“If This Industry Feels Lonely, You Are Not Alone” – 6 Women Pros Reveal What It’s Like to Work in Fields Dominated by Men

As a woman, I feel quite lucky to work in a field with plenty of other women. But for Cacace and other women in sectors of the home industry like urban design and renovations, feeling undervalued and not able to advocate for themselves is the norm. In honor of Women’s History Month — and badass women everywhere — I interviewed six women professionals in the design and construction fields, asking them about the biggest challenges of working in their field, what advantages there are to working with women in their field, and what advice they have for women starting their careers. And of course, since I’m the House Tour Editor, I had to ask them a little bit about their own homes.

Along with keeping busy with A.Marie Design Build, Angela is also the founder of Move Over Bob, an online resource for women interested in the construction and trade fields. Angela, her husband, and their toddler live in a house on five acres in Apex, North Carolina (located in the NC Triangle, which includes the cities of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill). She says it has the potential to be an adorable country home. “I purchased it with the intention of doing a lot of renovations,” she explains of the house they’ve owned for seven years. The most recent work on her house? Making room for a baby girl in May.

And while she does start each project with a thorough design consultation, using 3D renderings to helping clients choose materials, that’s not where her job ends; she handles all aspects of a remodel from start to finish. “I manage and oversee the remodel, which involves working closely with subcontractors who carry out other licensed trades,” Angela explains. “Additionally, I do throw a tool belt on and manage all the carpentry work, from rough-in framing to finish carpentry. I also design and build custom furniture and cabinetry to ensure the finished product is exactly what my client dreamed up. Once any project is complete, I source decorative pieces to help fill their newly remodeled space or custom-built nook.”

Angela Cacace: The biggest challenge is charging people for my work. I enjoy what I do so much and I have a hard time wrapping my head around this being a job, so I tend to undervalue myself. I think a lot of that comes from never thinking about it as a viable career option. As a young girl, despite always loving home renovation, I never thought it could be something that I could do for clients. The other challenge is overcoming the obstacles of being a tradeswoman. There are not many women tradies, so it can feel exhausting at times to have to correct peoples’ assumptions every time I meet a new face. It’s not a biggie and I’m proud to change their perceptions, but it is a challenge and on certain days feels like an uphill climb.

AC: I think the biggest advantage is being able to work with other woman homeowners. For some, they are very interested in home renovation and are excited to work with a woman contractor with whom they can feel comfortable expressing themselves and collaborating. Another huge advantage is, for the ladies that want to jump in and learn, I have been able to tackle some projects with them. In the end, it makes for a really personalized space and they’ve learned some fun new skills.

AC: Just make the jump and do it! I think women are cautious (which can be great!) but I’ve seen it stop them from pursuing a career. Be prepared to always learn and enjoy the process of making your dream profession a reality. You don’t have to have it all figured out; there is plenty to do and there are people who will be happy to work with you and hire you for your services. Don’t be intimidated by your options, embrace them!

Tiara Hughes says her favorite part about being an urban designer is serving as a devoted activist, educator, and advocate for underrepresented communities and voices. “As a designer, I love pursuing work that emphasizes greater socioeconomic equity and cultural awareness,” she says. Tiara is currently a Senior Urban Designer at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), where she’s a part of the “phase visioning, design and implementation of urban design and planning projects, as well as research for interviews and community meetings to better understand the needs of residents and users of the space,” she describes.

Beyond her work with SOM, she’s a commissioner for the City of Chicago’s Commission on Chicago Landmarks, where she works to “highlight the importance of equitable development and reinvestment in underserved communities while advancing dialogue about the positive impact of historic preservation.” She’s also the founder and executive director of FIRST 500, a “national initiative highlighting Black women architects and raising awareness of their distinction. In doing so, my mission is to inspire Black women to become licensed architects.” She’s also an Adjunct Professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology. She’s lived on the Southside of Chicago since 2016, but just bought a two-story brick house in Chicago’s Woodlawn community last year with her husband Darrick McLaurin and their fur baby, Hendricks!

Tiara Hughes: My challenges began pretty early in my life; when I started my freshman year of high school, the housing complex my family and I lived in became too dangerous for us to remain in, so we had to relocate to a county far from my school. Unfortunately, the schools in our new county were not of the same caliber. Access to a great education was and still is really important to me, so I decided to remain at my former school. This meant waking up at 4 a.m. every morning to take two public buses, a train, and a school bus to get to school on time. Later when I was studying to become an architect, my masters program required a semester abroad, and though my experience studying architecture in Greece was remarkable, I returned from this idyllic interlude to maxed-out student loans. This resulted in a full semester of homelessness.

When I finished my masters in 2015 and made the big move from Springfield, Missouri to Chicago, my goal was to connect with Black women architects and to learn the ropes of the industry. Upon arriving, I quickly learned there was no central resource for Black women architects and their accomplishments. When I dug deeper into the industry, I learned that of the 105,000+ licensed architects in the United States, less than 500 of them identify as Black women. Equipped with this information, I founded FIRST 500, a national initiative dedicated to celebrating and connecting Black women architects.

