What if the traditional PM career ladder isn't the only way—or even the best way—to make an impact? In this eye-opening conversation with Brian Summons, Enterprise Strategy & Transformation Leader and Senior Internal Consultant - Strategy Activation at CHOC, we explore what happens when you choose to forge your own path.

Brian made the bold decision to leave traditional PM roles behind for consulting—and he's here to share the unfiltered truth about what that transition really looks like.

In this episode, we dive into:

✨ The "aha moment" that sparked Brian's decision to leave the conventional PM path

🔍 The biggest myths about PM consulting (and the unexpected challenges nobody warns you about)

🎯 How the "outsider-insider" perspective unlocks solutions traditional PMs might miss

💡 The secret weapons from PM backgrounds that become superpowers in consulting

🤝 Balancing expert authority with the humility to understand each client's unique context

Whether you're a PM feeling boxed in by the traditional career path, curious about consulting, or looking to bring fresh perspective to your current role, this conversation will challenge everything you thought you knew about PM career trajectories.

The corporate ladder isn't broken—it's just not the only way up. Sometimes the most impactful path is the one you build yourself.

What if the key to building resilient plans isn't optimism—but deliberately imagining failure?

In this game-changing conversation, we sit down with Leslie Grandy, a global product executive with 25+ years leading innovation at T-Mobile, Apple, Best Buy, and Amazon. Leslie is the founder of The Product Guild, Lead Executive in Residence at the University of Washington Foster School of Business, and author of the just-released book Creative Velocity: Propelling Breakthrough Ideas in the Age of Generative AI (Wiley, May 2025).

This isn't another "AI will automate your tasks" conversation. Leslie introduces a radically different approach: using generative AI as a strategic partner to challenge assumptions, stress-test plans, and imagine failure scenarios your team is psychologically unwilling to consider.

Drawing on the ancient Stoic practice of "Premeditation of Evils," Leslie shows how deliberately imagining what could go wrong builds genuine organizational resilience and accelerates innovation.

In this episode, we explore:✨ Why humans are psychologically unwilling to plan for failure—and how this blindspot derails billion-dollar projects
🤖 How to reposition Gen AI from efficiency tool to creative collaborator in strategic planning
🏛️ The ancient Stoic practice that modern leaders need to future-proof their organizations
🎯 Practical frameworks for stress-testing plans using AI's "psychological distance"
🏢 How to embed resilience thinking as organizational culture, not just individual practice

Whether you're launching a product, managing a complex project, or leading organizational strategy, this conversation will fundamentally change how you think about risk, resilience, and the strategic role of AI.

Challenge for this week: Pick one project. Open your AI tool. Ask: "What am I not seeing? What could go wrong that I'm unwilling to imagine?"

🎧 Listen now and discover how to build plans that don't just survive the future—but thrive in it.

What does it take to break barriers in one of the most male-dominated industries in the world? And how can one leader use their platform to create systemic change for the next generation?

In this inspiring conversation, I sit down with Dr. Vijayeta Malla, PMI Global Construction Ambassador and Co-Vice President of AACE New Jersey Chapter. With 17+ years managing $47B+ infrastructure programs including the Ontario Line Subway and Port of Oakland's E-PMO, Dr. Malla has not only built billion-dollar projects—she's building pathways for women in construction.

In this episode, we explore:

🌍 The Ambassador Role — What it means to be PMI's Global Construction Ambassador, and how Dr. Malla uses this platform to advance project management excellence while advocating for women in the industry

🏗️ Breaking Barriers & Building Belonging — Specific, actionable strategies for creating a sense of belonging for women in construction, and how to leverage leadership positions to drive systemic change (not just surface-level initiatives)

👥 Leadership & Mentorship in Action — How to balance advancing your own career while actively championing others, and critical advice for emerging female project managers who feel isolated in their organizations

💡 Dual Leadership Insights — What it's like to serve in two major industry leadership roles simultaneously (PMI Global Construction Ambassador + AACE Co-VP), and how to maximize impact across multiple platforms

🚀 From Isolation to Impact — Practical guidance for women navigating male-dominated project environments, building professional networks, and finding mentorship when you're the only woman in the room

Dr. Malla holds a Ph.D. in Construction Management from IIT Bombay and is a certified PMP and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. Her research on women in construction and creating inclusive workplaces has been presented at major conferences including AACE International, WTS, and ASC. She's actively working to transform not just individual careers, but the entire industry culture.

This conversation goes beyond inspiration—it provides concrete strategies for creating belonging, leveraging leadership platforms for advocacy, and mentoring the next generation while advancing your own career.

