HAZARD GIRLS

Transitioning from one male-dominated industry to another is not easy, but it is something our guest, Jhanel Wilson, has managed to do successfully. Jhanel is a Philadelphia-based chemical engineer turned real estate investor with a portfolio of over 10 million dollars. Her strategy focuses on small multifamily buy-and-hold, and she now teaches others in STEM jobs how to generate wealth through real estate. In this episode, we hear about Jhanel’s experience as a chemical engineer and what ultimately pushed her into pursuing real estate full-time. From a young age, Jhanel saw how owning properties helps create financial freedom, and when she started working, she knew it was something she had to do herself. We also talk about some of her biggest lessons, the benefit of standing out in male-dominated fields, and how women can bring their own touch to business endeavors. To hear it all, be sure to tune in today!

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There appears to be a growing trend of women and minorities pursuing careers in STEM, but there is still a long way to go. Only 17 percent of civil engineers in the US are women, while minorities make up approximately 31 percent of civil engineers nationwide. And while many women and minorities may obtain a degree in STEM subjects, the likelihood of them staying within that field is far from certain. Today we are joined by Ally, a licensed construction engineer in Colorado, working in the road and bridge sector. You may know Ally from her videos on TikTok and Instagram, where she has grown an impressive social media following as she advocates for change in the industry one post at a time. Tuning in you’ll hear Ally share her experiences of working in construction as a woman, the important role that mentorship has played in her career, and the changes she’d like to see in the industry. We also discuss how she navigated her first pregnancy, including sexist assumptions in the workplace, and striving for work-life balance. We deeply admire the advocacy work that Ally is doing for women in engineering and construction, and can’t wait to share today’s conversation with you!

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Women have always been perceived to be weaker and less physically capable than men and the freedom that today’s children have has taken many years to achieve. Today on Hazard Girls we are joined by Emily’s mom, Rosemarie Heldrich Kiser. Rosemarie was a female track runner in the 1960s; a time when women did not have a constitutional right to play sports in schools. Rosemarie shares what it was like to be a sportswoman during this time, how it felt to train in an all-male college team as a teenage girl, how she became a competitor, and her experience competing in the Olympic trials. We also delve into how her experience shaped how she views the world, the change she has observed in women’s sports since then, and how you can continue your passion for sports throughout your life. Finally, she gives some advice to today’s fortunate generation of sportswomen. We also note that on June 23rd, 2022 it was the 50th anniversary of Title 9: Federal civil rights law in the United States of America that was passed as part of the Education Amendments of 1972. It prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or any other education program that receives funding from the federal government.To hear all this and more, tune in now!

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Women in the safety industry need allies and the space to find their own voices! More importantly, PPE needs to be designed specifically for women’s bodies to ensure safety and efficiency. Joining us on the Hazard Girls podcast is the co-founder of the Iowa Women and Safety Conference and founder of The Safety Rack, Amy Roosa. First off, Amy tells us how she got started with the conference, who it targets, and what it’s all about as well as the main industries that safety professionals are coming from. She then gives us a breakdown of her background and how she got into safety before discussing why women get the brunt of the frustrations people experience in safety more than their male colleagues. Next, Amy delves into the pros and cons of being a woman in the safety industry, the importance of calling sexism out, and why men must be allies. We then discuss the importance of having PPE made for women specifically and how The Safety Rack is changing the ‘shrink it, pink it’ mentality.’ To hear all this and how you can educate your employers to make a change for women, tune in now!

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As a woman in the construction industry, all you want is to be treated as an equal in the workplace. Joining us today to discuss this topic is the director of Crew Collaborative, Kristina Mahler. We talk about how far the company has come since we last met with Kristina, the difficulties of starting a non-profit organization during a pandemic, and the company’s Classroom Talks and Ambassador Program projects. We also discuss their mission to change the face of construction and the stigma around a career in this industry. Next, we go into why we need to support women in construction being attacked on social media and why focusing on other people’s opinions can be detrimental. We then delve into why women in construction don’t want to be singled out and how the best thing we can do to support them is to treat them as equals. Finally, we discuss the importance of supporting the mental health of employees and how we can champion actual change in the industry. To hear all this and more, tune in today!

