Britany Klenda shares her path from architecture during the recession to corporate real estate and occupancy planning. Her shift brought on her skills, such as, data analysis, dashboards, and change management for workplace strategies. Britany discusses how parenthood challenged her hyper work mindset and how her role now blends human needs with space-usage data to guide clients on future workplace decisions. She also shares details about her family’s crisis when her son Bennett’s behavioral changes and led to discovering he had a brain tumor, surgery, rehab, radiation, and chemotherapy, followed by ongoing disabilities and care. The importance of community support, pediatric cancer foundations, and the importance of awareness and giving matter so greatly.
▬▬▬▬▬ Resources ▬▬▬▬▬
- Britany Klenda: https://www.linkedin.com/in/britany-glim-klenda-37090237/
- SAS Architects & Planners: https://sasarch.com/
- JLL: https://www.jll.com/en-us/locations/chicago
- Between Two Kingdoms: https://www.amazon.com/Between-Two-Kingdoms-Suleika-Jaouad/dp/0399588582
- Ronald McDonald House: https://ronaldmcdonaldhousechicago.org/central-dupage-hospital/
- Violet Foundation: https://www.violet-foundation.org/
- Cals Angels: https://www.calsangels.org/
- Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation: https://curethekids.org/
- Camp One Step: https://camponestep.org/
- JCC Chicago Sunrise Day Camp: https://www.sunrisedaycamp-chicago.org/
- Dragonfly Foundation - https://dragonfly.org/
- Bear Necessities: https://bearnecessities.org/
- Special Spaces: https://specialspaces.org/
- Make-A-Wish: https://wish.org/illinois
- Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago: https://www.luriechildrens.org/
September is Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month - a time to honor the incredible strength of children battling cancer, remember those we've lost, and raise awareness of the urgent need for more research, better treatments, and stronger support for families. Every act of kindness matters. You can make a difference by:
- Donating blood. During Bennett's treatment, he needed more than 30 blood transfusions. Blood donors truly help save lives.
- Volunteering with a pediatric cancer foundation to support children and families throughout their journey.
- Preparing meals for families staying at the Ronald McDonald House, giving them one less thing to worry about during an incredibly difficult time.
- Hosting a fundraiser to support research and family assistance programs through childhood cancer organizations.
- Sharing our story to raise awareness. Every conversation, post, and share helps shine a light on the need for more research, more support, and more hope.
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cacklemedia/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cacklemedia
- X: https://x.com/CackleMediaLLC
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CackleMedia
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cacklemedia/
- Support the pod when signing up for Descript / SquadCast: https://get.descript.com/transferableskill
▬▬▬▬▬ Timestamps ▬▬▬▬▬
00:00 Welcome and Show Introduction
00:19 Early Career Connections
01:36 Finding Architecture Passion
03:44 Time Management Lessons
06:13 Recession Work Pressure
08:01 Shift to Corporate Planning
10:33 JLL Consulting Basics
12:35 Hot Desking Change
15:06 Data Meets Human Needs
17:41 Dashboards During COVID
18:25 Family Crisis Begins
22:10 Diagnosis and Aftermath
24:12 Grief Without Words
25:20 Facing High Stakes Surgery
26:13 Hospital Chaos and Breaking Down
27:00 Handing Him to the Surgeon
28:08 Rehab Radiation and Chemo Marathon
29:59 Friends Who Show Up
32:48 After Treatment New Normal
36:27 Living With Fear and Perspective
39:14 Finding Community and Camps
42:28 Work Support and Hidden Strength
44:30 Paying It Forward for New Parents
45:50 Pediatric Cancer Awareness Call
47:11 Closing Thanks and Fight Ahead
