Building Doors with Lauren Karan

In this special 100th episode of Building Doors, host Lauren Karan looks back on four years of conversations exploring leadership, innovation, safety, culture, careers, and the future of construction and infrastructure. To celebrate the milestone, Lauren revisits some of the insights and moments that have stayed with her throughout the Building Doors journey. From challenging blame culture and creating safer workplaces to embracing AI, improving productivity, and developing the next generation of talent, these conversations highlight the people and ideas shaping the industry's future. The episode explores why meaningful change starts with people. Guests share lessons about working the problem rather than blaming individuals, making small improvements instead of waiting for a single solution, building genuine relationships, and creating environments where people feel safe to speak up, ask for help, and challenge the status quo. Lauren also reflects on career growth, wellbeing, diversity, and the importance of reconnecting with the bigger purpose behind the work. From creating more flexible ways of working to attracting and retaining diverse talent, the conversations show how construction can evolve while remaining focused on the people at its heart. Tune in for a powerful retrospective on the conversations that have defined Building Doors and a look ahead to the doors we have yet to build. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Work the Problem, Not the People: Why the instinct to blame someone feels like action but leaves the underlying problem in place How working the problem can uncover a genuine people issue that you then need to deal with honestly Why knowing the truth and the background is the first step to finding a way forward Culture, Change, and an Industry Others Look Up To: Why change in construction isn't just possible, it's essential if the sector is to become an industry of choice for the next generation How the "1% change" mindset shifts us from waiting for disruption to leading it Why digital, AI, modular construction, and procurement reform are all valid, but none is a silver bullet on its own Women in Trades and the Olympic Legacy: What the shift towards more women in the industry has looked like, and why it still hasn't come fast enough How the Queensland Olympics could be a catalyst for diversity across the sector The vision of today's women apprentices building the sporting arenas of tomorrow Authentic Relationships and Leading with Trust: Why you can't fake effort, and why taking the time to understand someone cuts through How authentic leaders can give honest feedback that is empathetic rather than brutal Why relationships built over years, without a transactional agenda, are the ones that lead to opportunity Safety, Communication, and the Human Side of Projects: Why organisational structures encourage good news to flow upwards, and what that means for bad news Why collaborative communication is critical on projects built by real people with real relationships How communication, collaboration, and culture can be the "soft" factors holding back productivity Growing and Keeping Great People: Why backing yourself and putting your hand up can accelerate a career How building talent from the ground up creates loyalty and a stronger long-term business Why stretching people, and letting them fail safely, is part of leadership Purpose, Wellbeing, and Redefining Success: Why engineers should reconnect with the "why" behind the infrastructure they build What it means to find self-worth beyond the role you hold How speaking up, asking for help, and prioritising your own wellbeing can make you a stronger leader Key Quotes from Episode 100: "Work the problem, not the people." (Natasha Roy) "There's no silver bullet, there's no Harry Potter spell." (Matthew Mackey) "Every dollar is your dollar." (Michael Terry) "If you're going to be authentic, you give people empathetic and honest feedback, not necessarily brutal." (Dominick DeFazio) "The default for an organization is for bad news not to flow up." (Dr Sean Brady) "Have a crack. Just have a go at it." (Ben Schnitzling) "It's a very human game that we're in." (Sally Stannard) "Hospitals keep humans alive on eight-hour shifts. We can do that." (Hollie Hynes) "Our industry is built on far more than concrete, steel, and technical expertise." (Lauren Karan) About Our Guest: This special 100th episode is a compilation featuring insights from a wide range of past guests, including Natasha Roy, John Davies, Radmila Desic, Jock McFarlane, Dominick DeFazio, Josh Yates, Matthew Mackey, Michael Terry, Sally Stannard, Dr. Sean Brady, Stuart Cook, Felicity Fury, Ben Schnitzling, and Katherine Greville. These leaders, thinkers, and changemakers represent the diverse talent and perspectives that are shaping the future of the construction and infrastructure industry. 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 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 Elia Hill, a master connector whose career has spanned tennis coaching, charity work, and strategic advisory roles across sport, business, and government. Elia shares how the lessons she learned on the tennis court, resilience, accountability, and showing up, became the foundation for a career built on making meaningful connections and finding solutions where others see obstacles. From her early days coaching abroad to now working with executives, politicians, and charity leaders, Elia reveals how her instinct to "find a way" has opened doors she never expected. She discusses the value of asking for help (even as a 14-year-old walking into the principal's office to find her lost hat), why she's comfortable with "no for now," and how her work with the Children's Hospital and Gallipoli Medical Research unlocked a deeper sense of purpose that has made her a better leader, mother, and human being. Lauren and Elia explore the art of networking authentically, how to nourish relationships over time, connect dots that others don't see, and turn a "cold room" into a warm opportunity. They also dive into Elia's approach to problem-solving: understanding what people need, offering solutions before asking for anything, and always delivering more than expected. The conversation wraps with Elia reflecting on legacy. For her, it's simple but profound: "She gave." Whether it's her time, energy, or network, Elia hopes to leave a mark of generosity and impact on her family, her community, and the charities she champions. