What is the biggest misconception about the industry?
Speaking from a woman's perspective, one of the
biggest misconceptions is that construction is
men's work. A study in 2020 showed that women
make up 3.4% of all tradespersons, 7.7% of project
managers, 13% of business owners, and 14% of
construction inspectors. And those numbers are
growing. In my experience, they hold positions of
accountability as well in job accounting, operations,
sales, and management positions. At TopKey, 24%
of our team members are women in diverse roles.
What is your biggest current challenge at
work?
Our company is experiencing a great deal of growth,
which is exactly what we want, but it challenges us
to stay focused on the specific demands of each
project, each client, each employee, and each
business partner. All of these relationships matter
to our success.
What keeps you up at night?
Personally, what keeps me up at night is the idea
that I have forgotten or overlooked something
important that could jeopardize a project or our
relationship with a client. It is important to me to
always make sure that our clients are happy with
TopKey's responsiveness, professionalism, and
quality of work.
What project is your company most proud
of?
We are currently working on a roof and metal replacement and masonry job on the War Memorial Building in Baltimore. We've put a great deal of time and energy into the project. It makes us proud to be a part of preserving a local historic landmark.
How does your ABC membership help your
company?
Our membership has given us opportunities to grow through networking and training. We recently attended the Meet the Generals event at the University of Maryland (Go Terps, my alma mater!) and made several connections. We are already building relationships and bidding projects with several new large general contractors in MD, DC, and Northern VA.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
I was one of those unfortunate people who had no
idea what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wanted to
organize, create, solve puzzles, and use my
imagination and I was a natural coach, educator,
and director.
What are you like to work for?
I am easy to work for as long as my team cares
about their quality of their work. My expectations
may be high, but I believe they are clear. I have an
open door policy.
What do you look forward to each day?
Building. Solving. I like to watch progress. I love to
see a vision in all its stages become a masterpiece.
I like to see how a problem turns into a solution.
What is your favorite metro Washington
hangout/restaurant?
I love to hike or bike and then hit the many craft breweries or wineries in the area like Jailbreak, Manor Hill, Lone Oak, Black Ankle, and Bordeleau.
What do you do for fun?
Spend time with friends or family at the beach, doing yoga, or playing pickleball, hiking, biking, or just walking.
What business/career advice do you wish
you had when you began?
To have confidence in yourself and your abilities, to
not be overwhelmed by large projects, but to
organize them, breaking them into manageable
pieces. A mountain is not climbed all at once, but
step by step.
What book are you currently reading?
I recently finished Lessons in Chemistry and I am
looking for my next good read.