PSM: Professional Services Marketing

In an industry built on deadlines, pursuits, and constant pressure, resilience is often framed as grit and endurance. But what if that mindset is actually driving burnout?

In this episode of The PSM Show, Deirdre Booth sits down with Nicole Van Valen, founder of Keen Insights and author of The Joyful Leader, to reframe how AEC firms think about resilience, leadership, and performance. Drawing from her ba...

This episode is an Ask Me Anything with Rachel Charlton of Sticky Communications, and the questions go straight to the stuff AEC marketers deal with in real rooms.

We talk about what buy-in actually is, why it rarely shows up "as a stage" in the pursuit process, and how marketers build credibility with technical teams before the fire drill starts. From interview prep and slide strategy to...

When the world feels heavy, polished stories stop working. The ones that land are the honest ones — the ones that start with trouble.

In this episode of The PSM Show, hosts Damion Morris and Deirdre Booth sit down with writer and strategist Joel Hoekstra for a "pull up a chair" conversation about why the best AEC st...

What does strategy really look like inside a construction firm that wants to grow on purpose, not by accident?

In this episode of the PSM Show, host Damion Morris talks with James Hatch, Ch...

In this unscripted conversation, Deirdre Booth and Damion Morris step away from the usual format and start the year with an honest check-in. They talk candidly about growth, ambition, balance, connection, leadership, and what changes when career wins stop being the only measure of success.

This episode sets the tone for the season ahead with real reflection, lived experience, and the kind...

In an industry built on deadlines, pursuits, and constant pressure, resilience is often framed as grit and endurance. But what if that mindset is actually driving burnout?

In this episode of The PSM Show, Deirdre Booth sits down with Nicole Van Valen, founder of Keen Insights and author of The Joyful Leader, to reframe how AEC firms think about resilience, leadership, and performance. Drawing from her ba...

What does strategy really look like inside a construction firm that wants to grow on purpose, not by accident?

In this episode of the PSM Show, host Damion Morris talks with James Hatch, Chief Strategy Officer at Kovac Building Enclosures, one of the top glazing contractors in the country. James shares how his path through architecture, estimating, finance,...

Hosts Deirdre Booth and Damion Morris dig into why AEC marketing roles have stretched across design, writing, coordination, and strategy, and why that model is shifting. They unpack findings referenced from SMPS research, lessons from recent pursuits, and how private equity, data, AI, and client experience are changing expectations. Hear practical ways teams can organize around five core funct...

AEC marketing and business development are changing fast. In this episode, Deirdre Booth talks with Scott Butcher of Stambaugh Ness about what is reshaping the work today and what leaders need next. They cover the talent crunch, the "missing middle," and why environmental scanning belongs in every plan. They discuss practical uses of AI, how early adopters are already productizing tools, and what happens when firms de...

Client experience is more than good service. In this episode of the PSM Show, Damion Morris and Deirdre Booth talk with Tim Amos, CPSM and Head of Growth at Client Savvy, about how AEC firms can design and manage client experiences that create measurable business results.

Tim shares his journey from in-house marketing to leading CX strategy and explains why repeat business does not always equal loyalty. ...

In this episode of The PSM Show, co-host Damion Morris welcomes Allison Tivnon, strategic advisor, author, and City Councilor for Beaverton, Oregon. Allison has spent nearly two decades guiding AEC firms through the complexities of marketing, planning, and leadership.

Damion and Allison explore why so many strategic plans lose momentum after the retreat and how to create alignment that lasts. They discuss the importance of involvin...

This week on the PSM Show, we're bringing back one of our most impactful episodes while Deirdre and Damion are out at Amplify AEC.

Whether you lead interview prep or support it behind the scenes, this episode offers a powerful mindset shift: coaching is not about directing or fixing. It's about creating emotional safety and helping people shine under pressure.

If you've ever coached a must-...

Deirdre and Damion are both gearing up for SMPS Amplify, and with Damion serving as one of this year's conference chairs, we're giving them a little breathing room this week.

In the meantime, we're bringing back a listener favorite: "Finding Your Why & Trusting the Process: Rethinking Goals." Originally released in February, it's one of our top-performing episodes—...