Ep 19 | From Surveyor to CEO – Sam Wallis’ Journey
London Construction + Offices Podcast
Release Date: 03/25/2025
Ep 20 | From Horses to High Rises – The Journey of Yaeger Irwin
London Construction + Offices Podcast
In this episode, I sit down with Yaeger Erwin, Founder of Bloom Project Management, to explore her remarkable career journey from horse-riding teenager to leading multimillion-pound construction projects—and ultimately launching her own purpose-driven business. Yaeger opens up about her early years growing up in a supportive household, how tutoring helped her earn a place at Burnham Grammar School and how she made the tough decision to choose academics over competitive horse riding at 16. A science-obsessed teen dreaming of becoming a forensic pathologist, she surprised herself by pursuing...
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Ep 19 | From Surveyor to CEO – Sam Wallis’ Journey
London Construction + Offices Podcast
In this episode, I sit down with Sam Wallis, CEO of GIA, to explore his unconventional path to leadership. Growing up in Southport and studying on the Isle of Man, Sam initially wanted to pursue a career in medicine before realising it wasn’t his true passion. His time in Edinburgh opened new doors and while he never envisioned becoming a chartered surveyor, he followed the family trade, securing a first-class degree and valuable work experience along the way. Sam shares pivotal moments from his career, including early roles at EC Harris and Malcolm Hollis (now Hollis Global) and how his...
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Ep 18 | Kara Thompson - From Small-Town Ambition to Industry Leadership
London Construction + Offices Podcast
In this episode, I sit down with Kara Thompson, a powerhouse in project management who has carved an impressive career path from Australia to London. Born in Australia, Kara was a natural overachiever — school captain, competitive athlete and eldest of four siblings. Despite excelling in science and psychology at university, she quickly realised her degree wasn’t her calling. Instead, she entered the workforce in administrative roles, starting with the Red Cross Blood Bank before transitioning to the technology and project management sectors. Her career took off when she...
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Ep 17 | The Journey of Harriet De Freitas – From Athletics to Real Estate
London Construction + Offices Podcast
In this episode, I sit down with Harriet De Freitas, a Director at Avison Young, to explore her unconventional journey into the property industry. Growing up with parents based in Africa, she spent much of her childhood moving between family and friends, always surrounded by love. Though not naturally academic, she thrived in athletics — ironically sparked by early morning detention runs at school. Harriet’s academic turning point came during her GCSEs at school in Surrey, leading her to pursue geography in her A-levels in Dorset, drawn to its links with the built environment. Despite...
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Ep 16 | Building the Future with Christopher Husband
London Construction + Offices Podcast
In this episode, we sit down with Christopher Husband, co-founder of Radcliffes, to explore his journey from a childhood fascination with property to leading a dynamic construction consultancy. Coming from a real estate family, Christopher always had an eye for the built environment, but his path wasn’t conventional - leaning more toward creativity than academia. After studying Investment and Finance in Property at Reading University, he carved out a role for himself in project management at Drivers Jonas, which took him as far as Dubai. In 2013, he co-founded Hush, his first business...
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Ep 15 | Building a Legacy in Real Estate with Colin Becker
London Construction + Offices Podcast
In this episode, we sit down with Colin Becker; a seasoned real estate professional who has spent nearly three decades at Metrus, helping shape it into one of London’s leading property advisory firms. Colin shares his journey from a sports-loving teenager to becoming a shareholder in a company that now manages over £6 billion in assets. Colin reflects on his early influences, including the strong family tradition in real estate and the values instilled by his parents — his father’s advice to forge his own path and his mother’s emphasis on the power of human relationships. With a...
