Baseline

A mobile app for individuals with bipolar disorder, offering an AI-powered chat for daily companionship, predictive insights from biometric data for better self-management, and personalized tools to empower friends and family in providing effective support.

Co-Founder

COA AI studio

We're revolutionizing business efficiency and customer engagement with our advanced AI solutions tailored for various industries. In just 4 weeks, we've helped multiple clients streamline their operations, cutting costs by up to 25% and reducing repetitive tasks by 16 hours a week. Our vision is to integrate intelligent, custom AI agents into businesses, enabling them to operate on autopilot while achieving better results and lower costs. With a passionate team of seasoned experts, we're poised to drive impactful change and innovation in your industry. Let's connect to discuss how we're leading the future of business automation and customer satisfaction with AI.

Partner

Techstars

Empower emerging entrepreneurs with the tools, insights, and strategies they need to succeed in the competitive world of technology startups. Leveraging my extensive experience in the tech industry, I offer personalized mentorship, helping young companies navigate the complexities of business development, tech innovation, and market strategies to turn their ambitious visions into successful realities.

Startup Mentor

Popup

When we started Popup back in October 2021, we knew we wanted to create something unique—a no-code platform that would give entrepreneurs and merchants more control over the customer journey. 

Our vision was to empower anyone, anywhere in the world, to build and run their online Popup Stores with ease and flexibility.

Raised 3.5m from Accel and Seedcamp to bring our vision forward.

Looking back at my time with Popup, it was an amazing journey filled with growth, learning, and collaboration.

Co-Founder and CMO

Viceroy Group

From September 2018 to November 2021, I was deeply involved in Viceroy Group, an exceptional e-commerce portfolio of 7 direct-to-consumer brands and an agency that builds brands for creators. Our ambitious mission was to become a billion-dollar company by positively impacting the lives of one billion people.

As a Co-Founder, I played a crucial role in shaping the vision and direction of our company. I firmly believed that our brands should represent more than just products; they should provide solutions and improve the lives and well-being of our customers. I was passionate about creating brands that not only met the needs of our customers but also contributed to making the world a better place.

Our motivation for starting Viceroy Group was rooted in the belief that businesses can and should drive positive change. We were dedicated to making a difference in areas like sustainability, charity, raising the minimum wage, education, and health. It was this passion for making a positive impact that propelled our company forward and fueled our success.

During my time at Viceroy Group, I had the privilege of working with an incredibly talented team of individuals who shared my vision for using e-commerce as a force for good. Together, we built brands that resonated with our customers and stayed true to our mission of changing lives.

Co-Founder and CMO (Exited)

Shopify Plus

I had the fantastic opportunity to work as an EMEA Strategic Merchant Success Manager at Shopify Plus, and I'd love to share a bit about my time there.

Based in the beautiful city of Galway, Ireland, I was responsible for managing a diverse portfolio of some of the biggest e-commerce brands in Europe and the Middle East. As an EMEA Strategic MSM, my role was to support and guide our clients through their e-commerce journey and help them reach new heights.

Working at Shopify Plus was an incredible experience that allowed me to connect with talented entrepreneurs and business owners from all over the region. I was able to learn from their successes and challenges, and in turn, provide them with the tools, strategies, and support they needed to grow and thrive.

During my time at Shopify Plus, I witnessed first-hand the power of e-commerce to transform businesses and create new opportunities. I was inspired by the stories of brands that started from scratch and grew to become household names, thanks to the power of Shopify's robust platform.

Being an EMEA Strategic MSM at Shopify Plus also taught me the importance of understanding the unique needs and preferences of different markets across Europe and the Middle East. I gained valuable insights into how to tailor e-commerce solutions to cater to diverse audiences and make a meaningful impact on their lives.

EMEA Strategic MSM

Church & Dwight Co., Inc.

From April 2008 to January 2013, I was based in Ireland and had the exciting challenge of coordinating and implementing marketing activities for the Viviscal brand in four different countries: the Netherlands, Italy, Portugal, and Spain. Each country had its unique market dynamics and consumer preferences, so I had to constantly adapt and fine-tune our marketing strategies to achieve the best possible results.

