This week, we had the privilege of celebrating some of the incredible women in our industry as part of Women in Construction Week. Below, we’ve compiled the responses of twelve women who were asked to share more about what they love about restoration, their favorite moments on the job, and their advice for other women looking to enter the field.
Meet the Contributors:
Jeanine Muller | Personal Property Manager at Zolman Restoration
Danielle Bradley | Project Manager at Bravo Restoration & Construction
Alexus Neidert | Head of Brand & Culture at Thomasville Restoration
Mayra Gonzaga | Field Technician at Bravo Restoration & Construction
Valeri Galtieri | Contents Manager at PHC Restoration
Melinda White | Director of Claims Management at Zolman Restoration
Renee Carter | Vice President of BluSky Restoration, Raleigh
Whitney Reynolds | General Manager at First Onsite, San Antonio
Sarah Cowell | Project Coordinator at PHC Restoration
Maddy Bell | Estimating Assistant at Pro Commercial Construction & Consulting
Eryka Johnson | Project Manager II at First Onsite
Karon Young | Senior Project Director at BluSky Restoration
What do you love most about being in restoration?
Eryka: I love having the opportunity to walk with clients during a tough time in their lives and holding their hand through the process if that’s what they need. It’s important to me to build genuine relationships with clients, down to knowing what type of coffee and muffins they like. Showing a little empathy in each situation can really go a long way.
Valerie: I love that this industry is always challenging me and every day I’m able to do something different and meet new people. It’s like each customer has a different story connected to their loss, and I get to be a part of their story and change their narrative by restoring the story, and turning a negative into a positive.
Whitney: After bouncing around different industries through most of my professional career, I fell in love with restoration after two different realizations: First, who out there isn’t looking to make a difference in the world through their chosen profession? In restoration, the life cycle of every job we perform provides the immediate opportunity to see the effect we have on our community. Second, there is no stagnation in restoration. With every day comes the possibility (I should say probability) of new challenges that you don’t find anywhere else. As emergency service providers, we find ourselves immersed in new places, with new people and new problems to solve every day. Those problems and challenges provide opportunities to learn and grow on an individual level, as well as opportunities to connect with others.
Melinda: I love the connection you make when you are able to help people who are in a tough situation. I also love seeing someone go from a place of complete devastation to being so happy about their new home.
What advice would you give other women thinking about a career change or change in direction?
Mayra: Look for a career that you love the most and have passion for it, do not give up on your dreams, even if people tells you certain jobs are for males only, prove them as a women we are capable to do that and more.
Maddy: Take the leap and go for it! Construction is a fantastic field for women right now. People tend to misinterpret construction–it’s not just laying bricks. You can pursue many avenues, including estimating, computer work, architecture, engineering, etc. The sky’s the limit, and the industry needs more workers!
Renee: Empathy and soft skills are so essential in this industry and women are oftentimes more naturally inclined to display these traits. I think women have the capability to be successful in whatever they want to achieve in this industry, whether that’s a role in management, administration, or in the trades. The possibilities are endless.
Karon: Over the years, I’ve been asked to mentor men and women entering the industry and I oftentimes have to remind them of the same things–don’t be afraid to take on new challenges and ask questions. If you don’t know the answer to something, just say so, and that you’ll get back to them with an answer.
Danielle: Believe in yourself and focus on confidence–this is the biggest differential for women. If possible, find a mentor who helps you build that confidence! My mentor led by example through being open about the good and the bad. This helped me recognize that it’s okay to have hard days and to be honest about what I’m feeling.
Sarah: Be courageous and go for it! As a former educator of 14 years, I would never have dreamed of having a job in the construction industry. However, I found that my skill set, traits, and work habits allow me to be very successful in the role of Project Coordinator. It has been amazing to learn all about restoration, find joy in a new career, and join a company that strives to make a positive impact in the lives of others.
Alexus: I heard a statistic one time that said 80% of millennials hate where they work. That’s absurd to me. If you’re going to make a choice to switch industries or roles, find something where you’re doing something bigger than yourself. You can make a difference doing anything, but you have to find something that fulfills you every single day because you can see the impact you’re having on others.
Eryka: Don’t hesitate. Don’t be fearful or concerned that this is an industry only for males. As women, we bring an invaluable touch to restoration, whether it’s how we clean and organize, our empathy, or assisting the guys. We put those little added touches that really bring a project together.
What’s your favorite job that you’ve worked on or your proudest accomplishment?
Danielle: One time, I was talking to a homeowner over the phone and told her that I had two technicians on their way to help her. The technicians were both women, and the homeowner was worried they wouldn’t have the physical strength to accomplish the job. She called me back later, saying how thrilled she was with our technicians and how they were “superwomen.” It was a proud moment for me and my team.
Whitney: Trying to determine my favorite project is as difficult as trying to point out my favorite scar… It’s really the collection of stories that makes you smile. The most rewarding feeling for me historically, however, is walking away at the end of any hospital project. These jobs are of course fast-paced, high-risk, and under intense pressure to be performed perfectly as we’re responsible for the safety of every person in those facilities. As such, on hospital projects in particular I really see the network of nerds come together and each person’s strengths come to light. Reflecting on the harmony in those moments has become one of the most fulfilling aspects of my career.
Melinda: I spent many years as a large loss adjuster handling claims where people suffered a great deal of damage. It was a different perspective when I began working in restoration. One of my first large loss fires on this side was with a family member of a person who works at Zolman. The coolest thing about that job was getting to walk through the whole process, not just the claims settlement part, and then seeing how happy our customer was when she moved back in. Because of her relationship with our team members, I still get to see her occasionally, and the joy that I have seeing her happy and thriving is wonderful. We will always have a bond because I was able to help her in one of her darkest moments, and now that I get to see her around our office occasionally or at different family work events, it helps remind me why we do what we do.
Jeanine: A homeowner had a small fire in her kitchen from cooking fish. She went to Home Depot, ready to replace her cabinets herself, but was (wisely) advised to file an insurance claim. Due to all the smoke damage, it ended up being a pretty large claim. I got to work closely alongside the client as she made all the cabinet, paint color, and tile sections for her home. We had a lot of fun with the process, and she really looked to our team for guidance.
Renee: I’m very proud of the team we’ve built here at our office. I’m big on personality assessments and learning what makes people tick and then using that information to build everyone up. Even with 62 offices within our company, we have an amazing culture where people like showing up to work every day. Seeing our incredible team and hearing their laughter down the office hallway makes me the most proud.
Valerie: Hurricane Matthew in 2016 was the first major storm I experienced in restoration. I remember roads were flooding and closing all around us, and we didn’t have great phone and internet service. I was having so much fun responding to calls, but also a little worried about how I was going to get home, since the main road from work to my house became impassable while I was at work. I remember everyone trying to take care of me, whether it was offering to let me stay with them, or working with DOT to eventually find a route that got me home safely – even though it took about an hour longer to get there!
Alexus: An incredible woman in our accounts receivable department provided feedback, saying that Thomasville is the place she hoped and prayed for, the place where when mommy comes home, her kids get to see her happy again. These are the stories that make my job so fulfilling.
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