 Hey, I'm Cotton Giant's family. First of all, happy Veterans Week. Happy Veterans Week. I'm rocking my Veteran Miami Dolphin shirt. Congratulations to Miami Dolphin, as always. But today's episode of Making the Giant is with Rockstar Rochelle. Please do not tune out. This is gonna be one of the best comeback stories that you hear all year 2021. And I'm gonna get straight to the juicy part, the goods, cause I want you to stick. I want this to have 10,000 views, if possible. And by the way, make sure that you leave in the comments. Rochelle, tell her how much you appreciate her coming on and sharing her story, because it is a powerful story that we all should hear, learn from, and then be able to take and process that, and do something with the information. And I don't want you to just sit back and not do anything after you hear this story. So, she had a job working as a laborer for the unit. So we know how many of us have people that we know that are laborers for the unit, that's correct. She got laid off from that job. She was a laborer, then she became a carpenter. And then she got a second job working for the unit, but this time they moved her up to HVAC. But Rochelle had the presence of mind and say, you know what, maybe I should start looking into what does it take to start my own business because I was laid off before, it can happen to me again. And that's when she started actually looking into what that takes, reached out to someone in her company, and actually someone at the firm showed her what it would take to get that done. So she went ahead and did it. As luck and fate would have it, as they were getting ready to lay her off from this second company, she informed her management that she had formed this newly formed corporation, which was now a women owned minority HVAC contractor, mechanical company. And so guess what happened? That went all the way up to the owners of the corporation. And instead of laying her off, well they did lay her off, they hired her corporation to be a subcontractor and she was more valuable as a subcontract than she was as an employee. Let that be a lesson to everyone out there. So I don't want to give away any more goodies. Stay tuned for this upcoming episode with Rockstar Rochelle and Maria Martinez. Today we have somebody very, very special because when actually when I reached out to her about doing the podcast, she was excited. But I think I was a little bit more excited just because she's a woman in the mechanical field. And that's where I got started. So that's what got me excited to rehear my story and sit in a way with somebody else. So today I want to welcome Rochelle Belbanti. She's actually the CEO of R&B Mechanical. So Rochelle, welcome, welcome, welcome. Thank you for having me. So Rochelle, I just wanted to get to know a little bit about who is Rochelle before we get started just because I want some people out there to be able to go with your story and see themselves in your shoes. So where did you grow up? I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, born and raised. My mom, she moved here from Memphis, Tennessee while I was in the womb and she had a new start. So... Oh, wow. Are you still in St. Louis area? I am still in St. Louis area. Oh, okay. So you stayed down to your roots from where you were born. Yeah, yeah, but I don't know how long that's gonna last. Okay, so thoughts of moving are up in the air right now. Always. Okay, so I like to ask people, especially us, because I don't think we ever think we want to do construction or go into the field and things like that. What did you want to be when you were growing up? Wow, actually, I didn't know what I wanted to be. I let people around me tell me what I wanted to be because I just didn't know. I used to like dinosaurs. So I wanted to be an archeology. Is that what, you know, whatever it was? I just wanted to look for the fossils like when I was a kid and find dinosaur fossils or whatever. And but everybody was like, oh, you're so smart. You should be a doctor. You should be a lawyer. You know, the normal... The ones that we think success are. Right, right. And then when I got older, I started wanting to be a dentist. I just like have this thing for clean teeth. And that's how your teeth are so pearly white. Right, I got braces now. Oh. But I'm keeping my space, so. Okay, it defines you. You're so like, that is what makes you, you and unique. Right. And so I kind of, I was like, oh, I want to be a dentist. And, but at the same time, I was thinking about construction because I will watch like HGTV, you know, when all that stuff start coming on TV, I just really got into it and really excited about it. I'm like, man, I would love to do something like that, you know, but you only saw women doing it on TV. Okay. So at the age of 21, I actually tried to get into the construction field and trades and I mean, it was just difficult. I didn't, I was calling companies and it was just like a run around. And so when that didn't work out, I went back to school for a dental hygienist. Okay. So I started that and then I got pregnant with my son who's now 14. Wow. Yeah. And he, I was like sick all the time. So I had to go back to work. And yeah. Where were you working then? I was working in like AT&T or something. I was doing call center jobs. Okay. Yeah. So I had to go back cause I was, well, I had to take some time off from school. And then when I took the time off from school after I had him, I mean, I just had to go back to work. I just couldn't afford to go back to school. Things changed and so just call center jobs and I just hated it. And it paid well, you know. Okay. But I just hated it. And so one day I was at church and we have all these programs for low income or disadvantaged