The toolbelt generation just may be made up of women, especially if women like Kate Glantz and Angie Cacace continue to build they way they are—and they’re building something great. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that just 1 in 10 construction workers are women, and Glantz and Cacace hope to change that in an unexpected way—through story telling.
While Glantz’s own story began “in a construction family,” it took many chapters to get to where she is today. Similarly, Cacace took a unique and unexpected turn into construction, but despite their differing starts, today they share the same title: business founder and entrepreneur.
Their business? Move Over Bob, a website and print magazine—now available online and throughout Arizona Public Schools—inspiring the next generation of women to consider a career in the skilled trades with lots of local resources and powerful stories from women in the construction industry.
While Glantz did indeed grow up in a construction-focused family, she says, “It was never presented to me as a viable career path.” So, she attended college at the University of Michigan and worked for close to 15 years across the private and public sectors building programs to advance economic security for women and under-resourced populations.
Then in January 2024, she took on a pre-apprenticeship program in carpentry and welding, where she met her business partner and now close friend, Angie Cacace.
Cacace’s story started in Maryland and wound its way into the construction industry when she took it upon herself to renovate her own home. That project ended up winning This Old House Magazine’s 2015 Reader Kitchen Remodel of the Year. Cacace says, “The editor at the time encouraged me to pursue it professionally, so I enrolled in a building technologies program at my local community college.” After completing the program, she went on to launch her own remodeling company, A. Marie Design Build, in 2017.
During that building technologies program, Cacace noticed something curious—half of the students enrolled were women. This got her thinking—and posting. “I went home and made a status on my Facebook saying: ‘Fun fact, half the people in my construction class are women #moveoverbob’ to which the response was overwhelmingly supportive and I knew that I was onto something.”
What started on Facebook moved to Instagram. “The more I connected with women,” says Cacace, “the more I felt inspired.” This collection of Facebook friends and Instagram DMs piled up, and Cacace didn’t want those connections to just sit there. That prompted her to launch a website in 2020—with the same name as the hashtag that got the ball rolling—for interviews and stories about the inspiring women that she had met from all over the world.
“It started as a passion project for several years while I focused on running my own construction company,” she says. “I always had big dreams for what it could become, and it was clear the industry was starting to recognize the value of sharing tradeswomen’s stories. But when I met Kate, I finally saw that it was the right time and that together, we could bring its full potential to life.”
The pair found each other on another social media platform—LinkedIn. Glantz says, “Angie and I were connected on LinkedIn by her childhood friend who I had met in a professional capacity in Washington, D.C. Despite having very different upbringings and careers, we are united in our vision and obsession for making the trades more accessible to women.”
Cacace was eager to add Glantz to her network: “Move Over Bob is larger than me and I desperately needed someone else to share in my vision for where it could go.”
Together, the two women built Move Over Bob, leaning on each other in the process—although they weren’t without their doubts.
Glantz says, “Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart, so my greatest support tends to come from others in my shoes or a few steps ahead. Doubts are healthy because they keep you on your toes and ready for anything, especially when the very corners you’re trying to see around are ones you’re building in real time. What I never doubt is my integrity, my ability to bring talented, passionate people together and my partnership with Angie.”
They draw inspiration from the women they interview, too. Today, the website and magazine features nearly 100 profiles on powerful women in construction. Cacace says, “Every one of the women featured on MoveOverBob.com has helped shape my journey. Their willingness to connect and share their personal stories is the reason this company exists.”
What makes Move Over Bob stand apart from other women-focused construction recruitment programs—of which there will never be enough—is its timing and its medium. It’s a universal truth that teens are perpetually glued to their smartphones—which have access to the internet. So, a website makes the most sense when it comes to reach and accessibility. However, Cacace says, “The internet isn’t always the most effective way to cut through the noise and actually reach teens. Construction pathways are also deeply tied to local resources and connections, so a magazine felt like the best way to package an introduction to the trades and meet students where they are most of the day: at school.”
Another important factor is Move Over Bob is that it’s physically printed, which provides educators, counselors and administrators with a tangible tool to help guide young people toward construction careers. “Encouraging trades pathways isn’t something most of them are familiar with,” says Cacace. “So, the magazine serves as both inspiration and a practical resource, helping young women see what’s possible while also showing schools and companies how to support their participation.”
Glantz adds: “We’re focused on meeting them at an earlier stage in their life—when their dreams are still forming and before they’ve made decisions about their future. A magazine also creates a lasting resource students can return to as they explore their options.”
If Glantz and Cacace weren’t the founders of the magazine, their own stories would make for great feature pieces—proving that anyone can come from anywhere and find a fulfilling career in construction anyway.
Find more information on Move Over Bob here and on social media: LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok.
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