TH: I bring a lot of drive and passion to my work. When I engage with and advocate on behalf of communities, I always do a lot of listening and researching before I arrive at any solutions. In urban design and planning, it’s important to come with an open mind and be receptive to feedback and collaboration.

TH: When considering what advice to pass along, I often think of what I would tell my younger self when I was homeless in college, fighting to survive and to get my architectural education; when my professors and advisors continuously told me this field and industry may not be right for me. I would tell my younger self — and young women everywhere: if this industry feels lonely, you are not alone. If your ideas are not heard, keep speaking. If one door closes, three will open. Keep going and never give up. If there is no well to drink from, dig until you create one!

Designer, maker/builder, entrepreneur, and tiny house coach Mariah Hoffman has worked in various design or project management roles for about seven years, but she doesn’t focus too much on people’s assumptions about her career. “I think I learned this growing up with mixed-race identity that has felt nuanced and fluid at times. This has served as both a challenge and a privilege,” she says. “The same goes for my creative work. I think some people might see me as a designer, an artist, a builder, a small-business owner, and the truth is I’m a mix of all of those.” Mariah runs her own creative studio, Micro Modula, which started during her journey of designing and building her 156-square-foot mobile tiny home. “I named my house ‘Lola’ (grandmother in Tagalog) in honor of my grandmother who passed away in the Philippines the day that I bought my trailer,” Mariah explains.

A self-taught designer, Mariah offers products, services, and educational courses through Micro Modula, which she hopes can help others (specifically women of color) create their own homes. As a small business owner, she handles all aspects of her business, from marketing, production, project and client management, and more, and even makes jewelry that she sells. And while she currently lives in her tiny home solo, it certainly hasn’t been a lonely affair. “I’ve been able to share this journey with my community,” she explains. “From the friends who helped me build, to my amazingly supportive partner, mom, and sister, to the property owners who have become like family — my sense of home now extends far beyond my four walls.”

Mariah Hoffman: The historic lack of representation of women of color in architecture and construction continues to be a challenge. I worked in an architecture firm of mostly men, and 100 percent of our subcontractors in the field were men. Over the years, I’ve had to call out sexist comments, defend myself against harassment, dodge gaslighting and microaggressions, all while just trying to do my job — it can feel a bit isolating at times. I think more room needs to be made for women of color both in architecture and in the trades. For these reasons, in my own practice, I do my best to cultivate a safe and inclusive environment.

MH: Over the years, I have come to know some incredible badass women in the industry. From fabricators, to interior designers, to furniture makers, to entrepreneurs, to welders. We have formed our own mini-community and continue to find ways to support each other. The biggest advantage that a client gets from working with me is a grounded, intentional approach to design, which comes from lived experience. When I learned to honor my personal story and histories with home, my creative practice benefited. In my e-course “Homecoming,” I coach my clients through my six-step process of planning their intentional tiny house journey. I use the construction phases of building a home as a metaphor to reflect, integrate, and plan for their unique and personalized tiny homes.

MH: My advice for those starting their career or women looking to break into this field is to start small, and just start making things! Seriously. Frame a box, design a room, take a class at a Makerspace or online, play with new materials, paint those watercolors — just get dirty and don’t worry about messing up. Play consistently, with intention, and honor your personal story. With time you will build self-trust and confidence and you will find your authentic creative voice. At that point, it’s game over. It took me a while to realize that my life story and struggles are in fact my superpower.

Carpenter and artist Melissa Celia Garcia, who founded and runs La Matriarca Woodworkings, says her favorite thing about her career is getting the freedom to focus on different things every day. “It’s a great way for me to keep busy and not get bored too easily. I found in many other avenues of work, I felt so unfulfilled and very much like a cog in the corporate world, working away for someone else’s profit/gain,” she admits. “With the business, I get to tailor it to reflect my personal ethics and beliefs and express my creativity through my art, social media, photography, TikToks, and inter-personal relationships with our clients.” Melissa’s been in this field for five years, and along with her team, offers deck rejuvenation, deck and fence repair, and new builds, as well as epoxy resin wood art pieces and tables.

She currently lives with her partner Anjilee and her stepson Ashton in a house in the South Park neighborhood of Seattle that she’s currently doing a little improving on in between client work. “I’m actually in the process of tearing down our existing deck and recreating a completely new one with a hot tub incorporated and a pergola with a privacy screen!” she says.

Melissa Celia Garcia: I think believing in myself was the hardest thing. In this field you get questioned a lot, mostly because folks genuinely don’t know how wood and construction work. It’s not something we ever are really taught; rather a skill you have to actively seek out. Believing in my pricing, knowing my worth, and knowing what I am capable of was fundamental to the flow and success the business has been seeing the past year or two.

MCG: From what I *hear* many women actually prefer working with other women professionals. I do believe there is a sort of automatic trust that’s established knowing we all walk through the world sometimes experiencing the same effects of sexism at the hands of men. Most of my clients express their frustration in the lack of contractor communication and I think that’s an area we excel at. We are not interested in making a huge profit off projects but more so interested in creating a community of women that we can grow with and rely on. It’s a sisterhood and empire of women we are trying to create in Seattle.

