Alicia Brentzel: Making the Green Industry Equal

Alicia Brentzel is the President of Brex Enterprises, a construction company specializing in pipeline maintenance work and site development. Being a woman in the green industry is a challenge that brings many rewards. But what does gender equality mean in a field dominated by men? And how can more women get into the industry? Read on to learn more about Alicia’s take on these important issues.

Equality for the Green Industry

Alicia Brentzel is always striving to build a diverse company. One of her goals is to get more people in an industry where the labor force is struggling. She has big aspirations to hold teaching seminars for young girls, and students for equipment operation.

In the age of COVID-19, her vision of equality hasn’t changed. She believes in equal opportunity for whoever wants it should be more than ever. To make the green industry fairer during the pandemic, she wishes there were consistent guidelines for safe work so that every employee and customer could feel safe.

Being a Woman in the Green Industry

For Alicia, the green industry should normalize having women in the field. “Women don’t need special social posts about how amazing it is they can operate an excavator because they are a woman, I believe this only further separates a divide,” she says. Women should be called out for their hard work and skill, not their gender.

Alicia also wishes working with your partner was normalized. She runs her business with her husband and wouldn’t have it any other way. “It really comes down to knowing your partner and being a balance for them,” she says. She advises trying to not have hard or stressful days at the same time. “I know when my husband is stressed, not to come to him with my problems, and vice versa. We are there to help each other and support each other. We know our goals, together and individually.”

The Future of the Green Industry

To Alicia Brentzel, the future of the Green Industry for women is bright. The first way to a solution is acknowledging a problem, she says. She sees new initiatives every day on how to increase women’s participation in the field. The more it’s normalized, the more women will know it’s a viable long-term option for a fulfilling career.

When asked what advice she’d give to the next generation, Alicia explained, never stop asking questions: if you’re in a position where you know it all, push yourself further and never settle. And that’s exactly what she’s doing. 2021 will bring us all tons of new things from Alicia and the crew at Brex. She and her husband also bought 112 acres and are building a house AND starting a farm with their four kids. She will soon launch an Instagram and YouTube account about their journey. But in the meantime, connect with her on LinkedIn.

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