鈥淪ometimes it surprises me, to be in this position. It seems like yesterday I was just trying to pass Physics 101,鈥� says Sylvia Medina. It鈥檚 nothing short of a dream for CEO and President Sylvia Medina.
Medina鈥檚 company, 花椒直播, is a nationwide leader in environmental engineering and construction work.
But 花椒直播 wasn鈥檛 an overnight success. Its foundation was formed on the wise words of Medina鈥檚 father when she was just a little girl.
鈥淗e would talk to me and tell me, you need to work for yourself you need to go for it. I started thinking about what my father told me and I decided maybe I should go for it and start my own business. And that鈥檚 what I did,鈥� says Medina.
Medina slowly built up a female operated company in what鈥檚 generally considered a man鈥檚 industry.
鈥淢y first contract I got paid $15,000, but it was really $350. My profit was $5. I remember feeling happy that I made a profit,鈥� says Medina.
花椒直播 boasts revenue of 50 million dollars a year, with 22 offices and over 300 employees. But to many engineers and business professionals, answering to a female CEO, who鈥檚 a distinguished environmental engineer, may seem odd. But at 花椒直播, it is what their company was built on.
According to employee Trina Pollman, 鈥淭he environment is a little more nurturing than what I鈥檝e experienced in a male oriented business. It鈥檚 not very recognizable but once you鈥檙e around you can determine that鈥檚 the difference.鈥�
And John Bukowski believes, 鈥淚t鈥檚 more a matter of personality and professionalism than it is gender.鈥�
But in Medina鈥檚 opinion, she鈥檚 earned her right to be just one of the guys. 鈥淭hey look at me as another man but it takes two to three years to get comfortable. It can be scary and it can be intimidating. Once you鈥檝e done it for awhile, you鈥檙e just one of the guys and that鈥檚 how they see you, as one of the guys, believe it or not.鈥�
Medina also recognizes, its also what makes her unique. 鈥淚 bring an openness to the meeting that would normally not be there,鈥� says Medina.
And if you鈥檙e wondering what is Medina鈥檚 key to success, it all boils down to self-awareness.
鈥淚 recognize my own weaknesses. I hire good people to do the jobs I can鈥檛,鈥� says Medina.