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Meet Jessica (Jessi) Lynn, MBA

Canvas Rebel

Oct 14, 2024

As our network expands, check out an interview with CEO Jessi Lynn by Canvas Rebel.

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jessica (jessi) Lynn, Mba. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jessica (Jessi), appreciate you joining us today. Any advice for creating a more inclusive workplace?

Representation matters!! This is a recurring theme when I talk to women and individuals from minority groups about awareness and building confidence from an early age. When I was a little girl, I didn’t have the slightest clue on what options I had as an adult. Lost and confused, I had no clear path forward and I didn’t see a lot of women working in the trades. Growing up with a father who was a contractor, I knew what hard work meant but didn’t connect his impoverished lifestyle as a successful feat. Working with him as a young girl I wasn’t really allowed to just be a girl. The coined term Tomboy was associated with my behaviors. It also stemmed from my ability to take on more traditionally masculine work such as mowing lawns, hanging drywall, or carrying shingles up and down a ladder. I was blessed with some great skills but cursed with being an outsider with my non “girly” getting dirty exposure. The social pressure was always to graduate, go to college, and don’t get pregnant. When I fell in love with welding my world was literally set ablaze with new hope and energy. New doors opened and I started to see a way to build my financial freedom.

What I have discovered along the way is how crucial representation is in the trades, leadership, and even during the hiring process. Being seen in others opens the door to believing I can, and I will.

Job Descriptions: Ensure they are clear, concise, and free from unnecessary jargon. Focus on the skills and experiences that are truly essential for the role. Avoid overly lengthy descriptions that might deter potential candidates. Use inclusive language that resonates with a diverse audience. Avoid gendered terms and consider how the wording might be perceived by different groups.

Questions to consider: Are the education requirements needed or is it a specific skill set you are after? How is the role coming across? Are there four pages to the job description? What about the type of language used? Does it relate to a diverse pool of candidates?

Interview Process: Structure interviews to be relevant to the job. Avoid unrelated questions and consider diverse interview panels to reduce bias. Make the process as transparent and as fair as possible.

Food for thought: There is nothing worse than going through a series of questions that are unrelated to your job function, or worse being set in front of a panel of folks making a decision on your future. Try a project based evaluation or aptitude test that ranges in accessibility requirements for those who may be neurodivergent, struggle with anxiety, or need additional language assistance. A resource to start exploring with – Thomas.co. > https://www.thomas.co/resources/type/hr-blog/where-do-psychometric-assessments-fit-your-di-strategy

Onboarding and Training: Have a clear plan in place. Assign a buddy or mentor to new hires to help them acclimate. Regular check-ins can ensure they feel supported and integrated into the team. Invest in continuous learning opportunities. This not only enhances skills but also shows employees that the organization values their growth.

Consider these questions: Is there a plan? Who is the initial point of contact? Do you have a buddy system or a dedicated manager who will offer check-ins and discuss the new role/company/team? Demonstrate what accountability looks like? What about providing clarity of the role and expectations? Is there any special training required? When can you survey or touch base to understand where to improve? Turnover with team member who is leaving?

Retention: Regularly assess employee satisfaction and address issues proactively. Create an environment where employees feel valued, encouraged, and empowered. Foster a culture of psychological safety where employees feel comfortable voicing concerns without fear of retaliation. Address harassment promptly and effectively.

Have you thought about the following: what is being done to keep your employees and team comfortable and confident? Are they constantly fighting fires? Do they feel encouraged and empowered? Psychological safety, how is this implemented? Can folks bring up concerns or issues? Will they be fired for being vocal? How is harassment addressed? Is there a feedback loop?

Every piece of this is an essential starting foundation for an individual and team to feel part of a bigger organization where they will be able to show up authentically and be able to contribute wholeheartedly.


Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

As a rebellious teenager, my future seemed bleak—until I discovered welding. This unexpected passion transformed my life and gave me a new sense of purpose. Excelling in male-dominated fields, I worked in auto shops and on construction sites. My journey has been a wild ride, starting as a welder, becoming a construction manager, director, a recently published author, and building my own social enterprise as CEO and Founder of Pivot Higher+.

