Women with Cool Jobs
Women with Cool Jobs
Electrician and Handywoman Creates Her Own Business While Balancing Work and Family, with Shera Walker
Shera Walker is a master electrician and a handywoman who is breaking down stereotypes and creating a life that balances work, family, and fun. She has done both commercial and residential work as an electrician and now has her own handywoman business called “Mizz-Fix-It” based in Gainesville, FL.
Shera apprenticed in high school under a master electrician after winning a statewide wiring competition, and went on to get her master electrician license in Georgia in 2001. She learned the trade while working with industry veterans, many times on incredibly old houses that could be over 100 years old with original wiring.
Later, Shera moved to the Dominican Republic for 6 years to do missionary work and was also asked to participate in some construction projects. While there, she learned many different construction skills and was able to put them to use when she came back to the United States. In 2020, Shera started her handywoman business “Mizz-Fix-It” and also started to renovate tiny homes.
Contact Info:
Shera Walker
@mizz.fix.it
Julie Berman - Host
www.womenwithcooljobs.com
@womencooljobs (Instagram)
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I used to use my dad's old work pants, because I wanted them to be baggy, and not for fitting at all. So I wouldn't draw any attention and stay small. And it's just it. Regardless, you're the only girl on the construction site, you're gonna stand out. And you have a squeaky little voice.
Unknown:It's okay.
Shera Walker:But as time goes on, when guys see that you know what you're talking about. You get respect. It's not even something you have to demand. You know? And when you come into people's house, they're like, oh, little girl, did you just start learning? No, it's been over 20 years. And they're like, oh, and then they're watching you work closely. And you see other little kids and a little girl start playing with toys and all my little play nieces. I don't have any real ones yet. I get them little pink tool, belts, belts, and little pink tools. And so it's not for the next generation. It's not such a foreign idea that girls can do these things.
Julie Berman - Host:Hey, everybody. I'm Julie and welcome to women with cool jobs. Each episode will feature women with unique trailblazing and innovative fruits. We'll talk about how she got here, what life is like now, an actionable steps that you can take to go on a similar path, or one that's all your own. This podcast is about empowering you. It's about empowering you to dream big, and to be inspired. You'll hear from incredible women in a wide variety of fields, and hopefully some that you've never heard of before. Women who build robots and roadways, firefighters, C suite professionals surrounded by men, social media, mavens, entrepreneurs, and more. I'm so glad we get to go on this journey together. Hey, everybody, this is Julie, and welcome to another episode of women with cool jobs. So today, I have an awesome electric conversation for you. With Cheryl Walker. She's an electrician, and a handy woman based out of Gainesville, Florida. And this was such a fun conversation because we dived into so many different topics that I think are really really key to think about as women. First of all we talked about, like what was it like to be a woman in a mainly male dominated field. And we talked about femininity in relation to being in this field. So this was a really fun conversation, to have really interesting to think about our thoughts and our norms, and the things that we don't even think about that are these preconceived notions that just exist and that maybe we haven't noticed or we haven't questioned them. So that's, that's one thing I wanted to point out. Another thing is that Shira has some incredible experience, being an electrician, also learning new construction and different things. And it's allowed her to have a lot of flexibility in her life, a lot of flexibility in her job to choose how she wants to use her time. And so she gets to spend time with her family who are near and dear to her, she gets to spend time being creative, she gets time to do new projects and build new skill sets. And I love this because I think this is like literally the ideal This is what so many of us are trying to find is how to navigate, you know, having like all these different aspects combined into our one life. And she has done that really beautifully. And of course not that every day is easy. And of course she has her days, but I just really respect her so much for doing what she's doing and for making this beautiful balance for herself. And I also love in this conversation, that we have just so much fun, talking about being an electrician, and all the opportunities that that has really afforded her, and the opportunities that exist for different kinds of work and expertise within this field. And I think that is one really essential aspect. The more that I do these interviews, every career every woman that I talked to who has picked a path, whether it's like a paleontologist or whether it's a smoke jumper, or whether it's you know a skin influencer or whether it's Shira, the electrician, like they've picked a particular path within this industry. But there are so many options even within these careers or these industries. It's so fascinating once you really get down to it, and I love how expansive it makes the world feel. And I hope that you get that sense as well as you're listening to this conversation as you listen to the other conversation. There's so much opportunity out there for women to do some really, really cool, really important jobs. And you might notice there's a little bit of noise going on in the background. That was Mother Nature. She's in Gainesville, Florida. And there was a big thunderstorm going on, and you're having this conversation. And we just are rolling with it. So I apologize if it means a little bit harder to hear. But I didn't want to stop because it was such an awesome conversation. I hope that you love everything that she was talking about. She comes with just so much energy and so much liveliness to everything that she does. And it was so much fun. So if you know someone who is interested in possibly being a handy woman, or someone who is interested in being an electrician, please share this with them. Please send it to them. And I hope that you and they will enjoy it as much as I enjoyed recording it. thank you as always for listening. Sherif, thank you so much for being on women with cool jobs. I am so excited to have you here today. Thank you for having me. Of course, it's a pleasure. So you are an electrician, and a handy woman with your own business called ms fix it based in Gainesville, Florida. So welcome. Welcome. Thank you. And so I want to ask you a little bit about what you do. And in your own words, like how do you describe what you do? Because you are a master electrician. And you are a handy woman?
Shera Walker:Wow, that you usually don't have to answer that. So I, I would say the handy woman thing is more new for me because it just depends on it's been because I flipped two or three now Tiny Homes and and campers. And so you learn different things, thanks to like, handy, your friends and you. So I can't stop it before it is like I don't know what this thing does. I can do that. But there are other things that I'm I will admit quickly that is out of my wheelhouse. So I've been doing electrical work for over 20 years. That's what I feel most comfortable with. Okay, my license is in Georgia. So hey, les, unlike many other places, there, it's not like if you're a nurse, you're a nurse anywhere in the US. If you're many other careers, you're there. It's just it goes everywhere. But electrical work is not like that. Wow, electrical license is good in Georgia, some states share my master's license is only four 600 amps and below. Okay, so it's mostly residential wiring, but I always definitely have my own business back home. So that's, that's what I'm more comfortable with. But I do have some experience in industrial wiring and commercial wiring. So the difference is like house like putting in a new ceiling fan or recessed light fixtures, and troubleshooting, why your outlet isn't working anymore. Why the garage door opener doesn't work anymore. Those kind of things at are more in my wheelhouse. But I have worked on Sonic stations even more recently, like in putting in new light fixtures and the big signs and so you know, and working the cranes that go up there, which is one of my favorite things
Unknown:to do.
Shera Walker:A lot of the guys that want to be on them like yes.
