Episodios

  • Breaking Barriers: Empowering Women in Construction with Dr. Gretchen Gagel

    Breaking Barriers: Empowering Women in Construction with Dr. Gretchen Gagel
    Dec 2 2025

    🎧 Episode Overview (EP 221)

    The construction and engineering industries are changing—but inclusion hasn’t always kept pace. In this episode, Dr. James Bryant sits down with Dr. Gretchen Gagel, founder of Women Thriving in Construction Global Institute and author of Building Women Leaders: A Blueprint for Women Thriving in Construction.

    With over 40 years in the industry, Gretchen shares lessons from her leadership journey—spanning construction, consulting, and academia—and reveals what it really takes for women and their allies to lead and thrive in environments that haven’t always welcomed diversity.

    Together, they explore practical allyship, burnout and balance, dominant culture, and how to build workplaces where everyone can bring their whole selves to work.

    “If you’re not going to back yourself, no one else will.” — Dr. Gretchen Gagel

    Whether you’re in construction, engineering, or any technical field, this conversation will challenge how you think about leadership, inclusion, and sustainable success.

    🧭 What You’ll Learn

    • Why inclusion challenges persist across engineering and construction
    • What “dominant culture” really means—and how empathy drives change
    • Daily examples of allyship for men and leaders
    • How women can overcome perfectionism and guilt to avoid burnout
    • The power of asking for help and leading with authenticity
    • How leadership growth carries into home life and personal wellbeing

    🔩 Episode Highlights

    00:00 – Welcome + Gretchen’s story and motivation for her book
    04:00 – Dominant culture, inclusion, and empathy in engineering and construction
    09:00 – Simple acts of allyship that change workplace culture
    11:00 – Burnout, balance, and redefining success
    15:00 – Asking for help and leading authentically
    19:00 – Creating the Women Thriving in Construction Global Institute
    22:00 – Encouragement for women whose careers have stalled
    24:00 – James on living intentionally and bringing your whole self to work

    🔗 Connect with Dr. Gretchen Gagel
    🌐 gretchengagel.com
    🌐 womenthrivinginconstruction.org
    📘 Building Women Leaders: A Blueprint for Women Thriving in Construction (Available on Amazon)

    🎧 More Ways to Connect

    Private Podcast: Engineer Your Success Insiders
    One story. One insight. One action to help you lead with intention.
    🔗 engineeryoursuccessnow.com/insiders

    Podcast Hub: sleekbio.com/eyspod
    LinkedIn: Dr. James Bryant

    🌟 Engineer Your Success — Dr. James Bryant

    Success isn’t just about results—it’s about building a life shaped by your values.
    Dr. James Bryant helps engineering and technical leaders create systems that bring clarity, confidence, and balance so they can win at work and at home.

    www.engineeryoursuccessnow.com
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    14 m
  • Communicating the Brilliance of Engineer’s Impact on Society

    Communicating the Brilliance of Engineer’s Impact on Society
    Nov 25 2025
    In Episode 220, Dr. James Bryant interviews Elizabeth "Lizzie" Archer, who emphasizes the importance of engineers being recognized and valued for their societal impact. With over 30 years in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, Lizzie discusses communication challenges, the need for inclusion initiatives, and strategies for inspiring future talent. She shares her personal journey of balancing demanding work with family life, highlighting the necessity for engineers to develop storytelling skills and effectively communicate their contributions to society.
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    14 m
  • How Employee Ownership Can Transform Engineering Firms and Build Stronger Teams

    How Employee Ownership Can Transform Engineering Firms and Build Stronger Teams
    Oct 21 2025
    Discover how Employee Ownership can strengthen your team and secure your legacy. In this episode, Dr. James Bryant talks with ESOP consultant Matt Middendorp about how engineering firms can attract and retain top talent, boost engagement, and build a culture of ownership. Learn practical ways to create a business that thrives beyond you.
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    13 m
  • The Most Important Investment Any Leader Can Make | Russ Spiegel on Developing People

    The Most Important Investment Any Leader Can Make | Russ Spiegel on Developing People
    Nov 18 2025
    In Episode 219, Dr. James Bryant interviews Russ Spiegel, Vice President of Operations at Craftsman Electric and ex-Marine Battalion Commander, exploring effective leadership strategies. They discuss the importance of emotional discipline, people development, and a strong leadership philosophy. Russ emphasizes that investing in people is crucial for enhancing workplace culture and unity between field and office teams. The episode highlights how leaders can turn challenges into opportunities and how personal growth at work positively affects home life. This discussion is relevant to all leaders seeking to enhance their approach to leadership and team dynamics.
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    32 m
  • Three Simple but Powerful Questions That Changed My Life

