I didn’t plan to work in smart buildings. I got here by accident. But once I saw how much this industry felt like a big, complicated puzzle full of challenges like making buildings safer, greener, and smarter, I knew I belonged. But this industry is also quite male-dominated (you may have noticed). I needed a way to not only survive in this industry, but thrive.
My secret weapon? Curiosity.
I’m not an engineer or a controls expert. I haven’t been “in the trenches” for 30 years. I’m not a stereotypical smart buildings advocate… And I was often overlooked. One of the lowest points of my career in smart buildings was when, despite my insecurities, I voiced my opinion while on a zoom meeting with 8 other men. Rather than acknowledging anything I said, I was laughed at and informed that I was only on the call to “make the font look pretty,” as if the only benefit I was bringing to the table was aesthetics. (If you know me, I very much want to be recognized as a smart person, so this comment from a leader at the company was devastating.)
And this isn’t the only time I was overlooked by “experts” in the industry. I was left out of important calls that directly affected my ability to do my job well. I was spoken down to at events (have you ever heard the term “booth babe?” Turns out that’s a thing—although that is NOT me).
There is no way I was going to survive if I continued to be viewed as a marketing girl.
So I asked questions. Lots of them. Even the “silly” ones everyone else seemed too afraid to even think. In meetings full of technical jargon, I’d say things like, “Let me make sure I understand…” and then explain what I thought someone meant in simple terms. This did a few things for me: it helped me learn, it gave me the right language to use, and it gave others permission to admit when they were confused too.
Curiosity is powerful. By being the first to admit I didn’t know something, I watched my team shift, and I watched others respect what I was doing. Engineers started anticipating my questions because they got everyone on the same page. I started getting invited to more meetings as a “translator.” And eventually people started asking ME questions.
I joined groups and organizations that overlooked color, gender, race, etc and focused instead on abilities. I was welcomed not because I fit a mold, but because I cared about this industry and I wanted to learn more. (facil.ai, Switch Automation, Automated Buildings, Building Intelligence Group, Monday Live, C4SB, Nexus Labs)
I had spent years asking questions, learning, and trying to understand complex topics, and my curiosity was earning me respect. Because of my quest for learning, people were coming to ME for answers.
In an industry where men still dominate, curiosity became my superpower. It let me quietly challenge assumptions (“Why do we always do it this way?”) and turn “I don’t know” into “Let’s figure this out.” The change was subtle, but I stopped being overlooked, and I started appearing as an expert.
But here’s the bigger lesson: curiosity doesn’t just help women, it opens doors for everyone. When we ask questions freely, we create spaces where new voices can thrive. For women and other underrepresented groups, that’s huge. The more we invite diverse perspectives, the faster we’ll solve the industry’s toughest puzzles, from sustainable buildings to smarter cities.
To anyone feeling like an outsider in their field: don’t downplay your questions. Ask them. Lean into what you don’t know. That’s how breakthroughs happen. That’s how experts are made. And who knows… Your curiosity might just build a more inclusive future for us all.
