strategy until they are sick of it, at least seven times via different channels
• The power of hyper effective meetings: narrow focus, clear outcomes, and the right people only

The Productivity Paradox in Infrastructure:

• Why infrastructure productivity is 2% below 1990 levels despite the internet, mobile phones, and AI
• How communication, collaboration, and culture are the three biggest constraints, according to Infrastructure Australia
• The danger of treating “soft skills” as a nice to have when they unlock millions in ROI

AI as a Leadership Opportunity, Not a Shortcut: 

• Why AI can make bad systems, bad data, and bad culture worse, faster
• The difference between using AI to replace people versus supercharging them
• A real life case study: a new hire in her second week building an AI powered infrastructure project pipeline that blew Daryl’s mind

The Sliding Doors Moment at Australia Post During COVID: 

• How fear nearly led to 10,000 layoffs and why pausing to question assumptions changed everything
• The power of internal research, curiosity, and reframing risk as opportunity
• Why the “best case scenario” of 50% growth became reality, not the worst case

AI, Human Connection, and the Future of Work: 

• Why humans will still deliver infrastructure for decades (10,000 people on a job site is not going away)
• How to use AI to accelerate your own voice, not replace it
• The two business models: cut staff and gain 50% productivity OR supercharge everyone and gain 300%

Legacy, Leadership, and Being Present: 

• Why Daryl’s legacy is translating solutions across industry silos
• The importance of being truly home when you are home, with family, not just in body

Key Quotes from Daryl Sadgrove:

• “Communication, collaboration, and culture are the biggest constraints holding projects back.”
• “You don’t need everyone on the bus. You need critical mass.”
• “If you’re not sick of repeating the strategy, you probably haven’t communicated it enough.”
• “AI can make bad systems worse faster.”
• “The businesses that win with AI will be the ones that supercharge people, not replace them.”
• “People are craving human connection more than ever.”
• “Leadership clarity matters exponentially more in the AI era.”
• “The future belongs to organizations that unlock human potential.”
• “Infrastructure productivity is still sitting below where it was in 1990.”

About Our Guest:

Daryl Sadgrove is a leader who has worked across healthcare, telecommunications (Telstra), e-commerce, logistics, education, and professional services before joining Struber, a business focused on unlocking the human constraints in infrastructure. He has seen what works in high performing organizations and what does not. A former GM of Innovation at Telstra, a musician, and a golfer in training, Daryl brings cross-sector wisdom, strategic clarity, and a deep belief that people, not technology, are the real accelerators.

About Your Host:

Lauren Karan, founder of Karan & Co. and host of Building Doors, is dedicated to helping professionals unlock their potential. Through insightful interviews and real-life stories, Lauren empowers listeners to create opportunities and thrive in their careers.

How You Can Support the Podcast:

• Subscribe and leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Share this episode with anyone interested in construction leadership, retention, team culture, and building a more inclusive industry 
• Connect with Daryl Sadgrove on LinkedIn.

Stay Connected:

• Follow Lauren and the Building Doors podcast on LinkedIn.
• Subscribe to the Building Doors newsletter for exclusive content.

Let’s Connect:

• Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email us at [email protected].

Thank you for listening! It’s time to stop waiting and start building.

In this episode of Building Doors, host Lauren Karan sits down with Adam Woodley, a refrigeration and air conditioning veteran, former business leader, and passionate male ally. From tradie apprentice to building a business with 97 percent staff retention, Adam proves great teams aren't luck. They are built on trust, empathy, and rejecting "that's just how it is."

Adam shares the small choices that kept his people loyal: high end tools, eight to ten shirts for Queensland's heat, and customer first autonomy. He also opens up about surviving a house fire that left him clinically dead, a second chance that reshaped his approach to work, family, and legacy.

He speaks frankly on why construction struggles to retain women, what microaggressions look like on site, and why change must start from the bottom up with young men aged 17 to 25. As a leader of the Male Allies program, run with Trellis and NAWIC, Adam equips young tradies and engineers to call out poor behaviour without fear.

