Danica Mason is an ENR Northwest 2024 Top Young Professional and Principal of Red Team Go. She has over 19 years leading A/E/C clients in winning proposals, DBE/inclusion strategies, and civil rights management for $15B+ projects.

Subscribe to EOFire

Apple | Spotify | iHeart

Guest Resources

Red Team Go – Check out Danica’s website to learn more about her work in AEC, equity, and major infrastructure projects.

3 Value Bombs

1. Scaling as a woman- or BIPOC-owned AEC firm is hard but specializing and delivering exceptional work creates real paths to the top.

2. True equity isn’t a box to check; it shows up when small and diverse firms gain cash flow, capacity, and repeat work.

3. The fastest-growing firms aren’t afraid to outgrow “small business” status; they embrace competing with the big players.

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode.

Today’s Audio MASTERCLASS: Breaking Ground: Women Driving Equitable Infrastructure

[1:11] – Danica shares something she believes about becoming successful that most people disagree with.

Success requires constant pivots; rewriting business plans, adapting monthly, and staying flexible.
These pivots can be frustrating, but they create resilience and industry insight.

[2:32] – Danica talks about how realistic is it for small or minority-owned AEC firms to grow.

It’s difficult; the industry is still dominated by non-diverse firms.
But specialization creates opportunities to become a top-10 firm within a niche.
Success requires dedication, relationship building, and leveraging advocates and allies.

[3:46] – Danica talks about building equity first from day one and what wins billion-dollar work.

Partner with companies that value diversity not just those checking boxes.
Federal requirements help, but real change comes from large contractors who mentor, support bonding, and remove barriers.
Inclusion managers and economic development leads are critical guides for navigating the system.

[5:42] – Danica talks about women leading infrastructure and how are they changing the industry.

The field is still male-dominated, but the last decade has brought major progress.
More women are entering construction as project managers, engineers, and leaders.
The industry culture has shifted; less harsh, more inclusive, and more opportunity across non-trade roles.
Women-owned specialty contractors are now ranking in the top 10 nationwide.

[9:10] – A timeout to thank our sponsors.

Cape: Cape is a privacy-first mobile carrier, built from the ground up with security as the priority. Visit Cape.co/fire to sign up today!
HighLevel: The ultimate all-in-one platform for entrepreneurs, marketers, coaches, and agencies! Learn more at HighLevelFire.com!

[11:45] – Danica talks about real equity vs. performance equity and how leaders can tell the difference.

Real equity leads to repeat work: firms gain cash flow, capacity, and new opportunities.
Box-checking shows up when firms appear on one project but never return.
True inclusion helps firms grow crews, equipment, and long-term capability.

[14:49] – Danica talks about winning proposals at scale and the biggest mistakes firms make.

Pride sabotages opportunity. Many firms chase work alone even when they’re not ready.
The solution: partner through joint ventures and invest in legal, accounting, and proposal expertise.
Professional-grade proposals matter. Competing against $300M firms requires design-quality submissions, not Word docs.

[18:07] – Danica talks about strategy, story and positioning; where the win happen.

All three.
Winning requires:
- The right team and past performance
- The right partners
- Pre-RFP research and owner conversations
- Understanding written requirements and the unwritten expectations
You must respond to the paper and the deeper story the agency wants.

[20:40] – Danica talks about the mindset that creates the greatest leap for underrepresented firms.

Don’t cling to small-business status; grow beyond it.
The biggest wins come from adopting a “we can be big” mentality.
Compete with major players instead of relying on size-based preference.

[21:39] – Call to action.

Red Team Go – Check out Danica’s website to learn more about her work in AEC, equity, and major infrastructure projects.
Support small businesses in your community; they are the backbone of economic development and opportunity.
Encourage trades and non-university career paths to strengthen the workforce of the future.

[22:17] – Thank you to our Sponsors!

Cape: Cape is a privacy-first mobile carrier, built from the ground up with security as the priority. Visit Cape.co/fire to sign up today!
HighLevel: The ultimate all-in-one platform for entrepreneurs, marketers, coaches, and agencies! Learn more at HighLevelFire.com!

Killer Resources!

1) The Common Path to Uncommon Success: JLD’s 1st traditionally published book! Over 3000 interviews with the world’s most successful Entrepreneurs compiled into a 17-step roadmap to financial freedom and fulfillment!

2) Free Podcast Course: Learn from JLD how to create and launch your podcast!

3) Podcasters’ Paradise: The #1 podcasting community in the world!