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In this episode, Jenni sits down with Jess Short from JC Build, a fully woman-owned general contracting company specializing in both exterior and interior renovations. Before joining JC Build, Jess was a business consultant helping construction companies fine-tune their systems, processes, sales, and marketing. That experience is exactly what led her to the company — and ultimately to becoming an owner.

In less than three years, Jess helped grow JC Build from $300K to $3M, and in this conversation, she shares the strategies, mindset, and real-world lessons behind that transformation.

Jess opens up about stepping into construction with no prior background, being underestimated early on, and how she worked to earn — and now command — respect in her market. She talks about what it was like to have homeowners question her ability to perform a roof inspection, and how today she turns those moments into trust-building opportunities. Her attention to detail, communication style, and genuine collaboration with homeowners have become her competitive edge.

Jess also shares candid stories about working with subcontractors who speak a different language, the systems she put in place to keep projects running smoothly, and the hard leadership lessons she learned — including the emotional challenge of firing someone who wasn’t a fit.

This episode is packed with insight for anyone growing a construction business, stepping into leadership, or navigating a traditionally male-dominated industry.

Key Takeaways:

• How Jess grew JC Build from $300K to $3M in under three years
• Earning respect as a woman in construction — and turning it into an advantage
• The communication habits that build trust with homeowners
• Lessons learned from managing subcontractors with language barriers
• The importance of processes, documentation, and detailed estimating
• How to make tough personnel decisions when someone isn’t performing
• Why deeply listening and collaborating with homeowners creates better projects