Today we’d like to introduce you to Malory Atkinson, Holly Jeffreys, and Karen Jenkins.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Malory, Holly, and Karen. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
While working in engineering and design firms throughout our careers, it became apparent to us that women were highly underrepresented in leadership roles across the industry. We wanted to build a firm that shifted the perspective of what a typical engineer looks like. As a partnership, we wanted to provide our service offering to clients with a unique approach: bringing concepts from our background in architecture, construction, and technology to the traditional field of structural engineering.
We’ve only been in business a few months, and we’ve already hired 5 people and seen our revenues more than double almost every month. We’re looking forward to seeing what 2018 brings!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Is starting a company ever a smooth road? Even in just our short few months in business we’ve seen a few challenges. At first it was getting everything set up, from lawyers to business consultants and insurance agents, launching a professional services business requires a lot of paperwork and upfront costs. Thankfully we have an incredible network of friends and partners, and we are so grateful for all those who have supported (and continue to support) our journey.
As we’ve grown, our struggle has now been how to recruit top talent in such a competitive market. As a startup, we can’t offer a full benefits package or crazy salaries, but we can offer experience, flexibility, autonomy, and growth opportunities. We want all of our team to benefit from our growth and contribute their ideas and dreams to the future direction of the company.
Shear Structural – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Shear Structural is a 100% women-owned and women-managed structural engineering firm, headquartered in Atlanta, GA. Founded in 2017, we are solely focused on providing dedicated structural engineering services to architects, contractors, engineers, and designers in the Southeast. With over 55 years of combined structural engineering experience, we specialize in a variety of building structures and market sectors. From adaptive reuse to education, industrial, multifamily, mixed use, civic, faith-based, and retail projects, we have expertise across project types. Our team is licensed to provide structural engineering in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
As Atlanta’s only 100% women-owned structural engineering firm, and one of the few in the Southeast, we are committed to advancing both the personal and professional development of woman and minorities in the AEC (architecture, engineering, and construction) industry. We are focused on providing excellent service to our clients, while being a positive role model and example for other disadvantaged business enterprises.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Happiness.
If our team is happy, they perform better work and provide great service. If our work and service are great, our clients are happy. If our clients are happy, they continue to give us great projects and recommend us across the industry. If we get more projects, we can grow and provide opportunities for personal, professional, and community development.
It all relates back to happiness, and as long as we are continuing to improve the lives of our team, our clients, our partners, and our community, we are successful.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3411 Pierce Drive, Suite 100
Chamblee, GA 30341 - Website: shearstructural.com
- Phone: 6786648051
- Email: info@shearstructural.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shearstructural/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShearStructural/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShearStructural
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shearstructural/
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