💬 Episode Summary

In this heartfelt and refreshingly honest episode of The Heald Approach Podcast, Rebecca sits down (again) with the unstoppable Holly Kattenhorn, who’s leading her family’s road surfacing business into a new era, one built on inclusion, honesty, and human leadership.

From balancing motherhood and leadership to challenging old-school mindsets in construction, Holly opens up about what it really takes to run a business, raise kids, and stay true to yourself without burning out.

This isn’t your polished “women in construction” story. It’s the unfiltered reality...juggling painkillers and spreadsheets, chasing health goals while fighting self-pressure, and finding pride in doing things differently.

👉 This episode is proudly sponsored by the Highways Construction Training Association (HCTA): driving skills, standards, and leadership excellence across the highways and infrastructure industry.

🔑 Key Themes & Takeaways

1. The Pressure to ‘Have It All’
Holly and Rebecca unpack the hidden expectations on women, to look perfect, lead perfectly, and parent perfectly, and how that pressure shows up in everyday life.

2. Redefining Leadership in Family Businesses
Holly shares her journey leading her multigenerational company alongside her father and grandfather’s legacy, bringing modern values into traditional construction culture.

3. Mental Health, Fitness, and Self-Worth
The two get real about how physical fitness and mental health are intertwined and how societal beauty standards still weigh heavily on women in leadership.

4. The Reality of Working Mothers
From cooking three different dinners to managing teenage moods, Holly and Rebecca talk about guilt, grace, and the importance of slowing down to reconnect.

5. The Apprenticeship Gap
They explore how employers can better support apprentices — and why the future of construction depends on building workplaces that are flexible, inclusive, and emotionally intelligent.

6. Culture, Connection, and Emotional Intelligence
Holly reflects on introducing emotional intelligence training in a male-heavy environment and how it reshaped team dynamics, trust, and communication.

💡 Memorable Quotes

“You’ve got to be that role model for yourself before you can lead others.”, Holly Kattenhorn

“You can’t fix burnout with yoga classes, and you can’t fix culture with biscuits and away days.”, Rebecca Heald

“The construction industry will only thrive when we stop blaming people and start fixing the systems that hold them back.” , Rebecca Heald

🎧 Why You Should Listen

If you’ve ever felt torn between your ambition and your personal life, or questioned whether you’re doing enough, this episode will hit home. It’s a reminder that leadership isn’t about perfection, it’s about presence.

🤝 Sponsored by

Highways Construction Training Association (HCTA)
Championing excellence, inclusion, and the future of UK highways and infrastructure.

🔗 Connect with Holly

LinkedIn: Holly Kattenhorn
Company: Kattenhorn Road Surfacing

🔗 Connect with Rebecca

LinkedIn: Rebecca Heald
Website: www.rebeccaheald.com
Podcast: The Heald Approach

In this powerful episode of The Heald Approach Podcast in partnership with The Hampshire Construction Training Association , Rebecca sits down with Jason Woodward, SHEQ Manager at PT Contractors, committee member of the Hampshire Construction Training Association, and the driving force behind the award-winning iConstruct initiative.Jason’s story is a masterclass in leadership, resilience, and system change, from navigating the high-risk world of marine salvage to reshaping the culture of construction. Together, Rebecca and Jason unpack how industries can evolve when we stop accepting “that’s just the way it is” and start asking, “how do we make it better?”💡 Key ThemesFrom sea to site: how Jason’s early years in the marine industry shaped his leadership philosophy and passion for safety, culture, and people.Culture as the missing link: why changing attitudes, not just policies, is the key to attracting and keeping talent in construction.Neurodiversity as a superpower: Jason’s story of dyslexia, resilience, and how thinking differently can solve problems others can’t even see.Education’s broken pipeline: why outdated perceptions still push bright young people away from construction, and how that’s starting to shift.The iConstruct movement: how a simple idea grew from one event to hundreds of schools, connecting thousands of students with real-world opportunities in construction.Legacy through leadership: how industry role models, inclusive cultures, and community commitment are building the next generation of leaders.🧠 Quote Highlights“Don’t listen to those negative voices, internal or external. I was called thick at school, but I went on to get my master’s ticket and become a chartered professional. Hard work pays off.” Jason Woodward“We’ve got to stop moaning about the talent gap and start doing something about it.” Jason Woodward“When you open your doors and open your mind, people flourish and they’ll pay you back in dividends.” Jason Woodward“Leadership isn’t a job title. It’s a behaviour.” Rebecca Heald🌍 Why You Should ListenThis episode is for anyone who cares about the future of construction, leaders, educators, parents, and anyone tired of seeing the same outdated systems hold people back. Jason shows what’s possible when inclusion meets innovation, when action replaces talk, and when we decide to fix the system, not the people.🔗 Connect with JasonLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-woodward-cmiosh-355b4141/Learn more about iConstruct and the Hampshire Construction Training Association (HCTA): https://www.hcta.org.uk/iconstruct/🔗 Connect with RebeccaFollow @RebeccaHeald on LinkedIn for bold conversations on leadership, inclusion, and sustainable change.Listen to The Heald Approach Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

What if a brick could absorb CO₂ instead of emitting it?

