L.J. Shaw is a woman with many titles. Philanthropist, Entrepreneur, CEO, Designer and Mother are just a few. But what defines her is her dynamic personality, strong faith and compassion toward others.

A woman-owned and -operated construction company is outside the norm, but Shaw’s unconventional views and entrepreneurial spirit have allowed her to dominate a space that has historically been led by men. “Our goal at Tampa Contractor Group has been to create a customer experience completely different from what the client is used to,” Shaw explains. “We love to introduce new technology to make communication with clients more efficient. We also work hard to educate them on the design and construction process so that the experience is seamless and transparent.”

Specializing in high-end residential and commercial renovations, Tampa Contractor Group is emerging as the premier building and remodeling contractor in the Tampa Bay area. “I love taking plain and dated spaces and transforming them into something vibrant and beautiful,” Shaw says. “It is a huge benefit to us and the client that we not only design the space but also continue the project into the construction phrase, eliminating the gap in vision that can occur when a designer and a contractor are not on the same page.”

When not designing and remodeling, Shaw is driven to connect with and give back to the community through initiatives like renovating facilities for nonprofit organizations and heading up a weekly ministry that she has dubbed “Soul Food.” The initiative involves making and delivering healthy home-cooked meals to single mothers and their children. “This ministry has a special place in my heart, as I am a single-mother to my two boys, Jackson, 7, and Jase, 2,” she says. “Every mother deserves to feel appreciated and loved, and that’s exactly what we do.”

Her faith in God and love for her children have helped carry Shaw through some of the ups and downs of entrepreneurship and life in general and have played an integral part in bringing her to the success she’s found today. “I am grateful for all of the challenges that I have faced,” Shaw says. “They have enabled me to find my way through hard times and come out stronger on the other side.”