Tune in for honest insights on retention, courage, and building an industry people actually want to stay in.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Building a Career Through Opportunity and Work Ethic:

• How early exposure to trades shaped Adam’s career path and mindset
• Why hard work creates “luck” and opens doors over time
• The value of adaptability and being willing to take on new challenges

Scaling a Business from the Ground Up:

• What it takes to build a service business without acquisitions
• Why customer service is the foundation of sustainable growth
• How repeat business is earned through consistency, not shortcuts

Hiring, Retention, and High-Performance Teams: 

• Why hiring through trusted referrals leads to stronger teams
• How culture is built through shared standards and accountability
• The small, practical decisions that led to exceptional staff retention

Leadership, Autonomy, and Trust: 

• Why empowering employees to make decisions improves outcomes
• The importance of giving teams full ownership not partial responsibility
• How removing friction helps people perform at their best

Customer Experience and Long-Term Loyalty: 

• Why customers stay loyal to people, not just companies
• How professionalism, attitude, and consistency drive repeat work
• The role of trust in building long-term client relationships

Life-Changing Perspective and Personal Growth: 

• How surviving a house fire reshaped Adam’s priorities and mindset
• Why living with urgency changes how you lead and make decisions
• The importance of focusing on what truly matters today

Culture, Bias, and Industry Change: 

• Why construction doesn’t have a talent problem, it has a thinking problem
• How unconscious bias and microaggressions impact retention
• The role leaders and teams play in shaping inclusive workplaces

Male Allyship and the Future of Construction: 

• The case for changing culture from the bottom up, starting with young men aged 17–25
• What it takes to create a culture where everyone belongs
• Why the goal is to make "male ally" an obsolete term in 10 years

Key Quotes from Adam Woodley:

• “Construction has never had a talent problem. It has a thinking problem.”
• “Hard work creates the luck that people see.”
• “If you can do it today, don’t put it off until tomorrow.”
• “Customers are loyal to the person, not the company.”
• “Don’t ever be too busy to make sure your door is always open.”
• “The standard you walk past is the standard you accept.”

About Our Guest:

Adam Woodley is a refrigeration and air conditioning professional who built and scaled a service business in Queensland from scratch, achieving industry leading retention rates. He's a passionate advocate for cultural change in construction, co facilitating the Male Allies program (in partnership with Trellis and NAWIC ) to equip young men aged 17 to 25 with the skills to challenge poor behaviour and build more inclusive sites. Adam's perspective is shaped by decades on the tools, a near fatal house fire, and the experience of watching his own daughter try to enter a trade, only to find the doors still closed.

About Your Host:

Lauren Karan, founder of Karan & Co. and host of Building Doors, is dedicated to helping professionals unlock their potential. Through insightful interviews and real-life stories, Lauren empowers listeners to create opportunities and thrive in their careers.

How You Can Support the Podcast:

• Subscribe and leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Share this episode with anyone interested in construction leadership, retention, team culture, and building a more inclusive industry 
• Connect with Adam Woodley on LinkedIn.

Stay Connected:

• Follow Lauren and the Building Doors podcast on LinkedIn.
• Subscribe to the Building Doors newsletter for exclusive content.

Let’s Connect:

• Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email us at [email protected].

Thank you for listening! It’s time to stop waiting and start building.

In this episode of Building Doors, host Lauren Karan sits down with Cameron Bell, a seasoned construction and project management leader with decades of experience across Scotland and Australia. Cam has built his reputation on something surprisingly simple: holding a clear, consistent standard. From his early days as a “peggy” (chainman) in Scotland to leading major infrastructure teams in Australia, Cam shares the reality of what it takes to deliver profitable projects without cutting corners.

Cam opens up about his rocky start in Australia, including washing dishes for three months, the pressure of losing money on a job, and why he refuses to settle for “good enough” when hiring. He also talks about the concrete footpath that sets the tone for an entire project, the power of a sticker board meeting, and why the most important concrete you pour might not be structural at all. 

Tune in to hear how strong standards, honest leadership, and disciplined decision-making can shape better projects, stronger teams, and a lasting reputation in construction.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Building Strong Foundations in Engineering:

• Why Cameron’s early career in Scotland created a hands-on understanding of construction
• How engineers overseas are trained differently through practical responsibility
• The importance of learning how projects are built, not just how they are designed
• Why early career exposure to pressure creates stronger long-term capability

Persistence, Career Growth, and Breaking Into the Industry:

• How Cameron went from washing dishes to landing an engineering role in Australia
• Why persistence matters more than perfect timing when searching for opportunities
• The value of saying yes to regional roles to gain experience and credibility
• Why graduates should focus on gaining experience rather than chasing the perfect job

High Standards and Hiring the Right People:

• Why lowering hiring standards creates long-term project problems
• What Cameron looks for in interviews beyond technical skills
• Why attitude, accountability, and willingness to learn matter more than technical brilliance
• How early expectations shape performance culture across a project team