Whether you're a woman in construction seeking guidance, a leader wanting to create more inclusive teams, or anyone interested in breaking barriers in male-dominated industries, this episode offers both hope and actionable wisdom.

#ProjectManagement #WomenInConstruction #Leadership #PMI #AACE #Diversity #Inclusion #TheEverydayPM #Mentorship #BreakingBarriers #ConstructionIndustry

Artificial intelligence is transforming construction planning and scheduling—but are we ready for the ethical challenges that come with it? When AI makes billion-dollar decisions, who's accountable? How do we prevent bias? And what does responsible digital transformation actually look like?

In this critical conversation, I sit down with Dr. Vijayeta Malla, a Program/Project Controls Professional with 17+ years managing $47B+ infrastructure programs including the Ontario Line Subway and Port of Oakland's E-PMO. As both a practitioner implementing AI on mega-projects and a researcher publishing groundbreaking work on AI applications in the AEC industry, Dr. Malla brings a rare dual perspective on this transformative technology.

In this episode, we explore:

✅ The Reality Check — Where AI is actually working in construction planning vs. where it's still just hype, with real examples from billion-dollar transit projects

⚖️ The Ethics Minefield — Who's responsible when AI makes scheduling decisions that affect billions in costs and thousands of jobs? Accountability frameworks every PM needs to understand

🤖 The Human Element — What the next generation of project controls professionals should be learning, and how to maintain transparency when AI influences decisions about people's livelihoods

🔍 Practical Frameworks — How to implement AI responsibly: audit for bias, establish human oversight, choose explainable tools, and focus on augmentation rather than replacement

🌐 The Future Vision — What responsible AI integration looks like 5-10 years from now, and the one thing every PM must understand about this transformation

Dr. Malla serves as PMI's Global Construction Ambassador and Co-Vice President of AACE New Jersey Chapter. Her research on AI applications in AEC has been presented at AACE International 2025 and multiple industry conferences. She holds a Ph.D. in Construction Management from IIT Bombay and is a certified PMP and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.

This isn't just about technology—it's about making intentional ethical choices as we integrate AI into construction workflows. Whether you're exploring AI tools, concerned about automation, or leading digital transformation initiatives, this conversation provides the frameworks you need to navigate these complex decisions responsibly.

Remember: Technology is a tool, but ethics is a choice. Make it intentionally.

#ProjectManagement #ConstructionTech #AIEthics #DigitalTransformation #ResponsibleAI #TheEverydayPM #PMI #AACE #Infrastructure

The U.S. construction industry is facing a crisis that threatens billions in infrastructure projects — and it's not just about labor shortages. It's about skills gaps, diversity challenges, and preparing for an AI-driven future.

In this powerful conversation, I sit down with Dr. Vijayeta Malla, a Program/Project Controls Professional with 17+ years of experience managing $47B+ infrastructure programs including the Ontario Line Subway and Port of Oakland projects. As PMI's Global Construction Ambassador and a pioneer in AI-enabled project controls, Dr. Malla brings a unique perspective bridging experience across India, Canada, and the USA.

In this episode, we dive deep into:

🏗️ The Real Crisis — What the workforce shortage actually looks like on billion-dollar mega-projects and why it should keep every PM up at night

🤖 The Technology Paradox — How AI, BIM, and advanced tools can help solve the crisis (or make it worse), and what "building skills from the ground up" means in 2026

👷‍♀️ The Diversity Solution — Why tradeswomen are leaving construction, and how addressing inclusion isn't just about fairness — it's about survival

⚡ Practical Actions TODAY — What project managers can do right now to address understaffed teams, skills gaps, and high turnover

🔮 The Future Vision — What success looks like 5-10 years from now and the one thing every PM needs to understand about this crisis

Dr. Malla's research has been cited 146+ times, and she's presented at major conferences including AACE, ASC, and PMI Global Summit. Her insights on women in construction, AI applications in AEC, and creating inclusive workplaces are transforming how the industry thinks about its future.

Whether you're managing a small renovation or overseeing billion-dollar infrastructure programs, this conversation will change how you think about workforce challenges and your role in solving them.

#ProjectManagement #Construction #WorkforceDevelopment #AI #Diversity #TheEverydayPM #Infrastructure #PMI #AACE

In a world drowning in corporate jargon and endless meetings, Rachel Losser brings a refreshingly direct approach to enterprise project management: Get Shit Done.

Rachel launched her own consulting firm, Losser Consulting Solutions, in 2024 with a bold mission—helping leaders deliver mission-critical projects where failure simply isn't an option. Her team doesn't just talk about transformation; they drag projects across the finish line when enterprises are stuck in analysis paralysis.