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Sport as a Foundation for Life and Career: ● How tennis taught Elia to show up, be grateful, and take ownership ● Why the resilience built on the court prepared her for the boardroom ● The lesson of finding a way to win, even when it's ugly From Coaching to Connecting: ● How coaching tennis taught her to solve problems for clients ● The shift from offering help to offering solutions ● Using the same skills to connect charities, businesses, and sporting organisations The Art of Asking and the Power of "No for Now": ● Why she walked into the principal's office at 14 to find her lost hat, and how that mindset stuck ● How she gets into rooms with CEOs, ministers, and mayors: just ask ● Why "no" isn't final; it's just "no for now" Authentic Networking and Nourishing Relationships: ● Why relationships aren't transactional; they're forever ● How she uses a "catalog of bits" to keep conversations flowing ● The bowerbird approach: collect people, nourish them, and give back Finding Purpose Through Charity: ● How the Children's Hospital wishing tree changed her perspective ● Why gratitude unlocks kindness and resilience ● Creating events where people can give because they want to, but don't always know how Connecting Dots Others Can't See: ● Bringing sport and airport together for the 2032 Brisbane Games ● Seeing opportunities where others see gaps ● The value of a cold room and an empty cupboard: getting inventive Legacy, Family, and What Really Matters: ● Why legacy is simple: "She gave." ● Why Elia wants her legacy to be that she gave her time, energy, and resources ● Her goals for making charitable events sustainable enough to continue without her ● Why she wants her children to grow up understanding the generosity they have to give. Key Quotes from Elia Hill: ● "I'll always find a way. If the door's shut, I'll go through the window. If the window's shut, I'll find a crack somewhere else." ● "Everyone is there to help. That's the role they play. So I ask." ● "No for now; it's okay. It just means I need to come back stronger." ● "I want people to say she gave. Whether it was her time, her energy, she gave back." ● "How lucky am I to have the problems I've got?" ● "People want to give; they just don't know where." About Our Guest: Elia Hill is a master connector, strategist, and purpose-driven professional with deep roots in sport and charity. She works across tennis, local government, and industry engagement, while also serving as an ambassador for St. Vinnie's CEO Sleepout and a passionate supporter of the Children's Hospital and Gallipoli Medical Research. Known for her tenacity, warmth, and ability to see connections where others don't, Elia is a sought-after networker, moderator, and event host. 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 Elia Hill 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 Hollie Hynes, a construction leader who's spent years helping shape how major infrastructure projects are delivered and how sustainability is becoming part of everyday decision-making across the industry. Having worked across environmental engineering, commercial strategy, and executive leadership, Hollie has seen firsthand what it takes to influence change in one of the world's most complex industries. Hollie shares how following her instincts led her into construction, why some of her biggest career breakthroughs came from stepping into roles that felt uncomfortable, and how the support of sponsors helped her see opportunities she never would have pursued on her own. Lauren and Hollie explore why sustainability shouldn't be treated as a separate conversation. Instead, they discuss how it needs to be considered from the earliest stages of planning and procurement. The conversation also dives into leadership, imposter syndrome, building teams around a shared purpose, and balancing a demanding career with family life. They wrap up with a thoughtful conversation about legacy. For Hollie, it's about more than the infrastructure we leave behind. It's about giving people every opportunity to succeed, creating projects that genuinely benefit communities, and having the courage to rethink the way the industry works so future generations inherit something better. Tune in for an insightful conversation about leadership, sustainability, career growth, and creating a construction industry that's built for the future. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Finding Purpose Early in a Career: How comparing two very different job interviews helped Hollie discover what she actually wanted from work Why being drawn to "boots on ground" complexity, not comfort, pointed her toward construction The value of knowing how you learn best, and choosing a path that fits it Seeking Discomfort as a Growth Strategy: Why Hollie deliberately seeks out the next thing that makes her uncomfortable How stepping into the unknown sharpens curiosity and widens your network The importance of knowing what you don't know, and who to ask Sponsorship, Initiative, and Getting Noticed: The difference between mentorship and sponsorship, and why both matter How doing the jobs nobody assigned her opened doors she didn't expect Why filling gaps on a growing team builds trust faster than waiting to be asked Leading Teams and Getting People on the Bus: Why a shared vision only works once you understand each person's individual "why" How leaders can curate that vision without having hours to spend with every person The role of trust and personal connection in real leadership impact Rethinking Sustainability in Construction: Why sustainability lives in every decision, not just a specialist function How procurement and tendering