Who is behind the homes of Santa Barbara? The professional builders and contractors may not always be exactly who you’d think. On March 6, the Santa Barbara Contractors Association held a panel discussion at the Cabrillo Pavilion entitled “Women in Construction.”
The event was moderated by Tim Sulgar, SBCA Executive Director, who introduced the evening by saying, “For every woman on this panel, they built something: a firm, a practice, or a role, that did not exist before they created it.” In Santa Barbara, women are building homes and paths that did not exist before.
The keynote speaker was Kelly Wheeler, Licensed Civil Engineer and Founder of BridgeDoc, with over 20 years in construction. Panel members included Christi Clayton, President of Projects General Construction, Alyssa Perez, Founder & CEO of APE Structural Engineering, and Rainy Dyer, Managing Partner of Deco Drywall & Plaster.
As a Realtor, I appreciate the character of Santa Barbara’s neighborhoods and wanted to learn more about the people doing this work. It was a sold out crowd at the Carrillo Pavilion, with gorgeous sunset views over the ocean. Here are some of my personal notes, to share the inspiration that the speakers offered that evening.
1) Build your own path
There wasn’t one story or path.
Some of the women started in construction early and worked their way up. Others stepped into leadership by seeing a gap, noticing something was missing, and deciding to create something new to fill the void.
Alyssa Perez described starting in the field with a general contractor and loving the energy of the job site. When she later moved into a more traditional engineering setting, she felt the disconnect immediately. She missed the “face-to-face collaboration,” and that became part of what pushed her to build something different.
Kelly Wheeler described her own turning point more directly: “I made a bet on myself.”
2 Learn on the job site
Mentorship came up often in the form of teachers, job sites, and sharing of information from pros who had been doing this work for years, sometimes generations.
Construction is learned by doing. By being around people who know what they’re doing. By paying attention. It’s relational. Knowledge gets passed along over time.
That’s how projects come together. And it’s how people grow into leadership.
Sometimes, you need a little push of encouragement. Christi Clayton spoke about a professor who encouraged her to stay in the industry when she was unsure. The message was: “This industry needs you.”
3 Build credibility
Credibility is earned. Not by talking about it, but by doing the work, being prepared, and showing up consistently.
And by spending time on site. Seeing how things actually come together, beyond how they’re designed. Plans matter. Most people who have been through a remodel understand that.
Wheeler shared a story from earlier in her career about being in a client meeting, knowing exactly what she was talking about, and still not being fully heard until an older male colleague repeated what she had already said. What stayed with her was how she handled it. She focused on what she could control.
Perez’s version was: get out from behind the desk, get into the field, and learn how things actually come together.
4. Communicate
You don’t have to have every answer immediately. But you do need to know how to ask the right questions, connect with experts, and bring people together who have different expertise for the benefit of the client.
Every project involves multiple people: architects, engineers, contractors, designers, clients. Communication is what holds it all together. When it’s working, things move. When it’s not, everything slows down.
Perez talked about how, early on, she thought being strong meant saying no. Over time, that shifted. Instead of shutting ideas down, she started asking Why and working through solutions with clients and builders.
Wheeler put it another way: “The relationship is personal, but the contract is not.”
The work behind the homes
Santa Barbara is known as a beautiful place to grow up, live, work, and be outside doing activities we love.
What we don’t always see is what goes into building our homes and neighborhoods.
Before a home is built or remodeled, there are years of planning, engineering, design, and craftswork behind it.
And the people doing that work, often behind the scenes, have lessons to share as they are shaping this community and clearing new paths forward.
The 3 C’s: community, collaboration and connection.
My colleagues and I spend lots of time in our favorite Santa Barbara neighborhoods. Building a home, creating a safe place to grow up, giving back, always makes an impact on me. These women and men in construction are diverse, professional tradespeople who bring great value to our communities.
Building a home is one thing. Building a path, and helping others along the way, is something else entirely.
If you have questions or advice to share on these topics, or would like to join an event together, please reach out.
Kathleen Rogers is an independent real estate advisor with eXp Luxury, sports and entertainment, as well as an SBAOR board member, Chamber ambassador, Rotary Club member, and active runner/triathlete. DRE #02044953. @WelcometoSantaBarbara. 805-284-3900.
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