Leadership Under Pressure:

• How to manage stress when projects are losing money or facing delays
• Why great leaders focus on solutions instead of blame
• The importance of honesty when mistakes happen on-site
• How clear communication helps teams recover during difficult periods

Culture, Accountability, and High-Performance Teams:

• Why project culture starts with the smallest details on site
• How leadership behaviors shape standards across an entire workforce
• The importance of holding teams accountable without creating blame
• Why one high performer can elevate an entire team
• How “rotten eggs” quietly damage morale and performance

Problem Solving and Lean Construction Thinking:

• Why construction is ultimately a constant exercise in communication and problem-solving
• How lean construction methods improve collaboration and planning
• The value of bringing engineers, supervisors, safety, and environmental teams together
• Why alignment across disciplines creates stronger project outcomes

Integrity, Reputation, and Long-Term Success:

• Why reputation matters more than short-term wins
• Cameron’s “pub test” and “Sunday paper test” for making ethical decisions
• The role integrity plays in hiring, leadership, and client relationships
• Why people remember both strong leaders and poor decisions

Family, Burnout, and Life Outside Construction:

• The reality of balancing leadership roles with family life
• Why Cameron made weekends family time after becoming a project manager
• How long holidays and downtime help leaders reset mentally
• The importance of finding identity beyond work

Key Quotes from Cameron Bell:

• “Honesty is the best policy. It’s easier to fix a mistake at the start.”
• “There's always a solution. You just haven't looked hard enough.”
• “You’ve got to set the standards at the start with the people you hire.”
• “If you settle on anything in life, you’re giving up.”
• “There’s nothing worse than not dealing with a rotten egg. It kills the culture.”
• “We're not tier one, tier two, or tier three. We're just the best people to work with.”

About Our Guest:

Cameron Bell is a construction and project management leader with extensive experience across Scotland and Australia. He has held senior roles on major infrastructure projects and is known for delivering profitable outcomes through high standards, strong teams, and consistent problem-solving. Cam currently works with Georgiou, where he leads multiple projects and helps shape a culture of performance and accountability.

About Your Host:

Lauren Karan, founder of Karan & Co. and host of Building Doors, is dedicated to helping professionals unlock their potential. Through insightful interviews and real-life stories, Lauren empowers listeners to create opportunities and thrive in their careers.

How You Can Support the Podcast:

• Subscribe and leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Share this episode with anyone interested in sustainability and leadership.
• Connect with Cameron Bell on LinkedIn.

Stay Connected:

• Follow Lauren and the Building Doors podcast on LinkedIn.
• Subscribe to the Building Doors newsletter for exclusive content.

Let’s Connect:

• Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email us at [email protected].

Thank you for listening! It’s time to stop waiting and start building.

In this episode of Building Doors, host Lauren Karan sits down with Ashley Hernandez, a civil engineer turned sustainability consultant who has worked across Australia, the Middle East, and the United States. Now a key member of the boutique consultancy Losee Consulting, Ashley brings a rare blend of technical engineering knowledge, sustainability expertise, and mindfulness practice to her work.

Ashley opens up about her unexpected journey into engineering, her time in Abu Dhabi chasing the mysterious “green kilometre,” and why she walked away from big consultancies to align her career with her values. She also shares how becoming a mother reshaped her perspective on work, leadership, and legacy. From the power of single-tasking to the importance of turning cameras on, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom for anyone navigating the human side of infrastructure.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Sustainability as Integration, Not Silos:

• Why sustainability isn’t just “something the enviros do”
• How infrastructure rating systems (like Greenroads and ISC) create a common language
• The challenge of moving goalposts and why that’s actually a sign of progress

Career Transitions and Values Alignment:

• Why Ashley left large consultancies to join a boutique firm
• How saying “yes before thinking” led to a board role and a new career path
• Letting your RPQ lapse and why that was the right decision

Motherhood, Activism, and Legacy:

• Why “motherhood in and of itself is activism”
• How raising the next generation is the most influential work we can do
• The shift from selling your soul for a paycheck to building a life aligned with your values

Mindfulness for the Overwhelmed Professional:

• Why burnout builds from micro-stresses, not just major crises
• Practical techniques: box breathing, single-tasking, and the “rubber ball vs. glass ball” analogy
• How to transition between meetings (and why a minute of breath work matters more than being on time)

Workplace Culture and Human Connection:

