The built environment offers vast potential to impact those who live, work, and thrive in these spaces. Today’s guest on Inspiring People & Places is Joe Reagan, the Executive Vice President of Development at Wexford Science and Technology.

Join us as we explore the diverse aspects of his career journey, including how his understanding of deal-making and real estate within the built environment has deepened his appreciation for the financial implications of a mission. Joe also shares key leadership advice that has served him well throughout his career.

Additionally, we discuss why military veterans often occupy senior facility roles. Be sure to tune in to hear all this and more!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Understanding the deal-making and real estate of the built environment gave him an appreciation of the financial implications of a mission.

• The evolving economic model of healthcare and the economic drivers of the capital and real estate markets and how these two are playing out in Joe’s world.

• A leadership lesson that has served Joe throughout his career in the built environment.

Quotes:

“It’s [my] ability to communicate back and forth that has helped me adjust my career going forward.” — Joe Reagan

“There comes an appreciation of the value of knowing people you are going to be working with and why repeat business should be such a big part of everyone’s business plans.” — Joe Reagan

“[There is] potential to impact the built environment and the place that people live, work, [and] love. You really can have a profound impact on the built environment.” — Joe Reagan

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Joe Reagan on LinkedIn

Wexford Science and Technology

Bernard Cornwell's Richard Sharpe's Series 1 to 5 Books Set (Prey, Trafalgar, Fortress, Triumph, Tiger)

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BJ Kraemer on LinkedIn

“When we value women, then we begin to value everyone.” These are the wise words of today’s guest; women’s advocate, international speaker, and author, Jill Tietjen.

In this conversation, you’ll hear about Jill’s early life and interest in math, her passion for encouraging women to pursue STEM careers, her incredible career, and so much more! We delve into the electrical engineering challenges Jill has encountered before discussing her opinions about how grids can be modernized and what the demands are.

Jill goes on to tell us about her writing career, where her love for books came from, and how she managed to persevere through writing 16 books. She even tells us how her life purpose to rewrite women into history ‘fell into her lap’ and shares one leadership lesson she has carried with her through her career.

Finally, our guest answers our rapid-fire questions and even tells us what she wants her legacy to be. Thank you for tuning in!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Jill tells us about her life, career, and mission to encourage women to go into engineering.

• How we can modernize electrical grids and current electrical demands.

• Where Jill’s passion for books came from and how she persevered through writing 16 books.

• How engineering can be a more attractive industry for women.

Quotes:

“When we value women, then we begin to value everyone and when we value everyone, then everyone’s ship rises.” — Jill Tietjen

“Not only are women not encouraged to be engineers and in the STEM fields, they’re also not written into our history books.” — Jill Tietjen

“We’re going to have to figure out alternatives in order to meet [electrical] demand.” — Jill Tietjen

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Jill Tietjen

Jill Tietjen on LinkedIn

Jill Tietjen on Facebook

Jill Tietjen on X

Over, Under, Around, and Through

Duty Calls

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BJ Kraemer on LinkedIn

We're going to do things a little differently and speak to the younger generation: Avery Kraemer, Trey Kraemer, and Daniel Wits - BJ's daughter, son, and nephew.

Avery, Trey, and Daniel all describe what their parents do for work before giving us their own definitions of leadership and what it means to be a good leader. We discover what they like and dislike in the people they look up to and why leaders need to be both strict and easygoing.

Be sure to listen closely for a hidden BJ Masterclass in parenting! Thanks for listening!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Avery’s definition of a leader and her list of qualities that every good boss needs to have.

• Reminiscing on a moment when Avery saw herself as a leader.

• Daniel and Trey describe good leadership.

• What they love and dislike most about the people they look up to as leaders.

• Why good leaders are both strict and easygoing.

Quotes:

“I think everybody is drawn to help other people and building a career helping other people seems very attractive.” — BJ Kraemer

“We need to tie our work back to the people and how it serves people.” — BJ Kraemer

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Inspiring People & Places Podcast

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BJ Kraemer on LinkedIn

Great leaders are constantly making balanced decisions based on risks and rewards. Today on Inspiring People & Places, we discuss how leadership affects project outcomes.

In this solo episode, you’ll hear all about how the late Irv Richter and Hill International inspired BJ to think about what leaders do to drive successful project outcomes. We discuss the art of project management before breaking down the Army’s Composite Risk Management process and its principles. Finally, BJ explains why he believes a great leader synthesizes a risk/reward matrix in their head in order to drive project success.

You don’t want to miss this one so be sure to tune in now!

Key Points From This Episode:

• The importance of risk management and what leadership has to do with it.

• Why BJ believes that there is an art and a science to risk management.

• What risk management has to do with leadership: everything!

• Why you should avoid unnecessary risk and accept it when the benefits outweigh the costs.

• The incredible risk/reward matrix leaders balance in their heads.

Quotes:

“Risk management is a leader’s job.” — BJ Kraemer

“The art of decision making is knowing when you can accept some risk in order to maintain project momentum or project success.” — BJ Kraemer

“Great leaders have a continuous risk/reward matrix going on in their head and they know when to slow things down, they know when to call [a] halt, and they also know when to speed up even though there may be some risk associated with whatever the outcome is.” — BJ Kraemer

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Composite Risk Management

Hill International

Irv Richter – Hill International

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BJ Kraemer on LinkedIn

Your career path doesn’t need to be linear for you to fulfill your dreams.

Today’s guest brings an amazing journey to our conversation. Former NASA Astronaut and retired US Air Force Colonel with more than 180 days in space, Cady Coleman is a popular Public Speaker and Media Consultant, Research Affiliate to MIT’s media lab, and much more.

