April 28, 2025 • 24 mins
In this episode, we sit down with Renee Glendenning — engineer, entrepreneur, educator, and founder of Quality Control University. From her early career at NASA to leading quality control efforts on major construction projects, Renee shares her incredible journey, lessons learned, and her passion for raising the bar in the construction industry. We dive into why quality control is often overlooked, how better training can transform project outcomes, and how Renee is creating new pathways for the next generation of construction professionals.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
I'm your host, Jennifer Hires, and I want to welcome
you to the Lumberyard, your backstage pass to the evolving
world of construction, workforce management, compliance and technology. And each
week we bring together voices from across the industry contractors, CFOs,
project managers, tech leaders to break down the complex challenges
(00:26):
construction businesses space, and the innovative strategies that help them thrive.
From digital transformation and financial optimization to labor tracking, compliance
and emerging AI application. This podcast delivers real world insights,
expert advice, and practical tools to help construction pros work smarter,
(00:50):
stay compliant, and build better.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
All right, welcome to the Lumberyard Today, we truly do
have a remarkable guest, Renee Glen Denny.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
So.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Renee's career path is really nothing short of extraordinary. She
started as a dance instructor, gracefully transitioned into a role
at NASA, and eventually found her calling in the construction industry. Now,
as the founder of her own construction business and champion
of quality control, she's proving that adaptability, resiliance, and strong
(01:25):
interpersonal skills can open doors to limitless opportunities. So in
this episode, We're going to really explore Renee's unique professional journey,
the lessons she's learned along the way, and how she's
using her expertise to really raise the bar in construction
quality and education. From the discipline of dance to the
(01:48):
precision of engineering. Renee story is one of the transformation,
determination and leadership. So sit back, tune in, and get
ready for an inspiring Converse station with Renee. Welcome to
the show. Thank you so much Jennifer for having me awesome. Well,
let's just dive right into questions. There's so many that
(02:09):
I want to cover. First and foremost, what inspired your
ship from being a dance instructor to working with NASA
and then later founding your own construction business.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
I had a helicopter mom. Have you ever met one
of those? I love it. Yeah, no, that's honestly the truth.
I love her to death. But I was a dance
instructor and I was really heading towards that path. I
kind of went in my own studio and she went,
not sure that you know you can do that forever?
(02:41):
And the studio I was part of growing up is
just phenomenal. And my instructor, unfortunately is no longer with
us on this plane, but her studio lives on and
so there would be no way to try to compete
with that in my local area. And so my mom said,
you really, you really need to keep going to school.
(03:02):
And then my head's always been in the stars and
I wanted to be an astronomer, and my mom said, well,
how many famous astronomers do you know? Like one, two?
And so I ended up getting into engineering, and I
got my degree in mechanical engineering, and I went on
to work for Thai Call. They were a contractor for NASA,
(03:23):
and so we built recoverable solid rocket motors for the
Shuttle program. And I'm really dating myself, So that's what
I did, and I worked with their facilities group, and
that really gave me a taste of construction, and right
away I could see that over the wall engineering where
you design and then you may or may not ever
(03:43):
see it. Come to tuition. Fruition was just not my
jammy jam and I really wanted to be a part
of the actual building, and I wanted to see the
end result and how that affected clients and customers and
end users, and that really appealed to me. So from
there I went into the semiconductor industry and the market
(04:06):
fell out of the bottom of the semiconductor industry in
the nineties early two thousands, and I needed a new gig.
So I got in contact with another project manager who
was doing a lot of federal construction and she was
looking a quality control manager. And she said, you've got
government work. You're not afraid of red tape, you're not
(04:26):
afraid of paperwork. Come try this out come do some
corp engineer projects for me, and the rest was just history.
I got into federal government contracting and loved it, loved
the quality control role. Went on to manage a large
quality control department for a general contractor across fifteen states,
so I had to see spread across the US. And
(04:48):
then from there several of us, my partner and I
broke off and started our own construction firm. It was
based in Colorado along the Front Range, and we were
part of the A Day program, so if you're familiar
with the SBA and the federal contracting A Day program
and finished that program out. Neither one of us wanted
a real legacy you know, we weren't building a legacy company.
(05:12):
We kind of both wanted different directions. And so since
then I broke off and started my own quality control
company and we train and give quality control support to
contractors across the globe. So it's really exciting now to
get to give back and help those There was no
training when I started QC. I was dumped in the
(05:33):
field with a pod literally a pod, one of those
moving pods, and a generator and a spec book and
they were like, go figure this out. And so instantly
I was like, ah, where do I get real world training?
