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 hen
most women think about a fun shopping trip, they
most likely think of their favorite department store.
Not Robin Hartl. She hangs out at places like Home
Depot and Ace Hardware. Instead of checking out
the latest fashion styles, she's mesmerized by circular
saws and power nail guns.
"I
never thought I'd be hanging out at hardware stores
and loving it - dreaming about remolding
my kitchen on my own," Hartl says.
But,
she does. Hartl is the co-host of "Hometime," a
home-improvement television show broadcast on public
television, The Learning Channel, and in syndication.
The popular program is in its 17th season, and its
goal is to help homeowners achieve professional
results from their home-improvement projects.
A
vivacious, attractive blonde, Hartl isn't just a
pretty face on the program. She and her co-host,
Dean Johnson, do much of the work themselves. Given
Robin's petite size (she's a size two), that fact
amazes a fair number of her viewers.
"When
I do personal appearances, people ask me all the
time how I can lift all that stuff," she says. "Women
have an equal role on the show. I do the same things
as my male co-host. If he's holding lumber, I'm
holding lumber."
Building
a Career
Today,
Hartl speaks knowledgably about all aspects of construction,
but when she landed the "Hometime" job, that wasn't
the case.
Burned
out in a successful career in the insurance industry,
Hartl decided she wanted to do something she had
dreamed of doing as a child - act.
"It
was my first love, and I decided to try my hand,"
Hartl recalls, adding, "I didn't want to be old
and in a rocking chair wondering what would have
happened if I had tried."
Following
her heart's passion, she began doing some commercials,
a bit of theatre, and a little modeling while she
still worked in insurance part time to pay the bills.
Then, she saw an advertisement heralding the fact
that "Hometime" was looking for a new female co-host.
Hartl
says she went for it, despite her relative lack
of home improvement knowledge.
"There
were 250 women at the audition," she says. "They
gave us a paint roller and lines to memorize. Then,
we had to explain how to roll paint on a wall using
a roller, as well as demonstrate it. I got called
back twice. On my birthday, they called and offered
me the position. It was unbelievable.
"I
feel so much more confident today than when I pick
up that paint roller. [In the beginning], I was
an actress, and I acted my way through it. Now,
I have so many more skills and greater confidence."
In
fact, she's now confident enough that she recently
gutted the kitchen in her 1933 English Tudor home.
"I
have learned a lot from being on the program," Hartl
notes. "I've asked a lot of questions and have stood
over people's shoulders and watched how they did
things."
Tackling
a project of the magnitude of a kitchen remodel
has made Hartl feel more independent and self-confident.
She says those feelings of independence and self-confidence
have translated beyond construction into other areas
of her life. She encourages women not to be intimated
by construction and to try it.
"Start
with something small," she advises. "Pick up a book,
and read and learn the skills you'll need. You can't
imagine the sense of satisfaction you'll get when
you are able to do it on your own."
If
you aren't quite ready to dive into a project on
your own, Hartl recommends that you still educate
yourself before you hire someone to do the work.
"Often
times, an electrician or a plumber will come to
your house to do a job, and they will treat a woman
like a child," she explains. "They think you couldn't
possibly know anything about this. But, if you sound
educated, they won't take advantage of you."
You're
As Capable As You Want to Be
Hartl
is often seen as a role model for women in non-traditional
roles. Frequently, when she is making an appearance
at a home show, young girls stop by to meet her,
donning tool belts and work boots.
"They
tell me they want to do what I do," Hartl says.
"Women see me, and they want to do it for a living.
So, it is okay to sign up for the shop class or
wood working, something that was unheard of when
I was in high school."
"I
gave a graduation speech for a technical school
recently, and 80 percent of the welding class were
women," she adds.
So,
if you are thinking about redoing your home office,
turning a closet into a wine cellar, or adding a
deck, tune into "Hometime," and then get out your
hammer.
As
Hartl says, "You can do it."
(This
article is reprinted from the Fall 2003 edition
of Enterprising Women magazine. Copyright
2003, Enterprising Women Inc. Reproduction in whole
or part is prohibited, except by permission of the
publisher.)
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