• Why cameras off on Teams calls creates anonymity and hostility
• The power of in-person kick-off meetings to build psychological safety
• How a manager who encouraged friendship created a high-performing team

Gender Equity and Male Allyship:

• The sting of “working a short day today?” and why it still happens 20 years later
• Why bystanders have more power than targets to call out bias
• The importance of male allies in creating psychologically safe workplaces

Key Quotes from Ashley Hernandez:

• “Sustainability brings it all to the forefront. This is everyone’s problem.”
• “We’re here for a short time. What kind of life are we living if we’re not true to our values?”
• “Motherhood in and of itself is activism.”
• “It’s not that serious. We’re saving PDFs, not lives.”
• “We design and build these massive pieces of infrastructure through teamwork and through people.”

About Our Guest:

Ashley Hernandez is a civil infrastructure professional with over a decade of experience across Australia, the Middle East, and the United States. She currently works at Losee Consulting, a boutique sustainability firm, where she helps clients integrate environmental and social outcomes into major infrastructure projects. Ashley is also a certified yoga teacher who leads weekly mindfulness sessions for her team, and a former board chair of the Greenroads Foundation.

About Your Host:

Lauren Karan, founder of Karan & Co. and host of Building Doors, is dedicated to helping professionals unlock their potential. Through insightful interviews and real-life stories, Lauren empowers listeners to create opportunities and thrive in their careers.

How You Can Support the Podcast:

• Subscribe and leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Share this episode with anyone interested in sustainability and leadership.
• Connect with Ashley on LinkedIn
  
  

Stay Connected:

• Follow Lauren and the Building Doors podcast on LinkedIn.
• Subscribe to the Building Doors newsletter for exclusive content.

Let’s Connect:

• Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email us at [email protected].

Thank you for listening! It’s time to stop waiting and start building.

In this episode of Building Doors, host Lauren Karan sits down with Paul Rhoden, a seasoned infrastructure leader, podcaster, and consultant with over 30 years of experience across the UK and Australia. Paul is the founder of Vulpra Contractors and the host of the Construction Matters podcast, where he champions the human side of construction.

Paul shares why he believes the industry’s greatest asset is its people, and how authentic, vulnerable leadership can transform project cultures. From his early days in the Royal Navy to leading major infrastructure projects, Paul opens up about his journey through grief, burnout, and purpose. He offers powerful insights on male allyship, the importance of listening to your supply chain, and why sometimes the best way to save a failing project is to simply stop and ask for help.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Leadership and Vulnerability:

• Why authentic leadership means admitting you don’t have all the answers.
• How leaders can create psychological safety by being vulnerable first.
• The power of “stopping” a project to reset culture and solve underlying problems.

Male Allyship and Gender Diversity:

• Practical ways men can use their influence to amplify women’s voices in meetings and on-site.
• Why true allyship is about everyday behaviors, not just policies.
• Paul’s personal motivation: his mother’s strength and his three daughters.

Mental Health and Psychosocial Safety:

• The link between purpose, retirement, and wellbeing in construction.
• How burnout and “rust-out” affect the industry, and what leaders can do about it.
• The importance of self-care for those who spend their lives helping others.

Project Culture and Supply Chain:

• Why paying subcontractors fairly builds loyalty, innovation, and better outcomes.
• Moving from a “master-servant” dynamic to genuine business partnerships.
• The value of listening to everyone from the plant operator to the cleaner for breakthrough ideas.

Key Quotes from Paul Rhoden:

• “If you’re willing to turn up and have a go and ask for help, you get help. For me, it’s the power of human relationships.”
• “We’re great at building bridges and roads. We need to get better at building people.”
• “When I look at a social media post or a brochure, that reveals intent. But sites reveal design.”
• “Don’t worry about position and power. It’ll chase you when you’re ready and you may not want it.”

About Our Guest:

Paul Rhoden is a civil infrastructure leader with more than three decades of experience delivering complex projects across the UK and Australia. A passionate advocate for mental health, gender equity, and authentic leadership, Paul now runs his own consultancy, Vulpra Contractors, and hosts the Construction Matters podcast, where he continues to shift the conversation toward the people who make the industry possible.

About Your Host:

Lauren Karan, founder of Karan & Co. and host of Building Doors, is dedicated to helping professionals unlock their potential. Through insightful interviews and real-life stories, Lauren empowers listeners to create opportunities and thrive in their careers.