And there was it was non existent, And so getting
to save other individuals from that kind of stress is
really became a passion. So yeah, so that's elevator speech.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Yeah, right, right, right, Like what does that career transition
look like? And you mentioned in your LinkedIn profile that
over the years you struggled as a quality control manager
due to the lack of that real world, applicable construction
quality control manager training in our construction industry, and really
you became successful through the school of hard knops.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
So I've done it.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
That's how we learn, right, So how have you You know,
in the construction industry, you really emphasize the importance of
quality control and reputation, So how do you implement maintain
rigorous quality control standards like in projects today?
Speaker 3 (06:45):
It's really important and we're up against an awful lot
right now, mostly just budgets. Budgets are so tight for everyone.
With those of us that survived COVID, we got one
little breath and now you know the world stage and
the tariffs and the economy. I mean, it's just really
shift in construction again. And a lot of companies dual
(07:06):
hat QC and some of them will duel hat it
with a safety manager and some of them will duel
had it with a project engineer. And I do not
care what you call it, as long as you have it,
because it's vitally important. I've seen it. I've seen it
with the success of my own company, and I've seen
it across the board. Small businesses and large businesses were
only as good as our last project. And that's the truth.
(07:29):
And one project can take any company down, no matter
how big or small you are. And that quality control
is what it has to be set up to be reactive,
a proactive and not reactive, because if you're reactive and
you're chasing your tail, you're not catching the issues that
could bring it apart your downfall. And I'm just a
(07:50):
huge advocate of quality control and construction and sometimes I
feel like I'm screaming to the wind because that you know,
those that are in residential construction or commercial construction, they
don't necessarily have those people on the staff. And of
course it's like safety. They'll all say, oh, yeah, it's important,
we care about quality, we care about safety. But if
(08:10):
you don't have someone in the field train that's actually
doing the checks and the inspections for you, it's not
going to deliver those kinds of results.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
No, no, it's not. So let's talk about like interpersonal skills.
You've highlighted the role of interpersonal skills and quality control.
Can you share like strategies for effective communication and that
relationship building within construction teams?
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Yeah, communication and being an active listener. I don't want
to sound all touchy fuzzy, because I know there's a
lot of touchy fuzzy words in the industry now, but
it's important. It's really important how you come across and
you know, inspectors back in the day when I was
starting QC, they would just run through the site and
start taking pictures. But that makes everybody really nervous. And
(09:00):
if you just take two seconds to be a good
human and say, hey, I really like your cable trade.
I like what you're doing here. I'm going to take
a picture because I'd like to use it as an
example on other projects. I mean, that changes the whole tone.
There's no need to be a Dictators don't work in
our industry anymore. That's just not the way. And so
taking two seconds to be a good human and communicating
(09:22):
and getting to know your teams and your subcontractors and
just talking to folks. Get in the dirt, put your
boots on. Please put your boots on, and get in
the mirror, and just be a human and just listen, right, listen.
Be an active listener as much as you are a communicator.
QCs need to be organized, they need communication, and they
(09:44):
need to be good listeners. And if you've got those
three things, I have trained labor format and made them
into QC managers. I have trained market telemarketers and made
them successful QC managers. I can train need to be
a good QC manager. As long as you have that
open mind, you're a good human and you're just you
just have to like the work. So I love that.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
I love that, So let's talk about those educational initiatives.
You know, with your involvement in quality control university. What
motivated you to focus on education in this field and
what impact do you really hope to achieve at the
end of the day.
Speaker 3 (10:21):
I'm like that poem about the little boy the little
girl on the beach with the starfish. Have you heard
that one? And they're no starfish are all beached, and
they're hucking the starfish back one at a time in
the ocean. And the old man comes by and he says,
there are thousands of starfish. You are not going to
save them all. And the little kid looked at the
old man and said, but I'm gonna save this one,
(10:42):
and I'm gonna throw it back. And I'm gonna save
this one and I'm gonna throw it back. So I
love that. There's no way to change everybody's mind about
quality control. But the clients that come to me and
they want to train their companies in quality control, those
are my AHA moments, and I'm going to be able
to make can impact to their bottom line and the
(11:02):
longevity of their company. And the QC managers that come
looking for training because you know, their employer may not
offer it, and they just they need their job and
they don't want to lose their job, and they want
to be good at their job. Quality control is a
wonderful career that very few people understand. It's it's an
easy six figure salary career that gives you the ability
to be in the dirt and have that feel of
(11:24):
the team with the craftsmen, but yet you're also part
of management. To me, it's just the best of all
the worlds. Even when I had my construction company, all
the young pups coming out of school, they all wanted
the titles and they all want to be project manager
and co manager. And we need those folks, we need them.
But I would always giggle and say, all right, you know,
(11:46):
we'll put you on that track because I want you
to get what you want out of your career. But
just keep in the back of your head because fifty
or more will always come back. They come back to me.
They want to do quality control. So that's what motivates me.
