When you think about construction, what comes to mind? For many, it’s boots, bricks, and blueprints, but the reality is far more diverse. Alisa Bailey, founder of Waystone Consulting, has spent her career breaking the mold. With decades of experience in project management, envelope retrofits, and complex builds, Alisa has carved her own path through the industry. A career rooted in collaboration, people-first leadership, and embracing the messy middle.
Under the Hard Hat sat down with Alisa to talk about her winding career journey, what it’s like being a woman in construction, and why soft skills are often the most powerful tools on the jobsite. This article has been edited for clarity and length.
Catch the full podcast episode here:
Career path and early success
UTHH: Can you start by introducing yourself and sharing what you do?
Alisa: My name is Alisa Bailey, and I run Waystone Consulting, which is based out of Port Coquitlam, near Vancouver, BC. My background is in owner’s rep project management. I was previously a VP in the industrial sector at a fully integrated design and construction company before launching my own business.
UTHH: What inspired you to pursue a career in construction?
Alisa: Honestly, it wasn’t planned. I was a straight-A student in high school but didn’t thrive at university. I eventually enrolled in the Architecture Building Engineering Technology program at BCIT. I picked it from a brochure thinking, “It’s only two years — better than working at a restaurant.” I didn’t fully grasp what I was getting into, but I loved the idea of being involved in designing buildings like the iconic Vancouver Library.
UTHH: Do you think construction is a good career path for the next generation?
Alisa: Absolutely. It always has been. There are so many different jobs within construction, it’s not just trades. You get to work with architects, engineers, suppliers, and tradespeople. The variety keeps it interesting. For me, that mix is what keeps things exciting and fun.
UTHH: Was there a moment when you realized this was the right career for you?
Alisa: I didn’t really have a defining moment. I just started working in the industry and that exposure to roles helped me figure out what I wanted to do. I started in an entry-level drafting role, then worked in the building envelope retrofit world. That job was so diverse. I was on-site, writing reports, and holding meetings between all the parties involved. The diversity in that role made me realize that I needed variety to stay engaged in my job. I couldn’t be someone who sits at a desk doing the same thing every day. This role fit my personality and that’s when I figured out this industry was for me.
Challenges working in construction, how it’s changed for the better, and what still needs to be done
UTHH: In terms of challenges you face now compared to when you first started as a female in construction, are there any differences that you think have changed over time compared to now?
Alisa: It’s definitely evolved. When I started, I felt like emotions weren’t allowed on site and you had to be stone-faced. It was a lot harder especially if you were having a bad day. You couldn’t just be frustrated or show any emotion in person. You would have to go to the bathroom to release it all and then come back composed.
Now there’s more awareness around mental health and creating psychologically safe environments. The overt stuff has mostly gone away, but subtle things still exist. For example, there are moments in meetings where I find myself in a room full of men talking about their wives in a way that is condescending. While these conversations stem from societal norms and oftentimes are unintentional, they make women feel like they aren’t welcome.
UTHH: What specific challenges do women still face in the industry?
Alisa: One challenge I’ve seen again and again is this idea that women in construction need to be mentored by other women, especially from senior leadership. But the reality is there just aren’t enough women in those senior roles to support every up-and-comer. Mentorship should be about sharing your skills and experience, regardless of gender. Men in leadership have a role to play too and should look to act as mentors for women in the field.
The other major challenge is unintentional bias. A lot of women get funneled into paperwork-heavy roles like document control or project coordination instead of scheduling or estimating, which are often key to leadership and career growth.
UTHH: What can men do to support more women in construction?
Alisa: First, mentorship. If you have skills and experience, mentor someone, regardless of their gender. Second, be mindful of how work is distributed. Are you giving women real opportunities to grow, or just assuming they’re more suited for organizing and administrative roles?
UTHH: Can you walk us through your career progression and how you were able to get to the level you achieved?
Alisa: I started with a log home manufacturer to get something construction-related on my resume. This then helped me get my next job working at an engineering firm doing building envelope and restoration work.
I think the biggest thing at that job that helped me out the most is that we did everything. From the very beginning of the project where we were writing, doing the investigations of the buildings to understand what the issues were. This included writing the reports, sitting in client meetings, working with the drafting team to work through the drawings and creating the specifications, and then doing site reviews and working with contractors on actual construction once we got into the construction and working with owners.
