WIN-DOOR DIANE MacDONALD Dealer sales entrepreneur with All Weather Windows says 'do what you love' and learn from your mentors Canadian Design and Construction Report special feature Diane MacDonald has had a diverse career in the construction industry over the past 10 years. As dealer sales entrepreneur with All Weather Windows, she uses her past experiences and love of the industry to serve her clients. MacDonald began working at Okotoks Home Hardware at the age of 17 and soon became the first female on the contractor desk. Later she took on the added responsibilities of outside sales assistant and in 2008 began working with All Weather. Despite her early experiences as the only woman in her position she says she always felt supported. “I only ever had one customer complain about having to deal with a girl and the owner told him he could shop somewhere else if that was how he felt.” Her biggest challenge she says, especially early on, was learning the trade. Now it is staying up on new installation methods and products as they are introduced because the industry is constantly changing and evolving. MacDonald says she has always worked with amazing teams of people who keep her motivated and inspired. “I love helping make people’s dreams become reality so that is a big motivator as well.” In her current role, she is responsible for sales primarily in the rural areas. She says growing up on a farm she un- derstands the people who live in the country and their needs. “I tell people I do not sell windows, I sell myself,” she said. “People don’t always care what it is that they are buy- ing but who it is that they are getting it from.” As a woman among many men in simi- lar roles she says her personality and the way she cares about her customers has contributed to her success. For their part she says her customers – both those she meets on the road and those she deals with in the office – are her biggest sup- porters. While MacDonald recognizes that there can be differences between men and women – sometimes men may be stronger or women may be more detail- oriented or sensitive – she says there are many examples of women who are strong and men who are detail-ori- ented. “I wish that male or female was just not such an issue. We are all humans and some of us are better suited for certain tasks in this life. I feel that if you are doing what you love to do and giving it your all then it does not matter whether you were born male or female.” Her advice to anyone considering a career in the indus- try is to be sure it is something that makes them feel good. Beyond that she advises people to pay attention to all of the potential mentors available. “You will learn more from the people around you than from anything else. Some- times life experience is the best teacher you can have.” ALL WEATHER WINDOWS’ SANDY VAN SOMEREN Canadian Design and Construction Report special feature Sandy Van Someren began working in the win- dow industry more than 30 years ago. She built her career through mentorship and a desire to learn and is now business development manager for Southern Alberta for All Weather Windows, Canada’s largest privately-owned window and door manufacturer. Van Someren started out driving a truck and performing service work in Red Deer, Alberta. “I was hired by the manager despite the fact he said ‘girls don’t usually do this kind of work’,” she says. 24 – February - March 2015 — The Canadian Design and Construction Report After a year on the road she moved to the order desk, gained a deeper knowl- edge of products and began networking with the local builders. Surrounded by ‘great builders’ who taught her about the industry and their own businesses, in her mid-20s she joined management and got involved with the Central Alberta Home Builders Association, serving as director and president. She says the Red Deer community sup- ported her. People were pleased she wanted to learn, were happy to answer questions and took time to teach her