Influential Woman · Construction

Erica Gigena

Controller, AAA Roofing and Waterproofing, LLC

Riverside, CA

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Bachelor's Degree in Accounting from Cal Poly Pomona

Her Story

About Erica

I've been in the construction industry since July of last year, after spending 8 years in manufacturing. The transition was very different but really good, and I'm getting to do a lot more things now. I deal with different schedules that I didn't have to handle in the manufacturing industry. In my current role, I mainly handle banking, reviewing WIP and project schedules, and supervising AP, AR, and billing. That's what I find myself dealing with all the time on a daily basis. What I love most about my career is analyzing and reviewing and seeing the progress of the financial statements, how things tie together in accounting, seeing the full picture and how the business is progressing throughout the months and years. One of my biggest achievements so far has been blooming into the controllership position. Although my previous position in manufacturing was also a controllership, it was very different. Now, in this position that I'm currently at, I can tell that it is a full-on controllership, and I think that's one of my biggest achievements so far.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Erica

01What do you attribute your success to?

I think patience. I went through many years preparing at different industries at different points in my career. My longest yet was my stay in manufacturing for 8 years. But being very patient that the job that I wanted to be in will come, and at the right place, at the right time.

02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

The best advice that I've ever gotten was just to stop and listen. To listen first to people and try to figure out what people are trying to say. A lot of times when you deal with employees and different personalities, if you don't know how to listen, it's really hard. And that can put you on a slide. So just stopping and listening, rather than just acting without understanding, has been the most valuable advice I've received.

03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

Be strong. Listen, and give your opinions. Don't stay quiet. But also listen to people and what they have to say.

04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?

One of the main challenges is getting everybody on the same page. For example, keeping up with the cost of a job in the industry is sometimes a struggle because we're going through a system change. Keeping up with the systems and keeping up with all the new AI and technology that are coming is an issue currently. The opportunities are in understanding how to work those new tools that are available to our advantage and to make sure that we are more efficient and can work things better.

05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

Being honest, being straightforward, and being humble in both my personal and my career. I think being humbled is one of those things that will take you places. Because if you forget where you're coming from, you forget where you've been and the people that, for example, in my job, people that report to me, I know I've been in their shoes. So being part of understanding what they're going through is a really good thing.

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