Leading With Heart in a Man’s World
Leading with Heart and Backbone in Engineering: A Woman's Journey Through Challenges and Growth
Being a woman in a man's world is not always easy, but I have learned that easy was never really the point.
I run a second-generation geotechnical engineering firm, Federal Engineering & Testing, Inc., in an industry that has traditionally been dominated by men. Construction, engineering, inspections, soils, concrete, field work. These are not spaces where women have always been expected to lead. But here I am. Leading, learning, growing, making decisions, solving problems, putting out fires, taking care of my team, and kicking ass along the way.
I did not build this company from scratch, but I carry the responsibility of continuing what my Dad started. That comes with pride, a lot of pressure, and a deep sense of purpose. I am not just running a business. I am protecting a legacy, supporting employees and their families, serving clients, and making sure the work we do is done right and everyone gets home safe.
My role changes by the hour. Some days I am the CEO. Some days I am HR, marketing, operations, problem-solver, peacekeeper, negotiator, client relationship manager, and the person who has to make the hard call. I have learned that leadership is not about knowing everything. It is about being willing to figure it out, even when the answer is not obvious and the pressure is on which, happens quite a lot.
Leading with Heart
One of my biggest strengths in my opinion, is that I lead with my heart. I care about people. I care about my employees. I care about our clients. I care about our reputation and the quality of our work. But leading with heart does not mean being soft. It means I can be compassionate and still hold people accountable. It means I can listen, support, and encourage, while also making tough decisions and expecting things to be done right.
I am not perfect, and I do not pretend to be. Public speaking, for example, is not my comfort zone. Standing in front of a room full of people does not come naturally to me and mots of the time I think I sound like an idiot and put through it. But I have learned that courage does not mean you are not nervous. Courage means you do it anyway.
That has become a theme in my life and in my business: do it anyway.
- Walk into the room anyway.
- Ask the question anyway.
- Take the meeting anyway.
- Learn the thing you do not know anyway.
- Stand up for yourself anyway.
- Lead anyway.
There will always be people who underestimate you. There will always be someone who thinks they know better, talks louder, or assumes you do not belong. I have stopped worrying about proving myself to people who are committed to misunderstanding me.
No one gets to tell me I cannot.
Because I will.
I may not always have the perfect words. I may not always feel completely ready. But I am willing to jump in headfirst, learn fast, work hard, and handle whatever is in front of me. That mindset has carried me through some of the hardest parts of leadership and business ownership.
Strength Can Look Different
Being a woman in a man's world has taught me that strength can look different than people expect. Sometimes strength is confidence. Sometimes it is kindness. Sometimes it is walking away. Sometimes it is speaking up, even when your voice shakes. Sometimes it is showing up every single day because people are counting on you even if you need a break.
I am proud to be a woman-owned business leader. I am proud to carry on a second-generation company. I am proud to lead with both heart and backbone.
