Each month, we'll meet a new member of the cohort. I recently had the opportunity to talk with Maria Storms, owner of MVS Welding, to learn more about her background, company, and the beginning of the Access experience.
 

How long have you been in the industry?

I have been a member of the Iron Workers Union since June of 2002 and I started my company in November of 2020.

After being an ironworker for so long, what inspired you to start your own business?

There were three main factors:

1. Freedom - having more leeway with scheduling and timing in regard to balancing family, work, and my personal life while trying to pursue other ventures.

2. Control – having the ability to seek employment for myself or take on a project for the company.

3. Change – having access to initiate change in some of the ways that requirements are being met for women and minorities.

I have always wanted to run my own business so that I could do my own thing in regards to spending time with loved ones, having financial freedom, or simply helping encourage other like-minded folks like myself to start something that can be impactful for our families and communities.

However, having five children, it was more important for me at that time to support them by working and getting paid versus hustling for projects and not knowing if I was going to be awarded a contract. I did what I needed to do.

Now that they are older, I am blessed to be able to explore other ways to find financial freedom as well as making sure my community is fully aware of all the opportunities that exist within the welding industry such as building trades, offshore wind, and manufacturing amongst other trades.

Can you tell us some more about your vision for MVS Welding?

With welding, we help clients build beautiful structures so they can add value and vision to their properties. I allow for others visions to come true with my passion.

It is not only MVS Welding; I am also the founder of a non-profit named My Sister’s Child, whose main focus is at-risk-youth ages 15 to 22. Exposure and awareness of the welding career trades in the industry is the main objective, but other trade allies are involved as well. We are also looking to enter the supply chain with a grant that we received late last year. 

Trying to make these entities work together is a priority because they go hand in hand and are intertwined.

Adding more diversity to the supply chain, and more opportunity to our communities, is a major milestone that we intend to reach. Right now, you search up minority-owned companies for manufacturers, fabrication or miscellaneous metals, and it is very, very hard to find someone who matches the description that we are looking for. Even when saying “minority-owned,” it is more likely to be a white woman. So, we are trying to change those dynamics up a little.

What’s a project/initiative that you are particularly proud of? It can either be something you're working on now or that's coming up, or something that you've done in the past that you think just really embodies who you are as a company.

Company Highlight: It was a science complex at 28 Chestnut Street in Somerville, MA. I was very proud of that project and that we did it as a team. That was one of the first projects that we worked on with a big general contractor although we were at a tier 3 level. Some of the other projects that we do are with smaller developments in the community, so I was very proud of us to be part of that larger project and that we did well on it. We are always happy to execute and execute well.

Personal Highlight: I am at a point in my career and life where I am about making impactful connections that will allow me to reach goals and heights that I never thought possible. Going back to the different entities that I spoke of earlier in the interview: that is something that I need to continuously water and nourish because when it is fully blossomed, multitudes will be fed and lives will be changed.

Although, it is something that I know is not going to be easy I am proud of myself for taking the steps that I know one day will be followed. Godwilling.

Now that you're getting more involved with BuildingEnergy Access and NESEA programming in general, is there a specific aspect about either the programs or the community that you're particularly excited about?

There is so much to learn and be excited about, and I am very grateful that I got into the BuildingEnergy Access program, with this particular cohort. During the orientation, seeing the different skills all the women in the room had was a great feeling.

Our first full day workshop with HELM was more in depth, and everybody shared what their challenges were, what they would like to see, and how they would like to grow in their companies. It was kind of like everyone had the same goals. You look at another company and think, "wow, they look like they are doing very well, yet they still have some of the same concerns that I do as a small company.”

Some of the things we spoke about meant being vulnerable, and it was okay to do that. I love that because I don’t feel like I am alone in this journey that often feels lonely. We all have so much to learn on our own and in our companies so why not learn from each other’s offering as we go.

At first, I did feel out of place because we are a welding company, and everyone else in the group are architects, designers, builders, contractors and consultants focused on Clean Energy/Sustainability.  But then, I said "Hey, you know what? In my role, I work on the projects that architects, designers, builders, contractors and consultants, all work on, so I do belong.” With that being said, I plan on learning as much as I can from belonging to Seven Strong which is our cohorts group name.

A note from Maria: Thank you for taking the time to allow MVS Welding to be spotlighted on NESEA’s website and other platforms for the month of March which is also Women in Construction Month.

Be blessed.