Building Doors with Lauren Karan

In this episode of Building Doors, host Lauren Karan sits down with Elia Hill, a master connector whose career has spanned tennis coaching, charity work, and strategic advisory roles across sport, business, and government. Elia shares how the lessons she learned on the tennis court, resilience, accountability, and showing up, became the foundation for a career built on making meaningful connections and finding solutions where others see obstacles.From her early days coaching abroad to now working with executives, politicians, and charity leaders, Elia reveals how her instinct to "find a way" has opened doors she never expected. She discusses the value of asking for help (even as a 14-year-old walking into the principal's office to find her lost hat), why she's comfortable with "no for now," and how her work with the Children's Hospital and Gallipoli Medical Research unlocked a deeper sense of purpose that has made her a better leader, mother, and human being.Lauren and Elia explore the art of networking authentically, how to nourish relationships over time, connect dots that others don't see, and turn a "cold room" into a warm opportunity. They also dive into Elia's approach to problem-solving: understanding what people need, offering solutions before asking for anything, and always delivering more than expected.The conversation wraps with Elia reflecting on legacy. For her, it's simple but profound: "She gave." Whether it's her time, energy, or network, Elia hopes to leave a mark of generosity and impact on her family, her community, and the charities she champions. What You’ll Learn in This Episode:Sport as a Foundation for Life and Career:● How tennis taught Elia to show up, be grateful, and take ownership● Why the resilience built on the court prepared her for the boardroom● The lesson of finding a way to win, even when it's uglyFrom Coaching to Connecting:● How coaching tennis taught her to solve problems for clients● The shift from offering help to offering solutions● Using the same skills to connect charities, businesses, and sporting organisationsThe Art of Asking and the Power of "No for Now":● Why she walked into the principal's office at 14 to find her lost hat, and how that mindset stuck● How she gets into rooms with CEOs, ministers, and mayors: just ask● Why "no" isn't final; it's just "no for now"Authentic Networking and Nourishing Relationships:● Why relationships aren't transactional; they're forever● How she uses a "catalog of bits" to keep conversations flowing● The bowerbird approach: collect people, nourish them, and give backFinding Purpose Through Charity:● How the Children's Hospital wishing tree changed her perspective● Why gratitude unlocks kindness and resilience● Creating events where people can give because they want to, but don't always know howConnecting Dots Others Can't See:● Bringing sport and airport together for the 2032 Brisbane Games● Seeing opportunities where others see gaps● The value of a cold room and an empty cupboard: getting inventiveLegacy, Family, and What Really Matters:● Why legacy is simple: "She gave."● Why Elia wants her legacy to be that she gave her time, energy, and resources● Her goals for making charitable events sustainable enough to continue without her● Why she wants her children to grow up understanding the generosity they have to give. Key Quotes from Elia Hill:● "I'll always find a way. If the door's shut, I'll go through the window. If the window's shut, I'll find a crack somewhere else."● "Everyone is there to help. That's the role they play. So I ask."● "No for now; it's okay. It just means I need to come back stronger."● "I want people to say she gave. Whether it was her time, her energy, she gave back."● "How lucky am I to have the problems I've got?"● "People want to give; they just don't know where."About Our Guest:Elia Hill is a master connector, strategist, and purpose-driven professional with deep roots in sport and charity. She works across tennis, local government, and industry engagement, while also serving as an ambassador for St. Vinnie's CEO Sleepout and a passionate supporter of the Children's Hospital and Gallipoli Medical Research. Known for her tenacity, warmth, and ability to see connections where others don't, Elia is a sought-after networker, moderator, and event host.About Your Host:Lauren Karan, founder of Karan & Co. and host of Building Doors, is dedicated to helping professionals unlock their potential. Through insightful interviews and real-life stories, Lauren empowers listeners to create opportunities and thrive in their careers.How You Can Support the Podcast:● Subscribe and leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.● Share this episode with anyone interested in construction leadership, retention, team culture, and building a more inclusive industry ● Connect with Elia Hill on LinkedIn. Stay Connected:● Follow Lauren and the Building Doors podcast on LinkedIn.● Subscribe to the Building Doors newsletter for exclusive content.Let’s Connect:● Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email us at [email protected] you for listening! It’s time to stop waiting and start building.

