The FM Channel: Recent Episodes
Claudio Rojas
Welcome to The FM Channel Podcast, we will be interviewing FM Professionals from the industry in a bid to share stories and inspire other people in the industry.
Brij was an absolute gent and we had a really chilled conversation.
His route into the FM sector was totally different to a lot of the norm.
He was a finance man and not even in then FM sector, or as he described himself "I was basically a bean counter"!
We discussed:
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The challenges of starting a company in a mature market.
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The intro of AI in the FM Sector
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Switching from preventative to predictive maintenance
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The value of having a mentor
Brij was very open and honest, and I hope you enjoy our chat, he's one of the good guys.
Cheers,
Claudio.
We start a new season after a nearly a 3 year break with a great discussion with Alistair Scott.Alistair is a very cool and calm guy who started life in the Army.He later made the transition over to the FM & Maintenance sector where he's had a successful career.We chat about setting up IEM during the pandemic and how it's really taken off.Other topics include how he's involved in supporting veterans in the FM sector through the IWFM and Veterans-Can, a new global community Alistair is heavily involved with.Alistair was easy to talk with, so genuine and passionate about doing things for good. I hope you enjoy our chat and insights.
Cheers,Claudio
This is possibly one of the most inspiring interviews I've done yet, Kath was so insightful and interesting to speak with.
In this half hour chat we discuss.
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Kath's route into FM and her initial interest in buildings.
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She's a huge fan of the training and development of her people.
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How she became the 3rd female president of the RICS since 1868!!!
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Her advice to someone starting out in FM is to take risks and go for it...it's worked for her!
Thanks for taking the time to do this Kath, it was an absolute pleasure!
I hope you all enjoy this episode everyone.
Season 2 starts off with an absolute cracker with Episode 1, where I caught up with Liz Kentish.
As the first episode of Season 2 where I will focus on Women in the FM industry, Liz is a fantastic 1st guest.
We talk about:
✔ How the FM industry chose her
✔ Her passion for the people that make up the sector
✔ Mentoring
✔ How the sector has changed
✔ Behavioral change
✔ Running to 80s pop music!!
Liz is nothing short of genuine, fun, relaxed, smart and just generally a really nice person.
It was an absolute pleasure having you on, Liz. Thanks
I hope you enjoy episode 1 of season 2.
Thanks, Claudio
In the last episode (16) of Season 1 of The FM Channel Podcast, I chat with Alex Walters from The Office Group.
Alex is such nice guy, and at just 30 years old he has a fantastic role as Group Head of Facilities for a real forward thinking business within the workspace sector.
✔ He tells me how moving forward the office is going to be more of an experience rather than an environment.
✔ How it's important for companies to factor in experience, wellness, H&S, and sustainability in order to attract talent.
He loves his job and the variety is brings, he oversee's 41 buildings in London, each with a unique design and feel and potential challenges.
He manages an in-house FM team, H&S, sub-contractors, hard and soft FM and now sustainability is next on his agenda. He doesn't even seem phased.
I really enjoyed having Alex on, I hope you enjoy this last episode.
Thanks.
Claudio
This week's episode is slightly different to the normal format, but nevertheless, still really interesting and fascinating to learn about Digital Marketing within the Built Environment.
Charlotte runs a marketing agency dedicated to the Built Environment.
- We discuss what digital marketing is and what it looks like for FM Service Providers.
- We also discuss what will happen if you don't have a digital marketing strategy.
- How one of their clients went from being a £7m business to £12m business in 18 months from investing in digital marketing.
- How it can help increase your margins and help with future recruitment!
There are so many great points to take away from today's episode, I really hope you enjoy it.
If you work for an SME, run one or own an SME in the FM & Maintenance industry, this is the podcast episode for you!
Thanks for taking the time Charlotte, I had a great time recording this one... It was really insightful!
In episode 14, I catch up with Mickey Rooney - Programme Director for JLL.
We have a fantastic 45mins chat about his journey into the FM industry post 25 years in the Royal Navy.
We also cover topics that include:
👉 The ubererization of FM delivery.
👉 The office is NOT dead, clients will just be using it differently.
👉 What an exciting time it is to be part of the industry, especially if you're just starting out.
👉 We also get a guest appearance from his daughter and cat! (classic video call)
This has a bit of everything, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Thanks for listening.
Claudio
MD - Alex Young Recruitment
Fiona was a fantastic guest, very easy to chat with, passionate about what she does, and she was very open and honest right from the off.
As well as her journey into the industry, we cover a lot of ground during our conversation.
⏩ She's an industry double award winner!
⏩ She clearly loves what she does!
⏩ We talk about how the FM industry has changed over the years.
⏩ What makes a good FM Manager.
⏩ How her team adapted during the last year and not only delivered FM but helped with their tenants' wellbeing and mental health! Amazing!
Thanks so much for taking the time Fiona!
I hope that viewers and listeners enjoy this first episode of 2021.
Thanks. Claudio
🎙 WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU TYPE INTO A SEARCH ENGINE YOUR SKILL-SET....🤔
Well for Adam Mason Facilities Operations Director from Expansive Solutions, the career 'Facilities Management' came up in the results.
Fast forward 13 years, and Adam has had a varied and successful career in client-side FM.
We talk about how the FM community is rife with people from diverse backgrounds, and this is what makes it such an interesting industry to work in.
We also touch on how the sector is changing from a maintenance focused one to customer service, workspace and wellbeing.
