ARCHITECTING Podcast - Career + Lifestyle Mentoring for Architects looking to move beyond overwhelm and make a difference through design

Architecture is the ultimate influencer. Everyone is immersed in it everyday. Unfortunately, many environments we see as normal are not the kind of places where we should be hanging out. My guest Danish Kurani shares strategies to democratize good design. When people understand how design choices shape health, performance, and human connection, they recognize the true value of architecture. If arc...

Success shouldn't feel like struggle. Listen in to learn how to remove friction from your day to day. Success on your terms is regenerative, meaning the things you do give you energy, and by doing them, you continue to be more successful. Listen in to learn how. There is a difference between performative productivity and regenerative momentum Ease increases adaptability, creativity, and innovation...

Enough with the LinkedIn mugshots! Photographer Chris Gillett talks about why your head shot is a digital handshake - and how to finally get one that has the main character vibe you want. Listen in for all the best tips including which poses to avoid and how to hire a photographer. Being able to see yourself photographed in a way you haven't before makes you more comfortable showing up that way IR...

It's not enough to be a sustainability expert, you need to be able to drive innovation AND its adoption. My guest Kristin Kahle aka the Great Convener shares her tips on bringing diverse thinkers and industries together to promote well being for all. Educate others to get buy in for trying new things, especially in industries where risk avoidance is common. Evaluate solutions based on what is cons...

Invisible labor is everywhere—at work, at home, and especially in high-achieving environments. It’s the extra effort no one assigns but everyone expects. The problem? The moment you stop doing it, the narrative shifts. Suddenly you’re “difficult,” “needy,” or “not a team player.” If you’ve ever felt trapped in a cycle of overgiving, this conversation will help you step out of it—strategically. – T...

Feeling more done than an overcooked steak? Being burned out and exhausted happens when the work you're doing isn't feeling purposeful to you. So why do you keep doing it? My guest Yaritza Baez is an entrepreneurship coach who helps you unlock the courage to get out of your comfort zone and design the life (and career) you're meant to have. We often hold ourselves back out of fear of losing things...

Nothing improves with stagnancy, least of all your career. Whether you are looking to grow a skill set, get a promotion or look for a new career opportunity, the same key questions apply. My guest, Michelle Schafer is a seasoned career coach with amazing advice to help you quantum leap in your career. Before heading into an interview or performance review consider these key questions: What energiz...

You stayed late again. You fixed the thing no one else could figure out. You stepped in because it was “just easier if you handled it.” At work, this dynamic has a predictable outcome: The most capable person becomes the default problem solver, emotional buffer, and extra pair of hands. In this episode, you'll learn how to spot weaponized incompetence in your team and yourself and how to overcome...

This year, International Women's Day is focusing on all the ways women need to invest in themselves and each other,  My guest Mindy Goodroe shares her story of a career spent making big moves, being a catalyst for other leaders, and honoring your priorities.  Dream big- it's about making a series of small decisions and taking action Don't make yourself wrong. You're not here to fit in someone else...

The AEC industry is overdue for an upgrade. My guest Hacia Atherton explains why continuing to operate on a model rooted in the industrial revolution is undermining our firms, our culture, and our value — especially for women. Learn what it's really costing to operate inside a system that was never designed for the complexity of today’s work. Effective leaders know that everyone at every experienc...

Your workday is filled with mundane tasks that drain your time and energy. Plus, doing less than top of license work is hardly a great financial strategy. But is AI really the solution? My guest Peter Swimm of Toilville gives you the lowdown on why open AI is just a time suck rife with hallucinations. Listen in to learn how a bespoke conversational AI system will solve your unique problems better...

Attending a conference is not a passive learning experience. In this episode, I walk you through the pre-work needed to show up string and build your subject matter expertise street cred using social media.  Look at attendee list especially speakers who are subject matter experts in something you want to develop- connect with them on social media Come up with one good question to ask for each sess...

