Constructing Afresh with Linell of GC Group of Companies
Stepping into Crème Café and Patisserie for an early morning coffee, I couldn’t help but remember the first time I met Linell. We were both in line with other ladies for the 2023 YWCA Women of Distinction awards, chatting away about our outfits and dreams while trying to quell a few nerves. From that first conversation, Linell was a delightful mix of poise and wisdom, and she carried that same energy into our drink date. As she waltzed in with a stylish brown Poppy and Peonie bag (one I secretly resolved to add to my collection), I knew we were in for more than just lattes and great conversation. Over the hum of the café coffee bean grinding and the comforting clink of cups, Linell opened about launching her construction business in a “male-occupied” field, balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship, and carving out precious moments of personal sunshine in the midst of it all.
Here are snippets from our conversations:
Bernice Richard: What is your downtime? How do you get a little bit of sunshine every year?
Linell Grudnitzki: This question makes me stop and reflect. My downtime varies with the seasons, both the actual seasons of the year and the different seasons of my life. I’ve realized I can find my “ray of sunshine” in something as simple as twenty minutes to myself.
When the pandemic hit and I was just starting, my home office was in our front room. Now that we have a shop with a separate office, I’ve converted that front room into a personal space. I like to make cocktails there, and it’s also my art room where I paint. Spending just twenty minutes in that room feels like a burst of sunshine.
I also love going for walks and listening to podcasts that inspire me, depending on what I need that day. It doesn’t have to be anything big or audacious; even a great song at a stoplight can give me a boost. I’ve done a lot of personal work and continue to grow, but I’m now at a point where I can truly appreciate even the sunlight hitting me at this very moment. It fuels my soul.
Bernice Richard: What’s your favourite podcast?
Linell Grudnitzki: I tend to switch between different podcasts. When I drive up to Saskatoon for business, I always want something to listen to, but sometimes I feel overwhelmed by too many business or entrepreneurial shows. It’s like I’m constantly thinking, “I could try this approach, or maybe that one!”
Right now, I enjoy Diary of a CEO. I’m also listening to an audiobook by Mel Robbins, it’s full of great reminders. Another favourite is Jamie Kern Lima, she’s the founder of IT Cosmetics and has an amazing entrepreneurship story. She recently started a podcast as well. Then there’s Simon Sinek; I love his work on finding your ‘why.’ His podcast features such diverse guests that it goes beyond just business and dives into psychology and personal growth.
And of course, there’s Brené Brown. Whenever she’s a guest on a podcast, she feels like a friend; I connect with her insights. I’m drawn to people who are leaders in their space, and I love hearing the conversations they have.
Bernice Richard: Tell me how GC Construction began ?
Linell Grudnitzki: I started GC Construction around 2020, when the pandemic shifted my business direction. Before then, I was a director who helped my partner with his company mostly with safety management and overseeing some of the crews. However, I still wanted him to have full ownership of his business, so I stayed in a supporting role while running my photography venture. I travelled for yoga retreats, shooting in places like Panama, Costa Rica, and Hawaii. But when the pandemic hit, it became impossible to continue travelling safely for photography.
By 2021, my partner’s business was awarded the only contract available in his field, but it still wasn’t generating enough revenue to keep the company afloat. He looked for investors, but things didn’t work out. That’s when I saw an opportunity for a woman-owned company in the same space.
I’ll never forget the day I called him. He was heading to the shop to pack up and return the space to its owner, possibly selling off some tools to settle debts. I asked, “What if I started a company like yours?” His response was immediate: “It should have been you all along.” That was exactly the encouragement I needed. I told him I would need his expertise and support, and he was on board.
Next, I spoke with my lawyer, who said the only real risk was whether SaskPower would hire me. I felt confident they would, given my existing relationships maybe a bit too confident at the time, but I pressed forward.
As I shaped my vision for the company, I realized I wanted something that would carry on my family name. I come from a family of boys, and my brothers had girls, so the “Grudnitzki” name wouldn’t carry on otherwise. Initially, I planned to call it the Grudnitzki Group of Companies, but that was too cumbersome, so I shortened it to GC.
Ultimately, my “why” has always been about creating opportunities. Whenever I feel lost or discouraged, I return to that driving purpose. Five years later, we’re still here, making it work and doing something right!
