1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,080 This is Tradeswomen Together with me, Hattie. 2 00:00:02,080 --> 00:00:02,920 - And me, Steph. 3 00:00:02,920 --> 00:00:05,400 - Today we've got some amazing guests coming to speak 4 00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:08,440 with us all about their 2026 goals. 5 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:11,320 What this new year is gonna be looking like for them. 6 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:12,160 (upbeat music) 7 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:16,320 Tradeswomen Together with Hattie and Steph on Fix Radio. 8 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:17,840 - The Builder Station. 9 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:20,280 - So what about you then, Steph? 10 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:22,840 Are you, how'd you prepare for the following year? 11 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:23,680 - Do you know what? 12 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:27,600 I am probably like an optimistic, 13 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:29,760 worst nighmare, me and me, 'cause I just go, 14 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:31,000 oh, it's just another year. 15 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:32,160 (laughing) 16 00:00:32,160 --> 00:00:33,960 - Whatever will be, whatever will be. 17 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:36,080 I'm very case sora sorah, you know what I mean? 18 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:38,240 I'm just, if I set myself goals, 19 00:00:38,240 --> 00:00:40,400 I'm only just set myself with disappointment sometimes. 20 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:42,160 You know, I just wish for health and happiness 21 00:00:42,160 --> 00:00:44,400 and I just go, right, let's just play on, 22 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:46,760 see what comes and the opportunities that are forward 23 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:49,480 are two as women not even thinking about it is amazing. 24 00:00:49,480 --> 00:00:50,800 - You know, there's a lot to be said for that 25 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:53,520 because in some ways if you fix yourself, 26 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:56,240 you don't see things outside, yeah? 27 00:00:56,240 --> 00:01:00,040 So I think that's a really good approach for us. 28 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:02,360 We do a lot of advocacy and events and what have you. 29 00:01:02,360 --> 00:01:05,520 So we've got to plan ahead all the time. 30 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:07,800 So we usually do a bit of a roundup 31 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:10,080 and then we plan and say, right, 32 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:12,680 we wanna make sure we've done certain number of things. 33 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:14,800 So as business women, we kind of 34 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:17,320 think of it more as a world domination plan. 35 00:01:17,320 --> 00:01:17,920 (upbeat music) 36 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:21,200 - Tradeswomen together with Hattie and Steph. 37 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:23,040 - Joining us now we've got Courtney, 38 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:25,880 director of CS Country Contracting. 39 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:29,600 She holds N-Paws and CSCS qualifications 40 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:32,360 and that skill, professionalism and dedication 41 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:34,640 is the backbone of her business. 42 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:37,160 Now in this business she works on all sorts of projects 43 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:40,520 alongside her colleagues, including a bear enclosure. 44 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:41,760 - Ooh, wow. 45 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:43,720 - So it seems like business is booming for you Courtney. 46 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:47,320 So it would be interesting to see how you step this up 47 00:01:47,320 --> 00:01:49,000 a notch in 2026. 48 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:51,560 So we've got planned what a success look like for you. 49 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:54,440 - There's quite a few jobs in the pipeline. 50 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:56,840 We do have a very exciting project 51 00:01:56,840 --> 00:02:00,720 that we'll be working with Southern Water on hopefully. 52 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:03,640 That sees us through for a good few years, 53 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:07,560 but I'm very mindful to stay to my roots 54 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:10,480 and still look after my local customers. 55 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:12,800 The Isle of White, where we're based, is a small place. 56 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:16,520 So I still like to fulfill things for them. 57 00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:17,840 - Yeah, it is a small place. 58 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:18,680 - Yeah, it is a bit. 59 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:21,120 So what does your day to day look like? 60 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:23,480 Just so we can give people an idea of why 61 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:26,760 N-Paws, CSCS qualifications cover, what do you cover? 