Let’s start with a confession: after 14 years in construction recruitment, I’ve seen enough outdated practices to fill a skyscraper. You know what I’m talking about, those rigid hierarchies, the “this is how we’ve always done it” mantras, and the endless hoops talented people have to jump through just to do their jobs.

The Wake-Up Call

Picture this: Seattle, early Amazon days. I’m watching cranes reshape the skyline, feeling the electricity of transformation in the air. Meanwhile, the construction industry is still operating like the internet hasn’t been invented. The disconnect was wild – here’s this city literally building the future, while the industry doing the building is stuck in the past.

At Inspire Consulting, I spent my days talking to some of the most brilliant minds in construction and development. Want to know what I heard over and over? It wasn’t about better benefits or a 5% bump in pay. It was about freedom. Flexibility. The ability to work on their own terms.

Here’s my favorite example: this incredible PM I knew who could run multiple projects in her sleep, also dreamed of getting a fashion degree. In what world does it make sense that she had to choose between these passions? Spoiler alert: It doesn’t.

The COVID Reality Check

Then 2020 hit and suddenly everyone discovered you could actually work without sitting in a cubicle for 10 hours a day. Wild, right? I took a detour into the corporate construction world, thinking maybe the big players had finally gotten the memo about modernizing.

Narrator: They had not.

Despite identifying and pursuing billions in new business, I watched as great ideas died in endless approval chains and talented people get squashed by unnecessary hierarchies. It was like watching a masterclass in how to make simple things complicated. We call it ego.

Plot Twist: Building the Future

That’s when I realized – if we want this industry to change, we need to be the ones to change it. Enter Aedifico. Not just another platform, but a revolution in how we think about talent and opportunity in construction.

The Full Picture

When I’m not trying to drag the construction industry into the modern era, I’m living proof that you don’t have to fit in a traditional box. I’m a mom watching my kids crush it in their own ways – from commercial fencing sales to business finance at PLU to spirits distribution and marketing. I’m a dog mom to two personality packed pups. I host a podcast bringing tech and construction folks together (and yes, sometimes they even understand each other.) I’m learning to code, pitching to VCs, and still finding time for my Peloton obsession.

Why This Matters

Here’s the truth: Gen Z isn’t going to put up with the old way of doing things. They won’t sit in fluorescent-lit offices doing busy work just because “that’s how it’s done.” And you know what? They shouldn’t have to.

The future of work isn’t about control – it’s about freedom. It’s about letting talented people do what they do best, on their own terms. It’s about building systems that work for people, not the other way around.

The Real Talk Starts Here

This Substack isn’t going to be another dry industry newsletter. You won’t find market reports or updates here. Instead, you’ll get the unfiltered story of what it’s like to build a tech company in an industry that sometimes feels allergic to change.

I’ll share the real stuff: the victories, face-plants, the moments of ‘what am I actually doing?” and the breakthroughs that remind me of why this matters. We’ll talk about what it really takes to innovate in AEC/CRE, how to maintain your sanity while doing it, and why the old guard’s resistance to change is actually a sign we’re onto something big.

An Invitation to the Rebels

If you believe it’s time for our industry to break free from its Industrial Revolution hangover, you’re my people. I’m talking about moving beyond the rigid employee-employer model that was built for factories, not for today’s dynamic construction projects. If you’re excited about a future where talented professionals can work project-to-project, bringing their expertise exactly where and when it’s needed – you’re definitely my people.

This isn’t just for professionals looking for more freedom. It’s for every developer, public and private owner, and firm that’s tired of inefficiencies in how we connect talent with opportunity. It’s for everyone who sees that project-based work is the future, but needs a better way to make it happen.

Welcome to the revolution in progress. No hard hat required (unless you’re onsite, then please follow OSHA guidelines, I don’t need that liability).

First of many honest conversations about transforming how we work in construction. Subscribe if you’re ready for some real talk about building a better industry.