Salvadoran-American Woman's Construction Company Is On Pace to Make Its First Million in Profit

Jennifer Ramos thought she had her life figured out after graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in public policy. But then, her father lost his job, and she was thrust into the role of breadwinner for her family. To ensure her family’s well-being, she launched Jen Contracting Group, LLC, a construction business that placed her in a male-dominated industry. Currently, she’s on pace to bring in $1 million in revenue from her construction firm in 2018.
The 24-year-old boss lady was raised by Salvadoran parents in what was formerly known as Aurora Highlands Community in Arlington, Virginia. Located just outside of Washington, DC, the community was home to a low-income and diverse population. A self-described ‘girly girl,’ Ramos played soccer and basketball and participated in a variety of community-friendly activities, such as the local D.A.R.E. program. As a teenager, she discovered she had a knack for social media and page building and would spend her free time on MySpace and other platforms.
Her parents, who met while working at a restaurant, instilled in her the value of hard work and strong family values. These principles guided her during her college years in Richmond, Virginia.

“I was noticing the state was setting aside a lot of opportunities for businesses that were specifically women-owned.”

When her father got laid off from his job as a maintenance technician, Ramos interned at the state regulatory board that oversees the general contracting industry and ensures that contractors abide by state laws.
I was noticing only a very small percentage of the contracting businesses in the state were women-owned, and yet, I was noticing the state was setting aside a lot of opportunities for businesses that were specifically women-owned, Ramos tells me.
After her father lost the job he had for two decades, Ramos set out to provide for her family. She spent….