This experience helped me a lot in my career progression because I got a good perspective of the whole process. This experience then allowed me to move to BC Housing, which is the social housing agency in BC.
Here, I advanced and eventually became a director managing 15–20 staff. From there, I joined a design-build firm as a project director, leading integrated teams on complex projects, and advanced to VP of Industrial. When I decided to leave that company, I realized my skills didn’t quite fit the boxes companies were hiring for, so I decided to start my own business.
Making the leap to entreprenuership
UTHH: What helped you make that leap into entrepreneurship?
Alisa: I’d been thinking about it for years. I did a lot of interviews and I really realized that the skill set that I had was very specific and it didn’t really fit into what the companies that I was talking to needed. At the time, I had a few mentors that really said to me, why don’t you just try it on your own?
They told me, “Just try it for one year. If it doesn’t work out, that’s not failure.” That mindset shift helped me go for it. I contracted a bit with my previous company to wrap up projects, which gave me some work to start while I found new business.
UTHH: What’s been key to finding clients?
Alisa: Relationships. Old coworkers, old clients and just letting people know what I was doing. It wasn’t from fancy networking events. It was coffees, conversations, and staying visible. People are often more excited to support you than you think, but they need to know what you’re up to. My first new client came from a simple lunch with old colleagues. So much of it is just about staying connected.
UTHH: Are you using any technology and AI tools to power your business?
Alisa: We all have different things and different needs when it comes to tools. I think it comes down to finding the biggest pain points you experience as those are probably going to be the bottlenecks in your business. Seeing if you can outsource it or use tools like ChatGPT to help you out will save a lot of time.
The first “tool” I added was a bookkeeper. That freed up a lot of mental space for me as I didn’t have to worry about accounting. I also use ChatGPT as a research assistant and idea starter. It helps get me past the blank page, especially since I don’t have a team to brainstorm with.
Outside of that, I’m using Excel and MS Project as it helps me keep things familiar and simple.
UTHH: As a business owner now in construction, what separates you from others?
Alisa: I think people appreciate the value and the different voice that I provide. When I work on projects I’m trying to bring the different teams together instead of just focusing on deliverables and making sure things are getting done and the tactical components of it. When things aren’t getting done in a construction project, it’s typically a people problem and not a task problem. That’s where I come in.
The future of construction
UTHH: What trends in construction are you excited about?
Alisa: Prefabrication. It has the potential to reduce labor shortages and make job sites safer and more comfortable. But for it to really take off, that knowledge has to be shared with smaller firms too, not just the big players. I think creating that knowledge base and getting ideas from all angles is really important for this trend to take off and become successful.
UTHH: What do you think will change most in construction over the next decade?
Alisa: Two things. The first is technology, especially user-friendly tools built with real industry input. COVID pushed people to adopt digital workflows, and I think that trend will keep growing. We’re seeing more companies integrate technology but adoption is still an issue.
You are not just implementing tech at one company with one team. You are working with general contractors, architects, engineers, subcontractors, and suppliers, and everyone needs to be on board for it to work. In construction, every project has a different team, so consistency is hard to achieve.
Technology needs to be easier to learn, easier to adopt, and the information gathered should be accessible to everyone involved. Otherwise, you run into issues like miscommunication, lost documents, and delays. I think we are moving in the right direction, but the tools need to be designed around how construction really works on the ground.
The second thing is culture. The industry needs to become more respectful and less adversarial. This includes everyone from engineers, contractors, and architects. We all need to understand each other’s roles and challenges. If people understand how they interact with each other and how their work streams interact, then we’ll be much more efficient and there’ll be less finger pointing, which creates a toxic environment where people don’t want to work.
UTHH: If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Alisa: Don’t cancel that coffee. I missed a lot of opportunities because I prioritized deadlines over relationships. Now I know those half-hour conversations are invaluable. Make sure you track the people you work with, even if it’s just a note on what they do. Your network will be your biggest asset down the road.
UTHH: Last question. What does Waystone Consulting do and how can people work with you?
Alisa: We provide owner’s representative and project management services for clients, especially in complex projects like industrial, labs, or anything “weird” and unique. I love helping people who don’t know where to start on a project and walk them through the process. I also offer project management training with a focus on collaboration and people skills, which are just as important as any technical tool.
Thank you to Alisa Bailey for joining us on the UTHH podcast and sharing her insights. To learn more about her work, visit Waystone Consulting or connect with her on LinkedIn.
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