Summary
Traci Quinn, a former nurse, started a successful all-female construction company, Pink Hats, in Chicago after serving a prison sentence. She faced challenges, including sexism and racism, but overcame them by gaining construction skills and business knowledge.
Key Facts
- Traci Quinn was previously a nurse and served three years in prison for transporting cannabis.
- After her release, she started Pink Hats, a construction firm based in Chicago.
- The company began during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
- Traci initially used sub-contractors but faced issues with their work quality.
- The construction industry in the U.S. has a low percentage of women, around 11%, and even fewer are Black women, less than 7%.
- Traci faced sexism and racism in the male-dominated construction industry.
- To improve her skills, she took construction classes and joined mentorship programs.
- Pink Hats grew from earning $125,000 in its first year to over $1 million.
