{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Facility Rockstars","title":"Building the Plane While Flying It: Nick Petrosino on Growth, Accountability, and the Future of FM","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2784,"description":"In this episode, Nick Petrosino, Corporate Facilities Manager at Milton CAT, shares his winding path from Bridgewater State University to Massachusetts Maritime Academy to managing over a million square feet across six states. Nick opens up about the self-awareness it took to recognize he needed a different environment to thrive, and how Mass Maritime gave him the discipline and focus to launch a career he's now spent nearly a decade building with the same company. His story is one of calculated risk, intentional growth, and the kind of quiet drive that keeps buildings running before anyone notices a problem.The conversation dives deep into the operational realities of managing a large, multi-location facilities team — from growing his department from three to eight people, to navigating vendor accountability, CMMS implementation, and the constant balancing act of day-to-day demands versus long-term strategy. Nick is candid about the challenges of training new staff, managing complexity, and why soft skills will always outlast technical knowledge. He also shares his passion for giving back to the next generation of FM professionals through his work with AFE's Young Professionals Committee, making a compelling case that future-proofing the industry starts now. Takeaways:Doing your job well keeps you employed — going beyond your role is what advances your career. Clocking in and doing the bare minimum might keep you on the payroll, but taking initiative, creating value, and growing outside your defined role is what separates people who climb from people who stagnate.Soft skills are ten times more valuable than hard skills. Hard skills can be taught; communication, conflict management, and the ability to network and present yourself are far harder to develop and far more impactful in the long run.Vendor accountability starts with clear expectations up front. When scope, response times, quality standards, and communication expectations aren't defined clearly from the...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/wIL-dAttDK3kGPGCx8T-IEpb3_8niKNWbKmYivkvwao/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS83NTkz/MjEzMTc5OTY4MmRi/MzYxYmU4NjI4MTE4/ZTQ1ZC5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}