Women at WIRC

Qualifying Leads Quick in Today’s Market with Jenny Rice of Icon Building Group

On this episode of Women at WIRC, Pro Remodeler's Director of Content Erika Mosse takes over with guest Jenny Rice, co-owner of Chicagoland-based Icon Building Group.
Rice's work at Icon resulted in a 300% backlog increase in just two years, and on a day-to-day basis, she focuses on sales and design for the company's remodeling division—which she started from the ground up.
Mosse chats with Rice about her process of qualifying leads and discussing budgets in today's market (don't miss her pro tip about including paint in an estimate!).
Find Us:
Pro Remodeler: https://www.proremodeler.com/
Pro Builder: https://www.probuilder.com/
Women in Residential Construction Conference: https://pbprwomen.com/

Women in Buildings Products with Stephanie Martin of 84 Lumber

Stephanie Martin currently serves as the Controller of 84 Lumber Company. In this role, she is responsible for the controllership and financial reporting activities for 84 Lumber Company and its related entities.
84 Lumber is located in Eighty Four, Pennsylvania and is the nation's largest privately held supplier of building materials. As a female-led business, 84 Lumber is lauded for its inclusive workplace, which offers a number of career opportunities for women in construction.
Learn more about 84 Lumber: https://www.84lumber.com/
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Best Project Management Practices with Kareena Gray of Alair Homes Charlotte

From graduating high school early as Valedictorian to getting hired at the Kennedy Space Station because of her persistence, Kareena Gray has always strived for finding the best and most efficient way to do things.
This has allowed her to shine in residential construction and project management, and she recently won a CoTY award for project manager of the year at her local NARI chapter.
"We always have adversity in front of us," says Gray. "It's how you step back, take a deep breathe, and bring all the parties together, and just come up with a solution. I don't need to have the solution myself."
Today, we learn more about Kareena, talk the importance of processes, and what makes an effective operations manager.

Working with Difficult Clients with Cindy Cipriani of Cipriani Remodeling Solutions

Cindy Cipriani loved working with her father on remodeling projects when she was young, and that upbringing spun into business ownerships, with the most recent being co-owner of Ciprani Remodeling Solutions.
Cindy also happens to have a professional background in grief counseling and personal coaching, both of which come in handy as a designer and designer salesperson.
She talks about handling hard client situations and how she approaches her client relationships.
Learn more about Cipriani Remodeling Solutions: https://ciprianiremodelingsolutions.com/
Sign up for our monthly WIRC newsletter: sgc.dragonforms.com/loading.do?omed…R_prefs&PK=LAND
Visit us: www.proremodeler.com

Developing a Pre-Apprenticeship Program for Women with Nora El-Khouri Spencer of Hope Renovations

Nora El-Khouri Spencer didn’t come from a construction background, but her experience working in HR for Lowe’s gave her tools—literally—to start home repairs and eventually making renovations a side gig.
Remodeling is where Nora’s strengths and passions were able to shine. She desired a way to become a “vessel of social change,” as she’s said, so she left Lowe’s and began grad school for social work.
She had witnessed the opportunity gap for women in construction, and saw it even when she interned at a homeless shelter during grad school, where women wanted to explore construction careers but had 0 clue how to start.
That was the spark that would become North Carolina’s first standalone women’s trade training program. Hope Renovations launched in July 2020, and now Nora joins us to share a bit about the journey and what she’s learned about how to make the industry and jobsites better suited for more women in the workforce.
Learn more about Hope Renovations: www.hoperenovations.org
Sign up for our monthly WIRC newsletter: https://sgc.dragonforms.com/loading.do?omedasite=PFR_prefs&PK=LAND
Visit us: www.proremodeler.com

Leadership and Opportunity Growth in Home Building with Lindy Oliva of PulteGroup

Lindy Oliva, president of PulteGroup’s Houston division, entered the industry through a finance position, but it was embracing each opportunity that came her way that got her to where she is today. After years as a residential construction leader, Lindy has settled into her own leadership style and as division president, she adds to PulteGroup’s nationally recognized work environment. She chats with us today about what a good leader is and her experience.

Developing a ’Baby at Work’ Policy with Michelle Lamb of Better Home Texas

Michelle Lamb, owner of Better Home Texas in Dallas, discusses how she made the “Baby at Work” policy for young mothers, designing a healthy company culture, and the best platforms to find specific hires.

Construction, Colonel, and College with Elizabeth Evans of E2 Homes and E2 Roofing

Elizabeth Evans, CEO and founder of E2 Homes and E2 Roofing, grew her businesses, attended the Joint War College, and was promoted to Colonel all during the pandemic.

Stepping into Ownership with Sarah Lawson of S&H Construction

Sarah Lawson only wanted to improve S&H Construction (https://www.shconstruction.com/), the company she worked for as a project manager for nearly a decade. Having had experience owning her own construction business, she pushed her hesitations aside and drew up a proposal to become S&H’s new owner, as its current owners were nearing retirement.
The transition took some guts, time, confidence, and a well-designed plan. But most importantly, it took Lawson believing in her abilities.

Greta Bajrami | Golden Group Roofing

Greta Bajrami, CEO of Golden Group Roofing, shares her journey to home improvement, tips for hiring the right team, and her vision for the future of roofing.