How Sashe Ivy built the largest black and woman-owned construction company in Chicago

Sashe Ivy started Pink Hard Hatz Construction, a firm based in Chicago that would grow to become the largest female minority construction company in Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana. Ivy started her company to break barriers in the male-dominated industry while providing the best service to all its customers.

According to Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only women make up about 11% of construction workers. “I was sitting in a meeting. Once again, it was all-male contractors. And I thought about how females can do this,” Ivy told ABC 7 News.

This led her to found Pink Hard Hatz Construction, a full-service, licensed, and bonded construction company. The company specializes in residential and commercial improvement projects. “We specialize in kitchens, bathrooms, and basements,” she told the southlandjournal. “We do roofing, siding, and more for residential and commercial industries.” The company also has licensed electricians and plumbers under our belt.” 

Today, the company has grown to become one of the largest Black-owned companies in the construction and real estate industry. “I always have work coming because what I’m finding out is that people, especially women and seniors, want to see a woman,” said Ivy.

“At Pink Hard Hatz Construction, we take great pride in our excellent workmanship, affordable pricing , and the ability to deliver outstanding results…Excellent service and commitment to customer satisfaction is our number one goal,” the company adds in a statement on its website.

Pink Hard Hatz Construction offers opportunities to all despite being woman-owned. “We do have men and they work with us as well. We will welcome and train anyone that has a vision and ambition,” said Ivy.

Ivy has been in the field for close to two decades prior to launching her own firm. She has a background in real estate, project management and rehab. Since debuting Pink Construction in 2020, Ivy’s company has expanded greatly. They are all over Illinois and Indiana. And for the future of her construction firm, she has a very big goal.

“I just have a heart for helping people and my ultimate goal is to be known as the largest female construction company that is empowering women,” she said. “I look at Pink Hatz Construction as bringing back the community one home at a time.”