Today we’d like to introduce you to Whitney Pederson.
Hi Whitney, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I used to sit on a cooler at my neighborhood park and sell soda cans to passersby. I was in about second grade at the time. Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to own my own business. I didn’t quite know it then, but as I grew older, I realized that I was a bit different. I always felt stuck at any and every job I held. Maybe it was the inability to express my creativity or the lack of appreciation for time and energy spent trying to prove my worth. Whatever the case may have been, it was exhausting trying to fit in. I always liked working with my hands. Building things. Putting things together. My dad started buying me model cars to put together when he realized the dolls were untouched and collecting dust. After college, I began my teaching career. Outside of the politics, I absolutely loved my students. Unfortunately, the stresses became too much, and I started to notice that I was becoming depressed. I was just unhappy with my career path and my day-to-day life. I had to do something. I woke up one morning and quit my teaching job.
I made the decision to go into business for myself. I wanted to build. Build homes, communities, roads, and highways. But of course, I didn’t have the resources to do that, so I started a small cleaning company. By small I mean I employed me, myself, and I. The cleaning company was to be used as a steppingstone to connect and network with others in the general contracting and building community. And I did. I just wasn’t taken as seriously as I’d hoped. I had friends that were general contractors, builders, and tradesmen. I decided to learn as much as I possibly could from them and created my own little internship program. I would visit projects and sites to learn as much as I could. Still cleaning, a friend of mine called and told me of a multi-family management company in Austin that needed a cleaning company. Not knowing how I was going to pull it off, I jumped at the opportunity and with the help of my family made the move to Austin. Yatlor Llc now has several contracts with property management companies in the area and has transitioned from just cleaning to general contracting.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
This journey has been bumpy, rocky, and rough to say the least. Between being unsure if I was making the right decision and trying to break into an industry that is male-dominated hasn’t been easy. As a black woman, I am far from what people picture when general contracting comes to mind. Being taken seriously has been difficult. I think a lot of people just aren’t comfortable with the idea of women as leaders in this industry. Although, that’s been changing slowly but surely and I’m extremely excited about it. In addition to that, it’s been emotionally and mentally hard. Believing in my vision when others didn’t/don’t. I think coming into the understanding that your purpose or journey is yours for a reason and isn’t necessarily meant for others to understand gives you strength to keep moving.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Yatlor Llc?
Yatlor Llc is a small humble company with big dreams. Dreams of providing women a space to confidently pursue their passions within the building and construction industry. I feel like there are a lot of women like myself that want to express their interests in building and construction careers but can’t find a safe space to do so. For the most part, as a GC I assess properties, create estimates, create project schedules, contract tradesmen/sub-contractors, manage ongoing projects, and communicate vital information with clients and subs from start to finish. What sets me apart from others is that I really love what I do. It excites me to help bring visions to life, no matter how big or small. Right now, Yatlor is looking to make as many connections as possible where general contracting and building are concerned. I just want people to know we are here and ready to take on renovation, remodel, and new build projects.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
I think the most important thing I learned from Covid-19 is that life is unpredictable and at any moment could be turned upside down. Although I knew this prior to, it has really put things into perspective. My ideas about the things and people I want in my life aren’t the same as they were before. I feel the need to be even more focused not only for myself but for the people I love.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@yatlor.com
Image Credits
J. Vince Photography