My role as an International Marketing Manager allowed me to travel extensively, immersing myself in the diverse cultures and business environments of these countries. I had the pleasure of collaborating with local teams, understanding their perspectives, and tailoring our marketing approach to resonate with the local audiences.

One of the key aspects of my role was recruiting PR agencies and negotiating deals with publishing companies for events, TV, and print ads. This required me to develop strong relationships with various stakeholders and ensure that our brand message was communicated effectively across all channels.

International Marketing Manager

Lumen

As a Brand Strategist at Lumen, I had the fantastic opportunity to work with the corporate and consumer identity division, helping to define brand guidelines, tone of voice, and identity for some of the biggest companies out there, including Ferrero, Alfa Romeo, AC Milan, and Smirnoff Vodka.

Working with such iconic brands was truly an exciting and rewarding experience. I got to dive deep into the essence of each brand, understanding their unique values, goals, and target audiences. My role was to help them develop a clear and consistent brand identity that would resonate with their customers and set them apart from the competition.

Collaborating with a diverse team of creatives and professionals at Lumen, we tackled various challenges and developed innovative solutions to elevate each brand's presence and impact. Being part of this multicultural environment allowed me to learn from my colleagues' different perspectives and broaden my own understanding of branding strategies and global markets.

Working in the vibrant city of Milan, the fashion and design capital of the world, was truly inspiring. The city's creative energy and dynamic atmosphere fueled my passion for branding and design and further enriched my professional growth.

Brand Strategist

Dad.
Breakdancer
Occasional Entrepreneur


80's kid moved to New York as a pro-breakdance. Escaped to Australia to avoid deportation and picked up gigs as a fire-dancer in a travelling circus.

Moved back to europe into the corporate world. Climbed up in a Fortune 500 company, overseeing teams in 7 countries. Made quick money and spent them faster. First burnout and depression hit. 

Music was the next chapter. Produced 4 albums, toured 10 countries. It was intense, it was a blur.

Then came the startups. Launched a few. Some crashed, others soared – one hit £12M in 8 months, another £16M in revenue in one year. 

Ventured into venture capital. Raised £3.5 million from the big players. 
Not all went as planned, but that’s the game of venture. 

Now? I’m using my experience to mentor startups while building and AI for the future for mental illness.

Matteo Grassi

Two weeks of airports, overpriced coffee, and name tags.
Dublin to San Diego, San Diego to  Düsseldorf.

Two different universes.
San Diego at BHT2025 was mostly AI talk everyone pitching the future with a technology that has not proven much so far.

Düsseldorf at Medica was hardware, sensors, and machines.
85,000 people building the physical side of care.

And somewhere between the two, I realized something:
this trip felt different because Hana was different.

Before I left, we’d already made the call.
We stopped trying to be a platform.
Stopped trying to “own” the patient.
We stripped everything down to what was actually working: the rails. 

The part everyone needs but no one wants to build.
Voice-first engagement.
Straight into any system.
Plug-and-play instead of “please adopt our beautiful product.”

And the minute we did that?
Every conversation on the road suddenly clicked.

No more “great product but…”
Just: “Can we plug this into what we already have?”

Yes. You can. That’s literally the point.
And while I was wandering between conference halls:

We integrated into 2 platforms with 100K users
We started powering 4 clinics across 3 continents
We moved fully onto our own model
We published research
We pre-filed a patent

Our pipeline basically doubled because now we fit anywhere.
This is what happens when you stop trying to be the show and start being the power outlet.

Everyone’s building the appliances.
Not many are  building the grid.
So we are.

If you’re building in healthcare and need the rails underneath the part that actually keeps patients connected let’s talk.

3X Founder | Building the Voice That Keeps Patients in Care | Psychologist | My mum says I am special

I've been building companies for twenty years.
There are two types of founders. 
Only one survives what's coming.