or whatever, you know. And so this girl was like, oh, they have a construction program at this workforce center. And so I was like, wow, let me check this out. So I checked it out. I joined, it was like an eight week program. I quit my job. Like I didn't even have a job at the time because it was like the program was like from 7.30 to four o'clock. And it was like full time. Full time. And then I had to be home in the evenings cause I had children and so I just saved what I could. I quit my job. And then I learned about all the trades and I found out how to enter the trades. Here at St. Louis is a union. Oh, okay. So, you know, they just do things differently. And I start learning who people were and learning who the contractors were. And then they will pull apprentices from those programs. Oh, okay. Wow, so that pull was very strong. HGTV did their magic with you. Right, right. How did people around you see you at that time? Like you're quitting your job, you have babies at home and you're going into a field that women don't really go to. It was, some people were just like, oh, okay. And, you know, and then some people were like, wow, that's great. So it was just like mixed feelings, you know, with the people around us. But one thing, you know, it was great hearing the people say, wow, that's great. You can do this. We need more women. We need more black women. And so I never felt like I couldn't do it for possible. But, you know, still hearing all people like, well, why would you want to do that? Or you should be busy, you could do that. Or, you know, you don't look like... Oh, yes. Yeah. Because I remember when I decided to, when Eric convinced me to, he's like, just get your general contractor certificate. And I'm like, I have no idea about construction. And I showed up right after I bought my books. I showed up at my parents' house with a big old box of books. It's like all 19 books. And my mom was like, what's that? So I told her, I'm like, they're my books. She's like, you're crazy. She's like, you're absolutely lost your mind because I just love teaching. I left the government job and where we thought I was gonna be for the rest of my life. And now I'm starting this whole new thing. My dad loves construction and building stuff and making stuff. So he was a little bit more excited. No, things like that. So I remember that. And people are just thinking I was insane when I was trying to do all this. Yeah. My mom, she's just now really, now I've been doing construction for 11 years. I started off doing highways and bridges. And, you know, I mean, I got into the mechanical, but I would say probably within the last month or two, she's just now accepting like, this is what I do. And this is forever. Yeah. So 11 years later. Yeah. Like, cause she still was saying, now what are you doing here? What, what, what, what you doing construction? I'm like, dude, you know. It's the same answer year after year. So after you did the program, did you get one of those apprenticeships? I did, but not immediately. It's because it was like during 2008, 2009 somewhere. So they weren't, nobody was hiring. The recession. The recession was happening. Nobody was hiring. What did you do in between? What did I, look, I can't, I think I went back to customer service. Oh, okay. You know, I went back to customer service. I think I went back to school for a little bit. And I was just like, oh, school's not for me right now. You know. So you've really had this like want for construction. This like, this is what I want to do. That, like I said, like that pool had to be very strong for you to keep wanting to do it. Because of all the setbacks you had and you come back to it and then something happens. And then you come back to it and something happened again. And then finally, when you got the apprenticeship, how did you feel? Oh man, I was, you know what? I now remember where I was working. I was working at a temp service, still a temp service. And I got this call from at the time of the carpenter and they were like, you know, we just pulled your name on the list. Can you start work Monday? And I was like, yeah, and I got up. I left that job. I'm like, hey, y'all, I'm out of here, you know. And I was excited. And so I went. So initially though, I thought that I was going to be doing my trim and finish work. They put me on the highway. So I wasn't too happy about that. A carpenter calls you and you ended up in a highway. Doing highway work. Yeah, forms, concrete forms. So that was pretty intense, rough. It was hard. I tried to quit and they were like, no, you can't quit. And so after the first two weeks, I got acclimated. Okay. Yeah. That must have been an experience. Just cars zipping by. You're here in the middle of the highway and how tired your body must have been. Cause you went from working in an office to, and cause you say, I work in construction. I say I work in construction, but we have totally different, I work in construction. Like I just manage, make sure everything's fine. Everything's clean. Like you were out there. You were out there putting the forms on and the drilling and cutting of all that stuff. Yeah. Only woman, there were no, my first few jobs, there were no women, you know, no women fast, Johnny on the spot, whatever. Oh. You know, I would leave and go somewhere so they'll use the bathroom for some time, you know. Oh. Yeah, cause in the middle of the highway, it's not like you're in a building and you just walk in. Right, right. So. How long were you in the highways? I did that about three years. Then I was laid off. I was working on a bridge we had. We got a built a new bridge here. It's called the Stan Mugeal Bridge from Missouri to Illinois. And so that was coming down to an end. And I was