Did you know 95% of people will look up your company online before making a decision? In this episode, we explore the world of construction marketing with Perryn Olson, a fractional CMO who’s helping AEC companies maximize ROI and stay competitive in the digital age. From the surprising findings of the 2025 Construction SEO Report to the game-changing role of AI in search, this conversation is a must-listen for anyone in the industry. Tune in to learn why SEO is no longer optional—and how to make it work for your business!
About Perryn Olson, FSMPS, CPSM, CCMP:
Perryn is a marketing strategist that understands how to drive profitability, grow efficiency, and maximize ROI. He is a Fractional Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) focused on Construction and ConTech companies at AltCMO. Perryn is also an SMPS Fellow, CPSM, and certified with the Construction Marketing Association. Perryn is the past president of SMPS Southeast Louisiana and a member of the chapter's hall of fame, and past co-chair for SMPS Southern Regional Conferences (SRC).
Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/perryn/
Website: https://altcmo.net/
Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@AltCMO.
2025 Construction SEO Report: https://altcmo.net/news/2025-construction-seo-report/
Whether you're a Swiftie or not, Taylor Swift's influence on global spending and the marketing strategies behind her success are impossible to ignore. In this episode, Deirdre Booth and I explore how AEC firms can draw inspiration from Taylor Swift's innovative marketing tactics to create their own opportunities for growth.
Are you ready to upgrade your marketing efforts in professional services with a podcast? Maybe you're on the fence?
In either case, John Tyreman, founder of Red Cedar Marketing and co-host of the Breaking BizDev podcast, has got you covered!
In this episode, John shares strategies for using podcasts to build trust, expand networks, and create endless marketing content. From his early days launching shows during the pre-COVID era to navigating today's video-first landscape, John reveals the best practices that separate successful podcast operations from those that fade away after just a few episodes.
What You'll Learn:
Whether you're a leader considering a podcast for your firm or a marketing professional looking to optimize your content strategy, this episode delivers actionable insights you can implement immediately.
About John:
John Tyreman is the founder of Red Cedar Marketing and co-hosts the Breaking BizDev podcast. John and his team help experts and firms use podcasting to build trust with buyers, grow their networks, and create endless marketing content.
Links!
Red Cedar Marketing: https://www.redcedarmarketing.com/
John Tyreman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johntyreman/
Breaking BizDev Podcast: https://www.breakingbizdev.com/
Having a hard time finding and keeping top marketing talent in the AEC industry? You’re definitely not alone. In fact, it’s one of the biggest headaches firms are dealing with right now.
In this episode, we’re tackling that challenge head-on and sharing one game-changing approach: creating clear paths for upward mobility within your firm. We’ll chat about smart ways to find talent where they already are and how investing in their growth can completely transform your team.
About Skip:
Skip is a principal and vice president of marketing at Coffman Engineers. In this role, he oversees the company-wide strategic marketing, communication, and branding efforts, and supports ongoing company growth in geographic reach, markets served, and engineering capabilities.
Skip has been a marketer in the AEC industry since 2006. He was the founding president of the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) Alaska Chapter, and has served in various board and committee positions for numerous organizations. He holds a Master of Professional Communications in marketing communication and a Bachelor of Science in graphic and multimedia technology.
Website:
https://www.coffman.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/skipbourgeois/
From pre-tradeshow planning to post-event debriefs, Tracy Jenkins shares her proven process and go-to checklist for success. Tune in as we explore best practices, actionable tips, and a step-by-step approach to make your next tradeshow a winning experience!
About Tracy Jenkins, MBA, CPSM:
Tracy is a dedicated business development professional providing strategic marketing services for the 3QC team. She specializes in research, organization, technical writing, and creative thinking, consistently meeting tight deadlines and delivering impactful results.
Website: https://3qcinc.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenkinstracy/
In this episode, Mindy and I discuss how a healthy culture affects a company's bottom line and the impact cultural strategy can have on your firm and community. She provides historical context for current cultural challenges and examples of the best ways we can move forward.
