Skip to main content
Awesome Women

Awesome Women

By Amanda Bulow

At Awesome Women in Construction, or AWIC, we are a not for profit association, providing a supportive community for women working in the construction industry. Assisting with providing personal and professional development and confidence building opportunities, we strive to build the brands of the organisations these women represent.
Available on
Apple Podcasts Logo
Castbox Logo
Google Podcasts Logo
Overcast Logo
Pocket Casts Logo
RadioPublic Logo
Spotify Logo
Currently playing episode

Michelle Cirson - Pricing wars: are you an ethical competitor or a pricing predator?

Awesome WomenMay 10, 2022

00:00
21:00
Kim Allen, Co-Owner & Founder of CRA Construction and 2023 Award Winner & Angela Hucker, CEO & Founder of EPIC
Jan 23, 202425:16
Kim Allen, Co-Owner & Founder of CRA Construction and 2023 Award Winner
Jan 23, 202421:28
Jennah Halley, Refrigeration Technician and Australian Apprentice of the Year 2022
Jan 23, 202442:55
Jo Sainsbury, Founder Kickass Women
Jan 23, 202421:44
Fiona Holmstrom, Co-founder STEM Punks
Jan 23, 202419:11
Joan McEwan | Show Up and Lead Through Times of Change

Joan McEwan | Show Up and Lead Through Times of Change

As a Transformational Health & Business Consultant with over 15+ years in Health & Leadership in corporate leadership, and 20 years of clinical experience as a Nurse in Intensive Care and Mental Health, it has always been Joan’s mission to make a difference and create change in people’s lives.

She found herself called to integrate other modalities into her scope of practice such as a Diploma of Naturopathy, Reiki Master attainment and a Diploma in Business Management. Coupled with her intuitive abilities, she realised that she had the unique ability to work with people’s energies in the quantum field and to help them heal and see life with clarity and purpose.

She takes female leaders and entrepreneurs on a journey to create personal transformation to “Unlock Your Unique Code.” (TM). Stepping into their personal power and being their best self with a rock-solid foundation.

What sets Joan apart in her industry is decades of experience with a strong background in Leadership, Health and Wellness, coupled with her substantial qualifications. Her senior leadership positions with world leading organisations, as well as a mix of Eastern and Western philosophies, allows her to work on a subliminal level with a persons’ energies to refocus, re energise, revitalise and realign.

She is the author of “Show UP” a leadership book about how to lead through times of change, a new paradigm of female leadership. She inspires her audience with courage, pure grit, determination, passion and belief in themselves to go the extra distance. Her mentoring programs are individually tailored to meet the needs of the individual both personally and professionally. Joan’s background serves her audience well by integrating the mind, body and spirit connection with a strong focus on health, leadership, energy management with quantum healing. Supporting her clients to get clear on their WHY.

Joan holds a Bachelor of Health Science, Post Graduate Diplomas in Mental Health Nursing, Naturopathy, Business Management and is a Reiki Master & Certified Akashic Records Practitioner.

Website | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | Facebook (personal)

Oct 10, 202323:03
Mel Ireland | Transference of Skills and the Australian Manufacturing Industry
Oct 10, 202324:17
Dani Bartolini | Developing the Confidence to Handle Whatever Comes Along

Dani Bartolini | Developing the Confidence to Handle Whatever Comes Along

Dani heads the management team at Rock Up Group, a company that operates within, and serves the needs of the concrete polishing industry.

Rock Up Group has been at the forefront of the concrete polishing industry over the past 12 years operating under strict, measurable quality standards. Their work has spanned from large high-end retail and commercial fit outs through to boutique architectural homes.

Over the past 5 years have seen Rock Up Group successfully introduce a novel service to the concrete polishing industry on the worldwide stage; Independent process-based Training and Support, both on-site and off and also online.

Through the uptake of this type of training, Dani and her team contribute to ensuring a pool of high-performance subcontractors are available to choose from.

Dani is a fierce advocate for the use of polished concrete a sustainable, longterm floor finish. She is passionate about ensuring the wider building and construction industry has access to relevant and up to date education regarding this product and a pool of high-performance subcontractors to choose from.

Dani is a creative problem solver whose background in academic research, science communication, medical device innovation, R&D and commercialisation has provided strong transferrable skills across to the Building and Construction Industry forming a solid base for business and program development in her current role.

Dani is an energetic contributor within the boards and committees she is part of. She is currently an elected member of the Board of Directors at Master Builders Victoria, MBV Electoral Council & Specialist Contractor Sector Committee and sits on the Board of the Building and Construction Industry Foundation.