How You Can Support the Podcast:

• Subscribe and leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Share this episode with anyone interested in sustainability and leadership.
• Connect with Paul on LinkedIn and listen to his podcast Construction Matters.
  
  

Stay Connected:

• Follow Lauren and the Building Doors podcast on LinkedIn.
• Subscribe to the Building Doors newsletter for exclusive content.

Let’s Connect:

• Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email us at [email protected].

Thank you for listening! It’s time to stop waiting and start building.

In this episode of Building Doors, host Lauren Karan sits down with Alex Prenzel, a construction leader and coach with more than 20 years of experience in the property and infrastructure sector. Alex shares her insights on the pressures many professionals face in high-performance environments and why the constant push to deliver more can come at a hidden personal cost. Together, they explore what it means to find calm amid the chaos and why shifting how we think about leadership may be the key to sustaining long-term success in the construction industry.

Alex, known for her thoughtful leadership and focus on mindset and wellbeing, also shares personal stories from her own career journey. From navigating imposter syndrome to discovering the transformative impact of meditation, she reflects on how slowing down helped her lead with greater clarity and resilience. Whether you are an industry veteran or early in your career, this conversation will challenge you to rethink performance, pressure, and what sustainable leadership truly looks like.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

High Performance and Leadership Pressure:

• Why many high achievers tie their identity to their professional success.
• The hidden cost of “grinding it out” in high-performance industries.
• How capable leaders often carry silent pressure to always be the reliable one.

Mindset and Sustainable Performance:

• How meditation helped Alex shift from constant stress to clearer thinking.
• Why slowing down can actually improve decision-making and creativity.
• The difference between working harder and expanding your leadership capacity.

Identity, Self-Acceptance, and Leadership:

• How imposter syndrome can exist even at senior leadership levels.
• Why self-acceptance is a critical foundation for authentic leadership.
• How embracing different leadership styles strengthens teams and organizations.

Practical Advice for the Boom Times Ahead:

• How to navigate the upcoming pipeline of work in Queensland without burning out.
• Why "grind it out or tap out" isn't the only choice, there's a third way.
• The difference between capability issues (which most high performers don't have) and capacity issues (which require a mindset shift).

Key Quotes from Alex Prenzel:

• “If we’re going to be high performers, we need to give ourselves space to breathe. Otherwise, we’re just on a narrow track of relentless achievement.”
• “You can’t increase your capacity simply by working harder. You have to change how you think about the work.”
• “I am enough exactly the way I am. The more I accept myself, the easier it is to go out and do exciting things without being tied to the outcome.” 

About Our Guest:

Alex Prenzel is a construction leader, consultant, and coach with over 20 years of experience in the property and infrastructure sectors. Having delivered complex projects and led large teams across the UK and Australia, Alex now works with high-performing professionals to help them navigate pressure, strengthen leadership capability, and build sustainable approaches to performance. Through coaching, meditation practices, and mindset work, she helps leaders unlock clarity, creativity, and long-term resilience in demanding industries.

About Your Host:

Lauren Karan, founder of Karan & Co. and host of Building Doors, is dedicated to helping professionals unlock their potential. Through insightful interviews and real-life stories, Lauren empowers listeners to create opportunities and thrive in their careers.

How You Can Support the Podcast:

• Subscribe and leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Share this episode with anyone interested in sustainability and leadership.
• Connect with Alex Prenzel on LinkedIn to continue the conversation.

Stay Connected:

• Follow Lauren and the Building Doors podcast on LinkedIn.
• Subscribe to the Building Doors newsletter for exclusive content.

Let’s Connect:

• Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email us at [email protected].

Thank you for listening! It’s time to stop waiting and start building.

In this episode of Building Doors, host Lauren Karan sits down with James Gleeson, civil engineer and co-founder of Marvel Engineers, to unpack what productivity really means in infrastructure and what it takes to build a resilient specialist consultancy.

James shares his journey from tech drawing at school to launching Marvel Engineers after walking away from corporate burnout. Together, they explore the realities of starting a business with no blueprint, the risks of niching too narrowly, and the lessons learned from navigating market slowdowns in government-funded infrastructure

The conversation dives deep into procurement systems, panel arrangements, and the hidden cost of endless tendering. James challenges the industry to rethink how we engage consultants if we’re serious about delivering major infrastructure ahead of 2032.