62 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:29,280 - Okay, so sometimes there's not every day 63 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:31,000 that I utilize those. 64 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:34,200 They are very much for site to work. 65 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:36,560 My private work sort of fencing and things 66 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:39,880 in people's gardens, I don't really utilize them. 67 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:42,160 But if I was to go to a site in the morning, 68 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:44,720 it's just the usual week we sign in. 69 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:47,040 Sometimes they have to check all the tickets again 70 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:48,880 and make sure they're all in dates. 71 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:50,720 And then I spend a lot of my time 72 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:53,360 all my tickets are machine based. 73 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:54,760 - Right, yeah. 74 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:58,120 - So all diggers, everything like that. 75 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:00,360 And then the day starts from anything, 76 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:02,960 from simply digging a hole for an archaeologist, 77 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:04,200 which is quite exciting, 78 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:05,760 because you never know what you're going to find. 79 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:06,600 - Yeah. 80 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:09,320 - All the way through to prepping grounds, 81 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:12,400 working with ecologists, it is very exciting. 82 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:13,240 - Good stuff. 83 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:16,760 - So with your Southern water, did you say? 84 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:21,200 - Yes, so with them, you basically have got like, 85 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:25,040 bare earth and then you do the first gouges into the earth. 86 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:27,600 - Yeah, so I'm very much working with them 87 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:30,200 on the first phase at the moment. 88 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:34,080 This is a big project that will go on three, four, five years, 89 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:36,400 perhaps longer, because let's be realistic, 90 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:38,520 everything takes longer than it's supposed to. 91 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:41,280 - Especially if you find things like bones and things. 92 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:42,120 - Bodies and things. 93 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:43,880 - And up is an archaeology project. 94 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:45,760 - We want to just know, have you found a body? 95 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:47,280 - I haven't found a body, 96 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:51,160 but I have found something very exciting to do with a mammoth. 97 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:53,040 - Oh! 98 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:53,880 - Yes. 99 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:57,560 - Which I think probably being on the Isle of White is expected. 100 00:03:57,560 --> 00:03:59,360 I think we have a very good history here, 101 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:02,120 but it was a very exciting day for the archaeology scene 102 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:03,200 that I was working with. 103 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:05,920 - Wow, so they suspected something and they got you in 104 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:07,240 and you found it? 105 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:09,200 - Yeah, we found it. 106 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:11,400 And to be fair, when I did all my tickets, 107 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:14,240 I didn't think that I would be finding parts of mammoths, 108 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:16,880 you know, it's broad, it's out there. 109 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:19,600 - Well, I think it's really interesting to talk about stuff 110 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:21,800 like that because people really don't realize 111 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:24,360 how broad and exciting our industry, 112 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:26,640 or the different things about our industry are. 113 00:04:26,640 --> 00:04:28,360 So, fantastic. 114 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:30,920 - I think a lot of people think you just put your boots on 115 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:33,720 in the morning and you're sort of knee deep in mud. 116 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:37,080 and it's all very disappointing, labor-intensive, 117 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:41,160 but actually you can learn a lot beyond the construction world. 118 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:42,360 - Absolutely, absolutely. 