Dani seeks to encourage and empower others and learn from those that have paved the way while taking the challenges of the moment head on. She is happiest when learning how things work, asking questions and connecting with others.

Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

Oct 10, 202324:01
Cassandra Goodman | On Self Fidelity
Oct 10, 202325:52
Megan Nastrom | The Importance of Adaptability in an Ever-Changing Industry

Megan Nastrom | The Importance of Adaptability in an Ever-Changing Industry

Established in 2016, Megan Nastrom is the Co-Founder of Ultra Living Homes. With a degree in accounting, Megan’s initial role was predominantly in running the accounts department and HR. Over time, this evolved to overseeing the entire business to assist in propelling it forward, navigating through Covid and the challenges that came afterwards and improve the businesses client inclusions offerings to create a real point of difference within the industry. Much of this is what saw Megan take out the 2022 HIA QLD Building Women Executive Leadership Award.

Also, behind the scenes, Megan is now the leading force behind all of Ultra’s Display Homes from initial conception of plan design, colour selections, on site progress, marketing and display home staging. In 2022, Ultra was awarded HIA’s Gold Coast Region Best Display Home in the $300k to $500k category and was also runner up in the 2022 HIA Qld Interior Design Awards for the Display Home Interior Design category.

As a businesswoman, a wife, and a mother of 2 girls, Megan admits that finding the perfect work/life balance is not always that easy. However, with a combination of support from both family and industry professionals, and the ability to know when one needs to take care of oneself to be one’s best version of themself, Megan wouldn’t have it any other way. Megan believes that during these tough last few years, having great perspective when it comes to others and the industry has been paramount.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Aug 04, 202320:06
Kristina Charchalis | Inspiring the Next Generation in the Construction Industry

Kristina Charchalis | Inspiring the Next Generation in the Construction Industry

Kristina brings vision and structure to Alder Constructions with her intuitive approach. Her industry experience, creative skills and collaborative style have enabled the organisation to build new business pathways, through high quality bid management, inspired community engagement programs and true leadership in support of our core goals and objectives. As a leader within Alder Constructions, Kristina’s passion to create a more diverse, inclusive and balanced workplace has cultivated an environment where gender barriers are removed and women in construction are truly supported, promoted and valued.

Aug 04, 202319:14
Ang Hucker | Empowering People in Construction

Ang Hucker | Empowering People in Construction

Angela is CEO and Founder of EPIC and is a highly experienced professional with a diverse background in the construction industry spanning over 20 years. Her journey began at a young age, working on her father's turf farm and later joining his landscaping business during her high school years. After finishing high school, she then moved into a role that saw her managing a chain of locksmiths stores across Brisbane, where she was only one of 2 females in Qld trained in complex locksmithing systems.

One of Angela's notable achievements was her first project, overseeing the construction of a Peppers Resort, a comprehensive project comprising 132 units, a hotel and restaurant, retail outlets, day spa, and function and conference centre. She played a pivotal role in the project, working diligently from pre-construction to operational phases.

Throughout her career, Angela has amassed a wealth of expertise across various sectors within the construction industry. She has successfully contributed to projects in fields such as oil and gas, undersea electricity interconnectors, civil engineering, renewables, power generation, water management, commercial construction, government initiatives, forestry, tourism and marketing, and major international construction projects in Dubai, the Middle East, Singapore, Pakistan, New Zealand, and India.

Angela's exceptional work on Australia's multi-billion-dollar mega-projects even garnered attention from the US TV show "Mega Structures," for the APLNG Project at Curtis Island. Her experience as a FIFO (Fly-In-Fly-Out) worker in remote locations across Australia has given her firsthand exposure to the challenges faced by women in the industry, including sexual harassment, bullying, intimidation, discrimination, and threatening behaviour and her own personal experiences were the driving force why she founded EPIC, as she recognised there were no specialised services available to support women in the construction industry.

In addition to her construction expertise, Angela also serves as a Probity Advisor for the Tasmanian Government, ensuring ethical conduct in procurement processes, and holds the position of Tribunal Member (Disciplinary Tribunal) for the Department of Justice in Tasmania. She is also a White Ribbon Australia Community Partner and Mentor for Be Hers, a community organisation who supports vulnerable CALD women.

Driven by a passion for empowering individuals, Angela is dedicated to helping people thrive, succeed, and shine in their respective endeavours. Her extensive knowledge, combined with her commitment to fostering a positive and inclusive work environment, makes her an asset in the construction industry and beyond.