laid off and I was laid off about four months, but, you know, I didn't care. I needed to break, you know, kind of like yes, you know. And during that time period, the sheet metal workers, which is the mechanical HVAC mechanical union, they called me because I had my name on their list too. And when they called me, I took the job and just went from there. Yeah. And when you went into the sheet metal mechanical part, were you like one of the laborers out there like doing HVAC? Well, yeah, so yeah. And then when I, so when I finished as a carpenter, I was like halfway through. And so with the sheet metal workers, I had to start all over. But yeah, the first project I was on was actually a historical building. It was renovation. The company I worked for did a lot of historical. So it was a total good out. And then we were putting in all, install all the new mechanical work, the rooftop units and so. Did you know how to do all this when you started? Oh, okay. I was like, because carpentry and forms and bridges, even though I think it's pretty cool every time you drive by the highway, you're like, yeah, I did that. I think that's the coolest thing. Yeah. Well, every time I drive past that bridge, I look at it and I look at the very top of it. And I'm like, wow, I can't believe I was up there. That's what you think, not the hard work that went into it, the fact that you were that high up. Right, I can't believe I was up there. Yeah. And now you're doing mechanical. That's a big difference. And I think it's a big difference. So it, like you said, you had to restart the learning process, restart getting acclimated. Were there any women at that time? There were, I think on that job side, not mechanical, but there were like women and other traits, maybe like one flummer or more honey electrician, because it was a job in St. Louis city. And so, you know, they want you to have the women, they want you to have the minorities. So it was nice seeing other women, you know, and sit down and talk to them a little bit. Then we had our own women's Johnny on the spot. So it was a lot of fun. You put a nice sign, no man allowed. Like the tree house when you see that the people are little, like no boys allowed. Yeah. And just like that, the boys still will try to go in. Yeah, that's all we have to get a lock on it. Was it one of those combination locks? Yeah. Yeah, or yeah, it was the combination, yeah. That's funny. That's really funny. How long were you in mechanical for? Like actual doing the work? Till last year, 2013 till last. And well, actually I'll say this, I still work out in the field every once in a while. So just depending on the hours that's needed, someone, you know, takes awful work and needs to come in and, you know, replace them. So, yeah, I may one or two days a week for a while, I may come in and still get it in a little bit, you know. Get your hands dirty again. Right. So you were out in the field, you were working and stuff, but you were working for a company. You were within the union. When did you realize like you wanted to venture out on your own? Yeah, I was new. Okay, because I'm sure like you were comfortable in the fact that this is a stable job in kind of a way. Other people around you kept probably reminding you, you have benefits, you're stable, and for you to have that thought process going on. And you said it started a while back, so it had been brewing. Yeah, well, when I got in the construction field, I knew I wanted to start my own company. So, you know, I didn't go traditional going to school. I wasn't an engineer or any of that. So I was like, well, I'll go to the trade. I'll learn it from the inside. And so that was always my plan. And so then when I got in, actually, there was a lot of people that were saying, you should start your own company. You know, we need more women on contractors. We need more minorities. So I got a lot of that. And then the company at the time that I was working for, you know, they kind of told me that if I ever started, that they would help me. Oh, the mechanical company? Yes, the mechanical company. OK, so what day was it the day that you're like, I'm going to do it? So 2020, well, I started in 2019 because I was, I came out of my apprenticeship. So let me start seeing what I have to do to have a company. So I got my LLC and just started getting what I could get my minority single city minority certifications and then COVID happened. And in March of 2020, I was laid off of my job because of COVID. So I'm like, this is the prime opportunity to go all in. And yeah, because I'm like, I have the time to do it. I'm not working this 40 hours a week. So I had some money saved. Like I said, some things I already had in place because I had been working on it. And so I'm like, I'm going in. I'm going to start. And so I was just kind of like, well, where can I start? Because you have to have a lot of money, you know? And you have to pay these fees to the million. You have to get your insurance and vines and all this stuff. So because it was COVID, I said, let me start doing air duct cleaning. And so that was something that I didn't have to have a lot of money, I would say. And so I was just calling people, calling companies, asking them if they need their air ducts clean. And so one particular person I called, they said, you know what? We can write a grant for it. And they wrote a grant because they're a community organization. OK. Community stuff and we can apply for a grant for it and see if we get the grant. So they apply for a grant for it. And I had a contract with them. And mind you, I hadn't even had the equipment yet or nothing. So you're calling these people offering the service, yet nothing was set in order to provide the service. Right. Because