The Grit Blueprint Podcast
Partnerships And Visibility Will Transform Our Industry: Lakisha Woods, CEO of National Glass Assoc.
December 17, 2025 Length: 17 min Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab)
From the floor of GlassBuild, Stefanie Couch sits down on The Grit Blueprint Podcast with Lakisha Woods, the new CEO of the National Glass Association, to talk about how partnerships and visibility will transform the industry. They cover the workforce gap, women in glass, and leadership.
About This Episode.
A workforce crunch won’t solve itself, and the answer might be hiding in plain sight. From the floor of GlassBuild, I sit down with the National Glass Association’s new CEO, Lakisha Woods, for a fast-moving conversation about elevating women, the workforce gap in glass and construction, and building the kind of partnerships that turn trade show energy into real business.
We talk about the first-time magic of GlassBuild, complete with a drumline that set the tone for a show built on momentum and connection. Then we get practical. Exhibitors want architects in the aisles; architects want hands-on exposure to new glass, fenestration, and facade solutions. When those worlds meet, projects move faster and smarter. Lakisha shares early wins from bringing architects to the show, and how timing, non-competing calendars, and aligned goals with groups like AGC and NAHB can raise the bar for the entire construction ecosystem.
The heart of the conversation is leadership. Lakisha walks through the story behind her book, Never Get Their Coffee, and how subtle tasks like note-taking can sideline voices if leaders aren’t intentional. We trade lessons on finding mentors, learning from people you’ve never met, and using tools like podcasts and YouTube as modern apprenticeships. We also explore curiosity as a leadership engine, borrowing from Leonardo da Vinci’s cross-discipline mindset to keep skills fresh and teams inspired. The Women in Glass initiative gets a spotlight too: why visibility matters, how allies accelerate change, and what small, local steps build real momentum.
Topics we cover
- • Workforce pain points and the case for more women
- • First-time GlassBuild energy and the drumline moment
- • Partnerships to expand impact
- • How visibility and community change career paths
- • Finding mentors later and learning from afar
- • Leonardo Davinci-style curiosity, self-care, and sustainable leadership
- • The coffee and note-taking story as a leadership stance
- • Women in Glass momentum and practical allyship
- • NGA’s next moves: listen widely, act decisively
Key Takeaways.
- Exhibitors want architects in the aisles, and architects want hands-on exposure to new glass, fenestration, and facade solutions.
- Lakisha shares early wins from bringing architects to GlassBuild and how aligned goals with groups like AGC and NAHB can raise the bar.
- The story behind her book, Never Get Their Coffee, shows how subtle tasks like note-taking can sideline voices if leaders aren't intentional.
- Podcasts and YouTube can serve as modern apprenticeships for learning from people you have never met.
- The Women in Glass initiative shows why visibility matters, how allies accelerate change, and how small, local steps build momentum.
Questions and Answers.
Who is the CEO of the National Glass Association?
Lakisha Woods is the new CEO of the National Glass Association (NGA). She spoke with Stefanie Couch from the floor of GlassBuild about partnerships, visibility, and the workforce gap in glass and construction.
What is Never Get Their Coffee?
Never Get Their Coffee is Lakisha Woods' book. In the episode, she walks through the story behind it and how subtle tasks like note-taking can sideline voices if leaders aren't intentional.
How can the glass industry address its workforce gap?
Lakisha makes the case for more women in glass and construction, noting that a workforce crunch won't solve itself. Visibility, community, and allies help change career paths and build momentum.
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