Melissa Drew, Founder & CEO of InSite BUILD

Melissa Drew, founder and CEO of InSite BUILD in Salisbury, Maryland, has always been drawn to problem-solving and to work where she can see the tangible results of her accomplishments.  

“I studied civil engineering. Construction gave me the opportunity to combine the technical side of engineering with leadership, teamwork and relationships,” she said, adding that she continues to embrace that two decades later.

Drew’s main source of motivation is “building strong teams, helping people grow and creating an environment where people can do great work, take pride in what they accomplish and genuinely enjoy working together.”

Driving factors in her career success include working on a variety of projects from higher education facilities to complex public-sector projects, with each teaching her something different about construction, leadership and the importance of the people with whom she works.

Her most pivotal moment was starting InSite BUILD. She soon took on a $60 million project. “It required me to trust the experience, relationships and reputation I had spent my career building,” she said. “Watching what our team has built from that opportunity has been incredibly meaningful.”

Drew’s advice to her younger self would be to trust herself sooner. Early in her career, she put a lot of energy into ensuring she was completely prepared before speaking up because she felt she had to prove she belonged. While preparation is still important, Drew eventually learned she didn’t need to have every answer before making a valuable contribution.  

She would also say: “Know your work, ask good questions, speak up when something doesn’t look right and trust the experience you’re building along the way. You know more than you think you do. Trust yourself enough to use your voice.”

Drew would like to debunk a misconception that women need to become “one of the guys” to succeed in construction, adding: “You don’t have to change who you are to be an effective leader in this industry. I believe empathy, listening, collaboration and relationship-building are strengths — especially in construction where so much depends on people trusting one another enough to communicate honestly and solve problems together. You can lead with those qualities and still be direct, make difficult decisions and hold people to very high standards”

When she started InSite BUILD, her strongest supporters were subcontractors with whom she worked while at larger general contractors. “I had always tried to treat our trade partners with respect and as true partners in the work. When I went out on my own, they remembered that,” she said. 

“One mechanical subcontractor in particular was willing to put his own reputation on the line and believe in me before InSite BUILD had a track record. That opportunity changed the trajectory of my career and reinforced something I’ve always believed: How you treat people matters.”

Being selected for the EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women program and then becoming an EY Entrepreneur of the Year Mid-Atlantic winner “genuinely changed the way I saw myself and what might be possible for InSite BUILD,” said Drew 

She advises industry leaders to better support and retain women in construction by giving them real opportunities to build their careers with challenging projects and meaningful responsibilities. “If women can see that there is a real path forward and see other women successfully taking that path, they are much more likely to envision a long-term career in this industry.”

Drew feels a passion and responsibility to share her story to foster the next generation of women in the workforce, adding that it’s important for other women to be aware of the path she’s been and that she had the same fears and doubts. “If sharing that journey gives another woman the confidence to take a chance on herself, that is incredibly meaningful to me,” she said, adding that the InSite IMPACT Foundation has committed $100,000 to organizations and initiatives that champion women and girls. 

Outside of work, Drew is an endurance athlete and an eight-time Ironman Triathlon finisher. “I often tell people my personality is built for endurance — whether it’s Ironman or entrepreneurship. I genuinely enjoy the challenge of setting a big goal, putting in the work over a long period of time and seeing what I’m capable of.”