Sharon Maxwell, CEO of Bratton Construction, LLC, is a total powerhouse and we are excited to celebrate Black Business Month with a feature on her. Sharon is also one of the outstanding participants in the 2022 Port Small Business Accelerator Program cohort. Sharon attended nearly every session and enriched the conversation with her immense energy and enthusiasm for learning and sharing. She embodies what it means to be:
- activator – cheerful and enthusiastic
- forward-thinking, forward-thinking
- Learners – Continuously improve and learn
- Leader – overwhelming presence
- Maximizer – Thinker
Sharon contributed all of these traits and more to the cohort, engaging fully with presenters and other cohort members, and generously sharing the lessons she herself had learned. We're excited to share with you Sharon's story, her thoughts on Black Business Month, her experience with her business accelerator, her mentorship program, and her advice to other WMBEs and small businesses. think. The answers below have been edited for clarity.
background
Please tell us a little about yourself and your professional background.
I have been running and managing my business for 24 years since 1999, with short breaks to go back to school. I am a hardworking executive professional who believes in giving back to the community and investing in human capital. I build and maintain high-performing teams by hiring, coaching, developing, and motivating skilled professionals. This creates strategic alliances with organizational leaders to effectively coordinate and support key business/community initiatives.
For seven years, I ran a nonprofit that supported temporary housing and youth summer work programs. I was responsible for all business functions including operations, implementation of the organization's mission and vision, human resources, vendor partnerships, finance and project funding to run operations, staff development, contract management and compliance. . I oversaw all staff, on-site project management, quality control/quality assurance, safety, negotiation operations/projects, bidding and estimating. We also conducted an advanced Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis of the organization to fully implement new plans to move the operations forward as the organization evolves and establish future goals. ..
What does your company do?
Bratton Construction is a general contractor and specialty contractor. We are certified in Oregon, Washington, and Tennessee. Our company operates its own carpentry department. 6, Department. 9, Division. 10. We provide carpentry framing, carpentry, millwork, cabinetry, high-performance paint painting, fittings, and low-level plumbing repairs. Bratton Construction is in his third business cycle of growth and expansion. This creates opportunities and cohesiveness to gain market share, increase revenue, expand production capacity, and enable team members to execute on plans to become prime contractors and bid on large-scale projects over $100. means. K is up to $10 million.
What are your future ambitions for your company?
Bratton's vision for the next 15 to 20 years is to gain market share in Oregon, Washington, and Texas, where there are multiple customer opportunities with five-year contract cycles. Mr. Bratton also builds advocacy and youth and young adult programs to create more opportunities in construction/aviation/maritime, green jobs, the energy sector, and innovation.
Black-Owned Business Month
Why is it important to celebrate Black-owned businesses?
Timing is everything. Now is a good time. Owners are now finally committed to ensuring that underrepresented people of color and BIPOC people get the opportunities they deserve, with equal access to the playing field as we always have. . ”Once we have the training and the capital and skills, we show up and give it up.“The time has come to bring the next generation up to the industry and technical level to pass on knowledge to prepare the workforce for the next generation to take up the baton.
How can people and organizations support Black-owned businesses this month?
People recognize us in the community when they see us working instead of being mean. It's great to hear from people who are happy to see you working, who recognize our value, and who give black businesses the opportunity to collaborate on projects or patronize their businesses. Also, what about throughout the year? If you stop by the office or see someone working outside, it's a good idea to say hello in a friendly manner.
accelerator program
What interested you in the 2022 Accelerator program?
The program understood the struggles of minority and women-owned small businesses to grow and generate revenue. They also helped us understand the pitfalls that prevent us from getting jobs and taught us how to put systems in place so we can have more opportunities.
What is the highlight of the accelerator program for you?
Opportunity to work with the Port of Seattle and learn from the Contract Diversity team, the NW Mountain Minority Supplier Diversity Council (NWMMSDC) team, and all the panelists who shared their expertise. The Port of Seattle Accelerator Program is a great program. The speaker and panel series provided us as business owners with tools and information to better run our companies to grow and accelerate.
The most exciting part was being part of the program and working on putting together a bid at the same time. This allowed us to participate in a cohort while simultaneously sending invitations to bid to other cohort members and collaborating with suppliers. .
advice
Do you have something you would like to share that might help Black people, WMBEs, and small businesses?
If you've never done a project over $300,000, that might be a big leap. Verify jobs through the Small Directory Program, sign some contracts, work with an agency, and become familiar with the filing process and filing deadlines. Also, make sure your insurance agent knows the requirements and delivery deadlines for certificates so they can respond in a timely manner. Make sure the form is created so you don't have to create it last minute. Find a mentor company that is working on getting support, and commit to committing to a plan for two to three years to get into a rhythm.
