We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Nancy Liles, MBA . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Nancy below.
Alright, Nancy thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s kick things off with a hypothetical question – if it were up to you, what would you change about the school or education system to better prepare students for a more fulfilling life and career?
By helping students K-12 have exposure to other educational paths besides a four-year degree, they have the opportunities to discover their skills and interests. With the rising costs of college and interests in careers that are flexible and fulfilling, we need to help students and their parents see the opportunities in skilled trades.
The United States has $1.3 trillion dollars of student debt. Not only can a high schooler learn a skilled trade, but the skills can pay off a college degree if desired.
During my freshman year of college, she asked me to help her with the salon so I reluctantly enrolled in her same cosmetology school.
I attended cosmetology classes during the day while attending North Carolina State University at night. My cosmetology skills helped me serve our community, build my mom’s American Dream, pay for my B.A. in Spanish, send me to study abroad in Perú and Japan, pay for my M.B.A. and invest in real estate.
While working behind the salon chair, people would say, “You are in college? Oh, so you can fall back on this.” Or “What are you doing this for if you are in college?”
There are misconceptions around working as a skilled tradesperson.
Many of us have been led to believe growing up.
Myth 1: Manual Trade Jobs Are Unrewarding
As a hairdresser, I can tell you our salon team experiences immense job satisfaction through creating, fixing, or serving. Studies show that people on skilled trades are the most satisfied. There is job security, growth, and diversity.
Myth 2: Trade Work Is Unimportant
The trades are always in demand. Our team recently upfitted a new commercial real estate space and needed dozens of trade people to open for business.
Myth 3: All Skilled Labor Opportunities Are in Construction
Construction work is only ONE sector of trade opportunities. I have a friend who completed his skilled trades certification in technology and is now teaching. Of course what comes to mind in skilled trades is mechanical, electrical and plumbing. But there is medical, beauty, tech, audio, visual, and more.
Myth 4: Trades Jobs Are for the Poorly Educated
My dad retired as a diesel mechanic without even a 6th grade education. However, he is still sought after for his knowledge and skills to get big rigs on the road. Educated doesn’t mean fancy degrees. It means knowledge, skills, and experience. Tradespersons need technical know-how, high capacity for problem-solving, and physical dexterity.
Myth 5: Skilled Manual Work Is Low-Paid
We recently spent $25K on plumbing. Skilled workers make a good living while enjoying high job stability and flexibility. Millions of US jobs don’t require a college degree and pay very well. However, high school grads apply for student loans and plan for university. Trades people can have career paths in education, inspections, and business ownership. Firefighters, for example, earn overtime and other incentives.
Myth 6: Pay for Skilled Workers Is Inconsistent
While in Cosmetology School, our teachers said that our jobs are recession-proof. Trades jobs are often essential and tend to ride out market downturns.
Myth 7: Trade Work Is Highly Dangerous
Lots of laws and inspections take help make worker safety the highest priority. Unions and insurance company provide guideline for stringent rules to protect workers from harm.
Myth 8: All Trade Work Is Physically Demanding
Not all! Many skilled trades require the use of a lot of technology. Also, as you grow more experienced, you are able to mentor younger employees to learn the trade. The physical work that is required in careers like firefighting, cosmetology, and nursing in turn keeps us physically active.
These in-demand jobs offer high wages and opportunities for advancement and entrepreneurship. Eighty-seven percent of skilled trade workers also report high job satisfaction and said they would choose the same career again.
I love teaching my C.R.O.W.N. workshops to K-12, teens, and professionals the opportunities in skilled trades, leadership, and entrepreneurship. In 1 Peter 4:10, God says, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Hi! I’m Nancy Liles- thank you for sharing my journey to Mrs. Summit International. This summer, Summit will take place in the Philippines. Not only do I get to represent the United States, but it I will see my birthplace for the first time since leaving as a refugee.
After the Vietnam War, my parents escaped by a small boat and spent 5 days and 4 nights at sea with 42 other refugees. As a diesel mechanic, my dad helped keep the boat’s engine running.
When my parents arrived to the Philippines, they stayed in a refugee camp until I was born. The Coleman family from St. Raphael’s Church in Raleigh, NC sponsored my parents and me to the United States when I was 6-weeks old.
With just a 6th grade education, my dad was able to get certified as a diesel mechanic while my mom did screen printing at a t-shirt factory. If I wasn’t riding my bike through our trailer park with other kids, I was out in the country heat watching my dad fix diesel engines or at the t-shirt factory with my mom.
At the age of 5, our family welcomed my brother. I saw my mom balance motherhood while attending English clases. She was able to slowly come out of hardships and poverty with a cosmetology license and later building her American Dream salon called Classy Cuts. After I finished my M.B.A. In HR and Leadership and Change Management from DePaul University, I rebranded my mom’s business to Sweet T Salon.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
While trying to figure out how to rebrand my mom’s salon, I decided to take a small break one morning and walk across the street to get breakfast like I used to do in Chicago. Out of no where, a BMW SUV driver hits me and I am faced down on the ground with a broken collarbone. Without an arm to cut hair and employees, I had to figure out a way to transform my mom’s failing salon.
For 12 weeks, I had to learn how to sit still while my collarbone healed. During this time I prayed, took time to look the the business from the outside in, and developed new marketing research and strategies. Thirteen years later, we have been able to grow as Sweet T Salon, employ seven stylists, and invest in commercial real estate.
Have you ever had to pivot?
After my husband and I had our first baby girl, I suffered from painful fibroids. It was the first time in my life that I took months off of work to heal. Eighteen months later, we welcomed our second daughter and my husband underwent a spinal fusion due to an injury.
While I navigated through motherhood, sickness, and injuries, I learned to let go. Let go to calling all the shots in the business. Let go of being the first one to the salon. Let go of being with my employees every day.
I was forced to work on the business and not in the business. While I Iove working in the business, I learned how to have a more balanced life as a mom. Not all days feel balanced- therefore I learned how to have more grace for myself and team.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.nancyliles.com
- Instagram: SweetTNancy
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/VeQQS9NBEqVVQNJd/?mibextid=QwDbR1
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancynguyen
- Twitter: SweetTSalon
- Yelp: Sweet T Salon
- Other: www.summitinternationalpageants.com
Image Credits
Hair, Makeup, and Photography by Holte Avery – Revenge Face