There’s a big difference between men and women’s work boots, as Marissa McTasney found out. Her quest to find a pair of construction boots to fit her properly inspired Marissa to create and build her own company. Moxie Trades now markets construction wear especially for women.

What: Moxie Trades sells work boots, gloves, tool belts and other gear for women, designed to fit women. And yes they come in pink and baby blue.
How she got started: in 2006, after ditching her sales job at IBM to spend more time with her kids, she signed up to learn painting and carpentry. Unable to find a pair of construction boots to fit her properly, she ended up contacting a manufacturer in China thinking she’d get a pair made and import a few others to cover her costs.
Claim to fame: An appearance on CBC’s ‘Dragons’ Den’ led to an investment offer from Brett Wilson.

* Bing: Check out these groundbreaking women in construction

by Ian Harvey

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Businesswoman talks about her company and giving back

Whitby CEO shows girls can be more than just pretty in pink. WHITBY — Marissa McTasney, CEO of Moxie Trades, talked to members of JCI Durham at Class Act Dinner Theatre about the ups and downs of owning her business, Moxie Trades, on May 3. May 3, 2012. Nathan Mackinnon / Metroland
WHITBY — Addressing a crowd from Durham Region’s business community from behind a podium in a Betsey Johnson tutu in multiple shades of pink, Marissa McTasney may not look like a typical CEO.
But looking down a bit further, a pair of pink, ankle-high steel toe boots say everything Ms. McTasney needs to about Moxie Trades. That boot, called ‘Betsy’, is where it all started and was inspired by the women’s clothing designer who has an affinity for all things pink.

The Brooklin resident became a dragon slayer when Brett Wilson invested in her idea on CBC’s reality show Dragons’ Den. Her company makes apparel, personal protection equipment, hardware and safety shoes specifically for women with a twist as bright as Ms. McTasney’s dress: they come in pink and baby blue.

She was speaking at a Junior Chamber International Durham event at Class Act Dinner Theatre May 1 about her business, which she says has been a real rollercoaster of successes and learning experiences.

Despite setbacks, which included problems with large retailers, Ms. McTasney says she has built a brand, which is more important than just making a product.

Moxie Trades is in more than 400 stores across the country, from independent retailers like Mister Safety Shoes in Oshawa to larger retailers like Mark’s Work Wearhouse.

The entrepreneur started in sales at IBM, but says she always felt something deep inside telling her to create.

“I always knew there was something I wanted to do. I had that kind of entrepreneurial pain that you have. I’ve always had it and I didn’t know what to do with it. I still have it today. I’m sure that’s the reason I get up every day despite the day ahead of me,” said Ms. McTasney.

There were some in the audience with that same feeling, and Ms. McTasney says it’s important to decide if it’s something to act on.

“Figure out what it is. Then find out if the passion is there, because if you’re not passionate about it, it won’t work,” says Ms. McTasney.

Her passions extend beyond her business to one of her core principles: give generously. On May 5, Ms. McTasney and a group she’s rounded up did some pro-bono renovations at Nova’s Ark in Brooklin.

Nova’s Ark is a charity that provides therapy to children with special needs using interactions with exotic and farm animals.

“We’re painting and renovating all of the animal enclosures, the barns the workshop and gardens as well as gardening for (the owner) Mary-Ann Nova.

“Giving back just feels good. Can’t it be that simple?” asks Ms. McTasney with a laugh. “It’s the right thing to do, she’s certainly doing good things.

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Canada NewsWire

TORONTO, March 14, 2012

TORONTO, March 14, 2012 /CNW/ – “When you do the math and understand your figures,” advised financial expert Jacoline Loewen, “then you will do well in business.” Loewen, a partner with Loewen & Partners and author of Money Magnet, was talking to over 120 women business owners who were gathered together to celebrate International Women’s Day.

She highlighted several successful women entrepreneurs who had not only done well in their business ventures, but sold them for millions and encouraged the women in the audience to think big, to believe in themselves and pursue growth.

And the panel of women entrepreneurs who followed had done just that. There was a common theme in their stories – each had just leapt in and followed her passion, not always knowing what they didn’t know, but confident that they would obtain the knowledge they needed to succeed.

Neither Chioma of AMOI magazine nor Marissa McTasney of Moxie Trades were shy about pursuing someone who could help them, and when they had successfully tracked down the right person, and won them over, it was as if the doors opened and nothing could hold them back.

Marilyn Sinclair of WordCheck and iContent, on the other hand, was a serial entrepreneur, with over four businesses to her name, including one she had recently sold. When she reflected back on her finances, she admits that she had difficulty getting a line of credit in the early days, and that one bank had required her to have her father’s signature. As she said, had she been married at the time, likely it would have been her husband’s consent that was needed.

Times have changed, but we still have a long way to go. The first step, recommends Loewen, is to do your homework and determine the type of investor who would most suit your financial needs. Next is to know your figures; to present yourself in a competent, warm but professional manner, and be able to articulate your unique value proposition. She also suggested that women focus on growth, not on the actual product, as that could change.

The Honourable Brad Duguid, Minister of Economic Development and Innovation (MEDI) gave the opening remarks at Become a Money Magnet which was organized by Company of Women, EMDA, Enterprise Toronto, Microskills and WEConnect Canada, and hosted by Ernst & Young. “We wanted to focus on women and money, because while more and more women are entering the world of entrepreneurship, their rate of growth is lower when compared to their male counterparts.” shared Mary Anderson of WEConnect Canada. “And a lack of financial literacy, confidence and knowledge of what is available are all part of the problem.”

