Pittsburgh businessman hopes to set an example for women in business – CBS Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Debbie Mancini has spent about 40 years showcasing homes as a real estate agent.

Now, she is going through them to check. Mancini created A Harmony Home Check about 30 years ago and provides services throughout western Pennsylvania.

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“I’m saying people go down from the ledge every day,” Mancini said. “’My radon has a value of 20 pCi/l. I will die.’ No, no, this is what we’re going to do. It’s just about education, and that’s what I do best. I educate. ”

But at first, Mancini said, some people didn’t want to hear it.

“The biggest challenge lies ahead because people look at you and immediately judge you,” says Mancini. “I am here to say that this is the face of a home inspector in the land of Debbie.”

According to statistics from the US Bureau of Labor, in 2019, women made up about 10% of all construction and building inspectors nationwide. But Mancini says being a woman in a male-dominated field also has its advantages.

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“They feel like they’re being touched by their mother,” Mancini said. “I was a mother before I did anything else, so everything I do has that, ‘How can I help you?’ It’s the real thing and everyone sees it.”

Mancini encouraged other women to climb the ladder and ask for assistance along the way.

“I think women are afraid to ask for help,” Mancini said. “We were taught to just do or not do. Be quiet. Act like a woman. Is not. ”

So that one day, they might break the glass ceiling just like she did.

“I keep a little pink hammer on my desk to remind me of that,” says Mancini. “Not only do I pierce through the ceiling, but I also believe in helping other women in a harmonious way. That’s all about it. “

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When Mancini isn’t holding a hammer, she’s writing children’s books with a pen. She has a new one coming out this summer. In this book, she blends the world of real estate with that of a child.