In this special Christmas-themed episode of the Leadership Blueprints podcast, host BJ Kraemer draws on some of his favorite classic Christmas films to explore the art and science of leading oneself and others.

Ebenezer Scrooge sparks a conversation around awareness and change, while Kevin McAllister offers a surprising lens on ownership and responsibility. A nod to It’s a Wonderful Life serves as a quiet reminder of the power of relationships.

The episode also explores what it means to help others grow into the roles they’re called to step into, and concludes with Clark Griswold as a timely reflection on how unchecked vision can impact those around us.

Join BJ for another episode filled with valuable leadership insights! Happy Holidays!

Key Points From This Episode:

• The leadership lesson from Ebenezer Scrooge: transformation after self-awareness.
• How Kevin McAllister shows that ownership drives creativity.
• It’s a Wonderful Life: “No man is a failure who has friends.”
• Leadership is about cultivating potential by giving people the opportunity to grow into who the role requires them to become.
• The lesson from Clark Griswald: vision without awareness can exhaust everyone around you.

Quotes:

“Transformation is possible, but like I've talked about before, only after self-awareness.” — BJ Kraemer

“When people truly own outcomes, they rise faster than we expect.” — BJ Kraemer

“[George Bailey] teaches us that the most meaningful impact is often invisible when you're living through it.” — BJ Kraemer

“Good intentions don't excuse poor awareness.” — BJ Kraemer

“I talk a lot about the first step in leadership is leading yourself first, and the first step in leading yourself first is getting clear on who you are, who you aren't, what your strengths are, what they're not. And I think the lesson we can all take away from Scrooge McDuck is results without humanity create financial success, but no relationship success and no legacy.” — BJ Kraemer

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Mickey's Christmas Carol (Disney+)
A Christmas Carol

Home Alone

Home Alone 2
It’s a Wonderful Life (Apple TV)

The Santa Clause (Disney+)
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (Netflix)
Leadership Blueprints Podcast

MCFA

MCFA Careers

BJ Kraemer on LinkedIn

Real innovation often starts with a problem you just can't stop thinking about. In this episode of The Leadership Blueprints Podcast, BJ Kraemer welcomes Scott Wolfe, founder and former CEO of Levelset, to unpack how a small but persistent frustration with construction payment practices led him to build one of the most influential platforms in the industry.

Scott shares how Hurricane Katrina pulled him into the world of restoration work, construction law, and software development, ultimately revealing the systemic barriers that keep contractors from getting paid for the work they complete. He traces Levelset’s evolution from a lien rights tool to a suite of products that reduce friction, increase transparency, and help stakeholders protect the value they put into a job.

Scott also reflects on the culture that shaped Levelset’s rapid growth, the leadership habits that held the team together through the scaling process, and why true innovation starts with deep familiarity with the problem you’re trying to solve.

Tune in to hear how genuine leadership and commitment to the customer can transform a key sector of the AEC industry!

Key Points From This Episode:

• How Hurricane Katrina redirected his path into restoration work and construction law.

• Launching Levelset as a lien-rights solution before expanding its scope.

• Growing the platform into risk, finance, and insurance tools for the industry.

• How payment delays and retaining employees strain small contractors and suppliers.

• Scaling the company to hundreds of employees through clear, consistent communication.

Quotes:

“When you do work on a job, or you put materials into a job, you deserve to get paid, and we want to make sure you're always in an empowered position to do it.” — Scott Wolfe

“We really didn't have true venture money. It was a little more like friends and family, seed money, and cash flow. – But what that allowed our culture to do, and I think this is a little underappreciated by companies, [is] to get a lot of institutional knowledge about the problem.” — Scott Wolfe

“You have to be in the stream of something from my standpoint, to be able to understand where the problem is and really care about the problem.” — Scott Wolfe

“I still think that the crown jewels of any super successful company is in the affinity that you develop around the problem you're solving and how well you know it. All the technology becomes a tool for it. AI is great, it does some interesting things, but it doesn't build a business.” — Scott Wolfe

“People follow people who have that true enthusiasm and that true authenticity.” — Scott Wolfe

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Scott Wolfe

Scott Wolfe on LinkedIn

Levelset

Made to Stick

The Power of Moments

Switch

Leadership Blueprints Podcast

MCFA

MCFA Careers

BJ Kraemer on LinkedIn

Sport is an incredible tool in developing leaders. Welcome to a very special episode of Leadership Blueprints, where BJ and Joey Fay are diving into the Army-Navy rivalry ahead of Army-Navy Week next week!

In this conversation, you’ll hear all about the history of the Army-Navy games, what it feels like to participate, the rivalry of both love and hate, and so much more! We delve into some leadership lessons we’ve learned on the field of friendly strife before discussing the power of working as a team. Finally, you’ll hear about Joey and BJ’s Army-Navy bet for this year.

Thanks for tuning in and go Army! Beat Navy!

Key Points From This Episode:

• How sports help develop good leaders.

• The history of wins in the Army-Navy games.

• What it’s like to be part of the Army-Navy game.

• The love/hate relationship this rivalry creates.

• Leadership lessons we learned on the field.