LinkedIn

Aug 04, 202319:48
Kim Allen | Finding Your Confidence As a Business Owner
Aug 04, 202320:46
Anthony Ikin | Anthony Flips the Script - an Interview with Amanda Bulow

Anthony Ikin | Anthony Flips the Script - an Interview with Amanda Bulow

Anthony Ikin is widely renowned for his never-ending optimism, generous spirit and unique dance moves.

In fact those signature dance moves, coupled with his driven and determined mindset, led him to become the World Aerobic Champion, a top 10 finalist on the popular television show, “So You Think You Can Dance” and a soloist in the world-famous Parisian cabaret, “Moulin Rouge.”

Pirouetting from on stage to behind the scenes, Anthony has worked as a Creative Director and Choreographer on a glittering portfolio of global projects. These include a career highlight of choreographing the closing ceremony of the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, and most recently adding his magic to the dance routines of the iconic musical, Priscilla Queen of the Desert.

After decades of captivating audiences all over the world, Anthony has successfully re-channelled his performance acumen into a successful coaching and speaking vocation in Ikin Achieve. Anthony is a certified Life Coach through Jay Shetty, a graduate of the Kairos Project with Rich Litvin, and holds a diploma in the science of wellbeing from Yale University. The enthusiasm, charisma, and colourful energy Anthony brings to every session make him highly sought after as both a one-on-one personal coach or a group coach in corporate settings. His passion and expertise lie in showing how negative and destructive thought patterns can be replaced with a new script, a script that leads and

manifests into unstoppable confidence.

Anthony’s signature keynote speeches are out of this world and have been compared to the contagious energy of watching a first Broadway show or live football game; the only difference being that the audience’s exhilaration stems from the realisation of their own potential, value, and prospects.

Anthony is on a mission to help people like themselves more, strive actively in the pursuit of their happiness and goals and most importantly, feel unwavering confidence in their everyday lives. He brings all this inspiration and energy wrapped up in a jump out of your seat delivery, and if Anthony has his way, you’ll be shimmying towards the best version of yourself straight away!

Aug 04, 202324:55
Melinda Costa |
Aug 02, 202311:33
Georgi Le Lay | How Employers Can Create a Healthy Working Environment
Jul 16, 202319:53
Jess Knott | Building Homes and Communities
Jul 16, 202317:15
Tanya Meessmann | Supporting young women in male-dominated industries
May 15, 202330:07
Janine Coppeller | Talking about periods in the workplace.
Apr 24, 202311:44
Keeley Tilbrook | The importance of mindset as a female in the trade industry.
Apr 17, 202314:42
Kassandra Behrendt - CEO & Creative Director of Pagoni
Oct 18, 202214:34
Ally Kelly - Signs and symptoms of workplace mental health issues | Qld Mental Health Week 2022
Oct 15, 202219:48
Prav Singh-Pollay - Supporting your team without being nosy | Qld Mental Health Week 2022
Oct 14, 202211:59
Jordan Clark - Being a female tradie | Qld Mental Health Week 2022

Jordan Clark - Being a female tradie | Qld Mental Health Week 2022


This podcast series is proudly supported by the Queensland Mental Health Week Community Events Grant Program.

Oct 13, 202214:35
Jo Stevens - Mindfulness Tools | Qld Mental Health Week 2022
Oct 13, 202213:19
Natasha Sharp - Work Life Balance. What does it really mean? | Qld Mental Health Week 2022
Oct 12, 202212:10
Prav Singh-Pillay - How to stand up for yourself in the workplace | Qld Mental Health Week 2022
Oct 11, 202209:06
Michelle Cirson | Tricks of Your Trade
Oct 11, 202228:45
Maree Adshead - Queensland Small Business Commissioner | Qld Mental Health Week 2022
Oct 11, 202216:56
Dr Asti Mardiasmo - Work Life Balance. What does it really mean? | Qld Mental Health Week 2022
Oct 10, 202219:23
Keri Stephenson - Introducing TIACS | Qld Mental Health Week 2022
Oct 09, 202212:16
Melissa Dale - How to leave the job we don’t like | Qld Mental Health Week 2022
Oct 08, 202213:59
Kari Sutton - Building Resilient Kids | Qld Mental Health Week 2022
Oct 07, 202226:15
Kim Allen - Office Manager at CRA Construction
Oct 04, 202220:09
Jessica Ndenda - Owner, CEO & Founder of Olive Louise Social - The Belle Evolution
Sep 27, 202230:28
Jo Sainsbury - CEO & Founder of Kickass Women

Jo Sainsbury - CEO & Founder of Kickass Women

Named as “One to Watch” 2021 Ausmumprenuer, one of 2020’s Top100 Women in Construction, Roar Business Award Bronze Winner and a Finalist in both the 2020 and 2021 Women in Industry Awards, Jo has been making waves as an enforcer in advocating for women working in industry.