119 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:43,360 - Yeah, yeah, yeah. 120 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:44,680 Speaking about next year now, 121 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:48,440 so what mindset shifts have helped you to reach goals 122 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:51,720 for this year and what will you do next year? 123 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:56,120 - Yeah, so I'm very much, when I started the business, 124 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:58,240 I'm not sure if it's because I'm female, 125 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:01,560 or it's just my personality, I'm very much a yes person. 126 00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:04,680 Even if something's not possible, I will just say yes. 127 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:06,240 - We all know that feeling, don't we? 128 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:07,240 (laughing) 129 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:09,800 - I think we're all slightly guilty of that. 130 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:12,720 So I've really had to implement saying no, 131 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:15,360 and that's to benefit one, the business, 132 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:19,240 to my wellbeing and family time as well 133 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:22,800 and just not being tired and run down, 134 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:26,600 taking time out, I'm very close to my mum 135 00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:30,120 and that's very important to spend that time with her. 136 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:32,080 So taking it back to that, yeah, 137 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:34,840 I've really implemented the saying no, 138 00:05:34,840 --> 00:05:37,600 I will do all I can for my customers, 139 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:39,720 but I think it's really important 140 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:41,680 to remember I can say no. 141 00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:43,920 - Yeah, and also doing all you can, 142 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:46,760 it's not like infinite, you can't continue infinitely. 143 00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:49,960 So when you say I'll do all I can, that has a limit. 144 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:50,800 - Absolutely. 145 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:51,800 - And it's a problem, don't you? 146 00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:53,160 - You gotta be careful you know that people please. 147 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:54,800 - Yeah, you gotta be careful. 148 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:58,960 - And I am that person, even if I know it's not possible 149 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:01,080 to do, I will make it happen. 150 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:04,960 And then you start, you end up doing the seven days a week 151 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:07,560 and it just has a knock on effect to the future 152 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:08,880 and people aren't happy. 153 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:09,720 - Yeah, absolutely. 154 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:11,720 I turn up sometimes at my mums of a weekend 155 00:06:11,720 --> 00:06:13,000 and I'm just a burnt out 156 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:15,960 and I just, I can start arguing, whatever. 157 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:18,600 And it's all because I've done too much in the week 158 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:20,080 and I've not left enough in the tank 159 00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:21,800 for the weekend for myself. 160 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:24,520 - Yeah, and that's, you know, that is a big thing 161 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:26,760 because I think it's very easy to forget 162 00:06:26,760 --> 00:06:28,640 that you do have a life at home outside, 163 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:31,040 that digger or outside that site and job. 164 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:32,400 - Yeah, definitely. 165 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:36,840 So now then, let's talk a bit wider about the industry 166 00:06:36,840 --> 00:06:41,320 and what changes would you like to see in 2026? 167 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:44,320 How do your goals fit into that vision? 168 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:46,280 - So I would really like to see, 169 00:06:46,280 --> 00:06:48,680 I was thinking about this recently 170 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:52,240 and I feel like for females in the trade, 171 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:54,640 there isn't that stepping stone of leaving school 172 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:57,200 and being able to come into construction, 173 00:06:57,200 --> 00:06:59,200 whether that be as a plaster, a plumber, 174 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:01,760 any kind of trade or a machine operator, 175 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:04,240 there isn't that stepping stone there. 176 00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:06,640 You know, I was terrible at school, 177 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:10,040 I'm not academic at all and I think it's important 178 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:10,880 that it's put out there. 