Julie Berman - Host:And so for you like let's touch on that right now. Like why do you love being an electrician? Why do you love doing the you know, sort of the handy woman work because you're honestly the first electrician who's a female that I've ever met. You're also the first woman who I've ever met who calls herself a handy woman. I love that. Yeah, I love it so much. But it also makes me sad because I'm like, why don't I know any other official like women electricians are handy women,
Shera Walker:I think for me is like, whenever and it never gets old. For me just the other day I put in a couple of ceiling fans. And I have maybe I can send you the before and after pictures. But there's this junky old fan that like here in Florida, at least they get droopy is have a fan that should be rated for indoors only is put outdoors like people put it on their patio or porch. And so the wood just gets saggy is soaking up all this moisture for so many years. And it's just like, looks like a flower that hasn't been watered in forever. It looks terrible. It's bringing down the entire porch. And then you change out your tiling like that looks good. Yeah, it's a good feeling, you know, or the lights not working. They turn on they're like, there's so much light in here. Yeah, it's so funny flip a switch and something comes on. And I think that for me, it's never gotten old. why it's not working and that comes down here. Like he has to like that hasn't worked in five years. like yeah, it just feels like a real sense of accomplishment. I think for me, that's one of my favorite things about it.
Julie Berman - Host:That's awesome. I could totally see that like we I because I'm an Arizona and we have a dry heat so we don't have the floppy out fan, you know, but I could see how, you know, that would feel very accomplished if
Unknown:you're a droopy fan.
Shera Walker:And I always say I like pretty things. I'm very much a girl. And that sounds like, that's ugly. This is pretty. Pretty unlike Yes,
Julie Berman - Host:yes. Like, why not? Let's go for that. Yes. Awesome. That makes complete sense to me. And it's interesting that, like, you mentioned, that you like pretty things, because I that is something that I wanted to address it. And I think that is really important for people who are looking women in particular who are going into the trades to talk about the fact that like, you can be feminine, or you can be girly, or whatever. And you can still want to go into a career that you know, is that is not typically, you know, seeing with a lot of women that's mostly male dominated, dominated. Yes. I'd love to hear your thoughts on that. Because you've been doing it, you know, like you said, for 20 years, and I know you started young, so I would love to hear your thoughts on like, how do you feel about that combination of still, you know, wanting things to look pretty, and having that femininity, but like also doing a career? That's very traditionally male dominated?
Shera Walker:Yes. Yes. Well, it's, um, like you said, it is very male dominated. I think when I started, I didn't realize just how I just figured I didn't know many girl electricians honestly,
Unknown:know
Shera Walker:that I was really like, the only one in town or for the next five towns. So it, it became more news because I started so young, you know, I was just something I'm like, sure. I mean, you know, as long as it's not too heavy, and I don't mind asking for help. I've never had a problem with that. Um, the femininity thing. I think that even I had a mental block there for a long time. I used to use my dad's Oh, work pants. Okay, because I wanted them to be baggy enough for fitting at all. So I wouldn't draw any attention and stay small. And it's just it. Regardless, you're the only girl on the construction site, you kind of stand out. Yeah, you have a squeaky little voice. It's okay. But as time goes on, when guys see that, you know what you're talking about. You get respect. It's not even something you have to demand. You know, and when you come into people's house, and they're like, little girl, did you just start learning? No, it's been over 20 years, and they're like, oh, and then they're watching you work closely. And you see other little kids and a little girl start playing with toys and all my little play nieces. I don't have any real ones yet. I get them little pink tool, belts, belts, and all pink tools. And so it's not for the next generation is not such a foreign idea that girls can do these things and still be and there's no shame and if it's too heavy, getting the guys to help you out. I always say I'm like, I have this cute t shirt. I think it's dirty right now. It's one of my favorite but electrician, girl electricians work smarter, not harder. So we're gonna sit there and think about and the guys are so fun to just jump in. And then 20 minutes later, like, oh, there was a faster way to do that. I'm like, yeah, so taking five minutes to think longer about it saves you time in the end. So this is one of my favorite t shirts another girl electrician friend gave me
Julie Berman - Host:so it says female electrician. Of course I don't work as hard as men. I get it right the first time.
Shera Walker:I love a little controversial at work. I love it. I love the question, are you I'm like could you read the T shirt again? I'm still you know not taking anything away from them and what they bring. Everybody has their things but with smaller more delicate work. There's a lot of things that that a woman has more patience for, you know, hanging one crystal at a time. I think we talked about that on a chandelier. It's it's almost like meditating. I absolutely love it. And the guy can't stand the cannot stand really
Unknown:like I hate it.
Shera Walker:It's so tedious. tedious in particular.
Julie Berman - Host:Yeah. Versus like for you. Are you hanging each one you're like, this is gorgeous. This gorgeous. Gorgeous, it's becoming add. Yeah, the circle, you know, exactly. Oh, my goodness,
Shera Walker:I would have everywhere. If I could I have chandeliers and dimmers everywhere in my little tiny house and the bathroom. I have a shelf chandelier. I put bling everywhere I can. It doesn't take away from the quality of the work or the professionalism of it. It's not necessary. I did the dazzle my tool belt because I just feel like they'll fall off.
Julie Berman - Host:Okay, that's fair enough. But it is pink. Yeah, I love that. fuchsia. I love that. That is so good. And I appreciate this part of the conversation because I think it is something that's really valuable and interesting to talk about. And I saw like going back to kind of the norms that we had in the things that we think about from decades and decades ago, I was in this art shop in Sedona with my husband, and they had this picture of and it was like a wartime picture basically trying to talk about how women were joining the workforce. And it's this really famous picture, I'm forgetting the painter off the top of my head. But the painter had basically taken like a man's body and put the, the woman's face and it was for Rosie the Riveter. So it's this really famous favorite looks. Yes, it's one of this very famous, like images that we've all seen. And, and I didn't realize because you look at it, and it's like, is that a man's body? Or is it a woman's body? Because she's in like, coveralls. Right? And, you know, she's eating her ham sandwich. And it was basically to, like, show that women were now going into the workforce because the men were overseas, right? It was, right, like trying to get women like jazz up and being supportive, and getting everyone on board in the whole country. But it was fascinating to me that they used a man's body to model the picture. And it's like, why, like, why can't the feminine, the whole feminine? person and body like, Why? Why did they feel like that was needed in the 40s. And it's interesting that, you know, like, we still take some of those images with us, I think, unknowingly. Now today,
Shera Walker:I think that Yeah, a lot of those stereotypes are gonna say, and even amongst other women, like I think it's funny that one time I was asked, like, do you think anybody's going to take you seriously? Another woman with that pink tool belt? I'm like, maybe not because of the pink tool belt, but what I know how to do with the tools. Yeah. Yeah. Right. Sometimes we put it on ourselves, we put it on ourselves that people are gonna judge they're gonna judge. Yeah. And you just, I'm grateful that I have parents that as traditional as we are, and we were raised in a lot of departments felt that it was in no way taken away from your femininity to do these jobs. My dad who's raised in Georgia, and the South, really countries like my baby's gonna, and my granddad, who actually was, I mean, from way back there sharecroppers, like, one generation and a half away from slavery. And when he found out I was electrician, he was like, that's my baby, that makes good money, that makes good money. There was no shade, because we've had strong and powerful women for a long time and family having to take a second job, or third job and bringing in valuable income and she can bring in as much as you are more than great, you're we're all going to share it just the light. But not everybody comes from that kind of dynamic and household, unfortunately. And not even to the point of feminism and but just that we are all people that bring strengths in our own right to our family. Yeah. Right. And whatever that is, doesn't necessarily have to be was traditionally this or traditionally that. Yeah,
Julie Berman - Host:I love that perspective. And I love your I love that your family was so supportive, and I want it's amazing. Those are the best parents and like the best families, because it's like, why not support your kids like going for what they have an interest in and what they're talented in, despite what we think may be, like, a good path for them. Right? Um, and so I want to ask you like, what was your path to get into being an electrician? Because you started young?