    Three Simple but Powerful Questions That Changed My Life
    Nov 11 2025
    🎧 Episode Overview (EP 218)What happens when your drive to succeed at work starts costing you what matters most? In this episode, Dr. James Bryant shares the story behind three simple but powerful questions that changed his life — and how those questions became the foundation of the Engineer Your Success framework. Originally recorded with Mark Wright on the Beats Working Podcast, this transparent and inspiring conversation explores ambition, family, faith, and the cost of imbalance — and what it takes to create a life where work and home thrive together. 🧭 What You’ll Learn The three questions that reveal whether you’re truly winning at work and home How to recognize when career goals are out of alignment with personal values Why success without presence comes at too high a cost How Dr. Bryant rebuilt his life and leadership from a place of faith and purpose Practical ways to prioritize family, faith, and fulfillment without sacrificing results 🔩 Episode Timestamps00:00:00 Introduction: The Three Questions00:03:38 Growing Up in Inner City Philadelphia00:05:00 The Path to Civil Engineering00:07:18 Early Career and Work-Life Balance00:12:12 The Turning Point: Realizing Imbalance00:19:32 Making the Change: Prioritizing Family and Self-Care00:20:37 Coaching Others to Win at Work and Home00:22:21 The Turning Point: Choosing Family Over Career00:24:22 A Lesson in Priorities: Early Career Decisions00:27:56 The Power of Delegation in Business00:30:33 Balancing Work and Family: Practical Advice00:35:43 Faith and Business: A Personal Perspective00:38:09 Leadership Coaching – Ad Break00:38:40 Closing: The Select Few 🎧 More Ways to ConnectPrivate Podcast — Engineer Your Success Insiders: One story, one insight, one action to help you lead with intention.🔗 engineeryoursuccessnow.com/insiders Podcast Hub: sleekbio.com/eyspodLinkedIn: Dr. James Bryant 🌟 Engineer Your Success – Dr. James BryantSuccess isn’t just about what you achieve — it’s about living a life that reflects your values and priorities.Dr. James Bryant helps engineering and technical leaders build systems that create clarity, confidence, and balance so they can win at work and at home. 👉 Visit: www.EngineerYourSuccessNow.com
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    20 m
  • The Hardest Decisions Have the Greatest Rewards: Leadership Lessons on Ambition and Preparation

    The Hardest Decisions Have the Greatest Rewards: Leadership Lessons on Ambition and Preparation
    Nov 4 2025
    In this episode, Dr. James Bryant interviews Babatunde Onadele Jr., Vice President at Core Builders, about his leadership journey. They explore the importance of mentorship, the timing of career leaps, and the interplay between ambition and readiness. Babatunde emphasizes the need for faith and authenticity in leadership and shares strategies for achieving work-life balance. His insights highlight how great leaders foster growth in others, making this discussion relevant not only to construction professionals but to anyone interested in leadership development.
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    17 m
  • Culture as a Catalyst: Thriving in Construction with Tim Ernst

    Culture as a Catalyst: Thriving in Construction with Tim Ernst
    Oct 28 2025
    In this podcast episode, Dr. James Bryant interviews Tim Ernst, an HR expert with over 25 years of experience in helping companies grow while maintaining their culture. They discuss the significance of a strong organizational culture, its definition as an expression of core values, and how accountability and communication contribute to a healthy workplace. Key lessons include the importance of nurturing talent, measuring culture’s return on investment, and the broader implications of success in both professional and personal life.
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    13 m
  • Finding the Fastest Path to Cash: Lessons on Building Profitable Companies and Saving Your Family

    Finding the Fastest Path to Cash: Lessons on Building Profitable Companies and Saving Your Family
    Oct 14 2025
    In this episode of Engineer Your Success, Jim Weldon discusses the price of entrepreneurial success, revealing that his journey of building multiple 8-figure companies nearly cost him his marriage and connection with his children. He shares transformative strategies for bootstrapping profitable ventures, emphasizing the importance of balancing work and family life. Jim highlights the significance of the "Friday at 5pm" rule and offers insights on consulting, product-market fit, and the realities of raising funds, aiming to educate future entrepreneurs on maintaining healthy relationships.
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    34 m