Chinese women build new careers in a man's world

My name is Lei Hou. She is one of the repair sisters. Repair Sisters is China's first all-female home repair company located in Chengdu. In China, if you want something fixed, a man almost always shows up at your door. Ray and her colleagues are trying to change that. And they don't just do repairs. They're building a brand. It's spreading rapidly. They realized that the growing number of single women in China needed their services. Lei used to run a shopping mall in Xi'an, but as the economy slowed, her efforts went unrewarded. She longed for something real, a job where she could actually see what she had accomplished at the end of the day. So at age 40, Ray made a bold change of direction. And I studied for two months to become an electrician. With no experience, Ray needed to find a skilled worker who would take him on as an apprentice. So she packed her bags and got a one-way ticket. “Okay, let's go to Chengdu.” She traveled hundreds of miles to apprentice with the Repair Sisters. There, Ray found a community of women willing to share their skills. One of Ray's first solo jobs was to mount a cat furniture set on the wall. Ray's clients, most of whom are women, tell her they prefer female technicians because they are easier to talk to. And especially for single women, a handyman feels like a safer option. By 2030, approximately 35 million Chinese women in their 20s and 30s are expected to live alone. This population is growing as more women delay marriage to pursue education or careers. More than half of Repair Sisters held office jobs before joining the company. Not just following their passion. While salaries for traditional office jobs have stagnated, blue-collar wages are rising at a faster pace. Repair Sisters successfully built a social media brand by telling their startup's story. Over 600,000 followers means steady work, as well as partnerships with brands that want more female consumers. But their success and social media fame has also brought backlash. Ray's income from his new career covers his expenses, but it's still less than his manager's salary.