Ok lets start with type 1. Sprinters.
Raise big. Scale fast. Exit clean.
Everything optimized for velocity and valuation.
When markets cooperate, these founders become legends. Press tours. Conference keynotes. The works.
Then capital tightens.
Layoffs. Down rounds. Desperate pivots to stay alive.
I've watched this happen across sectors (healthcare, fintech, SaaS, you name it). The architecture was never designed for adversity. It was designed to sprint in good weather.

The second type builds different.
Driven by co-creation. They're building ecosystems where everyone plays a part customers, employees, partners. Wealth generation is distributed. Success is collective. They don't feel entitled to all the glory just because they initiated it.
They're asking: what needs to be true for this to exist in 50 years?
They grow slower initially. 
But they don't collapse when the founder leaves or funding freezes.

This is not a choosing your type Linkedin post. 
Which type are you etc etc
You can use Type 1 fuel to build Type 2 durability.
But you have to architect it from the beginning.

Before you raise serious money, decide what's non-negotiable. 
Actually write it down.
Because once you're in the fundraising machine those incentives rewrite your brain. The pressure to optimize for the next round doesn't ask permission.

I tell founders to run two scoreboards.
Metrics VCs understand (ARR, growth, unit economics).
And metrics that actually predict survival (employee wealth creation, leadership depth, operational resilience without you).

Most companies only track one.
Distribute wealth early. Not as retirement theater.
Employee ownership means nothing if you wait until Series D when dilution makes it symbolic.

In AI right now, I'm watching this split happen in real time.
Founders optimizing purely for exits are raising faster. 
Getting more press.

Founders building actual infrastructure the kind of clients trust across years, not quarters they're moving quieter but deeper.

The question isn't which type is "better."
The question is: which game are you actually playing?
And which game do you want the world to start rewarding?

Because I think we're at an inflection point.
The companies that win the next decade won't be the ones that scaled fastest.
They'll be the ones that built something worth keeping.

What type of founder do you think gets funded more easily?
And what type do you think should?

Vinculum Advisory

Managing Director

Civil and Structural Engineer with technical expertise in Specialist Engineering Assessments, design verification and Independent Verification of design and impact assessment of Sydney Water assets.

Technical Director

Legacy Property

As Project Director, I am responsible for all components of the project and development lifecycle from strategy, delivery and sales and marketing. My role is also to value engineer all Legacy Projects and thrust innovation, time and cost savings. 
My main responsibilities are:

•	Due diligence for site acquisitions;
•	Formulation of project feasibility, profit on cost and returns;
•	Engineering and planning due diligence into project acquisitions; 
•	Provide input into Infrastructure strategies across project pipeline;
•	Project delivery of over 1300 dwellings;
•	Technical input into structural building design, civil engineering subdivision matters and utility infrastructure advice.

Project Director

3 Degrees of Seperation

New networking events for upcoming and young clients, consultants and contractors in the development, engineering and infrastructure spaces. 
A way to build and grow your network with like minded professionals.

Founder

Vinculum Ventures

Investing in growing businesses and young entrepreneurs.

The Entrepreneurial Engineer

After 25+ years in engineering, on site, in boardrooms, and across continents, it’s time to give back.

I’ve made the mistakes, worn the pressure, led the teams, and built the projects. 

And now?

I’m on a mission to help engineers become more than just technically competent.

I’m here to help them think like entrepreneurs.

The Entrepreneurial Engineer is about packaging up everything we learn across a career, the wins, the lessons, the pivots, the pressure, and turning it into something that actually moves the needle for others.

It’s not a course. 

It’s a mindset.

I mentor, coach, and support the next generation of engineers to:

Build confidence

Win work (not just do it)

Accelerate their growth

Communicate with clarity

Navigate careers with courage

Because the age of the technical-only engineer is over.

Today’s engineers need to think, influence, and lead.

That’s why The Entrepreneurial Engineer is built on one philosophy:

THINK — differently about your value, your path, your edge.

CREATE — with purpose, clarity, and bold thinking 

SHAPE — the future of the industry by becoming the kind of engineer others want to follow. 

This is the advice I wish I had earlier.

Now I this is my mission.

Let’s shape what’s next.

#TheEntrepreneurialEngineer #ThinkCreateShape

Mentor and Career Coach

Hope in a Suitcase Australia

Hope in a Suitcase is a non-profit organisation run entirely by passionate and dedicated volunteers and through donations of new items from the community, and the generosity of groups and corporations. Since its beginning in 2018, the charity has grown to be able to provide suitcases for children going into foster care or out-of-home care, throughout NSW, Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania.

Children with a strong sense of self-worth feel competent to cope with the basic challenges of life and feel worthy of success and happiness. It gives them a solid foundation for their learning and development. It is empowering and makes room for positive change in a way nothing else can.

Ambassador

INDESCO PTY LIMITED

My role as Associate Director was to drive growth in the Sydney market and leverage off existing clients and projects from offices in Canberra, Wollongong and Parramatta.

Associate Director

BG&E

NSW Land Development Lead

The Gables, Box Hill ($4billion) – Project Director 
4,100 lot residential subdivision.  At one stage managing over 30 projects across feasibility, masterplanning, civil and services works, road and intersection works, and trunk potable water and electrical lead-in services. 

Riverside Oaks, Cattai - Project Director
Masterplanned 300 lot resort subdivision, 150 room hotel and resort facilities including private services and complex site conditions. 

Corrimal Coke Works Rezoning - Project Director Civil and Services Engineering Masterplanning
The 18.2 hectare former Corrimal Cokeworks Site, located in the northern suburbs of Wollongong.  The concept master plan proposes approximately 750 dwellings comprising a mix of low-mid rise apartments and medium density dwellings.

Associate

North West Growth Centre Package 3C/D ($70million) - Sydney Water – Project Expert
8km of rising mains DN450, 6km of water mains DN900, 11km of sewer mains DN300-1000, 2 x sewage pumping stations. 
Acting as Project Expert I acted as a technical and commercial verifier on all complex project matters.

Project Expert

Working as Delivery Management for Sydney Water to deliver the following projects on time and budget: 

NWGC Lead In Projects ($15million) Sydney Water – Senior Project Manager
11km of sewer lead in mains DN225-375, 3kms trenchless microtunnel, thrust bore, 2kms HDD, deep excavations >10m.

Senior Project Manager

North West Growth Centre Riverstone Wastewater Lead Ins Package 2 – Sydney Water / Designer: AAJV / Contractor: Veolia
Infrastructure: 3 km DN375/300 Sewer Lead In Mains

Project Manager

Client: Sydney Water Corporation/Contractor: LendLease/SKM
Project Cost: approx. $70M
North West Growth Center Package 2 Works 
Infrastructure: 2.6km Rising Main DN450, 10km of Water Mains DN300-900, 11km of Sewer Mains DN300-1000 and a Sewage Pumping Station 2x215kW submersible pump units. 
Current responsibilities include (note contract is yet to be awarded): 
•	Writing and finalizing the Project Specification, Contract and RfT documentation; 
•	Assessing and evaluating Tender submissions;
•	Design co-ordination with internal Sydney Water Stakeholders; 
•	Design Management  and verification of project design processes and program;  
•	Construction verification, instructions and variation management; 
•	Commissioning Coordinator for SP1154 (2 x 215kW pumps) large diameter WW and IMH; 
•	Managing 4 Project Engineers, and two safety and environment consultants.

Design and Construction Manager

BG&E Water

North West Growth Centre Riverstone Wastewater Lead Ins Package 1 – Sydney Water / Designer: AAJV / Contractor: Comdain 
Infrastructure: 3 km DN375/300 Sewer Lead In Mains

North West Growth Centre Foxall Rd Works - Sydney Water / Designer: AAJV / Contractor: Diona 
Infrastructure: 3 km DN375/300/225 Sewer Lead In Mains

North West Growth Center Stringer Rd Works - Sydney Water / Designer: AAJV / Contractor: Diona
Infrastructure: 1.5 km DN300 Sewer Lead In Main, 500m DN250 DW/RW Mains. 
Responsibilities include: 
•	Independent design verification, design management and managing the designer; 
•	Project Management of the detailed design, tender evaluation and construction phases (both designer and contractor);

Client: Sydney Water Corporation/Contractor: D&W Plumbing and Civil Contractors
Project Cost: $3.8 million. Package 1 Works on the North West Growth Center – ‘Barry Rd Works’
Infrastructure: 2.8 kms of Potable and Recycled Mains (DN100-450)
Responsibilities included: 
•	Project, construction and contract management;
•	Leading the design process and chairing the design review, CHAIR2/3 and HAZOP workshops; 
•	Quality, safety and environmental management; 
•	Inspection of works; and
•	Water Services Coordinator (WSC) role.

Package 1 Works on the North West Growth Center (completed April 2011) - Sydney Water /Contractor: Reed Constructions 
Project Cost: $78million. 
Infrastructure included: 
•	18.3 kms of potable and recycled water delivery and distribution mains (MSCL, DICL, PVC) (DN450 – DN1200), microtunnels/thrust bores; 
•	4.1 kms of Sewer Carrier (GRP, PPP) (DN300 – DN750);
•	1.2 kms overflow line DN1200 (RCP);
•	Chlorination and electrical control building facilities; and 
•	A 40ML surface potable water reservoir at Rouse Hill (steel). 

My main responsibilities included (for Project works): 
•	Design management and finalisation of the Process Functional Design for the reservoir; 
•	Project and contract management and administration, EOTs, variations, SOP claims, expert determination processes; 
•	Lead auditor for QSE audits of Contractors and Subcontractors, and daily inspections of works;
•	Maintenance of, and being audited for Australian Water Holdings certification with AS/NZS ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management System and AS/NZS ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System; 
•	Technical and management input into the commissioning process and management of SWC resources for chlorination and connections (water service coordinator role); 
•	Management of a two Works Inspectors, two Project Engineers and a Document Controller; and
•	Assessment and processing of project claims, payment schedules and review of contract programs.

Design, Construction and Commissioning Manager

On a mission to help engineers to be more entrepreneurial | Project Director @ Legacy Property Chartered Civil and Structural Engineer passionate about design thinking, innovation and challenging the status quo.

The best engineers don’t just design. 


They think. 


They create. 


They lead. 


They shape the future. 


That’s been the theme of my 25+ year career, starting on site in trenches, with pipes, pumps and concrete, and evolving into a Chartered civil and structural engineer, Director, Advisor, Mentor, Coach, and community builder.


My career has spanned over $5B of infrastructure and development projects across Australia and Vietnam. 


But the turning point came when I realised engineering wasn't just about drawings and approvals, it was about value, clarity, and execution. 


I once saved a client $1M in 1 hour of drawing review. 


That shift changed everything.


Today, I lead Vinculum Advisory—an engineering consultancy focused on specialist engineering and delivery management for development and infrastructure projects across NSW. We help our clients navigate the most complex components of design, risk and delivery, bringing technical clarity and strategic thinking to every phase.


I also serve as Technical Director at Legacy Property, where I drive value engineering and strategic outcomes across their portfolio. My role spans due diligence, planning, approvals, masterplanning and delivery, ensuring smarter outcomes, faster execution, and best-for-project results.


My technical strengths are matched by a deep commercial lens, blending engineering logic with development and delivery strategy.


And that mindset now powers everything I do:


THINK — Strategic vision, technical excellence, and future-focused frameworks. 


CREATE — Platforms like 3 Degrees of Separation and The Entrepreneurial Engineer to connect and elevate engineers and entrepreneurs.


SHAPE — Real outcomes, team building, smarter delivery, and future-ready professionals.


I speak to rooms, mentor individuals, and advise businesses, not just to talk about engineering, but to talk about where our future is going.

I also have a podcast that dives into real people, their stories and highlights what makes them more entrepreneurial.

https://youtube.com/@theeepod?si=tlDxFeznvs4UdPxt

Because the future of this industry doesn’t belong to the most technical. It belongs to the most adaptable. 

The most curious. 

The most willing to lead.

If you’re an engineer, entrepreneur or young professional ready to think bigger, create and shape your future, and make more impact, let’s connect.


#EntrepreneurialEngineer #VinculumAdvisory #LegacyProperty #3DegreesOfSeparation #ThinkCreateShape

Darren Flynn

Urban Design Fail...

Humans will always find the path of least resistance.

You can design all the fences, bollards, and barriers you want 

But if it doesn’t align with how people actually move, they’ll carve their own route every time.

That little dirt track?

It’s called a desire path, and it’s one of the most honest forms of feedback in urban design.

If you’re designing for people, start by watching where they walk.

On a mission to help engineers be more entrepreneurial. Passionate about design thinking, innovation, tech, future, AI and challenging the status quo.

This is innovation...

The kind I dreamed up back at Uni…

And then did absolutely nothing with.

Israel, one of the sharpest water-tech nations on earth, went and built smart pipes that generate clean electricity.

As water flows through the network, it spins tiny internal turbines.

No dams.

No land take. 

No mega-infrastructure.

Just using pressure that already exists.

Streetlights. 

Sensors. 

Data Centres.

Even small communities…

Powered by water doing what water already does.

It’s a reminder that the biggest breakthroughs are usually hiding in plain sight.

If you’ve got an idea, act on it.

Because if you don’t, someone else will.

Engineers want the title, but not the work in the trenches...

Everyone wants to be called:

Senior Engineer, Design Manager, Project Lead, or Director.

But few want the 5 a.m. problem-solving sessions, the rework, the client calls that go sideways, or the pressure of delivering when the data doesn’t add up.

The pain is the process.

The bruises are the proof.

The pressure is what turns you from engineer to leader.

Stop chasing the trophy, start earning the scars.

Design Fail...

This footpath isn’t a design feature.

It’s a design fail someone had to work around.

If you’ve spent more than 5 minutes in this industry, you already know this truth:

Half of engineering is solving problems.

The other half is fixing problems someone else created.

You don’t always get a clean slate.

You don’t always get perfect drawings.

You don’t always get ideal levels, alignments, clearances or services.

But drainage needs to drain.

Sometimes you inherit:

• poor planning

• missing coordination

• a clash no one bothered resolving

• a structure that magically “appeared” during construction

• a decision made 10 years ago by someone who’s now retired

And you still have to deliver.

This footpath is exactly that:

A contractor trying to turn a bad situation into a finished product, even if the geometry says otherwise.

Is it pretty?

No.

Is it ideal?

Definitely not.

But is it reality?

Every. Single. Week.

Because great engineers aren’t the ones who get perfect conditions.

Great engineers are the ones who can look at a mess and still produce something functional, safe, and that works.

Phi. 

In the architecture of this 8th century Japanese Pagoda there are several relationships of the Golden Ratio (Phi). 

This temple was designed and built carefully so that every detail corresponds to the Golden Ratio of Nature, thus displaying a design aligned with the fractal harmony of the Universe. 

It is no accident that her beauty is often called "frozen music."
ㅤ
"The good, of course, is always beautiful, and the beautiful never lacks proportion." – Plato
ㅤ
Yakushiji Pagoda, Japan.

Image from the book "The Power of Limits: Proportional Harmonies in Nature, Art and Architecture", by György Doczi

Today's thought:

No matter your age, you'll always wish you started younger. 

But today is the youngest you'll ever be...

Read that again.

Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot has reached a major milestone.

It can now run with true airborne strides. 

wow...

New footage shows Optimus lifting completely off the ground for fractions of a second with each step.

Something only a handful of advanced robots have ever achieved. 

This type of bipedal running demands precise balance, shock absorption, smooth motion control, and enough speed to sustain brief “mini-jumps.” 

The progress signals a huge leap in Tesla’s robotics program.

Optimus is rapidly moving closer to real-world agility and human-like mobility.

Engineers who show up.

At Vinculum Advisory, we don’t believe in “desktop engineering.

We believe in delivery.

That means being on site.

In the dirt.

Mark Cremona and his team, getting it done...

With boots on the ground, not just opinions in a PDF.

The new utes aren't a flex, it’s a statement.

We’re investing in the tools that get our people where they need to be. 

On the ground, on site, with the Client, with the Contractor, solving the real problems.

Projects don’t move because of emails.

They move because someone actually showed up and made a call.

That’s who we are.

That’s how we deliver.

When some things shouldn’t be automated...

Not every tool needs a battery.

Not every process needs AI.

Not every problem needs a system.

Sometimes… 

You just need a hammer.

Most engineers think the game is won by the smartest person in the room.

It’s not...

It’s won by the engineer who raises their hand and says,

“I’ll figure it out.”

Your degree won’t save you.

Your HDs won’t save you.

Your “IQ” won’t save you.

But your willingness to try…

to question…

to build…

to iterate…

to take responsibility when everyone else steps back.

That’s the difference between an engineer who stays stuck…

and an engineer who becomes unstoppable.

In this industry, the people who win are the ones who take action before they feel ready.

Your ‘I can’ will take you further than your IQ ever will.

Why do engineers make the best project managers??

Because engineers are already trained for the hardest part of project management:

Making decisions when the information is incomplete.

Most projects fall apart not because of design,

But because no one wants to call the shot when the variables aren’t perfect.

Engineers are built for that environment.

Engineering teaches you how to:

Break complexity into simple parts

Spot risk early, before it becomes a disaster

Ask sharper questions

Challenge bad assumptions

Read between the lines (and drawings)

Understand how everything fits together, not just the task in front of you. 

That’s why engineers step into PM roles and instantly change the temperature in the room:

Meetings become decisive.

Programs tighten.

Consultants sharpen up.

Contractors stop hiding problems.

Scope creep dies fast because someone can challenge it before it turns into a variation. 

If you're an engineer thinking about jumping into PM work, here’s the truth:

You already have the core skills.

You already think in systems.

You already anticipate failure before others see it.

You already understand design, delivery, risk, sequencing and constraints better than most PMs ever will.

The only gap?

 Communication

 Influence.

Getting people to do what they said they’d do.

Systems. 

And those are learnable.

So don’t wait for someone to “tap you on the shoulder.”

Engineers make exceptional project managers, and you’re probably closer than you think.

Engineers don’t need motivation.

We just need a deadline that’s close enough to hurt.

Nothing transforms productivity like the last minute.

Suddenly the fog clears.

Scope becomes obvious.

Decisions get made.

And that drawing you’ve been “thinking about” for 3 weeks…
gets finished in 45 minutes.

But here’s the truth no one tells young engineers:

The last minute isn’t a strategy.

It’s a symptom.

A symptom of unclear priorities.

A symptom of fear of starting.

A symptom of perfectionism disguised as “planning”.

The real pros?

They create artificial last minutes.

They chunk the work.

Set micro-deadlines.

And turn panic into process.

So yeah, nothing makes an engineer more productive than the last minute…

But the ones who lead?

They don’t wait for it.

They build it into their system...

Know when it’s time to escalate to an engineer...

If this feels like your workload heading into Christmas…

then maybe it’s time to find a new circuit breaker.

Because you can’t keep plugging more and more into a system that’s already overheating.

Whether that system is your job, your team, or you.

So before Christmas hits, do the one thing most engineers, managers, and founders refuse to do:

Pull the plugs that don’t matter.

Trim the tasks.

Park the noise.

Set expectations. Especially with clients. 

Clear the load so you can actually finish the year with your sanity intact.

