We had the good fortune of connecting with Kena Yoke and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kena, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I believe the success of our business is due to a solid foundation of relationships who working together and succeed as a team, not just an individual business.

What should our readers know about your business?

Island Piling Inc. is a specialized construction company providing precast, prestressed concrete foundations for residential homes in the SW Florida area.

While I am not fond of using the “woman” label as a hurdle, it’s undeniable that years ago, being a female in the construction industry presented numerous obstacles. These challenges, however, only fueled my determination to excel as the “best” in the industry, irrespective of gender.

This journey took time, but active engagement with industry peers who influenced our work and a continuous commitment to self-education, both for myself and my team, cultivated an environment founded on respect and collaboration. Being active in our industry organizations has assisted as well in promoting our mission.

As a company, we take immense pride in delivering unparalleled service and products through an exceptional workforce and continuous product testing. Our dedication to surpassing industry benchmarks in education and safety remains unwavering. All of our crane operators are certified and our riggers are qualified. This education creates a more confident and safe team.

We foster close collaboration with the other subcontractors involved in our projects, proactively addressing potential issues, and ensuring a successful project trajectory even before stepping foot on a job site. With a seasoned and aligned team working towards the same objective, the challenges that rise in the field become notably more manageable and result in a successful project.

Having a specialty firm with specific clients lessens the need for “mass” marketing, as most of our clients know us or are referred to our firm from other clients or subcontractors in our network. This allows Island Piling the opportunity to deploy our would be “marketing budget” back into the community. We are proud to support many veteran based organizations such as FGCU Veteran’s Entrepreneur Program, Collier-Lee Honor Flight, Freedom Waters Foundation and local organizations supporting those in need such as St Matthew’s House. Sharing the same goals for support and community outreach introduces our team to likeminded individuals, further developing our network and ability to grow and impact the community.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Southwest Florida offers many cultural, educational and environmental experiences, add this to the exceptional dining scene, you will see why this area has grown so rapidly.

Among my top picks for dining, the Gumbo Limbo at the Ritz Carlton Beach Resort stands out, this experience promises not only incredible food and specialty drinks but also an unforgettable sunset as you walk along or sit on the beach, this stop is a must for any visitor.

For a fun day shopping, Waterside Shops comes to mind, followed by a dinner at Brio or Brick Tops. Likewise, a shopping adventure at Mercato with its outstanding restaurants like AZN, Naples Flatbed or Bravo makes for another great outing.

Venturing downtown to Old Naples offers a chance to shop along 5th Avenue, Third Street and Tin City, where you can find specialty stores, souvenirs and more great restaurants, like The Riverwalk or The Dock. Naples Soap Company located in Tin City is a must shop store as well.

No visit to Naples would be complete without dinner at Mediteranno, the beautiful plants and ambiance only serve to compliment the five star service and incredible menu.

While in the Tin City area, we could embark on a boat ride on the Double Sunshine to tour the beautiful waterways and view incredible homes, many of which our company put in the foundation, then enjoy dinner on the Naples Princess, another experience that never disappoints. A sunset boat cruise on the Gulf of Mexico will leave an indelible memory.

No visit to Naples would be complete without a visit to the Naples Botanical Gardens and the fun of feeding the giraffes at the Naples Zoo, these experiences truly reflect the uniqueness of our area.

If the visit were during season, we would most definitely take in a play at the Naples Players or Gulfshore Playhouse and maybe a show at Artis Naples or Barbara B Mann Performance Hall in Ft Myers.

It would require another visit, to even start to see the historic sites offered by the Ft Myers area, including the Edison/Ford Winter Estates.

I have lived here for many, many years and am always finding new or hidden gems to explore.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My late parents initiated my journey into entrepreneurship through our family-owned business when I was quite young. While practical aspects such as business skills in marketing, customer service and accounting manage the day-to-day operations, fundamental values centered around relationships and community became deeply engrained from an early age. These foundational skills remain steadfast as I ventured into various business opportunities.

Upon my entry into Island Piling, Inc in 1992 the relational values inherited from my parents once again played a pivotal role. These values contributed significantly to the company’s expansion: what began as a two-person enterprise gradually evolved over the years to serve the Southwest Florida region for 36 years, now boasting a workforce of 20 employees, a fleet of Certified Cranes and even manufacturing our own prestressed, precast piles. The bond with my business partners, united objectives and unwavering principles have transformed our construction firm into a family run enterprise thus bringing us back to my roots.

Through the years of “business” I have been afforded the opportunity to serve the community through many organizations. I currently have the honor of serving those who served by Mentoring in the Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) Veteran’s Entrepreneur Program and serving on the Advisory Board at FGCU for Military & Veteran Success. Staying grounded within the Community is a foundation block for any business success.

Website: www.islandpiling.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenayoke/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/islandpiling

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutMiami is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.