Sparky Life

Do Blue-Collar Wives Support Women In The Construction Industry?

Lia Lamela Season 2 Episode 121

Every skilled professional needs the right tools to succeed → Get the right tool for YOU at SUPPLY HOUSE - Use code SH5 for 5% off!

🎧 In this episode: Welcome back to Sparky Life — your backstage pass to the real, raw, and unapologetic world of blue collar greatness, high-octane relationships, and careers that challenge the status quo.

Today, we’re getting real about something most people only whisper about…What do blue collar wives really think about women entering the trades?

Join Lia and Chelsea as they explore:

  • What blue collar wives actually think about women working alongside their husbands
  • The hilarious (and awkward) moments that happen when trust is tested on the job site
  • Chelsea’s real-life blue collar love story and how she met her husband — it’s swoon-worthy 😍
  • Why traditional gender roles might just be the secret to lasting love and a happy home
  • The beauty and balance of modern-day, high-respect masculine/feminine relationships
  • The power of decompressing before walking through the door — and how that 15-minute car moment changes everything

👇 Follow for more blue collar badassery every Thursday!

SPARKY LIFE Podcast on SPOTIFY

SPARKY LIFE Podcast on APPLE

👇 WATCH the episodes on YOUTUBE!

SPARKY LIFE on YOUTUBE

📲 Stay Connected:

Instagram: @sparkylifeoflia

TikTok: @sparkylifeoflia

👩‍🦰 Guest Name: Chelsea aka The Blue Collar Wife

IG: @Chelsea.0929

🎙 Listen to her podcast: Hanging with the Hays

🛠 Huge thanks to our sponsor: SupplyHouse

Get the best tools & supplies → supplyhouse.com/t-m

Use code SH5 for 5% off!

Support the show

What Blue Collar Wives Really Think About Women in the Trades: A Conversation with Chelsea Hays

Welcome back, Sparky Life fam—the place where calloused hands build more than structures... they build legacies.

Today, we had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Chelsea Hays, known online as The Blue Collar Wife. She’s TikTok’s queen of real talk, a passionate hype-woman for hardworking men, and an outspoken advocate for traditional masculine-feminine partnerships. But don’t let the labels fool you—Chelsea breaks all stereotypes.

“Do Blue Collar Wives Support Women in the Trades?”

Let’s just start here: Yes, they do. At least, Chelsea does—and loudly.

Chelsea lit up when we asked her what she thinks about women stepping into traditionally male-dominated trades like electrical, HVAC, and heavy equipment operation.

“I think it's admirable,” she said. “It's becoming more normal, and it's so cool to see women not just choosing college, but choosing the trades.”

She’s not just watching it happen from the sidelines. Chelsea is welcoming these women into her world. She’s even bringing a female equipment operator—someone who works alongside her husband—onto her podcast Hanging With The Hays. Why? Because her message is clear: there’s room for everyone on the jobsite and at the table.

Wait… So You’re Traditional and a Supporter of Women in the Trades?

Here’s where things get nuanced. Chelsea is proudly traditional in her relationship—but that doesn’t mean she thinks women should stay out of the trades. In fact, her own story is a prime example of how traditional masculine and feminine dynamics can empower both partners.

“People love to label me,” she laughed. “But the truth is, humans are more complex than a 30-second video.”

That complexity is something many in the skilled trades world wrestle with—especially women like Lia, our host, who often get labeled as “super feminist” just because they’re working in blue collar spaces. But both Lia and Chelsea agreed: being in the trades doesn’t mean you have to give up your femininity—or your values.

The Elephant in the Room: “My Wife Wouldn’t Like This”

If you’ve ever been on a jobsite, you’ve probably heard it. Some male coworker, uncomfortable about a woman on the crew, mutters something like “My wife wouldn’t like this.”

Lia’s had it happen to her. She even got renamed “Lee” in a journeyman’s phone to avoid questions from his wife. Her take? “I don’t think your wife’s the problem. I think you are.”

Chelsea didn’t shy away from the topic either.

“I think they're both the problem,” she said bluntly. But then she dropped a truth bomb: confidence is everything.“I’m the least jealous woman on earth,” she explained. “Because I trust my husband. I know what we have. And if a woman works with him, I want to be friends with her.”

Instead of viewing other women as threats, Chelsea sees them as allies—people who can have her husband’s back on the job and be part of her larger community.

Building an Empire—Together

Throughout the interview, one thing became crystal clear: Chelsea and her husband are building more than a life together. They’re building an empire—with sawdust on the floor and love at the center.

“We go to cookouts with his crew and their wives,” she shared. “And you better believe I’m working my way into that wife clique.”

Chelsea’s voice is a refreshing reminder that supporting women in trades doesn’t contradict traditional values. Instead, it enhances them. Because when respect, trust, and mutual admiration are part of the foundation, there’s no limit to what you can build—whether that’s a home, a business, or a thriving trades community.

Loved this episode? Subscribe to the Sparky Life podcast and follow us for more stories from the people who power the world—literally.

Follow Chelsea: [@thebluecollarwife on TikTok]
Listen to her podcast: Hanging With The Hays


People on this episode

Podcasts we love

Check out these other fine podcasts recommended by us, not an algorithm.

Construction Mentor Podcast Artwork

Construction Mentor Podcast

Ryan "Ike" Eisenhauer
We're Not Fine Artwork

We're Not Fine

WNF Media LLC
The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe Artwork

The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe

The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe