Episode #59
Architect into Life Changing Event | Britany Klenda [59]
Britany Klenda shares her path from architecture during the recession to corporate real estate and occupancy planning. Her shift brought on her skills, such as, data analysis, dashboards, and change management for workplace strategies. Britany discusses how parenthood challenged her hyper work mindset and how her role now blends human needs with space-usage data to guide clients on future workplace decisions. She also shares details about her family’s crisis when her son Bennett’s behavioral changes and led to discovering he had a brain tumor, surgery, rehab, radiation, and chemotherapy, followed by ongoing disabilities and care. The importance of community support, pediatric cancer foundations, and the importance of awareness and giving matter so greatly. ▬▬▬▬▬ Resources ▬▬▬▬▬ Britany Klenda: https://www.linkedin.com/in/britany-glim-klenda-37090237/ SAS Architects & Planners: https://sasarch.com/ JLL: https://www.jll.com/en-us/locations/chicago Between Two Kingdoms: https://www.amazon.com/Between-Two-Kingdoms-Suleika-Jaouad/dp/0399588582 Ronald McDonald House: https://ronaldmcdonaldhousechicago.org/central-dupage-hospital/ Violet Foundation: https://www.violet-foundation.org/ Cals Angels: https://www.calsangels.org/ Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation: https://curethekids.org/ Camp One Step: https://camponestep.org/ JCC Chicago Sunrise Day Camp: https://www.sunrisedaycamp-chicago.org/ Dragonfly Foundation - https://dragonfly.org/ Bear Necessities: https://bearnecessities.org/ Special Spaces: https://specialspaces.org/ Make-A-Wish: https://wish.org/illinois Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago: https://www.luriechildrens.org/ September is Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month - a time to honor the incredible strength of children battling cancer, remember those we've lost, and raise awareness of the urgent need for more research, better treatments, and stronger support for families. Every act of kindness matters. You can make a difference by: Donating blood. During Bennett's treatment, he needed more than 30 blood transfusions . Blood donors truly help save lives. Volunteering with a pediatric cancer foundation to support children and families throughout their journey. Preparing meals for families staying at the Ronald McDonald House, giving them one less thing to worry about during an incredibly difficult time. Hosting a fundraiser to support research and family assistance programs through childhood cancer organizations. Sharing our story to raise awareness. Every conversation, post, and share helps shine a light on the need for more research, more support, and more hope. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cacklemedia/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cacklemedia X: https://x.com/CackleMediaLLC YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CackleMedia LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cacklemedia/ Support the pod when signing up for Descript / SquadCast: https://get.descript.com/transferableskill ▬▬▬▬▬ Timestamps ▬▬▬▬▬ 00:00 Welcome and Show Introduction 00:19 Early Career Connections 01:36 Finding Architecture Passion 03:44 Time Management Lessons 06:13 Recession Work Pressure 08:01 Shift to Corporate Planning 10:33 JLL Consulting Basics 12:35 Hot Desking Change 15:06 Data Meets Human Needs 17:41 Dashboards During COVID 18:25 Family Crisis Begins 22:10 Diagnosis and Aftermath 24:12 Grief Without Words 25:20 Facing High Stakes Surgery 26:13 Hospital Chaos and Breaking Down 27:00 Handing Him to the Surgeon 28:08 Rehab Radiation and Chemo Marathon 29:59 Friends Who Show Up 32:48 After Treatment New Normal 36:27 Living With Fear and Perspective 39:14 Finding Community and Camps 42:28 Work Support and Hidden Strength 44:30 Paying It Forward for New Parents 45:50 Pediatric Cancer Awareness Call 47:11 Closing Thanks and Fight Ahead
