In this episode with Tina Patel we discuss her experience of navigating her career in the construction industry which is traditionally a very male workplace. Tina Patel is the Managing Director of an architectural practice in London. Based on her experiences, Tina offers some important advice to women who are considering a career in architecture, acknowledging unfortunately that women need to work harder than men and that architects from a black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds are often over-looked in promotions. We touch on the urgent need for mental health awareness in architectural schools across the country and the importance of diverse representation within the School Faculty. She is very candid about her upbringing and the impact that ‘babysitting’ her younger siblings had on her early ideas of building a business that would allow her the flexibility to manage motherhood and career (something men are unlikely to consider). An interesting aspect of our conversation refers to the limited imagination of what is possible which is directly linked to socialisation and gender, race and ethnic stereotyping in the early years in children’s books and television programmes. Lastly, Tina talks about self-care in a positive and inspiring way, which is worth a listen!