Bernice Richard: Is there any decision you’ve made in the last five years that, looking back, you either wish you could change, or you feel proud of?
Linell Grudnitzki: I don’t regret any of my decisions. I’m especially proud of how I persisted through my first year in business, despite losing all five major contracts I bid on. That made me question everything “What am I doing?” but I returned to my “why.” I’ve always believed I could succeed because of my ability to build relationships in our province. I focused on that strength, found an ally within SaskPower, and shifted gears into a different section of the utility.
I could have switched to something else, like water and sewer, because I had the capability. However, I wanted to stay in the power and energy sector. I know what’s coming down the pipeline for our province, and it’s exciting. I want to be part of that growth and foster a workplace where people have equal opportunities. I’m proud I didn’t give up especially in that first year when it would have been easy to walk away.
Bernice Richard: What advice would you give to women who are thinking about entering a male-dominated industry? Is it worth going for?
Linell Grudnitzki: First, I like to call these fields “male-occupied” rather than male-dominated. Men aren’t dominating anything; they’ve just occupied those spaces first. That’s an important mindset shift. Second, if you truly feel this is something you want if it’s in your bones go for it. There’s absolutely no reason you can’t succeed.
In our province, we have a somewhat traditional, handshake-based culture that can be both welcoming and a bit old-school. Sometimes that’s frustrating, but it also means people here value genuine connections. We’ve simply never shown up in large numbers before; the more women who do, the more welcome we’ll be. Change your mindset, step into those spaces with confidence, and know that you can do anything.
Bernice Richard: Tell me about working with your partner. How have you navigated that dynamic?
Linell Grudnitzki: My partner and I have been together for eight years, and we’ve been engaged for six or seven of those. He’s also my site superintendent. He’s ex-British military, and he has an incredible ability to inspire people to take pride in their work and to do it safely. I often say it must be the “soldier” in him, as he can see the end goal and stay calm when obstacles arise. That quality is so valuable in construction because he can navigate problems on-site without losing his cool. Meanwhile, I’m the one who might be on the verge of panicking, and he’ll just be collected and steady. Someone once joked, “No one’s shooting at him,” which explains why he’s so unruffled.
Part of why I wanted to start this business was that I knew I could rely on his skills. We talk about it a lot: if I stay in my lane building relationships and running the company and he stays in his lane, leading the team on-site then we’re set up for success. That said, we do have to be mindful about resentment. He puts in long, physically demanding hours, but at the end of the day, he can just power down, go to sleep, and start fresh in the morning. Meanwhile, I’m lying awake at night worrying about invoices, cash flow, and payroll. We’ve had discussions to make sure neither of us grows resentful. It helps that we both understand the unique challenges each of us faces, and we respect each other’s roles in the business.
Bernice Richard: You mentioned your kids are older now, could you share your experiences navigating motherhood and your professional life especially with your youngest?
Linell Grudnitzki: Interestingly enough, I was a single mom with my oldest son. He was three when my relationship ended. I always seemed to have an entrepreneurial streak, even back then often working a full-time job while running a side business, which is how my photography career started. Of course, I dealt with plenty of “mom guilt.” I’d drop my son off at Grandma’s so I could go shoot an event, and my parents were a huge help. The extra money from those gigs paid for things like hockey skates, hotels on sports weekends, and the general costs of providing the best for your kids. Even affording a reliable car was challenging when I was a single mom in my mid-twenties.
Later, when I was around 32 or 33, I became a single mom again. Each of my kids got different versions of me neither better nor worse, just different. My youngest has seen a stronger, more self-assured mom than I was in my twenties. I’ve learned that balance is never constant: the scales will tip one way or the other, but eventually, they come back. The trick is to remember they will rebalance in time, and not to lose hope when life feels off-kilter.
Bernice Richard: Tell me about your support system. You’ve mentioned your parents and grandparents, and of course your partner, how do they factor into your journey as a business owner? What else does your support network look like?
Linell Grudnitzki: For the longest time, I didn’t have many friends who were both entrepreneurs and moms. In fact, my closest friends were typically single, which I think I gravitated toward because I didn’t want to talk about kids or business all the time. That’s something I’ve only just realized now, talking with you.