I just didn't know how much time I had until maybe I was going to go back to work or, you know, I was receiving the unemployment. I didn't know how long that was going to last. I didn't know what was going to happen. So it's like I was like in fight or flight mode, like I have to do something. And so I got that contract. And then I did get rehired back at the job that told me that they would help me. I got rehired with four months later. And so right when the unemployment ran out, it was like everything just kind of happened like, yeah. And so it's working for them for about six months. And things got kind of slow. And they call me to the office and they were going to lay me off. But the office manager had told them, well, Rochelle has her own company. And I spoke to the vice president and he was like, what? You what? What? I was like, yeah. And so instead of getting laid off, I hired me as a subcontractor. That's a turn of events. Yeah. Wow. Did you have to talk to him about it? Or he was just like, as soon as he heard you were, you had your own company, he offered it. I mean, soon as he heard it, he offered it. Like, OK, we can help you. What do you have this? Do you have that? Or was just he was like, you already have this? I'm like, yeah, I already was like, wow, we didn't know. And I was like, yeah, you know. And so yeah, they hired me as a subcontractor. We had set up some meetings and went from there. So at this point, you hadn't done the community center's air duct stuff. I still hadn't done them yet. So he said they will write a grant for it. I will have to wait till after January, which everything just worked out the way that it needed to. Because still, at the same time, I wasn't in the union. My company wasn't signatory to our union. And so any time you get training through the union, if you have an open up startup company, it has to be union. They can find you and all that stuff because it's like they gave you all your training. So now you're going to leave and go start non-union. So yeah. So I got this work, right? And so I still like, OK, I got to still be part of the union, which was money, more money that I didn't have. And so what happened was I would I start working for the subcontract. Well, the subcontract, I mean, the prime contractor, they vouched for me at the union. So all the money that I needed to start with them, I didn't have to have, which was really the bonding, the bonding that I needed to start with them. They gave me a break on it. Wow. Yeah. Yeah. And then once I got in with them, then I had to perform the AirDug planning. So. OK. Yeah, so everything do. Yeah. They say you have to trust the timing in life. Like life has a certain things and you stop and like get frustrated because we hear the story and we think it's all happy endings and all happy moments. But I can't imagine how frustrating it would be. Like you're supposed to get the contract and then they call you to get laid off. And it's like. You know, it wasn't frustrating though. For me, it was exciting because so my background, I have a background like in church and faith and all this stuff. So, you know, I was at this point in my life where I'm like, you know, God, if you're real, you know, you, I've been taught ABC and D my whole life. And, you know, and I go back going back to church and all this stuff. And, you know, people talking to me and telling me things and speaking things over me. So I'm like, God, you know, you said this. So if you said this, I need to see this happen. And so I felt like, you know, they say fear is false evidence of appearing real. So I'm like, I'm not going to have fear in it. You have already confirmed that I'm supposed to do this. You know, I'm supposed to be here. So now I have to just walk out in faith and everything that I did, it was a faith move. But I wasn't, honestly, I wasn't afraid because if you're real, like I've been taught, this thing going to work itself out. And I mean, it's been crazy working itself out like just amazing. So sometimes when I don't know how it's going to happen, it works out better for me because then I'm trusting him and not myself to try to figure out and put it all together. And it just always falls in place. And even when it doesn't seem like it's going to fall in place, it falls in place. So I'm like, oh, man, there you go. Amen to that one. It's true. And it goes into a lot of aspects in life. Like that's how we have to, that's how I walk in life. It's like, I have to and you have more faith in, I don't know, more faith than me because at some points I get those like, I don't get it. Like, why? I'm like, why? Why? Like, come on, give me a break. And then things happen. And I'm like, of course. Like, I shouldn't have not doubted you. Like, duh. So yeah, and having that faith in something, and in our case, God, like it gives you a sense of it's going to be okay. Like, regardless of what happens, regardless of what you're going through, like it's going to be okay. So. I wanna add something else. Like, so like even with my background, like I've been at the bottom, I've been poor. I've, you know, I've not had enough, I've struggled. So I felt, I feel like even if I went back there, I know how to survive. You know, I know how to live. So I didn't have this fear of, you know, it not working out and I'll go back to nothing because I know how to survive and live on nothing. You know, my mom was a single mom, you know, divorced, raising seven children, going to work, you know, me, I became a mother at 18, born, raised, what I would say in the, I'm not gonna say in the ghetto, but it was ghetto-like, you know? But we lived in the ghetto, we moved the lodges, you know, all these things that I was, will be considered a statistic. And so