Join host Lorie Jones as she sits down with Savannah Rose, a powerhouse entrepreneur breaking barriers in male-dominated industries. Discover how Savannah went from entry-level sales to owning her own business, all while championing women and fighting gender disparities.
Hear her candid insights on overcoming imposter syndrome, negotiating your worth, and maintaining a healthy work–life balance. This conversation is packed with actionable advice and inspiring stories that will leave you motivated to conquer any challenge.
Don’t miss this chance to learn from one of the most dynamic women in the industry.
Show Highlights:
- Follow a woman’s stellar career in a male-dominated field. [00:06:00]
- The two vital self-starter keys to elevating your career. [00:08:43]
- Discover powerful networking tips just for women. [00:10:10]
- Delve into the capital-critical power of outsourcing. [00:14:29]
- Seize on the business superpower of smart working. [00:16:28]
- How to command your self-concept to charge better rates. [00:18:50]
- Dive into this impostor-syndrome busting 101. [00:20:48]
- Grab this brilliant list of habits to excel professionally. [00:25:27]
- Uncover where to obtain certification as a businesswoman. [00:31:25]
- Strategies to thrive in heavily male-dominated industries. [00:36:50]
For more information or to connect with Savannah Rose, please visit: https://www.midstreammats.com/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/savannahmidstreammats/
If you enjoyed this episode, please go to Apple Podcasts and leave a review!
For more information about Lorie Jones, go to http://fearless-females.com/.
00:00.33
loriejones7
Good morning. So thank you for joining us today. We are here with Savannah Rose and she's an entrepreneur and business owner in several different areas and thank you so much today for joining us today savan I appreciate it.
00:14.30
Savannah Rose
Thank you for having me I'm very excited to be here.
00:17.93
loriejones7
So The thing I'm most excited about is just to hear your story about working in kind of a well definitely a male dominated industry but I always like to start out with the question of. I'm a reader and I love all different kinds of books. What's your favorite book.
00:36.65
Savannah Rose
Okay I love this question so much because um I have actually been thinking about this a lot lately and the book that I would say my favorite book and probably the most profound read is to me is east of Eton by John. Sunbeck and I am totally enthralled with him I think he is an excellent novelist and um, you know he wrote of mice and men and greats of wrath and so I just he highlights the struggles of the disenfranranchised and I think that is so interesting because he he.
00:55.79
loriejones7
Um.
01:13.25
Savannah Rose
He represents the working class people.
01:14.71
loriejones7
Yeah, and there's a lot of parallels too between you know what? what we're dealing with even so many years later and what he was writing about.
01:23.51
Savannah Rose
Right? with the with the dust bowl and the great. The great Depression. He's and the way that he's he paints these scenic views. It's almost like you can. It feels like you know you can feel the dust on your skin and the. You know it just feels like you're there. He's so descriptive and.
01:44.87
loriejones7
Yeah I will I love that one too. So so we're in agreement there. Um, so tell us a little bit about your journey savannah how did you get where you're at and and what do you do today talk to us just a little bit about that.
01:59.50
Savannah Rose
Yeah, of course, um so initially I entered this industry around 2018 and um I started off doing containment sales for a spill containment company. They they specialized in the spill containment. So berms for frat tanks rolloff boxes that sort of thing and it was actually a friends older sister that interviewed me she she wanted to know if I'd be interested in outside sales and so I started as an outside sales rep with her. Toured kind of all over the Gulf South area um went to an abundance of networking events and then that this was when I'm from baton rouge so this is when I lived in baton rouge and then once I had moved to Beaumont. Um. Ended up getting a job at a local equipment rental place that that actually rentned out these giant Mas which is relevant shortly. But um so I worked there for a little bit and then you know a couple years and then the the whole covid thing happened. And so probably the worst time to start up a business but it did give me a lot of time to focus. Ah you know time at home to focus and really um, dive into what I wanted to do to think about it I knew I wanted to to stay in industrial sales. Um.
03:13.80
loriejones7
Um.
03:30.46
Savannah Rose
But I wasn't really sure what the product line was initially well I got to sling in these mats and I was like you know I could really do just focus on the access roads the erosion control the things that I already have been selling and um so that's kind of. What I opened the business of 2021 Midstream Mats and rentals and so we provide the access medding and ground protection for ah the golden triangle area which is you know port arthur Beaumont orange and so yeah.