Shera Walker:Yes. Well, younger ones now have a lot more options. Even in my top tiny town. I'm from Brunswick, Georgia. They have a tech school there now, which is awesome. That was not there when I was there. I think so. I got interested in it. I think the summer of 10th grade, I looked into classes that I could take and in my high school Brunswick high, they only had carpentry slash w IR. And what's w AR? AR was wiring. That was okay. That's all they had available. And I only done academic classes up to that point. This was a new idea to go into blue collar work, but it was something that I was very passionate about. Because I wanted to be more useful for Disaster Relief Services and, and things that we do as an organization. I just did, I wanted to be more useful. Okay, so I thought even if this is just a backup career, I look into it. But unfortunately, that was one of those classes where what they called it the time BD kids behavior disorder. That's where they would dump them all. dumped them all the difficult kids, let them work with their hands and get it out of their system. So they were just left to their own devices. Basically all day in the class. The teacher was sitting back watching TV, and I was so disappointed because I really wanted to learn something. Yeah. So I kept now nagging him. He did give me one book about basic wiring. And I looked over it, but I didn't really understand it. I'm, it's just a totally different way to think Really? It makes sense to me now. But at the time, I'm just like, what? Black always goes to black like no, not always Okay, white always goes to white. Not always I'm like the green is always ground in this country. Usually I'm like, Can I like? I like having some kind of basis, you know, and he's just Yeah, don't bother me. I'm watching really fortunate. So halfway through the semester, I'm literally I think about halfway through the semester, he found out that the school had to participate in this competition statewide in the construction trades. So it was a trade, a trade competition between all the schools in Georgia. And that's something strange like that. I don't even know it's still going on. And so we needed somebody to represent the school and the county. They choose in for electrical and nobody else in the classes are for electrical, they're all doing carpentry stuff. And you know, cutting up and someone made me a wooden sword, which was really fun. Oh, that's fun. For sure, Principal power. But I'm, I'm like, I don't know how I'm going to represent you. I understand nothing in that book is Greek to me. Yeah. Okay. All right. I'm gonna take the next few weeks to start training you and teaching you and if you do well, in the competition, I promise I will get you a job for the summer with a friend of mine who's a master electrician. And it's awesome game. Ah, let's do it. I get to learn something and get something. So it worked out. Um, I was looking for the picture. And then I forgot, but I did ended up in the newspaper. And yeah, I won the competition on the county level, at least a number of drafts. So it was fun. It was a beginning too. And it was a three way lighting system. Which is something that to this day, a lot of electricians have problems figuring out how to do. But it was really a good basis for me understanding a lot of things. So even though it says three way, okay, there's only two switches is how if you have a long hallway, you'll have a switch at the beginning, right end of the hallway that will control the same light. Yes. So the three is the three points of contact. Oh, so switch light switch. Ah, system, right.
Unknown:That's how I explain
Shera Walker:it for me for a woman's brain we, and not saying all but I think in general, we speak differently, we just understand. So I'm just like, why is it a three way? I couldn't even get past that first part. There's only two switches it makes no way. Yeah, only turn it on and off to wait. So it took a while for me really to
Unknown:Yeah, long while such a good way to explain it. Because I totally got that I'm thinking of it's like a triangle. It's like three points of a triangle.
Shera Walker:Honestly, and like people would argue with me about gender things, but I really feel like we're wired differently. It's not a right or wrong way. But I spend 30 minutes trying to explain something to a guy. And then I'm like, I don't know what you're talking about. This is how I was gonna do it. And I show him He's like, yeah, that's what I'm saying.
Julie Berman - Host:Oh, how funny is it? That is interesting. You know, I think it is really interesting. Like how you talk about how you feel like there are just certain tasks also that are really fun for you. That may be awful to a lot of your peers or how you think about things how you understand them and your way and I think that it's it's really fascinating but it but it works both ways. Right? Like at the end of the day you get your your job done and do it well. Which is what matters. Exactly. Yeah. And so after that competition, what was it like to then go work with that master electrician, what was that process? Um,
Shera Walker:that was funny I got his he gave me his phone number basically and told him I was coming by I had zero intentions of hiring me. I was like clear to me but I was 16 and determined. I just kept on going everyday to his shop is a small family operated like you know, just him and a few other guys and it really worked out he came to see me as one of his daughters he had two daughters are like around my age and he warned all the guys look out for Shira Why did you the first time I got shot how'd you let her get shot
Unknown:but she just touch it we told her
Shera Walker:a really good environment he also get always gave me homework. He's like cuz you never know you're gonna take the master exam and I had zero intentions of taking the master exam at first Okay, and but he would make me he would give me pop quizzes and how does this work and it was very good for me. I learned a lot of the right ways and wrong ways to do things would blow and explode and it was a large range of ages and experience at the company to so I learned a lot of old school wiring and the town Brunswick I'm from I call it a smaller version of Savannah their houses that are 100 200 300 years old. Wow, we're rewiring. Oh my so these old wiring systems that are not singing anywhere else in the us right now, except for really old towns like this, I learned how to work with them and learn some kind of respect with it. Because sometimes you're not, it's not, it's not the best course of action to rewire people can't afford to rewire their entire house. But if you've come from a knob and tubing system, which, from the 1800s, crazy old earlier than rotary phones, but they're still working, technically, they're still working, you know. So working with that system and bringing it down to a three prong outlet. So you can plug in your computer and data net, right. It's there's a lot of little steps there and cheats that you can be taught by older ones that have been in the system so long and the system in the industry so long, they teach you how to work with it. So it was good, the frustrations looking back on it, it was so helpful. It was it was such a good start for me and industry and may not have started at state in it if it wasn't for the way I started.