Every single client I get to work with, I get
to make that difference. They're my starfish that I get
(12:07):
to throw back in the end and help them. So
That's that's why I do what I do now. It
just brings me so much joy to be able to
see that kind of impact and to talk to the
young people I'm part of schools and some of my
local universities and some of my local community colleges let
me come and talk to the students. And it's just
(12:29):
nice to be able to grab the people going in
the future of construction and let them know about the
importance of quality control and the opportunities that it can
give as a career.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
So, and to our listeners out there, I can see
Renee in video and if you're just listening and not
actually watching right, your face is lightly just so bright
when you talk about being able to Yeah, being able
to you know, save the starfish one at a time.
So let's talk about, you know, aspiring professionals in our
(13:03):
construction industry.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
We do have.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
Something going on where we have a labor shortage. So
what guidance would you offer to individuals looking to make
significant career changes or enter our construction industry.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
Yeah, number one, don't let somebody else's box stop you.
So it's really easy to put a box. My husband
came up through the trades and He is a quality
advisor for VP light Source now and so he and
I run the company together and when we go speak,
it's always fun because I went through the path of
a degree engineer, so I went, you know, the straight
(13:40):
educational path, and he went the trades and we both
ended up the same place. And so when the kids
find that out, it's like some of them, you can
see a shift like, oh, well, maybe I don't have
to do this, and maybe it's okay to do this,
and just don't let anybody else's box define you. If
you really love the construction industry, we want you and
(14:00):
we need you. And it doesn't matter if you're a
dance instructor right now or you're a kid as a
senior and you decide that further education. As far as
going to college, I mean, keep learning, you have to
keep learning, but college path is not for you. It's okay.
You can still make huge differences. You can love the
career and you're in. So just ultimately, don't let anybody's
(14:24):
box define you. That's great advice. Yeah, absolutely, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
So Then when it tells to adaptability, right your your
career pop showcases significant adaptability. So how have you really
navigated these transitions, and then what challenges did you encounter
with your career path.
Speaker 3 (14:47):
You know, it's really easy for me to for the
big positive spin on it, but when I go and
I talk to groups, specifically the girls, I get to
talk to a lot of the girls wanting to go
into stam You know, it's not going to always be
an easy path. I wish that I've got a nine
year old daughter, and of course she's the boss, and
(15:09):
she's got leadership skills. That's what we call it, her bossiness.
But we raised her to know she can do anything.
But we also raise her to know that not all
paths are going to be easy. It's not going to
be easy. I wish our world was a little bit different,
and I know we're making great strides when we think
about it, a lot of the women, my grandmother was
(15:31):
alive when women got the right to vote, so that's
not very many generations. That just brings it always brings
it back to me, you know, like, hey, so I
know we've accomplished a lot. There are struggles, and there
are those that might not see our value in a
male dominated field, and there's gonna be there's gonna be struggles,
and we can talk about that for hours and hours,
(15:54):
but bottom line is, just if you want to be
there and you love the work, I don't get into
the industry. If you just want to get on a soapbox.
We've got a lot of those, and it's just a
salmon running up a stream. Head on be in the
industry because you love the work and the respect will follow.
And so that's what I would tell him, I would
(16:14):
tell everybody. And then I spent many many years wanting
to blend into the background. So the way I managed
that was Renee could be a boy's name. So when
people got my resume, they didn't know they were getting
a girl, usually until I walked into the doors.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
And and I was okay that.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
I thought, all right, I'm just going to walk in
and then when you meet me, I'll be dazzling you
with jazz hands. Yeah. So I spent many many years
in my career working really really hard to not accentuate
the fact that I was a girl. And then I
went through some personal development training to be a better manager.
I wanted to be a better boss, and so I
(16:56):
went through emotional intelligence and then I got a life
coach and my life coach. She kicked me in the
butt and she said, you've spent X amount of years
trying to blend into the background and high and being
a female in the industry. But did you ever stop
to think that the traits that make you so good
at what you do are because you're a female. You're different.
(17:18):
We think different, right, we or organization is different. And
so I always tell the girls, don't don't blend, don't
blend into the background. Don't don't get on a soapbox,
you know, but don't try to bring the background. Just
enjoy the industry that you're in and be you. Life
is too short, it's a little short dance. We're only
here for a little time. Find something that you're passionate
(17:40):
about and something that you love doing, and then give
it one hundred and fifty percent and it's gonna work out.
It's gonna work out.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
So, yeah, don't blend in the background. Create a brand
for yourself, right, what sets you apart? And to your point,
don't go buy that box, right. We can put so
many people in that construction industry inside of boxes is
how you're supposed.
