In this episode of Pressure Tested, we sit down with Shelley Hines, CEO of DCG Environmental, to discuss the gritty reality of building a multi-million dollar business in a male-dominated industry. Shelley shares how she turned a "cracker box" downsizing and a depleted 401(k) into a thriving environmental consulting firm. We dig into the specific "pressure tests" of scaling, from the intrusive state inspections required to prove she wasn't just a "paper wife" to get certified , to the cash-flow strain of paying new hires for seven months before they can legally generate revenue. Shelley also opens up about the "myth" of black mold , why she fires toxic employees even when it hurts , and how she earns respect on the job site without wearing heels . If you want to know what it really takes to scale a blue-collar business—and how to survive the financial punches that come with it—this conversation is for you.