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

Google has reportedly made a massive move in the energy space.

Spending around $4.75 billion dollars to acquire an entire energy company, all to keep up with the exploding power needs of its AI data centers. 

As artificial intelligence systems demand enormous amounts of electricity, tech giants are now racing to secure their own energy supplies instead of relying on traditional grids. This deal highlights how critical power has become in the AI era, where data centers run nonstop to train and operate advanced models. 

For Google, it is not just about sustainability or cost control, but about ensuring uninterrupted growth of its AI ambitions in the years ahead

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

I grew faster on LinkedIn by commenting than by posting.

Most people still don’t get why.

Sometimes I like and comment on everything in my feed.

10 minutes...

Non-stop.

Back-to-back.

Because that’s how you show up.

That’s how you stay top-of-mind.

That’s how you build momentum, reputation, and opportunity.

You don’t grow by posting once.

You grow by participating relentlessly.

Until people can’t ignore you.

Give it 10 minutes a day.

Watch what happens in 10 weeks.

I learnt more from tradies than textbooks.

One of the greatest advantages I ever had as an engineer wasn’t a degree.

It was learning to treat EVERYONE as an equal.

I’ve always believed this:

If you want to succeed in engineering, listen to people.

Not just managers.

Not just Directors.

Not just the “qualified.”

Listen to the tradies.

The carpenters.

The sparkies.

The plumbers.

The labourers.

The Mum-and-Dad clients.

The person sweeping the floor.

The person working on site. 

Half of the best engineering lessons I’ve ever learned came from someone who never once called themselves an engineer.

Because respect isn’t about title, qualifications or hierarchy.

Respect is about being human enough to recognise that everyone sees something you don’t.

The day you think you’re “above” asking someone’s opinion…

is the day you stop growing.

The day you sit down with the trades and genuinely listen…

Is the day you become the engineer people want to work with again.

Great engineering isn’t built on ego.

It’s built on collaboration.

It’s built on curiosity.

It’s built on respect.

That’s the real shortcut to success.

And it costs nothing.

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Mark Pang

Engineers, talk is cheap.

Delivery is rare...

Everyone has ideas.

Everyone has plans.

Everyone means well.

But trust is built on one thing only:

Doing what you said you’d do —
when you said you’d do it.

No reminders.

No excuses.

No “almost done”.

Just delivery.

This is what separates:

Professionals from pretenders

Engineering leaders from loud voices

Long careers from short ones

The quiet operators don’t explain themselves.

They don’t overpromise.

They don’t need to be seen.

They just show up…

And finish the job.

Say less.

Do more.

Deliver when it counts.

If this hit, you already know why.

Perks of being an Engineer

Money

Make family proud

Happiness

Not....

Reality check:

Stress
Responsibility
Deadlines 

What they don’t show in the chart:

You’re paid for what you know, not what you do

You carry risk so others can sleep

When it works, no one notices

When it fails, everyone points

Engineers don’t chase happiness.

We chase confidence, clarity and getting it right.

First time.

Pride comes later.

Money comes eventually

Responsibility comes immediately.

Tag an engineer carrying the whole project right now.

Whoever designed this… 

Give them a raise. 

This is what happens when creativity meets engineering thinking:

Solve the problem

Make it obvious

Make it unforgettable

Most workplaces hide fire extinguishers.

This one turned it into a diver’s oxygen tank.

Functional, compliant, and brilliant.

Good engineering isn’t always about adding complexity.

Sometimes it’s about adding imagination to the things people walk past every day.

Because when design, safety and creativity intersect. 

Everyone wins...

Learn when to build around something.

Rather than cutting it down.

Not every obstacle needs to be removed.

Not every problem needs to be demolished.

Not every constraint needs a fight.

Sometimes the smartest engineering decision

the one that saves time, money, relationships, and sanity

is to design with the constraint, not against it.

That’s leadership.

That’s judgement.

That’s what separates textbook engineers from real-world ones.

Because in projects, careers, and life:

Some things have roots.

Some things hold the soil together.

Some things grow stronger when you work with them, not around them.

The trick is knowing which is which.

Learn that — and everything gets easier.

Engineering knowledge is the true foundation of our built environment...

Not concrete.

Not steel.

Knowledge.

Every city you admire.

Every bridge you trust.