• The special trust between these teammates.

• Joey and BJ tell us about their Army-Navy bet.

Quotes:

“The power of sports in the development of leaders is unmatched.” — BJ Kraemer

“I think that this is an unpredictable game!” — Joey Fay

“The experience at the Army-Navy game as an athlete is one of the most exciting things I think you could ever experience.” — Joey Fay

“The [Army-Navy] rivalry is one of both love and hate.” — BJ Kraemer

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Joey Fay on LinkedIn

Leadership Blueprints Podcast

MCFA

MCFA Careers

BJ Kraemer on LinkedIn

Entrepreneurship often starts with a spark of curiosity and the courage to follow it.

In this episode of The Leadership Blueprints Podcast, BJ Kraemer sits down with Malory Atkinson, co-founder and managing partner of Shear Structural, Georgia’s only all-women-owned structural engineering firm. Malory shares how growing up with an entrepreneurial father and starting her career during the 2008 recession shaped her approach to leadership, relationships, and resilience. She reflects on her time in tech startups, her return to the built environment, and what it means to create a company that grows sustainably while empowering employees to lead.

From the lessons of working directly under CEOs to launching a firm focused on adaptive reuse, healthcare, and education projects, Malory underscores that engineering is ultimately a business of people, and that success depends on relationships built before you need them.

Tune in to hear her insights on networking, storytelling, and leading with authenticity in a changing industry!

Key Points From This Episode:

• How her father’s example sparked her entrepreneurial drive.

• Insights gained from a stint in tech and returning to the built environment.

• Founding Georgia’s only all-women-owned structural engineering firm.

• Creating a resilient company that grows sustainably and supports employee growth.

• Building leadership at every level of your company.

• The importance of making relationships before you need them.

Quotes:

“I started my career in 2008, which is the absolute worst time anybody could have ever started in this industry. But I learned a lot about the value of client relationships and winning business when there was no business to be had.” — Malory Atkinson

“Engineering is not just a business of design: it’s a business of people and trust.” — Malory Atkinson

“Shear Structural is Georgia's only all-women-owned structural engineering firm. We're focused on adaptive reuse, health care, education, and municipal projects across the southeast.” — Malory Atkinson

“Somebody told me, early on in my career, to make relationships before you need them.” — Malory Atkinson

“I approach networking as, ‘How can I help you?’ So, if I'm meeting somebody, I'm not like, ‘How can you help me by giving me work?’ I'm like, ‘How can I help you?’” — Malory Atkinson

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Malory Atkinson on LinkedIn
Shear Structural

The Zero Co

How to Win Friends and Influence People

Leadership Blueprints Podcast

MCFA

MCFA Careers

BJ Kraemer on LinkedIn

A leader’s success is directly tied to their ability to set an example to those they’re leading and manage their own sense of discipline.

Today on Leadership Blueprints, we wrap up our DOD series with a special guest, Dan Bailey. Dan is a former naval officer and the current vice president of commercial operations at Quanta Services. Tuning in, you’ll hear about Dan’s time in the Navy, moving from active duty to Quanta Services, what the company does, and why leaders need to be enablers.

We delve into Dan’s role at Quanta Services and how he brings value to the business as a whole, before discussing the biggest lessons he learned from his transition from active duty, what led him to decide to leave, and how he determined what he wanted to focus on next. Dan discusses the leadership lessons he has learned from his military experience, how they have benefited him in his new career path, and what he hopes to achieve.

As always, Dan answers our rapid-fire questions and, to close, leaves listeners with some pearls of wisdom and tells us all about the Honor Foundation.

Be sure to press play now!

Key Points From This Episode:

• What drew our guest to the Naval Academy.
• Dan tells us about his role at Quanta Services and how he brings value to the company.
• Lessons he learned from his transition from active duty and how he decided what to do next.
• How being in the military has served Dan as a leader in the private sector.
• How to apply to the Honor Foundation and Dan’s advice for transitioning officers.

Quotes:

“As a leader in any company, you have the opportunity to be an enabler to the degree that you want to be.” — Dan Bailey

“If I’m doing my job right, we’re able to move faster, bring more value, and help the customer succeed in their projects and their goals.” — Dan Bailey

“A leader doesn’t succeed by using force, they succeed by using example.” — Dan Bailey

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Dan Bailey on LinkedIn

Quanta Services

The Honor Foundation

Robert E. Lee on Leadership

Leadership Blueprints Podcast

MCFA

MCFA Careers

BJ Kraemer on LinkedIn

Welcome back to another episode of Leadership Blueprints as we continue our special DoD to AEC series for November, honoring veterans who have transitioned from active duty into the built environment.

In this episode, BJ Kraemer sits down with MCFA senior project leader and former Marine Corps infantry officer Brian McGrath to explore his journey from platoon commander in Afghanistan to leading complex construction and development projects across diverse markets. Brian shares the realities of counterinsurgency operations in Helmand Province, what he learned from his time in the Marines, and how those lessons translate directly into project leadership and day-to-day decision-making around scope, schedule, and budget. Brian unpacks how he uses structure, communication, and AI tools to stay ahead of the chaos, why teamwork and humility sit at the core of his leadership philosophy, and how books and mentors continue to shape his mindset.