Speaker 3 (17:59):
To and we do it at a young age, you know,
And even the tradesmen. You know, my husband talks to
this really good. But you know the sheet metal union
versus the pipefitter union versus the iron workers, and you
know electricians hate the mechanical guys. Yeah, and so everybody's
put into a box no matter which path you go in,
and I'm all about just breaking out of the box.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
Yeah, oh yeah, No, absolutely. I do want to go
back a little bit with your dance because I just
find that's so unique. Again, like, you didn't started the
construction industry. It was a dance. So how have those
skills and discipline from your dance background influenced your approach
(18:48):
to like leadership and management in construction.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
Well, I'm not gonna lie.
Speaker 4 (18:53):
I have had whole workforces doing a cabbage path, call
it my happy dance when we pass inspect So I
wish I had more videos of those boys busting moves
because I can get them to do it.
Speaker 3 (19:05):
But in your business, I really think that the patience
and the fact that not everyone learns the same way.
So explaining something, asking for something, trying to communicate something,
you can see it in someone's eyes if they're getting
it or not. You can see within thirty seconds that
they're going to glaze over. And if they glaze over,
(19:26):
you need to stop and take a breath, and you
need to explain it another way. And I think any
teacher understands that, and I think it's really important. And
that's probably out of everything from teaching dance that I
got that helps me on this career path. It's just
understanding that not everyone is gonna understand the same way.
(19:47):
Whether you're an engineer trying to talk about plans or
you're a subcontractor talking to a GC or a GC
trying to manage a project, not everyone's gonna understand the
same way. There's visual learners and for those guys, flow
charts on the walls and the job trailers, right, and
sticky notes. There's those those of us that that love
I should have bought stock with a sticky note. I
(20:09):
think all of us. I have a type a list person.
Sticky notes everywhere, So a list for your list, Yeah, exactly.
So everyone learns a different way, and I really think
that that's an important communication tool, is to stop and
understand that. And that's another reason why in our training,
you know, we have monthly Q and a live calls
because we have narrated training, you know, so they can
(20:33):
they can listen to us go through the modules. But
it's not going to hit home with everybody. And some
people may hate that and they just need to get
on the phone and they just need to talk to someone.
And I need to ask a question and this is
what I'm seeing and why. And I think that my
dance instruction days, that's probably the most part that I
use on a daily basis. I love that. I love that.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
Well, let's then talk about your journey as an entrepreneur.
Oh yeah, you know, what were those key challenges that
you faced when establishing your construction business? And I get
how did you overcome those?
Speaker 3 (21:09):
It's it's crazy they will let anybody start a company.
I started my construction business and I was an engineer,
and you know, you think, ah, I had had a
couple decades in the industry almost under my belt, and
you just think I can do this. I understand the
work and I can fit the work. There's so much
(21:31):
more to owning your own company. And there's so many
folks out there, and I was one of them that
surround themselves with really good people, but they don't understand,
like your balance sheets right, your p and ls at
how bank and bond looks at them. It's different. Everybody
looks at different parts of those different ways. And it
was about my second or third year in the industry
(21:54):
and I realized that if I lost certain folks on
my staff, I would be in a hole because I
did not understand that part of my business that they
were taking and running for me. And so I was
lucky enough that the SBA had an Emerging Leaders program
and it was like a street wise MBA is what
it was. And so we went through that and I
(22:15):
did that for about eight months and learned from the
bottom up all of the business knowledge that I needed
before I started my company.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
That's brilliant.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
It helped tremendously. So what I tell those folks that
want to have their own construction firm I get in
the industry is just please go get an MBA, Go
get some business training, and understand that everybody's replaceable, even
the owner of a business. Businesses sell and get sold
and get bought every day. Everybody is fable. And it's
(22:47):
really really important that when you're driving that ship that
you understand every single facet, not that you micro manage
every facet because that's different because then your business runs
you and it's different. So but it is very important
that you understand so that when bank and bond and
(23:07):
insurance and all those important aspects of being a business
owner comes calling, that you understand what they're looking at
and that what's important to them, and then you can
make sure that you build your business for that success
because it takes so much. It's not like I'm just
gonna wake up today and I'm going to go buy
an LLC online and I'm just gonna make this work.
There's a lot to it.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely, Gray. It has been an
absolute pleasure to have you on the show.
Speaker 3 (23:37):
Just love hearing your story again.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
You know where you started out at and then where
you are today. So would love to have you come
back on the show. We can always dive more into
that quality control. Let our listeners know where can they
find you?
