Arcadia Maximo
Owner, Maximo Construction
www.maximoconstruction.com
Arcadia Maximo will be one of the featured speakers at our BYOB (Be Your Own Boss) event on September 6 in San Francisco. Click for more info.
When Arcadia Maximo reported for her first construction job, her foreman threw his hard hat down and said, “Damn it, they sent me a girl.” Maximo has since shown him, and all the other doubters in the male-dominated construction world, just what girls can do.
It was while working as a fashion stylist for Macy’s after college that Arcadia became smitten with construction work. Not so much with the way the industry worked, though: Once she realized that, as a woman, she would never be promoted to foreman, she decided to just become her own boss. She supplemented a four-year apprenticeship through the builder’s union with classes in construction management, got her contractor’s license, and launched the thriving San Francisco-based Maximo Construction in 2000.
Arcadia can measure her achievements in terms of the many referrals she gets from happy clients, her role as an early proponent of green building, or the fact that she now teaches hands-on construction at City College, but she instead considers herself successful because of how happy she is every day.
What we learned from Arcadia: “Be honest with yourself. Know what you can handle. Know your limitations.”
Can Girls Do That?
“There was a guy on our [design] crew [at Macy's] … I would watch him, and I was like, ‘Where did you learn how to make all of this stuff?’ I mean, anything we came up with, he could build it. So he told me he worked as a carpenter. Me being really naive, I didn’t think that was something women could do. I even asked him, ‘Can girls do that?’ He kind of laughed at me and said, ‘Of course.’”
Learning the Ropes
“In order to work on a construction site, I had to join the union. Once I was in the union, they had a four-year apprenticeship program. So I did that. I didn’t think I’d actually stay in construction. My idea was to kind of go into construction to learn how to build things, but I still wanted to be creative and to go back into display.”
Finally! I’m excited to see a woman like Arcadia profiled. Women like Arcadia are truly helping to level the playing field and should be applauded. Sure, it’s tough to start a business. But tougher, still, to do something people of both sexes don’t think you can/should. I can assure you I’ve had a taste of the “little lady” attitude that comes with some contractors. I only wish there were more women like Arcadia I could hire!
What a cool story to see a women making inroads in a tradtionally male field - good for Arcadia for sticking to it and building her own business.
Andrea Stein
http://www.girlmogul.com
This is a great story and not simply because it’s non traditional. You really took ownership of your process and your mistakes. I wish you nothing but the best.
I really enjoyed reading this profile. Arcadia is an inspiration! I am going to share this with all the young ladies I know!!
Dorethia Conner
http://www.connercoaching.com
This is a fabulous story, because it illustrates the outcome of step-by-step ACTION. It’s easy to sit and think about what you want to achieve. But, it’s doubly difficult to create and EXECUTE the plan to get there. I applaud Arcadia for identifying concrete steps to take and then following the path to her goal. Arcadia is an example for me of focus in action, and it’s incredibly inspiring to know that great things come out of taking one step at a time. All you need to do is make a step.
What an inspiration on how you made it “against all odds.” I am a woman, not in a male-dominated field, but it is still hard to make it when you don’t have anybody else to rely on except our Heavenly Father. I’m making it though and it is women like you who show us by example that it can be done. I teach Spanish for construction among other industries and am working on breaking into that field as well. Thanks for the inspiration. I look forward to meeting you in SF.
Gina Covello
http://www.hablals.com
[...] Arcadia Maximo - When the guys told her she couldn’t, she did–by starting her own construction company [...]
Not only is Arcadio a leader and a woman breaking serious ground in the SF construction industry, she volunteers for us regularly. We rely on skilled volunteers, like Arcadia, to be able to serve our low-income and senior clients and wouldn’t be able to do the work we do without volunteers like her - Arcadia truly has a commitment to the greater community and is super inspiring to work with!
I just signed up…and I already love this site. I am a interior design student in San Diego (Native Bayarean) and thinking of going into arch ( but sooooo scared of the manly man world). But!!! Arcadia you have inspired me… Thank you!