Learn Today, Teach Tomorrow, Build Forever

By Jean Harper

Janet Rickstrew, CEO of Tomboy Tools, grew up on a farm in Glenwood Springs, CO.  She was definitely a tomboy! As a child, she loved to hang out with her father, who would teach her how to carry out various repairs and improvements around the farm.  He taught her how to repair the roof, paint, put up fencing and by 8 years of age she was effectively helping out around the farm.

Janet grew up with two brothers, one sister, and a few farm animals.  When it was time to go to college Janet headed for Alaska on a basketball scholarship, attending the University of Alaska in Anchorage.  She majored in Education, as she wanted to be a special education teacher.  However, when she returned to Colorado to teach, she found that this was just not her calling-her real interest was business.

Janet and the founders of Tomboy Tools started their first business in 1994 and from ‘94-‘96 she and her partners worked fixing up and flipping houses.  In this job Janet was able to harness those "tomboy skills" to an even greater extent.  She helped beautify homes, getting them ready to sell.  She learned how to lay tiles, change out fixtures and faucets, as well as various painting techniques.  It was a great experience and the timing was perfect for real estate development.

Whenever Janet and her partners got together away from work, they often complained about the fact that the retail tools and those warehouse classes just didn't work for them.  At this time, the simple fact was that most hardware companies were antiquated in their approach to women.  Most seemed to operate on the principle that in order to appeal to women, all they had to do was take a tool made for a man and make it pink! 

So the founders of Tomboy Tools got together and made a list of the characteristics that were important to them.  They wanted tools that were well-made, ergonomically designed, durable, stylish and easily stored, with unique features, designed to fit women's smaller hands, lightweight, yet effective.

Photo (below) during a consultant party-women having fun with tools!

According to Janet Rickstrew, at Tomboy Tools "education comes first."  She explains that knowing gives confidence and with confidence comes empowerment. She remembers thinking, "This stuff is not rocket science-men are not born with the knowledge of how to do all of these projects, and if they can learn, so can women."  Janet goes on to say, "We are not proposing that you go in and gut everything-some things need to be left to a professional. We teach home maintenance. Women clean toilets-why not learn how to fix them or change one out?"  She suggests that over time caulking a leaking bathtub or painting your own home can save you thousands of dollars.

Janet further explains that her company teaches women how to beautify their homes; "It's more than just decorating-how about putting up new crown molding? Now that can really change a room!" 

Tomboy Tools offers Tool School 101, which teaches women what a tool is used for and why each tool is designed differently.

Tomboy Tools officially launched in 2000 and after 8 years Janet still describes her company as a new company.  From 2005 to 2006 the company doubled its revenues and is anticipated to have a 40% increase in 2007.  Today the company is a multi-million dollar company.  "We have been blessed with a lot of media coverage," explains Janet, "and we have a lot of 40+ women homeowners as our customers."

Today Home Depot and Lowe's recognizes that women comprise 50% of their customer base and are responding by offering similar classes designed especially for women.

Janet Rickstrew spends most of her time working, explaining that she really loves her job and that because of that it doesn't feel like work to her.  Janet has found her passion and is being rewarded for her hard work.  She also plays in a recreational volleyball league twice a year to try and stay in shape.  Last year she also tried to snowshoe for the first time ever, and went skiing for the first time in 7 years.  She loves skiing and plans to do more of it in 2008.

Tomboy Tools ® is a direct seller of ergonomically designed hand tools and power tools for sale individually and in tool combos.  The company also sells specialty kits for more detailed home improvement projects such as tiling, drywall, plumbing and woodworking.  At in-home demonstrations, called "tool parties," guests have the opportunity to see products and basic home maintenance repairs in action; learn simple and cost-efficient techniques and solutions; and gain confidence to tackle a basic home improvement project or maintenance issue on their own.

In response to growing demand, Tomboy Tools ® has been working with designers and manufacturers to provide power tools that are effective and women friendly.  The power tool line was launched in 2003 and continues to expand.

To learn more about Tomboy Tools® and the variety of resources such as "Tool Talk" and "Tomboy Tips," you can visit their website at:  www.tomboytools.com.