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The Community Women in Snow and Landscape Have Been Missing

📅 July 25, 2025 ⏱️ 19:56 🎤 Jack Jostes, Val Lisac

Chapters

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  • 0:00
    The Snow Wife's Challenge
    Val Lisac describes the unique difficulties faced by partners of snow industry professionals, including isolation and managing family responsibilities during long work absences.
  • 0:00
    Introducing Influential Encounters
    Val explains the mission of Influential Encounters: to provide a platform for women in trades to meet, inspire, and influence each other, initially focusing on the snow industry but expanding to landscaping and construction.
  • 0:01
    Origin of the Community
    Val shares how the idea for Influential Encounters sparked from a conversation between her husband and Jillian Burns at a Simma Symposium, uniting their shared passion for supporting women in the industry.
  • 0:03
    Finding Your Community
    Val emphasizes the importance of finding a supportive community and mentor to navigate the challenges of being involved with the snow industry, sharing how Influential Encounters facilitates these connections.
  • 0:06
    Expanding Horizons
    Val outlines the future vision for Influential Encounters, including hands-on training, community-building events, and expanding support for women working directly in the trades.
  • 0:07
    Support Areas for Women
    Val details the key areas of support provided by Influential Encounters, focusing on communication skills (asking for raises, speaking assertively) and setting boundaries both at home and in the workplace.
  • 0:08
    Ramblin Jackson's Culture
    Jack Josis explains how his company, Ramblin Jackson, fosters an inclusive culture by hiring and promoting based on core values and work ethic, rather than gender quotas, leading to a diverse team.
  • 0:13
    Marketing Beyond Referrals
    Jack highlights that effective marketing is not mutually exclusive to referrals but is a strategic tool to attract specific customer types and accelerate growth, beyond just relying on a good job.
  • 0:15
    Targeted Marketing Success
    Jack shares a success story of a client who transitioned from general commercial/residential work to exclusively targeting HOAs through specialized marketing, significantly growing their business and client satisfaction.
  • 0:17
    How to Connect
    Val provides information on how interested individuals, including female business owners, women working in the trades, snow wives, and industry partners, can connect with Influential Encounters through their website and social media.

Speakers

J
Jack Jostes
Host — The Landscaper's Guide / Ramblin Jackson
V
Val Lisac
Influential Encounters

Key Takeaways

Seek out and actively participate in communities for industry spouses and women in trades to combat isolation and gain support.

Utilize networking opportunities at industry events to build a strong support system; exchange contact information and maintain communication beyond the event.

Develop and practice communication skills such as asking for raises, speaking assertively in meetings, and setting clear boundaries in both personal and professional life.

Recognize that a diverse workforce, including women, can bring different and valuable perspectives to an organization, enhancing problem-solving and team dynamics.

Invest in targeted marketing strategies to attract specific types of customers (e.g., HOAs, municipalities) rather than relying solely on general commercial approaches, enabling faster and more intentional business growth.

Foster an inclusive company culture that values individual contributions and work-life balance (e.g., flexible schedules for parents) to attract and retain a diverse talent pool.

Understand that doing a good job and earning referrals can coexist with proactive marketing efforts; marketing allows for more controlled and accelerated business development.

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