Angela Olier Pino says as a plumber, you have to be ready for anything, especially getting your hands dirty.
“Plumbing is a very physical work,” Pino said. “It’s heavy. It’s dirty.”
It’s hard work she’s been doing for the past 35 years as the co-owner and president of People’s Plumbing and Mechanical in Miami.
She started the business in 1990 with her husband after moving to the U.S. from Colombia with dreams of becoming a businesswoman.
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“I came to the United States to realize my dream to be independent, to be this businesswoman, to make money, to achieve all my dreams,” Pino said. “Plumbing was the next step for me.”
She took seminars, got licensed, and started small, building their family business into what it is today.
She says the road has been rough as a woman, constantly being questioned, sometimes even by her own crew.
“They always double check if you know what you’re doing, the measurements, if you know what you’re talking about,” Pino said.
Women's History Month
According to a new Yelp report called “Sheconomy Trend Report,” women have been breaking down those barriers across all industries, including male-dominated ones. The report states there was a 17% increase in new, women-owned businesses across the country from 2022 to 2023.
Searches for women-owned businesses increased more than 1,000% for fashion businesses and more than 300% for pilates studios. Searches for women-owned bookstores and skincare businesses also went up, according to the report.
“We’re seeing that women want to be their own boss,” said Farah Abu-Hantash, senior community manager at Yelp. “In terms of their work autonomy, their scheduling, and their career outcomes, they really want to do it for themselves.”
The report also shows that women-owned businesses for home services, like plumbing, went up 6%.
The data also places Miami in the top three cities for the highest percentage growth and highest number of new, women-owned businesses.
“It’s normalizing that we can enter any career path that we want,” Abu-Hantash said. “It’s super empowering overall. Women across all industries are stepping in and showing how important it is to fill up any shoes that you want.”
Pino says her next step is to pass the baton. She recently hired two female plumbers.
“If I can make a difference and pass the torch, I’ll do it,” Pino said.
She shared these words of advice for any woman trying to start her own business, especially in a field dominated by men.
“Start small with the things that you know,” Pino said. “Don’t let people take away from your dreams.”
Pino also earned several degrees in case she ever decides to change her career. She has an MBA and a doctorate in nursing.