In this episode, we dive into:

🎯 The 'Get Shit Done' Philosophy - What it actually looks like in practice when you're working with large enterprises that can't seem to make decisions

⚙️ Scaling the Right Way - How to simultaneously solve people problems AND technology problems (most consultants only focus on one)

🚀 Mission-Critical Stakes - What it really means to work on projects where failure has massive consequences, and how Rachel's approach differs from traditional consulting firms

💡 Real-World Examples - Specific stories of cutting through the fluff and delivering results when the pressure is on

Whether you're a PM fighting through bureaucracy, a leader trying to build processes that actually scale, or a consultant wondering if there's a better way—this conversation will give you the clarity and courage to cut through the noise.

Join us for an extraordinary conversation with Rahul Chenna, the youngest person in history to obtain the PgMP (Program Management Professional) certification. This groundbreaking achievement showcases his exceptional dedication to the field.

In this episode, we explore:

• Rahul's historic achievement as the youngest PgMP certification holder and what it took to reach this milestone
• His unique transition from computer science and engineering management to program management excellence
• How his Master's in Engineering Management shaped his innovative approach to process optimization
• The significant milestone he achieved in October 2025 marked a pivotal moment in his career
• His active leadership within the Project Management Institute (PMI) and passionate commitment to giving back through pro bono projects
• What the future holds for this record-breaking professional who balances technical mastery with meaningful community impact

Perfect for: Project managers, engineering professionals, PMI members, certification candidates, and anyone inspired by stories of exceptional achievement and professional development in program management.

Connect with Rahul

Great leaders don't wait for good culture to happen—they build it. In this powerful conversation with Lisa Even, keynote speaker, corporate leadership expert, and bestselling author, we dive deep into the ripple effect of intentional culture building.

Lisa brings over a decade of experience working with Fortune 500 companies, helping them lead with intention and proactively shape culture through growth, chaos, and everything they can't control.

In this episode, we explore:✨ What truly defines positive team culture and why it matters🌊 How the ripple effect shapes team dynamics (and how to make it positive)💡 Real-world examples of culture shifts that transformed teams🚀 Actionable steps leaders can take TODAY to build better culture

Whether you're a seasoned PM, team lead, or aspiring leader, this conversation will give you the tools to create the kind of workplace culture that drives results AND makes people want to stay.

Don't just manage projects—build the culture that makes great projects possible.

Resources:

• Lisa Even LinkedIn
• Ann Campea LinkedIn

Ever get that sinking feeling that your project is heading off the rails, but you can't quite put your finger on why?

In this episode, we sit down with Matthew Oleniuk, former Federal Chief Audit Executive who oversaw billions in government projects. Matthew had a unique vantage point—he wasn't just managing projects, he was auditing them. This gave him an insider's view of what really separates successful initiatives from expensive disasters.

In this conversation, we explore:

• Why project challenges are surprisingly universal across public and private sectors
• The three critical early warning signs every PM should watch for: disengaged stakeholders, vague status updates, and exhausted teams
• How the auditor's perspective reveals patterns that project managers miss when they're too close to the action
• Practical strategies for nonprofits and public service organizations with limited resources

Whether you're managing a small team initiative or overseeing complex capital projects, Matthew's insights could save your next project—and your sanity.

Perfect for: Project managers, nonprofit directors, public sector leaders, and anyone who's ever wondered "how did we miss the warning signs?"

🎧 Subscribe to The Everyday PM Podcast for real-world project management insights that actually work.

Find Matthew at https://theriskinsider.com/

Think procurement is just about getting the best price? Think again.

In this episode of The Everyday PM Podcast, we sit down with Ajay Bhargove, author of "Project Procurement: A real-world guide to procurement skills," to uncover why procurement is one of the most critical—yet misunderstood—aspects of project management.

In this conversation, you'll discover:

• Why procurement is a strategic function, not just a purchasing task
• The most common (and costly) procurement mistakes PMs make
• How to build vendor relationships that actually protect your project
• The role of AI and technology in modern procurement decisions
• 3 actionable steps to improve your procurement processes starting tomorrow

Whether you're struggling with vendor relationships, navigating global supply chains, or trying to optimize procurement in agile environments, Ajay shares practical frameworks and real-world insights that you can implement immediately.

Perfect for: Project managers at all levels, procurement professionals, and anyone involved in vendor management and contract negotiations.

📚 Project Procurement: A real-world guide to procurement skills

🎙️ The Everyday PM Podcast - Project Management Principles for your everyday life.