Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Hayden.
Rachel, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I graduated with a degree in civil engineering from Texas A&M University in 1989 and worked for 10 years in the consulting engineering industry, designing public infrastructure projects (streets, highways, utilities, drainage). I started my own engineering firm for a number of reasons: 1) I wanted to control my own time – I had a 5-year old daughter and a 2-year old son and the engineering industry was still quite conservative at that time and did not offer much in the way of flexibility; and 2) I wanted to provide a great place for people to work. I had experienced working for a couple of different consulting engineering firms and I felt a desire to create a more flexible and positive work environment that fostered innovation. Engineers are natural problem solvers and typically very creative people and I wanted to bring that out in the people at my company. Over the years I had been encouraged by several mentors and peers to start my own firm and I finally found the courage to do it in March of 2000; my first office was in the dining room of my 1200 sf home.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Early in my career, I worked for a few engineers who were, shall I say, a bit “old school” and made negative comments about my being a woman in the engineering industry. However, I have to say that being a woman in a male dominated field has been much more positive than negative and has given me opportunities that I never knew were possible. All of my mentors throughout my career were men (just because there were so few women leaders in the industry); those men encouraged me to realize my full potential and start my own company, and for that I am incredibly grateful.
Owning a business has definitely not been a smooth road, but I love it! This is especially true in a professional services business that has project-based revenue which is typically not a steady stream of revenue. I came to understand the ups and downs of cash flow very early and have learned how to best plan for and navigate those ups and downs. Obtaining financing was very difficult in the early years because I had no physical collateral. My line of credit is now based on my receivables but it takes a few years to build up that credit. But, what I love most about owning a business is the variety of what I do every day – no two days are the same and I never know exactly what each day will bring.
Please tell us about Hayden Consultants.
Since those first years in the dining room, Hayden Consultants has grown to a staff of 41 professionals and provides civil engineering, surveying and construction management services to clients such as TxDOT, cities, counties, transit agencies and other public agencies throughout Texas. We are known locally for our innovative and sustainable design concepts, particularly for the City of Dallas – we provided low impact development standards and details as well as training to city staff engineers based on our research of best practices for natural treatment of stormwater. We are also known for our quality design of major highway projects for TxDOT.
Our proudest moments are when our team members and/or entire company are recognized with an award:
2013 – Employer of the Year from Women’s Transportation Seminar DFW
2012 – Gold Medal Award for Riverfront Boulevard Bioswale Study from ACEC Texas
Aggie 100™, 100 fastest growing Aggie-owned or Aggie-led businesses in the world – 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2016
Dallas 100™, 100 fastest growing privately held companies in the Dallas area – 2010
2015 – Civil Engineering Entrepreneur of the Year for Rachel Hayden, American Society of CIvil Engineers
Numerous employees have been awarded as engineers of the year and young engineers of the year.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I’m not sure that I would change much, if anything. I believe that even the past mistakes I’ve made were a learning experience that I might not have had if that mistake had not been made. That is not to say that I don’t have regrets but it is to say that my path is what it is and I don’t believe I would change it.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.haydenconsultants.com
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