Which project, deal or transaction was the “game changer” in the advancement of your career during the last 10 years? I was the project manager for renovations and new exhibits at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk. It was the first time I was afforded the opportunity to run a project from start to finish. While it was a small project, it made me realize the importance
What were your biggest fears when you started out in your profession? When I entered the commercial market back in the 1980’s, I feared the perception of a female interior designer. As being one of the most commonly misunderstood professions (designers vs decorators) it was and still is a constant challenge to validate the role of the professional interior
What were your biggest fears when you started out in your profession? My biggest fear starting out in this industry was that I wasn’t knowledgeable enough and didn’t have enough background experience. I started with Microdesk fresh out of college and had zero experience beyond my course work. I quickly learned that it wasn’t about what I had
What was your first job and what did you learn from it? My first architectural job was as an intern for a small firm during college. I realized quickly that architecture was not always the glamorous career that I had imagined. Of course, I had the opportunity to work on some really fantastic projects, but more often than not I was working on smaller jobs such as
What were your biggest fears when you started out in your profession? I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to find a job in my chosen city, since I had no real experience. Then I was afraid we’d screw something up when the workload was too heavy. Now I know more about how to plan for missteps, which are
What were your biggest fears when you started out in your profession? My biggest fear when I started out as an engineer was not being taken seriously as a young woman in a male-dominated field. Additionally, I also mentally wrestled with “imposter syndrome” when I started out and feared that I would be discovered
What was your first job and what did you learn from it? Ice cream shoppe. I went from scooping to managing over a 7-year period. Best part, the owner was a retired Army Colonel. I say to this day that I learned almost everything I’ve ever needed to know to prepare me for my careers in that shoppe. Things were a certain way, no exception, no excuses
What motivated you to step out on your own? I was inspired by work experiences in previous offices. The variety of work environments and locations was tremendous – from helping a solo architect to working in a 325-person firm, from designing in a rural environment to working with teams in Helsinki, Paris and New York. I found myself analyzing not only the type
Name: Marie Maia
Position: Director of Business Development & Marketing
Company: Montagno Construction, Inc.
How many years hav...
Which project, deal or transaction was the “game changer” in the advancement of your career during the last 10 years? New Haven had just embarked on an ambitious school construction program and the architectural firm where I was the director of administration and marketing designed the renovate/as new Truman Elementary School.
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