04:06.61
loriejones7
So did you have education like how did you decide you wanted to work in this industry. Did you did you go to college. Did you just you're like well that sounds like fun.
04:17.19
Savannah Rose
Yes, well I did go to college but I did not use my degree for anything industry related at all. Um, you know sometimes I don't necessarily have regrets about going to college I just wish that. I knew at the time that this was gonna be my you know this is what I was gonna end up doing so maybe I would have either chosen a more relevant background or maybe went to a technical college I would have really liked to or I would really like to see more people. Consider that option as well. So um, but it really just started from an entry level outside sales rep and then I kind of works my way up and you know when I at the company over here in Beaumont where I initially started when I moved to Texas.
04:53.80
loriejones7
Um.
05:09.93
Savannah Rose
I Learned so much I I was promoted to a general manager I learned so much about you know leadership and how to speak to employees empathetically and things like that which kind of helped me transition over to a business owner I would say that the toughest part. Of getting all of this together was really the capital and a plan you know, but it believe it or not I consider it pretty easy to get the hang of and like I tell people is. It's not.
05:35.44
loriejones7
Um.
05:45.67
Savannah Rose
That it's difficult. It's just that you've never done it before.
05:50.41
loriejones7
Yeah, yeah I agree and that and ah, that's the message I I send with finance as Well. A lot of people have that you know as you're opening your business and you've got your your ah you know business plan and stuff like that. It's it's. The same with finance. You just haven't done it Yet. It's not.. It's not too Complicated. You can figure this out. It's just you haven't quite done it yet.
06:05.43
Savannah Rose
Friday.
06:11.21
Savannah Rose
Right? And I imagine that finance is an intimidating area as well though.
06:20.69
loriejones7
Yeah, yeah, so but you so what? what did you like the best when you started um and the outside sales job that you're like oh yeah, this is my calling I definitely want to be in this arena and stay in this arena because it's It's pretty male dominated.
06:37.13
Savannah Rose
Right? So okay, well, there's 2 aspects to that because to be in sales in the first place you have to be a special kind of person I feel you have to be resilient and ah and I was not always that way. But I have learned to be resilient. Um I bounce back when I'm told no ah that that's so important because so many people get discouraged by the word. No but you know they say the work you put in today will benefit you six months down the road and so um, but I would say the thing. That I think has been most rewarding has really just been advocating for other women. Um I've had resources there for me that might not necessarily be available to them and vice versa and so I really want to. Make an easier pathway for other women. You know they can learn from my mistakes. Um I'm 32 years old maybe someone the next person won't take as much time.
07:37.81
loriejones7
They can they can learn from the mistakes that I made on my way through here and and they're what not to do in the first place right? Yeah, that's great. What's the if you could look back Savannah and say.
07:42.67
Savannah Rose
And right right? so.
07:54.77
loriejones7
You know I'm so glad I made this investment in myself like I did this thing and that was it's so pivotal to the successful person that I am today is there something you can point to or think about that would do that.
08:09.18
Savannah Rose
Um, yes for sure I think that self-education and self-awareness are so so important and underrated. Really um I mean. Learning and gaining a more comprehensive understanding of financial statements and tax returns you you definitely? I mean if you don't have a financial background it is going to take time to learn these things you have to be patient and I would say just really educating yourself. Even. With your count it. You know being involved in the decision making and really understanding. Um, how some of these things might affect the business especially when it comes to ah the way that you file your taxes because that was a ah hard lesson to learn between filing. As ah, single member lllc or filing as an s as an escort. So so that's been 1 thing but um I would say ah another great investment is networking is probably the single most important thing about this job. So if you are. An extroverted person that networking is your thing you know and um I read a quote the other day on Facebook I think that said networking will take you places that your degree never will.
09:31.97
Savannah Rose
And I do agree with that in a lot of ways I think meeting the right people and under the right circumstances. You know that can certainly benefit you down the road.
09:41.40
loriejones7
So did you figure out networking trial and error or was there something deliberate you did or a book you read? How did you? How did you get to that place.
09:53.17
Savannah Rose
Well networking began. Um due to well they have a lot of these industry specific especially in the industrial industry. A lot of these mixers. The Houston pipeliners events. Um they the. Pipelineders events all over really and then of course you know any kind of opportunity that supports women they get the women's pipe pipeliner network in Houston that is phenomenal. Um, they're very supportive of women and I've attended many of those events where. They'll have hundreds of people there to you know, chat with and if they if you're not meeting somebody that is necessarily beneficial to to you in the procurement aspect. You're still meeting somebody that knows somebody that you know I've had people refer their customers to me and um. But really I mean you you can kind of look up for your area. Ah and see what's available. We have golf tournaments all the time. Um cookoffs all the time things like that.