If you’re building a business or leading through market uncertainty, this episode will show you how to stay nimble, structure for growth, and rethink productivity to build long-term resilience.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Productivity in Infrastructure:

• Why current procurement processes may be slowing delivery
• The real cost of panel prequalification and repeated tendering
• How simplifying engagement could unlock speed and efficiency

Building and Pivoting a Consultancy:

• The risks of concentration in government-funded work
• Why diversification doesn’t mean abandoning your niche
• How structure and clarity create momentum in a growing business

Leadership and Resilience:

• Why having a strong business partner matters
• How to lead through market slowdowns without losing composure
• The importance of support networks in sustaining long-term growth

Hiring and Culture

• What makes a “rounded consultant” in a small business
• Why communication and accountability matter more than ever
• How intentional onboarding shapes culture from day one

Key Quotes from James Gleeson:

• “There’s no guideline or standard on how to create a business. It’s a blank canvas.”
• “If we’re serious about productivity, we need to rethink how we engage industry.”
• “We’re not a big cruise ship. We can pivot quickly, but we’re exposed.”

About Our Guest:

James Gleeson is a civil engineer and co-founder of Marvel Engineers, a specialist consultancy focused on transport infrastructure and government projects. Passionate about productivity reform and collaborative delivery, James is building a nimble business grounded in structure, accountability, and strong relationships.

About Your Host:

Lauren Karan, founder of Karan & Co. and host of Building Doors, is dedicated to helping professionals unlock their potential. Through insightful interviews and real-life stories, Lauren empowers listeners to create opportunities and thrive in their careers.

How You Can Support the Podcast:

• Subscribe and leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Share this episode with anyone interested in sustainability and leadership.
• Connect with James on LinkedIn and share your takeaways.

Stay Connected:

• Follow Lauren and the Building Doors podcast on LinkedIn.
• Subscribe to the Building Doors newsletter for exclusive content.

Let’s Connect:

• Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email us at [email protected].

Thank you for listening! It’s time to stop waiting and start building.

In this episode of Building Doors, host Lauren Karan sits down with Ben Schnitzerling, founder of Red Fox Advisory, a Queensland-based civil and structural engineering consultancy delivering support across the full project lifecycle, from early planning and design through construction, contract administration, technical due diligence, and dispute avoidance. Red Fox helps clients navigate risk, protect value, and deliver practical, buildable infrastructure solutions.

From nailing floors for his builder father as a kid to certifying major infrastructure projects just two years out of university, Ben’s career has been shaped by doing the uncomfortable. Today, he’s on a mission to challenge what he sees slowing the industry down: fear of litigation, fear of accountability, and fear of stepping outside the “safe” standard.

Lauren and Ben unpack how this risk-averse culture is producing average outcomes and quietly failing the very communities engineers are meant to serve. With Queensland facing a massive pipeline of work and tighter budgets, Ben makes it clear that courageous, accountable engineering is no longer optional. It is essential.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

The Roots of a Courageous Mindset:

• How Ben’s upbringing on construction sites and struggle with dyslexia shaped his learning and leadership philosophy.
• Why embracing uncomfortable, high-stakes projects early in his career was foundational to his growth.
• The personal hierarchy for sustainable success: “Love yourself first, then your partner, then your kids, then work.”

Confronting the Fear Culture in Engineering:

• Why the industry’s obsession with “cover your ass” and blind compliance is stifling innovation and delivering poor value.
• The critical difference between a compliant design and a good, accountable design.
• How an abundance of money over the past decade has incentivized safe, unthinking work and why the coming "burning platform" of financial constraint will force change.

Courage, Accountability, and the Art of Negotiation:

• Why true accountability leads to positive consequences and professional pride.
• Advanced negotiation tactics: understanding the “deal zone,” moving past “stupid numbers,” and identifying what the other party needs to feel they’ve won.
• The danger of email “CYA” culture and the irreplaceable value of picking up the phone to build understanding.

Building the Engineers of the Future:

• How Ben’s company, Red Fox, was born from asking clients one simple question: “What can’t you get right now?”
• Practical strategies for creating a “safe to fail” environment: setting clear safety rails, encouraging peer review, and resisting the leader’s urge to solve every problem.
• The link between personal pride in one’s work and magical outcomes for the community, the engineering profession’s true customer.

Legacy, Grit, and the Next Generation:

• How stories of resilience from past generations (like his 102-year-old grandmother) inform a mindset of grit and determination.
• Why fostering discomfort and allowing the next generation to “have a crack” is essential for building courage.
• The legacy Ben wants to leave: training a generation of engineers who contribute to society and make the world a better place.

