Today we’d like to introduce you to Molly Wilson.
Molly, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started working in the heating and air conditioning industry about 17 years ago, right out of high school. My first job was working nights in a busy heating and air conditioning office, entering invoices, cold-calling customers and scheduling appointments. Wanting to make more money, I knew I had to get a degree or learn a trade. It was at that point I asked if the owner would train me in the field. Since that wasn’t part of their plan for me, I entered into a heating and air conditioning trade school. After graduating, I was picked up by a large heating and air conditioning company doing mostly annual maintenance and working my way up into service technician, over several year periods.
Over the years I worked in every aspect of the business, from office to sales, management and from service and repair to installations. Through the lull in the economy, I found myself doing whatever positions I could, using my previous experience to keep working. There were some tough times, with layoffs and hourly cutbacks, but I managed to stay afloat. After that period, it took a long time for the economy to recover and I found myself working very hard to make my way in the industry. I knew that in order to be valuable in a sea of hungry technicians looking for work, I had to offer more than my peers. It was then that I began marketing all of the skills I had gained throughout my career.
Without knowing it, I was molding myself into becoming an entrepreneur, taking on bigger and more demanding roles. At the same time, I was working very hard to maintain a strong level of value, in the work that I was doing so that I could keep working above the rest. As time went on, companies continued to run out of work or they closed their doors altogether. I knew that at that point I would try to venture out on my own and build my own business if I was going to survive. 4 years later, we are still going strong, doing the kind of work that we are proud to sign our names to and getting wonderful reviews and feedback.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has not always been a smooth road. It’s not a card I like to play, but the reality of the truth of women in the trades has not always been a glorious one. I think that times have changed and that those who have come before us have really pioneered the way for how things are today. I’d like to think that in my short 17 years that I was part of that group of strong women who were able to set a precedent for doing the job equally to our male counterparts. There are still not very many women who work out in the field in my industry, but there are an elite group that do exist.
There was a time when customers would answer the door with this questionable expression and look behind me to see if I had brought one of the guys with me. As time has gone on, I feel that my confidence in my ability to speak about and do this career has surpassed the curiosity of many of those people. I think that they still see me as a woman, not just a person, but more so as someone who knows what they are doing. This isn’t just about being a woman doing a non-traditional job or about men vs women and their roles in this industry. The struggle comes from persevering through tough challenges.
To be a successful troubleshooter, you have to have a lot of experience and knowledge. You must be able to reference that experience while thinking about the big picture. Your mind must be able to work through problem-solving, through testing and interpreting the information that you are receiving. Not everyone is equipped to be able to do that, so for me to be a part of that group, is really a feat in its own. The economy is so important to our industry, even though there will always be an immense need for heating and cooling. If consumers are not spending money, then we do not have work or they may be reaching for the discount coupons.
I’ve had to work very hard at instilling value in the services that we provide so that customers can see why quality over those discount jobs can save them in the long run. We actually have capitalized on those fly by night companies who do shady work and leave their customers feeling taken for. The internet and the availability of information and parts, has played a difficult role in my industry. People are moving towards a DIY society, to help save themselves money. I do not blame them.
The cost of living has become so high that they are forced to look into other avenues to help themselves and so people are trying to cut corners to save a few bucks. I will say that my experience and knowledge is something that you can’t channel through the internet. People still need and find value in a professional.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
We are a heating and air conditioning service, repair and replacement provider. We also provide indoor air quality services such as duct cleaning and sanitizing, air filtration, humidification and air purifying products. We are most known for, “the lady that does heating and cooling”, but also for our pink logo. The aspect that I am most proud of as a company is our reputation for being honest and doing quality work. We have really amazing reviews and people feel safe, that we are trustworthy being in their homes.
What truly sets us apart from most companies is that we really care about our customer’s concerns and the quality of the job we are doing. We are the type of company that pays attention to details. We take pride in the job that we are doing, even if that means we have to spend a little extra time making it right. I can confidently sign my name at the end knowing that not only are they going to be satisfied with the work they hired us to do, but that we are satisfied with the craftsmanship that we provided.
What were you like growing up?
I have always been a tomboy, but pride myself on loving the girly things in life. With three older brothers, I was always trying to do everything they could do. We were a sports-loving, play in the dirt, competitive kind of family.
What separated me from my siblings is that I have always been mechanically inclined. I was very curious about how things worked on the inside and would often take things apart to figure them out. It wasn’t uncommon to find me wanting to help or wanting to fix a vehicle by myself. On a different side, I was very artistic. I would spend hours drawing, painting, coloring and creating. From a very young age, it was obvious that I had a talent for art.
Throughout school, I won many awards and honors through art. I loved art and always thought that I would do something with my artwork, but life had taken me in a different direction. I did, however, create the character on our logo. I would say that I always wanted to be friends with everyone. I have always enjoyed laughing and joking around.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 815-347-3882
- Email: mollymechanical1@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mollymechanical/
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
