“Connect” and “empower” are powerful words, especially in business. These words are more in focus when you consider the people and skills that go into building a home. Adam Nugent and Kate Strong are joined by Kristin Smith, founder of The House That She Built. Together, they talk about the opportunity and obligation to cultivate an industry that values diversity and inclusion within the workforce and recognizes women in an industry that sometimes overlooks their incredible value. Learn how the teamwork of like-minded individuals can connect and empower communities!
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Kristin Smith, founder of The House That She Built, organized the first all-female construction team to build a house in the U.S. The house recently sold, and the proceeds were put toward scholarships and charity. In this podcast excerpt, she talks about the impact the project has had on attracting women to the construction industry.
AN: Have you noticed that there’s been an increase or more women that have come become curious about entering the construction industry? Have more women come to the table since this project started?
KS: We recently did a high school job fair. And what was really interesting is that you had your nursing schools, your dental hygienist, this, that, and the other. And there actually were some construction companies up there, but it was all men. We were getting the girls coming and talking to us, and they would’ve maybe never thought that construction was something they’d want to do. There were even a couple of girls there that told us, “I’ve been waiting for you.”
When I talk to some women, they tell me that they wished we were around when they were going through architecture school or electrical school or plumbing because they didn’t have anybody that looked like them. The thing that has stuck with me the most is that I don’t want another person to quit because they didn’t have community to help them through.
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