Heather Compton

I really attribute my success to just listening and learning and trying to understand the people around me, and being a good team player. I listen more than I speak, and I make sure everybody's on the same page and that we understand each other. I feel like that respect goes a long way - when people want to talk about something, I just sit and I listen. Early in my career, I had mentors who taught me important lessons that shaped how I work. One operations manager taught me that if there's a problem, make sure you have a solution, especially if you're going to somebody else. Make sure you've done your research and tried to figure it out on your own first, otherwise it's kind of like you're whining. Another mentor at a general contractor taught me to trust but verify - if somebody says something's not in the plans, go double-check the plans really quick before escalating it to the next level. Those lessons have stuck with me throughout my career.

The best career advice I've received came from two key mentors in my life. My first boss when I entered construction, an operations manager, always told me that if there's a problem, make sure you have a solution - especially if you're going to somebody else about it. She taught me to make sure I've done my research and tried to figure it out on my own first, because otherwise it's kind of like I'm whining. I always try to make sure if there's a problem, I have a solution when I'm going to talk about it. Another mentor at a general contractor taught me to trust but verify. If somebody tells you something like 'oh, it's not in the plans,' go double-check the plans really quick before you escalate it to the next level. Those two pieces of advice - being solution-focused and verifying information before acting - have been invaluable throughout my career.

My advice to young women entering construction is that you don't have to be the smartest person in the room. Do a lot of listening and learning, and ask questions. Believe it or not, a lot of people out there are willing to help you and show you things. At the end of the day, just always remember it's a team effort. You may get rubbed the wrong way once or twice by some people who see you as a woman first, but let those one or twosies go. There are many more people who are willing to help you and want to see you succeed. Focus on those relationships and don't let a few negative experiences discourage you from this rewarding career.

One of the biggest challenges I see in construction right now is the workforce gap. We're dealing with a situation where the skilled tradespeople who had all that experience are aging out and retiring, and then there's this gap in the middle where you're like, where did everybody go? We have a lot of younger people, thank goodness, who are going into the trades and starting to learn, but we really struggle with that gap. As general contractors and project managers, we have to know a lot more than we previously did because the experts we hire as subcontract trades don't always have the best of the best with the latest understanding and knowledge. But this challenge also presents a huge opportunity. Organizations like GCBI Coast Builders Exchange are doing great work with intern programs, going to schools and hosting events where high school seniors from places like Manatee and Sarasota can come talk to these trades. A lot of these companies will help pay to send you to school while you're getting paid as an intern with them. You can get paid while you're going to school, and you don't have to go to school for 4 to 6 years and have all these crazy student loans. You can really make a good living for yourself and a good career. For me personally, as a younger woman in the field, sometimes my vision or viewpoint of something is not taken as seriously as others who may have been doing this 20, 30, 40 years - even though their approach may not always be right or up to date on the latest and greatest things that can help create more efficiency or quality control.

In my work life, I value being a big team player and making sure that we finish what we start. I've won internal awards for exhibiting our company's core values and philosophies, and I'm passionate about creating positive culture - that's why I started the Bandies Culture Crew to break down the wall between the field and the office and make sure everybody feels connected. Safety is also incredibly important to me - I've co-chaired safety committees and created our Safety Committee here to make sure everyone goes home safe every day. I believe in listening more than speaking, understanding the people around me, and building respect through collaboration. In my personal life, family is everything. Outside of work, I feel like an old lady, but I like gardening and crochet. Both of my girls keep me busy - one is in competition dance and I enjoy going to her events, and my other daughter is on cross-country, so I go to her running events as well. I'm also team mom for my son's football team, which means I'm at practices 4 days a week and games every single weekend. We just completed spring bowl and had our Gasparilla bowl game in Kissimmee. It's a lot of coordinating - making sure we have enough meals for all the players, and if we win the first game, making sure we've got lunch ready for the second game too. We do a pretty busy schedule with all those things, but that's what matters most to me.