Karen Frederick, Owner

How long have you been in this industry?
I started in the construction industry six years ago and that was a property development company which is something I still do.

Did you have another career before this one?
I was a school leader in the U.K., recruited in my early 30s for a fast-track program to school leadership. I was placed in failing secondary schools and would have six months to a year to make a measurable impact on school culture and academic outcomes. It was an extremely challenging but very rewarding career. For me it was missing a creative element.

When did you decide to go into business for yourself?
I saw an opportunity to invest in property and I wanted to run the renovation projects myself so I bought my first property and made the leap. I sold my home in the U.K. and moved here in 2019. The pandemic shut everything down just a few months later and the property market changed, so things didn't go quite as planned but I stayed in the construction industry through office positions and continued to invest in real estate.

I started The Louvered Roof Company in 2023 with one U.S. manufactured quality product. Two years later, we now offer many different structural options for shade, including stylish awnings and motorized shades. I'm still involved in all aspects of the business from sales and design to installation project management and everything in between.

What has been the biggest obstacle to being a woman in business?
Being a business owner has many obstacles regardless of gender. If you're willing to take a risk and have a determined mindset you will find a way to make it work for you.

What is the most rewarding thing about what you do?
The products I sell and install solve a problem. I enjoy the creative process of designing a custom solution for my clients and to see the finished project with very happy customers is the most rewarding part of the business.

The Louvered Roof Company | Doylestown, Pa. | (610) 310-0429 | TheLouveredRoofCompany.com

Published (and copyrighted) in House & Home, Volume 25, Issue 3 (March/April 2025)
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