Entrepreneur Joy Rohadfox Constructs Her Own Success
Joy Rohadfox, 37, CEO and president of Atlanta’s Rohadfox Construction Control Services Corporation (RCCSC), has proven to be a mainstay in the construction industry, where men are generally in charge.
Where other ladies may cringe at the thought, Rohadfox accepts the challenges as a part of being an entrepreneur.
“Entrepreneurism is about taking risks, being creative, determined and aggressive,” she tells rolling out. “Every obstacle and barrier that I overcome in our gender-based society proves that I am here to stay.”
Based in Atlanta, with offices in several other parts of the U.S., RCCSC is one of the oldest minority Construction and Program Management firms in the United States, catering to water/wastewater facilities, aviation, rail and transit systems, roads and highways and federal government.
Rohadfox recently earned my MBA at Georgia State University. Here, she talks to rolling out about her life as an entrepreneur.
Is there a difference between being an entrepreneur vs. when you worked for someone else?
It is a big difference; unlike working for someone else who places a value on your service, [when you own your own business] every stitch of work you do goes toward the betterment of your organization. I have control over my own future outcomes versus taking what is given to me. I now control my own destiny to a greater extent than when I worked for someone else.
What is the best business advice you’ve ever received?
While a lot has changed in the way business was done in the last 50 years or so that my father has been around, many things haven’t. My father taught me two valuable business lessons that are still very relevant today: Never let personal feelings get in the way of making sound business decisions, and to surround myself with smart people; if a person has to be micro-managed, they are not the right person for the job.
How important is a business plan to your success?
A business plan is critical to the success of my company. It serves as a compass for what [roads] I foresee my business taking in the future. The key benefits of a solid business plan for my company are clear goals, solutions for anticipated problems and direction for my employees.
How do you incorporate social media into your business plan?
RCCSC is currently integrating Facebook and LinkedIn into our business plan. We have found that using these two social media feeds allow us to interact with clients, network with peers and market our capabilities and experience. Messages that we want conveyed are systematically fed through these sites to our “friends” and the information is spread further than I ever could have imagined.
How do you maintain a successful work-life balance?
It seems there are not enough hours in a day to finish all my work-related tasks; I try to exercise early in the morning, I find this time as a good opportunity to have mental downtime and release stress.
If you could share two things with women thinking of starting a business in construction, what would they be?
This male-dominated field can be quite challenging. Long hours, demanding schedules, sexist jokes and clear resentful intrusion are often the norm within the construction industry. Don’t wear your emotions on your sleeve and never compromise your self-worth for a contract. Keep your dignity intact.