Speaker 3 (23:54):
Yes, we are online. We are the Quality Control University,
so it's QC University NAT. We're on LinkedIn, and we
are on Instagram and all the socials. Right, We're just
we're everywhere. If you're looking for quality control, we're hard
to miss. So come find us and shoot us a
message and if you've got any questions, we are more
(24:15):
than open just to talk because we love that so awesome.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
Well, thank you again for joining the show and we
look forward to hopefully having back in the future.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
Absolutely, thank you, Jennifer all Right.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
Thank you listeners for joining yet another episode of the
Lumberyard
I'm your host, Jennifer Hires, and I want to welcome
you to the Lumberyard, your backstage pass to the evolving
world of construction, workforce management, compliance and technology. And each
week we bring together voices from across the industry contractors, CFOs,
project managers, tech leaders to break down the complex challenges
(00:26):
construction businesses space, and the innovative strategies that help them thrive.
From digital transformation and financial optimization to labor tracking, compliance
and emerging AI application. This podcast delivers real world insights,
expert advice, and practical tools to help construction pros work smarter,
(00:50):
stay compliant, and build better.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
All right, welcome to the Lumberyard Today, we truly do
have a remarkable guest, Renee Glen Denny.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
So.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Renee's career path is really nothing short of extraordinary. She
started as a dance instructor, gracefully transitioned into a role
at NASA, and eventually found her calling in the construction industry. Now,
as the founder of her own construction business and champion
of quality control, she's proving that adaptability, resiliance, and strong
(01:25):
interpersonal skills can open doors to limitless opportunities. So in
this episode, We're going to really explore Renee's unique professional journey,
the lessons she's learned along the way, and how she's
using her expertise to really raise the bar in construction
quality and education. From the discipline of dance to the
(01:48):
precision of engineering. Renee story is one of the transformation,
determination and leadership. So sit back, tune in, and get
ready for an inspiring Converse station with Renee. Welcome to
the show. Thank you so much Jennifer for having me awesome. Well,
let's just dive right into questions. There's so many that
(02:09):
I want to cover. First and foremost, what inspired your
ship from being a dance instructor to working with NASA
and then later founding your own construction business.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
I had a helicopter mom. Have you ever met one
of those? I love it. Yeah, no, that's honestly the truth.
I love her to death. But I was a dance
instructor and I was really heading towards that path. I
kind of went in my own studio and she went,
not sure that you know you can do that forever?
(02:41):
And the studio I was part of growing up is
just phenomenal. And my instructor, unfortunately is no longer with
us on this plane, but her studio lives on and
so there would be no way to try to compete
with that in my local area. And so my mom said,
you really, you really need to keep going to school.
(03:02):
And then my head's always been in the stars and
I wanted to be an astronomer, and my mom said, well,
how many famous astronomers do you know? Like one, two?
And so I ended up getting into engineering, and I
got my degree in mechanical engineering, and I went on
to work for Thai Call. They were a contractor for NASA,
(03:23):
and so we built recoverable solid rocket motors for the
Shuttle program. And I'm really dating myself, So that's what
I did, and I worked with their facilities group, and
that really gave me a taste of construction, and right
away I could see that over the wall engineering where
you design and then you may or may not ever
(03:43):
see it. Come to tuition. Fruition was just not my
jammy jam and I really wanted to be a part
of the actual building, and I wanted to see the
end result and how that affected clients and customers and
end users, and that really appealed to me. So from
there I went into the semiconductor industry and the market
(04:06):
fell out of the bottom of the semiconductor industry in
the nineties early two thousands, and I needed a new gig.
So I got in contact with another project manager who
was doing a lot of federal construction and she was
looking a quality control manager. And she said, you've got
government work. You're not afraid of red tape, you're not
(04:26):
afraid of paperwork. Come try this out come do some
corp engineer projects for me, and the rest was just history.
I got into federal government contracting and loved it, loved
the quality control role. Went on to manage a large
quality control department for a general contractor across fifteen states,
so I had to see spread across the US. And
(04:48):
then from there several of us, my partner and I
broke off and started our own construction firm. It was
based in Colorado along the Front Range, and we were
part of the A Day program, so if you're familiar
with the SBA and the federal contracting A Day program
and finished that program out. Neither one of us wanted
a real legacy you know, we weren't building a legacy company.
(05:12):
We kind of both wanted different directions. And so since
then I broke off and started my own quality control
company and we train and give quality control support to
contractors across the globe. So it's really exciting now to
get to give back and help those There was no
training when I started QC. I was dumped in the
(05:33):
field with a pod literally a pod, one of those
moving pods, and a generator and a spec book and
they were like, go figure this out. And so instantly
I was like, ah, where do I get real world training?
And there was it was non existent, And so getting
to save other individuals from that kind of stress is
really became a passion. So yeah, so that's elevator speech.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Yeah, right, right, right, Like what does that career transition
look like? And you mentioned in your LinkedIn profile that
over the years you struggled as a quality control manager
due to the lack of that real world, applicable construction
quality control manager training in our construction industry, and really
you became successful through the school of hard knops.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
So I've done it.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
That's how we learn, right, So how have you You know,
in the construction industry, you really emphasize the importance of
quality control and reputation, So how do you implement maintain
rigorous quality control standards like in projects today?
