OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Maranda Adams and Ashley Kuhn, are good friends, who've now become major business partners.
"It feels bold," Kuhn said. "It took a lot of work to get here and I also feel proud of it."
The two are joint CEOs of Blair Freeman, the only Class A contractor in Nebraska run by Black women.
It all started when Adams, who has a background in real estate, ran into some trouble with a construction project in North Omaha; she needed some help from her friend, Kuhn, who has a background in commercial development.
The two found success thanks to their collaboration. It was the "ah-ha" moment that lead them to start Blair Freeman. The construction company specializes in projects that serve lower-income neighborhoods. Oftentimes, these areas come with challenges that can turn other construction companies away.
"How many people run into roadblocks with projects stop," Adams said.
Adams and Kuhn started Blair Freeman about five years ago; they've been focused on bringing transformative change to the community, specifically towards North Omaha, where Kuhn is from.
"It's a lot harder to cut through that red tape if you haven't been through it before," she said.
Some of Blair Freeman's projects include a $75 million development, which will be built along N. 24th Street, and an expansion on the youth treatment center, Radius.
Kuhn and Adams say it's not about the people their projects serve, it's about the projects themselves that make the business great.
"That makes us unique in that we're not just talking the talk but we're walking the walk of being involved in the community," Adams said.
It's that focus they hope will serve as the blueprint for others to follow.
"Our hope is that we're teaching as well as leading by example on how it should be done," Kuhn said.
READ MORE | Moving Forward: A trailblazing due in the construction industry
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