Coaching a team for interviews is about more than polishing presentations. It is about protecting confidence, creating emotional safety, and helping people show up as the best version of themselves. In this episode, Deirdre Booth and Damien Morris dive into how to coach the coaches by training leaders to give feedback that grows people instead of t…

Let’s get real—shortlist interviews are high-pressure, high-stakes moments where everything you’ve built—your strategy, story, and team—comes down to one shot. In this episode, Damion Morris and Deirdre Booth unpack what it really takes to show up in the room and deliver. This isn’t a conversation about perfect slide decks or canned responses. It’s…

In this episode of The PSM Show, Deirdre Booth goes one-on-one with longtime friend and bold brand-builder Nicole Posten, founder and principal of On Point Architecture. Based in Mesa, Arizona, Nicole launched her firm while on maternity leave—baby on one hip, CAD drawings on the screen, and zero interest in playing it safe. Nicole brings the same …

Success isn’t just about working hard—it’s about working smart. In this episode, Deirdre Booth sits down with Rachel Charlton, founder of Sticky Communications, to explore seven lessons she wished she had learned sooner in her AEC career. They break down the power of taking initiative, how to lead with purpose, and why understanding the why behind …

Sticking to goals is easy when motivation is high—but what happens when that initial spark fades? In the third installment of our goal-setting series, Deirdre and Damion explore how to stay connected to your goals by digging into the why behind them. They discuss the difference between setting goals for external validation versus personal fulfillme…

In the second episode of our goal-setting series, Deirdre and Damion rethink traditional success by shifting the focus from achievement to transformation. Instead of chasing goals for the sake of external recognition, they explore how goals should serve as stepping stones toward personal growth. They introduce the NICE goal framework as an alternat…

New year, fresh start? Maybe. But let’s face it: the pressure to set ambitious resolutions and overhaul your life on January 1st is overwhelming—and often counterproductive. In this episode, hosts Damion and Deirdre take a deep dive into the mindset shift we all need: moving from hustle culture to a life that’s fulfilling, intentional, and aligned …

This episode marks the transition of longtime co-host Frank Lippert as he steps away to focus on his role as Director of Strategy at Delve Underground. For the past three years, Frank has been a trusted voice for candid, honest conversations about leadership, marketing, and the human side of professional services. His reflections on this journey of…

In this episode, Deirdre sits down with Uniqueka Walcott, a renowned writer and speaker, to discuss personal branding, career ownership, and workplace culture. Known as the "Billion Dollar Bid Writer," Uniqueka shares her journey of crafting a strong personal brand through strategic communications and offers insights from her experience to help ind…

Cause Marketing is where A/E/C firms partner with non-profits to develop campaigns that do good things for the community, help the non-profit and their cause, and advance the brand and goodwill of the company investing in it. PSM Show cohost Frank Lippert talks to Jodi Sommers of Jodi Sommers Marketing and Megan Falkenstein of Sponsors, Inc. to lea…

Frank sits down with Laurie Lumish, Principal and Director of Marketing and Business Development at Degenkolb Engineers, and CFO Maury Ballif to explore the secrets of building a strong working relationship that sets a new industry standard. In this engaging conversation, you'll gain practical advice on enhancing your role within the company, devel…

Frank and Deirdre share their insights on making the most out of your professional conference experience. They discuss strategic networking, setting realistic expectations, and engaging effectively with speakers. You'll also learn about the importance of taking notes and adhering to proper conference etiquette, especially during the final keynote s…

Coffman Engineers is known for having some of the most talented, long-standing, happy marketers in A|E|C. And Chad Heimbigner, COO, and Board Director, is part of the reason why. From his heartfelt servant leadership to collaborative partnerships to lifelong learning, Chad embodies the best traits of a strong technical leader who stands by the team…

Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give to your younger self? Deirdre Booth and Kate Robinette swap professional and personal advice in this fireside chat. If you have advice to share, please post to our social media pages on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram #psmshow! Resources: Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, by E…

Two theater kids walk into an AEC firm… Kathryn Ness visits Kayla McCause from Dragonfly AEC and Kate Robinette of GO Strategies about how they apply their performing arts training and experiences to their work in marketing and business development. These three get serious about play and the transferable skills of unusual backgrounds. Enter, stage …

**Recorded live at the 2024 SMPS Pacific Regional Conference in Portland, Oregon** Ryn (Kathryn) Bennett, MPH, is a non-binary 40 under 40 award winner, world-record-holding strongman competitor, celebrated TEDx and Ignite speaker, and advocate for developing mental toughness. They are the author of Productive Pain, a personal memoir and inspiratio…

You've heard of common sense and street sense. Get ready for farm sense, as doled out by SMPS Weld Cox awardee, Donna Corlew, FSMPS, CPSM. Learn how this self-described farm girl got her start, what she sees as the biggest changes in AEC marketing and BD, and what today's marketers can do for themselves to get ahead. Deirdre and Donna bless all the…