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Welcome to another installment of the Hazard Girls Podcast! Today on the show we get together with Nora Casanova, the Logistics Manager at Karsten Interior Services, a commercial construction subcontractor in Houston, Texas. Nora has three degrees to her name, including International Business, Supply Chain Management, and Entrepreneurship from the University of Texas, and is currently enrolled in the University of Texas, at Arlington Construction Management Master’s program. She is also on the board of directors for the National Association of Women in Construction and led this year's Women in Construction Week Committee in Houston. While Nora is clearly a logistical genius, she also thrives on the chaos that comes from working in the construction industry. In our conversation, we discuss how Nora got into construction, what she loves about it, and how her education in logistics has helped her in the industry. Tuning in you’ll hear about the fashion show at this year’s Women in Construction Week, and what Nora has planned for next year. We also discuss the value of finding women in construction to support your career journey and what it means to collect a board of directors for your career. Finally, Nora elaborates on the importance of representation for women in construction on social media, and some of the steps being taken to enhance their presence online. Tune in for key insights into this exciting industry and how women are thriving!

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Navigating your time and boundaries while creating a business you love and cultivating client relationships is no easy feat. As a woman, being able to accomplish these things comes with even more challenges. Using more than 30 years of experience, Pamela explores all things networking, giving us a look at techniques that we can use, both online and in-person, to get to know people better and create sustainable and successful business relationships. We learn tips and tricks on how to renew our time management structures, prioritize the right elements on our to-do lists, and change what we view as important during our work day. We then take a look at how COVID has created a shift in the way people want both their work and home spaces designed: a new push for a space that fosters a work-life balance. From discussing personal stories of triumph, to understanding a business's overarching mission, we are lucky enough to get so much knowledge on how to level up and stand out above the crowd. Join us to learn how to align your creativity and proactivity to create a magnetism that attracts your perfect clients!

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Knowing what drives your ambition is a key aspect of what motivates you to keep going! Without figuring that out for yourself first, you’re much more likely to give up on goals. Our guest on today’s episode of Hazard Girls is Andrea Janzen. She is the founder of Ambition Theory, a professional coaching and leadership development company focused on accelerating women in the construction industry into leadership positions. She is a certified executive coach with an MBA and the host of the Ambition Theory Podcast. Andrea is passionate about coaching women in the construction industry to develop themselves, set leadership goals, and get results. Tuning in, listeners will hear about how Andrea got involved in the construction industry, the story of her first-ever talk at a conference, and why it’s important to answer the question, “What drives your ambition?” She also elaborates on the different courses that are offered at The Ambition Theory, different types of leadership models, and the discrepancy between the different gender-related leadership skills. We end off the podcast talking about the worker shortage issue and whether women are the answer! So, don’t miss out on this great conversation. Tune in, and enjoy!

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Today’s guest has been in the construction industry since the 80s, a time when gender equality was not what it is today. Julie Laughton is a designer, general contractor, and the CEO of Julie Laughton Custom Homes, a unique one-stop-shop design-build service. Between New York City, where she began her career, and Orange County, California, where she is now based, Julie has designed over 500 spaces. Today she joins us to share some of the wisdom she has gained in her decades spent in the male-dominated industry of construction and design. Tuning in you’ll hear how Julie’s mom raised her without any boundaries around what women can or can’t do, how she started her business, some of the most notable projects she has been involved in, and what it’s like being a woman in a leadership role in a male-dominated industry. You’ll find out how Julie’s process works, why her company’s employee retention is so high, and how she developed the leadership skills that she has today. She also shares insight on her involvement in HGTV's Frozen in Time. Julie is the epitome of what Hazard Girls is all about, so tune in today for this inspiring conversation!

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As part of our series of chats with diversity specialists, today we're speaking with Mercedes Gamor. Mercedes is the first-ever Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Specialist at Prime Electric, one of the most prolific electrical construction contractors on the West Coast of the US. Today, she joins us to talk about how Prime Electric is going above and beyond just ‘checking the diversity box’. Tuning in, you’ll hear about how she got involved in the construction industry, how she discovered her passion for DEI, and some of the DEI initiatives she is involved with at Prime Electric, including their Subcontractor Assist Supplier Diversity Program. Her passion overlaps with her role in the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) where she forms part of the National DEI Committee. You’ll also hear about her passion for affordable housing, the lack of this in Seattle, and her work to address this through the Habitat for Humanity Seattle King County Young Professionals Group. To learn more about DEI in the construction industry and some examples of programs that are making a difference, as well as Mercedes’ advice to anyone in a position of power, tune in today!

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