Women in Leadership: Top Advice from Women in Pest, Green, Cleaning and Security
At our recent client conference, WorkWave hosted an inspiring panel of successful women leaders across pest control, lawn care, janitorial and security businesses. The session featured executives sharing actionable insights on leadership development, business strategy and creating inclusive workplaces.
Meet Our Panelists
Moderator: Jill Davie, SVP & GM, Cleaning and Security, WorkWave
Jill Davie is the Senior Vice President and GM of Cleaning and Security at WorkWave, where she is responsible for customer success management, professional services and customer engagement. She is passionate about operational excellence, engaging directly with customers and attracting and retaining top talent with a people-centric culture.
Davie started her career at TEAM Software as a summer marketing intern in 1996. At the time, TEAM was a start-up with 12 employees. After earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration and marketing from Iowa State University, Davie joined TEAM full time in 1998 as a Sales Associate.
Over the next 20 years, she assumed various leadership roles in sales, marketing, communications, customer success and professional services as the company grew significantly. Davie also served on TEAM’s Board of Directors from 2014 through 2021 when it was acquired by WorkWave.
During her board tenure, TEAM transformed from founder-owned to employee-owned to private equity owned. The company also acquired five companies across the globe, expanding its domestic and international market leadership. Jill has been named one of the Top 50 Women Leaders in Software.
Panelist: Sandy Long, Controller, RBM Services
Sandy is the Controller at RBM Services, which offers commercial cleaning services in Utah, Arizona and southern Nevada. They are the largest in the region, they employ over 1400 people, and maintain more than 30 million square feet of commercial space. In her role, Sandy is responsible for overseeing all accounting functions, ensuring the accuracy of financial records, managing budgets, and guaranteeing compliance with financial regulations.
Panelist: Sharon Roebuck-McBride, VP of Culture and Administration, Triangle Home Services
Sharon brings 10 years of experience in the Pest Control industry, with 9 of those years spent in Seattle. Sharon now calls Raleigh, NC her home and is proud to be working at Triangle Home Services as the VP of Culture and Administration. She is a firm advocate for creating an inclusive and supportive work environment that not only attracts top talent but also retains it. Her proven methods for making employees feel valued and heard led to increased morale, productivity and ultimately, greater success for an organization. Sharon believes that everyone has “greatness inside of them” and that when people are in an environment of innovation and collaboration, it can’t help but surface.
Panelist: Theresa Smith, SVP, NaturaLawn
Theresa is Senior Vice President at NaturaLawn, and has been with the company for over 20 years. Theresa got her start as a Marketing Intern at NaturaLawn back in 2003, and has assumed roles of increasing responsibility over the past two decades. She received her Bachelor’s in Business Administration from James Madison University.
Bringing Different Perspectives to the Table
The panel highlighted how diverse leadership teams drive measurable business results. Research consistently shows companies with balanced leadership teams outperform their competitors, something these leaders experience firsthand.
“When you can have a variety and balance at the table, that’s the best,” noted one panelist. “The more balance we have, the more variety, the more rich the discussions are going to be.”
This strategic approach helps companies better connect with diverse customer bases. As one executive pointed out, when leadership teams reflect their customers’ varied perspectives, companies make more informed decisions and develop stronger market positions.
The visibility of women in leadership roles creates a powerful ripple effect throughout organizations. “It’s important for young women to see other women on the stage with a microphone in her hand,” emphasized one leader, highlighting how representation accelerates professional development across all levels.
Different Approaches to Leadership
The executives shared insights on their leadership journey, revealing how collaborative approaches to leadership create resilient organizations. These women leaders actively seek input across all business units, recognizing that effective leadership means engaging with both managers and direct reports.
“Every department and every person is represented and has a voice,” explained one leader when describing her approach to building high-performing teams. This inclusive style doesn’t sacrifice decisive action – these executives balance collaboration with accountability, taking full responsibility for business outcomes.
One particularly compelling perspective challenged conventional workplace wisdom: “We don’t buy into the whole ‘you don’t have to like each other, we just have to work together.’ That’s absolutely not true. We absolutely have to like each other—we’re together more than we’re with our families.” This focus on authentic workplace relationships represents an evolution in leadership thinking that resonates with today’s workforce.
Learning Through Failure
In a revealing moment during the discussion, these senior leaders shared how embracing calculated risks drives innovation and strengthens leadership capabilities.
“I love it when my managers fail. It’s my favorite thing,” said Jill Davie. “We learn so much more through failures than we do through successes. If everything is great all the time, we don’t really learn anything.”
This refreshing approach to leadership development demonstrates how WorkWave and similar forward-thinking companies are creating cultures where continuous improvement flourishes. By encouraging appropriate risk-taking, these organizations build adaptable teams ready to meet evolving market demands.
Achieving Work-Life Integration
The panel addressed one of today’s most pressing workplace challenges: balancing leadership responsibilities with personal commitments. Their honest assessment of gender parity in work-life balance resonated deeply with attendees.
“It is so difficult. I have not figured it out,” admitted one leader with young children. Another acknowledged the common challenge many professionals face: “If I’m spending time with my family, I feel guilty about work. If I’m spending time away from my family working, I feel guilty about that.”
Rather than offering platitudes, these executives shared practical strategies their companies implement:
- Creating flexible work arrangements that accommodate diverse life circumstances
- Establishing clear boundaries around what’s “sacred” in both professional and personal spheres
- Fostering transparent communication about needs and expectations
- Recognizing that work-life integration evolves throughout one’s career journey
“I think it’s utopia to think, ‘Oh no, I’ve got the perfect work-life balance.’ I’ve never met any woman who honestly answered it that way,” noted one executive, emphasizing the ongoing nature of this challenge.
Building Inclusive Organizations
The panel showcased how these senior leaders are transforming their business units through concrete actions that promote inclusion:
- Implementing innovative scheduling options, including job-sharing opportunities
- Developing family-friendly policies that benefit employees regardless of gender
- Creating visible pathways to leadership positions
- Establishing communication guidelines that eliminate stereotypical language
- Aligning talent with opportunities based on capabilities rather than assumptions
One executive shared a remarkable achievement in gender parity: “We looked at our employees and said how many janitors do we have that are men and how many are women and we came up with about 50/50. Then I looked at our managers and counted them up, and it was also fifty-fifty.” This balanced representation demonstrates the business impact of intentional inclusion efforts.
Addressing Leadership Challenges
When discussing difficult workplace situations, these executives offered sophisticated strategies for addressing potential gender bias and gender equality issues:
- Reframe conversations with direct questions: “If I were a man, would you ask me that question?”
- Seek understanding before responding: “Help me understand why you’re asking that question.”
- Provide specific feedback: Conduct focused conversations about how language choices impact workplace culture
- Invest in education: Implement leadership training programs that raise awareness about inclusive communication
These approaches reflect the thoughtful leadership these executives bring to their organizations, creating environments where all employees can contribute fully.
Driving an Evolving Industry
Field service businesses with diverse leadership teams are positioned to better serve evolving customer needs. The experiences shared by these women in leadership roles demonstrate how purposeful action, structured feedback and authentic collaboration create sustainable competitive advantage.
Organizations that strategically place talent according to capabilities rather than preconceptions build stronger, more adaptable teams. When companies invest in leadership development programs and create inclusive environments, the benefits extend throughout their business units from frontline operations to senior positions.
As one effective leader aptly summarized, “You can change the world one person at a time” —even from a field service company. This powerful perspective on leadership offers valuable guidance for business leaders seeking future opportunities in an increasingly competitive marketplace.
