Her Enterprise Helps Ladies Earn in a $6.3B Business: 'Rewarding'

[ad_1] Moniqueca Sims, proprietor of SSG Equipment Academy, bought her first glimpse into the equipment restore trade whereas relationship a person who labored within the house. "He labored on a regular basis, seven days every week," Sims remembers, "so I used to exit with him simply to spend time with him. I noticed how simple it was for him to restore these home equipment, and he was repairing them shortly."

Picture Credit score: Courtesy of SSG Equipment Academy. Moniqueca Sims.

Sims believes in "working smarter, not more durable" and had the concept to rent technicians to assist the person she was relationship with restore calls. She did, however when he did not decelerate, she ended up along with her personal equipment restore firm.

Nonetheless, in working that enterprise, Sims misplaced a major sum of money buying components. Many individuals she employed did not truly know how you can restore home equipment — and would simply swap out half after half searching for a match.

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So Sims took issues into her personal arms once more. She enrolled in a web based course to find out about equipment restore and began dealing with jobs herself, even taking her children alongside typically.

"Whenever you repair one thing, it boosts you up, each time you do it."

Nonetheless, Sims knew there needed to be a greater solution to practice and rent technicians for enterprise progress, so as soon as extra she got down to make it occur: She based SSG Equipment Academy, which offers hands-on coaching programs on the basics to have a profession within the equipment restore trade, in Atlanta in 2019.

" I noticed how equipment restore was the reward that retains on giving," Sims says. "Whenever you exit, once you repair one thing, it boosts you up, each time you do it. It isn't a grunt job. It is a feel-good job."

When Sims went out on jobs along with her daughter, she discovered that lots of the purchasers had been stay-at-home mothers who breathed a sigh of aid once they realized they would not be alone with a male employee. Understanding that, and seeing firsthand what a confidence booster equipment restore might be, Sims dedicated to bringing extra girls into the trade.

The overall equipment restore trade income reached an estimated $6.3 billion in 2023, but girls make up lower than 3% of residence equipment repairers, in line with information from ConsumerAffairs.

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Sims determined to accomplice with shelters to develop SSG Equipment Academy and supply a viable profession path to the ladies there. Though there was loads of curiosity, the shelters did not have the funding to again it. So Sims bought accredited for grants via the Workforce Innovation and Alternative Act (WIOA).

The funding helps low-income, under- or unemployed ladies and men full SSG Equipment Academy's program and "flip their life round," Sims says.

SSG Equipment Academy's courses usually enroll eight to 10 college students. The latest course had three girls in it. Previously, Sims typically needed to attend occasions and persuade girls to come back to the category; now, word-of-mouth helps them discover it themselves, she says.

" You continually must show your self [as a woman] on this trade."

Sims seems to be ahead to seeing much more girls benefit from SSG Equipment Academy, regardless of the challenges that may include being a lady within the house.

" You continually must show your self [as a woman] on this trade, and never simply to the purchasers," Sims says. "It's important to show your self to all people that works within the trade."

Sims can be excited to see extra folks throughout the board soar into the equipment restore trade, noting that studying a commerce can assist folks make more cash than they may via incomes a four-year school diploma.

"Equipment restore can actually assist change folks's lives," the founder says.

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"You wish to be taught your craft from the within out."

To different girls enthusiastic about beginning their very own careers or companies within the equipment restore trade, Sims has some simple however important recommendation: Enroll in a program that may provide help to be taught all you want to know concerning the commerce.

"You wish to be taught your craft from the within out," Sims says. "Lots of technicians within the discipline now be taught on the job, so that they grow to be part-changers as a result of they do not discover ways to diagnose and troubleshoot the home equipment correctly. So my recommendation would positively be to take a category. It does not must be my college — any college."

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Sims notes that there might be loads of obstacles alongside the way in which, however she encourages anybody enthusiastic about studying equipment restore to remain the course — as a result of "it is a very rewarding profession and enterprise."

This text is a part of our ongoing Ladies Entrepreneur® collection highlighting the tales, challenges and triumphs of working a enterprise as a lady.

Moniqueca Sims, proprietor of SSG Equipment Academy, bought her first glimpse into the equipment restore trade whereas relationship a person who labored within the house. "He labored on a regular basis, seven days every week," Sims remembers, "so I used to exit with him simply to spend time with him. I noticed how simple it was for him to restore these home equipment, and he was repairing them shortly."