During this conversation, she shares some of the unexpected twists and turns that her career has taken, along with key insights on being industrious as you map out your career. We delve into her experiences in space, what it was like to fly twice with NASA, and why, given the opportunity, she would spend another six months on the international space station.

Join us as Cady talks about her leadership philosophy and reveals who she is most inspired by, why she leads from the back, and more.

Key Points From This Episode:

• The non-linear journey behind her multi-faceted career.

• The rewards of being part of a mission.

• Experiencing NASA, flying twice, and spending six months on the international space station.

• Research at NASA and understanding the marriage of humans and spacecraft.

Quotes:

“People tend to think that any job of their dreams is going to be a straight line and it’s this maze of intersections where you actually don’t really know whether to turn right or left, but you try to pick the one that seems to make the most sense.” — Cady Coleman

“Giving back to your community is important for everyone so that you understand what life is like for somebody else.” — Cady Coleman

“I think the purpose of leadership is to get stuff done, which often involves making change.” — Cady Coleman

“I wake up in the morning and I say ‘I am enough’ because it’s hard to remember that when you’ve got really big dreams and big goals.” — Cady Coleman

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Cady Coleman

Cady Coleman on Instagram

Cady Coleman on Facebook

Cady Coleman on X

A Man on the Moon

The Exceptions

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BJ Kraemer on LinkedIn

We are all limitless, even in our mortal human forms, and it’s time you realize that!

Don’t miss out on this epic conversation with the one and only Christiana Cioffi, empowerment ambassador, leadership coach, and speaker. A West Point graduate and former marketing VP, Christiana brings a wealth of experience to the table.

Join us as we explore her remarkable journey, discuss being fearless in the army, unpack how she helps people reflect on their truest identity, her three-part process, and how she supports people who find themselves leading from a place of fear and insecurity.

Don’t miss out on all this, and so much more, on this episode of Inspiring People & Places. Enjoy.

Key Points From This Episode:

• We dive into a discussion about being fearless in the army and how it transpires.

• Christiana unpacks how she helps other people reflect on their true identity.

• What companies can do to support women coming into male-dominant industries.

• How Christiana supports individuals who lead and act from a place of fear and insecurity.

Quotes:

“It’s fairly basic — people need to be treated fairly and equally regardless of their gender, race, age, or any of that.” — Christiana Cioffi

“I think it’s about who’s at the top in an organization. They set the culture [of that organization].” — Christiana Cioffi

“I am of the mindset that we are limitless. Meaning, we are souls embodied in a human form but we are limitless.” — Christiana Cioffi

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Christiana Cioffi on LinkedIn

An Unapologetic Spinster: True Modern Dating Stories

Think and Grow Rich

Joe Dispenza

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BJ Kraemer on LinkedIn

Imagine it’s New Year’s Eve; you’re toasting champagne with your friends and family, but for the first time in a long time, you’re not discussing next year’s resolutions. Instead, you’re celebrating the incredible feeling of having accomplished this year’s goals. By the end of today’s episode, you’ll be inspired to revisit your past resolutions and feel empowered to achieve them by the end of this year.

Tune in to discover invaluable insights and practical advice to help you get clear on your goals, understand what it means to “show up and do the work,” find accountability partners to keep you on track, celebrate your wins along the way, and much more. Don’t miss this opportunity to feel motivated and equipped to make the most of the rest of 2024!

Key Points From This Episode:

• What you need to do before showing up daily and doing the work to achieve your goals.

• How to assess your capacity and overcome the tendency to want to “do it all.”

• The power of discipline and delayed gratification.

• Essential elements of an effective action plan.

• Reasons that accountability partners and flexibility are key to your success.

• The importance of celebrating your daily and weekly wins.

Quotes:

“I’m not saying you can’t have multiple goals. I am saying that we all have a certain amount of capacity – to implement change, implement discipline, and put time, commitment, and dedication to accomplishing the goals we have.” — BJ Kraemer

“Stacking [successes and habits] will build the momentum and the positivity that you’re looking for.” — BJ Kraemer

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

‘The Marshmallow Experiment and the Power of Delayed Gratification’

The Power of Habit

The ONE Thing

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BJ Kraemer on LinkedIn

In honor of Father’s Day, BJ’s dad, Brian Kraemer Sr, joins us for this episode of Inspiring People and Places to discuss all things life and leadership!

Mr. Kraemer always knew he wanted to get married, coach, and serve his country. In this conversation, you’ll hear all about his family, his career in the military, and what inspired him to join the Air Force.

Mr. Kraemer also tells us how sports and teamwork influenced his parenting style. In addition to his Air Force unit, the kinds of missions it did, and his time at Hurricane Huntershow.

Finally, he shares some books he recommends, the lessons he’s learned from them, and why fatherhood is a man’s most important job.

Thanks for listening and happy Father’s Day!

Key Points From This Episode:

• How Mr. Kraemer became interested in the military and eventually, got into the Air Force.

• What his first deployment was like and how it affected his family.

• An overview of the kinds of missions his Air Force unit did.

• Leadership lessons from sports that have served Mr. Kraemer well in life and fatherhood.

Quotes:

“Service before self!” — Brian Kraemer Sr

“Fatherhood is your main vocation. Once you become a father, that is your number one before work. God, family, country.” — Brian Kraemer Sr

“It’s a privilege to be a father, it’s even more fun to be a grandfather, and I hope I am able to stick around for another 20 years or so to maybe become a great-grandfather someday.” — Brian Kraemer Sr

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Brian Kraemer Sr on LinkedIn

NOAA Hurricane Hunters

The Elements of Style

Make Your Bed

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BJ Kraemer on LinkedIn