We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Brenda Stredwick. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Brenda below.
Hi Brenda, thanks for joining us today. Looking back, what’s an important lesson you learned at a prior job?
Customer service! Ive worked in bar and resturants since high school. Dealing with customers in good and stressful situations has been a huge help in being a buisness owner. Also how to task manage was a huge lesson from the service industry
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Ive been welding since I was 8. By highschool I had fallen in love with the art side of welding. I made a few pieces to sell at the bar I was working at and it took off from there! The custom orders (and fixing things projects) started rolling in. I mad\ke most things from upcycled scrap steel. My style and flair is what sets me aside from others.
Im most proud of building this buisness up from nothing. I grew up without much and have worked very hard for everything I have.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Im a mother of three boys. Working out of a home based shop was tricking and took some juggling. Sneeking out to get a quick 10 mins in while they napped, or tracing and doing non welding parts of the job with them in a carrier, swing or baby seat. Stripping off dirty work clothes to breast feed quick, then put works clothes back on and back out to the shop.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
Working hard and doing what ever it took to make it happen! From bartending to welding jobs that I really didnt want to do- but did!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ironmaidenweldingllc.com
- Instagram: iron maiden welding
- Facebook: Iron Maiden welding
- Youtube: youtube.com/@ironmaidenwelding647
- Other: tiktok: ironmaidenwelding