Speaker 3 (06:45):
It's really important and we're up against an awful lot
right now, mostly just budgets. Budgets are so tight for everyone.
With those of us that survived COVID, we got one
little breath and now you know the world stage and
the tariffs and the economy. I mean, it's just really
shift in construction again. And a lot of companies dual
(07:06):
hat QC and some of them will duel hat it
with a safety manager and some of them will duel
had it with a project engineer. And I do not
care what you call it, as long as you have it,
because it's vitally important. I've seen it. I've seen it
with the success of my own company, and I've seen
it across the board. Small businesses and large businesses were
only as good as our last project. And that's the truth.
(07:29):
And one project can take any company down, no matter
how big or small you are. And that quality control
is what it has to be set up to be reactive,
a proactive and not reactive, because if you're reactive and
you're chasing your tail, you're not catching the issues that
could bring it apart your downfall. And I'm just a
(07:50):
huge advocate of quality control and construction and sometimes I
feel like I'm screaming to the wind because that you know,
those that are in residential construction or commercial construction, they
don't necessarily have those people on the staff. And of
course it's like safety. They'll all say, oh, yeah, it's important,
we care about quality, we care about safety. But if
(08:10):
you don't have someone in the field train that's actually
doing the checks and the inspections for you, it's not
going to deliver those kinds of results.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
No, no, it's not. So let's talk about like interpersonal skills.
You've highlighted the role of interpersonal skills and quality control.
Can you share like strategies for effective communication and that
relationship building within construction teams?
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Yeah, communication and being an active listener. I don't want
to sound all touchy fuzzy, because I know there's a
lot of touchy fuzzy words in the industry now, but
it's important. It's really important how you come across and
you know, inspectors back in the day when I was
starting QC, they would just run through the site and
start taking pictures. But that makes everybody really nervous. And
(09:00):
if you just take two seconds to be a good
human and say, hey, I really like your cable trade.
I like what you're doing here. I'm going to take
a picture because I'd like to use it as an
example on other projects. I mean, that changes the whole tone.
There's no need to be a Dictators don't work in
our industry anymore. That's just not the way. And so
taking two seconds to be a good human and communicating
(09:22):
and getting to know your teams and your subcontractors and
just talking to folks. Get in the dirt, put your
boots on. Please put your boots on, and get in
the mirror, and just be a human and just listen, right, listen.
Be an active listener as much as you are a communicator.
QCs need to be organized, they need communication, and they
(09:44):
need to be good listeners. And if you've got those
three things, I have trained labor format and made them
into QC managers. I have trained market telemarketers and made
them successful QC managers. I can train need to be
a good QC manager. As long as you have that
open mind, you're a good human and you're just you
just have to like the work. So I love that.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
I love that, So let's talk about those educational initiatives.
You know, with your involvement in quality control university. What
motivated you to focus on education in this field and
what impact do you really hope to achieve at the
end of the day.
Speaker 3 (10:21):
I'm like that poem about the little boy the little
girl on the beach with the starfish. Have you heard
that one? And they're no starfish are all beached, and
they're hucking the starfish back one at a time in
the ocean. And the old man comes by and he says,
there are thousands of starfish. You are not going to
save them all. And the little kid looked at the
old man and said, but I'm gonna save this one,
(10:42):
and I'm gonna throw it back. And I'm gonna save
this one and I'm gonna throw it back. So I
love that. There's no way to change everybody's mind about
quality control. But the clients that come to me and
they want to train their companies in quality control, those
are my AHA moments, and I'm going to be able
to make can impact to their bottom line and the
(11:02):
longevity of their company. And the QC managers that come
looking for training because you know, their employer may not
offer it, and they just they need their job and
they don't want to lose their job, and they want
to be good at their job. Quality control is a
wonderful career that very few people understand. It's it's an
easy six figure salary career that gives you the ability
to be in the dirt and have that feel of
(11:24):
the team with the craftsmen, but yet you're also part
of management. To me, it's just the best of all
the worlds. Even when I had my construction company, all
the young pups coming out of school, they all wanted
the titles and they all want to be project manager
and co manager. And we need those folks, we need them.
But I would always giggle and say, all right, you know,
(11:46):
we'll put you on that track because I want you
to get what you want out of your career. But
just keep in the back of your head because fifty
or more will always come back. They come back to me.
They want to do quality control. So that's what motivates me.
