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Should we focus on developing skills for professional purposes or personal fulfillment? For Gina Schaefer, majority owner of A Few Cool Hardware Stores, our resumé and our lifestyles can be one and the same. The entrepreneur emphasizes the importance of her experiences, drawing parallels between her success in business and skills she has developed in other aspects of her life. In the first half of this conversation with Sylvia, Schaefer challenges us to see our own potential demonstrated in what we ourselves choose to do.
[1:06] No Girls Allowed
Although she didn’t realize it at the time, Schaefer’s journey to entrepreneurship had roots at her very first job. A teenage girl employed at a Northeast Ohio hardware store, she was quick to notice gender-based divisions in job responsibilities. Other discrepancies, such as those in pay and integration into company culture, made themselves apparent from there. Her time at the small town hardware store gave her valuable insight on what the world could look like for women in male-dominated spaces. This early experience was her catalyst to create change.
[1:37] Building Her Own Place
As economic turmoil reshaped the town around her, Schaefer identified an opportunity to manifest her vision of a more equitable employment environment. The financial crisis of late 90s brought a wave of foreclosures and construction projects to the area, and so she worked to fill a niche by opening up her first hardware store in town. By doing this, she was able to both provide well-paying jobs for her neighbors and highlight the credibility of women as craftsmen..
[2:30] Old Ideas, Deconstructed
Outdated notions of gender roles can be particularly restrictive for a woman in a ¨traditionally male industry.¨ As a female hardware store owner, Schaefer encountered casual sexism on a daily basis. Customers frequently came into the shop asking for a man, dismissing female team members on the basis of their gender. These attitudes have real impact on the careers of women and minorities. She has worked to counteract this perception by curating a workforce that reflects the general population, with splits close to 50-50 from associates to management.
[5:13] Traditionally Human
On the subject of ¨traditionally male fields,¨ Schaefer frames the concept in an especially incisive fashion, pointing out that most jobs began under this description. ¨What is not a traditionally male job?¨ she asks while highlighting entrenched ideas of provider role against domestic role. Instead, the entrepreneur encourages us to look at the individual skill set of a person. Every aspect of being human involves some set of skills, from maintenance to team coordination. These skills translate into every industry, as business skills are most often life skills as well.
[7:57] Experience and Expertise
Operating a brick-and-mortar store is a challenge in the best of times, but in difficult moment leadership skill can be a matter of survival. Schaefer has done her best throughout the COVID crisis to devise solutions that work for her team members, her customers, and her business. Expressing gratitude for being named an essential service during the global health crisis, she places an emphasis on maintaining knowledgeable, fairly compensated staff. In a marketplace dominated by faceless big box stores, the talent of individuals is her most valuable resource.
[11:09] A Talent-Centric Approach
In a homogenized world, connection is a commodity in and of itself. With a constant eye on the position of her business in society, Schaefer places a great value on the human element. Personal relationships and community building are at the core of her business model, as she works to employ dedicated associates with specific knowledge instead of generalized employees. Services like stocking items by customer request and actively seeking out specialty products based on local needs are hallmarks of her strategy to compete with industry giants.
About Gina Schaefer:
Website: afewcoolhardwarestores.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gina-schaefer-56380a8/
Email: info@acehardwaredc.com
Connect with MindTeam Solutions:
Website: https://ca.linkedin.com/company/mindteamsolutions
Email: Info@MindTeamSolutions.com
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/company/mindteamsolutions