Women in Construction 🚧 This week is Women in Construction Week , and I am loving the support I’m seeing. Co-workers. Colleagues. Contractors. Even strangers. During a time when skilled tradesworkers are in high demand, women have an incredible opportunity to step into careers that are not only meaningful but also lucrative. Careers where the pay rate is nearly equal. Careers where advancement is absolutely possible. Careers where you can build something real, every single

Small Town Buildings As I travel across Texas evaluating and consulting on historic buildings, I see the same thing over and over: many towns have a self-esteem problem. Not on a personal level, but as a town. How a community sees itself can make or break its economic development—and in some cases, its ability to survive. Telling business owners to fill vacant buildings or creating yet another “development plan” doesn’t do much more than telling someone with low self-esteem t

George was a big, burly man. He always picked up his check in person at my Grandpa’s home office. He was quiet and gentle, very polite—always said "yes ma'am" and "no ma'am" to my grandmother, and he never called Grandpa anything but "Boss." I never heard him call Grandpa any other name. The first time I saw The Green Mile, I thought of George. Same kind of build, same kind of spirit.

Even the best contractors eventually face negative reviews. A single 1-star or 2-star rating can feel devastating — especially if you’ve spent years building a solid reputation, delivering quality work, and earning the trust of your community. Here’s the thing: Negative reviews aren’t the enemy. How you respond to them can actually do more for your brand than a perfect 5-star rating. Homeowners and project managers don’t just scan star ratings. They read tone, professionalism

Let’s start with a confession. Most of us treat our hard hats like trusty old trucks. If it still starts, we keep driving it. If it still fits, we keep wearing it. And if it’s covered in stickers from jobs we’re proud of? Even better. But here’s the thing nobody tells you early enough in the trades: Hard hats expire. And no, that’s not a suggestion.

Most people don’t regret painting brick right away. That’s the problem. The damage doesn’t show up while the paint is fresh and the compliments are rolling in. It shows up years later—when paint begins to bubble, when brick faces start popping off, or when moisture appears inside a building with no obvious source. By the time it’s visible, the brick has already been compromised.

As Pete started reading the building (his superpower, truly), she leaned in with: “Why would you do that?” “Are you 100% sure?” “How would that work?” Perfectly reasonable questions… unless you’re a contractor who’s been burned by know-it-all homeowners armed with Google and YouTube. I saw it instantly. She asked a question → Pete interpreted it as a challenge → he drifted as far away from us as possible to go inspect the other side of the building.

In the trades, the crew you work with can make or break your experience. A good crew feels like family. A toxic crew feels like a hazard—physically, mentally, and professionally. And too many tradeswomen learn the hard way that some jobs should’ve been passed on from the start. These are the red flags you should watch for before you ever set foot on the jobsite.

The quote above sits with me, maybe because I’ve lived it so many times. We often think of courage as something loud and dramatic....

As a woman in the trades for over 30 years and a mentor to other women in male-dominated industries, I understand that most of these groups