From a young age, Parrott knew she wanted to work in architecture, but it wasn\u2019t until she was in her early 20s that she decided to check out Dunwoody and turn her interest into a career. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Anna](\"https:\/\/dunwoody.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/62185641_10216573425581503_3650423984840769536_n-1.jpg\")
Parrott knew about the College from several friends, including her best friend\u2019s dad who worked in the commercial side of construction. She remembers visiting the buildings he worked on, including the Mall of America, and thinking that she wanted to be a part of something like that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEvery job I ever had after graduating, I got it because I had Dunwoody on my resume,\u201d Parrott said. \u201cThat\u2019s how good of a reputation the College has in industry.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Parrott said she hadn\u2019t been exposed to the building and materials side of the construction industry before she started at Dunwoody. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t know anything about building or building materials before I started,\u201d she said, adding that the instructors not only helped her build a foundation of knowledge, but gave her the skills to problem solve along the way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI really liked it. Half the job is gathering information and you really learn as you work. It was a good foundation for me,\u201d Parrott said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was also during her time at Dunwoody that Parrott met and married her husband. After graduation, and the great recession, the couple decided to move to Duluth where her husband was from. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI was able to get a job in my field, and I was lucky enough to still get a job doing what I loved,\u201d she said. \u201cIt was an entry level job, but I worked my way up to be the Project Manager and Head Designer for their construction company.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fulfilling her dream<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Three years ago, Parrott decided to take the leap and open her own home design firm. It was something she had wanted to do and the time was right. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As the owner and sole employee, Parrott does about 50 plus homes a year \u2013 or about one a week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She enjoys the variety and the ability to choose the projects she wants to work on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Projects range from 600-square-foot micro-living homes, to modern farmhouses. But for Parrott, it\u2019s about more than choosing a design aesthetic, it\u2019s also about learning how a client wants to live in their home, blending the functionality with the overall look. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI love doing all of them,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s fulfilling and creative,\u201d she said. \u201cI always ask my clients, \u2018how are you going to live in this house?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n About 80 percent of Parrott\u2019s business is new construction, and the rest are remodels and additions. And all of her work is generated through word of mouth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While Parrott loves the work, she admits that in the beginning it wasn\u2019t always easy being a woman in a male-dominated field. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn the beginning it was very difficult, because people didn\u2019t think you knew what you were talking about,\u201d she said. \u201cAfter the first 15 minutes, they start to realize you know what you are doing. It was definitely an immediate barrier, but I haven\u2019t felt that in years. I feel like it\u2019s getting a lot better.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Parrott said she still enjoys driving past homes she designed, and feeling like she has made an impact in her community. She encourages other women to explore careers in the construction field. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI always wanted to design homes and it worked out,\u201d she said. \u201cI feel like if you enjoy what you do and find your niche then going to work doesn\u2019t feel like a job.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Houses](\"https:\/\/dunwoody.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/2house.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Houses](\"https:\/\/dunwoody.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/3-house.jpeg\")
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