Today we’d like to introduce you to Randall and Yvonne Dragon.
Hi Randall and Yvonne, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
My wife Yvonne and I decided to take the entrepreneurial leap in 2014. We are co-founders of The Dragon Group, LLC a boutique firm that provides sustainability strategies and solutions for commercial building owners and developers. We are the only black and female-owned Sustainability Consulting and Project Management firm in the southeast.
The Dragon Group’s mission is to fight climate change by consulting with building owners, from airport authorities to major corporations, to build greener or retrofit existing buildings with better, greener operating systems. Our Mission is to improve the built environment through project management and sustainability consulting while exposing young and diverse leaders to the construction and sustainability space. The Dragon Group’s mission is to fight climate change by consulting with building owners, from airport authorities to major corporations, to build greener or retrofit existing buildings with better, greener operating systems. We do this by improving the built environment through project management and sustainability consulting while exposing young and diverse leaders to the construction and sustainability space.
Buildings (and construction of buildings) are responsible for 40% of all carbon emissions globally. By 2060 the inventory of buildings worldwide will double and by 2050 all buildings need to be net zero carbon emissions. The Dragon Group’s mission is to fight climate change by consulting with building owners, from airport authorities to major corporations, to build greener or retrofit existing buildings with better, greener operating systems. Our Mission is to improve the built environment through project management and sustainability consulting while exposing young and diverse leaders to the construction and sustainability space.
Climate change is a huge challenge to tackle and is especially concerning for people who look like us. Climate change is disproportionately affecting black and brown people. According to scientific studies, black people are 40% more likely to live in places where climate change is causing extreme temperatures and weather which leads to higher mortality rates. Couple that with Atlanta’s growing inequality gap and there is serious cause for concern for our community.
But there is hope, The Dragon Group’s team of engineers, project managers, and scientists problem-solve climate change in the built environment every day. “Our amazing team of STEM professionals provide creative solutions for our clients ranging from selecting carbon-neutral building materials to mapping out a decarbonization plan for a 20-site retrofit, we bring innovative strategies to each project -big or small”, said Randall Dragon.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Any entrepreneur knows that the road is not smooth or straight. We have had a lot of ups and downs, especially in the beginning. Since we are a consulting firm- time is really money. We have spent time pursuing the wrong clients or attending the wrong conferences but now we are super strategic in our choices. Now that we have a team, we have more time as founders to really think about the direction we want to take the company. Covid and the pandemic were challenging. Our revenue dropped by 50%. We got lean and efficient. It was a tough time but we have rebounded and we are projected to exceed our pre-pandemic revenue by 4X in 2023.
As you know, we’re big fans of The Dragon Group. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
The Dragon Group specializes in Sustainability Consulting and Project Management for the Commerical Real Estate Industry. We innovate solutions to build better communities and sustainability strategies. We help clients green and decarbonize (eliminate carbon emissions) their building portfolios and developments strategically.
Another interesting point about The Dragon Group is that we represent the future – we are a women-led and women-run firm. 80% of our team is female. 50% of our leadership is female. 100% is black or Latinx. Yvonne and I wore many hats in the beginning. As the company grew, we hired top talent and super sharp interns with the right technical experience and unique skill set required for Sustainability Consulting, and today the team happens to be mostly female and all black and brown. We are not only a great example of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles but also DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) as well. WHAT we do is just as important as WHO is doing the work. ” We recently kicked off our weekly team meeting on Zoom and l looked at my screen and realized there were mostly female faces looking back”, Yvonne shared. Women make 27% of the US STEM workforce, black and brown women make up less than half of that according to Pew Research Center. “In addition to being a female-leaning firm, we have a great mix of professions, generations, and cultures represented on our team but we are all centered around fighting climate change for our families and communities and for those that do not have a voice.”
2.5% of all US businesses are black-owned and only 59% survived the economic devastation caused by COVID. We have beat the odds as black business owners. They are undaunted by the challenges they face and are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead. “ESG/Sustainability is a multi-trillion-dollar business and we want to scale our company to assist in making this world better by decarbonizing spaces so future generations can not only survive but thrive”, said Randall Dragon.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Look for people and professionals that you admire. Ideal mentors can be in OR outside your field. Also, don’t be afraid to participate in peer mentoring. Checking in with someone who is on their own entrepreneurial journey can be helpful.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thedragongrp.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randallcdragon/
- Linkedin: https://www.
linkedin.com/in/yvonnedragon/
Image Credits
Jamila Libson