In this episode of Building Doors, host Lauren Karan sits down with Mark Simister, a globally experienced program leader who has spent three decades reshaping how infrastructure is delivered. From London’s crumbling water network to disaster recovery in Queensland and Christchurch, and ultimately transforming Sydney Water into one of the world’s top-performing programs, Mark’s story proves that collaboration is not a buzzword. It is a system that works when leaders are brave enough to implement it.Mark opens up about his unconventional journey from the British Army to hydrogeology to major program delivery. He shares inside stories from rebuilding regions after natural disasters, pioneering early contractor involvement, cutting years out of procurement cycles, and leading one of the most influential collaborative frameworks in Australia.Whether you work in water, transport, energy, major projects, or leadership more broadly, this conversation will challenge you to rethink how teams engage, how contracts shape behavior, and how cultural clarity lifts productivity. Mark shows what happens when you replace fear-based systems with trust-based delivery: better outcomes, higher morale, and programs people are proud to be part of.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:Leadership & Career Journey:How Mark went from the British Army to hydrogeology to multimillion-dollar program leadership.Why early exposure to NEC contracts shaped his lifelong passion for collaboration.How major disaster events (2011 floods, Christchurch earthquake) taught him the power of co-location and shared purpose.Collaboration & High-Performance Delivery:Why early-contractor involvement removes waste before it starts.How co-located teams eliminate rework and build trust.Why standardized contracts accelerate decisions and cut procurement delays.How shared KPIs and open-book data create accountability instead of adversarial behavior.Procurement Reform & Industry Challenges:Why traditional tendering creates fear, inefficiency, and poor outcomes.How Sydney Water shifted from adversarial contracting to 10-year partnership frameworks.How behavioral scoring using organizational psychologists created world-class team alignment.Why governance should enable, not police, major programs.Culture, People & LegacyWhy emotional intelligence matters as much as engineering intelligence.How embedding finance, communications, and support staff into frontline teams boosts morale.Why Mark believes mature engagement between owners and contractors must define Australia’s next decade of delivery.What meaningful legacy looks like when billions of public dollars are on the line.Key Quotes from Mark Simister:“I want to see people enjoying being at work. I want to see a maturity in the engagement between owner and contractor.”“Everyone will work in a spirit of mutual trust and cooperation, that’s written into NEC, and it changes everything.”“Get what you want. Get what you’re really striving for. If you want something, plan it clearly from the beginning.”“When disaster hits, people turn up. Collaboration becomes natural when the purpose is clear.”“It’s public money, my money and your money so I want to see it spent effectively.”About Our Guest:Mark Simister is a program delivery and collaborative contracting specialist known for transforming some of the most complex infrastructure environments in Australia and the UK. From Sydney Water’s award-winning Partnering for Success framework to major disaster reconstruction and global best-practice adoption via Project 13, Mark’s work continues to influence the future of infrastructure procurement, governance, and team culture.About Your Host:Lauren Karan, founder of Karan & Co. and host of Building Doors, is dedicated to helping professionals unlock their potential. Through insightful interviews and real-life stories, Lauren empowers listeners to create opportunities and thrive in their careers.How You Can Support the Podcast:Subscribe and leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Share this episode with anyone interested in sustainability and leadership.Connect with Mark on LinkedIn to follow his work and insights.Stay Connected:Follow Lauren and the Building Doors podcast on LinkedIn.Subscribe to the Building Doors newsletter for exclusive content.Let’s Connect:Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email us at [email protected] you for listening! It’s time to stop waiting and start building.

In this episode of Building Doors, host Lauren Karan sits down with Dr. Sean Brady, a forensic engineer, safety expert, and founder of Brady Heywood Consulting. Known for leading the landmark Brady Review into fatal mining accidents, Sean breaks down why our current approach to safety is fundamentally flawed and how the way we design systems, reward behavior, and report incidents can quietly create the very risks we think we are preventing.Sean shares what he discovered while investigating major failures across mining, aviation, health, and engineering, and why so many organizations unknowingly encourage silence, hide near misses, and measure the wrong things entirely. From normalization of deviance to the dangers of chasing zero-harm metrics, this episode challenges leaders to rethink how they view systems, human behavior, and organizational learning.Whether you lead teams, manage major projects, or simply want to understand what true safety looks like, Sean's insights will shift how you think about risk, leadership, and culture.