Thanks for your time Adam, you're such a genuine and passionate person and you clearly love what you do!
I hope you enjoy this episode everyone. 👍
Claudio
I have a brilliant and honest chat with Aidan in this episode.
Aidan is truly inspiring, having turned down a place at university to study economics, to do a 4 year electrical apprenticeship, he now runs the commercial side of the business for ISS which turns over £0.5 billion and employs circa 14,000 people.
He is cool, calm and collected and he talks about how the industry has changed over the last 20 years since he's been in it.
We also touch on technology and his advice to anyone planning on a career in the FM sector.
I hope you enjoy it.
Thanks .
Claudio
On this week's The FM Channel Podcast, I caught up with Tod Harrison - The Executive Chairman at Newtons Group.
It was a really insightful chat where I came away feeling like I'd learnt a lot!
Tod started out as an install engineer and quickly realised that he wanted work in a warmer environment...indoors! So he got into FM & Maintenance.
We touch on so many topics including:
Mentoring Staff.
Giving back to the industry.
The skills gap in the industry.
Introducing Technology.
Engaging with your staff properly.
It's clear why Tod has been so successful throughout his career to date and it was a pleasure to speak with him.
If you're currently running a business or climbing the management career ladder, this is must listen to episode.
I definitely learnt a lot and I hope you do too.
Thanks Claudio.
This week, I catch up with Colin Kimber from Pareto FM. We talk about this journey into the industry.
He tells of how he went from a career being a trained dancer and instructor, and co-director of his own school to working in the FM industry for some of the largest Service Providers.
He then took a leap of faith to work for smaller FM Service Provider, Pareto FM, where he is now Associate Director and loves helping people become successful at what they do.
Colin is full of energy and passion for what he does, again he is a great example of someone who came into the industry not really knowing what FM was, found that he was good at it, loved it, and put in the graft to get where he is today!
I hope you enjoy this one.
Thanks,
Claudio.
I had a lovely and relaxed chat with Will Easton in this week's episode of The FM Channel Podcast.
From humble Office Admin / Post-room roles to trouble-shooting Workplace and Facilities Management Consultant. Will talks about his journey into the FM Industry and what 'lit the fire in his belly'.
Will is a super honest and chilled guy, it was a pleasure to have him on the show. He is also living proof that you can start as a junior within FM, put the work in and carve out your own niche.
We also touched on Tech within the Property and FM Industry and how the FM Industry needs to make its move and embrace it.
I hope you enjoy it.
Thanks, Claudio.
In this week's FM Channel Podcast, I had a fantastic chat with Karen Farrell on how she got into FM, how she progressed, her tips to anyone entering the FM industry and how she loves mindfulness and wellbeing.
Karen came to the UK as a trained singer with a dream of being on stage in the West End. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be however Karen found herself in the FM industry, which she absolutely loves!
She is naturally so positive and enthusiastic that you can't help but feel engaged.
She tells of how putting herself forward and constantly wanting to learn has been part of her success. She is also big into Mindfulness, workplace wellbeing, mental health awareness and she's always tried to make this part of her job even if it hasn't been in her job description.
I hope you enjoy our conversation and can take some inspiration away from it.
Thanks,
Claudio.
Colin was made redundant during the 'lockdown', what he did next was brilliant.
He took to LinkedIn, he let his network know that he was available and looking for a job, he posted content that highlighted his skill-set and experience and what he is good at with a sprinkling of his own genuine light-hearted humour.
The result was fantastic, people engaged in his content, they 'liked' it, commented and shared it....including myself! I wanted to help him too.
He was then approached by an employer who'd seen his content, invited him in for interview and he got the job!
Listen to our chat on how Colin did this, his tips of do's and dont's. I hope you enjoy it and that some of you are able to take some inspiration away from it during this tough time.
Cheers,
Claudio.
This week's chat is an eye-opener into Technology within the Property and FM sector....also known as PropTech.
Mike is a Hard FM Consultant and has his finger on the pulse with how tech will change things in the Property and FM sector....but it also seems like the FM industry is already not keeping up with these impending changes.
Mike was a great guest, he's so knowledgeable on the industry as a whole and how tech being introduced will change things.
What could this mean to the FM industry?
Listen to our chat to find out.
In this week's The FM Channel Podcast, I catch up with Dominic Ponniah on how he too 'fell into FM', has always had a passion for a greener environment, which has helped him not only build an award winning business.....but also win a Green Blue Peter Badge when he was younger!
Dominic was great, very laid back and inspirational.
I hope you enjoy this episode of The FM Channel.
Hollie was great, very chatty, full of energy and clearly loves what she does. We had a great chat about how she has worked on the Service Provider and Property Management side of FM and now she is working in-house!
She talks about making those transitions and how managing a service charge 'is' possible if you haven't done it before.
She also gives her advice to anyone looking to get into the FM industry.
In this week's The FM Channel Podcast, I talk with Netza Jack - Technical Manager at the FA on how he's been super busy upgrading some of Wembley Stadium's technology during the lockdown.
I hope you enjoy it, if you do, please 'like', share and subscribe for more future episodes.
Had a fantastic 15 minute chat with Steve Sheckley about how he coped with being in between jobs at the start of the 'Lockdown' and as the pandemic got worse, found himself with no new role, no furlough option and a very quiet job market!
We discuss what he did to keep physically and mentally healthy and how he also helped a friend who was suffering from being 'locked-down'.