Send us a textAnna Perks is the founder of Perks Deconstruction, a Denver based company proving that sustainability and profitability can coexist. What started with walking her dog past a bulldozed historic home turned into a seven year journey building a 20 plus person company that diverts massive amounts of construction material from landfills. In this episode, Anna shares how she built a business in an industry she did not come from, why entrepreneurship is often romanticized, and what it really takes to lead, delegate, and grow without burning out. This is a grounded, honest conversation about circular economy, leadership stress, learning by doing, and why keeping things out of the trash is everyone’s responsibility.Episode Notes / Key Takeaways • How a single moment sparked the idea for Perks Deconstruction • What deconstruction is and why demolition is one of the biggest waste problems we ignore • Why Anna chose to start a business instead of going to business school • How research, informational interviews, and mentorship shaped her first year • The reality of slow starts, early mistakes, and painful learning curves • Why culture, policy, and infrastructure keep us from becoming a zero waste society • What consumers and homeowners can do today to support reuse and recycling • When Anna knew the business was actually going to work • Leadership challenges, stress, and the loneliness of being at the top • Learning what to delegate and trusting others to run parts of the business • Growing from a solo founder to a 20 plus person team • Long term vision for expansion, technology, and policy driven change • The importance of resilience, relationships, and just keeping goingContact Anna PerksWebsite: www.perksdeconstruction.com Reclaimed Materials Store: www.perksreclaimed.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perksdeconstruction/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/perks-deconstruction-ltd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/perksdeconstruction/--- Subscribe and ReviewIf you loved this episode, drop us a review, share it with a badass woman in your life, and subscribe to Badass Women in Business wherever you get your podcasts. Stay badass. Stay bold. Build it your way. Keep up with more content from Aggie and Cristy here: Facebook: Empowered Women Leaders Instagram: @badass_women_in_business LinkedIn: ProveHer - Badass Women in Business Website: Badasswomeninbusinesspodcast.com Athena: athenaac.com