To move forward and build a career you love, you sometimes need to make a sharp turn from the expected path. Melissa Kline’s journey from banking and accounting to becoming the Sales Manager – Manufactured and Resale Products at Consumers Concrete in Kalamazoo, Michigan, is a testament to the power of embracing opportunity and continuously leaning into what she calls “growth mode.”
A Leap of Faith
Kline’s professional journey began in banking and private accounting, a field where she felt confident and established. But when she started her family, she began searching for a professional role that would better align with her changing priorities. That’s when Consumers Concrete, a family business, entered the picture.
“Consumers Concrete fit just perfectly for where I was at that time,” Kline said.
It started as a practical move that accommodated her new responsibilities as a mom, but soon evolved into something much bigger.
“I went from being very confident in what I was doing, with already established mentorships and associations, to doing something completely different,” she said.
Kline was presented with two potential roles within the company. Instead of choosing the safer, more familiar option, she took a leap of faith.
“My personality is always to keep my feet moving forward. I took the path of the unknown and thought, ‘this is really intriguing,’” she said. “It gave me an opportunity to learn a whole new side of the business.”
As she stepped into her role as a sales manager, she quickly learned that no two days would be the same.
“Each day is interesting. You never know when you wake up how your day is going to go,” she said. Some days involve approving quotes and discussing projects, while others present unexpected opportunities like large-scale jobs that seem to materialize out of nowhere.
Falling in Love with the Industry
Despite the initial intimidation of entering an entirely new field, Kline embraced the challenge. She sought out mentorship and industry associations to truly understand hardscaping. She connected with organizations like CMHA, which provided her with a vast network of resources and knowledge.
“The best way to learn is through mentors and experienced professionals. There are a lot of really good people in the industry that are willing to come alongside you and share what they know — just find them,” Kline said. “You always find the naysayers. Ignore them and find the people that are willing to impart wisdom.”
Learning from others made her passionate about education in the industry.
“Success comes from making sure you fully understand best practices for installation,” Kline said. “Those best practices are key for our industry. They’re key for our reputation.”
As she learned more, she also discovered hardscaping is an art form and developed a deep appreciation for the complexity of the work.
“People don’t realize how creative you can be,” she said. “They just don’t have a concept of what a broad stroke hardscaping is and I think they don’t understand that there’s so many different mixed designs or colors that you can create. The type of equipment, the differences between dry cast and wet cast—there’s so much behind the scenes that people don’t know about.”
One of the most rewarding aspects of her work is seeing the tangible impact of what she helps create.
“Driving to my parents, there’s a beautiful new retaining wall along the way that we supplied. I think my husband has heard me say more than once, ‘That’s our wall,’” Kline said. “…We manufacture something that you can drive by and see. It gives you a sense of pride.”
Taking Up Space as A Woman in Hardscaping
For women considering this traditionally male-dominated field, Kline offers a message of empowerment.
“It’s okay to be the girl on the job site,” she said.
Kline said finding a supportive network is crucial. CMHA’s Concrete Women Connect has provided her with a space to learn, grow, and gain confidence.
“This network helps remove that initial fear factor. It gives women in the industry—both newcomers and veterans—a place to connect with mentors and each other,” Kline said. “It’s exciting to see more women stepping into the industry. When I first started, there were just a few of us in the room. Now, we have a real community.”
Despite the progress, women in hardscaping often face the challenge of fitting into an industry designed with men in mind. From safety vests to steel-toed boots, gear is often built for a male frame, making it harder for women to feel like they belong. But Kline believes in embracing what makes you different.
“I’m not a pink girl—I don’t wear a lot of pink,” she laughs. “But my safety vest has pink on it. And that’s okay.”
She recalled a powerful moment when she met a female engineer during a recent plant tour.
“She saw my safety vest and asked, ‘How do I get one of those?’ I had an extra one in my car, so I gave it to her. She put it on immediately and wore it the entire time. That moment meant so much to her,” Kline said.
Women in hardscaping don’t have to conform; they can carve out space in the industry on their own terms.
“You don’t have to fit in. You can bring your own independence,” Kline said.
Advice for Aspiring Hardscapers
Kline emphasizes that hardscaping is fundamentally a people business.
At Consumers Concrete, “we say that while we manufacture products here, we’re in the people business,” she noted.
This means finding the right people to make up strong and effective teams. While industry knowledge can be helpful, it’s not the first thing Kline looks for in a candidate. Instead, she prioritizes personality and the ability to build relationships.
“I’m looking for someone who is outgoing, feeds off the energy of others, and can establish lasting connections,” Kline explains. “It’s more about being relatable, trustworthy, and transparent than just wanting to close a sale.”
Kline values a willingness to learn and grow. She believes that a candidate’s potential and adaptability can often be more valuable than an extensive background in hardscaping.
“While it’s easy to bring in someone who’s already established in the industry, sometimes fresh perspectives from new professionals challenge me as a manager in the best way,” she says.
An Evolving Industry
The willingness to learn doesn’t stop after hiring—it’s an essential mindset as the hardscaping industry evolves. Kline and her team are at the forefront of these advancements, embracing new technology that enhances efficiency and reduces physical strain on workers.
One of the developments Kline is most excited about in her work is the company’s brand-new 38,000-square-foot manufacturing plant, featuring six state-of-the-art robots.
“Our robotics are there to take on the heavy lifting, not replace jobs,” Kline said. “We’ve even sent our production team through robotics training, giving them a whole new skill set they never had before.”
Beyond the manufacturing floor, technology is transforming job sites as well. Lift-assist devices are now helping to move heavier pavers and walls, making the work more accessible to a new generation of professionals.
“For young people who don’t want to take the traditional college path but love working with their hands and seeing the fruits of their labor, these innovations make the industry even more appealing,” Kline said.
It’s these changes and evolutions that keep Kline passionate about the field and why she thinks more people should take the leap and consider the opportunities in hardscaping.
“I love it,” she said. “It’s always changing. Even though we feel like it’s been around for decades, there’s still something exciting about it.”
