Season 2 is here! We're kicking off with our amazing guest, Rob Richardson, Head of Facilities Management at Bidwells.

Rob started out as a journalist. He then moved into FM at Broadgate Estates and went on to roles at CBRE, client side in real estate and now Bidwells. Away from work, he captained the Great Britain sitting volleyball team at the London 2012 Paralympics and has won 135 caps.

In this episode we talk about:

- How journalism gave Rob the basics of good FM
- His Paralympic journey, from last in the world to a home Games quarter-final
- Disability, inclusion and why proactive recruitment matters
- Why FM is all about people, and what Virgin Atlantic can teach us about service
- Being brilliant at the basics and not over-stretching your team
- Advice for anyone looking to start a career in FM

If you enjoyed it, please like, comment, share and subscribe. There's plenty more to come this season.



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00:00 Welcome to Season 2 & introducing Rob Richardson
01:48 From journalism to facilities management
03:40 Starting out at Broadgate Estates, Regent's Place
05:01 The Broadgate legacy & the future skills programme
06:16 Being a sponge: mentors and making mistakes
07:50 Setting your own standards
08:33 Rob's Paralympic story
11:08 The email that started it all
12:25 From last in the world to London 2012
14:07 Media training: from the Games to FM
15:52 Sponsor: Bidwells
17:19 Social media lessons for young professionals
18:05 Facing Iran & the 8ft 1in player
18:56 How sitting volleyball works
20:55 135 caps and still playing
22:21 Disability and inclusion in FM
24:29 Leaving every candidate with a positive impression
26:29 Advice for people with disabilities entering FM
29:17 Rob's biggest leadership lesson: FM is about people
30:19 Going client side and seeing the other perspective
32:08 The one team ethos
33:10 What Virgin Atlantic taught us about great service
35:38 Be brilliant at the basics
36:41 Residential vs commercial FM
39:08 The toughest part of leadership: team capacity
40:47 "Does it make the boat go faster?"
41:27 Learning from defeats
43:25 The Bidwells culture
44:53 Learning from other buildings
46:00 Sponsor: Total Pest Control
46:50 The FM time machine: what would Rob do differently?
48:35 It's okay to change your mind
49:38 The FM wheel: careers beyond site roles
51:15 Industry consolidation
52:59 Advice for anyone looking to get into FM
54:54 Wrap-up



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This episode is sponsored by Bidwells.
Bidwells is a leading UK real estate advisor. It works in the sectors that will shape the future: science and technology, sustainability and modern living. It was the first property consultancy in the UK to become a certified B Corp. Its 600+ experts manage over £5.2bn in property assets and advise on more than 4 million acres of UK countryside and coastline. It has been doing this for nearly 200 years and still works with many of its original clients.
If you want property advice built for new technology, climate change and the people who use your buildings, visit Bidwells: https://www.bidwells.co.uk

This episode is sponsored by Total Pest Control
We've worked with Total Pest Control for close to 35 years and have always found them responsive and diligent, with a real commitment to helping clients on the sites they look after. They handle everything from rats, mice and bedbugs to specialist services like netting and hawking. They're fully insured, hold all the accreditations you'd expect and offer a free site survey.
Find out more: https://www.totalpestcontrol.co.uk


#facilitiesmanagement #fmx #bidwells #totalpestcontrol #sport #olympicsport #volleyball #paralympics #property #propertymanagement

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Email: reuben@fm-exchange.com