systems currently reward time, cost, and quality over long term impact What it would take to make climate and social outcomes part of the core scorecard, not a side conversation Overcoming Imposter Syndrome and Being Underestimated: How Hollie has learned to work alongside imposter syndrome rather than wait for it to disappear The pivotal moment she called former colleagues to ask why they believed in her Why turning up with clarity about what you don't know can be a form of strength Legacy, Family, and a New Work Paradigm: What legacy means to Hollie, in both people and the assets left behind Why she believes the industry needs new models like split shifts to attract and retain talent Her honest reflections on the "glass ball, rubber ball" approach to juggling career and family Key Quotes from Hollie Hynes: "I now have a compulsion to seek the next thing that makes me uncomfortable. "Sustainability lives in everyone's world." "You've got to know your people and understand what makes them tick." "You're not replaceable at home." "Hospitals keep humans alive on eight-hour shifts. We can do that." "There's a different way to do what we do." About Our Guest: Hollie Hynes is a construction and infrastructure leader whose career has spanned environmental engineering, roads leadership, commercial strategy, and sustainability strategy at an enterprise level. She has played a central role in embedding sustainability into procurement and delivery processes, and now works within a business where sustainability sits at the core of strategic direction. Hollie is also involved with the Queensland Major Contractors Association (QMCA), where she helps tackle industry wide questions about talent, retention, and the future of work in construction. 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 Hollie Hynes 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 Janelle Kerrisk, founder of Helix Legal, a construction lawyer, business owner, and leader reshaping how legal services support the construction industry. From making partner at 30 to leaving a large firm and building Helix with one-year-old twins at home, Janelle shares the personal and professional decisions that shaped her approach to leadership, flexibility, systems, and success. Janelle reflects on the confidence it took to build her career in construction law, the doubts that still exist even after decades of experience, and the unusual ways she pushed herself outside her comfort zone — from public speaking to a comedy course at The Paddo Tavern. She also explains why the systems inside a business matter so deeply, how they influence behavior, collaboration, and trust, and why changing the way people work often starts with changing the infrastructure around them. Tune in for a thoughtful, practical, and deeply human conversation about building a business differently, challenging hustle culture, creating flexibility that actually works, and reimagining the role of legal services in construction — from reacting to disputes to helping projects, people, and businesses achieve better outcomes. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Building Confidence in Construction Law: How Janelle found her way into construction law almost by chance Why early hands-on experience helped shape her confidence and capability How public speaking, leadership roles, and even comedy helped her find her voice Making Partner and Choosing a Different Path: What it meant to become the youngest partner and the first woman around the Queensland table Why success inside a traditional system does not always mean the system is right for you How Janelle reached the point where she knew she wanted to build something different Building Helix Legal: Why Janelle left equity partnership to establish Helix Legal How her long-term collaboration with Dayna Gilbert helped shape the business Why founding a business with one-year-old twins was both challenging and purposeful Systems, Infrastructure, and Human Behavior: Why the systems inside a business shape the way people behave How early decisions around cloud-based systems gave Helix flexibility from the beginning Why business infrastructure should support trust, transparency, and collaboration Flexibility, Trust, and Modern Work: Why flexibility at Helix is immediate, not something people have to earn over time How systems can create accountability without micromanagement Why flexibility is about more than school pickup, it is about allowing people to be fully human Human-Led Leadership: Why Janelle encourages people to explore interests outside of work How personal goals, family life, and professional growth can exist together Why knowing and trusting the people inside your business can become a powerful leadership advantage Construction, Contracts, and Better Project Outcomes: Why traditional adversarial approaches can make construction delivery harder How Helix Legal, Helix Compliance, and Helix Impact support construction businesses in different ways Why legal services should help prevent problems, not only respond after disputes arise Challenging Hustle Culture: Why Janelle wanted her time away from her children to mean more than “selling time for money” How happiness became a success measure inside Helix Why building a business does not have to mean sacrificing family, identity, or wellbeing Key Quotes from Janelle Kerrisk : “There’s still always that little bit of doubt, no matter how old you get, no matter how experienced you are.” “You really need to make that side of you be quiet, or have some strategy for hushing that voice inside you.” “The infrastructure of major law firms makes it really a challenge to innovate.” “If everything that you touch every day, everything that’s measured, is pushing towards one agenda, how are you ever going to go in the other direction?” “Flexibility isn’t just about the person who needs to go and pick their child up from school. It’s about so much more than that.” “My time is worth more than whatever money that you could possibly pay me.” “Happiness was a success measure.” “The friendship and that collaboration has been the foundation of the success of Helix.” About Our Guest: Janelle Kerrisk is the founder of Helix Legal, a construction lawyer and business leader with more than two decades of experience across construction law, dispute resolution, business design, leadership, and industry support. After becoming an equity partner in a large law firm, Janelle chose to build Helix as a more human, flexible, and commercially focused alternative to traditional legal practice. Through Helix Legal, Helix Compliance, and Helix Impact, she helps construction businesses navigate risk, improve systems, prevent disputes, and create better outcomes for projects and people. 