179 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:14,080 You don't have to have the best GCSEs, A levels, 180 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:17,480 university credentials to come into this field. 181 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:21,200 There just doesn't seem to be that option at the moment 182 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:24,280 and I have been approached on the island 183 00:07:24,280 --> 00:07:29,280 to go and do some speaking and put across how I made my way. 184 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:33,760 So I think that will do me well personally as well 185 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:35,920 because it will give me the confidence to speak out 186 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:39,640 and it also gives me a sense of doing the right thing 187 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:42,640 and guiding these ladies into this for the future 188 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:45,520 but specifically being on the island, 189 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:49,800 you know, it's not easy to get in to this kind of work. 190 00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:51,040 It's tough. 191 00:07:51,040 --> 00:07:52,840 Yeah, so if you've got a few of you 192 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:56,160 and some like-minded people to make it easier. 193 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:59,040 Yeah, okay, well listen Courtney, 194 00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:02,600 I hope 2026 is everything you want it to be and more. 195 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:04,120 Yeah, thank you. 196 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:05,640 You sound like our kind of girl 197 00:08:05,640 --> 00:08:06,440 Yeah. 198 00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:07,840 What the four of you went around you 199 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:09,160 and take those opportunities? 200 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:10,160 Yeah, absolutely. 201 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:11,160 Yeah. 202 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:13,560 So thank you so much for giving us your time today 203 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:14,960 for our podcast. 204 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:16,160 Thank you, I've loved it. 205 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:17,360 Great. All right then. 206 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:18,360 Bye. 207 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:18,880 Thank you. 208 00:08:18,880 --> 00:08:19,880 Bye-bye. 209 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:20,680 See you soon. 210 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:23,000 You're listening to Trades Women Together 211 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:25,200 with Hattie and Steph for Fix Radio. 212 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:27,600 Fix Radio for Builder Station. 213 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:29,280 Next up, we've got Rhea, 214 00:08:29,280 --> 00:08:31,160 the self-employed soul trader, 215 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:32,160 painter and decorator, 216 00:08:32,160 --> 00:08:35,560 but also dear to my heart, a qualified plumber. 217 00:08:35,560 --> 00:08:36,360 Ooh round her. 218 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:37,360 Yeah. 219 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:39,160 She's had many jobs after leaving college, 220 00:08:39,160 --> 00:08:40,760 but didn't like having a boss. 221 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:41,760 Yeah. 222 00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:42,760 Yeah, I know that. 223 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:43,760 Very cool. 224 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:44,760 So it went straight on to help with her dad 225 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:46,160 with a decorating business. 226 00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:48,760 And 23 years later, here she is. 227 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:49,760 Wow. 228 00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:50,760 Well done. 229 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:51,760 So tell us, Rhea, 230 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:52,760 are some of the biggest challenges 231 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:54,640 that you face when juggling work, 232 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:58,760 scared jaws with customers and home life and all of that? 233 00:08:58,760 --> 00:09:02,160 It is difficult trying to balance for me the paperwork 234 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:04,160 and being out in the job and sourcing tools, 235 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:06,960 but I'm very, very lucky that my wife, 236 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:08,360 actually, works from home. 237 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:09,360 Right. 238 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:12,360 So she can pick up and all of this sort of house stuff, 239 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:13,360 really. 