Career Options
Thriving business caters to female homeownersFemale contractor ain't 'workin' for the man' no moreAmong the growing number of women taking advantage of the abundant career opportunities in the trades is Linda Johnstone. |
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 [ 2007-10-17 ] |
As head of Tomboy and Company, her own contracting company, Linda Johnstone performs general handiwork, painting and light renovation work for clients across the GTA.
As head of Tomboy and Company, her own contracting company, Johnstone performs general handiwork, painting and light renovation work for clients across the GTA.
Johnstone enjoys a thriving business that caters in large part to single female homeowners who feel more comfortable hiring a female contractor.
In addition to carving out this niche market, Johnstone has found that being a woman in the trades offers other advantages.
"Most of my clients say that they think women pay more attention to detail," says Johnstone, 36. "They also say we're more likely to clean up after ourselves after a job, and follow up to make sure everything is the way it should be."
It's the kind of work ethic that keeps Johnstone and the subcontractor she often hires working continuously on short-term, week- or two-week long jobs, as well as ones that may last months and fetch up to $8,000 to $10,000.
Johnstone didn't foresee this kind of career momentum back in 1994, when the St. Catharines native moved to Toronto and enrolled in George Brown College's full-time one-year Furniture Woodworking and Refinishing program. Covering carpentry materials, tools and techniques, the program provided a great way for her to formalize an evening and weekend renovation hobby.
Two years later, eager to join the booming home renovation industry, Johnstone returned to George Brown and signed up for the full-time two-year Building Renovation Technician program, which focused on construction, building renovation and carpentry techniques, the Ontario Building Code, and running a successful business.
The curriculum was thorough and the teachers supportive, she says, and the two co-ops she completed at Men At Work General Contractors Ltd. laid the foundations for her career.
After the program, she was hired on by Men At Work to work as a project manager, which involved hiring and monitoring subcontractors, meeting with building inspectors and communicating with home owners.
By 2005, Johnstone felt confident enough in her trades experience and business skills to start Tomboy and Company. Her positive relationship with her previous employer continues to be fruitful, Johnstone says, and it's now the source of 75% of her referrals.
To stay up to date, Johnstone plans to take specialized continuing education courses at the college to achieve a Canadian Construction Association Gold Seal Certificate. She has taken one so far, called Concrete Principles.
She also took part in a 10-week program through the Toronto Business Development Centre on being a successful entrepreneur and developing a solid business plan. She says that so far, her company has exceeded the financial forecast in her plan by double.
Her momentum will slow slightly next year -- she's due to give birth to her first child this New Year's Eve. But she says she'll continue running the business with the help of subcontractors and plans to be back in the saddle full force by the summer of 2008. At that point, she says, she's going to explore new ways to expand her business, including doing renovation consulting work for homeowners.
No matter what route her business takes, she's intent on continuing to work in the trades and to work for herself.
"I definitely like the aspect of being my own boss, and working with my hands," she says. "As an entrepreneur, I can respond well to clients, perform to the best of my ability and be responsible for my own work. I haven't had a bad experience yet."
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