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, legal innovation, business design, flexibility, and building more human workplaces. Connect with Janelle Kerrisk and Helix Legal to learn more about construction law, compliance, impact, and better project outcomes. 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 Cryan, founder of Praxis Engineering, Axesse, and Carbon Trace, for a powerful conversation about resilience, engineering, data, AI, and the future of project delivery in construction and infrastructure. At 31, Ben’s life changed in an instant after a surfing accident left him facing 18 months in hospital, more than 55 operations, three months unconscious in intensive care, two strokes, and a kidney transplant donated by his mother. Doctors told him he may never walk again. But Ben refused to let that moment define him. One step at a time, he fought his way back to walking, back to engineering, and eventually into building businesses that are helping reshape how the industry understands cost, carbon, risk, and better design decisions. Ben shares how his recovery taught him the importance of community, asking for help, and never giving up. He also explains why data has always been central to the way he thinks as an engineer, and how structured project data can help teams reduce rework, improve decision-making, understand cost and carbon earlier, and create better outcomes across major infrastructure projects. Tune in for a deeply human, practical, and forward-looking conversation about what happens when resilience meets innovation — and why the future of construction will depend not just on AI, but on better data, better frameworks, and the courage to think differently. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Resilience, Recovery, and Rebuilding: - How Ben’s surfing accident changed his life and career - What 18 months in hospital taught him about people, family, and community - Why Ben never wanted sympathy, and what it took to return to engineering Never Giving Up: - How Ben rebuilt his life and career after being told he may never walk again - Why his businesses are shaped by the same mindset that carried him through recovery - The role determination, patience, and courage play in both life and entrepreneurship Mental Health, Speaking Up, and Asking for Help: - Why putting a problem out into the world is the first step to solving it - How asking for help shaped Ben’s career in engineering and business - The importance of openness, honesty, and support in high-pressure industries Building Businesses After Setbacks: - The reality of building an engineering consultancy and two technology platforms - Why rejection, resilience, and persistence are part of entrepreneurship - How Ben turned personal adversity into a drive to solve industry problems Data, Design, and Better Engineering Decisions: - Why “the data tells a story” - How structured data can help engineers understand cost and carbon in real time - Why early visibility of project data can reduce rework and improve design outcomes AI, Construction, and the Right Framework: - Why companies should not build AI for the sake of AI - The importance of getting the data framework right before adopting AI - How AI can support engineers by helping them filter complex information and make better decisions Reducing Cost, Carbon, and Project Risk: - How better data can help teams understand cost risk earlier in the design phase - Why embodied carbon needs to be considered alongside cost - The opportunity to deliver better infrastructure with more certainty and control The Human Cost of Poor Project Tools: - How rework affects design teams, project timelines, and people’s wellbeing - Why better systems can help reduce unnecessary pressure on engineers - How technology can free up time for deeper thinking, creativity, and better solutions The Future of Engineering and Construction: - Why AI will not change construction overnight - How engineers can lean into change without losing the fundamentals - Why the industry needs to think differently if it wants to deliver better projects Key Quotes from Ben Cryan: - “Once we put a problem out into the world, we can actually solve it.” - “I’ve never wanted sympathy for my accident. I’ve never wanted to be treated differently. I just wanna be normal.” - “The data tells a story.” - “Never giving up is so powerful.” - “Building a small engineering consultancy is hard. Building two tech startups is even harder.” - “Don’t build AI for the sake of AI.” - “Things don’t change overnight, and our industry’s not gonna change overnight.” - “I made a career out of asking for help.” About Our Guest: Ben Cryan is a civil engineer, founder, and entrepreneur with more than 25 years of experience in linear infrastructure design. He is the founder of Praxis Engineering, Axesse, and Carbon Trace. Through his work, Ben is helping the construction and infrastructure sectors use structured data to better understand cost risk, embodied carbon, design decisions, and project outcomes. His personal journey of recovery, resilience, and rebuilding has shaped his belief in never giving up, asking for help, and using data to make better decisions. 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 engineering, construction innovation, resilience, AI, data, project delivery, and the future of infrastructure. - Connect with Ben Cryan to learn more about Praxis Engineering, Axesse, and Carbon Trace. 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.