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:Rethinking Safety and System Design:Why most companies mistake the absence of incidents for the presence of safety.The real reason safety statistics often hide, not reveal, fatal risks.How normalization of deviance creeps into everyday work and leads to catastrophic failures.Why high-reliability organizations like aviation do not rely on compliance alone.Leadership, Reporting, and Culture:Why bad news rarely flows upward and how leaders can change that.How to create a culture where people report near misses instead of hiding them.Why learning beats blaming and how organizations unintentionally punish honesty.What senior leaders must do to build genuine psychological safety.Building Systems That Actually Keep People Alive:Why effective controls, not hazards, determine whether people survive high-risk work.How to design critical controls and verify their effectiveness continuously.The powerful difference between set-and-forget systems versus systems that learn.How dropped object reports and near misses can reveal deep system weaknesses.Key Quotes from Dr. Sean Brady:"It is not hazards that kill people, it is ineffective controls.""Zero harm sounds good, but what your people hear is: do not report anything.""When you cannot measure what is important, you make what you can measure important.""High-reliability organizations do not expect perfection. They expect things to go wrong.""Our companies are built for good news to flow up, not bad news."About Our Guest:Dr. Sean Brady is a forensic engineer, consultant, and internationally recognized expert in safety and organizational failure. Through his company, Brady Heywood Consulting, Sean investigates complex failures across high-risk industries and helps leaders understand how systems break and how to design organizations that learn, adapt, and prevent catastrophic events. His work on the Brady Review reshaped how Australia views mining fatalities and organizational risk.About Your Host:Lauren Karan, founder of Karan & Co. and host of Building Doors, is dedicated to helping professionals unlock their potential. Through insightful interviews and real-life stories, Lauren empowers listeners to create opportunities and thrive in their careers.How You Can Support the Podcast:Subscribe and leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Share this episode with anyone interested in sustainability and leadership.Connect with Dr. Sean Brady on LinkedIn to learn more about his work.Stay Connected:Follow Lauren and the Building Doors podcast on LinkedIn.Subscribe to the Building Doors newsletter for exclusive content.Let’s Connect:Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email us at [email protected] you for listening! It’s time to stop waiting and start building.

In this episode of Building Doors, host Lauren Karan sits down with Nick Mair, founder of Pack Mentality Group and a rising voice for men’s mental health across construction, mining, and FIFO workforces. Nick opens up about his near-fatal mental health crisis, the moment Lifeline saved his life, and how that experience inspired him to build a movement centered around community, connection, and giving men a safe space to speak without judgment.Nick unpacks the hidden struggles workers face in high-pressure, male-dominated industries, from isolation and fatigue to identity shifts and societal expectations. Whether you lead teams, work onsite, or simply care about the well-being of people around you, this conversation will challenge you to rethink strength, connection, and what it means to show up for each other.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:The Truth About Men’s Mental Health:Why men are three times more likely to die by suicideThe silent toll of isolation, societal pressure, and identity shiftsHow stigma keeps men suffering alone and hiding behind “I’m fine”Why connection, not toughness, is the real antidoteInside the FIFO and Construction Reality:How long shifts, heat, fatigue, and remoteness impact mental healthWhy FIFO workers face unique guilt, stress, and relationship strainThe hidden dangers of financial pressure and “golden handcuffs”How simple support structures can change the culture on-siteBuilding Pack Mentality Group & The Power of the Pack:The story behind Pack Mentality Group and the “wolf pack” conceptWhy Nick created the onsite Wolf Chap and Wolf Angel rolesHow the Palmy Army gives men a safe space to talk openlyThe importance of catching subtle behavioural shifts earlyConnection, Identity & Living Your ValuesWhy our identity should not be tied to our job titleHow changing gender roles leaves many men feeling “lost”The danger of ignoring misalignment in your careerWhy removing the phone can transform any conversationKey Quotes from Nick Mair:“People don’t want to hear your obituary. They want to hear your story.”“Men want to be seen. They want to be heard. Just like everyone else.”“Fatigue is the biggest driver of poor mental health onsite.”“We’re losing connection through technology, and we’re not built for that.”“You’d be surprised how quickly a mate will show up when you say, ‘I’m not doing well.’”About Our Guest:Nick Mair is the founder of Pack Mentality Group, an organization dedicated to smashing the stigma around men's mental health. Through workplace sessions, Mental Health First Aid training, and community groups like the Palmy Army, Nick provides education, awareness, and safe spaces for men to be seen and heard. His mission is fueled by his own lived experience and a passion for ensuring no one feels as alone as he once did.About Your Host:Lauren Karan, founder of Karan & Co. and host of Building Doors, is dedicated to helping professionals unlock their potential. Through insightful interviews and real-life stories, Lauren empowers listeners to create opportunities and thrive in their careers.How You Can Support the Podcast:Subscribe and leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Share this episode with anyone interested in sustainability and leadership.Connect with Nick on LinkedIn and explore Pack Mentality Group’s mission.Stay Connected:Follow Lauren and the Building Doors podcast on LinkedIn.Subscribe to the Building Doors newsletter for exclusive content.Let’s Connect:Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email us at [email protected] you for listening! It’s time to stop waiting and start building.

