Tough Leaf

EVENT SZNNNN IS HERE! Vegas, we hope you loved having Neah Brooks and Abigayle Curtis, MBA out there enjoying some well deserved sunshine and crushing it at the ABC Convention! From the looks of it, this was a solid one to kick off our very busy conference season with 👏 Hey Neah & Abigayle! What was your biggest moment from the convention you want to share? Don't be afraid to spill the tea ☕ #contech #abcconvention #eventseason #conferences #toughleaf

Columbia University double-header: Our CEO Wissam Akra recently returned to his alma mater for two meaningful engagements. First, he guest lectured in Columbia's Engineering & Construction Industry course, sharing practical #contech insights from the frontlines. Rather than theoretical concepts, students heard how technology is actually transforming construction procurement today. Then last night, Columbia Business School's Tamer Institute awarded Wissam the 2025 Alumni Innovator Award, recognizing how Tough Leaf is creating real impact in an industry traditionally resistant to change. During his classroom session, Wissam emphasized three principles that drive our work: ✔️ Delivering 3X value to all stakeholders ✔️ Understanding market pain points through direct engagement ✔️ Getting the unit economics right from day one These fundamentals continue to guide our mission at Tough Leaf as we connect general contractors with small and certified subs. Special thanks to Professor Dan Wang and Tanya Pope, MPA for their insightful remarks at the award reception. Their support reinforces why Columbia remains a crucial hub for construction innovation. #contech #CEO #innovation #entrepreneurship #construction

We're thrilled to announce another key addition to our leadership team! Please join us in welcoming Stephanie Seril as Tough Leaf's new Head of Marketing. With her impressive track record of scaling marketing operations for startups and deep understanding of the construction industry, Stephanie brings the perfect blend of expertise to help drive our next phase of growth. And rumor has it, she's not just a marketing wiz – we hear her sourdough bread is legendary! Looking forward to all the fresh perspectives (and hopefully fresh bread) you'll bring to the team, Stephanie! #newhire #leadership #marketing

Panel announcement! Get ready for an interactive discussion featuring some really remarkable women leaders in construction! Join us on March 6th in NYC for an inspiring conversation with industry pioneers who are reshaping the construction landscape. Meet our outstanding speakers: Moderated by Tanya Pope, MPA Columbia University, Assistant Vice President Supplier Diversity & renowned MWBE leader Featuring distinguished panelists: Dr. Nneka Bell ➖ Governor's Office Board Member, Veterans Affairs ➖ Metropolitan College Professor ➖ President, Celebrities Quality Painting (MWBE) Sue Bayat, PE ➖ Owner and Founder of EnTech Engineering PC Gabriela Puno ➖ Regional MWDBE Associate at Structure Tone 🗓️ Time: 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM 📍 Location: 3 Times Square, Floor 25 Don't miss this opportunity to connect with and learn from these influential voices in construction. Their combined expertise spans government relations, academia, and successful business ownership. Register now, space is limited - https://lnkd.in/dprxRZfy #WomenInConstruction #Construction #Leadership #DiversityInConstruction #NYC #WomenInBusiness #MWBE

Both prior federal gov't administrations had big ambitions of making "Infrastructure Week" happen (see meme below) but it feels like 2024 was a tipping point. Tough Leaf, which modernizes the infrastructure procurement process for general contractors (think Salesforce meets LinkedIn for construction), had a big 2024: $3.3B of construction spend went through the platform, $1B of which went to subcontractors (the lifeblood of construction), across 100+ projects spanning #energy, #datacenters, #housing, and #transit. What's next? Wissam Akra is looking to #hire on a Government Sales Lead to expand upon its existing partnerships with cities across New York, Florida, and Illinois. If that sounds like you (or someone you know), please reach out at youssef@alleycorp.com. JD here: https://lnkd.in/etTVuGQN

Your perfect Monday evening in NYC awaits! Columbia Business School is honoring our very own CEO Wissam Akra with their Innovator Award during the annual Tamer Institute Reception! Come mix and mingle with NYC's brightest minds in climate action and social enterprise, while enjoying an evening of meaningful connections and conversations. Bonus: hear about Tough Leaf's latest wins and game-changing impact in the construction industry! 📅 Monday, February 24 ⏰ 6-8 PM 📍 Columbia Business School's stunning new David Geffen Hall Featuring insights from: ✔️ Wissam Akra '22 - Tough Leaf CEO & 2025 Alumni Innovator Award recipient ✔️ Professor Dan Wang - Tamer Institute Co-director ✔️ Tanya Pope, MPA - Columbia University's Supplier Diversity Leader Don't wait - registration closes 2/20 (if they don't sell out first!) #NYCEvents #SocialImpact #Networking #ColumbiaBusiness #Innovation

Dear CFOs: Do compliance deadlines and audit prep keep you awake? We at Tough Leaf want you to sleep like a baby. That's why we built ClearSpend. ✓ Real-time spend tracking across ALL projects ✓ Automated certification monitoring (no more surprises) ✓ Goal progress alerts before issues arise ✓ Audit-ready reporting at your fingertips ✓ Instant visibility into your true diverse spend ✓ One dashboard for your entire portfolio Stop losing sleep over compliance. Your peers at top ENR firms already trust ClearSpend. Learn more → https://lnkd.in/d4wtyGFk #ConstructionTech #Compliance #CFO #GeneralContractors

Our momentum continues to build! We're excited to officially welcome Jared Swartz to our growing team. Since joining us in December, Jared has hit the ground running as our newest Account Executive, bringing his expertise to our sales team. His commitment to our customers success and collaborative spirit have already made him an invaluable team player. Looking forward to all the great things ahead with you on the team, Jared! #toughleaf #newhire #growth #contech

Mark your calendars: The first week of March isn't just another week in construction... It's Women in Construction Week, and we're turning it into the industry happy hour you can't miss! 🎉 On March 6th, we're teaming up with Contech Alliance to bring together innovative minds in construction for an evening of real talk, cold drinks, and connections that'll last way beyond LinkedIn. Forget PowerPoints and business cards - this is about real conversations with the women who are revolutionizing our industry. Come for the drinks, stay for the stories, leave with a whole new network of unstoppable allies. Ready to make WIC Week unforgettable? Save your spot https://lnkd.in/dprxRZfy - spaces are filling up fast! #WICWeek2025 #womeninconstruction #construction #buildtogether

We’re excited to announce our first confirmed speaker for Think Tech: Women in Contech! Join us in welcoming Tanya Pope, MPA, Assistant Vice President of University Supplier Diversity at Columbia University, to our March 6th event. As a valued board member of Tough Leaf and experienced leader, Tanya leads the sourcing of construction vendors for Columbia's extensive construction and real estate portfolio. She's also the innovator behind CU Grow: Vendor Development Program, which has successfully helped construction and trade vendors scale their businesses with Columbia University and other key clients. Mark your calendars for March 6th - you won't want to miss this conversation on innovation and growth in construction technology! 🔗 Register here — https://lnkd.in/dprxRZfy #WomenInContech #Construction #Technology #Leadership #Innovation