240 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:15,560 But honestly, if that wasn't the case, 241 00:09:15,560 --> 00:09:17,160 and she was out at work as well, 242 00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:20,560 I probably wouldn't be able to do as many kind of hours 243 00:09:20,560 --> 00:09:21,760 on the tools, you know? 244 00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:24,160 I'd have to be at home to do that, 245 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:26,160 but I don't know how some people do it. 246 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:29,360 So yeah, kind of a little clap there for the people 247 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:30,360 in the background, you know? 248 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:31,360 I'm going to join you. 249 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:32,360 Yeah, yeah, me too. 250 00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:34,360 Can we have her number please? 251 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:35,360 There we go. 252 00:09:35,360 --> 00:09:38,360 Yeah. 253 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:41,960 So have you got any goals? 254 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:44,960 Have you got ideas that you want to explore? 255 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:49,360 How are you going to move your business forward in 2026? 256 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:49,960 Sure. 257 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:51,560 So from being a sole trader, 258 00:09:51,560 --> 00:09:56,160 I've worked alongside my dad and I've worked alongside another lady, 259 00:09:56,160 --> 00:09:59,760 however, we're both independent sole traders. 260 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:04,560 And I've really been toying with the idea of maybe trying to take on an apprentice 261 00:10:04,560 --> 00:10:09,160 or take on some more stuff because my diary and my books are so busy, 262 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:11,960 I'm turning away more work than I'm taking on. 263 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:15,560 I mean, at the moment, I'm kind of like booked up to August next year. 264 00:10:15,560 --> 00:10:19,560 And actually, I'm losing some bigger opportunities for the fact 265 00:10:19,560 --> 00:10:22,360 that people kind of don't want to wait that long. 266 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:25,160 So it's definitely a scary step, 267 00:10:25,160 --> 00:10:29,360 but I think it's one that I'm going to have to take to grow the business. 268 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:33,960 Yeah, yeah, well, I mean, I think a lot of tradeswomen find that they are, 269 00:10:33,960 --> 00:10:36,160 just stacked all the time. 270 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:38,160 Yeah, it's really hard to manage everything, isn't it? 271 00:10:38,160 --> 00:10:42,360 Yeah, and maybe I kind of I book myself back to back as well. 272 00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:45,760 And then if something does go wrong or if there's an issue with the van, 273 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:47,360 there's no leeway. 274 00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:50,760 I need to give myself a little bit more leeway as well. 275 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:51,760 Yeah, you do. 276 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:55,760 And also, let's just bring up the wellbeing word. 277 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:58,960 You know, you need to make sure that you're not burning yourself out. 278 00:10:58,960 --> 00:10:59,960 Or because... 279 00:10:59,960 --> 00:11:02,160 Well, I'm off to Egypt tomorrow for two weeks. 280 00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:04,160 Oh, I know. 281 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:07,160 That's not worried about Rhea burning herself out. 282 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:08,160 I'm burning. 283 00:11:08,160 --> 00:11:13,160 You could start sun burning yourself out of burning yourself out of burning. 284 00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:14,160 Exactly. 285 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:15,160 Exactly. 286 00:11:15,160 --> 00:11:17,160 That is one thing I do do to be fair. 287 00:11:17,160 --> 00:11:20,960 I work really hard, but I do enjoy my holidays. 288 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:24,360 I do probably have three to four holidays, 289 00:11:24,360 --> 00:11:27,760 but to be honest with you, that's where I can put family time comes in 290 00:11:27,760 --> 00:11:30,560 because I'm kind of tired and really busy. 291 00:11:30,560 --> 00:11:33,560 And that's sort of special time with my son and stuff. 292 00:11:33,560 --> 00:11:38,560 So I do schedule that in, but yeah, it can be belonging between that. 293 00:11:38,560 --> 00:11:39,560 Yeah. 294 00:11:39,560 --> 00:11:42,560 I try to take like an afternoon off or something. 295 00:11:42,560 --> 00:11:45,560 And then what happens is, I'll probably inevitably book work in. 296 00:11:45,560 --> 00:11:49,360 but it means I've got the ability to be able to book that overspilling 297 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:50,560 if something goes wrong. 298 00:11:50,560 --> 00:11:51,560 Yeah. 299 00:11:51,560 --> 00:11:55,560 Yeah, you know, when I was on the tools, I used to work. 300 00:11:55,560 --> 00:11:59,560 First of all, I started working 24/7 because I felt like I couldn't turn anything away. 301 00:11:59,560 --> 00:12:00,560 Yeah. 302 00:12:00,560 --> 00:12:03,560 And then I started just working five days a week. 303 00:12:03,560 --> 00:12:06,560 And then I went down to four days and I'd spent, 304 00:12:06,560 --> 00:12:09,560 but I'd still be working on the fifth day, but just not on the tools. 305 00:12:09,560 --> 00:12:10,560 Yeah, me too. 306 00:12:10,560 --> 00:12:11,560 Yeah. 307 00:12:11,560 --> 00:12:14,560 And then I'd be working three days on the tools, one day looking at jobs 308 00:12:14,560 --> 00:12:15,560 and one day doing a book. 309 00:12:15,560 --> 00:12:19,560 So I was working still five days, but three of them were on the tools. 