10:57.56
loriejones7
So kind of industry specific looking for groups that are are supportive or that are like intertwined in that industry and then showing up.
11:10.57
Savannah Rose
Right? And sometimes you have to go before you know whether or not it was valuable. Um, and because I'd be lying if I said that every event that I've gone to has been valuable. I Think that it's worth a shot if you continue to go to that event and you're not getting anything out of it then you know your time is probably more useful elsewhere but a lot of times you won't know and so you try.
11:33.29
loriejones7
Yeah, so show up maybe a couple of times and see whether yeah.
11:42.27
Savannah Rose
Um, yeah, or if you know just make sure it's relevant to what knowing your customer bases is very important so you can make sure that you're attending the relevant events. You know that I'm attending the preconstruction kind of you know. I work with a lot of Contractors. So Reverse trade shows and that kind of thing the the chamber of Commerce does events over here. It's I mean they're very heavily involved in so in supporting the industrial industry as well as women in the industrial industry.
12:10.29
loriejones7
I Like that you pointed out too that there are very Supportive. Women's groups especially in industries that are are male Dominated. It feels like women are are trying to help those that are coming in. You know. Into the industry they want to encourage more women in the in whatever industry they're in.
12:31.69
Savannah Rose
Right? Yeah, So I mean a warm welcome is always is always great I had so many helpful women that came into my life when I first started this journey and I really don't think I could have done it without them um with a constant. Ah. Encouragement I feel you know I mean you're always trying to prove your competence I feel like I'm always like overcompensating to to show people that I'm a competent person when I need to be more.
13:03.67
loriejones7
Um.
13:05.93
Savannah Rose
Um, and ah you know other women have encouraged me to do This is to be more secure in myself. You know to I know myself I know what I'm capable of I can I can do this I will be taken seriously. Um, you know it's really just dude to the prevailing. Gender Stereotypes and male-dominated industries.
13:25.67
loriejones7
So Savannah Do you have a sense of how many what the percentages of women in your industry just out of curiosity.
13:35.66
Savannah Rose
I don't have ah the percentage for women in the industrial industry because it's it's so large and encompasses so many different things. Um, but the general statistics on women owned but businesses I do know that. As of riis as of 2024 that it is the United States is home to more than 14000000 women owned businesses. Um, and I believe that they generate somewhere north of two point five trillion in revenue so they. Right now women own businesses constitute for 39% of the businesses in America. However, if I remember correctly I believe they only account for 5% of the revenue. So um.
14:25.50
loriejones7
Ah.
14:27.50
Savannah Rose
You know, obviously that's going to be a disparity right there that needs you know with all the that that that's a gap that needs to be filled for women.
14:37.57
loriejones7
Yeah, yeah, and and going back to what you said about learning finance at learning how to look at ah, a business and a balance sheet and some of the financial statements to to kind of increase. Um, you know revenue in the bottom line and and knowing some of those financial Concepts That's that's pretty key in that area.
14:56.20
Savannah Rose
Right? And and outsourcing as well. That's another thing that women um, not just women but people in general that they don't consider you don't have to hire somebody in-house to to do something that. I mean if it doesn't make if you can't do it but it really doesn't make sense to hire somebody consider outsourcing. There's so many programs out there that are available to utilize bookkeepers or um, you know marketing marketing companies people that'll do your websites. Um, ah you know of. I've hired somebody from another country to do my to do my website over the internet they did it. They can couple hundred dollars but you know it's not It's not anything fancy, but and you know they spit it out or they do your marketing material. But I only hired them for that 1 thing. So outsourcing is so important I feel as well, especially especially because your capital is critical.
15:53.96
loriejones7
Yeah, yeah I I say that a lot of the times I am like you are you are making your widget or providing your service. Whatever it is. You're doing and that's your Job. You know you don't need to know how to. How to market and do finance and how to you need to have a little bit of understanding but you don't need to do it all yourself. It. It turns you into a sleeprived zombie.