Every building you walk into without thinking twice.

They all stand on decades — sometimes centuries — of accumulated engineering thinking.

This image says it all.

Because before anything is built

Someone calculated the load

Someone questioned the assumption

Someone learned from a past failure

Someone wrote it down so the next engineer didn’t repeat it

Engineering is not about drawings.

It’s about judgement.

It’s not about software.

It’s about understanding.

It’s not about speed.

It’s about getting it right when it matters.

The problem today isn’t a lack of tools.

It’s a lack of depth.

We’re building faster than ever…

But are we thinking deeply enough?

The engineers who invest in knowledge today
are the ones whose work will still be standing tomorrow.

Don’t live to work… 

work to live. 

*posted on a Saturday

**while playing ⛳

18 minutes is enough to change everything, here's why.

Most people wildly overestimate what they can do in a week....

And massively underestimate what they can do in a year.

18 minutes a day doesn’t feel impressive.

It doesn’t feel “grindy”.

It doesn’t feel Instagram worthy.

But here’s the part no one talks about:

• 18 minutes beats zero

• Consistency beats intensity

• Reps beat motivation

100 hours a year on one skill compounds faster than talent ever will.

That’s how average engineers can become exceptional.

That’s how quiet operators lap loud talkers.

That’s how careers quietly take off while others stay stuck.

You don’t need a new year.

You don’t need a perfect plan.

You don’t need more time.

You need 18 minutes.

Every day.

Pick the skill.

Show up.

Let time do the heavy lifting.

Consistency is the real cheat code.

Most people look at pipes and see… 

Pipes.

Engineers look at them and see fittings, flow, and liquid.

Artists look at them and see shape, colour, personality.

But the magic happens when all can see the awesomeness. 

1. Turn the pipe into a character

A 90° bend? That’s a neck.

A flange? A frill. 

An inspection opening? A belly button.

Engineers create the structure.

Artists bring it to life.

2. Use colour to shift perception

A red pipe is a pipe.

A polka-dot pipe a blue snake? 

Now you’ve got an attraction.

3. Integrate science concepts

You can turn everyday assets into teachable moments:

A water main illustrated with flow arrows, velocity changes, turbulence zones

A gas main showing molecular movement. 

Art becomes a science lesson.

Science becomes accessible.

Engineering becomes visible.

4. Use pipes to show engineering principles visually

You can paint around or above a pipe to demonstrate:

Laminar vs turbulent flow

Pressure zones

Structural bending moments

Stress concentrations

Load transfer

Hydraulics concepts

Suddenly the public can see what engineers think about.

5. Blend pipes into murals

A horizontal pipe becomes a tree branch.

A vertical one becomes the trunk.

This is where art meets geometry, creativity riding on top of civil engineering.

6. Turn maintenance points into interactive features

Valve handles painted as flowers

Inspection pits turned into portals

7. Bring in storytelling

Engineers build networks.

Artists build narratives.

Imagine walking through a precinct where each piece of infrastructure tells a chapter in the story of water:

Catchment

Treatment

Discharge

Energy recovery

Environment

Pipes become characters in a bigger ecosystem, not just hidden underground.

8. Use pipes to make engineering FUN for kids

Every time a child sees a painted stormwater pipe and thinks,

“Wow, what does THAT do?”

We just created the next generation of engineers.

Why This Matters (and why engineers should care)

Because the future isn’t just about designing things that work.

It’s about designing things that people connect with.

When engineering, science, and art overlap, you create:

Better community engagement

Higher visibility for essential infrastructure

A deeper respect for the built environment

A culture where engineering is seen as cool, not boring.

More young people entering STEM

Spaces that feel alive

Turning ordinary systems into extraordinary experiences.

The F4 Freeway (Now the M4) under construction through a bare looking Emu Plains and Penrith in 1970. 

Emu Plains was named by early European explorers in the late 1780s/early 1790s because they saw large numbers of emus roaming the flat lands near the Nepean River.

Imagine 50 years from now...

Photo Source: Transport for NSW

The more you know you don’t need to use ChatGPT…




The smarter you actually are.

Read that again.

It’s true.

AI is a tool.

A powerful one.

So don't be a tool.

Know it's not a replacement for thinking.

He lost a $1M McLaren. 

Then built $1T worth of companies.

In 1999, Elon Musk sold his first startup for $20 million.