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Ep 14 | Making Moves: From Property Rookie to Industry Leader with Tobi Crosbie
London Construction + Offices Podcast
In this episode, we dive into the remarkable journey behind Making Moves. A business built on a foundation of resilience, culture, and innovation. Our guest shares how he stumbled into a property degree at Sheffield Hallam University, igniting a passion for business through urban land economics and financial insights. From a transformative placement year at DTZ in Manchester to landing a graduate role in their London office, he recounts navigating the challenges of the 2008 financial crash and the lessons learned from big transactions that spanned years. Seeking a more dynamic lifestyle,...
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Ep 13 | From Law to Real Estate: Michelle Marwood’s Unexpected Journey
London Construction + Offices Podcast
In this episode, we sit down with Michelle Marwood, Head of Corporate Real Estate at Norton Rose Fulbright, to explore her remarkable career journey. From her industrious school days and a love for academics to her unexpected foray into real estate, Michelle shares how her career has been shaped by curiosity, adaptability and the power of networking. Starting with dreams of becoming a criminal barrister, Michelle studied law at Cardiff University, delving into areas like penology and rehabilitation. Her early career saw her working on licensing agreements for major Hollywood cartoon...
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Ep 12 | From Thirdway to Anomaly: redefining architecture with Liam Spencer
London Construction + Offices Podcast
In this episode, I sit down with Liam Spencer, co-founder of Anomaly, who takes us on his journey as a thoughtful and academic child with no burning desire to become an architect, to co-founding a thriving architectural practice with Petr Esposito. Initially interested in medicine, Liam's curiosity for architecture grew during his studies at Edinburgh and Westminster, where he found a balance between academia and practicality. After his first role as a graduate, Liam discovered a passion for retrofitting buildings where he eventually met his business partner; Petr while working on projects...
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Ep 10 | The Art of Building a Creative Business with Paul Arad
London Construction + Offices Podcast
In the 10th episode, we explore the fascinating journey of an entrepreneur who turned his passion for art into a thriving business, blending creativity with commercial savvy. Our guest, Paul Arad; Managing Director at Acrylicize, who excelled academically, initially started out with a focus on business management before realising his true passion lay elsewhere. Partnering with his creative counterpart, James, he embarked on a journey that would take him from representing James to transforming corporate spaces with bespoke artwork. Join us as we delve into the evolution of a business that...
info_outlineIn this episode, I sit down with Sam Wallis, CEO of GIA, to explore his unconventional path to leadership. Growing up in Southport and studying on the Isle of Man, Sam initially wanted to pursue a career in medicine before realising it wasn’t his true passion. His time in Edinburgh opened new doors and while he never envisioned becoming a chartered surveyor, he followed the family trade, securing a first-class degree and valuable work experience along the way.
Sam shares pivotal moments from his career, including early roles at EC Harris and Malcolm Hollis (now Hollis Global) and how his ambition led him to work in Australia before returning to the UK. He opens up about the decision to co-found GIA, its rapid expansion from two to twenty employees and the challenges of private equity investment and business growth.
We also discuss leadership struggles, time management and the importance of soft skills in business. Sam reflects on the lessons he's learned, from adapting leadership styles to keeping teams engaged. Plus, he shares his strategies for maintaining discipline - like email power hours, walking commutes and turning off notifications - to stay focused in a demanding role.
Tune in for an inspiring conversation on career pivots, entrepreneurial growth and what it really takes to scale a business while leading effectively.
I can't wait to hear your thoughts.
See you next time,
Steve
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This podcast is sponsored by Fidgens providing project and cost management services for real estate clients.
And finally, connect with me on LinkedIn where I share my thoughts on industry insights and updates.
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Guest: Sam Wallis
You can follow Sam on LinkedIn here.
GIA is the UK and Ireland’s leading practice for Daylight, Sunlight, Rights of Light and related technology services. They use cutting-edge technology to accurately analyse and inform, providing a contextual approach to planning and development.
Their mission is to passionately and creatively tackle challenges in the built environment, revolutionising the industry by providing incisive solutions for every project they consult on. They work with architects, owners, occupiers, developers and planning consultants across both the public and private sectors.