Building Success Through Collaboration: A Conversation with Emma Bedford
Emma Bedford's approach to project delivery is refreshingly straightforward: admit what you don't know, find the people who do, and let everyone excel at what they do best. As the General Manager of Connected, she has created an ethos that rejects the "we do everything" mentality in favour of curated collaboration.
Her journey from interior design to overseeing complex technical projects reflects a broader shift from decorative work to meaningful impact. Through Early Contractor Involvement and strategic partnerships, Connected is proving that sometimes the best way to grow isn't to get bigger, it's to get better at saying no to the wrong opportunities.
Emma shares why controlled growth beats aggressive expansion, how collaboration trumps competition, and what it really means to build a company around good people and good projects.
What sets Connected apart from other project delivery companies?
We don’t claim to know everything, and honestly, that’s our strength. Every project is different, so we focus on building the right team for the job. Sometimes that’s internal, sometimes external, but it’s always about matching the right, and best people to what the project actually needs.
What doesn’t work is just relying on whoever happens to be in-house. That’s when you risk getting the wrong mix of skills and, ultimately, the wrong outcome. Our approach is about curating the right team from the start.
We’ve got our own “conductors” in-house, people who take accountability end to end and then we go out and bring in the best specialists to support the job. That’s why collaboration is at the heart of how we work, and it’s also why we use the ECI model. We don’t just design something and throw it over the fence to trades to build. That traditional approach overlooks the huge value and experience that trades bring. Instead, we let everyone do what they do best and bring it all together for the benefit of the project.
How does the ECI model factor into your approach?
ECI, Early Contractor Involvement is fundamental for us. It just makes sense. An architect isn’t a plumber, and a plumber isn’t a hydraulic engineer. So why not get those people involved early and let them shape the project? It can only make the design stronger, the delivery smoother, and the outcome better.
Some of the projects we deliver are incredibly technical where one small error could mean non-compliance. ECI is how we “measure twice, cut once.” By bringing in a broad pool of expertise upfront, the client gets clear expectations, cost certainty, and a smoother build.
At the end of the day, it’s about collective success. With ECI, the client wins, the consultant wins, the trades win, and the project wins. I’m still surprised it hasn’t become the standard way of working. For me, it’s like doing your research before you write the report, it just makes sense.
How does Connected stay current with rapidly evolving technologies and regulations?
The truth is you can’t be across absolutely everything. That’s why we’re called Connected, we lean on our network of people who are the experts in their specialist field. We’re a lean team, and one day we might be working on a lab that builds satellites, and the next day it’s a food testing facility. No one can know every detail in every sector.
That doesn’t mean we don’t invest in training or prioritise continuous improvement, we absolutely do. But what matters most is having a strong due diligence process to uncover what you know and what you don’t.
Looking back at your career journey, what achievements are you most proud of?
My first job in the industry was as an interior designer at 20. I was working on a wine cellar for a very well-known family. It was beautiful, really detailed joinery. I learnt a lot and I was proud of it (and a bit envious, to be honest). But compared to what I do now, it feels pretty surface-level.
To work on projects that impact people’s health, safety, and quality of life. That progression from decorative projects to meaningful projects is what I’m most proud of. And I’d add to that advocating for the ECI model, which I think has the potential to really change how the construction industry works for the better.
Where do you see Connected heading in the future?
For us, it’s about Good People and Good Projects. We’re not chasing size for the sake of it. Controlled growth matters more than aggressive expansion.
I often think of that old John West ad “it’s the fish John West rejects that makes John West the best.” It applies to clients and employees alike. Sometimes saying no is the smartest move you can make. We’d rather keep our standards high, focus on meaningful projects, and work with the right people than just chase being the biggest.
What advice would you give to other companies looking to differentiate in competitive markets?
Don’t try to be everything to everyone. Double down on what you do well and then collaborate for the rest. Respect and harness the expertise that others bring, whether they’re trades, consultants, or clients. The more open you are to a collective success mindset, the stronger your projects or offering will be.