Laura Lay, 37

Laura Lay got into development because she wanted a dog and couldn’t afford one on her teacher salary. Fast forward 15 years and she’s the director of business development and marketing at Construction Services Inc. (CSI) in Tampa. Lay co-owns the company with her husband, Fred Lay.

Lay says it was difficult as a young woman to push her way into circles of 50- to 60-year-old men, who had the “good old boys mentality.” She had to be creative, organizing shooting, golf and sports events. “I grew up on a farm, so man activities are easy for me,” she says.