Originally posted in Professional Services Management Journal (PSMJ) - September 2025, Volume 52, Issue 09

Member Spotlight: William Paul

BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN YOUR CAREER SO FAR?

Balance, in general, has always been my biggest challenge. Work/life balance has been difficult to get right. As a rising PM, balancing completing the technical work with the paperwork and back-end management was a struggle. Now, as CEO, I still struggle with allocating my time properly to the varying needs of our firm and its people. How much time should be spent on growth versus improving operations, clients versus our team, my work life versus my home life? I am still searching for the answer every day.

WHAT IS A KEY TIP YOU COULD PROVIDE TO AN EMERGING LEADER?

Embrace the transition from technical expert to leadership by understanding your new role on its deepest level. It is no longer about you; it is about your team. So, forget about getting “your work” done and make sure your team has the support and resources they need to perform their best. That is your primary work now - not proposals, reports, client meetings, and everything else that comes with increasing responsibilities. Focus on your team and the rest will fall into place.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE MOMENT OF YOUR CAREER SO FAR?

There are so many great moments - I have had a blessed career. But my favorite moments are always when a client thanks us at the end of a project and says, “We couldn't have done this without you.” One moment that stands out happened about 10 years ago, right after I had been in a devastating cycling crash. I was two weeks out from surgery, in a sling 24/7, and couldn't drive and could barely walk. I had won a trial phase for a huge project for a new client that was very technical, and I had to make sure we nailed it. So, disobeying my doctor, I had my team help dress me in my PPE – personal protective equipment – and I was onsite overnight, in the train tunnel, reviewing the data personally with one functioning arm. We got it done, the client was blown away with our solution, and it turned into a multiyear, signature project for my team. And we absolutely heard “We couldn't have done this without you” at the end.

WHO OR WHAT INSPIRED YOU IN YOUR CAREER?

I don’t mean to sound cheesy, but I’m inspired by the unsung heroes in our communities. The teachers who go so far beyond their job descriptions in working with our children, the volunteers who help the homeless, the hungry and the elderly, really anyone who does things simply to make the world a better place. I have always been so busy that I haven't been able to help as much as I would like, but I look to these great examples and try to make my work community a better place. One way is by doing little extras for our clients, often beyond the traditional definition of civil engineering and land surveying. Another is by treating our employees as individuals and leading with compassion when challenges arise in their lives.

GUILTY PLEASURE: WHAT CAN YOU NOT LIVE WITHOUT?

While I love traveling or a great meal with friends, my guilty pleasure is cars. Whenever I need to de-stress, I'll take a sports car and a backroad over anything else. I recently got a chance to drive a car on a racetrack for the first time, and I am hooked. Nothing beats the adrenaline of pushing your car and yourself to the limit.

FUTURE PREDICTION: WHAT IS COMING IN THE INDUSTRY WITHIN THE NEXT 10 YEARS?

AI and robots are coming for us all. I have already seen huge transitions occur in my surveying career with robotic total stations, widespread use of GPS, and the adoption of 3D laser scanning. These technologies replaced many of the menial tasks and entry level positions that humans used to do, just as AI is doing today. Despite this shift, there is still a shortage of skilled surveyors because we adapted, embraced the technology, and found ways to harness it to help our clients. Likewise, in the next 10 years, it will be up to us as consultants to continue to find ways to add value, doing the work that AI can't replace. And, even more importantly, we have to find a way to train the next generation because many of the tasks that were previously performed by entry level professionals don't exist anymore. This will be a huge challenge that we’ll need to overcome.