Julie Berman - Host:Yeah, and it sounds really invaluable. I mean to learn, and that's like, cuz I'm thinking even here, like in the valley, probably the oldest houses are 75 years old. I mean, that's pushing it, like most of them are around 40 or 30. Something. So to go back and to gain all those skills. I mean, that's not only can you not do that in most parts of the country, probably, but then to have people of different ages who've gained that knowledge. And then like so willingly teach you and be a mentor to you. That's amazing. Yeah, it was really amazing. I didn't appreciate it at the time. I'm like, the old guy again. Yeah, you know, it's true, though. It's like, those are the things that when you're young, you don't realize always the value of those experiences, or the value of like taking the extra time to be like, why am I learning this work around when we can just do it this way? Like, why?
Shera Walker:just drill the hole and get it done? Yeah. Could I know the history of electrical wiring in the US? I don't care. But it really yeah, is it saved me so many times, and I still learn new things. I see some things I'm like, How long has this been going on? But because of that background, I'm able to go into older homes here, even in Gainesville. There's some older homes and I'm like, okay, something's missing. What What am I missing, I'm like, ah, they didn't have the ground, they didn't require ground until the 80s. So if there's a break in the neutral, and they have no way for the current to make a complete circuit, so I need to look for the brake on the neutral. So it just saves you so much time. And I'm still learning I'm working with electrical company now in Ocala two days out of the week. And my bosses 70 plus years old has been doing this forever. Wow. Just the other day, he just he diagnosed it so fast. what the problem was, I was about to go crawling in the attic. And he saved me, because he's like, wait, I think I know what it is. And sure enough, I was like, You are awesome.
Julie Berman - Host:That's so good. Yeah, that's Yeah. And it's so interesting. I really never worked like any projects around the house. And so I wish now that I'm having these conversations, like I wish that I had seen more of this, and I have some friends who are really good and who do do things like this, but not me. Like it always just made me so nervous. But it's like now I'm like, Oh, I kind of want to see how these things work. So it's, you know, it's even, it's making me more open minded. I'm just sort of hearing like, what you're doing and what so many other cool women are doing and how you learned and that you did start from the beginning the first
Shera Walker:day at work, I didn't know and the guys were like, please send her home. They asked me I was just the friendship girl. So they're like, okay, go get me a flathead screwdriver. I'm like, flat. There's one with a flat head like it looks like a head but it's flat. They're like, please send her back and then a Phillips head and I always called them the star because that's the shape it makes. Yeah, no cuz I was my dad's assistant at home with little things. And I'm like oh you mean the third screwdriver they're like no I mean the Philips so it's um yeah, I started from very beginning Kim the first day of work and my little Daisy Dukes to and flip flops. No issues at all flip flops didn't know the difference between us star head. Phillips or Flathead? No clue. So I really did start from zero even though his daddy that is handy handy girl passing him stuff. I just I don't know whatever he called it. I'm like with the Thank you The red one.
Julie Berman - Host:Yeah. That's so so good. And that's such a good example of like how we can all learn the skills. And it just takes time. It just really does also people to sit and show you and to walk you through. And so, you know, from that point where you were doing the job with the master electrician, what was what was it like after that? Like, how did you progress? How did you come to take the master electrician? Is it an exam? Or what's the process? Yeah, there's
Shera Walker:a state board exam, um, to even qualify to take the exam and all all states is different, slightly different, you need to have so many hours in the industry. Okay, so and some states like Florida require you have so many hours in Florida. So that's also part of I'm not sure if I'm gonna bother to get my master's in Florida, honestly. But because I'm fine work with this company just a couple of days a week and then doing my mistakes that I have separate licensing for that. So just doing small things, a little repairs that are, you know, not intrusive, requiring a permit or anything big. That's kind of what I prefer these days anyway. Okay. But yes, in order to qualify to even take the state board exam, you have to have so many hours working, and someone that's a master electrician, to vouch that you have so many hours, some states allow you to have experience. And you also need to have so many hours in class. At the time in Georgia, there was no class hours required if you had so many hours. And since I started in high school, already have my hours, I just had to study the the book, The the NDC, the National Electrical Code is like this thing. Oh, wow. And on top of that, oh, yeah, it's open book exam, but almost makes it worse.
Julie Berman - Host:Because you're like, probably stressed trying to flip through
Shera Walker:big time, big time. And I'm not gonna like the first time I took it, I failed. I failed by like, two points. And I was traumatized because I graduate from high school with a 4.0. Yeah, and like, I know, plenty of electricians that are not that bright. It can't be that hard. But I found out later that a lot of them were grandfathered in. I had been told by my boss at the time over and over. He's like, this is your second Bible. And like, the second time I took the exam I did, I studied so hard. I still pass like by eight more points. It's like, because also a timed exam. And well timed exams.
Unknown:I'm like, sweating bullets.
Shera Walker:So anyway, but I did pass the second time. So then you have to go to Atlanta at the time. I think now you can do it online, and take the state board exam, and I was the only girl in the room. And out of how many? A couple weeks? Oh, I think there's about 30 in the room at a time three at the time that you're taking it. It's a very popular exam. It's really daunting, you have to know certain electrical equations. Wow. Yeah. Oh, yeah, like get to getting into deeper things. Like if you have a wire that's supplying current for this little house, but it has to travel 50 or 60 feet, then there's something called voltage drop as it's going along. And that line is losing power. It's just like, you know, even water coming down the tube, you need more force behind it, right in order for it to arrive there with the same energy where it left, you know. So it's like that with electrical concept, you have to know these things. And even though you have like the formulas and other books that you're allowed to take there, you have to know where to find it. And, you know, is it a trick question like those math equations? If Johnny has this many electrical wires, and he wants to put them in this box? How many can you put in? At night? When it's 80 degrees outside? It's like, I hate those. I never have to face this in the normal unit in general. But there are those times when you are gonna have to face it. And you need to know like, what's the maximum amount of wires you can put in this pipe? And how much heat is it going to produce? You know, it was ambient temperature of the ground you're bearing in isn't variable wire, there really, there's a lot more to it than you would think. And every day, you don't have to run into it. But if you're saying you're a master electrician, you're likely gonna have to run into it, and you have to be able to know your stuff.
