Women are really making a difference in the building service contracting industry.
While it wasn’t always this way, in the past few decades women have made huge strides to become successful BSCs and leaders in the community. In honor of Women’s History Month, we asked a several women from BSCAI to reflect on their journeys in this industry, as well as what advice they’d give to a young woman just starting in the field.
Nathalie Doobin, President & CEO of Harvard Services Group | BSCAI Treasurer
How have you seen the industry change for women since you started?
“I joined the industry in 2012 and since then, I have seen two significant changes for women of the cleaning industry: 1) More companies want to recruit women for client facing positions partly because the real estate and property management world has more women, and 2) For women looking for career growth and networking, they can now access the ISSA Hygieia Network and its industry mentorship program. Mentors are a critical part of both professional and personal development.
In fact, a 2017 study by professional services firm Egon Zehnder found that only 54 percent of women have access to senior leaders who act as mentors or informal sponsors in their career. Especially in male dominated professions, where women often face even greater challenges building networks and embracing feminine leadership strengths, mentoring has proven even more paramount.”
What advice would you give a young woman starting out in the field?
“Get involved with organizations such as BSCAI where you can get a deeper understanding of your business, but also work on your financial acumen, your resilience and a good understanding of ‘people.’ Seeking mentorship such as the Hygieia Network can also help. Goal setting to set expectations early will increase the mentorship potential success rate. Because “trust” is a necessary component of productive mentorships, ‘fit’ is very important and should not be taken lightly.”
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Terell Weg, CBSE, President of MSNW Group LLC. | BSCAI Board of Directors
How have you seen the industry change for women since you started?
“There are more women in the industry than ever before. I remember being fresh out of college and going on bid walks and literally being the only woman there. Today when we do bid walks, most of the time one-third of the crowd are women. It’s a big improvement over the last decade.”
What advice would you give a young woman starting out in the field?
“Find a mentor, soak up all the information you can, become an expert in something, dig into industry events, get connected. The more connections you have, the more you’ll grow as an individual. The peer-to-peer relationships I’ve built over the past 15 years through BSCAI have been instrumental in the development of my career and knowing the path I want to be on.
But there are so many other local peer groups you can join too. Our industry is vast, and there are so many opportunities to have an edge - you just have to discover what that is for you. Find your passion, then study it, own it, and make it known!”
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Kathleen Bands, RBSM, Vice President of My Cleaning Services, Inc.
How have you seen the industry change for women since you started?
"Over the last ten years, there have definitely been more women entering the BSC industry, which I feel helps balance the mentality overall. Because there are more women in the field, men began to shift their thinking relating their co-workers to their family members and female friends, which brings another level of respect to the workplace. I feel that there are still unfair advantages for men in our industry that women will never be able to obtain, however, women are defining their own unique ways to compete. Often we find that people want to work with us because we are women-owned. People feel that whether they are a client or an employee, there will be a higher level of care.
I have also seen a shift from competition to collaboration. At BSCAI, there are not that many women-business owners, but the few that we have in our organization have become some of my closest friends. Being able to connect with someone who has your exact challenges, goals, and passion for the industry can help you in some of your most critical times."
What advice would you give a young woman starting out in the field?
"Being true to yourself is one of the hardest things to accomplish, and one of the most important keys to success. You will face challenges every step of the way, but you will earn more respect by knowing your value. Have confidence that you belong in your role, or a higher position, because you have the dedication and skills to execute your responsibilities extremely well. Treat people with respect, kindness, and professionalism and it will be met with the same attitude. You should also lean on great mentors to help guide who you want to become, amidst everyone else’s opinions."
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Sita E. Morantz, President and Chief Human Resources and Administrative Officer, Marsden Holding, LLC
How have you seen the industry change for women since you started?
"I started in the industry in 2001 when I joined Marsden Holding as its director of human resources. I have enjoyed many opportunities for advancement at Marsden that have brought me to the role of president and CHRAO today. I consider myself lucky to have landed in a company with a tone from the very top of our organization that is supportive and welcoming of women in management and leadership. Outside of Marsden, I have seen much more activity in our industry in recent years with the formation of women’s mentoring, peer, professional and support groups and I certainly see more women in leadership and ownership roles today than when I started. At Marsden, we have been diligent about non-discrimination and harassment of women in the workplace and this diligence has hopefully given Marsden women a safe, comfortable place to work and progress in their careers."
What advice would you give a young woman starting out in the field?
"I would advise young women starting out in our field or any field to carefully select a company that demonstrates it values all individuals and creates opportunities for everyone to progress in their careers limited only by their own abilities and desires. Bring to that company all that you have to offer and get involved in industry and professional organizations to continue your growth and development. Choose to work where women are valued and encouraged to step forward equal to all others. I would say, “speak out and speak up” for yourself, be unafraid to make your career ambitions known and work hard to make it happen. Finally, I would say to temper your ambition by remembering to align with the needs of the company for which you work, it doesn’t work when it is “all about me” - it needs to be balanced with “all about us.”