In this episode of The Heald Approach Podcast, I sit down with Mat Davies, National Specification Manager at Vandersanden, to explore Pirrouet – the carbon negative brick that is rewriting what’s possible in sustainable construction.

Together, we unpack:

Why Pirrouet sequesters 60kg of CO₂ per tonne and what that means for net zero constructionThe cultural and regulatory barriers holding back innovation in the UK

How Vandersanden’s family-owned ethos enables long-term, bold investments

Why architects, clients, and contractors must collaborate if sustainability is to stick

The importance of supporting future talent through the Vandersanden Academy and RIBA initiatives

This is not just a conversation about bricks. It’s about leadership, culture, and the choices we make today that will define the industry’s legacy tomorrow.

Guest Bio:

Mat Davies is the National Specification Manager at Vandersanden, Europe’s largest family-owned brick manufacturer. Since joining in 2020, he has been an advocate for sustainability, innovation, and collaboration in the built environment. Matt is deeply involved in introducing Pirrouet to the UK market and works closely with architects, clients, and students to raise awareness of sustainable design and construction.

Links and Resources:

Learn more about Pirrouet -

Discover Vandersanden’s Together to Zero sustainability strategy

Read the blog

Listen & Subscribe:🎧 The Heald Approach Podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

In this episode of The Heald Approach Podcast, Rebecca sits down with Andy Oram from EH Smith Builders Merchants for a bold, honest conversation about what real sustainability looks like in construction, beyond buzzwords and greenwashing.Andy brings 15 years of experience working on some of the first Passive House projects across England and Wales, introducing innovative materials to a market slow to change, and pushing for leadership decisions that make a real difference to both climate and people.Together, they dive into:The real reason the UK has lagged behind Europe on sustainable building methods.Why Passive House should be the standard, not the exception and why its “branding problem” is holding it back.The uncomfortable truth about “sustainability” in construction and how the industry often gets it wrong.Circular bricks, Porotherm clay blocks, and how genuine collaboration can save money and cut carbon.The role of leadership, culture, and mindset in shaping a truly sustainable future for construction.This is not a fluffy, box-ticking conversation. It’s an unfiltered look at what needs to change and where the opportunities really are if we’re serious about building a better industry.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:✅ Why the term “sustainability” has lost its meaning – and how to reclaim it.✅ How leadership and decision-making at every level determine whether projects succeed or fail on their sustainability goals.✅ Two real-world stories that show what happens when collaboration works… and when it doesn’t.✅ Why innovation in materials is about more than eco-credentials – it’s about comfort, cost, and long-term resilience.Connect with Andy Oram: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-oram-8234a320/💼 Smith Builders Merchants: https://www.ehsmith.co.uk/Liked this episode?If you’re ready to stop firefighting and start leading differently in construction, follow Rebecca for more bold conversations and practical insights on leadership, inclusion, and sustainable business growth.🎧 Subscribe to The Heald Approach Podcast and never miss an episode.💬 Share this episode with someone who needs to hear the truth about sustainable construction.

This one’s a masterclass in real leadership from the ground up.I’m joined by Dave Mills from Lyons & Annoot, brickwork contractor, sustainability leader, and unapologetic voice for doing things the right way (even when it’s not the easy way).We talk apprenticeships that actually last, sustainability beyond the buzzwords, and what happens when you empower people instead of just ticking boxes.This isn’t fluff. It’s 100 percent real talk from a company that’s walking the walk—on carbon, on people, and on purpose.💥 Highlights✅ The truth about sustainability in brickwork (it’s not just about the planet)✅ Why "Mentor Me" is more than a name, it’s a mindset shift✅ How Lyons & Annoot embed new low-carbon products through apprentices✅ Rethinking diversity: it’s not about quotas, it’s about better outcomes✅ The real ROI of investing in people and why most companies get it wrong✅ The “similar to me” effect vs. what real inclusion actually looks like✅ Why scaring people into change doesn’t work and what to do instead💬 Dave Says:“If you’ve got 20 apprentices and only 2 are left after 3 months, you haven’t succeeded. That’s not investment. That’s failure.”“People hate change. The trick is to make big changes without anyone even noticing. That’s the real art of sustainability.”💡 Rebecca’s TakeThis conversation is the antidote to every hollow diversity strategy, every surface-level sustainability claim, and every company that shouts loud but invests little. Dave shows us that it’s possible to lead with integrity, retain great people, and push the industry forward without losing what makes it human.Ready to shake up your own leadership model?Drop us a DM. Subscribe. Share. And don’t forget to leave a review if this hit home.Catch the full episode and more at ⁠ www.rebecca-heald.co.uk

When contractors, manufacturers and specifiers ditch the ego and do the work

In this bold roundtable episode, Rebecca sits down with Andy Oram of EH Smith, Dave Mills of Lyons and Annoot, and Matt Davies of Vandersanden, to ditch the scripts and talk real collaboration.