Julie Berman - Host:Yeah, that makes total sense. And honestly, I guess I would have never thought about any of that. So I appreciate your bringing those details up. Because Yeah, I just like for me, I'm like, either it works or doesn't. Yeah, it's like, I don't think about all the behind the scenes things, but it's really fascinating and important to think about when you are in a job. And you know, I want to ask like so after you took that master electrician exam. How did you feel having that? Did it feel like you had some sort of authority now or was it just like the next right step like and what did you do with that? Is that when you started your business? Yes, that's
Shera Walker:when I started my company. I was she's electric Incorporated. Okay, and I ran at just me and I had one girlfriend that I trained some different things that also helped me out. Because that was my thing. I'm like, I'm not going to go through all this just to argue with a guy and try to prove to him for 800 hours that I know what I'm talking about. Yeah. One other friend of mine that I know knows what I taught her. I know she's going to do it the way I said to do it. Yeah. Because once you have your license, and then you get your business insurance, and anything that happens is on you. And electrical, when electrical goes bad, it goes bad. So if anything happens, they're gonna come back looking at you. And ultimately, you know, I'm a Christian, I totally believe in doing things as you would want it done to you. So I want it to be the best I can do. You know, I'm not gonna say sometimes you'll cut corners, it doesn't really matter. But if it's a serious thing, something so simple is just not making a good connection, making sure that everything's tight. If it's arcane, and sparking, trying to make a connection in there over amount of time, which things can get loose, it can happen. But if it happens really quickly, then that's on you. And if that's happening, near insulation, then you have a fire and what are some ways in the house? It's just, there's a lot of things I take it very seriously. So it's, yeah, I didn't go very big. And a lot of people were like, Oh, you should go bigger, you know, your, your double minority, you could get government contracts. And it's true, but I'm a simple girl, to a degree. I don't like like, there was more responsibility comes more, more headaches, and I like to be able to leave my job at my job. You know, with within some limitations, I don't want to keep thinking about it. So I just had one employee off and on. She just worked two days a week, I think and I usually did three days a week, okay, and I had a lot of personal clients. And then I got a really good job with a rental company. They had a lot of rentals all over the Brunswick area, and I would do their troubleshooting for him. And I was a cheapest electrician out there. I had all my licensing. I was good my bookkeeping, and so they loved me. And they were very sad when I moved away. I loved them too, because they were on time with my I just call her up and like, Hey, I just finished this job in this job. She's like, Oh, yeah, come on, get your check. Like,
Julie Berman - Host:yeah, easy. Yeah. So tell us like when you moved away, what did you do? And then how did you get to Florida?
Shera Walker:It was it was very, very small. Always wanted to do missionary work. And I learned Spanish my family's part of my family's from Cuba, but we never really spoken in house. Okay, so I moved to the Dominican Republic, thinking I was going to preach in Spanish, but when I arrived there everybody thought I was Haitian. And they spoke French. Exactly. Yeah, Haitian Creole, really but Franco is what a lot of them speak but Haitian Creole is, is like the difference if you've ever heard Jamaican speak, yes. Jamaican patois, technically is English is not Yeah, lots of different languages. And unless they're speaking slowly on purpose for you to understand, you're gonna get nothing. And even if they do go slow, you're gonna get 25%. So, um, I had to learn it, I had to learn a Haitian Creole in order to be productive preaching there, because that's where the greater need was. And as soon as they saw my face, they thought I was family. So I was in like, Flynn. You know, it just, it's just one less step, you know, in the ministry. So I was asked if I could help out in that particular field, and construction kind of took a backburner for six years. Wow. But while I was there, I was asked to work on a few construction projects of ours because as Jehovah's Witnesses we do our own construction work, we just pay for materials. Okay, so I was exposed on the island in general to some very interesting wiring methods that unlike this is not code. This is not code. And for me, I've been a licensed electrician and so code oriented for so many years, been inspected. People are very poor. And so for example, if I need 100 feet of wire to run to this plug, I go to Home Depot and I get 100 feet of wire, right? I get the money for it and I do it. Countries there's very few places that have that many things. And it's super expensive for them. Copper is so expensive, that people will steal your wires if they're exposed. You have to put them in cement that like Bill carve out they'll chisel out the brick wall to build the house first being chisel a channel that put the wires in that you covered with Smith. Oh, wow. Yummy problems like directly applying water to it. But better yet, instead of one consistent piece of wire, you don't have enough money for piece of wire. So a friend of yours had a piece left from their construction. Another one had that and theirs was red. This one was yellow, that one was blue, and you just tie them all together. Time on together. whatever color you have. At the end, there's no telling. I don't know that much. But I feel like that seems like a recipe that's not a lot better yet. The power company doesn't come out and hook up your electricity. If you're trying to build a house you're doing on your own. They may give you permission, but more than likely in the poor community, you're just going to steal electricity. So what does that involve? I never did it for the record. You're up, you lean a ladder, wooden or electrical on the power line. And you're skinning out the wire with a machete. Oh, my. And then that multicolored wire, that rainbow wire? You peel out the end. So it's copper, and you hook it on it? not touching it. Mind you while you're leaning on. The I'm like, that's Wow. Excuse me. Yeah, we're asked to do you know, I'm asked to help out. I'm like, I I don't know your your country how this works. Like, everyone seems to be pretty much alive. On the wire for my home, and I feel comfortable with that. Yeah, I don't want to touch any of this. Because whatever I touch, I feel responsible for of course. So eventually, it wore me down. And I did a few you know, jobs. But the last year that I was there, I worked full time with one of our construction groups that builds Kingdom halls everywhere, okay, and I had to learn how to do so many things. Like if you want to join two pipes of PVC pipes together in order to run the wires inside, okay itself is like super advanced for them. Because usually they just have the wires hanging out wherever PVC is shielding the wire is protecting it. Even if it's an open ceiling not even close up. You want to have it shielded birds can get in it. And all sorts of bugs love chewing on things. You want to cover it up and not exposed. And especially if you're laying it on metal beams. So I did insist on that, right? So I'm like, Okay, I have this material ready for me like Okay, no problem. And I'm looking for the couplings like to join them together to ask for they're like, What are you talking about couplings? And I'm like,
Unknown:oh, how
Shera Walker:do you say it in Spanish? I'm like, I'm gonna put them together like, Oh, yeah, well, you, you make those. What are you talking about? Are you an electrician? And like, in my country, we buy them. I had to find they're like, Oh, yeah, he also uses coffee. Can you put a bunch of rocks at the bottom, they put sand in it. They put gas oil, which is like kerosene, you start a fire. And then you heat up the pipe turning it ever so slowly. The bigger pipe and the other end to make it bigger. So then Now it could fit in.
Unknown:I'm like, kind of Savitri. Creative? Yeah,
Shera Walker:I came back from the Dominican Republic. A different kind of electrician. I can imagine I learned there's a lot of different ways to do things, and it's still gonna work. Right. still gonna work? Is that ideal? Would it pass inspection? Maybe not? Will the house burned down? Nope.
