Breaking through construction industry barriers takes more than technical skills – it requires the courage to step up when others try to keep you down. With women making up only 10% of the construction workforce, most in administrative roles, meaningful change demands both expertise and leadership. For those working to transform the industry, success often starts with childhood moments that spark lifelong passions, followed by years of hands-on experience and hard lessons about power, trust, and accountability.
Today, Delaine A. Deer, who began her career in the trenches of the construction world as a Master Plumber, is now channeling her decades of experience into creating opportunities for other women to forge their own paths to success.
Learning From the Ground Up
For Delaine, construction wasn’t just a career choice – it was part of her childhood. “I started construction when I was about five years old. My father used to bring plans home and he would let me ‘color’ them,” she recalls. Those early experiences sparked a lifelong passion for building and creating. By 15, she was working as a plumber’s apprentice, and within a decade had earned her master plumber certification.
Her father’s influence went beyond technical skills. “My father always encouraged me to just go after everything,” Delaine says. This encouragement led her to start her own company at 25, though the 2008 recession would later force its closure. That experience, which she details in her first book, taught her valuable lessons about leadership and accountability.’
Facing Challenges Head-On
One pivotal moment came during a project meeting when Delaine’s expertise as a Master Plumber was underestimated. The general contractor had called a meeting to discuss her work but hadn’t invited her—they didn’t realize she owned the company. Instead, they asked her father to attend. “He walked in, sat down one seat away from the head of the table, and said, ‘That chair’s for you,’” Delaine recalls. When she hesitated, he insisted she take her place and lead the meeting. The lesson was clear: “I can’t hide behind anyone. If I want to run a company—if I want to achieve more in life—I have to step up.”
Delaine didn’t just step up—she came prepared. She had collaborated with the manufacturer to design a more effective installation system. When her expertise was challenged during the meeting, she confidently called the manufacturer to validate her design. Their response was unequivocal: “As the manufacturer, we will not warranty that system at all,” they confirmed. “If you do it the way Delaine has designed it, we will warranty your system.”
Mentoring and Empowering Women
Today, Delaine focuses on empowering other women in construction. Through her work with the nonprofit AbodesJoy and her own initiatives, she’s mentored over 100 women. Her approach emphasizes hands-on experience and learning through trial and error. “I want you to make a lot of mistakes,” she tells her students. “If you learn how to fix it, then you always will know how to do it.” This philosophy creates a supportive environment where learning feels safe. “I’m here. I’m the net,” she explains. “I’m going to let you fail, but I’m also going to be there to build you back up.”
Drawing from her experiences both as a business owner and mentor, Delaine offers three essential tips:
- Trust your instincts – they’re your inner compass, helping you navigate even the most challenging situations.
- Put things into action. “Without action, you can’t grow,” Delaine emphasizes. She points to her wife’s mid-50s career change as an example, leaving a corporate job to pursue her passion for helping others through acupuncture.
- Keep moving forward. “Even if you fail, even if this business doesn’t work this time, it doesn’t mean it won’t work the next time,” she advises. “Learn from that and keep going.”
Her teaching style emphasizes vulnerability and trust. One student, terrified of power tools, had never used a circular saw despite growing up watching her male relatives work with them. When she finally made her first cut, “she just collapsed out of pure joy that she was able to overcome and grow and accomplish something,” Delaine shares. Visit her webpage www.delaineadeer.com or her LinkedIn profile to learn more about Delaine’s work empowering women in construction and leadership.
