By Ashish Sanal
There Is No Glass Ceiling When You’re On The Roof: Grace & Grind Retreat Inspires Women In The Roofing Industry
Women in the roofing industry gathered last week for the first annual Grace and Grind Retreat to empower each other, cultivate relationships, and to enhance all aspects of a woman’s life. Kate Ratcliffe, Marketing Manager, Robyn Johnson, Head of People, and Veronica Bouchard, Product Knowledge Expert attended this event on behalf of Leap and came back empowered, energetic, and excited! Leap was proud to sponsor the Pajama Party activity at the event.
We’ve asked Robyn, Kate, and Veronica to answer some questions about the event and what they learned from women in the roofing industry.
How did the speakers empower you the most?
Robyn – “It was my first exposure to the industry, and I now understand the broad reach of the industry. I met women who get on the roof, insurance adjusters, kick-ass sales managers, and business owners. I learned there’s more to the job than just getting up on the roof. I met women who are consistently pushing boundaries, breaking stigmas, and building community to empower one another.”
Veronica– “Many of the women speakers survive traumatic events and managed to get out of those situations and grow their businesses, while still caring for families and other responsibilities.
How do you plan to bring what you learned at the retreat to back to the office, the industry, and beyond?
Kate – “Don’t dull the shine to make men around us feel more comfortable and not apologize for authenticity. One thing I took away from Grace & Grind is I can learn how to be myself while working within the system I have. The women who presented do just that, every day.”
What is one inspirational quote or topic that stuck out to you most for women in the industry?
Veronica – “The 1% Rule. The concept that even if you feel tired or unmotivated, give your goals at least 1% of your effort and you’ll find that you can usually give a little more. Even if you can’t, you’re at least building those habits that will help you get to your goal!”
This event was created to help empower women in roofing. How do you plan to empower women in the industry moving forward?
Robyn – “As Leap’s Head of People, I have a personal goal of hiring more women. There is definitely more room for women at Leap and in the roofing industry and I’m excited to get started on those efforts!”
Kate – “I want to give more space for women in the industry to have a voice. Leap is dedicated to offer more training and content directed to women in the industry and exposing more contractors to going digital.”
Veronica – “I feel like I’m in a position at Leap where I get to guide and help the industry through transforming their business by going digital. I love that part of my job and it makes me excited to come to work every day.”
Robyn Johnson says, “There is no glass ceiling when you’re on the roof.” One of the major takeaways that was expressed by the Leap attendees was how women in roofing don’t look at themselves as competitors, even the ones in the same market. They empower, uplift, and continue to build support systems to help them push boundaries (grace) and take their businesses to the next level (grind). Thank you, Grace & Grind, for an amazing first event!
Are you a woman in roofing? Check out our latest eBook!
How to Run a Business with Your Spouse (Especially When You’re the Boss)!