In today’s episode, we have a case study on authentic and intentional leadership. Frank and Deirdre talk with Justin Conger, of Conger Construction, about leadership, decision making, culture, brand, and how marketing impacts a firm. At the helm of Conger Construction Group, Justin Conger stands as a paragon of transformative leadership. His distin…

Ever wonder what it takes to be a leader? Deirdre and Kathryn explore what leadership means, how to become a leader, and what it takes to go beyond a title to truly lead. They also look behind the curtain on how leadership decisions are made. They bring their education, personal experiences, and practical tips to unlock the secrets of good leadersh…

What if your project summaries could proactively win work for you? Leslie Blaize, CPSM, is a case study specialist. She's sharing the secrets to making a compelling case study document that speaks to your company, your client, and prospective clients with her 1 case study = 3 wins techniques. Resources: American Writers and Artists Institute - http…

Did you resolve to be better organized or have better follow-through in 2024? Frank and Kate share their tips for staying on top of email, scheduling, and to do items in practical, low key ways. Music by RomanSenykMusic on Pixabay. www.pixabay.com

As another year comes to a close, Deirdre and Frank recap highlights of 2023 and expectations for 2024. It's a meaningful look at their professional and personal journeys. There's a little arm-chair market forecasting, a little lessons learned, and a lot of fun in this episode. Music by RomanSenykMusic on Pixabay. www.pixabay.com…

This is part two of a two-part series on interviews and interview coaching. Professional services marketers work with a team to position for a big pursuit, write a killer proposal and get shortlisted to interview. It’s the last step in the process to winning the pursuit… and, honestly, it can be a lot of fun and/or a lot of work. There are multiple…

This is part one of a two-part series on interviews and interview coaching. Professional services marketers work with a team to position for a big pursuit, write a killer proposal and get shortlisted to interview. It’s the last step in the process to winning the pursuit… and, honestly, it can be a lot of fun and/or a lot of work. There are multiple…

Not sure what retirement holds for you? Or maybe you know someone that's just a little uncertain about what's next for them as they retire from professional services marketing? This podcast is for you. Frank talks to his friend and mentor, Laurin McCracken, who went from professional services marketing legend to one the top watercolor painters in t…

Meet another TankGirl Marketing team member, Sedona Scheopner! Kate and Sedona talk about transitioning into AEC marketing, staying motivated, achieving balance, and even a little AI on this fun, getting-to-know-you chat. Sedona brings five years of marketing experience and a lot of enthusiasm to the TankGirl team. She is passionate about learning …

Good research begins with a good framework. In the last episode of our Marketing/BD Plans series, Frank and Kate talk to Sarah Kinard of The Flamingo Project to get the facts about how to build those plans on good research. They talk about defining the use of the data before you start, reframing the questions to get out of the rabbit holes and back…

As part of our planning series, today we are discussing the ins and outs of Business Development plans. Why do you need one, what do they look like, what do you need to know, and how do you know if you have written a successful plan? Deirdre interviews Frank about how a BD plan ties into your strategic and marketing plans and most importantly, how …

Following up on the case study in Episode 254, we decided that maybe a little back-to-school education on Marketing Plans would be a good idea. This episode talks about what goes into a really good marketing plan, how to create one, get buy-in for it, implement it, and keep it going through it's lifespan. Frank interviews Deirdre and they talk abou…

Marketing Plans are a great place where marketers set direction and prove their value. This podcast is a case study of a marketer writing their first marketing plan. We'll talk about the real-life process, the highs and lows, and the outcomes personally and professionally. Katerina (Kat) Marovich joined Summit Engineering as an administrator and qu…

How do you find balance and success as a department of one? Vicki Menard, Maggie Thornton, and Jodi Sommers share the challenges and advantages of being a solo marketer with guest host, Kate Robinette. Variety is the spice of life. Vicki Menard is the marketing director for Todd Construction. She has been using her storytelling skills in the constr…

This episode goes deep. Frank and Deirdre dive into a question that super-hero author/podcaster/researcher Brene Brown poses: In general, are people really doing the best they can with the tools they have in the moment? So many angles to this, so many take-aways, and so much empathy. Come learn how to be a better human. Resources: The Collaborative…

This episode talks about the grind and figuring out how to get the job done even when it it's the last thing you want to do. Deadlines are real, job performance matters, and sometimes people suck. You're stuck. We've been there, let's unstick it. Resources: Burnout by Emily and Ameilia Nagoski (available on Amazon) The Middle by Jimmy Eat World (so…

Recorded earlier this year during the week ahead of Mother's Day, Frank and Faith talk to two of the Super Moms in our network. In Part 2 of our Super Moms series, they talk to Bethany Rustic Smith of Energy Systems Group (ESG). Bethany offers great advice on managing a career at full-throttle and making time for three kids. The conversation is ric…