Unknown:They're all alive. Yeah.
Shera Walker:Our electrical code is so high and so strict. And a lot of times people are like, you can't do that. That's not code. I'm like, but you'll be okay. Everything will be okay. So in a lot of ways, everything's a lesson for so very grateful for it. Because I learned just how not serious so many rules are and I'll abide Of course, cuz I don't want to be breaking the law or anything. But when people get really uptight, that wire is too small to run that refrigerator. And then like I've seen an entire house run on aware of that size. Yeah, it'll be okay. It's not the best way to do it. I'm sure it's not the safest, safest, safest way but it's been working for them for 30 years. Yeah.
Julie Berman - Host:Yeah. And you know, it's interesting that I could see how like coming in you know, everything probably felt like very like black and white like it was this or that like right or wrong and you know, one or the other and then like, then coming back after that experience so seeing so many things happen for years if you like, Oh, well there's a lot of gray area here.
Shera Walker:Yeah, there's lots of ways to do that too. So it made me a lot more creative to and a lot better even and troubleshooting to this day I'm I feel like I'm in a lot of ways I said the Dominican Republic was my my fast forward to study course and and a lot of things in faith and electrical work, and then learning what I'm capable of doing because that's the first time I ever flipped anything that looked like nothing and it was beautiful then people wanted to buy it off me and pay way more than I ever paid for it. So it was the beginning of learning things outside of electrical work to I had to pour my own concrete floor apartment that I built and learn about the importance of checking then the integrity a scaffolding for getting on it when I fell down to two storeys Oh my god, so It was it was it was a lot. Oh, goodness. That's that's a whole, like you should write a book. It was a whole. It was a long six years. It was good. There was there's good times and bad times, but I learned a lot. Yeah. And I wouldn't do that back for anything.
Julie Berman - Host:That's amazing. I can only imagine like just what you've told us. I'm sure it's a snippet of what you experienced. And you know, it is interesting. Like every time I've gone to another country, like I've lived in to other places. I've lived in France, and I've lived in Australia. Oh, yeah. I love I like love travel, speak some French a little bit. But I forgotten Most of it was just really depressing. To come back around. Yes, I think it would come back. And like I love it so much that I just like, try so hard. And so I want it to come back when you look like you could be a French descent. Do you have any phone? No, no, I guess I'm like, European descent. Okay, for I would love to say French, but it's more like you know, the polish. Okay. Okay. These other areas, but you've been there. You can get in there. Yeah. And I love it. And it's so interesting. You know, like what you find out you think that you're going to discover when you go somewhere else. You think you're going to discover other things in like other cultures, but you actually end up learning so much about yourself. Exactly. And like how you think of your own culture and like,
Shera Walker:Oh my goodness, so much things that have to be absolute that aren't Yeah, I was cracking up when, when? And it's true. I mean, I'm not anti I'm not what do they call it? I try not to be extreme in any of my ways. I'm like my blue shadow way of living. Shadow it a little bit of Boucher, you know, boogy boogy, from the French influence, a little boozy, a little ghetto. There's
Unknown:a blue shadow. There's a good point.
Shera Walker:But um, I respect people's. What they imagine their necessities are because to them, it is and I felt that way too, before I lived in the country where sometimes there is no water. Sometimes there's no electricity, sometimes there's no toilet paper, like people when I was in the ministry would be like, Oh, the mini kind of techie book, go get some toilet paper, go get some toilet paper and like, how do you guys love paper? And the way everybody freaked out here in the pandemic began backing up because I learned this he was like, there was like, way before toilet paper. And there's life after notebook. Right? Yes. And they're clean.
Unknown:It's not the end of the world. That's a good lesson to have learned. Because Yeah, man, we were freaking out. I sure I was not a fun period. In my mind. Do you have eight roles? You need to always have eight roles. And like Matt is not that serious?
Julie Berman - Host:Oh, so funny. ob Okay, yes. Oh, my gosh, so good. And, like I love you know, to come back around to sort of like where you're at now. You're in a different state. I know, you started a new business in 2020. called ms fix it which First of all, I love the name. It's a digital. And you, you know, like, I love that you started something new and a year that was actually quite insane. Like, for all our purposes, it was for insane for everybody in different ways. So tell me about that. Like, why did you decide to start your business, your handy woman business? What has that been like, and you're in a new state, you're in Florida now. So tell us like give us an overview kind of what started everything there? Well,
Shera Walker:when I first moved here, I started looking into possibly getting my license to carry over to Florida and just all the hoops I'd have to go through. And minimum I'd have to get so many hours of experience in Florida. And before I moved to the Dominican I was actually in Florida for two years and worked for another older man. And he had some experience but he's since retired. So I could even go back to those hours and use them. So I was like, do I want to go through like the the heart wrenching examination purpose again, I'm like, maybe not, you know, I'm not sure if I even want to do this. But I was looking into it and thinking about it. And then I found the job with this other older man that I could just work two days a week and like I have to start building up the hours and brush back up on what his code is. Because I'm like, I'm truly behind even if I got a new NBC which they it comes out every four years, okay. And it's always got new things in it always got new requirements. So it was really I needed to catch up, hands on experience, just it can't be replaced. And so I wanted to do that. More so than just go and try to take the exam with the books which the books each book is like $200 300 $400 you also have to have firemen code experience. Now they've made low voltage separate which don't even get me started with that because it's not like you could even get electricity from data wire, so I don't know anyway, so But there's all these sub departments, you have to know. Okay, in Florida, and Georgia, they allowed you to have 600 amps and below license. And also, you know, all amperage for all if you want to do all types of construction, including bigger, high rises, etc, I didn't want to do any of that. So I kept that 600 and below. But in Florida, they only have the one that's in all encompassing. So you have to know all these things. And all the books last I heard, to prepare for the exam is $2,000 for to get all the publications. And then you have to pay another fee from the state to even get in the list to take the test. And then if you don't pass, you lost all of that. Oh my gosh, yeah. So it's a lot and I'm like, maybe not. And then when the pandemic came out, I was working two days a week with him, you know, started, they were still working constructions been booming the entire time in Florida, it never took a pause. I myself still have my older grandmother who's still alive. 95 years old in Georgia God and precious as a family matriarch. And then my parents are not spring chickens are both retired now. And I knew I was going to visit them at least once a month to check on them. And when the pandemic started actually moved in with them. So I could do all the shopping. I'm just very protective of what I call my old people. My old people. People my watch, I went into like defender mode. Yeah, I went into another over the years I started I do I've done interpreting in Spanish, English, Spanish, English, Haitian Creole medical interpreting also legal. I've I taught English online, up to about a year ago for Asian students. And you know, as I got my tip tesl, and I'm always get a little licenses somewhere I started painting during my painting. I'm always dipping into different things that that helped me express myself and then pay the bills, you know? Yeah, so I was just teaching online at the time online. So I just told my boss for electrical that I'm not going to be doing that for a while, because I don't feel safe, because they were all going out with a mask. Oh, COVID is all made up and you know, older people's beliefs are or their beliefs. I respect that. But you're not gonna kill me while you're believing that COVID is not real. So yeah, or my family? Who would attack them? I'm not going to do that. So I knew that wasn't gonna happen. And I know when it was gonna start back up, like you said, we were all in uncertainty. So I started looking at things that I could do, you know, teaching online became a more competitive thing to a lot of teachers that weren't now in the classroom. We're trying to go online. Yeah. So it was being pushed out of that some ways because my certifications as a teasle, teaching English as a second language, but I don't have a bachelor in education or anything like that. Okay, even though I was doing great with the companies I was with, they were making room for people that had more education, it looks it looks better, right? Of course. So I'm like, I'm not gonna keep fighting with you to wake up at 6am to teach these kids, I love my students, you know, so it was all that was going about? And you know, my my parents just said, they're like, why don't you just start up your own company like you did before? I'm like, Why don't my license or like, isn't being that you can just do, like lots of fixed supply things. You can fix a lot of things right now. I'm like, Yeah, you're right. That's kind of where Mr. Fixit came from that just from that idea, I'm like, and that way I can control my exposure. And to keep my mask on. I'll ask any clients, I have to keep their mask on. Yeah. You know, and I'm like, I'll feel safer working in that kind of environment that I can go back home with a pretty sure clear conscience that I haven't taken unnecessary risk, you know, yeah. So that was where it came from. So and it's been great businesses is become larger word of mouth, which is what I prefer, anyway.
