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Continue reading →: Budget Accuracy: A Measure of LeadershipIn capital projects, budget accuracy is more than financial discipline — it’s a reflection of how closely progress is tracked and how decisions are made. The project manager sits at the center of this process. Not as the one who makes the final calls — that’s the sponsor’s role —…
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Continue reading →: Strategic Risk Management in Capital ProjectsEvery capital project carries risk. Equipment delays, scope changes, compliance hurdles, safety concerns — risk isn’t the exception, it’s the rule. But unmanaged risk? That’s where projects derail. Across mechanical and piping scopes, one truth becomes clear: risk management is not paperwork — it’s leadership. Risks live where disciplines meet…
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Continue reading →: How Others Define My Leadershipleadership, personal brand, project management, engineering, testimonials, workplace culture, mentoring, resilience
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Continue reading →: Protect the CoreEvery organization begins with a core — a mission, a purpose, a reason to exist. At first, everything aligns around it: resources, people, strategy. That clarity builds momentum. But over time, it’s easy to drift. Growth opportunities appear. Partnerships expand. Side projects emerge. And little by little, energy shifts away…
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Continue reading →: Engineering EmpathyEngineering isn’t only about numbers, drawings, and standards. It’s about people. The hardest problems in projects are rarely technical. They are human. Miscommunication between disciplines. Friction between priorities. Teams working in silos instead of together. That’s where engineering empathy makes the difference. In capital projects, engineering, fabrication, and procurement often…
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Continue reading →: Roots and RenewalMy favorite plant almost died. On the outside it still looked green, but the roots were suffocating. That was me in the months before my layoff — standing tall, but slowly withering inside. I don’t have a new “pot” yet, but I’ve changed the soil. I’m taking care of myself…
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Continue reading →: Productivity Beyond Walls: Why Remote Work WorksThe pandemic was real, and it forced a real change. One day, we were all working in offices with desktops. Only managers had laptops. The next day, almost overnight, everyone was sent home with a laptop, Teams access, and the expectation that projects would keep moving. As an engineer, I…
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Continue reading →: Building BridgesSince my layoff, people often ask what I’m focusing on. Yes, I’ve updated my resume and I’m exploring new opportunities. But one of the most meaningful things I’m doing right now has nothing to do with job applications. It’s called Building Bridges — a Mujeres Omega Foundation program where Latina…
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Continue reading →: What Are the Odds?It was supposed to be a job interview. A fresh start.A chance to focus on the future instead of the past. I got dressed with intention that morning — no steel-toe boots, no high-vis vest, just heels and my favorite blazer. It felt symbolic, a reminder that I was stepping…
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Continue reading →: Productivity Is a Mindset, Not a LocationI can crawl into furnaces, climb towers, and stand beside welders in the middle of a noisy fabrication shop.I can also rent a quiet coworking office, open my laptop on a ship’s balcony, or answer emails from a café with my feet in the sand. I’ve worked from high-vis coveralls…
Meet Mairim Neves
Engineer • Mentor • Founder • Storyteller
I’m an engineer with over two decades of experience leading complex projects — and a lifelong learner passionate about people, purpose, and growth. Through my blog “It’s Not a Legacy, It’s Just Me,” I share reflections on leadership, travel, and everyday moments that shape who we are.
Catalyst — my leadership framework born from real engineering experience — is where reflection meets action.
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It's Not a Legacy, It's Just Me 