16:19.64
Savannah Rose
Oh I know and that's definitely so I mean that's definitely something that in the way beginning I kind of negated the work life balance because I was like if I just keep working if I just work Harder. You know, but self-care is so important to your mental health. Um as well as your performance I don't feel like it's necessarily easy to pour somebody else's glass when you're when you're depleted. You know.
16:49.64
loriejones7
Yeah, when you're running on fumes I agree and I've heard that over and over as well. So um, Savannah what is has anyone ever given you really bad advice to say the worst advice and if they did did you listen or did you. Go a different direction tell me about that.
17:09.80
Savannah Rose
Um, okay so I definitely think that some of the worst advice I don't I don't know if it was necessarily said to me in this manner but definitely implied is the the illusion of working yourself into the dirt Basically which is kind of what we just touched on. Um.
17:25.71
loriejones7
Um, you.
17:26.34
Savannah Rose
You know self-care is important and Burnout is real. Um, you really have to a balanced work life is essential to your health and happiness. Basically you don't need to work harder to be taken seriously because I feel like that's suggesting um that women must put an extra effort to earn respect. So not only and not not only reinforces the idea of Inherent inequality. But it leads to burnout.
17:51.58
loriejones7
You don't have to put in double the time double the effort double the work to be considered just as good.
17:58.20
Savannah Rose
Right? And I think that that's silly as well as you know so being people try to persuade you to stay away from female centric issues and just focus on the business. Well that it undermins the importance of addressing the gender disparities. And an inclusive work environment in the first place.
18:21.79
loriejones7
Yeah I Found a lot in the in both these interviews and in my um, you know my day-to-day profession just that there you do have to adjust working environment um to be more inclusive. If you want to get these ah minorities into the workforce and then they bring a fresh perspective that makes a difference in what you're doing.
18:47.25
Savannah Rose
Right? And I Totally agree. Um I Totally agree just engaging in the conversations about diversity and inclusion. You Know. Can kind of be pivotal in driving positive change for for male, dominatated industries. Especially the one I am was so vastly male dominated so you know there are women not so much in ownership positions. They're out there. But um I Just really want to. Let other females know that you know there is an option for you to have a business of your own and there are set asides and things in place that um you know are there for your growth and career advancement.
19:29.33
loriejones7
And a supportive. It sounds like a supportive network of women that's willing to to help and lift as well. So if you had to look back on a situation that maybe.
19:37.15
Savannah Rose
Absolutely.
19:47.37
loriejones7
Um, you regret a little bit or you didn't handle quite the way that you wish you would have handled is there is there a situation that you can think of that if you could go back knowing what you know now you would do it differently.
20:00.70
Savannah Rose
Um, yes I Wish There's a particular circumstance when I first started this business where I dropped my rates significantly to retain a customer and. I really had put myself in a bind because though the rate was doable I could have held my rate and found a customer who was willing to pay that rate I already knew that I was inexpensive but I tried to make myself available as the most inexpensive. And I think that that was just a really shortsighted thing at the time. Um, you know I really cheated myself out of the value that I feel that I provide so that's been one of those things I look back on and and you know I guess I did.
20:54.60
Savannah Rose
Ah, good thing for that particular customer. However I do wish that I would have put more emphasis on my own value right.
21:02.38
loriejones7
Yeah, know you're worth right? How much you're worth and and and let that be known. So did you? Um, what did it teach you? What did the situation teach you that you took out of that.
21:15.41
Savannah Rose
It Really it really taught me that how you see yourself is the relationship you have to with yourself is the the relationship that you have with other people you have to believe in yourself. You have to you know there's not going to be. Not every day. Are you going to be the most confident person. But if you're not if you don't know your own value. What you know what is somebody else going to tell you so that's kind of the biggest thing for me is to be confident um to know that I know this stuff. You know and and that goes back to the self-education and just having accountability. Um in your professional journey.
22:02.49
loriejones7
Yeah, they they talk about imposter syndrome Sometimes where you just don't feel like you. Um, you don't know it all. Um and and it does it feels hard sometimes to to be confident when you when you're.
22:14.62
Savannah Rose
So.
22:21.67
loriejones7
Feeling that doubt yourself is there a way that you overcame that.
