By Aiden Howie
For every woman working in construction, there are about 10 men. Tamara Chase is one of the women making up the minority in the industry. And not only is she a woman working in construction, she’s the proud owner of Chase Roofing and Contracting, a full-service roofing contractor in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Launched in 2002, the company serves residential and commercial clients, offering roofing repair and installation.
Tamara says that while the way contracting is done is often “old school,” that’s not her style. She doesn’t have any female role models in the business, so instead of following in someone else’s footsteps, she has forged a new path, creating and adapting her company in a way that works best for her. That includes asking a lot of questions and learning new skills as often as possible. While it’s not always easy, she appreciates and embraces the challenges.
One of the challenges Tamara has faced over the years is an assumption about women in construction. Suppliers and clients insinuate that she must have the help of a man to pull off a successful roofing company. That way of thinking used to bother her, but she no longer lets it get to her. She’s confident in who she is and in her abilities. She advocates for building strong and strategic alliances, both in business and in one’s personal life, to gain encouragement and support.
Tamara has learned many important lessons for operating a successful business. She says planning is the key to ensuring everyone is on the same page and the business runs smoothly. Knowing where your strengths lie and picking a lane is critical for staying on track. And developing sustainable relationships with people in a multitude of professions is essential for any successful business.
While she’s proud of her roofing company, Tamara also has another project that fuels her passion. Her nonprofit, Emerge, aims to inspire and support women to discover the best version of themselves through public speaking and special programming that promotes leadership and emotional well-being. This work allows Tamara to share what she’s learned through her personal experiences in life and business so other women can see the possibilities and recognize their potential.
Tamara believes women don’t always give themselves the credit they deserve, and she wants to change that. Her advice to women, especially those working in male-dominated industries, is to push forward and not back down. She says to never confuse a lack of experience for inability to complete a task. Once you do the task, you’ll have the experience.
To learn more about Tamara’s businesses, visit ChaseRoofing.com and Emerge-Movement.org.
Photo credit: Chase Roofing Company
About the Author
Aiden Howie is passionate about fighting for equality and the rights of BIPOC and LGBTQ communities, as well as ending hunger. She’s currently attending college in Florida, studying elementary education and Spanish.
About Publish Her
Publish Her is a female-founded and focused publisher dedicated to elevating the words, writing and stories of women. We are passionate about amplifying the voices of women of color, women with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ+ community. We aim to make publishing an attainable, exciting and collaborative process for all. Publish Her specializes in print-on-demand books, workbooks, journals, magazines and more.
