Daddy’s Little Girl. Popular phrase since the 1920’s. But what does it really mean?
Often, it’s correlated with dad being highly attentive to their daughters and girls being spoiled as dad’s pride and joy.
Was this me? Everyone said so, and today I would agree. It was a blessing and a curse.
Daddy’s Little Girl
My dad had great respect for women and treated them, as some call it today, the old-fashioned way – as ladies. He walked curbside, opened and held doors, always paid for dinner, took care of the family, the house, and the car, and was the breadwinner.
Yet my dad was somewhat ahead of his time. As daddy’s little girl, he knew it was a man’s world and wanted to make sure I could survive in it and be “one of the guys.”
If my dad was doing it, I would be right there alongside him. Our heads were under the hood, fixing the car. Both of us were on our backs under the sink, fixing the plumbing. We stood together at the workbench as he taught me how to use all the basic tools in the tool belt and fix just about anything. He taught me how to read a tape measure, do fractional math, and draft.
Dad wasn’t done teaching at the trade level. He taught me how to manage money, avoid debt, and save, to the point that at 24 years of age, I bought my first car, a brand-new Chevy Trailblazer, for cash. Dad taught me poker, sheepshead, and cribbage. He taught me to be one of the best muskie fisherwomen around. I could handle a boat, rod, and open-face reel better than any guy I ever dated. And dad set me on the path to becoming a professional bowler, a member of the United States Bowling Congress TeamUSA, and a three-time Hall of Famer.
Most people look at me and would never guess I was “one of the guys.” Why? Because dad also thought women should be ladies. I am always in nice clothes, accessorized, hair and make-up done, and in my signature high-heeled shoes.
Career Choice
When it came to my career, life was a different story.
In today’s world, women can be anything they want to be.
I am from the era where I was told what I needed to do and what I could not do.
I was required to go to college. Why? I could not support myself or get a good job without a degree. I had no idea what I wanted to do.
Because I could use a tape measure, tools, and draft, my dad got me a part-time job at a small tool-and-die company. I was hired to do mechanical drafting and technical writing. My talent had me on the shop floor using drill presses, lathes, and grinders, as well as on the assembly line. I loved the trade environment and decided I wanted to be a mechanical engineer. No. Why? The shop floor was no place for a lady. Try again.
With a strong art background and drafting experience, I decided to become an interior designer with my own firm. No. Why? I would never make it because I come from a blue-collar family and was not immersed in a world where people could afford designers. Try again.
While I was being told “no” and trying to figure it out, I went to college as my dad insisted, and four years later, I walked out with three bachelor’s degrees. They would end up serving me well, but I still had no real path to what I wanted to do, or what I could do, as daddy’s little girl.
Life Today – A Woman in Construction
Fast forward twenty years. I am in the trades where I wanted to be in the first place.
I went back to school, earned an interior design degree, and became a co-owner and general contractor at Welhouse Construction Services, a full-service design, build, and remodel firm. Then, I took that base to the next level by advocating for the professionalism of the remodeling industry nationwide as Executive Director of NARI Milwaukee.
Today, I own Welhouse Consulting, a firm that works with NARI, its various chapters, remodelers, trade partners, and designers across the country. I am bringing my degrees, experience, and proven track record to help these businesses reach their full potential.
Women in Construction
I share my story as we celebrate Women in Construction Week. Today the opportunities for women are endless. There is no more “No.” You can be on the shop floor, designing luxurious homes, framing them, roofing them, heating and cooling them. Or be a CEO of a construction company or a business that supports them. We can be “one of the guys” and still be a lady – daddy’s little girl.
With today’s labor shortage, women can help fill the gap. Teach us, mentor us, and give us the opportunity to be part of the team.
Ladies, go live your dreams – the trades have endless opportunities, and they need your talent!