22:26.54
Savannah Rose
Um, okay, so really just repetition. It starts to matter less when people tell you no when you've heard it a million times. And when you realize that this is it's a job at the end of the at the end of the day. It's a job. Okay, so you don't just walk in somewhere and get you get your customer on the first day there is some persuading that has to go. Go into that. Um I used to be so so so scared of hearing no that I would try to write these really elaborate emails very you know as not necessarily emotionally driven but trying to almost have like. Ah, profound meaning to them or something and it's like come on people read the first you know the first sentence and then they that's it they they're not looking into it like that you're gonna hear no a lot and just. It happens to everybody.
23:36.34
loriejones7
Learn from it I guess and and try better next time I I'm still learning that lesson though Savannah I got to tell you it's ah it's still hard for me to hear. No but ah.
23:45.43
Savannah Rose
Oh yeah, no and I and I totally agree I Do you know it's easy to sit here and say and to say all this. But of course when you hear no, it's It's never a good feeling especially when you're like well why not me or why not you know?? What's but there's. Think it's just important to know that especially in my industry. There's other things you're you're not necessarily hearing no because you're not a good fit for their company or you know you're not good at your job or your product like it's not necessarily no because of that there might be a contract already in place. There might be. Um, you know another another vendor that they're using that potentially expedites products has their own freight things like that it really just depends.
24:37.32
loriejones7
That's that's a really good point kind of don't take it personally like yeah that you might it might be. It might be something that's beyond your control or out of reach or out of sight and and they're not necessarily making it.
24:40.74
Savannah Rose
Um, yeah, absolutely.
24:53.74
Savannah Rose
Correct and I think that that as long as people remember that I think that you know you try to be confident, try to believe in yourself, especially believe in yourself because you you know what? you're capable of and even when you don't.
24:53.89
loriejones7
Personal to you.
25:13.60
Savannah Rose
You'll surprise yourself more often than not.
25:15.30
loriejones7
I Love that thought that you can surprise yourself and you do Sometimes you're like oh I didn't even know I had that in me.
25:24.51
Savannah Rose
Right? There's a there's an old quote I think it was from coach Carter maybe but it. But it said um, our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. And I remember that code has always stuck with me because I think sometimes we misplace our emotions and think maybe it's fear but sometimes I think that it's actually just you know that you are capable but capable of so much and once. You take that first step and the ball's rolling. You know where is it going to stop. It's more of this fear of the unknown kind of thing.
26:06.33
loriejones7
Yeah, oh that's really a powerful statement I Love that you shared that savannah because it really does make a difference like maybe you're not scared of of doing the thing you're scared of how big it could get. Um, yeah, that's me.
26:17.19
Savannah Rose
Right? Because that demand you know that demands more from you and then you know so but I firmly believe that and I believe that that you know if I can do this. Anybody can do this trust me.
26:34.34
loriejones7
Yeah, yeah I like that too it it feels that feels like you know part of the reason that I made this podcast is to give people an example of hey she can do it if she could do it I bet you I could do it too.
26:50.87
Savannah Rose
Right? right? And that's and I tell other people that and I don't want them to think that I'm just you know saying things. Um I Really do believe that I think that I happen to fall into the right. Place at the right time and I was able to have not necessarily oversight but some great mentorship. Um, and actually there have been males that have really supported me and helped me especially through the learning Process. So I Do think that we are getting somewhere and I do want to take. What I've learned and pass it down elsewhere. So like I said hopefully somebody benefits um from this information and it might it might save them time and especially money.
27:39.79
loriejones7
Yeah, yeah, maybe some of the mistakes along the way they have a straighter path rather than more of ah a winding path. So if you could look back.
27:43.93
Savannah Rose
Right.
27:50.29
loriejones7
Um, if you could go back in time and talk to your yourself at the beginning of your journey talk to your 20 year old self is there anything you would want to tell her you would want her to know.
28:01.27
Savannah Rose
Um I think I would say that true professional growth stems from an ability to blend self-compassion with honest critique most likely um, you're gonna experience doubt.
28:18.37
Savannah Rose
Often more about your gender than your merit and I think that if you use this as fuel to your fire. You know you can go many different places. Um, again I cannot express the importance of networking Network. You know from the time you're in college or the time you graduate high school Network Network Network Even if you don't know necessarily what you're gonna do just make sure that you know you're aware of your behavior And yeah, you might you might meet that person down the road again and so try to establish. Good. Good relationships, healthy relationships. Be patient with yourself and just be aware that growth is filled with setbacks as well as victories. So Not every day is is going to be a step forward some days might be a few steps back but as long as you're you keep moving.
