Narda Reyes: Tough Enough
“Without effort there’s no reward.”
The way Narda Reyes sees it, she didn’t find a career in construction, it found her. She had been working in the industrial healthcare space (think workers comp) as a phlebotomist, when a temp position landed her at Elljay Acoustics in Orange County, California. She began working at Elljay in 2009 and spent a decade growing with the company. In 2021, everything shifted when the company was acquired by an investment group that owned other construction companies. Despite her years of experience, the transition introduced new leadership, new personalities, and a different work environment. Suddenly she felt like she was back to square one.
“I had to deal with new personalities and work styles,” she recalls. “It was very unexpected and difficult to navigate. And I didn’t start off on the right foot. A lot of the change was hard to deal with. I might have left, but my boss advocated for me. The most positive changes of this transition were that I had more opportunities for growth, and it led me to NAWIC. I searched ‘women in construction events in Orange County’ and NAWIC Orange County came up. Finding NAWIC was the most transformative experience for me.”
Still, the transition to the new owners was hard. “The acquisition tested me,” she says. But she thought back to her heritage for inspiration. “I’m Mexican,” she explains. “There’s a saying in Spanish that says ‘sin esfuerzo no hay recompenza,’ that translates to ‘without effort there’s no reward.’ That mindset became the foundation for my greatest growth.”
Did she ever feel like she couldn’t overcome the challenge? “I don’t think I ever felt I couldn’t do it, but I was concerned that maybe this company wasn’t for me anymore. I thought that I wouldn’t fit in. Maybe there was more opportunity out there. But I didn’t have a college degree. I was worried that if I went somewhere else that would it be a hindrance.”
As Narda dug into her role as a contract administrator she was able to find advice and encouragement from several sources that have helped her build confidence in herself and her skills. “The former controller here, Helen Juarez, told me that I’m very smart and I could do any job I wanted. She knew I would be able to do it. Her saying that made me believe in myself. My boss and mentor, Matt Paul, has been very supportive and has played an important role in my professional growth. The company does support me being active in NAWIC. That gave me confidence to have a better voice and step out of my comfort zone. When I joined, Liv Hanlon was the Chapter President of NAWIC OC and immediately gave me a big push to join NAWIC leadership. She was the one that got me out of my comfort zone, and I am now the recording secretary of NAWIC OC.”
Asked if there was a specific time when she realized was tough, Narda replies, “I was a young mom at 18. I worked two, sometimes three jobs to support my kids. I had no doubt then that I was tough. Now I’ve been in the industry 16 years. Right now, being tough looks different. It means going into a new position in a new department here and starting from zero. I was brave enough to accept it and I’m going to work hard to be great at it. I’m outstanding at doing all the administrative things, but now I’m going into project engineering, and I have to learn the technical side. I can’t yet read a blueprint. I’m used to knowing what I’m doing and now I need help and support again. It’s tough but I’ll persevere.”
Looking ahead, Narda sees a path to success for women in construction. “I don’t think it’s harder for women in construction now, especially that there are more women in the field. NAWIC conferences have hundreds of women in the room. Yes, it is mainly male-dominated. But I don’t think it’s harder for women. Just don’t be afraid to apply for positions that men would apply for. Our voice belongs in the room even before we feel we’re ready. Confidence starts with giving ourselves permission to be confident.”
Still, there are perceptions she would like to change. “It seems like every time someone hears that I’m in construction—they say, ‘Oh you’re just in the office—not out in the field,’” she explains. “You have to put in the work in the office just as much. Whether it’s in the office or onsite women should know that they belong. Don’t let the fear of not being tough enough get to you. Yes, you belong here.”
