No.1 Must-Have: “Self-awareness and integrity.”
Meredith Leapley founded Leapley Construction Group in Atlanta, Georgia, after working in the field at her father’s Maryland contracting business after high school. “I fell in love with the manual work on the jobsite and the satisfaction of physically bringing work to life. This is where an early mentor ignited my passion for work in the field by teaching me to successfully install ceiling grid and lay ceiling tile,” said Leapley. From there, Leapley moved across various roles, eventually working in both estimating and accounting at her father’s firm before college and moving to Atlanta.
“I started Leapley Construction in 1999, knowing that I did not know everything about the industry, but I would learn. I built a team of experts, finished my degree and stayed persistent in my goal to grow the business while making positive impacts in the community.”
Starting out, Leapley knew she would have to work harder than others to be seen as an equal expert in her field, but never let marginalization negatively impact her or her business. “Most people experience marginalization in some area of their lives. The specific circumstances are insignificant compared to the action they inspire in us,” she said.
“But I was prepared to face that challenge every day. I worked harder. I educated myself. I learned more about myself as a person and as a leader. I was persistent and did not accept no for an answer. I leaned on the individual and collective talents of my team and trusted their guidance. All of that brought us to our current position of strength.”
Helping her employees approach their careers with a similar mindset is important to Leapley. Visitors to the company’s office near Truist Park will immediately notice her influence on the company culture. Alongside each employee’s nameplate is a map of his or her Hermann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI) assessment summary. Leapley encourages all employees to take this assessment and discuss their results with a certified HBDI practitioner to raise self-awareness and encourage personal growth. By sharing these insights across the team, employees have context to improve collaboration and communication with other team members.
Leapley would like to see more general contractors engage diversely owned businesses and provide them with meaningful opportunities to grow and gain market share beyond meeting owner participation goals. “Atlanta is incredibly diverse, and that diversity is not accurately mirrored in the construction industry. Investing in diversely owned businesses improves the caliber of the industry and the communities in which we build,” said Leapley.
To that end, she spearheaded the creation of a business practicum for small, local, minority and women owned businesses in 2020. Hosted at Leapley’s office, the bimonthly workshop is facilitated by an organizational effectiveness coach with support from faculty at Morehouse College and Georgia State University. Through this immersive program, leaders from businesses hoping to gain footing in the competitive Atlanta construction market, and learn about leadership, marketing and operational excellence to grow their businesses.
Leapley has seen construction become more diverse and inclusive over the last 2 decades. “When I started the business 22 years ago, there were not as many opportunities in construction for women and people with diverse cultural backgrounds. Leapley Construction has always prioritized operational and community inclusivity, and now I see others are making meaningful efforts to do the same.”
Leapley is proud of the business she’s created and the impact it’s had in her community, building college campuses and medical facilities. “We employ 90 people who are experts in their fields,” said Leapley. “Together, we build spaces that help clients achieve their strategic goals and employ more people in the community. We help health care clients provide better care to patients and build learning environments where students discover lifelong passions. As these businesses grow, the surrounding social infrastructure grows and delivers benefits to the community. To support this growth and have the position to now empower other diverse businesses to succeed in the process is a gift.”
But there is more to Leapley than construction. She has been involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Atlanta since 2009 and serves as the board chair to support the capital campaign for the organization’s new midtown location. “The organization has changed my life, and I want to help them continue to change the lives of so many more. Together, we can make differences in the lives of so many children, families and future leaders in the community,” said Leapley. Additionally, she joined CREW Atlanta, a commercial real estate business network that focuses on the advancement of women in the industry. She has served on the board and stayed actively involved in the organization. In 2001, she created CREW Atlanta’s black-tie event, which raised significant funding for the Atlanta Women’s Foundation (AWF), and also serves as chair of its board.
