Today we’d like to introduce you to Carly Steiman.
Hi Carly, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started my electrical apprenticeship right after highschool and fell in love with helping people in the residential service sector. I love fixing things, helping people and getting paid! I explored the world of film and climbed ranks in rigging, shooting, set wiring (building led light fixtures), and met many kind and special humans who shared their story with me. I love humans and their story and being an electrician working in trades, film, folks homes has given me the gift of friendship. I started Lady Electric in 2016 and have operated as a soloprenuer for close to 10 years. I pursued to be a structural firefighter for a year then worked for BC ambulance working on the transfer fleet supporting my community in a way that delighted me. Through this experience I witnessed how many elders need support in their homes to live independently. My mission today is to support as many elders living independent by taking care of their home for them with service providers and skilled trades. Teaching women basic skills of home maintence and celebrating a community built on kindness and looking out for one another.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Being a contractor requires getting comfortable with uncertainty – uncertainty of what’s next, what the future holds and no guarantees. It makes you hungry and keeps you sharp always on the look out for opportunities. Being a women in trades and some sites being male populated I found myself in good company for the most part. Having a demeanor of joy, humour and being sharp witted has served me well and I think prevented unkind attention. I did have men pursue me romantically with verbal advances more than a handful but through those experiences I found my power in saying no with kindness. Not using shame to make someone feel bad about asking. It’s been a smooth road of navigating social interaction and nuance.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am most proud of the Tradeswomen Calendars! I got together 19 tradeswomen in November 2024, decided the photos were incredible, applied to Gallery 881 to have a gallery exhibition, got accepted! Then hosted a 2 week exhibition October 2025. I hosted 9 events and brought in 600 people. I got on CBC the early edition and global news this is BC and really advocated for women in trades and putting our stories in the spotlight. I bought a typewriter and interviewed 40 tradeswomen. Selected 15 answers and typed them out for the exhibit. From there I printed a lot of calendars and got companies to band together to cover shipping to 1000 schools across Canada. I believe in analog influence and that looks like having marketing where representation matters. What you see you don’t know and I am SO proud to plant seeds of possibility for folks wondering about career possibilities in the trades.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
More hands make like work. You are your best advocate, so believe in yourself and don’t be shy about it! 🛠️❤️
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.workbeehomeservices.ca
- Instagram: @ladyelectric_