Julie Berman - Host:Yeah, well, and that's such a valuable thing to have word of mouth, because it's like, you know, that not only did they love what you did, but they were so excited about it, that they wanted to share with someone and like the key to the kingdom. Right.
Shera Walker:Exactly, exactly. And usually what I say I'm like, I always wonder like, Is it okay, if I give your card to the people? I'm like, Yes. I'm like, good clients. No other good clients. Yeah, that's been my experience. Yeah, they're, their friends aren't scallywags and they don't want their friends to talk about how like, you know, what did that work from they never paid me so they're gonna so I really prefer you know, as a single female going into households to it's a safer environment, work environment. Usually, it's a lot of times older people and they trust you more because you were their, their friend you have. So it's been really good. And I have just enough business right now. And still can work for that company, which I started working with them again, just two days a week. And I want to say and go back to work with them again until September, October. Okay. So it was earlier that I was just like, well, I'm gonna have to make money doing something.
Julie Berman - Host:Yeah. Yeah, it's awesome that you have the flexibility, it's awesome that you've also like, use the skills that you gained to do like another business, you know, and, and that it allows you to sort of balance like wanting to make art and going back to see your family and like soaking them. And there's there's like, that's I feel like what we all are trying to attain is that balance that we've got the important things, you know, that we can still take time to do those important things to make a living, you know, to spend time with loved ones to have some creative, you know, creative time. Exactly. Yeah, that's so good. I am so excited that we got to talk. And it's so you know, it's so amazing to like, just to think about for you, if you had recommendations for other women, whether they're young women, whether they are older, like what do you think someone can do to start out? And if they're interested in becoming an electrician? Or if they're even interested in just becoming like a handy woman and starting their business? Like, what would you tell them?
Shera Walker:I love it. Well, first, I want them to like and subscribe my channel on YouTube. A lot of random things on there seem kind of random, but they lead to learning other things. So okay, just be open. If you most of us know some friends in the construction world. And most construction workers, if you're not harassing them in the moment, are really happy to have you tag along. And at least pass tools you will learn so much. Just checking it out and seeing just how not scary it is. And especially if it's a friend of yours, or a friend of the family, they're going to they're they're not going to give you the hardest thing or the most scary thing. So you'll start out learning to when you have contractors over if once again, if they're open to it, like I always am, you're not really distracting. They're like, let me not distract you. I'm like, I'm already in the zone. It's very rare. You're going to stop me from that you have questions, you know, not nipping questions like, how does that work? Exactly. Or they're not going to give you a to z, right? They can give you a basic working knowledge. And just from one of my videos or a shortcut, you can change a switch in your house. Right? Thank you something simple. Usually just two wires involved. Make sure the breaker is off. Yes. You know, I'm like you people like you aren't afraid of getting chopped him like that would be virtually impossible when the power is off. I don't always do it. But yeah, I do. Because I want people to learn that there's, there's fear, and there's respect, I respect electricity. I do and I have been shocked many times. But there's a there's no need to fear it because it follows very specific rules. So now and the YouTube landia I encourage everyone to start there honestly to look into it to to get some research and then if you're really serious about it, no matter what age you are, try a little project at home. And then from there, see if you can have a friend that you can follow along with or look and see if there's any tech classes. So a lot of them are online. Yeah, if you want to change careers, then you would need you know to go through more processes and every state licensure procedure is a little different. So I can't really say for sure on that one. But depending on how deep you want to get into it, just
Julie Berman - Host:start I think that's such good advice because then you get to see it in person exam like feel what it's like, you know a little bit to be in that environment before you launch head on maybe into a degree exam. But like appropriate Yeah, yeah,
Shera Walker:I I'm, I'm a big fan of that because I have friends that like get their nursing program and then they realize that they can't see it since like blood. Like that would have been good to know. Yes. So if you if you're not able to do this or something you really hate or you know the temperature is too much or just environment of being around a bunch of guys all the time and them scratching that is something you can't do these better to learn that early on. Or there's some aspect that you're really gonna love about it a lot of electricians love being electricians is what I've noticed. It's kind of like people from California and Texas. There are certain states are just like yeah, I'm California check. Yeah, you really love it. You know? It's your it's a little contagious, so you're more than likely to also fall in love with what they love about it. Yeah, you know, so I really do encourage that hands on experience if you can, and there's no such thing as a wire stretcher. That is like a big stupid electrical joke. They always haze people with the first day that's so fun. I didn't look for it for a while. And what I've heard there's a wire structure because there's all sorts of things that I didn't know existed before so like maybe there is a wire stretcher. I don't know. Everyone like 30 minutes later, like Where have you been? I was like I was looking for the wires. We're sending you home, the kids. Like we're saying that is so funny.
