Building With Grit and Grace: Turning Your Ideas Into Reality
Listen to episode 30 of the MomTalk Maryland podcast, “Building With Grit and Grace: Turning Your Ideas Into Reality”
MOMTALK MARYLAND | EPISODE 30
What does it take to run a construction company with heart, clarity, and serious build quality—while raising a daughter and changing the face of a male-dominated industry? We invited Nina Orlando to pull back the curtain on her journey from her dad’s handyman shop to leading a woman-owned firm now rebranding as Grit and Grace in Howard County.
We dig into the projects that sharpened her edge: building bank branches behind temporary walls in 21 days, delivering medical clinic build-outs at the beach, and tackling state contracts that range from fish hatcheries to archery centers. Nina explains how franchise standards, safety codes, and waterproofing best practices translate into smarter residential design—from four-season “screen” rooms that beat pollen without full HVAC to basements that become real cinemas with tiered seating and hidden projectors. Along the way, she shares why Montessori-inspired details at kid-height build independence, and how a focus on empathy makes both commercial and home spaces feel effortless.
The trend shaping family life right now gets the spotlight: in-law suites. We break down separate entrances, ADA-aware layouts, and the maze of permits and HOAs that most homeowners dread. Nina’s turnkey approach—handling applications, neighbor signatures, and inspections—removes friction so clients can focus on the life change, not the paperwork. And woven through everything is a candid look at entrepreneurship as a lifestyle: early mornings, late-night estimates, on-site leadership, and the deep satisfaction of mentoring girls, speaking in schools, and proving that women can do this work—and often do it better.
If you care about smart construction, local business, and spaces that truly fit your life, you’ll love this one. Subscribe for more real talk from Maryland makers and moms, share it with a friend who’s planning a build, and leave a review to help others find the show. What space in your home deserves a Grit and Grace upgrade?
See Grit and Grace in action! 🛠️✨ Check out Nina’s projects and tips: Website, Instagram, Facebook
From dream in-law suites 🏡 to smart commercial builds, it’s construction with heart 💛 and precision.
If you’ve got a vision for a space, whether it’s a new business, a community hub, or a home project, Grit and Grace is ready to make it a reality.
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