Every single client I get to work with, I get
to make that difference. They're my starfish that I get
(12:07):
to throw back in the end and help them. So
That's that's why I do what I do now. It
just brings me so much joy to be able to
see that kind of impact and to talk to the
young people I'm part of schools and some of my
local universities and some of my local community colleges let
me come and talk to the students. And it's just
(12:29):
nice to be able to grab the people going in
the future of construction and let them know about the
importance of quality control and the opportunities that it can
give as a career.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
So, and to our listeners out there, I can see
Renee in video and if you're just listening and not
actually watching right, your face is lightly just so bright
when you talk about being able to Yeah, being able
to you know, save the starfish one at a time.
So let's talk about, you know, aspiring professionals in our
(13:03):
construction industry.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
We do have.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
Something going on where we have a labor shortage. So
what guidance would you offer to individuals looking to make
significant career changes or enter our construction industry.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
Yeah, number one, don't let somebody else's box stop you.
So it's really easy to put a box. My husband
came up through the trades and He is a quality
advisor for VP light Source now and so he and
I run the company together and when we go speak,
it's always fun because I went through the path of
a degree engineer, so I went, you know, the straight
(13:40):
educational path, and he went the trades and we both
ended up the same place. And so when the kids
find that out, it's like some of them, you can
see a shift like, oh, well, maybe I don't have
to do this, and maybe it's okay to do this,
and just don't let anybody else's box define you. If
you really love the construction industry, we want you and
(14:00):
we need you. And it doesn't matter if you're a
dance instructor right now or you're a kid as a
senior and you decide that further education. As far as
going to college, I mean, keep learning, you have to
keep learning, but college path is not for you. It's okay.
You can still make huge differences. You can love the
career and you're in. So just ultimately, don't let anybody's
(14:24):
box define you. That's great advice. Yeah, absolutely, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
So Then when it tells to adaptability, right your your
career pop showcases significant adaptability. So how have you really
navigated these transitions, and then what challenges did you encounter
with your career path.
Speaker 3 (14:47):
You know, it's really easy for me to for the
big positive spin on it, but when I go and
I talk to groups, specifically the girls, I get to
talk to a lot of the girls wanting to go
into stam You know, it's not going to always be
an easy path. I wish that I've got a nine
year old daughter, and of course she's the boss, and
(15:09):
she's got leadership skills. That's what we call it, her bossiness.
But we raised her to know she can do anything.
But we also raise her to know that not all
paths are going to be easy. It's not going to
be easy. I wish our world was a little bit different,
and I know we're making great strides when we think
about it, a lot of the women, my grandmother was
(15:31):
alive when women got the right to vote, so that's
not very many generations. That just brings it always brings
it back to me, you know, like, hey, so I
know we've accomplished a lot. There are struggles, and there
are those that might not see our value in a
male dominated field, and there's gonna be there's gonna be struggles,
and we can talk about that for hours and hours,
(15:54):
but bottom line is, just if you want to be
there and you love the work, I don't get into
the industry. If you just want to get on a soapbox.
We've got a lot of those, and it's just a
salmon running up a stream. Head on be in the
industry because you love the work and the respect will follow.
And so that's what I would tell him, I would
(16:14):
tell everybody. And then I spent many many years wanting
to blend into the background. So the way I managed
that was Renee could be a boy's name. So when
people got my resume, they didn't know they were getting
a girl, usually until I walked into the doors.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
And and I was okay that.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
I thought, all right, I'm just going to walk in
and then when you meet me, I'll be dazzling you
with jazz hands. Yeah. So I spent many many years
in my career working really really hard to not accentuate
the fact that I was a girl. And then I
went through some personal development training to be a better manager.
I wanted to be a better boss, and so I
(16:56):
went through emotional intelligence and then I got a life
coach and my life coach. She kicked me in the
butt and she said, you've spent X amount of years
trying to blend into the background and high and being
a female in the industry. But did you ever stop
to think that the traits that make you so good
at what you do are because you're a female. You're different.
(17:18):
We think different, right, we or organization is different. And
so I always tell the girls, don't don't blend, don't
blend into the background. Don't don't get on a soapbox,
you know, but don't try to bring the background. Just
enjoy the industry that you're in and be you. Life
is too short, it's a little short dance. We're only
here for a little time. Find something that you're passionate
(17:40):
about and something that you love doing, and then give
it one hundred and fifty percent and it's gonna work out.
It's gonna work out.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
So, yeah, don't blend in the background. Create a brand
for yourself, right, what sets you apart? And to your point,
don't go buy that box, right. We can put so
many people in that construction industry inside of boxes is
how you're supposed.
Speaker 3 (17:59):
To and we do it at a young age, you know,
And even the tradesmen. You know, my husband talks to
this really good. But you know the sheet metal union
versus the pipefitter union versus the iron workers, and you
know electricians hate the mechanical guys. Yeah, and so everybody's
put into a box no matter which path you go in,
and I'm all about just breaking out of the box.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
Yeah, oh yeah, No, absolutely. I do want to go
back a little bit with your dance because I just
find that's so unique. Again, like, you didn't started the
construction industry. It was a dance. So how have those
skills and discipline from your dance background influenced your approach
(18:48):
to like leadership and management in construction.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
Well, I'm not gonna lie.
