What does it take for a building to go from an idea to completion? This is part of Tillie Kwan’s job as an architect at Studio Balcaen Kwan, which she co-owns with her colleague Bettina Balcaen – she looks at what is possible and appropriate for the client’s vision and budget. This is a far cry from what she thought architects did when she graduated high school.

For Bettina Balcaen, being an architect is her primary role at Studio Balcaen Kwan, which she owns with her colleague Tillie Kwan. The wide variety of roles involved in her job keep her going, which involves not just design but also how buildings are constructed – while some architects are specialized, she also sees the values of being a generalist as well.

Todd Yuen is the president of Beedie Industrial and responsible for property management and construction across Canada. As a self-admitted “micro-manager,” he has learned to trust people around him to move the business forward, while he goes out to external stakeholders and makes connections. And this is especially important, as an operation which tends to make things happen quickly.

When you think of a CEO, do you think of someone who is jumping into the fray and dealing with everything hands-on? This is not how Beau Jarvis does it – to him, it is not only about time management, but also about mentoring a team that can be competent without micromanaging. This is a must, as the leader of Wesgroup, which builds all kinds of housing throughout British Columbia. After all, it’s not just about building homes – it’s also about talking with government and creating more sustainable housing outcomes.

Glyn Lewis never thought he would start a renewable development company. He thought he would be a teacher or chemist – but he found that the creative and analytical parts of him were more suited for something else. To him, working in construction but NOT coming from the construction industry helps feed into his passion for being innovative and coming up with disruptive ideas.

What’s the easiest way to start your own business? Learn a trade, says Chris Gardner, who is President of the Independent Contractors Association of British Columbia. It was not a straight line to where he is today.

Tony Pantages is a self-described “serial impact entrepreneur” who loves finding sustainable and renewable solutions. His solutions focus mainly on how to handle waste and energy in a way that protects the environment.