No mansion. 

No yacht.

Just a $1M McLaren F1.

Uninsured.

A year later, he looked at Peter Thiel and said,

Watch this.

Seconds later, the McLaren was airborne.

Totaled. Gone.

Most people would’ve called the insurance company.

Musk just kept driving, metaphorically.

Because that crash wasn’t about a car.

It was a mindset test.

He doesn’t insure against failure.

He uses it as fuel.

That’s the Entrepreneurial Engineer difference.

While most build safety nets — he builds launchpads.

While most slow down — he scales up.

While others dream — he executes.

You don’t have to like him.

But you can’t deny this:

He lost a car.

Then engineered an empire.

Most engineers don’t have a career problem.

They have:

a discipline problem, 

a courage problem, 

a stop-making-excuses problem.

You’re not “stuck.”

You’re just comfortable.

You’re not “overlooked.”

You’re just not loud, valuable, or dangerous enough.

And no, your boss isn’t the issue.

Your work ethic is.

Here’s the truth no one wants to say:

If you’re not moving forward in engineering right now, it’s your fault.

Not the industry.

Not the market.

Not your manager.

Not AI.

You.

The moment you accept that…

Is the moment everything changes.

Engineers who win don’t wait to be chosen.

They build skills, leverage, networks, and opportunities.

And they do it before they feel ready.

Savage?

Yes.

But it’s also the only advice that actually works.

Stop waiting. 

Start leveling up.

Your future self is already disappointed you’re taking this long.

Engineers, before you look to open a door of opportunity, 

Look for signs.

Most people rush toward any open door.

New role.

New title.

New opportunity.

But the fastest way to stall your career

is opening the wrong door...

Here’s how to spot the wrong door before you touch the handle:

It opens away from who you’re becoming

If the opportunity pulls you back into comfort instead of forward into growth, it’s the wrong door.

You’re excited about the badge, not the work

Status fades fast.

Skill compounds.

If the role looks good but doesn’t build you, wrong door.

You can’t explain what it leads to

Good doors connect to corridors.

Bad doors are dead ends dressed up as shortcuts.

You’re ignoring friction signals

That quiet hesitation?

That mismatch in values, people, or culture?

That’s not fear, that’s data.

Before you open the door, look for any obvious design flaws, and ask yourself, 

Where does this door actually lead.

McDonald’s in Tokyo..

Where global identity meets Japanese minimalism. 

A builtform happy meal.

Engineers. Work hard.

Not for the car or the applause.

But for control.

Control over your time.

Control over your projects.

Control over how your day is engineered.

You put in the work now so your future isn’t an endless cycle of deadlines

Firefighting, and Sunday-night dread.

Most people work just hard enough to survive.

Engineers design systems.

You’re designing a life that works for you.

The goal isn’t luxury.

The goal is freedom you don’t need a vacation from.

Lock in.

5 non-negotiable skills to show if you want to get promoted or land that dream job.

Most engineers think promotions come from: 

• More technical skill
• More years of experience
• Another qualification

They don’t.

They come from signals.

Here are the 5 that actually move the needle:

Ownership (End-to-End Delivery)

Stop writing “assisted”.
Start showing what you owned, including when things went wrong.

Leaders take responsibility for outcomes — not tasks.

Stakeholder Communication

If you can’t explain complex engineering to:

• Clients
• Directors
• Contractors

You won’t lead projects.

Clarity beats cleverness every time.

Decision-Grade Thinking

Senior engineers don’t pass on information.

They frame decisions.

Risks.
Options.
Recommendations.

That’s how trust is built fast.

Commercial Awareness

The fastest promotions go to engineers who understand: 

• Cost
• Time
• Risk
• Client pressure

Technical skill keeps you employed.

Commercial thinking gets you promoted.

Systems & Improvement Mindset

Top engineers don’t work harder — they design better systems.

Automation.

Process improvements.

Smarter workflows.

That’s leadership before the title.

Hard truth:

You don’t get promoted when you’re “ready”.

You get promoted when your manager knows you're already doing the job.

Your biggest engineering career problem isn’t skill.

It’s your lens...

Same data.

Same drawings.

Same constraints.

Different outcome.

Because you’re not seeing reality.

you’re seeing it through:

past failures

old rules

someone else’s ceiling

a lens you never questioned

Most engineers don’t hit a limit.