310 00:12:19,560 --> 00:12:20,560 Yeah. 311 00:12:20,560 --> 00:12:22,560 Because it's not the work that brings in the money. 312 00:12:22,560 --> 00:12:23,560 It's the invoicing. 313 00:12:23,560 --> 00:12:24,560 Exactly. 314 00:12:24,560 --> 00:12:25,560 Exactly that. 315 00:12:25,560 --> 00:12:26,560 I think it's fair. 316 00:12:26,560 --> 00:12:28,560 I mean, I find it. 317 00:12:28,560 --> 00:12:36,560 Well, I find out I spend a weekend kind of maybe one a month and I book in four or five jobs to go and look at on a Saturday. 318 00:12:36,560 --> 00:12:45,560 And then it's all Saturday afternoon and Sunday, as you say, is taken up with the paperwork and maybe trying to go and source materials. 319 00:12:45,560 --> 00:12:46,560 It kills a whole weekend off. 320 00:12:46,560 --> 00:12:47,560 Yeah. 321 00:12:47,560 --> 00:12:49,560 So it gets away from any family time and rest. 322 00:12:49,560 --> 00:12:50,560 Yeah, that's right. 323 00:12:50,560 --> 00:12:55,560 But yeah, these are all things that I do want to start taking into consideration for next year. 324 00:12:55,560 --> 00:13:01,560 I mean, as I've got busy or I'm kind of working longer hours and look, it's not even worth me. 325 00:13:01,560 --> 00:13:02,560 I love it. 326 00:13:02,560 --> 00:13:09,560 And I get paid well, but it takes away from the family aspect to have opened the business up a bit more. 327 00:13:09,560 --> 00:13:13,560 I'll have that bit more freedom to be able to. 328 00:13:13,560 --> 00:13:19,560 Well, I mean, and the other thing, of course, is when you take on your apprentice, who's going to leave on jobs. 329 00:13:19,560 --> 00:13:21,560 Is it going to be a woman? 330 00:13:21,560 --> 00:13:23,560 Do you think you're looking for a women? 331 00:13:23,560 --> 00:13:25,560 I would like to keep it. 332 00:13:25,560 --> 00:13:28,560 I would like to keep it like that. 333 00:13:28,560 --> 00:13:39,560 There's a few new newer to the trade ladies who aren't necessarily apprentices, but I've kind of had a chat with a couple of those to maybe come and stay and work with me for a week or two to. 334 00:13:39,560 --> 00:13:45,560 They are getting some experience, but they're kind of, I've had quite an influx of people asking. 335 00:13:45,560 --> 00:13:48,560 And of course, you've got to be careful who you pick. 336 00:13:48,560 --> 00:13:49,560 Of course. 337 00:13:49,560 --> 00:13:55,560 I think, different might be like that might be a good start. And then, yeah, definitely, a female apprentice. 338 00:13:55,560 --> 00:14:01,560 Because you've got to make sure that they're still, that they are meeting the quality that you are. 339 00:14:01,560 --> 00:14:05,560 Are you probably so accustomed to, finding a clone as the other thing to do? 340 00:14:05,560 --> 00:14:07,560 It is so hard. 341 00:14:07,560 --> 00:14:13,560 I mean, I get messages constantly saying, you know, I haven't got much work on, can I come and work with you? 342 00:14:13,560 --> 00:14:21,560 But it is even a safety aspect to someone else being in the house and then having to sort out obviously the right insurances and... 343 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:26,560 It feels like you lose money at first, but you know, in the long term, your really not. 344 00:14:26,560 --> 00:14:31,560 When I worked on me and I thought, I can't give this away because I am my brand. 345 00:14:31,560 --> 00:14:33,560 And I really struggled with that. 346 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:37,560 But I employed my two lads and they're fantastic. And you know, I get people messaging me saying, 347 00:14:37,560 --> 00:14:43,560 "God, they clean up like a woman." And I'm like, "Yeah, they were taught to." 348 00:14:43,560 --> 00:14:47,560 So for me, and they feel so comfortable with them in their houses and that's all I need to know. 349 00:14:47,560 --> 00:14:51,560 They can do the job. They make people feel comfortable and they clean up after them. 350 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:53,560 Fantastic. Absolutely. 351 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:55,560 And it's hard to find. 352 00:14:55,560 --> 00:14:58,560 Yeah, it is. And I own more money now. I've got them too. 353 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:02,560 And me, rather than just me on me own, trying to keep hold of my own wages. 354 00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:05,560 It's just the best thing to do. Yeah, you won't regret it at all. 355 00:15:05,560 --> 00:15:10,560 Quite a few people have said that. And that's what's making me kind of lean more towards it. 356 00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:14,560 You know, when I have got the patience and I want to teach people. 357 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:18,560 So, yeah, just that job. But I'll get there. 358 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:22,560 Yeah, so don't ever think that you're going to lose money or lose credibility because you wont. 359 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:24,560 Yeah, doing things the right way you want. 360 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:26,560 Yeah, exactly. Exactly. 361 00:15:26,560 --> 00:15:29,560 I hope it's great that we got to speak to you finally. 362 00:15:29,560 --> 00:15:30,560 Yeah. 363 00:15:30,560 --> 00:15:34,560 And have a fantastic 2026, Rhea. Thank you so much. 364 00:15:34,560 --> 00:15:36,560 Well, there you guys too. 365 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:38,560 Great, cheers. All right. Bye. 366 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:39,560 Bye. 367 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:41,560 Tradeswomen together. 368 00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:43,560 Fix Radio. The Builder Station. 369 00:15:43,560 --> 00:15:48,560 Joining us now we've got Jenny Jones used to be one of our stopcock plumbers down on the South Coast. 