29:09.73
loriejones7
Learning through your experiences.
29:14.16
Savannah Rose
Bright. Absolutely.
29:17.37
loriejones7
So um, when you're talking about networking is there. Do you keep in touch with some of those that you know I know that through your career path and your journey you go. You know sometimes this this particular network or group of people is more important and then you. You know you move on and another group is more important. Do you keep those contacts um from before and how.
29:44.45
Savannah Rose
Yes, so we ah business cards are super important. Okay, so that I I try to have business cards available. It definitely available for any of the industry related events especially reverse trade shows. Um, the abc events. Um, you know that kind of thing business cards business cards business cards I use because this this industry is so tight knit and it's so there's so few women. Um. I run into those women often even if we're not necessarily attending the same event as before there's you know there's usually in my area. Ah a little group that that I'll see out and I and it's it would be unrealistic to expect. To be able to make every networking event because there are so many so that goes back to the work life balance. You know I just think that if you you know you hear about one and it's supposed to be like let's say it's your refinery putting it on you. You find out who's going to be there is that person because make sure the person. That is ordering is the person that you're you're going visiting that. That's a whole point you want to make sure that your target Target audience is right these these people are gonna be procurement project managers. Um.
31:09.85
Savannah Rose
Things like that and especially for woman-owed businesses you might have to go through the diversity supplier department as well. So.
31:17.96
loriejones7
That's ah, that's a really good point to kind of look at who you're networking with and make your um make your hours or your contacts kind of be productive.
31:27.81
Savannah Rose
Right? That is actually I think what a lot of women in this industry experience. Is they they'll have a contact for a customer that they would like to have an msa with. But the contact is not necessarily the person that makes that decision So They you know they'll spend all this time you know working on this person working on this person and not really knowing well actually it's not.. It's someone else in their office you know and. And that's it and also there are so many people within so many departments within the same company so you really have to to check I mean there are multiple people capable of ordering so you have to make sure you're exploring all your avenues that you're you know.
32:14.58
loriejones7
Who.
32:21.96
Savannah Rose
Who is in charge of what um and all of that you pretty much have to ask about with.
32:31.20
loriejones7
Yeah, that communication piece is kind of key. There. So if you savannah if you look back and ah to when you started down this road. Did you have something that was particularly scary and. Did does it still scare you today or did you find a way to to work through that.
32:53.31
Savannah Rose
Um, I think that what was scary if if you would call it scary maybe anxiety provoking would um, would probably be just that.
33:02.60
loriejones7
Um.
33:08.54
Savannah Rose
When you walk into a room and all eyes are when you inevitably they will be because you know when everybody's sitting down at their desk and you walk in you just naturally look up what not?? Um I think that you know you need to establish. Ah, presence and be confident in that I think that a lot of times we doubt ourselves with and that is scary doubting yourself and not necessarily believing in yourself just because I mean what the the whole idea is. To sell a product to to somebody because they believe that you believe that you know it's the best thing and so I think that what would be scary is really just the self-doubt that comes along with being in a male dominated industry and like I said there are other disparities there. So. Would probably also say um, what would have helped a little bit is probably working on my negotiation skills as well that that's something that has come up and I'm not necessarily the most assertive person. I can be assertive but you know so I wouldn't I There would be a pricing strategy but I wouldn't vocalize that because you know I was intimidated in the beginning. So Luckily I've kind of I've kind of gotten used to it now and I feel comfortable speaking.
34:40.19
Savannah Rose
Um, the value of the product but that requires a lot of a lot of it self-education.
34:45.71
loriejones7
Is there a way to speed that process up. Is there a class you can take or a book you can read or is it just you just have to go through it.
34:56.58
Savannah Rose
Look I've read so many book has self-help books especially with business that I I feel like I should you know, just be 1 big ball of joy and optimism all the time. But um, really a lot of this was I had to learn myself. Um, there's things you know every day that that I have to do and I'm like oh I've never done this before you know, um, it's a learning experience I will say that there are resources there to help. To help women and I want them to know that especially for women business owners. There's organizations such as um, like I said w b e and c and that they issue your certification for woman owned businesses for. Now that would be your national certification and then of course you have the sba for federal and Texas has a historically underutilized business certification. There's all of these different certifications in place to work with different entities and they offer. You know they offer resources. Um, as far as events. Um, there's a ah big national woman's conference coming up in Denver I believe and so things like that. Really.