They look through one.

Change the lens.

The opportunity changes instantly.

Read that again.

29E6

Engineering should enhance what you as the architect do, not get in the way. In short, we are here to make you look good. Life safety is of course priority number one, but that is a baseline for a structural engineer. In addition, our professionalism, knowledge, expertise, efficiency in design process, and understanding of the codes will allow the project go smoothly and cost efficiently through the design and construction process so that we can all sit back and be proud of the job done. 

Specialties: Structural Engineering and consulting for steel projects, commercial buildings, and high end residential. Expert in high wind and seismic design. Project experience a variety of construction materials including steel, concrete, masonry, wood, and CLT. Project types include residential, commercial, Hotels, Churches, Pre-engineered metal building (PEMB) foundations base work on Parris Island, SC, Beaufort County Work, Colleton County work, Value Engineering, are you bored of reading this yet? Then give me a call or email me to find out how I can help you today.

Principal Engineer

Structural Innovations, LLC

Structural Engineering Consultant to architects and industry professionals. Since I have been an independent consultant, I have worked on a variety of projects.  Projects have ranged from government work on the military bases here in Beaufort, SC, residential work, as well as commercial work.  It has been a blessing to be able to be involved with some of these interesting projects.

Owner

Andy Richardson Design

Develop new ideas to creatively solve problems people face each day.  

I have worked on inventions, iPhone apps, and websites.  Currently I am helping people pass the PE Exam and the FE Exam with videos.  check out the site ppi2pass.com for more on that.

Ace the PE Exam

I have been providing information and tools to help people "Reach their dream of becoming a Professional Engineer" since 2009.  

In addition to providing educational materials on the popular podcast and website, I also instruct with Professional Publications, Inc. (PPI) since 2012  for their online Civil PE Exam course.  I helped over 1,000 students take the PE exam!  

In 2015 AceThePE.com merged with PPI to produce Ace the PE Videos.  We are still doing this together. You can check out more on their website.

Moulton Clemson Jones, Inc

Structural Engineering for commercial and residential buildings.  Prepared plans ans specifications, while also managing clients.

Structural Engineer

Ward Edwards

Designed and managed the design of structures for commercial and residential projects.

Project Engineer

Nivens Engineering Design Group, Inc

Worked on a variety of projects including municipal water and sewer improvements, and on the other end of the spectrum I also worked on the structural design of industrial facilities.

Engineering should enhance what you as the Architect do, not get in the way.

Too often, engineers overdesign, delay responses, or complicate the process. These issues frustrate architects, owners, and contractors while driving up costs. Sound familiar?

I once asked a long-time client, Eddie, “Why do you keep using us instead of shopping around?”
His answer was simple: “You listen.”

That’s what sets us apart. Every project begins with a structural charette, where we align on your vision, goals, and criteria. It’s not just a meeting—it’s how we ensure we deliver what you need.

We listen. We respond. We pick up the phone.

Our Approach
Life safety is priority one, but it’s just the baseline. At 29E6, we aim higher—to make you look good. Our professionalism, expertise, and efficient design process ensure projects move smoothly and cost-effectively.

We follow a proven six-step process, starting with a structural charette and ending with construction support. Along the way, we use tools like Revit and Bluebeam and bring decades of experience to the table.

Our Experience
I bring 26 years of structural engineering experience, including 21 years as a licensed Professional Engineer (PE) and several as a Registered Structural Engineer (SE).

Our team includes multiple licensed PEs and structural engineers with expertise in:
	•	Materials: steel, concrete, masonry, wood, and CLT.
	•	Conditions: high wind, seismic, and coastal.
	•	Projects: commercial buildings, hotels, churches, residential, PEMB foundations, and government facilities.

We’re licensed across numerous states in the Southeast and Midwest, ensuring expertise where you need it most.

Next Steps
The best way to see how we work is to book a structural charette. Let’s align on your next project and show you how we’d approach it.

Already have plans? We can also value-engineer them. If we don’t save you at least twice our fee, you don’t pay.

Send me a message and let’s get started.

Andy Richardson

Boutique Hotel in Savannah, GA
(Or) Tight sites require close coordination

This mixed-use development is finishing up in the heart of the historic district, right next to Ellis Square in Savannah.

