Ep 106 - Dr Sarah Buchner, CEO at Trunk Tools - Fueled by a Chip on Her Shoulder: From Carpenter to CEO

Learn more about Michael Wenderoth, Executive Coach: www.changwenderoth.comThis episode contains profanity.SHOW NOTES:How do you go from a challenging childhood in Europe to rise within a notoriously tough industry – and then building one the hottest global startups in your sector? In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth speaks with Dr. Sarah Buchner, CEO at Trunk Tools, about the mindset and strategic moves that has put her in the driver’s seat of her career. They discuss how she broke in and stood out in the male-dominated construction industry -- and the ways she harnesses data to increase the odds of success. Dr. Buchner loves the chip on her shoulder and hates labels – and by the end of this episode you will see the power in that too.The two German phrases that embody Sarah’s ethosWhat are the next few steps that seem just out of the realm of the possible?About Trunk ToolsThe chip on Sarah’s shoulder: how being told “you can’t do that” has powered herTurning disadvantage into advantageWhy she hates labelsSeeing vs Looking: where do you want to focus your view?Sarah’s boldness and how being direct and concise was needed to survive as a child – and stills serves herManaging corporate politics vs raising capital – when to dial up, when to dial downManaging backlash and not being invitedHow Sarah found the right mentors, got them on her side and was clear about her goals – and how those mentors could help her“My goal is not to play nice” -- To be or not to be: warmth vs competence“I don’t care about being liked, I care about people trusting me.”Study the path others have taken – then map what you need to do to get from A to BSarah’s most challenging transition when she became CEOForming a Board of Advisors: Would you ask your medical doctor how to fund raise?Most people lack strategy!The importance of pattern of recognition and looking at the data: When Sarah sat down and studied the CVs of top management and their path to the topWhy Sarah has become more careful with the words she uses as CEOBuilding a culture of feedbackLook for the “distance people have travelled” when hiring for gritSarah on keys to building resilience“It’s not about the hours” – think in terms of psychological work life balanceWhy everyone should have a therapist, and how Sarah has used one since she was 18Create a work pre-nup!Sarah’s two keys for successBIO AND LINKS:Dr. Sarah Buchner is the Founder & CEO of Trunk Tools, the AI platform for construction. Trunk Tools is building the brain behind the $13 trillion construction industry by leveraging AI to organize mountains of unstructured data, generate insights, and automate workflows. With deep roots in all facets of construction, Dr. Buchner spent her young life as a carpenter in her native Austria beginning at the age of 12. She advanced in the field through various roles, including superintendent and project manager, on increasingly large and complex construction projects. Her desire to create greater impact in the construction industry led her to attend Stanford's Graduate School of Business, kickstarting her career as an entrepreneur. In addition to her Stanford MBA, Dr. Buchner holds a MS in architectural engineering and a Ph.D. in data science / civil engineering. Dr. Buchner is a Forbes 30 Under 30 and ENR Top Young Professionals honoree. She, and Trunk Tools, are based in New York City, USA. Trunk Tools: https://trunktools.comSarah on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-buchner/Sarah on Forbes 30 Under 30: https://tinyurl.com/3crx5d2xTrunk Tools in the News: https://trunktools.com/resources/category/news/Real and Practical Applications of AI in Construction with CEO of Trunk Tools: https://tinyurl.com/yc456tszMichael’s book, Get Promoted: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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