MCG: Work hard. Do the “right” thing and be ethical in your decision making and success will follow. Do every interaction with intention, care, trust, and honesty and you are guaranteed to thrive. When you put good out, good comes back to you and I truly believe business success is a mindset and lifestyle.

Bozenka Shepherd is the co-founder and creative director of Woodward Throwbacks, a sustainable design studio based in Detroit that makes furniture and designs spaces using reclaimed and found materials, which she started with her partner and studio co-founder Kyle in 2013. Currently running the studio’s new interior design department, Bozenka’s days are varied. Along with product and space design, she also gets “down and dirty” on salvage jobs, meets clients, and more. “Each day at WT is a little different and definitely eventful.”

Bozenka, who has a BFA in Fine Arts under Transportation Design, actually worked as a car designer for five years but says she started renovating houses and buildings during college. And the 1901 Victorian house she and Kyle have owned for seven years is like a living laboratory of their company’s salvage philosophies. “Since we have formed a career around designing and building with salvaged materials, we have somewhat developed an eye for seeing all salvage, no matter of its style period, as materials that can be transformed into something new,” she explains. “So you might be surprised when you enter our home and see an ornate antique sofa paired with some mid-mod side tables with an old distressed sign for art that we dumpster-dived down the street, all in one living room setting. Almost everything in our home is vintage or either found within our city or from our travels. It’s all about finding that balance of new/ old and vintage/modern… and luckily for us, it works.”

Bozenka Shepherd: A big part of my job consists of working on a job site to get materials. And my biggest challenge to date seems to be getting the respect from the other trades, which [it feels like] are 99 percent male. I practically grew up on job sites since my dad worked in the construction industry. But it wasn’t until I was an adult where it became apparent that women only made up a small percentage of trade labor. Since starting this career I’ve received both positive and negative reactions on job sites, like, “Oh no, let me get this, you’re a woman you shouldn’t be carrying this,” or, “Damn girl, you work harder than my own crew.” I find that holding your ground and getting the work done and doing it well is all you need to do. And that you only need to prove your strength to yourself, not others.

BS: It’s always inspiring to have the opportunity to work with other like-minded women in this particular field. I honestly think we have a subtle difference in how we approach design than men in this industry. As for the advantages of working with me? I think I’m pretty courageous. I will always push design boundaries and challenge clients to think outside the box. It’s all about creating your “own” box, whatever shape it may be.

BS: If I had to give advice to another woman looking into entering this field, I would say this: The key to being successful in this industry is to take no shit; first prove to yourself that you can do this then the rest will follow.

Shay Millheiser started flipping houses 10 years ago, while she was still in college. “I bought a piece of land for $22,000, partnered with a builder, and we split the profits,” she explains. “After flipping over 100 homes by the time I was 25, I decided to use my experience to help home buyers achieve the same outcome for their personal homes.” Shay, who is also a realtor and does everything from the purchasing, financing, designing, and construction of multiple home renovation projects for 10 to 20 clients at a time. “After that, I negotiate remodel bids while designing and sourcing affordable options for a ‘Nordstrom remodel on a Kmart Budget.’ From there, I manage their remodel, contractors, material supply, etc. to keep everyone on-target while problem-solving along the way.”

Shay, who moved to Austin 13 years ago, bought the house she currently shares with her partner Brian and their two dogs when she was 24, remodeling it for three and a half years. “I bought this home sight-unseen and bit off way more than I could chew in my early twenties — it was a borderline teardown,” she admits. “I put most of my time and energy into making money to finance the renovation, but I did design the interior. I’ve spent more personal time wrapping up the final finishes that I couldn’t afford before over the last few years.”

Shay Millheiser: Starting my career as a 22-year-old woman house flipper in the male-dominated construction industry was definitely challenging. It took months and sometimes years to earn my vendors’ respect. But at the end of the day, I was on that job site every day — through rain, floods, and sleet — and was never afraid to glove up and help with whatever was needed. In my opinion, that made all the difference. The fact that I was the person writing their checks helped, too.

SM: Absolutely. Honestly, I feel like being a woman in the industry helped me get where I am today. Sometimes I feel like a “translator” for my clients since I’m able to speak both the language of contractors and the language of in-the-dark/often-confused consumers. Taking a remodel from start to finish comes with a lot of twists and turns, changes, and bouts of bad news. I’m able to use my experience in construction to help problem-solve these issues while using my nature as a woman to deliver bad news and options to clients in a way that minimizes stress and concern. One of my favorite lines is “The bad news is that we have to make a change to the original plan because of ____. The good news is that we have options.”

SM: I find that women breaking into construction let themselves get pushed around in conversations by men who “know more.” What helped me was always being able to maintain a clear head — no matter how frustrated I was or how stepped on I felt in a conversation — to calmly and concisely explain what I needed or where a man contractor was falling short. A key to breaking into an industry dominated by men is to be learning all the time. Whenever I relied on a contractor or vendor for information, I always researched or asked why. Another key to success to breaking a construction and remodel industry dominated by men: Allow yourself the grace to fail but never make the same mistake twice.

These responses were edited for length and clarity.