It all started when…
Vanessa was growing up with a father in landscaping and the landscape construction business. She spent countless days accompanying her dad out on job sites, learning the ins and outs of owning a business, establishing wonderful relationships with clients and enjoying the time spent outside and leading crews of workers. After making it all the way to the finish line of a nursing degree in New York, Vanessa found herself longing for the days out in the field with her dad and realized quickly a life of nursing wasn’t where she was meant to be.
After working with her dad for a few years Vanessa decided it was time to take a leap and branch out on her own. In the beginning days of Iron Wood Vanessa spent most of her time in the company books, managing accounts and crunching numbers. It didn’t take long for her to feel the urge to get back out in the field and now, years later, she’s the one who shows up at your door, samples in hand, ready to tackle any project you throw her way.
The fencing industry doesn’t see many female owners, but that doesn’t stop Vanessa. In fact, in the beginning she had someone in the field tell her she’d never make it, that fencing wasn’t a place for women. It didn’t take long for her to prove that person wrong. Client after client was so thrilled with the craftsmanship of her crew, the quality of her products and the ease and kindness that she brings to each and every person. Referral after referral came in and before long business was booming. Vanessa believes in hard work, never cutting corners, only using the highest quality products, caring for her staff and caring for her customers. Iron Wood’s work speaks for itself, and the happiness of each customer is what has made them the premier fencing and gate business in the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex for 25 years.
Now, Vanessa has come full circle and operates her business out of her dad, Ed’s, Landscape Nursery location in Keller, Texas. She spends most of her days at clients’ homes, taking bids and checking in on her crews, but makes stops at the nursery in between and operates as Landscape System’s exclusive contractor for all of their fencing, gate, iron and wood needs. One day they hope to see the next generation of Ruibal/Jones’ taking over the family businesses.