the reality is I'm not supposed to be here, you know, single mom, divorced, I'm not college educated. I have some college credits, right? I don't have a degree or whatever. I mean, just terrible things has happened in my life, you know, just where I grew up and where I live, mostly everybody is dead or in jail. You know, my brother, I have a brother who was murdered. My kid's father was murdered. I, you know, I kinda, when I got out of my mom's house, I kinda was out there doing my own thing. You know, I used to sell a lot of weed. Like I was have like a hundred pounds of weed sitting in my basement because that was my way of life. Like that's how I lived and it was normal. And, but when I turned about 24 or 25, I'm like, this, this, this's not the life for me. You know, I need to do something different. And so I start, you know, really started to dream again. I really started to want more for myself. And I just knew, I just knew it was just so much more, you know, for me. And so, you know, so even having that background, that's what I try to tell people. It doesn't matter. You can begin again. You know, you can start over, doesn't your past is just that it's the past. So, you know, I'm, be the first person in my family that's the entrepreneur. You know, people still can't believe it that you're doing this or do you really got a business or who you, it's like, yeah, me, you know, I'm not that person who I used to be, you know, so. That's amazing. Like I give it to you. Like my hands down art too, because it's just incredible to hear those stories and to see you here now. It's like, I would have never guessed. And so it's amazing how much faith you have. So, and everything, like you said, everything you've gone through and you've kept that faith and it's even grown even bigger to keep going and be where you are today and show everyone that. And I think this is the important part of doing this podcast, like to show everyone that we come from different walks of life. Many of us come from very different walks of life. Not easy ones either, but we are here now and that's what's important. And we want to show those, like you said, those people that are in some ways where you were a few years ago, so that it's going to be okay. And if they have that dream that they're able to go after it with a little bit of work and a lot of dedication, like you're able to. Oh yeah, a lot of work, a lot of mind change, my renewal, like you have, you can't think the way, you know, my whole mind just starts shifting and changing because even growing up how I grew up, I thought that I was just destined to live there. And so my mind just started changing. And even joining like the love kind of giants, like, you know, the way Eric talks, like you can do anything and don't let anything stop you. So what if they say no? So what if you can't get this or that? Like it can happen. There is another way, you know? And so coming into this community too has been amazing because the people around me, you know, they don't see the vision. They don't understand. They can't speak the life into you that you need to hear. Maybe it's a bad day, you know, then you have a meeting and then you hear Eric say something and you say something and somebody else say something. Okay, yeah, that's what I need. That's what I need. So like, just that positivity, like all things are possible for real, for real, as it's up here. For real. Oh, wow, that's incredible. Like I don't even have words to even like anything right now, that's amazing. Like, you made me cry. I know this group, I know this, you know, probably focusing on me or whatever, but this group, like even just, you know, with my contracts, like on three government contracts, I'm working on another contract with another company who's outside of the company I've been working in there. You know, it's been hard for me trying to get the estimating done, but they're like giving me all the programs and doing all the estimating. You know, even with my material, I'm having material that costs $200,000, $400,000, but I don't have to pay for now. So it's like they are, you know, the prime contractors are paying for the stuff for me. You know, Eric is like, I can't even get that new. You know, so when it's, no, Matt, you just can't, you can't make excuses. You just have to go after it. You have to fight for it. You have to take it. You know, you got to wait on it and you got to be patient, you know. You may get a screen sometimes, but you just can't stop. You just can't click. So. So the company that you, that was helping you, the one that they were going to lay you off again, but instead made you a subcontractor, were they doing government contracts? Yeah, they, or they work. Well, they, we have the general contractor. And so the general contractor hires them as a sub. And then they had to find minority, you know, you have to find the minority needs. And a lot of times they don't. And so I'll say to them, because it feels in that space that couldn't be filled in. So yeah, they about on two, three, three contracts. No, I'm sorry, I'm lying. So one of them is a government contract, but they do work on government contracts. The other two contracts that I'm working on with them, they're like the city contract. Okay. They still want that participation. So is that where you first heard about government contracts or got the first steps into it? So I first heard about government contract in 2018 on YouTube. Coffee. Like, what did you Google? So I was just on YouTube. Like I said, I was 2018. I was ending my apprenticeship and I was just trying to find out how to start a construction company. And so Eric came across speaking about construction and government contract. And so I will be working and I will