Jessica Azarelo, founder of Attic Queen LLC, may be small in stature, but her influence in the insulation and home performance industry is substantial. Recognized for her chartreuse branding and direct, customer-first approach, Azarelo has built a company rooted in problem-solving, resilience, and advocacy—both on the job and beyond it.

Azarelo’s path into the trade was not deliberate. After 16 years in sales and management roles within the mortgage and banking sectors, she was recruited by a Tampa-area insulation company for a sales position. While confident in her professional experience, she hesitated. The industry was male-dominated, physically demanding, and required navigating attics—an environment that initially intimidated her. 

Jessica Azarelo and team in the field in Tampa, Fla
Photos: The Attic Queen, LLC

“I was definitely nervous,” she says. “I was clumsy, and the thought of falling through a ceiling was real.” Still, she accepted the challenge.

Rather than remaining in a traditional sales role, Azarelo started at the ground level, working in the office before volunteering for field work. Within months, she was assisting on large insulation projects, vacuuming attics and filling hoppers. As her confidence grew, so did customer response. Homeowners were often surprised—and impressed—by her willingness to take on physically demanding work alongside her crew. 

“No better feeling than coming out of an attic when these kids are watching you,” she says. “They’re like, ‘Wow, it’s cool,’ and you see their mind going.”

Brand in Glove

That hands-on experience shaped the foundation of Attic Queen LLC. Influenced by the green, black, and white branding common among contractors and distributors she worked with early on, Azarelo developed a bold, recognizable identity for her own company. More than a visual signature, the brand represented her belief that insulation and home performance work could be both impactful and approachable.

From the outset, Azarelo emphasized diagnosing the full scope of a home’s performance issues rather than addressing a single symptom. 

“We are really going out there and from the front end, really trying to help the customer figure out what their problem is,” she explains. 

While many customers initially call about insulation, her team looks deeper—evaluating attic and crawl space conditions, airflow, moisture, and mechanical systems:  “A lot of times we kind of blindside them because we find things they didn’t even know were there, and then we just present it like, ‘Hey, this is what you have going on.’”

That approach often brings the company face-to-face with complex realities. Azarelo has worked with homeowners dealing with serious health issues linked to poor indoor conditions. Others are struggling under the weight of rising utility bills. She personally reviews every estimate her company produces and consistently asks about energy costs. 

“I’ve seen people paying a $1,600-a-month electric bill,” she says. “I’ve seen $1,200 electric bills on houses that were 2,400 square feet. It’s insane.”

In some cases, financial pressure is compounded by health challenges. “What’s more insane is when people can’t afford to pay their bills because they’re sick and can’t go to work,” Azarelo says. “At that point, they’re just trying to figure out a way to stay healthy.” Those moments, she adds, reinforce why the work matters. “When we come across those situations, it makes the worst job on the planet definitely worth it.”

Lead the Charge

Photo: The Attic Queen, LLC

Retention, she says, is just as important as recruitment. Azarelo prioritizes treating employees well and creating opportunities for growth. That includes ongoing education, conference attendance, and exposure to different aspects of the industry. “We’ve built a good reputation in terms of how we treat our people, and that matters.”

In November 2022, Azarelo’s role in the business changed dramatically after a job-site accident left her with a broken back. Although she avoided paralysis, surgery in early 2023 permanently limited her physical abilities. “When the surgeon looked me in the face and said, ‘You will never go in an attic again,’ I actually cried,” she says. “I even cry talking about it sometimes now.”

Field work had become deeply personal for Azarelo. “I found myself in attics,” she explains. “That was my therapy.” Losing that outlet was emotionally and physically devastating, forcing her to confront a new reality. Unable to be on job sites, she redirected her energy toward operations, leadership, and industry involvement.

That shift expanded her influence beyond her own company. Azarelo became increasingly active in advocacy efforts tied to home performance and energy efficiency. On April 10, 2024, Azarelo spoke at the National Home Performance Conference in Minneapolis about contractor advocacy and the role Virtual Lobby Days played in shaping the Inflation Reduction Act’s home energy rebate programs, including workforce development dollars. “Contractor voices were critical,” she says. “Our direct engagement with policymakers helped shape programs that actually support the industry—including workforce development.”

Today, Azarelo continues to lead Attic Queen with a focus on sustainable growth, operational strength, and industry collaboration—including opportunities to bring The Attic Queen brand to other markets.  While she no longer works in attics, the lessons she learned there continue to guide her leadership. “The kid in me still wants to be part of it,” she admits, “but everybody used to say, ‘You need to get out of the attic and build your business.’”

Her story reflects a broader shift within the insulation and home performance industry, where leadership extends beyond physical labor to advocacy, education, and long-term vision. 

“I’m grinding every single day, and I’m crushing my goals,” Azarelo says.

For her, success is no longer measured by time spent in the attic but by the systems, people, and policies she helps build to support the trade’s future.