About this episode

Janelle Kerrisk discusses her journey in construction law and the importance of changing business systems to support better outcomes.

In this episode of Building Doors, host Lauren Karan sits down with Janelle Kerrisk, founder of Helix Legal, a construction lawyer, business owner, and leader reshaping how legal services support the construction industry. From making partner at 30 to leaving a large firm and building Helix with one-year-old twins at home, Janelle shares the personal and professional decisions that shaped her approach to leadership, flexibility, systems, and success. Janelle reflects on the confidence it took to build her career in construction law, the doubts that still exist even after decades of experience, and the unusual ways she pushed herself outside her comfort zone — from public speaking to a comedy course at The Paddo Tavern. She also explains why the systems inside a business matter so deeply, how they influence behavior, collaboration, and trust, and why changing the way people work often starts with changing the infrastructure around them. Tune in for a thoughtful, practical, and deeply human conversation about building a business differently, challenging hustle culture, creating flexibility that actually works, and reimagining the role of legal services in construction — from…

People in this episode

Host: Lauren Karan

Guest: Janelle Kerrisk

Topics covered

• construction law
• leadership
• business flexibility
• legal services
• hustle culture
• personal development

Keywords

• construction
• legal services
• business leadership
• flexibility
• confidence
• hustle culture
• public speaking

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Helix Legal, The Paddo Tavern

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