Networking her way to wealth
One woman’s take on paving a road to success, one prefab building at a time

By Tricia Scruggs

As a CPA for a major American oil company, Gail Warrior-Lawrence used to come home from work frustrated by the road blocks to her efforts to be effective, but those days are long gone. When a corporate merger presented the opportunity for her to take a new route professionally, Warrior-Lawrence chose to build her own bridge to wealth.

The daughter of an entrepreneur, she always knew she would follow her father’s path. In 1997, Warrior-Lawrence founded The Warrior Group, Inc., a DeSoto, TX based construction company, that specializes in modular buildings and boasts a heavy-hitting client list of military branches, federal contractors, businesses, and hospitals. Warrior-Lawrence and her husband, who had a background in the modular building field, observed an unmet need among government agencies looking to work with a provider of quality modular building. They started The Warrior Group and established a name in the market place by capitalizing on a key industry relationship, working closely with a North Texas general contractor.

“I love what I do; It’s just fun to see the dream come true,” Ms. Warrior-Lawrence said.

Networking, once a task she despised, has played a significant role in the Warrior Group’s rise. Developing relationships in the industry and civic organizations put The Warrior Group name in the forefront, although quality service and product got the company recognized. Awards followed and things really took off. The company went from celebrating $3 million contracts to $40 million-plus deals.

Along with strategic partnerships, Warrior-Lawrence’s list of fundamental steps to success includes tackling one’s fears. “Intentionally put yourself in a position to face them,” she said, explaining that before honing her public speaking skills, she shuddered at the thought of giving presentations whether the crowd was made up of three or 300. Warrior-Lawrence strengthened her aptitude for oration by forcing herself to attend events and joining panel discussions. It worked. These days her schedule is packed with meetings, conferences, and speaking engagements across the country as she continually inserts The Warrior Group into the consciousness of prospective clients and business partners.

“Our mindset was to grow this thing as big as we could. The mantra around the office was ‘think IPO.’ We were thinking like a Fortune 500, but we acted like a small business,” Warrior-Lawrence said of the group’s attention to quality and service.

“It takes a lot of time and a lot of effort, but we make sure that everyone at every level of the organization is working at it,” Warrior-Lawrence said. “Networking is very important, to stay in front of people and keep the lines of communication open.”

She fully admits that though she earned an MBA, she lacks the architectural and engineering know-how assumed of someone in her position, but quickly counters with the reason she has exceeded the expectation of many. “What I do know is how to run a business,” she says. “You have to have the right culture and corporate environment and then the right people will get on the bus.”

Warrior-Lawrence also shored up her project management muscle and advocates sticking to what you do best and delegating the rest. “Surround yourself with people who can do the things you can’t, and never will,” she urges.

There may be a few bumps in the road, but don’t give up. At one point, the group almost lost their shirts, Warrior-Lawrence confided, but they soldiered on. Above all, she believes her faith, determination, and drive are what kept her going through any rough spots.

Her commitment to community and volunteerism are as strong serving on the board of several civic organizations in Dallas, TX and nationally. She founded The Heart of a Warrior Foundation with her husband in memory of her mother, Dorothy J. Warrior.

Today the Warrior Group provides turnkey building solutions employing more than 30 employees boasting hundreds of clients throughout the country. Firmly entrenched in the U.S. military, providing buildings for bases like Fort Bliss, the group is knocking on college and university sector doors.

“I’m not a quitter and I always fight to the end,” she says with a laugh, “I tell people, ‘my last name isn’t Warrior for nothing’.”