Robin Thorne has carved a path for herself that has been anything but average. Her extraordinary journey has seen her consistently smash down stereotypes and walk a path that few have paved before her. Robin marches to the beat of her own drum, she’s a chemical engineer who went down a non-traditional path to build a career in the construction industry. Today she is the Founder and CEO of CTI, an engineering and specialized construction firm, which has been a multi-million dollar thriving business for over a decade.
She is also the founder of Demo Chicks, a non-profit organization that empowers young women to become involved in the construction, engineering, or demolition industries. Her fearlessness to redefine what a woman should traditionally do is admirable and from her success, there are many things we can learn.
Robin’s story begins at Drexel University, where she gained her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering. As she became a mother, she would teach her son’s class hands-on science experiments. For many children, this was their first experience having a woman of color leading a science experiment. It was here that the seed was sown. Robin’s ambition to change the narrative of what women of color can achieve was created, and she has been a force to be reckoned with ever since.
The multiple award-winning businesswoman saw a gap in the market in demolition. She says “we did our first big, sizable demolition project in 2018. That's when the idea of Demo Chicks came about because I figured people were talking about construction but no one was talking about people in demolition. People were not aware of that field. And that's an industry in itself.” When Robin found a lack of representation of people of color and women in her field, she pledged to do something about it. Alongside operating and scaling her own business, her biggest accomplishment has been the coming together of Demo Chicks.
Demo Chicks believes that if you can see it, you can be it. Robin realized early-on the importance of having role models to help navigate the decision-making process for young girls when deciding what their future to look like. “Our vision is to have something for girls and women at every stage. We had a brainstorming workshop to see what was best. What I want to do is identify who has passion in each area. The area I'm most passionate about is really the college students who want to connect with women in the field. Or girls who are graduating, and connecting them with mentors.”
The untrodden path for women to work in a male-dominated field can feel like a lonely one, but Robin insists it needn't be. She offers this advice for any women who are thinking of pursuing a career in construction or demolition. “I would tell them to seek counsel from somebody who's been there. Because they don't have to do anything alone. Someone who's paved the way for them can answer questions. There's a lot of resources and programs out there so just do their research. And don't quit! If they have a goal in mind, just keep working towards it. Don't let the obstacles and distractions divert them from their goal.”
There’s no doubt that as CTI Environmental continues with its success, Robin will exponentially impact more women to continue to break through societal barriers and reach goals unimaginable a few short decades ago. Follow her inspiring journey on Instagram which shows her passion for elevating young women with big dreams, by a woman who will go down as a true legend in the industry.
All photos courtesy of Robin Thorne and Demo Chicks
.jpg)