36:23.94
loriejones7
Yeah, that's that's a really good point. There are resources out there that you can be taken advantage of um that you might have to do a little bit of digging to find.
36:36.30
Savannah Rose
Right? and I and I think that the certification process in itself is intimidating due to the paperwork requirements. Um, but I mean if you really if you really sit down and look at it. It's it's usually. Just the information that not just but is the information that um, you had when you set up your company your operating agreements things like that. Um, of course tax returns and whatnot. But when you're first in business they do account for the fact that you might not have business tax returns and things. Just because you don't have the paperwork doesn't mean you shouldn't apply you know there are for instance when I first applied for my woman own. Um a woman business enterprise certification I believe that um they ask for meeting minutes. Well I'm a single member lllc. So they had other um paperwork that could be submitted on behalf of that.
37:36.61
loriejones7
Ah, that's that's good to to think outside the box and probably ask people who have been through the process hey what did you do are there other options around this because sometimes you don't know.
37:46.37
Savannah Rose
Right? And there's companies that charge you know $1500 to to enter in all of your information but it's information that you would have to provide otherwise so you still have to provide this third party with the information. You know if you're.
37:58.30
loriejones7
Is it.
38:06.60
Savannah Rose
If you're gonna do all the work you might as well. Do it yourself and that and that will save you money and that's you know once you have it all for the first time then you re new every year. The information is there. You only have to update it. Um to stay in compliance. We do have.
38:24.76
Savannah Rose
Ah, there is the option for them. The compliance audit you at any time. But um, you know so far I have not been audited other than the first time that they come out to your business and you know they want to make sure that you are. It is truly woman owned and operated.
38:32.92
loriejones7
I.
38:41.72
Savannah Rose
You have to hold the highest position at the company. Um, you have to have an explanation of the requirements and responsibilities for your job. Um, resumes for all of your employees things like that.
38:57.87
loriejones7
That's so interesting and something definitely to look into especially if you're a ah woman entrepreneur and yeah, so.
39:01.97
Savannah Rose
Right.
39:07.58
loriejones7
I'm sure the answer to this question is yes but can you talk a little bit about any unique challenges you faced because you were a woman in this industry.
39:17.77
Savannah Rose
Of course, um, definitely the pay I would say um it is Wow Yeah I think that the pay and probably just the. The gender bias people assume that because you're a woman that you're delicate or emotional and even if you are that those things that's not necessarily specific to women and so I think that there's just this preconceived notion that. You know you might be drama or all these things that you know that are typically sad about women and so you ah feel like you have to work twice as hard to get half as much and it it shouldn't be that Way. So.
40:08.37
loriejones7
Yeah, yeah, that's true. There's um, there is a sense of I I was interviewing one person who said that um she was fired as soon as she had a kid because it. By a client right? They didn't buy from her because she they didn't feel like she would be showing up at a hundred percent and she's like I always show up at 100% so that bias or the way we look at you.
40:29.64
Savannah Rose
Right? And that is so unfair.
40:37.80
loriejones7
So Savannah looking at your success. What is the thing that you are the most proud of.
40:47.26
Savannah Rose
Um I think I'm most proud of or I know I'm most proud of really just being I guess really just being um in a position where I can promote diversity inclusion where I can help others. Um, just because some aspects were hard for me doesn't mean it has to be hard for the next person I think that you know that this industry can be extremely Rewarding. Um. And really I'm most proud of the facts that I encourage others I try to try to stay motivating others to to follow their dreams and address these gender disparities and you know the inclusive work environment I think engaging in the conversations. About diversity inclusion are really going to be critical in driving the positive change within the industry and the world in general.
41:41.17
loriejones7
Yeah I think so too. How do you get past like there's a lot in our industry that are like oh is so Boring. You know math is not my thing Finance is not my thing. It's so Boring. Why would I want to do that. So How do you do that in your industry. How do you and. Inspire and and encourage the diversity.
42:03.81
Savannah Rose
2 okay, so 1 thing is I like to remind women that there are set-asides there for a reason. Okay, so they should they they should and can be utilized and so I think it's important to know that. Set aside and what what you're going into before you even enter the industry you need to know that it it pays to be in a situation where you're historically underrepresented when it comes to being a one woman owned business and leveraging that to to benefit you. And so for instance, one of the things that I always see when I'm scanning the federal bids is I'll have for example, electrical work. That's something that is now like electrical work high voltage things like that for and that and so I opened. Another line of Midstreams that we do midstream power and electric now which is a union line company and now so we we started offering electric and because they're set aside for that as well as the historically underutilized businesses. Um.