Jo is first and foremost a coal train driver, a trusted advisor, speaker, published best-selling author of the book “High Heels to Hi Vis”, magazine contributor, host of the “Kickass Radio” show & podcast and founder of the Kickass Women network who support women who want to achieve their biggest career transition and visions.

Kickass Women strives to connect encourage and inspire women not only right across the local region, but state and nationwide.

Jo has over 30 years of combined service in Administration, HR, WH&S and Project Management in the private sector and industry, this knowledge has equipped her with all the necessary tools to focus on addressing issues of self-confidence and empowering women to have self-fulfilment, financial independence and reignite personal branding - their kickass attitude, that is. Her mission in life is to inspire and empower women to kick off their heels and tap into their steel caps and become the leaders and changemakers with impact they are born to be!

Jo has contributed to conferences and events all around the country and overseas in order to gain new inspiration on her advocacy, thought leadership and inspire others to dig deeper, motivating women to overthrow the status quo and think differently about their capabilities, their possibilities, opportunities, what it takes to drive change and what action is needed to find their kickass attitude and succeed in a career transition into varied male-dominated industries.

With the motto “Go On Get Your Glo On...become a Glo Getter”, Jo offers online career coaching and mentoring that helps women of all ages set a success mindset, build their kickass resume and toolkit and get their boots on site.

If Jo is not on shift, she is probably writing or advocating Kickass Women – Glo Getters. To get a glimpse into her life and career, visit her blog. This is the best way to learn more about her.


Website | RadioShow | Facebook - Jo Sainsbury | Facebook - Kickass Women | Instagram - Kickass Women | LinkedIn - Jo Sainsbury | LinkedIn - Kickass Women

Sep 20, 202223:09
Melissa Dale - Director of Meka Recruitment
Aug 30, 202225:16
Vanessa Lambert - National Customer Success & Services Manager for HazardCo Australia
Aug 23, 202225:27
Mel Watt - Owner of Mel Watt Photography
Aug 16, 202220:55
Rebecca Grisman - Community Engagement & Rise2 Manager
Aug 09, 202227:22
Mark Berridge - Keynote Speaker, Author
Aug 02, 202222:09
Melinda Koltai - Light Planning Media Business Photographer & Video Strategist
Jul 26, 202220:13
Nicola Scott - Master Builders Sunshine Coast Regional Manager
Jun 14, 202220:44
Megan Nastrom - Work & Personal Judgements (Self & Others)
Jun 07, 202218:03
Amanda Beatty - Top talent: navigating your workforce post-pandemic

Amanda Beatty - Top talent: navigating your workforce post-pandemic

With businesses facing the challenging of a revolving and everchanging workforce – caused by both low unemployment rates and the global phenomenon that is ‘The Great Resignation’ – we’ll be exploring ways to attract and retain staff and find the right people for your business.

The pandemic saw many workers reflecting on what’s important to them, which has seen many businesses grappling with how to not only keep their existing talent, but also find and keep new people as well. The Great Resignation is not going away and businesses need to come to grips with the changes and find a new path that suits not only their business, but their employees as well.

Our panel will discuss how they win over and retain the right candidates, including what to look out for when recruiting, how to get new and existing employees invested in your business, and how to make sure your new hires will represent the voice and brand you want for your business. In the current climate particularly in the construction industry, with stress and emotions running high as a result of labour material shortages and cost hikes, it’s also vital that you have your people’s back and support them.

Website - DR Homes | Website - Master Builders | LinkedIn

About our sponsor:

Austrworld are Australia's trusted wholesaler of plumbing solutions.

Austworld support plumbing families all over Australia by manufacturing a huge range of quality products that are designed with integrity to make every job stress free.

Our extensive range of high-end valves, tapware and fittings are designed to save plumbers time, conserve resources and stay ahead of new techniques aimed at working together in this increasing water conscious society.

All of our products are designed and tested by a team of local engineers in our own research facility and this care extends to manufacturing, ensuring our products are amongst the world’s finest.

May 31, 202246:12
Ally Kelly - Workplace Wellness
May 24, 202226:59
Taryn Poole - Austworld Marketing Manager
May 17, 202217:02
Michelle Cirson - Pricing wars: are you an ethical competitor or a pricing predator?
May 10, 202221:00
Dr Asti Mardiasmo - Will a cash rate hike result in higher property prices?
May 03, 202223:09
Robyn Baker - Founder of Busy Connecting, #theboringwriter
May 03, 202229:49