One resource that’s helped me is Women Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan (WESK). Through that network, I’ve met some incredible women who understand the unique challenges of running a business. Some are mothers as well, which helps me feel less alone in balancing parenting and entrepreneurship.
Now that I’m approaching empty-nester status, I find myself seeking out others in the same stage of life moms whose kids have grown up and left home. It’s a new chapter for me, and I’m focusing more on myself and my relationship with my partner. I’m turning forty-nine soon, and though I sometimes feel like I haven’t done enough, I also appreciate that there’s still plenty of life ahead.
So, my support system has evolved over time. My family especially my parents and grandparents have always been there for me, my partner is crucial for day-to-day business and emotional support, and now I have a growing network of fellow women entrepreneurs who really “get it.” It’s made a big difference in how I approach both my business and my personal life.
Bernice Richard: Apart from those relationships from connections through WESK, how do you handle your social life and hobbies that aren’t related to entrepreneurship?
Linell Grudnitzki: James and I were just talking about this because, for the past couple of winters, when work slowed down, we tackled home renovations. We’ve done so much, though, that there’s not much left to fix. This winter, I told James he needed a hobby, and he decided to take up ice fishing. He bought all the gear and jumped right in, and then he asked, “So, what are you going to do?”
It made me realize I’m hesitant to pick a hobby because my photography hobby turned into a business. I’m worried that if I start something new, I’ll end up monetizing it people will see I’m good at it, want to pay me, and suddenly I’m buying more equipment and taking on clients. It’s why I’m almost protective of my painting; right now, it’s just paint-by-number, but it’s taken me around 30 hours to finish this one piece. It lets me zone out and not think about anything else for a while.
I think as moms and entrepreneurs, we often lose ourselves in everything we must do laundry, dishes, emails so we’re left wondering, “What do I do for me?” It’s a constant work in progress to figure out what truly feeds your soul. I’ve always been a big reader. When I worked in healthcare, I was part of a book club, and I loved it. I keep hoping someone around here will start another one, because I feel like book clubs are becoming a lost art.
Bernice Richard: What would you say to another mother with younger kids who has a budding business idea?
Linell Grudnitzki: I used to worry my kids would miss out on things or must sacrifice because of my business. But I now believe the real sacrifice would be not pursuing my goals. Children watch everything we do how we handle hardship, how we overcome challenges, and how we navigate the good times, too. By witnessing those moments, they learn invaluable life lessons.
Ultimately, I believe you should go after your dreams because of your kids, not despite them. That’s my advice for any parent aiming to succeed in business.
Bernice Richard: Do you have any tips for success for any woman embarking on this journey?
Linell Grudnitzki: First tip would be, you can’t do it all and you don’t have to. The moment you can hand off a task, whether it’s in your business or at home, do it. If cleaning the house drives you crazy and you have the means to hire a cleaner, go for it. That frees you up to focus on your kids, your business, or anything else that truly needs your attention. As women, moms, and entrepreneurs, we often feel like we must do everything ourselves. But if someone can do it at least 75% as well as you, let them handle it. Delegate.
Second, don’t aim for perfection in every single area. Trying to juggle too much can lead to anxiety or mistakes. I love the analogy of juggling three balls like family, business, and perhaps one other major responsibility because once you try to add a fourth, you’re more likely to drop them all. If an opportunity arises, ask yourself if you have the bandwidth; if not, it’s okay to say no or to wait until your circumstances change. My tips for success would be to delegate, prioritize, and be realistic about how much you can handle at once.
Linell’s story reminds us that when you stay true to your “why,” even the biggest challenges become stepping stones to success. Whether you’re a mom juggling multiple responsibilities or simply someone who wants to break into a new industry, remember her words: you can’t do it all and you don’t have to. Delegate, prioritize, and don’t be afraid to say “no” when your plate is already full.
If you’re looking for heavy-duty construction or powerline maintenance, Linell and her team at GC Construction are ready to tackle your biggest projects while proving that women absolutely belong in every space. Mention you heard about her here, and you might even score a special treat. Above all, let her journey inspire you to pick up that idea you’ve been putting off because forging a new path can be as straightforward as deciding to take the first step. Happy building!