As a woman and part of the LGBTQIA+ community, navigating a career has been challenging. Fortunately, I have a brilliant and wonderful team dedicated to creating a resource hub to help women and non-binary individuals find a safe space as they navigate their career. Whether it’s entering the construction industry, career changes, or transferring skills to green energy jobs, Pivot Higher+ offers individualized and organizational support, including; resume reviews, career mapping, and expert referrals.

Driven by my commitment to a more equitable and sustainable future, I serve as a change maker and advocate for inclusive practices in male-dominated spaces, especially construction.


Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

First, I recommend checking out my recently released book, “The Truth about Being a Woman in Construction,” available on Amazon in digital and print. My story is a testament to the resilience and fortitude required to navigate a male-dominated industry.

One specific story I share in greater detail in my book is my time working in San Francisco as a newly minted field engineer on the night shift. I transitioned from managing four crews (two-day, two-night) for Post Weld Heat Treat/Pre-Heat Treat to working nights. The change was significant; I hated the exhaustion and weight gain from endless shifts.

I was often a wreck, confused about my future, scared, and worried about my mom in Minnesota. The job felt like a black hole with minimal support, working 13-hour shifts, six days a week, with no relief in sight.

One night, while checking on my teams, a resistant foreman with a bushy red mustache got angry at me for enforcing necessary steps to resolve on-site challenges. He stepped so close to my face that I could feel his breath and see the red veins in his eyeballs. He escalated what should have been a normal check-in, saying, “This is my crew, and they don’t take orders from you.”

Without budging, stepping back, or even twitching, I turned to the foreman in training and asked if he had any questions. He slowly shook his head no. Everyone was quiet, as if the Earth stood still.

From that moment, I made a concerted effort to advocate for myself and not internalize the verbal assault I had just experienced. After nearly a year on-site, I realized things wouldn’t improve. I devised a plan with my Superintendent to ensure the team associated with the foreman wouldn’t suffer while I removed myself. Two months later, I received a shiny new offer to go to Portland, Oregon, for more money and a better title.

I recognized my worth while standing up for myself. No one ever deserves to be threatened, assaulted, or harassed for doing their job or for fitting outside the “norm” of what someone in authority should “look like.”


Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

At this point in time, I would call myself a master pivoter in career and life. I’ve gone through a series of bad relationships and work experiences able to navigate and bounce back quickly, keeping my eye on the prize – my ambitions and larger goals.

During my time in Portland, Oregon, where I was working at the time after relocating from San Francisco, I quickly realized that many male leaders lacked trust in their female colleagues’ knowledge. Women often had to present ideas delicately or pose as their male colleague’s idea to gain traction to avoid being shut out. This was a rude awakening after working in progressive West Coast cities, where I expected more support.

Determined to solidify my expertise, I decided to pursue an MBA. Without a job and stable income, I knew the time was now. Especially after a long internal battle of feeling like I had let down fellow women by making the decision to redirect my talents. This was a hugely vulnerable and scary decision – to invest in myself.

In the summer of 2020, I was let go from the general contractor I was working for at the beginning of the Pandemic. Which, in turn, opened the door for me to fully commit to my MBA. By September 2020, I was enrolled in the University of Minnesota’s MBA program, aiming to graduate in three years. This was no small feat, as I needed to earn 52 credits at a full-time pace.

Navigating the pandemic added another layer of complexity, with the world basically shut down. Despite these challenges, I was determined to succeed and prove my expertise in a male-dominated industry. I successfully completed my MBA in three years and transitioned from my traditional construction background into a sustainability role for a major multi-billion-dollar manufacturer. In the same year I also founded my own social enterprise in June 2023, combining my experiences over the last 10+ years to make a greater impact on women and non-binary individuals interested in or entering the construction trade, career changes, and green energy job placement. The time spent earning my MBA reinforced many of the practices I had implemented but was punished for and rebuilt the confidence that had slowly chipped way over the years. #StrongerTogether 💪💜

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