Self-employment
These boots were made for workingLong gone are the days when construction sites were virtually off limits to women. Today, women are making their mark in skilled trades and tackling home repairs and renovations. But working with the guys doesn't mean you have to look like the guys, thanks to chick-friendly tools and construction gear. |
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 [ 2008-02-27 ] |
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Lori Mitchell is president and CEO of Tomboy Tools Canada. The company makes chick-friendly tools and construction gear.
"Women in trades are just exploding and we want to support that," says Lori Mitchell, president and CEO of Tomboy Tools Canada. It supports initiatives like Habitat for Humanity Women Build through the donation of such products as work gloves designed for women.
The Winnipeg entrepreneur learned about Tomboy Tools, a Colorado-based company specializing in tools for women, in her local newspaper. She contacted the president of the company, flew to Denver for the weekend and returned home armed with the rights to Tomboy Tools Canada.
It's emerged as the new kid on the home-party block. "Women can try out tools designed to appeal to our smaller hand size, less upper body strength and a different centre of gravity then men and less knowledge or experience with tools," Mitchell says. "Our hammers, for example, have a magnetic nail-head loader so you can start with one hand. No more smashed thumbs."
A dual-finger drill distributes the application of pressure, reducing fatigue in weaker hands. Pliers aren't only smaller than the standard size -- they're also ergonomically fashioned to maximize the torque on a woman's smaller twisting radius.
"I've gone from zero consultants to pushing 200 and expect 1,000 by 2009," Mitchell says. "Reaction has been incredible. At the Metro Toronto Home Show (in January), I heard comments like, 'Finally! Where have you been?' and 'What took so long?'"
According to a real estate report, 51% of homebuyers are women. "Single women are buying homes and are fully prepared to redecorate and renovate," Mitchell says. "If women are going to be good stewards of their home, even a granny needs a good screwdriver. It's not always about knocking out walls and installing electrical. It can be as simple as hanging a shelf."
Tomboy Tools is also appealing to women in skilled trades. "Our pink hard hats are CSA approved for job sites and have been flying out of here," Mitchell says. She plans to include a "women in trades" forum on the company website. "Many women homeowners would feel more comfortable having a female tradesperson in their home," Mitchell says.
Tomboy Trades Ltd., a women's workwear line founded by Marissa McTasney of Brooklin, Ont., also appeals to the female do-it-yourselfer. The collection -- available at Zellers and Home Depot online -- includes boots, tool belts, hard hats, tinted safety glasses and T-shirts in pastel pink and blue, forest green and red.
McTasney launched Tomboy Trades after trading in her corporate day job for the skilled trades. On the first day of training school, she received a voucher for a pair of boots. "Half of the women in the course had to buy men's boots because of availability for women," the mother of two says on her website.
"I asked the sales manager, 'Where were the pink boots?' She responded, 'I get asked all the time.'" McTasney's search for pink construction boots developed into a complete line of workwear for women.
Female-friendly gear is definitely gaining attention, believes Maureen Crawford, director of membership for Habitat for Humanity Canada. "Manufacturers and retailers are seeing females as a real market," she says. "We are starting to see more and more of it on our construction sites."
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