Today we’d like to introduce you to Blanca Cruz.
Hi Blanca, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
My name is Blanca Estela Cruz, born and raised in Dallas TX (Oak Cliff). I am happily married to Juan David Fraire. We have 3 handsome boys David, Nicholas, and Angel, ages 7, 12, and 15, all baseball players who keep us busy 100% of the time. I was born into a family of business. Growing up, as a child, I remember being with my father, Gabriel running “business” errands on Saturday mornings, he’d go to his job sites to deliver paychecks to his employees then he’d go to the post office to send payments for his bills. He was always on the go. Occasionally, he’d come out with this little briefcase folder and looking fresher than regular days; we knew that was a meeting day. I always thought, “will I ever do that”? I guess when you’re surrounded with everyone in your family owning a business, the thought of you owning one is always in your mind. For high school, I went to the “School of Business & Management.” During my summer days while in high school, I’d go work in my dad’s office. He use to have an office manager, secretary, estimator, and a CPA. I’d go around with each of them, just being nosey to what they were doing. When I graduated high school, I started coming around more and more to his office. I was going to college, of course for business and working at Gabriel Steel LLC at the same time.
I got married at a VERY young age, and that’s how I eventually ended up with my own construction business, Rebar & Post Tension Installation to be specific.
But back at Gabriel Steel, I ended up taking over all the office personnel positions, except the estimating part; that was all my dad. Since now, I could work full-time for him, I talked to him and convinced him that I could handle it alone. And we did; we worked perfectly fine together. I’d be in charge of all office activities, and he managed all the field stuff. I think we were a great team. My sisters, Nancy and Maria, would occasionally come help me out in the office, but I guess they lacked interest in that field. They are both educators now.
My husband, Juan was a construction worker himself. He worked for his brother, Hector Fraire (Hector, who was married to my aunt) doing the same thing my father’s business did. One day an opportunity arose for us, and my father brought us my husband and I into the business world. We ended up starting David’s Construction back in 2007. We did a few projects, then the economy crashed in 2009, and my husband and I ended up in a huge tax debt, so we shut our business down and went back to being regular employees. He went back to his brother’s business, and I continued with my dad. Despite me running my own, I never left my father’s business.
We finally cleared up with the IRS, and the idea of owning our own business never left us. Again, in 2014 we went back at it, this time my husband’s brother, Hector, who was also my Godfather brought us into the business. Of course, my father was my number 1 supporter for everything. He always gave me advice in every way that I needed. He’d be the one I could always rely on. He was a goat in the construction business world. I can honestly say thanks to him; I learned everything that I know today.
Our business JB Steel started in 2014 and still continues today, we have done many projects for various General Contractors in the DFW area as well as other cities and states in the US.
Had it not been for the opportunities that arose in my life I probably would have never started our own business. I was perfectly fine working with my father, but today I know exactly why everything happened the way it did. In 2020, my dad’s business like many others struggled due to the pandemic. There was really no need for me to go sit in his office with him on a daily basis, we weren’t that busy. He had a very relaxed 2020 in the work sense.
On January 2021, out of nowhere, I lost the man who I looked up to, my guide, my partner, my teacher, my advisor, my boss, my father. My father became a victim of COVID and died on January 3, 2021. I was completely devastated.
The time came to where everything I learned from him got implemented. With a broken heart, we closed his business, Gabriel Steel, on May 2022. No one would ever run his business like he did.
Today, our business JB Steel continues. We have met many people who have been great to us. I thank God every day for putting some great individuals in my life. Though my father is not here today, I live with everything he taught me.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Just like everything in life, being a business owner has its obstacles and challenges. In my case, construction is a very male dominant field; thankfully, I have my husband to handle the infield issues. I’ve came into business meetings with 10 to 15 men, and I’m the only woman in there, but I’ve learned how to raise my head up high and act like I’m just as comfortable as they are in there. Now in days, you’d be surprised how many women are in the construction field, so that makes me proud.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
Our business does Rebar and Post Tension Installation, which is concrete reinforcing for mostly commercial and industrial building. We have done a great amount of wastewater and process tanks, parking garages, condominiums, and water treatment plants.
I am most proud of being a woman in the construction world. I’ve met some incredible women in this field. Kristin Johnson, Former Project Engineer for Preload, LLC, has been one who I admire much. I have also worked with Megan Gauldin, who is running a business that’s been around for decades, Henry Building and she’s doing an amazing job.
I believe women are bringing a different and valuable perspective to an industry where it used to be mostly men. I think in certain ways women have a different approach and/or thought process, which can provide unique points of view when planning, analyzing, and problem-solving.