Then before the shutdown and celebrations kick in.

Spend one hour, a day, a minute, mapping out what Q1 2026 needs to look like before it looks like this picture again.

Reset.

Rewire.

Sort it out now.

And to all the clients and contractors out there.

There will be a 2026.

Iran is currently producing some stunning brick architecture...

Sydney’s Lower North Shore has a problem no one wants to talk about…

…and it’s not over development.

It’s schools.

Right now the NSW Government is pushing Transport-Oriented Development (TOD), density around Metro stations, and huge rezonings that massively increase yield across the Lower North Shore.

Developers get uplift.

The Government gets revenue.

Communities get… stuck.

Because while we’re adding thousands of new residents, we haven’t added the schools to match.

Not even close.

Let’s look at what’s actually happening in the Lower North Shore:

Greenwich Primary is bursting at the seams, but there’s no Greenwich High School for those kids to move into.

Naremburn School? Needs expansion. 

North Sydney Dem, no high school. 

Cammeraygal High? Completely full. Waiting lists. Overflow. Portable classrooms.

Mosman High is one of the only remaining realistic public options… for a region with some of the fastest-growing density in the state.

Private schools are laughing. 

Rezoned areas around Crows Nest, St Leonards, North Sydney, Artarmon, Chatswood, thousands more apartments approved or under assessment.

The Government is benefiting from the uplift… while the infrastructure that actually matters for families is falling behind at light speed.

We keep hearing about “liveable density.”

Well, liveability starts with education, not just train stations. 

We talk about affordable housing. 

We talk about TOD precincts and 30-minute cities.

But nobody asked the most obvious question:

Where are all these new kids supposed to go to school?

This is not a NIMBY issue.

This is not an anti-development rant.

I’m pro-density when it’s done right.

But density without essential services is not planning, it’s chaos.

Sydney has world-class engineers, planners, architects, and designers.

We can build expansions above existing campuses, or adjacent to our open spaces.

We can design vertical schools above rail corridors, above plazas, above community hubs, it’s not hard, the solutions are there.

But right now?

The Government is approving density faster than it can educate the people living in it.

That’s the real crisis.

As a parent, as an engineer, and as someone who works deeply in development and infrastructure, I’m worried.

Because this isn’t just a planning oversight…

It’s a generational failure in the making.

It’s time to:

Unlock our existing schools and expand them with smart engineering. 

Deliver vertical schools in TOD precincts as part of uplift incentives.

Ringfence uplift revenue or contributions for local education infrastructure.

Treat schools as essential infrastructure, because they are.

If we can build skyscrapers above Metro stations, we can build classrooms.

And if the we can’t get this right, what hope do other communities have?

This is about more than planning.

It’s about our kids, and their kids.

I’m about to release a set of online courses for engineers.

If each course was $150, which one would you actually pay for?

Pick one:

🔥 Australian Standards for Migrant Engineers

(Understand AS codes, design expectations & local practice)

⚡ Personal Branding for Young Engineers

(Build visibility, credibility & career momentum)

🤝 Networking 101 for Engineers

(Learn how to build relationships that open doors, coffee chat, and at events)

🚀 How to Master LinkedIn

(Grow your influence, land opportunities, create a pipeline)

🎯 Emerging Leaders Program 

(A complete early-career accelerator)

Comment which one and why 

Building these based on demand.

Also if you're interested in joining my growing online community, drop me a DM and I'll send you the link.

Most engineers never notice this…

When you get to the point where you end up back where you started.

You didn’t grow.

You just did laps.

Too many engineers confuse years of experience with progress.

Same projects. 

Same habits. 

Same staircase.

It looks like movement, but it’s just repetition.

Stop calling it a career path if it’s really a loop.

Back to where you began.

taplio

The Battle

Matteo Grassi

Darren Flynn

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taplio

The Battle

Matteo Grassi

Darren Flynn

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Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Matteo Grassi's LinkedIn Performance

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Performance ScoreMatteo Grassi's LinkedIn Performance