20. Reclaiming your inner voice with Tamika Smith

Building Doors with Lauren Karan

Having recently received the prestigious title of 'Entrepreneur Woman of the Year' and being nominated as a finalist for the ‘Queenslander of the Year’ award, Founding Director of TSR Property Solutions, Tamika Smith, continues to defy norms in a traditionally male-dominated industry, shattering glass ceilings to prove that gender is not a limitation when it comes to driving social change.

For years, the construction sector has exhibited a significant gender disparity, with men occupying the majority of positions and women representing only a meager 11% of the workforce. However, thanks to the tireless efforts of leaders like Tamika Smith, this landscape is gradually transforming. As a prominent figure within the Top 100 Women, a board of experienced professionals and leading organisations in the construction sector, Smith is actively working towards making a significant impact on the industry we know today. Through her commitment to accountability and a focus on the "How," Tamika has successfully expanded the influence of the Top 100 Women, attracting over 13,500 individuals from Australia and around the world.

Smith's passion for making a difference extends beyond her professional endeavors. Her unwavering commitment to social advocacy shines through her remarkable leadership in the #istandforkelly movement. With compassion as her guiding force, Tamika rallied the construction sector to come together for a powerful cause: providing a safe haven for the children of Kelly Wilkinson, a victim of domestic violence who tragically lost her life at the hands of her husband. In an awe-inspiring display of solidarity, #istandforkelly managed to touch the hearts of people from all walks of life, who generously contributed a staggering $1.5 million within a mere 48 hours. These heartfelt donations stand as a testament to the collective power of compassion, uniting individuals far and wide for the greater good.

In this episode, we speak to Tamika about:

• Discovering purpose within traumatic encounters and harnessing adversity as a catalyst for transformative action.
• We discover how our uncertainty and fear play a vital role in embracing calculated risks and stepping into uncharted territories.
• Recognising that short-term strategies do not resolve long-term challenges.
• How achievements are often undermined due to the power of stereotypes within a male-dominated industry and how Smith fearlessly challenges and breaks through these barriers.
• Recognising manipulation within the workplace and reclaiming your power.
• Understanding the challenges faced by individuals attempting to escape domestic violence and the complex factors that make it difficult for women to simply "just leave."
• Exploring the distressingly lengthy waitlists for social housing and the profound sense of displacement experienced by those affected.

You can connect with Tamika on LinkedIn.

About your host:

Lauren Karan, Director and Founder of Karan & Co.

With over a decade of experience as a recruiter and development coach, Lauren Karan found that her priorities rapidly changed after the birth of her two children. In 2022 she founded Karan & Co flipping the out-dated recruitment model with a focus on retention through career coaching and development.

Lauren believes that If opportunity doesn’t knock, you have to build a door – and it’s this same philosophy that inspired her to create the Building Doors podcast. The Building Doors podcast is for anyone undergoing a transformation in their life. Regardless of whether you feel stuck in your current role, need some inspiration on what steps to take next, want to learn how to level up as a business owner or simply want to listen to the experiences of successful entrepreneurs and industry professionals, the Building Doors podcast is all about unlocking your potential.

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In case you missed it:

You can listen to our previous episode here.

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👋 To say hello, provide feedback, or express interest in a guest appearance on The Building Doors Podcast get in touch with us at [e-mail].

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