About Mindy Gulati:
Mindy is a seasoned strategist and advisor whose career spans law, leadership, and organizational transformation. Rooted in a strong foundation of critical thinking and problem-solving, she began her professional journey as a trial lawyer, honing her ability to navigate complexity, uncover biases, and advocate for equitable outcomes. Nearly a decade of experience in the criminal justice system sharpened her skills in strategy, communication, and relationship-building—qualities that would later define her consulting approach.
A decade ago, Mindy founded Fundamental Advisory, a consultancy dedicated to guiding organizations through pivotal challenges and opportunities. Whether partnering with corporate leaders, legal teams, or government entities, she brings a unique blend of analytical rigor, emotional intelligence, and actionable insight to every engagement. Her work focuses on aligning leadership teams, driving cultural transformation, and solving high-stakes organizational issues.
Under Mindy's leadership, Fundamental Advisory has become a trusted partner for companies building sustainable leadership teams, navigating crises, fostering collaboration, and achieving long-term business goals. Known for her ability to lead through ambiguity and deliver sustainable results, Mindy is passionate about empowering leaders to build resilient, high-performing organizations.
Through her consultancy, Mindy and her team have facilitated breakthroughs for clients across diverse industries, fostering environments where innovation thrives, teams excel, and businesses grow.
Website: https://www.fundamentaladvisory.com/
Book Recommendation: The Sum of Us: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-sum-of-us-what-racism-costs-everyone-and-how-we-can-prosper-together-heather-mcghee/14618549?ean=9780525509585&next=t
This is a recording of the closing conversations at SERC where the creator of the AEC Marketing Memes instagram page and I sit down to talk about the page, how content is created, and their philosophy behind the page.
AEC Marketing Memes: https://www.instagram.com/aecmarketingmemes/?hl=en
Video of Surreal Cereal Ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDJ7eG9ZYRE
Myself and the fantastic mind behind the AEC Marketing Memes page, "Mimi", talk about the sessions we went to at SERC and some of our key take-aways. We also touched on the conference as a whole and the details that stuck out the most to us as attendees.
In this episode as part of the SERC conference series, Shane and I talked about management strategies to help your team's operations and maximize efficiency which included systems to eliminate tedious and time-intensive tasks like reformatting resumes and project sheets.
About Shane:
Shane Kane
Director | Turner & Townsend
Over the course of his marketing career, including work at an independent marketing agency and professional service firms focused on building design, construction and management, Shane has advanced marketing programs within national and international markets. His leadership, development and execution of multi-faceted marketing and business development programs has been aimed at strengthening overall corporate visibility while advancing new business pursuit interests. He has extensive experience in generating brand impressions, developing messaging, measuring effectiveness and guiding target audiences into the business development cycle. Using this integrated marketing and business development communications approach, he has led marketing teams and been involved in marketing efforts that have translated into new business contract awards exceeding $10 Billion in construction value in the last 12 years.
Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanekane/
Website: https://www.turnerandtownsend.com/
In this episode, Lillian and I talk about the importance of looking outside the AEC space to get inspired, prevent burnout, and effectively communicate your firm's brand and strategy.
About Lillian:
Lillian Parker
External Communications Manager | Little Diversified Architectural Consulting
Lillian is a curious and enthusiastic communications strategist, relationship builder, and storyteller. Professionally, Lillian serves as External Communications Manager with Little Diversified Architectural Consulting and a freelance copywriter and communications consultant. She is a lifelong learner fascinated by the intersections of language and experience. In all spaces, she strives to move with sincerity and intention. Lillian hails from Montgomery, Alabama, and graduated from Auburn University with bachelor's degrees in Public Relations and Spanish Language. She has resided in Charlotte, North Carolina, since 2018. Outside of work, Lillian enjoys fostering creative talent, binging cultural commentary, and loving on her rescue pup.
Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lillianvparker/
Website: littleonline.com
In this episode, industry veteran Bill Long, PE, LEED AP, and SMPS Fellow, shares his extensive insights on the strategic role of business development (BD) and marketing in AEC. He discusses how technical professionals and marketers can effectively collaborate throughout the client acquisition process, emphasizing the importance of connecting, meeting, and following up with clients to build relationships and establish trust.
Bill Long, PE, LEED AP, FSMPS
Principal | WRL Consultants
Bill is an experienced member of the design and construction community where he has been active for over forty years. During that time, Bill has held multiple positions at both design and construction firms including Principal, Vice President, Project Executive, Director of Business Development, Project Manager, and Project Engineer. An active member of the AEC community, Bill has been a featured speaker at multiple industry presentations and presented at regional and national functions for AIA, ACEC, AGC, CMAA, ASLA, SDA, NFMT, ASC, CSI, ISPE, and SMPS. Bill has authored numerous articles for various building industry publications and was the lead author and researcher for the Fellows Report published by the SMPS Foundation. He also authored a White Paper for the Foundation entitled International Success in the A/E/C World – Benchmarks and Best Practices. Bill is a Fellow in SMPS and a Past-Trustee and Past-President of the SMPS Foundation.
Links:
https://wrlconsultants.com/
Bill's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamrlong/
In this podcast episode, we dive into Whole-Brain® Thinking and Gracewriting, exploring how these tools can transform communication and proposal writing by tailoring messages to different thinking styles. Through engaging insights and real-world examples, we discuss key questions about leveraging these methods to improve marketing strategies, lead teams, and achieve impactful results.
Carol Doscher is the Founder, President, and CEO (Chief Encouragement Officer) of Graceworks, a communications training and coaching firm. She’s been immersed in teaching communication skills for nearly 30 years and just loves watching clients break through and find their freedom!
Kyla Stewart is a Gracewriter and Freedom Finder at Graceworks. So that means she’s wild about semicolons and loves to coach presenters to freedom and strength! She’s been in the world of theatre, elementary, secondary and higher education, photography, music, all the fun things, because she can’t sit still. Kyla hails from Miami, Florida and is thrilled to support her South Florida community!
Links:
https://graceworksinc.com/
In this episode, we explore the intricacies of social media strategy, including tools, recommendations, and tips for creating and maintaining your online presence. We also discuss how to refine your social media and online content to meet the needs of your firm.
Duncan Robertson, CPSM
Director of BD and Marketing | Tamarack Grove Engineering
Duncan is a BD and marketing professional who has dedicated his young career to the A/E/C industry. In just over five years after graduating from college, Duncan has made significant contributions to the marketing and BD presence at Tamarack Grove Engineering, co-founded SMPS Idaho, presented at AmplifyAEC and led his firm to win 10+ national marketing achievement and best firm awards through SMPS and Zweig Group. He served as President of SMPS Idaho, PR Chair for ACE Mentor Program of Idaho which he also co-founded, and also on various subcommittees with AmplifyAEC and SMPS PRC, including a 2024 Program Lead for Amplify AEC. Duncan has a passion for making a difference in the lives of others through content creation, strategic planning, and connecting like-minded professionals. Building authentic industry relationships and promoting the incredible work that technical professionals do each day wakes Duncan up every morning with a purpose.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/duncanhrobertson/
Website: https://www.tamarackgrove.com/
Ever felt like proposals take over your life? In this episode, we talk about Briana's SERC session on owning your pursuit schedule, balancing work and personal life, and learning how to stay in control even when everything feels chaotic.
