I’m back with Patricia Haywood chatting about building a thriving career as a woman in a male-dominated field. Patricia has built several businesses of her own and we start this episode off discussing the most important things to consider if you’re starting your own business.    So many people think of talking to a lawyer prior to starting a business or naming a business, but as a lawyer, Patricia thinks you should first talk to an accountant. There are so many moving pieces to the conception and launch of a new venture and most of them have to do with money. Hence, talk to an accountant before anything else.    We also dig into the reasons that we as a society need to focus less on higher education and more on trades. While she is using her degree, it’s not in the same way that it was necessarily intended. In fact, she even mentions that if you’re going into law, go into with another passion in mind. Hear why.   Most important is understanding how your experiences translate into transferable skills. Everything that you do builds skills that you can bring to the job market. You just have to drill down to the core of what you’ve done and learned.    One question we both discuss and delve into is why women are leaving the workforce in droves. Patricia has several thoughts on this phenomenon and also ideas about how we can stop the leaking pipeline.   Patricia and I continue the conversation in part three. Keep listening to hear the finale of our discussion.   In this episode: [02:10] Patricia shares some advice about talking to an accountant before starting your business. [04:36] If you want to protect your intellectual property, then you need to talk to a lawyer. [08:02] She talks about who she associates with on a day-to-day basis. [11:00] I talk about having a degree in theatre but working for a company with wind turbines. [12:24] See your time in college or at university as a time to network more than education. [16:26] Patricia believes in transferable skills, everything you do gives you skills that you can use in life. [20:28] She discusses how complicated things in construction are because it’s hard to compete with large companies. [23:39] Listen as Patricia shares her new company and why she created it. [26:19] She talks about what she has found when researching women in all industries. [28:22] We need to fix the pipeline that is leaking and keep women from leaving the industry. [30:42] We will create more seats for women by starting more businesses and creating opportunities for them. [34:32] She discusses the next challenge women need to overcome once they are in the industry. [36:16] Women need to have the same pay, same rights and responsibilities in the construction industry. [36:54] Patricia shares some challenges she has faced and overcome in her career. [39:31] Tune in next week for the final chapter with Patricia Haywood.   Links and Resources: Connect with Patricia: Master Buildhers Heightened BADASSERY Podcast Patricia on LinkedIn Master Buildhers on Instagram   Connect with Siobhan:  Industry ExplorersIndustry Explorers Facebook GroupIndustry Explorers on FacebookIndustry Explorers on InstagramIndustry Explorers on YouTubeIndustry Explorers on TikTokBook a Connection Call   Love the show and want to help support us? Donate to our Ko-Fi Account. We love providing you with these stories, tips, and recommendations, but it takes a lot of time and resources. Keep the podcast going and donate today!