Whether you’re a transitioning veteran or a leader in the built environment, this episode offers powerful insights into what is possible when discipline, thought, and purpose collide. Tune in now!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Hear how lessons from the Marine Corps inform his work in the construction industry.
• His Marine Corps career journey and experience serving as a platoon commander.
• How he got his first job in construction and worked his way up to estimating.
• Leadership lessons he carried from the Marine Corps into the private sector.
• Explore his approach to building professional relationships and teams.
• Discover what it takes to be an ideal team member: humble, hungry, smart.

Quotes:

“Thinking means planning better and making sure that you're getting up and you're going to projects knowing what you're talking about, what they need to know, [and] the documentation, the information is all set and prepped.” — Brian McGrath

“I always loved construction. I always thought there was a connection between military and construction.” — Brian McGrath

“I'm not successful in anything without the people around me.” — Brian McGrath

“Until thought is linked to purpose. There's no intelligent accomplishment.” — Brian McGrath

“Obstacles in your life are your life.” — Brian McGrath

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Brian McGrath on LinkedIn

Quatrefoil Consulting LLC

Founding Forward

As a Man Thinketh

Leadership Blueprints Podcast

MCFA

MCFA Careers

BJ Kraemer on LinkedIn

Bill Squires, now serving as Chief Venues and Operations Manager for the New York, New Jersey Host Committee for the FIFA 2026 World Cup, has built a remarkable career shaped by discipline, service, and an enduring passion for leadership. His journey began when he found his calling as a Navy pilot, a foundation that continues to influence his approach to managing complex operations and teams.

Today, he remains connected to the Naval Academy, mentoring the next generation of leaders and carrying forward lessons in accountability, teamwork, and resilience. Transitioning from employee to consultant and later founding his own company, Bill has leveraged a powerful professional network to take on some of the largest events of his career. His insights on leadership draw deeply from both his military service and his time in sports, where the field has taught him as much about character and composure as it has about competition.

After surviving a near-death experience with COVID, Bill’s perspective on life and leadership has deepened even further, now guided by gratitude, purpose, and a desire to help others step into the best version of themselves.

Key Points From This Episode:

• How he found his calling to serve as a Navy pilot.
• Some leadership lessons from the Navy that Bill applies to his work in the stadium business.
• Becoming a consultant after working as an employee.
• Starting his own company and drawing on an incredible network.
• Advice to anyone looking to become someone new.
• The biggest events of his leadership career.

Quotes:

“Being decisive is a great leadership quality that I wish more people had.” — Bill Squires

“Get a job, but still continue to chase your passion. Don’t give up on it!” — Bill Squires

“I’m a leader by example. It’s not so much about what I say, but it’s more about what I do.” — Bill Squires

“Be grateful for everything. Even the tough times in your life, because the tough times in your life make the good times in your life even better.” — Bill Squires

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Bill Squires on LinkedIn

William D. Squires Columbia University

Survival Thinking

Make Your Bed

Sports Business Journal

MetLife Stadium

New York New Jersey Host Committee

Something More - A Servant Leader’s Journey From Enlisted Guardsman to Electrical Tradesman to Executive o the Largest Entertainment Facilities in the World

Leadership Blueprints Podcast

MCFA

MCFA Careers

BJ Kraemer on LinkedIn

In business, you should always approach situations with a focus on achieving the best outcome for the circumstances, not just for yourself.

Today, we are joined by former West Point 2004 classmate and USACE market leader at Mead & Hunt, Craig Bryant. Tuning in, you’ll hear all about Craig’s career and transition from active duty to Mead & Hunt, why you need to make sure the people you lead feel valued and respected, how you can do that, and so much more!

We delve into Craig’s unique approach to finding a job after active duty and how that ultimately led him to Mead & Hunt before discussing how he got involved in the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) leadership development program and what it entails. He even talks about his favorite podcast and quotes, the books he’s been enjoying lately, and why he would love to have one more dinner with his late grandmother. Finally, our guest shares some words of wisdom for listeners.

If you are in the army and haven’t thought about your transition out of active duty, let this conversation be your reminder to start thinking about it! Press play now!

Key Points From This Episode:

• The importance of making sure people feel valued and how to do it as a leader.
• Craig tells us about his career path all the way from the military to the private sector.
• His unconventional approach to finding a job and how it led him to Mead & Hunt.
• How Craig got into the SAME leadership development program and what it looks like.

Quotes:

“Every company has its own individual culture.” — Craig Bryant

“It’s very important to be intentional with your gratitude [and] intentional with your respect.” — Craig Bryant

“You’ve got to be ready for firms to tell you, ‘Hey, we just don’t have an opportunity for you right now.’ That’s not personal, it’s just a reality of business.” — Craig Bryant

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Craig Bryant on LinkedIn

Mead & Hunt

SAME

How to Win Friends and Influence People

Good to Great

Service Academy Business Mastermind on Apple Podcasts

Leadership Blueprints Podcast

MCFA

MCFA Careers

BJ Kraemer on LinkedIn