Mexican Immigrant Starts Her Own Remediation Business in Reno

Teresa Sidle
Owner, All Eagle LLC

When Teresa Sidle came to Reno from Mexico in 1984 as a shy teenager, she never could have imagined she’d be the owner of a company with 30 employees. Even more surprising: her company specializing in asbestos abatement and mold remediation is a respected player in a traditionally male-dominated field. 

She learned the trade by chance, when a friend recommended a job. Seven years later, Sidle decided to start her own shop in 2014.

Yet Sidle didn’t expect other people’s lack of confidence. “People asked me ‘How will you talk with general contractors with your accent?’” she says. “I simply told them ‘I will figure it out.’” She created business cards in English and Spanish and left them all over town. Within a week, she had her first job removing mold from a family’s house. 

Her company now specializes in asbestos removal for schools and government buildings and is in such high demand she regularly turns down jobs. She’s proud that she’s been able to provide secure jobs for so many people. She’s also proud that she’s filling an important need in the construction community by making Reno’s buildings safer and helping the city expand. “I didn’t think we could get this big,” she says.

For Sidle, Reno is the perfect city to nurture young entrepreneurs. “I’m grateful to have my business in Reno. It’s growing so fast. Plus, it’s good place for a small business to grow with its low taxes and good business environment,” she says. However, her success is limited by the number of workers she can hire. That’s why Sidle is an advocate of reform that would make it possible for immigrants to have a pathway to residency so they can learn a trade and get their professional licenses. 

She also wants to encourage other women to become their own bosses. “I tell women to follow their dreams,” Sidle says. “If I can do it, then anyone can,” she says.