have my earbud in my ear and just listening to things he was saying. You know, I didn't understand none of it. I was listening. And so then I stopped listening for a while. So then 2020, I wasn't 29. No, 2020 came around. And so I had a business coach and she was like, well, I told her I wanted to do government contract. And she was like, yes, this guy on YouTube like named Eric Coffee. You know what, I've listened to him before. I'm going to go back. And so then I went back to start listening to him again. And, you know, he had the guffaw one and two and you can do all that stuff. And so even though I felt like I wasn't ready yet, he had where you can become a member and be a lifetime member. And it was in August 31st. Oh, I need to pay this money. That was 20. When was it? It was last year. Yeah, I think it was last year. And remember we were in Seattle and we're in Seattle and we're like looking at our numbers because we were like, his birthday, it's done. That's it, his birthday and it's done. Yeah. So I was like, I couldn't pass it up. Like it was, well, I think I was laid off at the time and everything and I paid their money, girl. I said, this is valuable. I need all of this. And so I, you know, basically I just was come on the cause. Of course I had to start at my company yet, but I'll just come on the calls and just listen and maybe comment or two. And so then when I started the contract and like a lot of stuff that, you know, we had already been talking about in the meetings, like I had a better understanding and I knew what they were talking about. And so now I'm actually working on a project where I will begin to work when I'm doing an estimated stuff for a government project as a prime contractor. And so, yeah, that's kind of great, you know, but I mean, just leading up to this point, I just feel like had I not did that, had I not took that step, had I not spent that money that I didn't have, you know, it was tight. But you have to see the future. You have to see the end from the beginning, you know, so. That's great. So you learned about it before. The company you're working for was doing them. And then when they made you a sub, did you get your first contract with them? Yes, yes. My first, second, and third and working on a fourth one with them. And their HVAC in like government, state and city stuff? Yeah. And they do HVAC all around the country. Well, they can still work outside of the country. Oh, wow. Right, yeah, they, they. They're good. Yeah. And they offered all this help to you. Like, that's incredible. Yeah. And people must like, oh, she got lucky. No, didn't you just hear everything she's gone through? Like, it's not luck. If you work yourself, you prove it. You've proved yourself. For him to, the first thing that he thought about was that when he was about to lay you off and offer you that. You had to prove way beyond what everybody else was doing. So it's not luck. It's not luck. And building the relationship. You know, we talk about that in good time. Building relationships. So I had a relationship with, with them. You know, people have said things. So, you know, the foreman's or whatever about, you know, me to them or whatever. And so that was very, very important. And then the fact that I've had, I had everything in order and together. Like, when, you know, when I came here, he's like, you already got this, you already did that, you. So I was prepared. I didn't ask him for any money, you know. I had some money in the paper, some things, but I didn't come asking for a handout. Because as you see, he said something to me. Well, how can we make this work? What can we do with it? And so even when I had to get my buy, you know, I paid for that and they didn't pay for that. You know, some, and some people like in the, in the trades around me, they were trying to start their own company. They had, some had 20 plus years and some had degrees and like, they were like, how did you, because we, they were struggling trying to get certifications and approves and this and that and, you know, like it's just, it's destined, it was destined for me. So, yeah. How did you feel when you got that first contract, like you as your company? You know, I was, I didn't scream, I didn't cry. I guess it was just like, wow, I was, it was just a shock where I was just quiet. It was just like, like frozen. Like just, I'm here, you know, just really receiving that and looking back at all the, like I said, hard work, where I come from, where my family comes from, you know, my grandmother tells stories of picking pot, you know. My mom has her stories of just coming over here working in housekeeping, working hard. And then it's like, here I am with my first contract, you know, each generation is doing better, you know. So just, it was very thankful and just, yeah, like, wow. How much was it for? The first contract was like for $280,000. Oh, wow, you started big. Yeah. What? Well, outside of the duckling is a good, let's count the duckling $10,000, right? Okay. My first construction was like $280,000. Wow. That is like all of your family's income and years put together. That is, I think I would have been in shock too. And how long did you guys, went from the start to the finish? How long was it? So we're, so all the labor is done. We're still buying some materials. So we probably have about 15% left is for material costs and stuff. All the labor is done, it's completed. Oh, okay. So you got all your team working and they're doing it like this is yours. Right. And it's me and I have two employees. So I have a apprentice, I was doing this and then I have a foreman and me, so. Oh, wow. Yeah. So that was the first one. How long after that came the second one? The second one probably came about a month