370 00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:57,560 And she's doing a call, and she's asked if we can help promote something that she's providing four trades women. 371 00:15:57,560 --> 00:16:00,560 Great. So, I thought this was a perfect opportunity for that. 372 00:16:00,560 --> 00:16:05,560 So, Jenny, welcome to the podcast and just tell us a little bit about that. 373 00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:07,560 Yeah, well, of course I'm doing it. 374 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:10,560 It's a master's degree in creative writing. 375 00:16:10,560 --> 00:16:16,560 So, what for under assignments? I'm going to be running a one hour online writing workshop for trades women. 376 00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:20,560 So, it's titled writing for resilience. 377 00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:24,560 And as it suggests, it's a wellness wellbeing workshop. 378 00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:29,560 And it gives us time to check in with ourselves to see how we're feeling. 379 00:16:29,560 --> 00:16:39,560 And a time to come together with other trades women to perhaps talk about any sort of issues or stories or anything we want to share with each other. 380 00:16:39,560 --> 00:16:48,560 And tell us, why do you think you're obviously done this because you feel that writing is cathartic in some ways. 381 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:50,560 Theapeutic, it helps. 382 00:16:50,560 --> 00:16:53,560 So, can you just expand a little bit on why you think that? 383 00:16:53,560 --> 00:16:54,560 Yeah. 384 00:16:54,560 --> 00:17:01,560 Well, when I'm out working on the tools, plumbing, I'm a plumber. It's a really difficult job. 385 00:17:01,560 --> 00:17:05,560 And I find it really busy during the day. 386 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:10,560 Come home and I'm still thinking through all the jobs and all the things associated with that job. 387 00:17:10,560 --> 00:17:12,560 And I don't ever really switch off. 388 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:21,560 And I find that writing lets me slow down some hope in we can explore a little bit of that in the workshop. 389 00:17:21,560 --> 00:17:25,560 Yes, yes, great. So tell us when are these workshops happening? 390 00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:28,560 It's just a one-off workshop, one of them. 391 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:32,560 It's on Sunday January the 4th at 6pm. 392 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:35,560 And you can book your place on eventbrite. 393 00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:44,560 So if you go to the eventbrite website and then you can search for the name of the workshop, it's called "Writing for Resilience". 394 00:17:44,560 --> 00:17:49,560 And then when it asks you the location online, and then it pops up in there. 395 00:17:49,560 --> 00:17:52,560 And it's just a case of following the links to book. 396 00:17:52,560 --> 00:18:00,560 Well, thanks Jenny. We've squeezed you into this podcast because we think it's really important that women have access to your course. 397 00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:04,560 So book yourselves online and it's just an hour, isn't it? 398 00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:06,560 Yeah, one hour. Fantastic. 399 00:18:06,560 --> 00:18:10,560 Well, thanks Jenny. Thanks a lot and I hope loads of people come to it. 400 00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:11,560 Yep, that'll be great. 401 00:18:11,560 --> 00:18:12,560 Thank you. 402 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:13,560 Have a great 2026. 403 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:14,560 And two. 404 00:18:14,560 --> 00:18:15,560 Bye, bye, bye. 405 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:16,560 Bye, bye. 406 00:18:16,560 --> 00:18:19,560 Tradeswomen together with Hatty and Steph. 407 00:18:19,560 --> 00:18:23,560 Thank you so much for joining us on TradesWomen Together. 408 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:28,560 Today we spoke about setting goals for 2026, both personal and business. 409 00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:41,560 We spoke to Courtney Sanderson from CS Country Contracting and she was very much talking about not being a people pleaser and trying to just, you know, get more of a work-life balance. 410 00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:43,560 That's really important, isn't it? 411 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:50,560 Yeah, and it comes with experience, I think, but if you're not well enough, you can't do the job so you need to look after yourself. 412 00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:52,560 Absolutely, absolutely, yes. 413 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:57,560 So that was words of advice from and to Courtney. 414 00:18:57,560 --> 00:19:08,560 And we also spoke to Ria Kirby, a sole trader and a painter and decorator who has somebody running all the business side of it. 415 00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:19,560 Before her butch, she still works 24/7 and buys me two or something on Saturday and she was thinking that for 2026 she might take on somebody and try and unload. 416 00:19:19,560 --> 00:19:26,560 We hoped you enjoyed it as much as we did and you know, is ever this show is not just for us, it's for you as well. 417 00:19:26,560 --> 00:19:36,560 So please get in touch with us if you want to hear us talk about anything or if you want to tell us anything that you think we might be interested in talking it or be a guest even. 418 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:42,560 Yeah, just drop us an email, it is studio@fixradio.co.uk