Finances FYI Presented by JPMorgan Chase
By Kiara Doyal, The Seattle Medium
Tanya Jimale, owner and president of Jimale Technical Services LLC (JTS), a Black woman-owned civil engineering firm based in Seattle for the past 30 years, has been breaking barriers in an industry largely dominated by white men.
JTS’s overall mission is to deliver quality construction management and project controls consulting services that minimize project risk, ensure compliance, and maximize accountability on projects. However, Jimale broke her company down for those who may not understand the world of construction management.
“[That] really means that we specialize in red tape on government construction contracts,” said Jimale. “The red tape includes computer work, observation, writing, analyzing, and giving recommendations on how the government is spending our money. We know the red tape very well.”
A Seattle native, civil engineer, and University of Washington (UW) graduate, Jimale credits much of JTS’s success to the inspiration she drew from her late father, Russell H. Holland, who passed away in 1993.
“When I was little, he took me to see the Space Needle being constructed, and I asked him what was wrong with these streets. I was concerned about the street we rode on because there were other roads that led nowhere,” said Jimale. “And he told me that they were waiting for me to fix them. Well, he didn’t know that he had planted a seed in me, and when my father passed, that is when I decided to start on my own business. He was my inspiration.”
One of the biggest milestones for many business owners is transitioning from “working in the business” to “working on the business.” Elke Tajchman-Baumer, Vice President and Senior Business Relationship Manager at JPMorgan Chase, recalls meeting Jimale for the first time and noted how constantly busy she had been before adding key members to her executive leadership team.
“I started working with Tanya at our local neighborhood Chase branch,” says Tajchman-Baumer. “She was so busy all the time, because she was still in that spot where she wanted to do everything herself. So, letting go a little bit and trusting other people to build a team, I think, is a huge accomplishment for her. Seeing her do that, I know was really hard, but it seems to be working really well for her, and I am just so proud of her for that.”
“As her business grew, she got a new banker who was able to handle a larger business than what I could at the time. When I was reunited with Tanya, per her request years later, I was able to see how much her business has grown since I first worked with her,” continued Tajchman-Baumer. “I remember seeing her at the branch, and she was talking about hiring, HR, and having many more employees, so seeing where she is at today has been great and helped me focus on how things have been going with the business to understand what works and what doesn’t.”
Although Jimale has had many proud moments since starting JTS 30 years ago, the one that stands out most is when her staff grew to 25 employees.
“Clients told me that when you reach a staff of 25, your business changes and evolves because you are not in that upward beginning basement-style business, you are really into the kiln of the environment of the business,” Jimale said. “So, I kind of figured out who I was again, and I was proud that we reached 25 people because that is a remarkable number for business.”
At a time when DEI is facing criticism, Jimale remains committed to its value, viewing it as a driving force for progress within her company. She intentionally incorporates DEI principles into her hiring practices, believing it opens doors to opportunity, not just for herself, but for everyone she employs.
“It is a doorway to give you an opportunity to step forth and be able to do something. It is not this subject matter expert, it is not the technology, it is the opportunity. And, we have been certified as a disadvantaged business enterprise up until a year and a half ago, and I can really feel the difference,” Jimale said. “When you graduate, you are into a full force of full competition, and you can feel the challenges that are faced when you are not certified. But, being certified and involved in DEI allowed me to see and experience opportunities.”
“Opportunities that I think would have been difficult to reach [without DEI],” she continued. “DEI is a win-win in both directions from the larger companies’ perspectives and smaller companies. You get to meet new people, get to interchange, and be able to work together,” Jimale added.
A participant in the Chase for Business: Coaching for Impact Program, Jimale saw firsthand how having a strong relationship with a banker could help her navigate business-related issues and grow her business.
“Bankers can really help you plan for the future, especially as you are growing,” said Tajchman-Baumer. “From making sure your accounts are secure to understanding your cash flow, we are happy to help. I work with clients to understand those types of things that we will be looking at. Having resources and having that good relationship with your banker is key when looking to grow your business.”
Jimale says that her relationship with Chase goes far beyond what she envisioned and has been even more helpful as her business grew and became more complex.
“Chase is so involved in my company, I didn’t know I was in a program,” says Jimale. “They treat me as though they are one of the members of a board of directors. They give me insights, advice, and are willing to listen when I need to complain about something.”
“Chase helped me hire my executive management team, and that was one of the most significant things,” added Jimale. “I had a chance to meet Mr. Jamie [Dimon, Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase] himself and hear about the importance of having small businesses that are women-owned to grow and be an integral part within the community, and that was so inspiring.”
For Tajchman-Baumer, supporting local business owners and connecting them with resources to help them grow is something she’s deeply passionate about. She says working with Jimale feels like sitting down and working with a close friend.
“I love working with her. It has been so great to see her grow and see how much she cares about her employees and her community, which is really important to me as well, so I think that is where we really click,” Tajchman-Baumer said. “Tanya does that in the form of running a successful business, and she is always happy to learn, super enthusiastic, and any feedback or suggestions I have given her, she is really thoughtful with them and truly thinks about how she could implement them, and how it would impact not only her but her employees.”
As she considers the future of JTS, Jimale found herself asking, what would it take to build JTS 2.0?
“We have been talking a lot about where JTS will be in the next 5 to 10 years, and we need to prepare to work on JTS 2.0 because we know what 1.0 can do. But how do we prepare this company to be a legacy,” said Jimale. “So, we are in the process of documenting our procedures on how we get things done, and we are hiring more people who can be able to move into the next generation. In a nutshell, we are preparing for the next generation, because it is our responsibility to pass on the knowledge that we have learned over these last decades.”
Finances FYI is presented by JPMorgan Chase. JPMorgan Chase is making a $30 billion commitment over the next five years to address some of the largest drivers of the racial wealth divide.