Most people think they're burned out because of what they have to do. They're missing a huge contributor when they don't also look at where they do it. In this episode, Garrett Wood shares neuroscience based insights on how the built environment can impact productivity, executive function, cognitive presence and energy levels.  The world is biased towards a sensory setpoint that was deemed "normal...

It might sound crazy, but thinking and strategizing are often not the best ways to solve problems, make life decisions, connect with others or navigate the workplace. My guest Owen Marcus is a noted psychologist whose work applies the science of somatics to combat stress and the resulting dissociation with our body. Listen in to learn more about how to develop healthier life patterns, unlock your...

You can't make career power moves if you give all your power to others. Gatekeepers who will mirror you inner doubts and tell you exactly why you are both too much and not enough to get that next big opportunity. It's time to shine the light on the sneaky ways they get away with it and start moving towards the career you know you were meant to have. Gatekeeping- the attempt to control who gets acc...

Meeting resistance (from others and within ourselves) with curiosity is your career superpower. My guest Dan Tocchini deep dives into what resistance is really telling you and how to leverage it to build teams that produce creative solutions. Every interaction is a design challenge to create psychological safety - get to the why with each team member. We are hardwired with two mandates: stay alive...

Let's move into 2026 by stepping fully into our power. This means embracing choice (my word for the year) over control to get even more success on our own terms. Listen in to learn more about how leveraging choice ups your game from good to great without the burnout. Choose to celebrate the wins Choose to see the potential in every situation Choose to be more discerning and less concerned with peo...

Newsflash: predictable structures are collapsing. The old if/then models don't work, especially around your career path. Jillian Reilly, author of The Ten Permissions shares her research and insights on how to be come mentally fit to navigate a world where change and unpredictability are the new normal.  We all have conscious and unconscious limits around what we feel we are allowed to do or be. N...

You know what’s right. But what do you do when every gatekeeper says no? In this episode, Drew Ann Long, inventor of Caroline’s Cart, shares the story of refusing to let a necessary idea die. Her vision was simple—and radical: a shopping cart that makes the retail experience accessible for people with disabilities and mobility challenges. The industry pushed back. Manufacturers said no. Retailers...

Architecture school taught you how to design buildings not how to not how to survive, grow, or lead in your career. In this episode of Architecting, AEC Industry recruiter Bryce Batts calls out the rules that quietly keep you small and compliant. This isn’t about chasing the next job. It’s about designing your career on purpose — with clarity, self‑advocacy, and connections that actually move the...

Feeling like no one is giving you your 10's?  In this episode, I explore how to escape the protect/defend/prove trap so many of us can fall into when we feel unseen or unfairly criticized. Rather than worrying about adversaries, use these steps to own your own path and find those who authentically resonate with you. Worrying about what others think of you is a waste of time and energy that keeps y...

In this economy, you should just work hard and serve the hell out of your customers, right? If you want to get burned out and taken advantage of sure.  But there is a better way. My guest Daniel McCaulley shares his thoughts on building a company around a growth mindset. Professional development is any way you are improving, whether that is technical competency or soft skills. Know who you are, wh...

You have the potential for greatness...too bad you're too distracted to act on it. My guest Steven Puri decided that it was time more people tapped into their creativity in a high performing low stress way. He should know, his background in engineering, entrpreneurship and Hollywood films has led him to see firsthand what stokes creative fires vs. what is a painful grind. Listen in to learn more....

IRL > URL every time. Living in a digital world  designed to reward our "engagement" has led to a reduction in attention span, memory and concentration. If you're feeling  anxious, disinterested, restless and mentally exhausted, it's a symptom of popcorn brain. Time to stop doom scrolling and make the changes I discuss in this episode. In our "always on" digitally forward world, devices endless...

The hardest things to talk about are often the ones that most need our commitment. In this episode, we dive into one of architecture’s toughest (and most overdue) topics: how to make the profession more transparent, inclusive, and accessible. My guest, Roderic Walton, is on a mission to demystify what architects actually do—and to build a community where open discussion replaces gatekeeping. Throu...