after and then it started right after that first one ended. So it's like that first one's ended and the second one's starting and then like, isn't this going to sign for like the third one that's ended and this next one is starting up. So yeah. So it's kind of, it's good because it's just everything is just calling in this place. It's flowing, it's a constant flow of work. And what are you working on now? One, is it in St. Louis area? Yeah, it's in St. Louis. It used to, it's in downtown St. Louis and used to be a YMCA. And so they're changing it to a hotel and it's like a museum hotel. Yeah, so for my understanding is a guy, some guy and woman, they have a lot of money and they have a lot of art people, artwork. And so they want to display their artwork and they're building the hotel and putting the artwork in the hotel. Oh, fancy people. Very fancy. Yeah. That's amazing. That's crazy. So how has your life changed since that day? Since you first started all this craziness and you got your first contract and... You know, the main thing for me being a mother is that I get to spend the time with them that I always wanted. I can take my son to school. If I need to be there doing a day at the school, I can be there and take my daughter to school. Like it's just, I can be there for them because I can schedule that time. I can take a meeting if I want to, if I don't want to. So that's near and dear to my heart being able to do that because I... Yeah, we take a weekend trip. I take a lot of more weekend trips, you know, just get away from St. Louis and do some camping and, you know, more family time. Yeah. Eric just said the other day, he's like the most precious, most valuable thing. And this is what people strive for is freedom. It's freedom to do the things that you are doing with your family. Right. Yes, that word, freedom. And even though it's a lot to paperwork and phone calls and trying, I got to get all these trainings and like, but man, I wouldn't change it for anything. Like I just, because I still have my own freedom. Yeah, you choose one to do it. Right. That's it. Right. That's awesome. So your mom finally after three contracts all these years of you on bridges at HRAX and cleaning air ducts has finally accepted. Yeah. Yeah. And it's, but you know, I think part of it, too, it just comes from, you know, like I said, and even my thought was, you know, where I felt like I was going to be for the rest of my life, you know, just I will only get so far and that's just going to be my life. So I think probably in my mom's mindset is still just like this, like really, like you're doing all that, you know, really, like, because our mindset of just where we will be in life, I just believe it would limit it because and you just coming from the growing up in the conditions like my mom grew up in, you know, she said when they started free lunch in school, that's the best thing that ever happened to her because they didn't eat a meal every day and, you know, and like I said, no one in our immediate family was past just working your 40 hours a week. Maybe you got a pension. Maybe you didn't, you know. My mom was going for her. She had 401k in pension. She retired, but that was that was the good life. Mm-hmm. Yeah. And a lot of our parents think that, like that is when you made it. And that's as far as you make it. There's nothing beyond that. It's like when you make it is that it's like when you have the pension, when you have the 401k, when you have the stability, but you're working, you're working, working, working. Like my mom, 30 years, 33 years later, still wakes up at three in the morning. Like when I started GovCon, that's what I said I want my mom to retire early. I want her to have enjoyed the time with my dad. So how about your kids? Cause your kids now see you. Yeah. So they should be proud. And now they could strive for more. Yeah, my kids, everything is still pretty normal. They probably would not like me being at home as much, you know, cause they can't get away with as many things. But they, you know, they, they like, no mom has her own business, her own cup, but they still don't understand the magnitude of it. My 14 year old, he, I think he does, cause he's around me the most. So he hears more of what's going on. And so he kind of like hold up, like, you know. So my oldest is 24, my youngest is six. What? Yeah. So 24, 14 and six. Okay, now I have six children. Okay. We got 24, 19, 18. Okay, I skipped the 21, 14 and six. Yeah. Wow. You know, they, so most of them are older. So even though they still live with mom, they still kind of doing their own thing. And so like I may say, so, hey, you know, I need y'all to go to school, do this and learn it. So you can help me kind of like, whatever, you know. So they have no interest on the business side of it. And that's okay. You know, my 14 year old, if basketball doesn't work out for him, he said he may want it. Okay. Yeah, they just, they, they doing their own thing. Like I said, they don't, they know, but they don't know. Yeah. Yeah. Sometimes you on the outside don't realize what we're doing into what, where we are located or like being at the Coast Guard or being in certain places, places you never thought you would be in and you're the people working it. So I think that's awesome, but a lot of people don't see that. So, and they're, they're young. Like you have to let them explore and make their mistakes on the way to finding it. So. And then for them it's like, that's just mom. Like you mom. Okay. Like, yeah, you're going to make it like you do, but you do. Right. Right. You know what you're doing now. What we get in here to do. Oh, that's funny. Going through this GovCon journey and you look, you started 2018 learning about it. You