A mum who was told being an electrician was "not for women" has had the last laugh as the owner of her own business.
Lisa Evans, from Wallasey, faced years of sexist remarks as a woman working in a male-dominated industry, which caused her to quit her job after the birth of her son Kyle because she'd "had enough." However, after taking a break for a few years, Lisa later returned to the trade and is now the owner of G Evans Electrical.
Lisa, 40, said: "As a female electrician I’ve encountered it all — from turning up at people’s houses and having men refusing the work to having builders patronise me and even try to rip me off. Most people are lovely and find it refreshing to have a female electrician but others aren’t so kind.
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"I don’t mind banter and always have a laugh but I still come across people who don’t trust I’ll do a good job, patronise me and also people who try to take advantage."
Lisa started out as a six-year-old helping her grandad Gerry, who founded G Evans Electrical in 1983. She enjoyed helping her grandad that much, she'd often skip school to do jobs for him.
By the time she was 16, Lisa could rewire a whole house and she scored the highest mark possible when she went to do her electrical qualifications. It was at school that Lisa first encountered sexist remarks, when teachers told her "that's not a career, you want to be a vet" instead.
The 40-year-old said these remarks continued when she became the first woman on her college course, and when she began working on site. Lisa said the sexist comments she's faced from men over the years include: "'It's [a job] for men, it's not for women', 'women belong by the sink or at home with kids' and 'it's too heavy for a woman.'"
Lisa said: "If someone tells me I can't do something it gives me more reason to do it. It made me more determined and then when I had my little boy, I'd say probably 16 years ago, I gave it up for a couple of years because I'd just had enough.
"I was sick of people telling me 'you can't do this, you can't do that.' I probably didn't have the energy to fight back with them. It just grinds you down."
During her time away from the trade, Lisa's grandad was forced to retire and closed G Evans Electrical. But after seeing how disappointed he was and knowing how much he wanted her to take over the family business, in 2010 Lisa took the helm and built G Evans Electrical up again from scratch.
Lisa said: “It was always my grandad’s dream for me to take on the business after working so hard and teaching me all I know. It was hard starting over again but the family business was built on a great reputation so people and businesses soon started booking in jobs."
Lisa bought a work van, put a sticker of her grandad Gerry on it and hired her brother Sean as her second in command. Gerry sadly died in 2012 but Lisa and Sean have been running the business successfully in his memory ever since.
G Evans Electrical, which serves both Wirral and Liverpool, will soon celebrate its 40th anniversary, with Lisa in charge for the past 12 years.
Lisa said: “My grandad Gerry taught me a lot, both as a person and an electrician, and I am so proud to continue the family business in his name. I’d also like to show other women that you can be successful in a man’s industry — just work hard, be great at what you do and always give as good as you get! Be nice and provide great service but don’t take any sh*t!”
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