From cross-sector sustainability efforts to apprentice-driven innovation, these three aren’t just talking change, they’re building it.

Expect straight-up honesty about industry resistance, leadership ego, and what actually happens when competitors sit at the same table. This isn’t your typical corporate conversation.

It’s raw. It’s real. And it might just change how you lead.

🎧 What We Talk About:

• Why “Stop. Collaborate. Listen.” isn’t just a cheesy lyric

• The power of private ownership in leading change

• How Dave’s sustainability event brought competitors together and shook the industry

• Cross-pollination between contractors, manufacturers, and specifiers

• The dangers of echo chambers (including in women in construction circles)

• Why short-term ROI obsession is killing innovation

• What it really takes to shift culture in a slow-moving industry

• Letting apprentices lead the conversation

• Disrupting the old-school mindset: “I’d rather retire than do something different”

  
  

🔥 Standout Quotes:

“We did it for four years with zero benefit. But we did it because it was right.” – Dave Mills

“You can’t drive sustainability from an echo chamber.” – Rebecca Heald

“Collaboration opens doors you didn’t even know existed.” – Matt Davies

“Private ownership gives us freedom — we’re not slaves to shareholders.” – Andy Oram

💥 Why You Should Listen:

If you’ve ever tried to do something different in construction and been met with blank stares, eye-rolls or outright laughter, this episode is your call to keep going.

These leaders are proof that collaboration isn't soft, it's strategic.

And it might just be the thing that saves the industry.

Guest: Ceri Evans, Global Director at Mace ConsultHost: Rebecca Heald🔥 Episode SummaryIn this powerful and deeply personal episode, Rebecca sits down with Ceri Evans, Global Director at Mace Consult, for a raw conversation about leadership, legacy, and navigating male-dominated industries without losing your sense of self.From classical singing to leading multi-million-pound infrastructure projects, Ceri’s story is one of radical reinvention, resilience and red lines. The episode explores mental health, motherhood, unconscious bias, and what it really takes to lead with authenticity in a system that wasn’t built for you.🎧 In This Episode, We Cover:Ceri’s transition from classical music to civil engineeringLosing her father to suicide and how that shaped her resilienceBecoming a carer as a teen and why it gave her the grit to thrive in constructionThe men who backed her early career and why true allies matterRed lines, drop-offs, and the emotional load of motherhood as a senior leaderThe invisible barriers still baked into workplace systemsWhy leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice but the clearest oneHer brutally honest take on guilt, growth and letting go of perfection🧠 Takeaways for Trailblazing Leaders:You don’t need to fit the system. You can change it.Diverse life experiences (yes, even hard ones) make for better leadership.Parenthood doesn’t weaken you, it sharpens your sense of purpose.Empathy, boundaries and flexibility aren’t ‘nice-to-haves’. They’re leadership essentials.Real leadership is about making space, not just taking it.🔗 Connect with Ceri Evans🔹 LinkedIn: Ceri Evans on LinkedIn 🎧 Listen Now:

Available on Spotify, YouTube and all major platforms.Don't forget to rate, review, and share if this conversation hit home.

EPISODE SUMMARY:
Forget everything you think you know about Gen Z in the workplace.
In this raw and real conversation, I sit down with Sonny White, a rising fire safety professional who isn’t just following in his powerhouse mum’s footsteps, he’s rewriting the rulebook.

Sonny calls out toxic work cultures, outdated apprenticeship processes, and the myth that young people “don’t want to work.”

He shares exactly what his generation expects from employers and why ticking the bare minimum box won’t cut it anymore.

We dive into:

• 🚨 Why his generation refuses to “flog themselves to death for a paycheck”

• 🔥 The brutal truth about apprenticeships and why the system is driving young talent away

• 📱 How social media is shaping work expectations and leadership accountability

• • 🧠 What employers are getting wrong and what needs to change if we want to attract and retain the future of this industry.

  If you care about the future of construction, engineering, and leadership, this one’s non-negotiable.

  
  

  🎧 Listen in if you're:

  • A leader frustrated by 'quiet quitting' and low engagement

  • Struggling to attract or retain younger talent

  • Ready to drop the top-down BS and build workplaces that work for everyone

• 🔗 LINKS & MENTIONS

  • Connect with Sonny White on LinkedIn

• • Andrea White (Sonny’s mum & founder of Women Talking Fire)
  • My chat with Andrea White, Previous Episode]
• 
  

• • Follow The Heald Approach on Spotify | Instagram | YouTube]

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