Today we’d like to introduce you to Veronica Munoz.
Veronica, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started 20 years ago as an office gal just answering phones and setting up appointments for a General Contractor while working 2 other part time jobs and putting myself through college. I received hands-on experience in all aspects of the business. It was just a 2 person office with 14 field employees. I worked with the Owner’s daughter and she had taken time off throwing me fully in to learn many aspects of running a business. Then I took time off after marriage to start my family.
I was fortunate enough to meet good people through my journey which brought a roofer to knock on my door at home offering me an opportunity to work for her as she had just received her General Contractors License and she needed someone to run the office for her. I was offered double the money I use to earn with the flexibility to bring my child to work. I stayed until she was ready to retire and I planned my next pregnancy and again took a bit of time off to tend to my family.
I then went to work for a Mechanical Engineering Company (Air-Conditioning). This was an excellent firm to work for that was a bit larger than the others. I went in as the Service Manager and ended as the Operations Supervisor for the entire company (approx. 50 employees) overseeing both the Service Department and Construction Departments). Again, I dove in and learned every aspect of what I was doing. I began taking additional coursework and training. Although I did not work in the field I felt it was imperative to learn every aspect of the technical stuff because how can I oversee people if I don’t know what I am talking about. I worked 10-14 hours days and was commuting almost 2 hours each way as I moved to San Bernardino during that timeframe as housing was affordable and properties much larger. After 7 years with them I took time off to tend to my family. My youngest was starting Kindergarten and I didn’t want to lose some important moments in her life.
I took 18 months at home to reflect on my priorities and realized as difficult it was to manage a family, a career, and a home I felt I was losing focus on the important things in life and I was losing moments with my family. At this point I began looking for work again but this time with the intention to take a small responsibility position for less pay and flexible hours so I can put my family’s needs first. The kids were going to different schools, girls scouts, karate, baseball, and my time had to be divided.
I took a position with a Fencing Contractor. The person who employed me had just purchased this company and needed a few new people to come in and manage it. I handled all the Contract Compliance, Human Resources, & Payroll. The Owner became ill and his wife came in to manage the company. She put me 1st in charge. For the next year I did all I could to try to save a drowning company, it had been purchased out of Bankruptcy and was not in a good financial position. I worked endless hours stressed, underpaid, overworked, and constantly in conflict resolution mode. I was put in charge of a sinking ship. But I refused to jump ship. I was surrounded by a team who had as much dedication as me to try to save the company. In the next 9 months, we finally were starting to see results. Business partners were starting to do business with us again and we were following through on our promises. Then the owner became terminally ill and was told he would not make it through the holidays so his wife decided to shut down the business and spend the next couple of months tending to her dying husband. I was laid off on Thanksgiving week 2016.
Once again in February 2017 I received a knock on my door with an opportunity of a lifetime. A business associate from the Fencing Company was impressed by my passion and the fight I had put in at the last firm. He along with another Partner gave me a proposition to run a New Fence Company as if it were my own with the opportunity for growth, flexible hours, and they would provide the resources needed to make this dream a reality. At the same time a former associate, Eduardo Cruz, from my last fence company also contacted me with an opportunity to do the same thing alongside him. Eduardo was offered a position and he told them he would accept only if he could bring me along. It turns out, both offers for me were unknowingly from the same New Fence Company, LBF Fence & Fabrication. I feel I was destined to be here.
I love that I can share this with my family. I bring my children to work with me & my husband comes and helps when I need an extra hand. I think it is important for my daughters (I only have girls at home – my son if off on his own already) to see what I do, to see where I am when I am not at home, to understand what it is to be a woman running a company, or like they say a “Lady Boss” a true boss not just metaphorically speaking.
Along my way, I have met some really good people, I like to know my employees, truly know them and their stories. I bond with them. I invite them to my home to break bread with me. It is important to look at everyone as family. You earn their respect and they will follow you to the end of the earth. My managing technics are a little different. In this industry the guys, treat other guys a bit cruel. I implement true business ethics and ensure that laws are being followed and that everyone knows their rights. I do not micromanage. Everyone is hired and part of the team for a reason, their skills. I have to believe that they can do their job and let them do it. At the same time like I tell them, do not mistaken my kindness for weakness. I can bring down an iron fist when needed.
I de-stress by going to the gym with my daughters. We go to an MMA gym. They take Karate, Ji-Jitzsu, & Wrestling while I take Kickboxing classes. There has to be a balance in life and finding that balance as a working mother is difficult.
I love being able to serve our community. I have many years of volunteering in many different ways. Now I can bring that to my Company. We have only been open a few months (since March) and we already took part in 2 events. One was for ACT, which raises money for Autistic children of Military Veteran families and the second was to help serve breakfast and a monetary donation for the Wildwood Park Neighborhood Watch Association in San Bernardino (my local community).
I love what I do and have passion for the construction industry. As I said, it is all about balance.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
In my journey I have met other women that have been in this industry and just haven’t been able to break that gender barrier but when you know what you are talking about and have prepared, studied, and brought your “A” game there is no denying you the respect you deserve. I love the reaction I get when I step foot onto a construction site in my work boots and hard hat and I am welcomed and received. The men in this industry have been very professional to me and always treated me with the utmost respect. I do not use my gender as a crutch I use it to my advantage. I have partners that will visit other Contractors and get turned away and I then I go and I am welcomed. Men are not disrespectful to me, they are total gentlemen. My partner, Eduardo attributes it to my knowledge and passion for what I do. He shares my passion and having him work with me side by side has been a great support for me. As he says, my hobby is my work.
Please tell us about LBF Fence & Fabrication.
Most Fence Contractors are just that, a fence contractor. They sell a product and install it.
We are a Fence Contractor for Residential, Commercial, & Industrial Fencing. We also do Fence Fabrication for ornamental iron. Many of our customers are other fence contractors, we build it they install it. We install wood, chain link, vinyl & custom ornamental iron. We also partnered with a Powder Coater so we offer coating systems including vinyl coating. We have an in-house draftsman so we can also provide submittals. In other words, we can design, construct, and install your dream fence, gate, drive gates, handrails & guardrails.
I like to say we are a small company (less than 10 employees) running on a large company scale. Because I have worked with larger companies and General Contractors (which are our customers on a commercial level) I run our office very disciplined with all large company procedures and policies.
Our customers are Homeowners, General Contractors, Property Management Companies, & other Fence Contractors.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I remember going to work with mom, a single mother, and seeing how hard she pushed herself. Growing up I was surrounded by strong willed and minded woman who had to live through many prejudices and injustices (my mom, my step-mom, and my older sisters). I am fortunate they helped pave the way for my future. They instilled my work ethic. They taught me to be fair, stern, disciplined, strong willed, not a push over, and most importantly kind!
Contact Info:
- Address: 1310 Dodson Way
Riverside, CA 92507 - Website: lbfabrication.com
- Phone: 951.341.9215
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: lbffenceandfabrication
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LBFabricationFences/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/lbf-fence-and-fabrication-riverside
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