The “post and pray” era of hiring is over — and the AEC industry is feeling it more than ever in 2025.

In this solo episode, Bryce Batts shares:
✅ Why top candidates are gone in 10–14 days
✅ What mid-career professionals and Gen Z are demanding beyond a paycheck
✅ How retention has become the new recruitment strategy
✅ The “Career Architect” mindset — and how it transforms hiring into a long-term investment

And for the big news… Bryce reveals a project she’s been quietly working on: her upcoming book The Career Architect: How to Build a Career That Aligns with Your Vision and Values, launching October 1st.

Whether you’re an AEC leader, hiring manager, or professional designing your own career, this episode is packed with insights you can put into action today.

🎧 Listen now and get a sneak peek into the future of hiring — and a framework that could change the way you think about careers.

What if selling could feel fluid, simple, and easy, without the grind, burnout, or self-sacrifice?
In this episode, I’m joined by Kirstin Carey, a neuroresilience specialist and serial entrepreneur who’s built multiple six- and seven-figure businesses both brick-and-mortar and online.

After healing from two autoimmune conditions brought on by years of overwork, Kirstin now helps high achievers master the trifecta of sales, resilience, and balance. With over 30 years of experience across industries—restaurants, health coaching, business consulting, and more—she’s sold millions in products, services, retreats, and high-ticket coaching.

We dig into:

• Why burnout is the hidden business killer (and how to avoid it)

• The truth about why selling feels hard (and what to do instead)

• How to build a business that doesn’t just look good from the outside, but feels good on the inside

• The surprising role neuroresilience plays in consistent, confident sales

If you’ve ever felt like building your business comes at the cost of your health, relationships, or joy, this conversation is your permission slip to do it differently.

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In this episode of Wine After Work, I sit down with the powerhouse that is Dee Davis a construction industry veteran, professional educator, Master Composter (yes, really!), Certified Energy Manager, and LEED AP. With over 25 years in construction and 15 years as an educator, Dee shares how she blends sustainability and professional development through her work at Yellowstone Professional Education.

We talk about the importance of leading with integrity, staying curious, and why setting "big hairy audacious goals" isn’t just encouraged — it’s essential. Dee opens up about what drives her: nature, people, and the pursuit of knowledge. This is more than a career — it’s a calling.

We discuss:

• What it means to build with sustainability in mind

• Why education is key to evolving the construction industry

• The bold mission behind Yellowstone Professional Education

• How to lead with honesty, tenacity, and purpose

• What firms can do right now to future-proof their workforce

Dee’s Motto:
"I exist to enlighten and inform others honestly and responsibly; accelerating skills, knowledge and helping to set and exceed big hairy audacious goals."

If you're looking to bring heart, strategy, and sustainability into your leadership or your firm, this episode is for you.

🔗 Learn more about Dee at [Yellowstone Professional Education].

What if your leadership legacy wasn’t about the perfect metrics or flawless PowerPoints, but about the ripple effect you create in the lives of those around you?

In this episode of Wine After Work, I sit down with Lisa Even, a keynote speaker, author of Joy Is My Job, and host of the Have Good Ripple Effect podcast. Lisa is on a mission to help leaders and organizations spark engagement, connection, and thriving cultures through what she calls the Good Ripple Effect.

We talk about:
🍷 How leaders can build cultures people choose to engage with.
🍷 What it really means to create a positive ripple at work (and at home).
🍷 Simple, actionable ways to bring more joy into your leadership style.

If you’ve been looking for fresh inspiration to lead in a way that truly makes an impact, this conversation is for you.

👉 Tune in and let’s create some good ripples together!

https://lisaeven.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-even-have-good-ripple-effect-0778b112/

https://www.instagram.com/lisaeven_/

Why Finding Talent in AEC Is Harder Than Ever (And What to Do About It)

Have you noticed how hard it is to find great talent right now?
You’re not imagining it—the AEC industry is feeling a real talent squeeze.

In this solo episode of Wine After Work, I break down what’s really happening in today’s talent market, why it matters, and what you can do about it.

Here’s what we cover:
The big-picture forces behind the talent shortage in AEC

What top talent actually wants in 2025 (it’s more than just money)

The hiring challenges firms are facing right now

What smart firms are doing differently to attract and retain the best

Actionable steps you can take to make your firm a talent magnet

After 25 years in recruiting, I’ve never seen a time when talent expectations and firm expectations were so misaligned—and that’s actually an opportunity if you’re willing to adapt.

👉 Tune in and let’s make sure your firm doesn’t just survive this market, but thrives in it.

In this episode of Wine After Work, I sit down with Jim Riney, a seasoned recruiter and talent acquisition leader who has spent 25 years in the AEC industry. Jim’s journey is remarkable—starting at an agency, moving into corporate at a national firm (later acquired by a global giant), and spending several years shaping talent acquisition operations before joining Freese and Nichols.

Four years ago, Jim joined Freese and Nichols to do something unprecedented in their 130-year history: build their first talent acquisition team from the ground up. Today, he leads a team of eight with an ambitious mission—to hire 350 people this year—all while shaping a culture that attracts and retains top talent in a competitive market.

Pour a glass, tune in, and discover:

• What it takes to build a high-performing TA team from scratch in a legacy firm

• How Jim and his team approach hiring at scale without losing the human touch

• Lessons learned over 25 years in AEC recruiting and why culture matters now more than ever

Listen in and get inspired by Jim’s vision for the future of hiring in our industry.

In this powerful episode of Wine After Work, Bryce sits down with Marcia Dawood — early-stage investor, TEDx speaker, podcast host, and author of Do Good While Doing Well. As a venture partner at Mindshift Capital and Chair Emeritus of the Angel Capital Association, Marcia brings a wealth of insight into what it means to invest with impact, support women-led startups, and champion innovation in spaces that need it most.

Marcia also serves on the SEC’s Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee and is an associate producer of the award-winning documentary Show Her the Money, a film that pulls back the curtain on how (and why) funding for women founders remains unequal — and what we can do about it.

Grab a glass and join us as we talk about:
🍷 Why angel investing isn’t just for the ultra-wealthy
🍷 How to align your values with your investment decisions
🍷 The real barriers facing women in entrepreneurship
🍷 What inspired Do Good While Doing Well
🍷 The behind-the-scenes journey of Show Her the Money

Connect with Marcia:
🔗 Website: https://www.marciadawood.com
📚 Book: Do Good While Doing Well – [Available on Amazon]
🎥 Documentary: Show Her the Money
🎧 Podcast: The Angel Next Door
📱 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marciadawood

This week on Wine After Work, I’m joined by Arivee Vargas — award-winning executive coach, bestselling author of Your Time to Rise, host of the Humble Rising Podcast, and a fierce champion of empowering women to break free of limiting beliefs.

Arivee draws on nearly two decades of legal and corporate executive experience to guide high-achieving lawyers and corporate leaders toward more confidence, clarity, and fulfillment. We talk about:

✅ How to unlearn the beliefs that hold you back
✅ Practical ways to protect your energy and time
✅ Lessons from her career pivot from law to executive coaching
✅ Work-life harmony as a leadership strategy
✅ Her journey as a first-generation Latina breaking barriers

Arivee’s insights will inspire you to think bigger, dream bolder, and create the career and life you truly want.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
📚 Your Time to Rise (Arivee’s book): Grab it here
🛠️ Free Boundary Toolkit: Claim it here
🌟 More resources + coaching programs: ariveevargas.com
💌 Join Arivee’s empowering email community: Sign up here

Follow Arivee:

• Instagram: @ariveevargas

• LinkedIn: Arivee Vargas