Milly Martin

I don't really see myself as successful in a traditional sense. I'm always trying to help someone save money in one way or another. What matters most to me is that the other person is happy about the end result, more than anything else. Whether it's helping a business go solar, or providing a vacation rental experience, it's not about the money I'm making. It's about the customer being happy, even if I have to break even. It gives me comfort to know that I made someone's day special. For example, with my vacation rentals, even if that $500 payment just goes toward cleaning the house and I break even, I feel good knowing I provided a service and the customer is going to be completely happy with what they received. That's what drives me more than anything else.

I don't think I ever had anyone really give me career advice, to be honest with you. But I have always enjoyed what I do, and I think if you're doing something, you have to enjoy what you're doing. You can't just work on something you hate. I try to focus on things that I enjoy doing. I wouldn't take a job that I wouldn't like. A lot of people take jobs because of money or whatever, but for me, it has to be a job that I enjoy doing. When you enjoy what you're doing, it doesn't feel like you're really working because your day goes by and it's like it doesn't feel like you're working. That's important to me.

Go for it. Never set themselves for not being able to do what another man could do. We're just as capable, and even better, because a lot of men are into this industry and right now some women are starting to get into it. They feel like, oh, I don't know if I could get into it because we have to deal with men. But it's actually easier to work with men when you're working in the business industry because they don't see you as man-to-man. They have this competitive thing among themselves, but us being women, they don't see us as competing with them or trying to see who has the power. It's just a matter of being able to provide the information and letting them know it's there without being too pushy. Men tend to be more pushy than we are, and it's good for us in this industry because we're not as pushy as they are. That gives them comfort. They feel more at ease when they're approached by a woman than if they're being approached by men. I think more women should get into this industry, even though they think they're not capable. I think it's a good industry for women to get into.

The opportunities in my field are amazing. You could work anywhere in the U.S., so I could be working in Florida, I could be working in New York, I could be working in Alaska. It's something that is needed everywhere. Obviously, solar probably is more beneficial in Florida than in some other states, but the need is definitely there. It's something you can take anywhere with you. I think it's the future, which is why I got into solar. It's just a matter of time before a lot of people are going solar. The opportunity was amazing. As for challenges, as a woman, you sometimes have to be a little bit more concerned because you don't want to meet with someone on your own. You can't just go blindly to a meeting because you're a woman and you have to take care of yourself. Men are so used to dealing with men, but when you're a woman, you have to be professional and make sure you don't give the wrong impression. You have to make sure there's respect always there. You can be friendly, but as long as you keep that respect so they don't come back and say something that is not appropriate.

What's most important to me is giving others the experience I would want for myself. With my vacation rental homes, I want to make sure everything is spotless and super clean. I wouldn't give a bed to someone to sleep in where I wouldn't sleep in myself, and I'm very picky. I wash everything, including comforters and pillows, because people sweat through things and I like to feel like I'm sleeping in something that's completely clean. Even if I have to pay a little bit more for taking the time to wash those things, it gives me pleasure to know that when a guest calls me and tells me they love how clean the house was, the smell of clean. With our flooring business, I wouldn't put someone to work on someone's house that I wouldn't put to work in my own house, because I don't think they're going to do a good job. I want to make sure whoever we're going to hire and put to work on your house is going to do a great job where I'll be proud if he was doing the work in my own house. In my solar work, I focus on the business and helping them understand their options. I try to make it where the customer feels comfortable enough to make the decision that's right for them. It's about helping businesses save money so that money could go somewhere else, like paying down debt or giving employees better salaries and benefits.