Today we’d like to introduce you to Nancy Pierre.
Hi Nancy, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Hello, my name is Nancy Pierre and I’m a Licensed General Contractor. My CONSTRUCTION career started very heavily in 2022. A friend of mine who was a subcontractor on a project asked me to come and do some paperwork. I was just putting paperwork together, sign in sheets, etc. And just a matter of two weeks I became the office manager and right after that I became the supervisor then I was the supervisor over all the trades which was paint, carpentry, plumbing, tiling, general maintenance and janitorial. within six months, I had to learn how all the trades worked. I had to understand paint I had to understand carpentry, I had to understand plumbing. I had to understand tiling, and I had to understand and coordinate when trades came into each apartment, to complete the apartment and turn it over back to the housing development. I had to order materials make sure cabinetry was installed sinks in toilets and tubs and bath fitters were installed. I had to make sure that refrigerators were ordered and stoves were hooked up and window guards were fasten tightly and then I had to do all these walk-throughs with superintendent, pass inspections, and turned the apartment over to the development. It started off which is one development 5 workers then 14 developments and 40 workers . I was in the rhythm of things, and I worked very closely with the prime contractor. My boss was never on site, and I literally had to coordinate teams in work without supervision. I was constantly on the phone with the prime contractor as he was in Rhode Island, I learned most of my project management documentation from the prime. My boss and the prime contractor were not agreeing on too many things and seeing I die therefore our jobs came to a crushing halt on September 30, 2022. We were all let go eight out of the 40 guys said to me if I go and get my GC license they would work for me. One of the guys went and got my LLC for me and I just kept my word that I would do it. They really encouraged me and it’s now that I sit back and think back on that story. I don’t know that I would’ve taken the chance to become a general contractor because of the rumors during my time of working with many of the gentleman the rumor was that I didn’t know anything about CONSTRUCTION but yet I was still able to pass all these inspections and coordinate a crew and get apartments renovated and turned over. I went ahead and I got my General Contractor’s license and then took a small plumbing class. I graduated valedictorian I then went on to take a solar panel installation class than a green construction class than my OSHA classes and my RRPEPA certification classes, heat pump water heating system classes, and I have my city and state certification as a woman business enterprise and a minority business enterprise. I’m currently the first patient female Licensed General Contractor in New York and I also was the first haitian female superintendent on the new Terminal One project coordinating slab repairs , steel inspections and concrete pours for Egress stairs . I have a musical theater background. I am married 26 years and have four adult children ages 18 through 29. I am still asking myself. How did I get here? I just really feel sometimes that I literally was just picked up from one place and then dropped in another scene of a movie. I really love what I do. I love building I love renovating and I really do love this place in life.what a journey !
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
it was a smooth journey, becoming a contractor, which is contrary to what people know my journey was quite divine. Everything was set in order. It seemed. I just was following the steps and I was just playing every car that was deal to me. It definitely is not easy, becoming a contractor on paper is not easy because there’s so many preliminary things that have to be in place.
The struggles that I’ve had along the way as a young entrepreneur is getting before the right people in an industry that is so saturated with contractors. It’s very difficult to learn something because in this industry, it’s all about trusting the person and trusting the work that they’ve done so if they don’t know your work or they don’t know you personally it’s very difficult to break through that door. I do understand keeping your circle tight and not wanting to let anybody in to your circle, but I always wonder where is that door that opens up and the voice behind it says I wanna give you a chance. Now don’t get me wrong. I am able to work and do private projects but often times is just enough to meet the monthly bills, but as I sought for higher certifications, I saw that the opportunities or the prospects were filling. My inbox is more however often times the downside is you don’t have enough capital to sustain yourself. I think something that’s very important for people to know is that even if I don’t have work, I still have to pay my insurance. I still have to pay liability disability and workers comp when people look at this life of being a contractor as this luxurious thing, people need to understand that is a lot of weight. It’s a very expensive business. It is a bit of a struggle while it is a male dominated world. I want to say clearly that as a contractor, I have not had the good old boys problem and them treating me a certain way. I find that all whom I have encountered have been very kind and gentle and even the gentleman who work with me on projects they’re kind they’re loving. They’re very encouraging and they cover Me .They have way more experience than I do and they make me shine. there were some struggles when I first started prior to becoming a contractor and yes, I was dealing with Men who never had to take orders from a woman in construction. There was a little rough patch there, but we got past that got through it and I have this amazing construction family
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Blu Construction LLC?
Blue construction started in 2022. We are a Minority women business enterprise. This is the first Haitian female owned construction company. We build well so you can be well. we specialize in carpentry such as flooring, drywall, framing, paint, bathroom, renovations, kitchen, renovations, basement, renovations, and decking. I’d like to say something that everyone would say but I’m not gonna say it I believe that what sets me apart from other companies is the fact that I am enjoying this journey and while I would love to be working with some of the big contractors out there, I’m really taking my time and meeting people even in a place where money might not be flowing in as I would like it to. I’m really enjoying the richness the relational wealth that I am building. I feel like what sets me apart is that I value taking the time to invest in meaningful relationships in this business. Too often people meet each other and jump into business partnerships without really knowing who they’re getting into partnership with in the beginning I was like that, but then I really started sitting back and saying you know what I really wanna enjoy this journey and I wanna enjoy the people that I will be working with . What am I known for? That’s a really good question. It’s something I might have to think about.. what am I most proud Brand wise wherever I go or I am always remembered as the contractor with the Blue Hair. It’s not what I intended, but that’s kind of how it worked out. I have a personal brand, but I don’t believe that my company has. One thing I can say is I really do wanna be known as the construction company that does amazing work I love that. I am a unicorn in this field and when I say unicorn, I mean it in a way that Haitian women are not known for starting construction firms. I love that I love that I stand out in that way however I really want my work to stand out and there’s so many amazing companies out there that do great work they just do but I wanna be known for a company that has a principle that is fair just honest and caring I want to be a company that a client would say wow you really knew what I was thinking and feeling, and you made it happen, you brought it to life you brought what was in my mind to life how it feels, etc., because peoples spaces matter to them and it has to matter to me and how they feel living in their home after Ive completed the work means everything
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I have about 25 men that support me collaborate with me .
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bluthebuilder.com
- Instagram: @thecontractorgirl
- LinkedIn: Nancy Pierre
Image Credits
Photo by Nancy Pierre
