OC Professional Maintenance Team is a woman-owned business that provides residential and commercial maintenance services throughout the Orange County, CA area.
OC Professional Maintenance Team is the result of hard work, determination, and self-belief. Let me introduce myself to you; my name is Jennifer Barragan and I am a professional, female, general contractor with many years of experience under my tool belt.
I was born and raised in Watts in the early '70s in a poor neighborhood riddled with gangs and violence in Los Angeles County. Being the oldest of three siblings and raised by a single mother, at a very young I learned about determination, survival, and leadership. I had a thirst and drive for success. Growing up on welfare, walking or riding the city bus everywhere we went, wearing second-hand clothes from the local thrift store, and standing in line at the local food bank or church for stale bread and canned foods were the norm for me growing up.
In middle school, I was fortunate to attend a magnet school that catered to my education and sheltered me from my violent surroundings. I felt I was given an opportunity to soar and reach my dreams. This lasted a few years as we were forced to move out of the neighborhood due to the heavy gang violence that no longer made it safe for us to move from home to school.
In the late '80s, my family moved to Huntington Park, CA. There I lived throughout my high school years but unfortunately, the school did not offer any magnet programs and, being part of the LAUSD system, the classes were overcrowded and the school lacked funds. I got through high school but I knew that as soon as I became an adult I had to make smart decisions for myself in order to succeed and have a different lifestyle.
In the early '90s, I married my high school sweetheart and we made a pact that it would be him and I against the world. Together, we would find a way to be happy and have a family and a healthy lifestyle. To this day, our pact has been strong and true. In the mid 90's I became a first-time mother to a beautiful son, whom we raised as a strong and intelligent young man and gave him a normal and abundant life.
In 1995, I started my career in real estate as a property supervisor for numerous residential homes, apartment communities, homeowner associations, and commercial properties. During the years I cultured myself and became well-rounded in all aspects of running a successful business by learning all the ins and outs at a corporate level, from maintenance to management.
I decided to become a general contractor because I found that I loved working out in the field and being hands-on. As I gained more experience, I learned how to remodel bathrooms and kitchens, reassemble plumbing, reroute gas lines, create concrete walkways, and landscaped gardens. Eventually, I graduated to building apartment homes from unused space and creating additional revenue.
My journey was not easy; as a female, I had to overcome many obstacles thrown my way in this male-dominated industry. But it was an easy fix for me as I am a knowledgeable, fair, and diplomatic leader, I earned my stripes and carried on. Through this leadership, I gained followers and built a successful and thriving business.
Throughout the years, I have been very involved at the local level and have earned the respect of my peers and clients. I give back to the community by volunteering for non-profit organizations that I hold dear and near to my heart such as the Apartment Association of Orange County where I am part of their Education Committee and I am an instructor. Building relationships and working with the many cities and authorities throughout Orange County has been an experience that has helped me and my team propel. My professional team and I are dependable and committed to delivering exceptional workmanship for every job we do. Our client's needs are our priority and we are here to provide great service.
We are fully licensed and bonded and carry workers' compensation insurance as well as liability insurance.
Thank you for reading this to the end, giving us an opportunity to serve you! Call today for your free estimate.
-Jennifer L. Stathopoulos Barragan, General Contractor