The fourth-generation CEO shares insights on family legacy, construction opportunities, and leadership wisdom from Chicago’s oldest Black-owned electrical company
The great-granddaughter of founder Sam Taylor transformed the company into a multi-million dollar operation while championing opportunities for women and minorities in the trades.
What’s it like to be a CEO
We’re a family-owned, operated business. We’ve been in business for 103 years. I’ve been in the CEO role for about 10 years now. It’s always a surreal experience. A lot of people think it’s this big, high position and everything. I think of it as a position of service. I’m in service to my employees as much as they’re in service to me, and we’re all working together to make sure we all get paid and we all get fed.
What is it like to navigate a business that has seen multiple generations
I think on some days, it can be a lot of pressure, because you don’t want to be that one CEO in the family that let the company go down on your watch. But a lot of it is honorable work. I feel like I’m sitting on the shoulders of my ancestors, and they’ve worked so hard these past few decades to keep this legacy going, so I’m honored to take on that spot. It comes with a lot of responsibility to my family and the families that I’ve got to feed. But there are also perks to it. We’re well known in the city of Chicago. A lot of times, I walk in a room and introduce myself, and people knew my uncle, or they knew my dad, and they’ve got great stories, because we’ve got this long history of being around the city. It’s a fun position.
If you were giving a speech at Spelman or Chicago State, what would be the three things you would challenge the next generation to do
One is, everybody out here is faking it at least a little bit. Not everybody has all the answers, that’s why we have complete teams and people around us. So don’t be afraid to ask questions. I’ve been in plenty of boardrooms full of people who I think are the smartest people on earth that ask a million questions, and that’s a good thing.
Consistency is key. First impressions are good, but then that second impression, and third impression, and fourth impression, you gotta keep coming in strong, or else your personal brand is not gonna carry you a whole lot further.
Making sure you listen to yourself. You’ve got a lot of different advice and everything going on, and all these people trying to tell you how to run your business. You’ve got to have the agency to do what you want to do with your business. If I fall, it’s my fault, I took that advice. It’s not their fault, so you’ve gotta have that agency for yourself and your business.
Why do you use the word agency
It is absolutely a real thing. I know a lot of people may have heard the term, if you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu. So, you’ve got to speak up. Especially with this generation, we get so used to the digital way of being. That’s great and all, but if you really want to step up, if you really want to take control of your own situation, you’ve got to show up in person, you’ve got to do that networking, make those phone calls, meet up with people in person, connect and make real relationships offline that’s gonna build your brand and build your business.
What would you say about an invitation to sisters to get involved in the trades and become part of the construction and building industry
I say for especially Black women, for women in general, the construction industry is primed and ready for us and needs us. It’s one of the few industries, especially if you’re working on the union side, that doesn’t have any pay disparity. If you’re working in the trades, and you’re out there with the tools, you’re getting paid the same amount as the guy next to you.
There are billions upon billions and trillions of dollars at stake here with our infrastructure, with everything that’s going on, the data centers, so we have a serious labor shortage. In Chicago, you can join our apprenticeship program. It’s 5 years, it’s almost like having an associate degree, but you’re making six figures after that, and you have no college debt. You’re getting paid that whole 5-year process along the way. There are so many opportunities within the industry.
I think they’re primed and ready for us. The construction industry in general has been a little bit behind in filling up the role of women and minorities. But they’re starting to realize that that’s hindering them. They’re really trying to expand and get more people into the business. Because they’re definitely needed.
Share 3 leadership tips that you think all women should come to the table with so they know they deserve to be there
Understand, you’ll get a lot of different invitations of people that want you in the room. Make sure that you only show up in rooms where you’re valued, and not rooms where you’re being checked off of a box.
Be comfortable in your skin and who you are. Don’t feel like you have to dress presentable and make sure you’re putting that out there, but don’t try to be something completely that you’re not. It’s gonna show up in the way that you present yourself, in the way that you present your ideas. Always go for comfort.
Understand that our value, especially Black women, we’re the most educated group out there. We are going to be the saviors of this industry and many other industries. Make sure you understand that you’re coming in, and you’re adding value wherever you are. There’s no question about it that you’re adding value.
What are those other opportunities, other industries that people should consider
It’s not even just electrical, it’s also the plumbing and mechanical folks. It also gives you the ability, you get this skill, and you get this trade that you can practice in your neighborhood. You can take care of your own home, take care of your family’s homes.
If you’re not interested in completely working with the tools, there’s so many different positions within the construction industry. We are short on project managers, we are short on estimators, we’re short on engineers. There’s a major labor shortage, and it’s not just in the field. There are people within marketing that are in here. There are construction attorneys, I’ve got 2 or 3 on retainer specifically that read my contracts. There are so many different ways to get into the industry that you can tap into those multi-billions of dollars that are out there.
How do you suggest somebody future-proofs themselves
Future-proofing is gonna be learning a skill. AI is here, but at the end of the day, somebody’s always going to need to actually put that building together. We haven’t invented robots yet to completely build an entire building. And even if so, you’re still gonna need somebody with the brainpower to know how to put that together.
AI is still in its infancy. You have to really know how to work it. If you’re not skilled or knowledgeable in that position, AI’s not going to be able to take that from you. Really learning a trade, learning a skill set, and digging into AI, and learning how to use it to complement what it is that you’re doing will make you indispensable.
Three things that you read that make you sharper each and every day
First thing I have is a book called Jesus Calling, and it’s just a daily devotional. I wake up every morning, and it’s just a motivational phrase, and there are a few scriptures to back it up.
Second thing is, I always read the news. I don’t watch the 24-hour news or anything where you got a whole panel of people discussing how you should feel about something. I read Cranes, I read the business section, I read about my industry. I purposely select filters within my New York Times and Cranes and everything else that’s gonna give me news about developers, news about real estate, news about construction, and news about the economy, because I gotta keep an eye on the economy to know how to navigate and steer.
The next thing is, have something fun to read. I read murder mysteries and things like that. Sometimes, if I don’t have anything big going on, that’s what I’m listening to in the car on the way to work. Make sure you’re taking care of yourself and self-care somewhere in there, and you can do that through books as well.
How do you make sure that you take care of your health
I say treat your mental health and your physical health just as much as you’d treat your business. What would you say if a bank came up to you, and your number one asset, you treat like crap? Your number one asset is you. And then your bank is like, okay, well, you don’t even treat your number one asset right. Why am I going to give you some money?
You’ve got to look out for your number one asset, and that’s you. You’re not gonna be effective, you’re not going to be able to create a lasting legacy if you can’t last. Taking care of your mental health and your physical health is just as important, if not more important, than taking care of the health of your company.
For more information about Taylor Electric Company’s services and apprenticeship opportunities, visit their website.