Celebrating Women's History

In honor of Women’s History Month, we sat down with four of The Bridge Group’s finest, to learn about their experiences as females in a historically male-dominated industry. These women are smart, strong, and passionate and it’s an honor to have them on our team serving our clients. Meet the panel!

What inspired you to get into the construction industry?

SS: I came from a family where nothing was a barrier. It was “Go and get an education and be the best you can be”. That expectation allowed me to have the ability to think, “I can do these things. In fact, not only I can, but I will”.

EC: I actually started in residential real estate. It’s the delivery that really inspires me to do real estate in general. Nobody likes moving, nobody likes picking up and going, but that look on their face when they move in and they have so much gratitude…It’s that moment. That inspires me.

How has female mentorship impacted your career?

SH: I started off in a male dominated industry and then went to go work for an architect who was a woman. Seeing the
strength and seeing the respect and the knowledge that a lot of these women out there have has been really
inspirational and gives me the ability to say “Why can’t I do it?” instead of “I can’t do it”.

NC: When I entered the Construction Management and General Contracting world, there were a lot of women in
leadership positions there…when the opportunity presented itself, whether it was my direct management or even
somebody that I had to work on a project with, I just learned as much as I could, no matter where it was coming from… for me there is an opportunity to learn from anyone that I cross paths with in this industry

EC: The [mentors] that have stuck around are those who really take the
time to say “This is what I did, this is how I felt, this is how I navigated
that”. Even some that are just starting out in the industry- project
coordinators, admins, there’s still a lot to learn from them…a lot of us get
stuck in our ways because we’ve done this for so long and don’t know
how else to do it. So even younger women in the industry serve a mentor
role and they don’t realize it.

What's the best piece of advice you've received in your career?

SH: I think just the whole idea of “Why can’t we do that?” You don’t have
to ask permission, you can just do it. And do the best you can at it.

SS: Don’t let what people say to you prevent you from advancing. If you
say “This is not for me because of the things people say” Then you’re the
one who loses out and frankly, so does the industry.

EC: [an older mentor] said, “Get over the fact that you’re a woman in the
industry, you’re going to hear that until the day you die
because you’re a woman and you are in a predominantly and historically
male occupation”. She said. “So what? Get out of your head and think
beyond that”. That wisdom is what I look for in somebody at a higher
level.

Is it important for young women entering the field to seek out
other women in the industry?

SS: Always. I think every time we see individuals in roles that we didn’t
see previously, as a society, we benefit.
NC: I think it’s important for them to see and know other women in the
industry and form those relationships. There’s not enough talk about
what’s it like on site, what’s it like when you’re the only woman sitting at
the table and you’re the one who has to lead because you’re the client
Rep or you’re the one in charge of contracting the whole team. I just think
that it’s something that it would be great for more women to hear.

"When you
bring
diversity into
the picture, it
brings a
richness that
doesn't exist
from a
single point
of view "

SHEIDEH SHANAHAN

"You don't
have to ask
permission,
you can just
do it. And do
the best you
can at it."

STEPHANIE HAMILTON

What sets women apart from their male counterparts
in this industry?

SH: A lot of the time we don’t bring our egos…we just bring our
knowledge. There’s no arm wrestling in the room.
SS: I think when you bring diversity of any kind, whether it be gender,
age, or religion, you see the entire picture. If everyone is the same,
then their perspective, their frame, is the same. But when you bring
diversity into the picture, it brings a richness that doesn’t exist from a single point of view.

How do you support the women on your team?

SH: By giving them the opportunity to try new things, to learn new
things and to really push their limits. Part of being a human is learning
and making mistakes, fixing those mistakes and then feeling more
empowered.

SS: Compassion and empathy.