This International Women’s Day event was one of 25 held across the province that was funded by MEDI.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/623517#ixzz2JWKoj9Ly

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And when that happens, we all benefit. Our communities are safer, our economy is stronger, and our pool of future leaders is more diverse.

You can help stop the violence, end poverty, and empower girls.

The Canadian Women’s Foundation has several programs to make a difference.  Please check out the website for more information.

http://www.canadianwomen.org/

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Construction is one field that is actively recruiting women. Through the efforts of government, industry and organizations like the Canadian Construction Women, there is a commitment to increasing women’s representation in the field. As more women realize that construction is more than hammers and hard hats, they will see that a career in the building industry offers a world of opportunity.

 http://www.constructionwomen.org/page/about%20us.aspx

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* Girls have the right to be educated.
* Girls have the right to eat.
* Girls have the right to be safe.
* Girls’ rights are human rights.

Although girls are often the poorest of the poor, it’s proven that investing in girls is key to eliminating poverty. Empower a girl and she’ll change the world.

When a girl is educated, nourished and protected, she shares her knowledge and skills with her family and community, and can forever change the future of a nation. It’s that powerful!

That’s what Because I am a Girl is all about – harnessing the incredible power that girls and women have here at home and in the developing world, to change the future.

Girls and women are making real changes around the world and here in Canada to break the cycle of poverty in the developing world. See how much is being achieved!

It only takes ONE girl to change the world. Be the ONE.

http://becauseiamagirl.ca/page.aspx?pid=3884

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Women in construction share experiences on Construct Canada panel in Toronto
PATRICIA WILLIAMS
staff writer
On the surface, Martha George, Mary Lawson and Marissa McTasney might not appear to have a lot in common.
But they have all made their mark in construction. George is president of the Grand Valley Construction Association; Lawson is vice-president and general manager of homebuilder Dalerose Country Inc.; and McTasney is founder and president of Moxie Trades Ltd., which designs and distributes women’s work wear.
The three women shared their experiences and dispensed career advice at a recent Construct Canada session, organized by Elizabeth Araujo, marketing communications coordinator at Etobicoke Ironworks Ltd. and Lyn Hardy, sales manager for the company’s miscellaneous ironworks division.
The title was: “Three women who will change your life: a panel on the increasing role of women in the construction industry.” The session was believed to be a first of its kind at the conference.
McTasney started her company six years ago after ditching the high heels of the corporate world for work boots.
Her “aha moment” occurred when shopping for safety boots while enrolled in a skilled trades program. McTasney found that only men’s boots were available. Her entrepreneurial instincts kicked into high gear and Moxie Trades was born.
In 2008, McTasney appeared on the CBC’s Dragons’ Den, a reality television show in which aspiring entrepreneurs pitch business ideas to a panel of venture capitalists.
She subsequently partnered with oil and gas tycoon, investment banker and philanthropist Brett Wilson who is now a part owner of Moxie Trades.
Last year, McTasney sold about 6,000 pairs of her trademark pink boots, part of a product line which also includes apparel and various styles of footwear.
“It is really about finding your passion and pursuing it,” she said.
Lawson, the first female president of the Canadian Home Builders Association, launched her career in construction in the 1960s installing aluminum siding on houses for her then husband’s firm.
“While nailing aluminum siding on houses may not seem glamorous, I was developing an understanding of business and construction,” she said.
“I learned to run the sales, marketing and financial side of things. Certainly, the skills I was learning on the business side would prove invaluable as my life progressed.”
Lawson later found herself in Calgary, selling condominiums. This eventually led to a senior sales and marketing job with a large homebuilder in that city.
She subsequently landed a position as the national marketing manager for American Standard before joining Dalerose, a custom builder/renovator in the Orangeville and Caledon area.
“The bottom line today is that the choices are absolutely endless so long as you keep your options open and take advantage of opportunities as they arise,” she said, noting that networking is critical to business success.
“Never close any doors. Allow your true passions to guide your decisions. It is so much easier to be successful if you love what you do. Make choices that are best for you. There are great rewards for those of us who venture into fields previously only occupied by men.”
For her part, George launched her career in construction in 1989 when she started a masonry contracting firm with her husband Doug after stints at a local radio and television station and at a management personnel recruitment firm.
“My husband and I worked very well together,” George said. “His expertise was in the masonry end; mine was in the business end.”
George took courses, joined professional organizations, volunteered on boards “and read everything I could about the industry.” Along the way, she became active in the Council of Ontario Construction Associations and the Canadian Construction Association (CCA), among others.
George served as chair of the GVCA in 2000. Six years later, she was named president.
The association, which now represents close to 700 companies, won the CCA’s member association award of excellence in 2009. The following year, it was recognized by CCA for championing Gold Seal certification.
“I have a board that has never said no to me,” George said. “The reason they haven’t is that I come prepared, I know what I am talking about and I deliver results. The day I stop delivering, I guess, is the day I’m gone.”
While construction has traditionally been a male-dominated industry “and getting ahead in any industry as a female is not easy,” George said the key “is to establish your credentials early in the game, find your fit, search out opportunities, educate yourself and get connected.
“If you want to move into a management position, don’t just wait to be discovered. Express your interest. Find out what you have to learn to get there. Show how you can add value to the company. If you hear of an opportunity, apply for the position. As a female applicant, you will probably get an interview. You’ve got nothing to lose.”

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