Parenting and Modeling Courage

• Why children learn courage by watching, not listening.
• The story of a teenage act of bravery that left a lasting mark.
• How leadership at work directly mirrors leadership at home.

Key Quotes from Ben Schnitzerling:

• “I found I had to learn the concept of being uncomfortable to learn.”
• “We solve complex problems for the community. They’re our true customers.”
• “A compliant design does not mean a good design or an accountable design.”
• “Courage is no longer optional in engineering. It’s required.”
• “You’re better to have a go and get it wrong than do nothing safely.”
• “If you want magic to happen, give people pride and freedom.”

About Our Guest:

Ben Schnitzerling is an engineer, leader, and founder of Red Fox Advisory, with decades of experience across complex infrastructure, dispute resolution, negotiation, and business leadership. Known for his direct honesty and deep commitment to developing young engineers, Ben is passionate about restoring courage, accountability, and pride in the profession. His work focuses not just on projects but on shaping the next generation of industry leaders.

About Your Host:

Lauren Karan, founder of Karan & Co. and host of Building Doors, is dedicated to helping professionals unlock their potential. Through insightful interviews and real-life stories, Lauren empowers listeners to create opportunities and thrive in their careers.

How You Can Support the Podcast:

• Subscribe and leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Share this episode with anyone interested in sustainability and leadership.
• Connect with Ben on LinkedIn and explore Red Fox Advisory

Stay Connected:

• Follow Lauren and the Building Doors podcast on LinkedIn.
• Subscribe to the Building Doors newsletter for exclusive content.

Let’s Connect:

• Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email us at [email protected].

Thank you for listening! It’s time to stop waiting and start building.

In this episode of Building Doors, host Lauren Karan sits down with award-winning engineer and author Felicity Furey to unpack the powerful ideas behind her upcoming book and her mission to transform the engineering profession from the inside out.

Felicity shares how engineering’s DNA, inherited from the Industrial Revolution, has shaped the way we design, solve problems, and even unintentionally overlook the people those designs impact. She reveals why modern engineering must go beyond efficiency and output, and instead reconnect with values like well-being, community connection, and legacy.

Through personal stories of burnout, motherhood, and rediscovering purpose, Felicity shows why engineers are not just technical problem solvers. They are inventors, creators, and community shapers whose decisions influence how society feels, moves, and thrives. Whether you are an engineer, a leader, or someone passionate about the future of our cities, this episode will challenge you to rethink what is possible.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Engineering’s Hidden Values and Blind Spots:

• Why engineering still operates from industrial era assumptions.
• How designing for the “average” person creates safety and wellbeing gaps.
• The surprising ways that road design, seatbelts, vaccines, and even signage can unintentionally exclude people.

Shifting From Efficiency to Human Impact:

• How reframing engineering around people, place, and legacy leads to better design.
• Examples from around the world where small, thoughtful changes created enormous community benefits.
• Why nature-connected, stress-reducing infrastructure must become standard.

Diversity, Purpose, and the Future Workforce:

• Why engineering has a marketing problem and how creativity genuinely belongs in the field.
• What attracts young people, especially girls, to engineering today?
• The real reasons women struggle to stay in the industry and what actually works to fix it.

Leadership, Wellbeing, and Cognitive Load

• Felicity’s personal journey through burnout and complex PTSD, and how it reshaped her work.
• Why engineers cannot design for human wellbeing when they are overwhelmed themselves.
• How workplaces can rethink schedules, meeting structures, and expectations to support better thinking and better results.

Legacy and the Next Generation

• The seven generational question that inspired Felicity’s book: “What Did You Do Once You Knew?
• Why engineering is entering an era where maintenance, stewardship, and long-term thinking matter more than ever.
• How small values-based shifts in design can create massive change over time.

Key Quotes from Felicity Furey:

• “Engineers are superheroes. We can change the planet."
• "Everything we do as an engineer is for people, and often we are not actually meeting them."
• "What if we designed infrastructure that actually calms us down?"
• “Purpose is one of the most powerful ways to attract and keep people in engineering.”
• “What did you do once you knew? That question keeps me going.”

About Our Guest:

Felicity Furey is an award-winning engineer, entrepreneur, and speaker recognised for her leadership in engineering, diversity, and the future of infrastructure. With 18 years in the industry, Felicity has led major projects, launched national programs, advised organisations on gender equity, and is now reshaping how engineers think about values, legacy, and human-centered design. Her upcoming book explores how rewriting even 1% of the industry's mindset can have a profound impact on communities and the planet.