About Briana:
Briana Carter, CPSM | Associate and Marketing Strategist | Page
Briana is a seasoned Marketing Manager at Page. She has been in the industry since 2017 and has experience working in the “A,” the “E,” and the “C.” She found her niche as a visual storyteller who sells relationships, experience, and quality work. She has a deep interest in the built environment and loves its impact on the human experience. She is an advocate for women in construction and STEM, creating equal opportunities in the workforce, and inclusive design practices. Briana has been heavily involved with the SMPS DEI Committee and assumed the role of chair in 2024. At Page, she continues this work as part of several of their PCGs (Page Community Groups), Think Tanks, and co-labs.
In this episode, Sarah explains the importance of creating a clear, actionable vision for success - whether that be organizational growth or adapting to disruption or change. She emphasizes starting with reflection—examining what has changed, what remains constant, and identifying non-negotiables to guide decision-making. Sarah discusses how a shared vision, rooted in a company’s current reality, is essential for aligning leadership and activating teams to achieve long-term goals. By learning from past successes and missteps, organizations can build frameworks, such as go/no-go scorecards, to make more informed, strategic choices. Whether navigating stability or uncertainty, Sarah highlights the value of thoughtful reflection in driving purposeful, sustainable growth.
Sarah Kinard – Market Research, Strategy, and Planning Consultant
Sarah is a strategic visionary with over 20 years of experience in professional services firm strategy, research, marketing, and implementation. She is known as a change agent, frequently hired by firms to create a strategy rooted in research, business practice, and scale resulting in their unique growth plan.
Her career has taken her from a well-regarded regional firm, to a national K-12 firm to begin a Higher Education Practice so successful that it went global, to a Global Interior Architecture firm focused on Hospitality. Her experience and understanding of differing markets, project types, and growth strategies bring thoughtful, tailored research and growth strategy to her clients.
Links:
https://theflamingoproject.com/
Office Hours: https://theflamingoproject.com/office-hours/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahwkinard/
In this episode, Tim Asimos and I talk all about client experience (CX) and its importance for standing out in the AEC industry. We look at the connection between CX and brand, discussing how marketing professionals are uniquely positioned to serve as brand ambassadors and take ownership of the overall brand experience.
About Tim Asimos, CPSM
Head of Growth @ Client Savvy
Tim Asimos is a catalyst for disruption in A/E/C marketing, providing keen insights on modern marketing and a unique perspective drawn from more than 20 years of experience both inside and outside the industry. As Head of Growth at Client Savvy, Tim leads the client feedback software company’s growth strategies, overseeing business development, marketing, and communication. Tim’s visionary perspectives are regularly showcased in industry publications, blogs, webinars, and podcasts. His inspiring keynotes and informative breakout sessions have become fixtures at conferences across the country. Tim is a longstanding SMPS member and a Certified Professional Services Marketer (CPSM).
Links:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timasimos/
Website: https://clientsavvy.com/
Conference: https://clientexperience.org/
In this episode, I walk through my key takeaways from the Managerial Economics course I took and how it applies to AEC Marketing as a whole.
In this episode, I give a little peep into what I've been up to the last few months and what I've got in store for everyone this New Year!
Links:
Project Nomination Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScXXX4IC86vPGvTt7Z7DeLeblyFRcTw_uHmJA2K92AJM0L2Sw/viewform?usp=header
General Survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScXXX4IC86vPGvTt7Z7DeLeblyFRcTw_uHmJA2K92AJM0L2Sw/viewform?usp=header
This episode goes into why your company should feature employees and leverage thought leadership as an important component of both marketing and culture. One common piece of pushback that we are looking to answer/mitigate is - if we feature our employees, they'll just get recruited away! Listen in to hear how we address that and other pushback we often hear.
About Ida Cheinman, Substance151 Principal and Creative Director:
Ida is a brand strategist, designer, marketer, speaker and educator who uses 20+ years of experience to help business leaders and marketing professionals make sense of trends, tools, and next practices in order to position their companies to win in the 21st century’s fast-changing and extremely competitive marketplace.
Website: https://substance151.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/idacheinman/
This episode is a very quick recap of the relevant pieces I got from my Survey Methodology course.