let it go. Then you came back to it. Then you worked with the people and they helped you. What has been the hardest thing to grasp? What, which concept? Which part of it all? I think for me, you know, just understanding all the terms and you know, like have I had not had this group in this training? Cause man, it's just really, it was like, this is too much. Like why? Why government? Like for this and that. I mean, I still don't understand everything, but I have somewhere to go when I have questions. I have more than one person to go to, you know. So that part makes it easy and makes it calm. Cause if not, I think even with this new contract that I'm working on for the government, like I probably would be overwhelmed, but I'm not, I was in the media earlier this week and there was just some things we were talking about. And I knew what the heck they were saying. So, you know, I didn't feel left out or just like, oh. So, yeah, it's just a lot of terms and a lot. It is. And they keep coming and they keep changing and there's things that I've never heard of. And I'm like, huh? Like, can you explain it to me in normal people brain please? Right. Like I have to do that to him at times like, hold on, what is like, what's that? Cause we're working on the course, redesigning it. And I had to be like, really? And there's things like, things like the dust and air plan thing. And he goes, wait, watch, you're gonna need it now. Cause I'm like, really a dust and air, dust and the air. Do you need a whole plan for this? So there's a lot of things that we don't even know. I say focus on the things you need right now and the things you need to know. And cause that's what you have right now. So then if you, like you said, then if you get to something you're like, huh? Then you have someone to go to. Right, right. What advice do you have for those that always wanted to do something more, that wanted to start their own business, especially in this field? Cause there's a, construction is huge. And to make it, it's a lot. And sometimes we get overwhelmed with just the idea of it. So what advice would you give those people? First I would tell them something that Eric always talks about writing things down. Write it down, right? Whatever you want to do, whatever you think you want to do, how you want to do it, whatever you hear something, write it down because if you write it down, you go back to what you're reading it over, like that helps push you because it gives you something to go at. It's like that goal. If you're just leaving in your head, I don't want to do this or I heard that or it doesn't go anywhere. Like you have to write it down so you can go back to it so you can check it off, find a community of people like Love Con Giants, you know, like I don't know of any other group. I kind of dabbled and dabbled into some other little thing. You know, just listening and trying to get, you know, different stuff, but this right here, man, I'm serious. It's like it's family. It's a diverse group of people and everybody just wants to help. So I would say find a community that can help you, that's going to teach you, that's going to guide you, mentor you and don't stop believing, you know, have hope, hold on to your dream and have faith. Well, any other words or any other stories that you want to share? Cause we want to share all these stories, the good ones, the bad ones, the not so great ones, the like, what am I doing here stories? Because we want people to see that it's not all, it's not easy that it's, but it's not easy, but it's worth it. I was telling the teachers the other, I'm like, nothing good or worth having ever comes easy. So it's very important for people to know that. But we have you here. Like I am, I'm still like astound and astonished by your story. Like everything you've overcame and now you're this CEO, black woman, construction worker, like out there. And you, like you said, you surpassed every statistic, everything that people would ever think you, where you were going to be and you showed them. And for me, that is a very powerful message. Like you are what kids should look up to. You are what you should be honoring instead of athletes and stuff. Because everything you've overcame to be where you are, is just like incredible. Thank you. I guess I just would tell people dreams do come true. You know, just never stop believing and don't give up. Cause it is, there are going to be times you feel like you want to give up, you know, but then realize that you want to go back. You know, for me, I knew I didn't want to go back and just the joy and freedom. And as we talked about earlier and just being an entrepreneur, you know, not working for other people. Think about that, you know, even when I worked for somebody, I worked hard. But it's something different working hard for yourself than working hard for somebody else. It's just a different dynamic. And then you'll, even for yourself, it's like you'll work even harder, you know, harder than you ever thought you would have to work. But it's rewarding, it's rewarding. And then to be able to be a blessing to other people, help other people, like all of that is rewarding. So I mean, if there's a dream, if there's a vision in your mind, write it down. And I don't care how many obstacles come your way there. There's always a way. There's always another way, you know, and keep praying, keep believing in God because if God be for you, who can be against you? Awesome. Well, thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love this one. This one is, has been one of my favorite. So thank you so much for everything. You're welcome. Thank you. Thank you. All right, thank you. I'll talk to you later. Go take care of all my babies over there. Bye. Bye.