Women Contractors are Trailblazing Entrepreneurs!

We had the pleasure of welcoming Barb Lau to the show in this episode. Barb is the Executive Director of the Association of Women Contractors. Barb has been the ED for AWC since 2008 and lots has changed since then. AWC was founded by 10 trailblazing women in the construction industry back in 1995; that's right, AWC turns 30 years old in 2025! Because it's been such a vital organization for a niche group of entrepreneurs, it's lasted the test of time and has been a staunch advocate for women in construction since the beginning. Barb talked about being invited to Washington (more than once) to give her input in front of congressional leaders who were seeking to learn more about the needs of women business owners and the particular hurdles they face. Things are better than they used to be, she said, but we still have work to do. We talked about the uncommon amount of support that AWC gives its members. The benefits of joining are evident in the testimonies of those who recently attended a networking Social; stories of how AWC had impacted their business were plentiful.Learning that AWC is an anomaly in the US was quite surprising! Barb said the only other similar group representing women and minorities in construction was established in Houston, so for those in other markets, Barb grants her permission to use her ideas!Listen to the interview here.Connect with Julie Keyes, Keyestrategies LLCFounder, Consultant, Author, Pod-caster and Instructor