Mouji Linarez
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Mouji Linarez For Mouji Linarez, Founder and CEO of CEI, Inc., the journey to becoming a leading healthcare builder in South Florida was anything but conventional. A personal search for meaningful work ultimately led her to discover the profound influence the built environment has on human lives. Having pivoted from a pre-med track without a traditional background in construction, she pursued the field anyway—earning her way into the industry, gaining experience across leading construction firms, and ultimately developing more than 25 years of expertise while delivering over $1 billion in complex healthcare projects.
In a full-circle turn, her career brought her right back to healthcare—building the environments where care is delivered. Along this journey, Mouji came to understand not only what she wanted to build, but how she wanted to build it: with technical excellence, authenticity, purpose, and heart. In 2016, she founded CEI—Create. Enjoy. Inspire.—with a vision for a different kind of construction company, where purpose and performance go hand in hand, guided by her mantra: “Build with Purpose. Lead with Heart.”
With these principles as her guide, Mouji has grown CEI from a company of one into a thriving, mid-sized, woman-owned general contractor serving South Florida and beyond. As “Builders with Purpose,” the CEI team delivers high-performing, people-first healthcare and commercial construction in service of a larger goal: improving lives and creating better futures. That model has produced measurable growth: for three consecutive years, CEI has been recognized by ICIC’s Inner City 100 among the nation’s fastest-growing businesses located in under-resourced communities, ranking in the top 25 each year. Headquartered in a redevelopment district, CEI works to translate that success into local impact—creating career pathways for people who may not be served by the traditional college pipeline, advancing women and future leaders in construction, and elevating the skilled trades as a pathway to dignity, financial stability, and opportunity. Through CEI’s mission of Building for Human Wellbeing, Mouji is proving that a company can be both high-performing and deeply human—building spaces for healing, creating meaningful careers, and strengthening communities through construction.
IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:
- How curiosity and courage can open unexpected doors to purpose, meaningful work, and financial success.
- Why the built environment shapes human wellbeing, especially in healthcare spaces where patients, caregivers, and families are affected.
- How investing in people before profits can fuel remarkable business growth and a multimillion-dollar company.
- That skilled trades careers offer professional pride, financial stability, and advancement without a four-year degree.
- How hands-on mentorship and knowledge sharing unlock untapped potential, strengthen teams, and improve business results.
- Why leading with heart and building with purpose creates lasting impact for people, projects, and communities.
- How a woman-owned general contractor can self-perform critical interior scopes to control quality, schedules, and execution.
- That complex healthcare construction demands disciplined planning, quick responsiveness, and hands-on leadership to avoid disrupting patient care.
- Why creating career pathways for overlooked talent addresses industry shortages and builds a loyal, skilled workforce.
- How serving 40+ healthcare facilities builds lasting trust with South Florida’s leading healthcare systems.
about the show
Next Level CEO is an entrepreneur education series hosted by Daymond John, created for business owners, founders, and leaders who want real insight from people who have built, scaled, and led successful companies.
Each episode features expert CEOs, founders, and industry leaders sharing the stories, decisions, strategies, and lessons behind their growth. Viewers get a closer look at how strong brands are built, how companies scale, and how experienced entrepreneurs think through leadership, opportunity, risk, and long-term success.
From disruptive startups to established business empires, Next Level CEO gives entrepreneurs a front-row seat to the business strategies, founder insights, and leadership moves that drive business excellence.
Whether you are an entrepreneur looking to grow, a business owner ready to level up, or a leader who wants to learn from proven builders, Next Level CEO delivers practical lessons from people who have created something that lasts.
