From $1,000 to Multimillion-Dollar Empire
At the helm of the multimillion-dollar construction management and design firm McKissack & McKissack stands Deryl McKissack, a trailblazing 62-year-old entrepreneur who launched her enterprise with a mere $1,000 investment.
According to CNBC, the firm now generates between $25 million and $30 million in annual revenue, overseeing projects valued at a staggering $15 billion.
McKissack’s impressive portfolio includes iconic projects like the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C.
The firm’s work also extends to repairing the Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson memorials.
Overcoming Early Challenges
McKissack’s journey was far from easy. As a Howard University civil engineering graduate who left a six-figure job to pursue her entrepreneurial dream, attracting clients proved challenging. “It was touch and go because I didn’t have a bank that believed in me,” McKissack recalled.
“It took me five years to get my first $10,000 line of credit. I probably went to 11 banks that told me ‘no’ … [but] I had this burning passion on the inside that I just had to do this, and it was going to work out for me.”
Undeterred, McKissack leveraged her networking skills, landing her firm’s first project at her alma mater. With a single employee, she immersed herself in the work, putting in 80 hours weekly. This initial success paved the way for more opportunities, allowing her to build a portfolio and secure jobs as a federal contractor.
Reinvesting for Growth
Despite her growing success, McKissack prioritized reinvesting in her business over personal gain.
She paid herself only $7,200 the first year, $18,000 the second, and worked her way up to a $100,000 salary after roughly a decade, ensuring her employees were well-compensated.
Expanding Nationwide and Giving Back
Today, McKissack & McKissack, run in New York by her twin sister Cheryl, boasts offices across major U.S. cities, including Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Baltimore.
Committed to uplifting others, McKissack recently founded AEC Unites, a nonprofit dedicated to providing professional opportunities for Black talent in architecture, engineering, and construction.