Julie Berman - Host:Like, what I love about you is just from what you told me and like a conversation before this, and you have so much grit, first of all, to be like, you know, so young that you wanted to learn this. And you were like, so adamant about going in everyday thing, like, you're going to teach me this. I'm not going home. Here I am, like, I'm here to learn. I love that. And I love to how you have done so in different experiences, and you're still like, you're still iterating, you're still changing up what you're doing. And like, you're continuing to learn. I think that's so incredible. It's really interesting to talk to you about some of the even the mathematical things that you were talking about. And the strategy that goes behind things, or the creativity that goes behind things, like thinking of alternate solutions, just really fun to think about. So I hope that more women after this conversation, think about maybe being an electrician or
Shera Walker:a woman. I hope so too. It's really fun. And I always love seeing girls on the I don't think every time I ever see a woman construction, we're all pretty much like
Unknown:you can't, you know,
Shera Walker:there's not that competition that sadly exists in so many other fields that may be more largely women dominated. Maybe because there's so few of us in the field. I don't know. But um, yeah, I haven't really seen that in construction. So I would love to see more, more women interested in it. I'm so glad you've created this forum to talk about it. I I'm very excited. And I love what I do there days, and I'm just like, I hate what I do to happen, but overall, I wouldn't have stuck with this 20 something years, if it's something that I've really hated, because I'm not wanting to do that, if I really hate it, I'm not gonna stick around. Yeah, I'm not gonna make my life miserable. But um, I love that you've created this, this format. And it's one that we have that similar job background experience, that guy is one of the things that I was just like, elder girl, I learned so much about plants that I never knew. And I can say that very much agriculture. My parents always have a garden, always we have our own cucumbers. And that's not huge. But you know, it's something that I was always interested in, but knew nothing about growing things from clippings. I love learning, I think that we were made with brains that can continue expanding for a reason.
Julie Berman - Host:So course Yeah, and it is yeah, we forgot to mention that. But we do know each other because of our connection working. We are both educators doing therapeutic gardening for you for like memory care and older adults. And it's, you know, it is interesting to that you say like we are always capable of learning more. And sometimes a lot of people when they hear about this podcast, and I always try to clarify, people assume that it's mainly for younger adults, like for high school students, or for students who are in college. And yes, of course, it is for younger adults. But it is also for women who are of every age who are my age, you know, mid 30s, like 40s 50s 60s, like, at every age, we are completely capable of learning new skills of trying out something different. And the idea is to just have that awareness, you know that these things exist, and then like, go for it.
Shera Walker:I love it. I love it. And I feel like as women, we tend to be more cautious calculate features, which is good, it's good. And it's bad sometimes, because it's so far into our head. But when you see another woman doing it, you're like, well, it's doable. Exactly. Yes. And I always important to get that out there. And I love what you're doing.
Julie Berman - Host:Thank you so much. And I'm so glad to have you on. And so before we wrap up, I want to ask you my very favorite last question, will you share a sentence with us that uses verbiage or jargon from your field? And then can you please translate it for us? So we know what you're talking about?
Shera Walker:Okay. All right. This is what I actually use more often than not, like, Well, I'm not sure if the GFCI is back fed or the line and the load are reverse. Okay, so GFCI is our ground fault circuit interrupters. Those are the outlets around any place with water. Okay, so in your kitchen, you've seen him have the reset buttons on it. Yeah, in your bathroom, you see them? Yeah, right. So often, sometimes they get worn out or sometimes they're just wired wrong from the start. So if the power is coming in, there's a top part that says line and a bottom part that says load on the back of it. Okay, so often people just shove the wires in and turn it on or whatever guys do you know when they're wiring up the house, and this reverse? And you never know until years later, some outlet is not working in the circuit. Because the GFCI should have been controlling it but all along it hasn't been like, Oh, well. It's still it was always working though. I think if I reset it, you know, they may know that but yeah, but that may not fix it because the GFCI was never actually doing anything is supposed to cut off current if any water splashes on it, but it can't do its job properly if it's not wired properly. Okay, so that's another thing. I think the line and the load are reverse. So instead of coming in the top is coming in the bottom God, it may also just not have any current at all.
Julie Berman - Host:Okay, accede. So thank you for the explanation.
Shera Walker:No, no, no, that was perfect. FCI at least remember that.
Julie Berman - Host:I do know, because we did a little bit of remodeling. We didn't do it. Although my husband is quite handy, but we paid like, because we had a lot of electrical work done, okay. And we did hire an electrician to like, come in and do a whole bunch of work. And so I did at least learn a teensy weensy bit, and I know what a GFCI is, but I didn't know any of that. Yeah, so slowly, I'm getting these things. That's
Shera Walker:good. To know how many times people have to pay me big money just to push the button to reset. Yeah.
Julie Berman - Host:Yeah, luckily, I have a really, really smart person who knows a lot more than I do in these areas, and is also willing to learn and so He's good. He's got me on that, you know, like, it makes
Shera Walker:for a good partnership. But it's so funny how many guys don't know any of this stuff, either. They just, you know, have always been white collar workers. That's all they know. Oh, yeah. reprogram your computer?
Julie Berman - Host:Yeah. Well, it's a you know, it's, that's the thing is everybody has things that they're good at, and we have to learn. And we have to embrace people who have other skills to help us in the areas we don't. And that's how it goes. Like, we can't be good at everything. It's like, it's so true. Nobody's got everything. Yeah. So well, thank you so much for being here. Sure. It has been very well. Thanks for having me, of course, and tell us where we can find you. on social media, on YouTube. All the things if people want to reach out if they're in Gainesville, Florida, and they want to hire you, if they want to find you on the web.
Shera Walker:Okay, so it's Mrs. fix it. I do have a website, but I'm gonna be honest, I hardly ever use it. My Google number that's also on my card. But the best best and fastest way to find me is going to be on Instagram, Ms that fix it. And I gave you all the information you told me, there's a way for you to show them all at once. And YouTube is where you can get all of my free advice. And any questions that you put up there. I answered that as soon as possible. And that's under my old company name. She's electric. Okay. Ah, Eazy E l e t r i c.
Julie Berman - Host:Okay, so she's electric is YouTube and Miss fix? It is Instagram. Yes. Awesome. This has been so much fun. Thank you so much for being on the podcast. Same here. Thank
Shera Walker:you for letting me go down memory lane. I remember a lot of things. I haven't thought about the beginning a long time.
Julie Berman - Host:It was my pleasure. Hey, everybody, thank you so much for listening to women with cool jobs. I'll be releasing a new episode every two weeks. So make sure you hit that subscribe button. And if you love the show, please give me a five star rating. Also, it would mean so much if you share this episode with someone you think would love it or would find it inspirational. And lastly, do you have ideas for future shows? Or do you know any Rockstar women with cool jobs? I would love to hear from you. You can email me at Julie at women with cool jobs calm or you can find me on Instagram at women cool jobs. Again, that's women will jobs. Thank you so much for listening and have an incredible day.