The home service industry, traditionally dominated by men, is undergoing a significant transformation. Melanie Powers, president of Goodberlet Home Services, is leading this change.
Powers is redefining the role of women in trades like HVAC, plumbing, and electrical services, setting a new standard for company operations in this space. Under her leadership, Goodberlet has become a beacon of innovation and inclusivity, challenging traditional gender dynamics.
Breaking industry barriers
In a field where women have historically been underrepresented, Powers has made a substantial impact. Her journey from an industry outsider to the president of Goodberlet Home Services is a testament to her resilience and serves as a blueprint for women aspiring to enter non-traditional fields.
Powers has invested heavily in her professional development, continuously earning new certifications and attending training programs to expand her expertise in HVAC, plumbing, and electrical work. This commitment to continuous education has not only enhanced her technical skills but also bolstered her credibility within the industry.
Recognizing the importance of connections, Powers actively seeks mentorship and meaningful relationships within the industry. Leveraging these contacts for opportunities and advice has allowed her to build a robust professional network that supports her growth and success. Demonstrating leadership and expertise, Powers leads by example and maintains high service standards, earning the respect of her peers and clients while showcasing the capabilities of women in her field and challenging traditional gender dynamics.
As president of Goodberlet, Powers has implemented policies promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, making the company a welcoming place for women and other underrepresented groups. She fosters an inclusive workplace culture, ensuring everyone feels valued and supported. Furthermore, Powers uses her platform to speak out about the challenges women face in the industry, advocating for more women to pursue careers in trades. By sharing her experiences and offering practical strategies for overcoming industry barriers, she encourages and inspires other women to follow in her footsteps.
Powers’s journey highlights the importance of resilience, continuous learning, and the power of leading by example. Her story serves as an inspiration, showing that with determination and the right strategies, women can succeed in traditionally male-dominated fields. As more women follow in her footsteps, the home services industry and other similar sectors will continue to evolve, becoming more inclusive and diverse.
Transforming customer engagement
Powers has noticed a shift in home decision-making, with more women taking the lead in managing home services. This demographic change has prompted a strategic pivot in how the company interacts with its clientele, particularly focusing on the nuanced needs of female customers.
Recognizing that women often undertake extensive research and value safety and empathy, Powers guided her team toward a more consultative approach. This method emphasizes listening and understanding over traditional, aggressive sales techniques, ensuring that conversations about services start with questions about comfort, needs, and expectations.
Under Power’s guidance, Goodberlet has evolved into a benchmark for customer engagement, emphasizing open dialogue and transparency. The company’s ability to provide potential clients with comprehensive information empowers them to make decisions that best suit their households without feeling pressured to commit immediately. This approach respects the consumer’s autonomy and builds lasting trust and loyalty.
Powers is dedicated to providing a respectful and inclusive environment, which she achieves by focusing on safety and meticulous attention to detail during service calls. Aligning Goodberlet’s values and practices with the priorities of female decision-makers has allowed Powers to enhance customer satisfaction while contributing to a cultural shift toward gender equity in traditionally male-dominated industries.
Building a supportive work environment
Fostering an empowering and supportive work environment has been a fundamental pillar of Powers’ leadership at Goodberlet. Understanding the importance of inclusivity and diversity in fostering innovation and employee satisfaction, she has implemented several key initiatives aimed at making Goodberlet a community where everyone feels valued and supported.
Powers recognizes the balancing act many employees perform between their professional responsibilities and personal lives, so she has introduced flexible work arrangements, allowing team members to manage schedules around significant life events and family commitments. This flexibility is a testament to her belief in the importance of work-life balance and her trust in her team’s commitment and productivity, regardless of the conventional work hours.
Additionally, Powers is a staunch advocate of equal pay for equal work, ensuring that all employees — regardless of gender or background — are compensated fairly based on their experience and contributions to the company. This policy is part of a broader commitment to equity and fairness that runs through every level of the organization.
Powers has also implemented opportunities for ongoing learning and professional development for her staff. By sponsoring trade school programs and apprenticeships, she not only enhances the skillset of her team but also demonstrates her commitment to their long-term success and satisfaction. These efforts have cultivated a workplace culture at Goodberlet that champions equality, education, and empowerment, setting a benchmark for other companies in the industry.
Melanie Powers’s Legacy
The impact of Melanie Powers and Goodberlet Home Services extends far beyond the boundaries of their immediate business operations. Powers’s visionary leadership has seen the company experience remarkable growth, expanding its services and scaling its operations by over 600 percent.
More importantly, however, is the cultural shift spearheaded by Powers within the traditionally male-dominated services industry. By championing diversity, equity, and inclusion, she has reshaped her company’s internal culture while influencing the broader industry narrative around gender roles and opportunities for women in skilled trades.
Powers’s efforts have laid a foundation for a more inclusive and progressive sector, inspiring other women to explore careers in HVAC, plumbing, electrical work, and beyond. Her success in demonstrating that women can lead and innovate in these fields has helped challenge long-standing stereotypes and opened doors for future generations of women tradespeople.
The legacy of Melanie Powers and Goodberlet Home Services stands as a testament to the power of authentic leadership. As the company progresses and expands, its influence in empowering women within and beyond the industry remains a beacon of possibility, breaking barriers and challenging biases along the way.
Through their work, Powers and her team are building a more inclusive and equitable future for all.