It is called The Digby.

It is a high end boutique hotel

It packs a lot into a small footprint:

Rooftop bar  
Ground-floor restaurant  
Five stories of rooms above it all  

But here is what is interesting:
The building sits inches away from an existing parking garage.

Here is how the structural system comes together:
Concrete slab at the first floor framing
Five stories of structural steel above  
Supported by a mat slab foundation  

The upper floor systems is concete deep deck system by New Millenium 

The building has a high volume of windows and glass.

As such, The lateral system uses a dual approach:

Elevator core as a shear wall with Exterior steel moment frames

The hardest problem on this project was not the math.

It was the geometry.

The adjacent parking garage forced careful coordination from day one.

But there are also offsets and variations in the exterior elevations that required careful attention. 

The mat slab foundation was also designed to fit the limitations of the historic district setting.

At 29E6, we provided structural engineering services for The Digby.

Corbin Collier, PE  led the lion’s share of the design work in 2022 during his first stint with our firm. He is now back as an associate. 

He used RISA Floor for the majority of the steel and foundation design.

Harold Munoz  has been leading our construction support effort.

Thanks to James Gallucci, AIA and Clif Cooper for the opportunity.  

Working on a high-end prokecy such as this hotel?

We’d love to help bring your vision to life.

Streamlined Structural Engineering... with Construction Support

No alternative text description for this image

Just listened to this book over my break
Purple Cow by Seth Godin
Here is what I learned:

When you nail your market, you get:
— Better clients  
— Better projects  
— Better fees  

Here’s the basic concept:
Brown cows are everywhere.  
So nobody notices

A purple cow shows up.  
Everybody remembers.

Most say they want a purple cow.
Then they do the same things.

The gurus say the riches are in the niches.  
Now I believe them.

So I thought about my purple cow. Here are a few things I landed on. 

1) Our market  
Architects are my bread and butter.  
Especially high-end architects doing high-end work.
I also tend to enjoy working with those that are in offices of a dozen or less
 (I.e. The same kind of office as we have) 

The kind of people who care about:
— Coordination  
— Fewer headaches  
— A finished building that matches the vision

I still work with contractors and engineers, but I just am not planning on building an identity around them.

2) Our process  
We already do:
→ Charrettes  to help understand the project
→ A clear six-step process  

( Plus I took a semester of architecture school, so that could help @@ )

3) Pick up the freaking phone.
Provide high end customer service. 

4) Construction support that is ridiculous.
The kind that makes an architect say:
“It would be ridiculous not to hire them.”

I stole that “ridiculous” framing from Jake Maxey .  
It is still true.

Here is what “ridiculous construction support” looks like in real life:

→ quick response on RFIs and submittals   
→ Questions handled efficiently

Here are a few other layers
Remote work and an overseas support team.
 These can have both pros and cons. 

For example: while I was on vacation last week, we were able to respond to RFI’s

This is my thinking about Purple Cow
What is yours?

What does good look like for business success

I have started working with Ryan and digging into our strategy for 2026.

What are you doing to develop a winning strat?

Live With No Limits | Unlocking Freedom & Flexibility for Architects & Engineers | Grow Your Wealth & Your Firm

Most firm owners aren’t stuck because of poor execution. 

They’re stuck because they don’t know what ‘good’ actually looks like.

A client said this during a strategic planning session for the coming year:
 
“I feel like actually having an articulated game plan is the first part of the battle. Honestly, it’s almost the whole battle. Knowing the benchmarks. Knowing what ‘good’ actually looks like. If I can get to a profitable company with five people… that changes everything.”
 
Most firm owners aren’t failing because they’re lazy or incapable.

They’re stuck because they’re operating without a clear definition of success.
 
No benchmarks.
No finish line.
No understanding of what they’re building.
 
So every decision feels heavy.
Every problem feels urgent.
And progress feels random.
 
Clarity changes that.
 
When you know what you’re aiming for, the noise quiets down.

Tradeoffs get easier.

You stop chasing every opportunity and start building toward something specific.
 
You don’t need the perfect plan.

You need 𝘢 plan.

One that’s articulated, measurable, and aligned with the life you’re trying to create.
 
That’s not the end of the battle.

But it’s the moment the battle becomes winnable.

taplio

The Battle

Darren Flynn

Andy Richardson

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