Speaker 4 (18:53):
I have had whole workforces doing a cabbage path, call
it my happy dance when we pass inspect So I
wish I had more videos of those boys busting moves
because I can get them to do it.
Speaker 3 (19:05):
But in your business, I really think that the patience
and the fact that not everyone learns the same way.
So explaining something, asking for something, trying to communicate something,
you can see it in someone's eyes if they're getting
it or not. You can see within thirty seconds that
they're going to glaze over. And if they glaze over,
(19:26):
you need to stop and take a breath, and you
need to explain it another way. And I think any
teacher understands that, and I think it's really important. And
that's probably out of everything from teaching dance that I
got that helps me on this career path. It's just
understanding that not everyone is gonna understand the same way.
(19:47):
Whether you're an engineer trying to talk about plans or
you're a subcontractor talking to a GC or a GC
trying to manage a project, not everyone's gonna understand the
same way. There's visual learners and for those guys, flow
charts on the walls and the job trailers, right, and
sticky notes. There's those those of us that that love
I should have bought stock with a sticky note. I
(20:09):
think all of us. I have a type a list person.
Sticky notes everywhere, So a list for your list, Yeah, exactly.
So everyone learns a different way, and I really think
that that's an important communication tool, is to stop and
understand that. And that's another reason why in our training,
you know, we have monthly Q and a live calls
because we have narrated training, you know, so they can
(20:33):
they can listen to us go through the modules. But
it's not going to hit home with everybody. And some
people may hate that and they just need to get
on the phone and they just need to talk to someone.
And I need to ask a question and this is
what I'm seeing and why. And I think that my
dance instruction days, that's probably the most part that I
use on a daily basis. I love that. I love that.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
Well, let's then talk about your journey as an entrepreneur.
Oh yeah, you know, what were those key challenges that
you faced when establishing your construction business? And I get
how did you overcome those?
Speaker 3 (21:09):
It's it's crazy they will let anybody start a company.
I started my construction business and I was an engineer,
and you know, you think, ah, I had had a
couple decades in the industry almost under my belt, and
you just think I can do this. I understand the
work and I can fit the work. There's so much
(21:31):
more to owning your own company. And there's so many
folks out there, and I was one of them that
surround themselves with really good people, but they don't understand,
like your balance sheets right, your p and ls at
how bank and bond looks at them. It's different. Everybody
looks at different parts of those different ways. And it
was about my second or third year in the industry
(21:54):
and I realized that if I lost certain folks on
my staff, I would be in a hole because I
did not understand that part of my business that they
were taking and running for me. And so I was
lucky enough that the SBA had an Emerging Leaders program
and it was like a street wise MBA is what
it was. And so we went through that and I
(22:15):
did that for about eight months and learned from the
bottom up all of the business knowledge that I needed
before I started my company.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
That's brilliant.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
It helped tremendously. So what I tell those folks that
want to have their own construction firm I get in
the industry is just please go get an MBA, Go
get some business training, and understand that everybody's replaceable, even
the owner of a business. Businesses sell and get sold
and get bought every day. Everybody is fable. And it's
(22:47):
really really important that when you're driving that ship that
you understand every single facet, not that you micro manage
every facet because that's different because then your business runs
you and it's different. So but it is very important
that you understand so that when bank and bond and
(23:07):
insurance and all those important aspects of being a business
owner comes calling, that you understand what they're looking at
and that what's important to them, and then you can
make sure that you build your business for that success
because it takes so much. It's not like I'm just
gonna wake up today and I'm going to go buy
an LLC online and I'm just gonna make this work.
There's a lot to it.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely, Gray. It has been an
absolute pleasure to have you on the show.
Speaker 3 (23:37):
Just love hearing your story again.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
You know where you started out at and then where
you are today. So would love to have you come
back on the show. We can always dive more into
that quality control. Let our listeners know where can they
find you?
Speaker 3 (23:54):
Yes, we are online. We are the Quality Control University,
so it's QC University NAT. We're on LinkedIn, and we
are on Instagram and all the socials. Right, We're just
we're everywhere. If you're looking for quality control, we're hard
to miss. So come find us and shoot us a
message and if you've got any questions, we are more
(24:15):
than open just to talk because we love that so awesome.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
Well, thank you again for joining the show and we
look forward to hopefully having back in the future.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
Absolutely, thank you, Jennifer all Right.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
Thank you listeners for joining yet another episode of the
Lumberyard
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.