(ROANOKE, Texas – Feb. 2, 2024) The sun shines on My Dots Ranch, and a picturesque view of deer frolicking and horses grazing can be seen from the backyard. This sprawling scene belongs to Dawn Thanisch, whose country home sits on top of a hill, catching the eye of anyone who drives through the neighborhood.

It is the home where Dawn raised her four children. For 28 years, she had been a dedicated stay- at-home mother. Now, it is also where she operates her own business. As she walks to her home office, she weaves through the joyful chaos of three barking dogs and two mischievous kittens. The bustling household, once filled with children’s laughter and fun, now bursts with the energy of her furry friends. With her children out of the house and starting their own families, Dawn feels it is time to pursue something for herself and thrive outside her comfort zone.

Fueled by this desire to carve her own path, Dawn entered the world of construction contracting and launched MDR Partners with her business partner, Damon Mayfield, in 2021. The idea started when she set out to renovate the home she lives in.

“I’ve always had an interest in home renovation projects,” Dawn says. “I’m pretty good at design ideas for houses. All four of my kids are now adults and I needed something more to fill my time.”

The Villages of Woodland Springs Amenity Center in Fort Worth was the first large project she landed. The homeowners’ association brought in a few contracting companies to assess areas needing renovation within the building; MDR Partners was one of them. Dawn recalls stepping through the doors and everything falling into place.

“I was able to look around and visualize the space,” Dawn says. “Arrange this, put this over here and that over there. Then you have the other area you can turn into a tech center. They all looked at each other and were like, ‘That makes so much sense.’”

A feeling of pride washed over her in that moment. Since then, she has been growing her clientele and taking on more projects. From renovating office buildings to pool decks and brick walls, she is transforming spaces and bringing her clients’ visions to life.

“I’ve been a stay-at-home mom since my oldest son, Cooper, was born,” she adds. “This incredible business opportunity is something I never saw happening.”

Yet, the entrepreneurial spirit has always been rooted within her. In 2015, Dawn officially turned her country home, also known as My Dots Ranch into a horse breeding facility.

Her lifelong passion for horses led her to slowly expand the ranch over the last two decades. With the help of her daughter, she is now able to run the facility while she isn’t working on projects for MDR Partners. Without her predicting it, this experience has fueled her success in contracting.

“Dawn brought a ton of skills to the table from what she learned running the ranch,” Mayfield says. “It shines through in our contracting company, and no matter what she says, she is the brains behind our business.”

Dawn has balanced her professional and family life masterfully. Perhaps, the secret to her success is keeping home at the heart of it. Grayson Thanisch, her 22-year-old son, still visits home once a week to have lunch. He remembers his mother always being there for him and his siblings. She made sure they each had something special growing up, whether it was sports, horses or school activities.

“It’s been amazing to see all the passion and dedication she put toward caring for us being put toward building something for herself,” Grayson says.

Now, he and all others who enter her property are met with a large, shiny metal MDR logo that sits proudly at her gate. It is not only a reminder of the growth she has achieved and still to come, but a symbol of the legacy Dawn’s business has created for her community and herself.

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