43:18.68
loriejones7
Um, it a.
43:19.35
Savannah Rose
They're they're in touch with the the cities like I have a current contract with the city I'll just I won't say it with you but it's a current contract with the city and um so I think it's just being aware of what the setside is in the first place. What? what's.
43:30.95
loriejones7
Um, ah.
43:37.42
Savannah Rose
Industry. It's in pick an industry where it's historical where you're historically underrepresented and um, really just the self-education to know.
43:50.58
Savannah Rose
Where you have to go to bid what thing take advantage of it take advantage of what's there these these things are there for women's utilize.
43:59.92
loriejones7
I Like that idea that you know look for the opportunities because of ah your under representation look for the the golden You know the the opportunities there that you can take advantage of.
44:11.56
Savannah Rose
Right? And that goes and that's part of the business planning portion anyway because you obviously want to make sure that you're not in an oversaturated market and then and then on top of that being a woman. And you know if it's male dominated and you're a woman and it's Oversaturated. You know there are going to be more difficulties.
44:32.97
loriejones7
So if you had a young woman just coming to you right now and she's starting down this journey that you're already you know over halfway down. What.
44:44.87
Savannah Rose
Here.
44:47.85
loriejones7
Advice would you give her to help her be successful like you are.
44:52.91
Savannah Rose
Um, the advice that I would give is that whenever you're growing whenever there's growth of any sort. It's going to be Uncomfortable. So just because you're scared doesn't mean that. Your intuition is playing against you doesn't mean that you know that it's bad that what's coming in the future is bad. It just it just means that you know growth is Uncomfortable. You're gonna have to have a lot of self-awareness and a lot of serious conversations. There's gonna have to be sacrifices and um, really your. You're going to have to I guess Assess What I guess like where you want your future to go and how your life right now affects that and there's I've heard people say before you know say um. Imagine the life that you want to live and then say no to everything but that that helps you get there. You know? yeah.
45:55.19
loriejones7
That's a really good idea that to you know the extraneous things that aren't on your path or shouldn't be on your path or should not be a side path that you take um to to learn to keep your eye on The. On the prize and keep going forward.
46:11.69
Savannah Rose
Right? And also like I said I go back to outsourcing but I really do believe that that is um I Really believe that if people incorporated that more then the burnout wouldn't be so real. And that is something I didn't have all the resources that I have now back when I first started This has obviously been a learning experience. So now I know where to outsource now I know you know what to do? How to how to cut costs while still you know getting the benefits. Of like let's say a ah bookkeeper and things like that and so I think that's I mean it is it. It can be much more affordable than people would think and so I I Definitely Ah, definitely hope people you know, um, they they.
46:46.88
loriejones7
Yeah.
47:03.68
Savannah Rose
List their options. They know that options are available and they're out there and is and do not. You know there's if you go to get financing. Do not go be be aware of what you're signing and the interest rate and how long you have to pay it back. Things like that you have the the Sba has loans for startup businesses for women. Um, and I believe they have multiple different loans because they have I think 7 a and then they have the short term loan as well and I mean sure they'll be in your business but their their loan is um. From what I understand low interest and long term 10 years so that's something to definitely consider as a female entering this industry that there are resources available for them to use just for them.
47:45.75
loriejones7
Um.
47:55.30
loriejones7
Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's it's a that's a good reminder to look and see what's available out there that that might benefit you so ah thank you savannah so much for your time today I really appreciate you.
48:02.21
Savannah Rose
Right.
48:10.50
loriejones7
Being on with me and and answering these questions and being so helpful if I have some ah listener that wants to um, talk more or learn more about you where would they go.
48:20.98
Savannah Rose
Um, they can always reach out to me on Linkedin. Um, it's Savanna Rose or feel free to email me at any time with questions regarding the certification process or. You know if you just want to chat have some questions of your own. Ah my email is Savannah which is sava in in a h at midstream mats dot com.
48:45.63
loriejones7
Well thank you so much for giving us this time I Really appreciate it all right? So Savannah I'm in a push stop. But if you don't mind staying on. It's got to do its thing and upload.
48:50.32
Savannah Rose
Thank you.