In this episode of Building Doors, host Lauren Karan sits down with Paul Rojas, a commercial litigation lawyer and founder of ConstructSupport Australia. Paul pulls back the curtain on the silent crisis gripping the construction industry: record-high insolvencies. With years of experience working with builders, liquidators, and directors in the midst of legal storms, Paul provides a stark look at the realities of cash flow strain, contract breaches, and the domino effect that can topple even established companies.Paul shares hard-won wisdom on why proactive legal counsel is not an expense, but a critical investment in your business's survival. He demystifies complex contract clauses, reveals the common pitfalls that sink SMEs, and outlines the practical steps every construction business owner must take to shield themselves from financial collapse. Whether you're a seasoned builder or a new subcontractor, this episode is an essential guide to building a more resilient and legally sound business.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:Insolvency and Risk in Construction:Why insolvency rates in the construction sector are at an all-time high.The “four-year lag” effect of economic shocks like COVID-19.The domino effect when one builder collapses and how it impacts the entire supply chain.Contracts and Legal Protection:Common contract mistakes that can destroy your business.The difference between variations and cost escalation clauses and why it matters.Why every builder and subcontractor must understand their contract terms, not just have them.Business Growth and Leadership:Paul’s unique “merge to retire” model for law firm acquisitions.How to build a sustainable business through referrals, acquisitions, and trusted partnerships.Lessons from leading teams, spotting culture misfits, and trusting your gut in hiring.Resilience and Legacy:How to restructure a struggling business and turn it around.The power of focus and why staying in your niche protects you from unnecessary risk.Paul’s vision for a more transparent, accessible legal service model for SMEs.Key Quotes from Paul Rojas“As boring as it sounds, it always comes down to your contracts; they’re there to protect you.”“Insolvency doesn’t hit straight away. There’s always a four-year lag before the real impact shows.”“Stick to what you know and do it well. You can’t be everything to everyone.”“Sometimes the biggest lesson in business is learning to trust your gut.”About Our Guest:Paul Rojas is a commercial litigation lawyer and founder of RCR Lawyers, ConstructSupport Australia, and a national debt collection company. With more than 20 years of experience across construction, insolvency, and commercial law, Paul has helped countless businesses navigate disputes, avoid collapse, and rebuild stronger. Passionate about making legal support more accessible, he is now pioneering a subscription-based legal model for SMEs in the building industry.About Your Host:Lauren Karan, founder of Karan & Co. and host of Building Doors, is dedicated to helping professionals unlock their potential. Through insightful interviews and real-life stories, Lauren empowers listeners to create opportunities and thrive in their careers.How You Can Support the Podcast:Subscribe and leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Share this episode with anyone interested in sustainability and leadership.Connect with Paul Rojas on LinkedIn to learn more about his work.Stay Connected:Follow Lauren and the Building Doors podcast on LinkedIn.Subscribe to the Building Doors newsletter for exclusive content.Let’s Connect:Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email us at [email protected] you for listening! It’s time to stop waiting and start building.

In this episode of Building Doors, host Lauren Karan sits down with Sally Stannard, the Director General of Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads. Sally’s journey from a farm in New South Wales to leading one of the most ambitious transport reform agendas in Australia is one of grit, curiosity, and transformation. In this powerful conversation, Sally reveals her insights into the importance of leadership, inclusivity, and how women are breaking barriers in the traditionally male-dominated infrastructure sector.From the challenges of starting in a country town to leading large-scale infrastructure projects, Sally shares her experiences of creating change in the transport industry. She discusses how crucial it is to understand both design and construction, the importance of leadership during high-stakes moments, and why she believes infrastructure is about people, not just concrete and contracts.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:Female Leadership: Breaking Barriers and Building SupportThe power of mentorship and inclusion in fostering female leadersBalancing career, family, and leadership responsibilitiesCreating an environment where women can thrive and leadTransforming Public TransportHow the 2032 Olympics is reshaping Queensland’s infrastructureBuilding sustainable, accessible transport systems for future generationsThe role of public transport in connecting urban and regional communitiesCollaborative Contracting: Partnership Over PaperworkMoving beyond contract forms to foster true collaborationHow shared risks and rewards create stronger project outcomesThe importance of communication and transparency between sectorsShaping People and CultureMentorship and its impact on long-term industry successBuilding a culture where talent is nurtured and valuedCreating lasting change through inclusive leadershipInfrastructure as LifelineThe crucial role of infrastructure in remote and crisis-stricken areasRebuilding communities quickly after natural disastersHow regional infrastructure supports broader economic stabilityTechnology