Ep 20 | From Horses to High Rises – The Journey of Yaeger Irwin

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 English and Philosophy at Manchester University instead.

Her path to project management was anything but conventional — starting with a temp job in construction that sparked her love for the field. From admin assistant at Pell Project to leading high-stakes retail fit-outs for M&S, she shares how her career evolved rapidly, all while completing a degree in construction at London Southbank University.

We follow her transition into consultancy with Davis Langdon (later AECOM), where she delivered major retail schemes and eventually became a regional director. After the birth of her children and navigating work during the pandemic, Yaeger began to reassess what success looked like.

A life coach, therapy, and an empowering women's development course shifted her mindset—leading to the founding of Bloom in July 2023. She shares the three powerful questions that guided her leap:

1. How long have you got left to work?

2. How do you want to spend that time?

3. And who with?

Now focused on values-driven growth and putting people at the heart of every project, Yaeger's mission with Bloom is to create a space of opportunity — for herself, her team, and her clients.

If you're at a crossroads in your career or dreaming of doing things differently, this episode is for you.

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: Yaeger Irwin

You can follow Yaeger on LinkedIn here.

Bloom Project Management starts with seeds of ideas and allows them the freedom to grow and flourish. Led by founder Yaeger Irwin, Bloom offers a flexible and collaborative approach where projects are completed in an open and honest partnership. They will take your vision and develop and nurture it, delivering outstanding results that surpass your expectations.