Can a Woman Do the Same Jobs as a Man?

Linda Tapp is President of Crown Safety in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

"I started this consulting business 7 years ago after working for a number of years in industry in the US and the UK," she recalls. Crown Safety is an occupational safety consulting firm, "which means that we
help businesses reduce the number of injuries that occur in the workplace."

A Certified Safety Professional, Linda sits on several safety and non-safety related boards. She also frequently speaks at meetings and conferences across the country as well as publishes articles related to safety and consulting.

She thought of the idea for her company when a presenter at a conference said that "the only way to make good money in safety was to be a consultant (that piqued my interest). When I had my second child and was unable to negotiate a part-time telecommuting policy, I decided it was time to take the plunge so I could make my own hours."

With a B.A. in biology and an M.S. in environmental health, Linda learned "to appreciate how the body
works, which gives me great insight now when I am investigating accidents or designing programs to protect employee's health. My Environmental Health degree work was directly related to what I do now so those studies influence what I do everyday."

Linda credits her membership in the New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners for helping her get started. "I attended the group's monthly meetings (and still do) and learned so much from the other women and speakers. I leave these meetings pumped up and ready to rule the world!"

Linda's experience has shown her that, alas, "gender discrimination is still alive and well. No matter how much we like to think things have changed, there are more than a few people out there who think a woman can still not do the same jobs a man can do - especially in many male-dominated fields like mine."
She admits that "it still hurts when I lose a job because of my gender. (I'm not imagining it either - there is usually an inside person that will tell you the real reason you didn't get a job or project).

For Linda, success was revealed when this past year, she "received several notes from other women telling me that I was their role model and thanking me for helping them get to where they are today."

Her future goals including growing her consulting business enough so that she can sell it. Linda currently is working on "what I hope to be the first of many books I hope to write. I would also love to be a coach to other people, especially women, hoping to start their own safety consulting firm so that they could have the same kind of life that I have."