Transforming InfrastructureHow digital twins and AI are making infrastructure smarter and saferLeveraging technology for more efficient and sustainable systemsThe future of infrastructure: anticipatory solutions for safer communitiesKey Quotes from Sally Stannard:"Your career is shaped by the people you talk to.""I used to think that everything was about what I was working on, but I recognize now that how we work and who we work with, the team that we show up with every day, that's the thing that changes what it feels like to go to work.""Sitting on the outside knocking wasn't letting me have the kind of change that I wanted to have, so it motivated me to go inside.""A team’s job is not to critique each other. It is to find the things that are real issues and resolve them, not just throw them across the table at each other."About Our GuestSally Stannard is a visionary leader and a driving force behind the transformation of Queensland's transport systems. She is passionate about creating inclusive, forward-thinking infrastructure projects that address the needs of the community while embracing cutting-edge technologies. Throughout her career, Sally has worked across multiple facets of the transport sector, championing digital innovation, sustainable practices, and collaborative approaches to infrastructure development.Connect with Sally Stannard on LinkedIn.About Your HostLauren Karan, founder of Karan & Co. and host of Building Doors, is dedicated to helping professionals unlock their potential. Through insightful interviews and real-life stories, Lauren empowers listeners to create opportunities and thrive in their careers.How You Can Support the Podcast:Subscribe and leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Share this episode with engineers, contractors, and leaders in construction and infrastructure.Stay Connected:Follow Lauren and the Building Doors podcast on LinkedIn.Subscribe to the Building Doors newsletter for exclusive content.Let’s Connect:Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email us at [email protected] you for listening! It’s time to stop waiting and start building.

In this episode of Building Doors, host Lauren Karan sits down with Michael Terry, a construction leader whose career journey has taken him from dreaming of becoming a vet to running his own business to senior leadership roles on both the contracting and client side. Michael shares candid insights into work ethic, ownership, and the importance of systems in building successful projects, as well as how to transition from “110% worker” to leader and mentor.Michael’s story highlights resilience, entrepreneurial drive, and the value of mentoring the next generation. From early struggles at school to shaping communities through large-scale developments, his journey offers valuable lessons for anyone in construction, engineering, or leadership.What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeCareer Journey & ResilienceHow Michael went from aspiring mechanic and vet to becoming an engineer and entrepreneur.Lessons learned from starting and running his own business while studying.The importance of seeing setbacks as opportunities to build persistence and grit.Ownership & Work EthicWhy treating every project dollar as your own drives better results.How ownership shapes decision-making, from budgets to quality.The balance between working at “110%” and knowing when to slow down.Leadership & MentorshipTransitioning from worker to leader: leading by example and giving teams freedom to succeed.Why recognition and trust are vital in motivating high-performing teams.The role of mentoring in passing on hard-earned knowledge to the next generation of engineers.Systems & Business MindsetHow building repeatable systems creates long-term project success.Why a project should be run like its own business with a P&L mindset.The risks of leaner project teams and subcontractor-driven delivery models.Client-Side PerspectiveThe shift from contractor to client-side leadership and why patience is key.How to hold contractors accountable for quality while shaping better project outcomes.The legacy of moving from invisible infrastructure to building visible communitiesKey Quotes from Michael Terry“Every dollar is your dollar. Would you accept it at home if you were paying for it?”“You can make one mistake, but never the same mistake twice.”“Most of the money is made before you break ground; after that, you’re just chasing it.”“The answer is three phone calls away, build your network, and don’t be afraid to ask.”About Our Guest:Michael Terry is a seasoned construction leader with experience spanning demolition, infrastructure, and development. From running his own business in his early 20s to senior leadership in client-side development, he brings a unique perspective on ownership, systems, and building high-performing teams. Passionate about mentoring, Michael is committed to sharing his knowledge with the next generation of engineers and leaders.About Your Host:Lauren Karan, founder of Karan & Co. and host of Building Doors, is dedicated to helping professionals unlock their potential. Through insightful interviews and real-life stories, Lauren empowers listeners to create opportunities and thrive in their careers.How You Can Support the Podcast:Subscribe and leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Share this episode with engineers, contractors, and leaders in construction and infrastructure.Connect with Michael Terry on LinkedIn to learn more about his journey.Stay Connected:Follow Lauren and the Building Doors podcast on LinkedIn.Subscribe to the Building Doors newsletter for exclusive content.Let’s Connect:Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email us at [email protected] you for listening! It’s time to stop waiting and start building.