About Your Host:

Lauren Karan, founder of Karan & Co. and host of Building Doors, is dedicated to helping professionals unlock their potential. Through insightful interviews and real-life stories, Lauren empowers listeners to create opportunities and thrive in their careers.

How You Can Support the Podcast:

• Subscribe and leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Share this episode with anyone interested in sustainability and leadership.
• Connect with Felicity on LinkedIn and visit felicityfurey.com for updates on her book and podcast

Stay Connected:

• Follow Lauren and the Building Doors podcast on LinkedIn.
• Subscribe to the Building Doors newsletter for exclusive content.

Let’s Connect:

• Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email us at [email protected].

Thank you for listening! It’s time to stop waiting and start building.

In this episode of Building Doors, host Lauren Karan sits down with Mark Simister, a globally experienced program leader who has spent three decades reshaping how infrastructure is delivered. From London’s crumbling water network to disaster recovery in Queensland and Christchurch, and ultimately transforming Sydney Water into one of the world’s top-performing programs, Mark’s story proves that collaboration is not a buzzword. It is a system that works when leaders are brave enough to implement it.

Mark opens up about his unconventional journey from the British Army to hydrogeology to major program delivery. He shares inside stories from rebuilding regions after natural disasters, pioneering early contractor involvement, cutting years out of procurement cycles, and leading one of the most influential collaborative frameworks in Australia.

Whether you work in water, transport, energy, major projects, or leadership more broadly, this conversation will challenge you to rethink how teams engage, how contracts shape behavior, and how cultural clarity lifts productivity. Mark shows what happens when you replace fear-based systems with trust-based delivery: better outcomes, higher morale, and programs people are proud to be part of.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Leadership & Career Journey:

• How Mark went from the British Army to hydrogeology to multimillion-dollar program leadership.
• Why early exposure to NEC contracts shaped his lifelong passion for collaboration.
• How major disaster events (2011 floods, Christchurch earthquake) taught him the power of co-location and shared purpose.

Collaboration & High-Performance Delivery:

• Why early-contractor involvement removes waste before it starts.
• How co-located teams eliminate rework and build trust.
• Why standardized contracts accelerate decisions and cut procurement delays.
• How shared KPIs and open-book data create accountability instead of adversarial behavior.

Procurement Reform & Industry Challenges:

• Why traditional tendering creates fear, inefficiency, and poor outcomes.
• How Sydney Water shifted from adversarial contracting to 10-year partnership frameworks.
• How behavioral scoring using organizational psychologists created world-class team alignment.
• Why governance should enable, not police, major programs.

Culture, People & Legacy

• Why emotional intelligence matters as much as engineering intelligence.
• How embedding finance, communications, and support staff into frontline teams boosts morale.
• Why Mark believes mature engagement between owners and contractors must define Australia’s next decade of delivery.
• What meaningful legacy looks like when billions of public dollars are on the line.

Key Quotes from Mark Simister:

• “I want to see people enjoying being at work. I want to see a maturity in the engagement between owner and contractor.”
• “Everyone will work in a spirit of mutual trust and cooperation, that’s written into NEC, and it changes everything.”
• “Get what you want. Get what you’re really striving for. If you want something, plan it clearly from the beginning.”
• “When disaster hits, people turn up. Collaboration becomes natural when the purpose is clear.”
• “It’s public money, my money and your money so I want to see it spent effectively.”

About Our Guest:

Mark Simister is a program delivery and collaborative contracting specialist known for transforming some of the most complex infrastructure environments in Australia and the UK. From Sydney Water’s award-winning Partnering for Success framework to major disaster reconstruction and global best-practice adoption via Project 13, Mark’s work continues to influence the future of infrastructure procurement, governance, and team culture.

About Your Host:

Lauren Karan, founder of Karan & Co. and host of Building Doors, is dedicated to helping professionals unlock their potential. Through insightful interviews and real-life stories, Lauren empowers listeners to create opportunities and thrive in their careers.

How You Can Support the Podcast:

• Subscribe and leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• Share this episode with anyone interested in sustainability and leadership.
• Connect with Mark on LinkedIn to follow his work and insights.

Stay Connected:

• Follow Lauren and the Building Doors podcast on LinkedIn.
• Subscribe to the Building Doors newsletter for exclusive content.

Let’s Connect:

• Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email us at [email protected].

Thank you for listening! It’s time to stop waiting and start building.