Recorded earlier this year, the week ahead of Mother's Day, Frank and Faith talk to two of the Super Moms in our network. The first conversation is with Jennifer Hebblethwaite who demonstrated all the stages of mom-ness for her two daughters. She talks candidly and honestly about some of the struggles with going back to work and the seasons of life…

How to use the bluntness from Episode 247 to have difficult conversations - whether with your boss, your coworkers, your staff, or your client. Recommeded resources: The Power of Vulnerability - https://brenebrown.com/book/the-power-of-vulnerability/ The Collaborative Way - https://collaborativeway.com/ Brené Brown TedTalk - https://www.ted.com/tal…

On this episode, Frank and Deirdre talk about communicating directly. They dive into how to manage reactions to it, how to deal with the consequences, how to use bluntness for good versus evil, and the gift of honesty. Recommended reading: Radical Candor, by Kim Scott - available on Amazon Music by RomanSenykMusic on Pixabay. www.pixabay.com…

Frank and Deirdre talk with Marci Thompson, SMPS' Chief Strategy Officer, about what happens behind the scenes to deliver great events like SMPS Amplify AEC and the Pinnacle Experience. As usual, the conversation goes deep and Marci gets real about how things happen, about change, and about keeping your head above water when you're in rough seas. I…

Ryan Konst has spent the last 20+ years in the AEC industry, all with Schaefer. He started out as an engineering co-op and went full-time as an engineer upon graduating from the University of Cincinnati. He moved through the engineering ranks and into a leadership position focusing primarily on strategy, planning, and revenue generation. In his cur…

Part 2 on our discussion about recruiting best practices, we shift the focus from job postings to using the company brand in the recruiting effort and what that means. Rachel Kennedy combines her background in recruiting and a love of marketing together to help growing businesses attract the right talent. Deirdre, Kathryn, and Rachel talk about the…

Katrina (Kat) Kibben is an award-winning writer and keynote speaker known for helping hiring teams write inclusive, unbiased job postings that help them hire the right person faster. Before founding Three Ears Media, Katrina was a CMO, Technical Copywriter, and Managing Editor for leading companies like Monster.com, Care.com, and Randstad Worldwide…

In this final episode of the Career Path series, Frank interviews Kristi Bigelow, Marketing Manager at TankGirl, about her career development experience in A/E/C. Self-proclaimed engineering nerds, Frank and Kristi discuss the more interesting aspects of civil works projects and how to develop relationships and work more effectively with technical …

Dean Hyers' background is almost stranger than fiction. He's worked as a film director, coached courtroom presence, developed closing arguments for trials, and taught acting to covert government agents. Troy Parkinson has his own arts-to-AEC journey as a film producer for Discovery Health and the History Channel and the Director of Production for t…

Cylk Cozart is a renaissance man -- an actor, director, producer, writer, and basketball player with a genuine passion for living. His life's journey hasn't always been an easy one, but his resilience, determination, and kindness have become his approach to everything. Cylk will be a keynote presenter at the March 2023 SMPS Southeast Regional Confe…

The longest journey by motorcycle in a single country by an individual is 132,928 km (82,598 mi) and was achieved by Dana D'Arcy in the USA, from 3 April 2022 to 5 August 2022. Dana discovered this Guinness World Record in 2016 and set a personal goal to beat it. But it wasn't until around 2018 that she felt she could even attempt it. Unfortunately…

In our best jobs, we have friends at work. But what happens when one of your friends becomes your boss? Or what happens when you and your boss start to become friends? Listen in as Frank and Kate talk about the one tool that helped them preserve the friendship and the working relationship over the years. Resource: Men Are From Mars, Women Are From …

Why is being a manager almost as scary as speaking in public? And why are we struggling to do this well? We've seen the research - people don't leave their jobs, they leave their managers. But what if managing others was a team effort? What if it worked like a theater production and you are part of an ensemble cast? Join Mary Abbajay, author of "Ma…

Deirdre and Frank reflect on 2022 and dream about what is ahead for 2023. They talk about personal and professional growth, lessons learned, and the play of randomness and intention that brings surprising results. It's a warm, sincere conversation between two good friends that's as rich and filling as a cup of homemade hot cocoa. Grab a holiday coo…

Chelsea Pozar with Studio W Architects and Gabe Letts with Allgeier, Martin, and Associates talk about how they have maintained great hit rates (upwards of 70%) year after year. Learn about their two different cultures and leadership styles from an architecture and engineering perspective. They offer tips and advice for helping your professional se…

2023 SMPS Pacific Regional Conference keynote, Maisha Christian, is a professional coach in AEC who brings a fresh perspective to charting your own career path by influencing the tide through your vision. Deirdre, Frank, and Maisha talk about leadership, authenticity, core values, and stretching to thrive. They get real about advocating for yoursel…