3 Women Founders On How They Broke Into Male-Dominated Industries

Breaking into male-dominated industries requires more than talent and ambition. From tech to construction industries, these women founders are challenging norms, defying expectations and inspiring young people to chase their dreams.

Though women represent 57.4% of the U.S. workforce, they only account for a minority in several industries. They are underrepresented in several sectors compared to their overall employment share, accounting for only 11% in construction, 15.4% in mining, 28% in transport and utilities, 28% in agriculture and 29.2% in manufacturing.

The overwhelming gender imbalance is prevalent in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. In 2021, only one-third of STEM employees were women.

These three women are testaments that others can make strides in various industries.

Robin Thorne is a chemical engineer and CEO of CTI Environmental, Inc., which provides regulatory compliance, hazardous material abatement and construction management to government agencies, industrial companies, and commercial businesses.

After transportation, the construction sector has the highest fatality rate among all occupation groups. CTI Environmental, Inc. offers safety training to help companies protect their workers from accidents and fatalities.

In 1991, Robin studied accounting and then realized it wasn’t for her.

“The ways that accountants use math didn’t fit with my curiosity in how things work and how to improve them and make them more efficient,” she said. “That’s how I found engineering — it let me take my math and science skills and combine them with problem-solving.”

Using her chemical engineering degree, she worked at several polyurethane foam businesses before becoming an environmental, health and safety manager. She also expressed how she didn’t receive the same level of respect as her peers in the construction industry.

“I’ve gone into rooms where I’ve been ignored because the assumption is that I wasn’t the person in charge, but I was,” she said. “It was my project. Or having a seat at the table with the client and being ignored.”

She also founded DemoChicks — a nonprofit organization that provides mentoring, scholarships and workshops to encourage women to pursue careers in STEM. 

“I am a big proponent of the idea that if you can see it, you can be it,” she said. “If we can show young women the number of different ways that they can use an engineering degree, we can change the conversation about what kinds of jobs they ‘belong’ in.”

Dr. Magreth Mushi is the Chief Executive Officer of the Tanzania Education and Research Network (TERNET), which aims to transform research and education through information and communication technology. She got her computer science degree and Master’s in Computer Applications Security at the University of Dar es Salaam. Dr. Magreth holds a Doctorate in Network Security from North Carolina State University, where she published 12 peer-reviewed publications, including five in high-impact journals.

“Being a woman, my society expects me to take care of the family (raising children, family and neighbors relationships, etc.),” she said. “In addition to these roles, I am expected to function like the male CEOs. This places an extra burden on me and women like me. It is not easy to balance these roles.”

Dr. Magreth is a board member and mentor at GetMAGIC — a mentoring program that helps young girls enter STEM fields. She’s mentored more than 450 girls in the U.S., Tanzania and India.

“I like to encourage girls that the STEM field is one that both boys and girls can venture into and succeed,” she said. “Unfortunately, girls have been facing obstacles when trying to venture into the field because of harmful social norms, beliefs and practices that confine women mostly to the domestic sphere.”

Sashe Ivy owns the largest African-American woman-owned construction firm in the Chicago area. As a realtor, she was often the only woman on construction sites, but encounters with two women working as an electrician and a plumber inspired her to become a licensed general contractor (GC). She admits it wasn’t easy breaking through the glass ceiling.

“I was the only female on construction sites and at that time I was a realtor,” she said. “I kept thinking about the idea of being a lady GC.”

Sashe’s inspiration for Pink Hard Hatz came during a male-dominated community development meeting. Seeing the lack of women in the room sparked her desire to create her own company and bring more women into the construction sector. She also shared some challenges her business faced, particularly when they went viral.

“When we went viral on social media, we were attacked for being the largest African American women-owned and operated construction firm in a male-dominated industry,” she said. “We were getting nasty phone calls. We had over 200 spammers hit our business page with fake reviews. It was a nightmare. Being a woman in construction is harder because they don’t take you seriously.”

Despite the backlash, the brand received positive feedback. Sashe said she believes their excellent service and commitment to customer satisfaction set her business apart.

“I would tell ladies, let your passion become your purpose,” she said. “If there is anything you really want to do, don’t let anyone or anything stop you. Just follow your dreams.”