Bella Rogers is the owner of Safe Hold Projects, a building company that specialises in custom residential builds and high-performance homes across the Sunshine Coast.

“I am a carpenter by trade, but I have spent the last year and a half doing high end residential construction estimating,” Bella says. As of this year Bella is a business owner who started her own residential construction company with a friend.

Bella's role in her company is mainly working as an estimator/director and managing operations, but her position in the company goes beyond this. “I still do all of the carpentry work,” she explains. “I love the variety, every day is different. You are constantly learning and problem solving. I thrive working on complex builds and love the challenge they provide,” Bella adds.

Bella’s mum is a building designer and her uncle and cousin are builders, so construction has been around Bella her whole life. “I was supposed to go to RMIT to do Fine Art, but the idea of studying didn't sit well with me. I declined my offer and worked in hospitality until I found a calling,” Bella explains.

“My uncle rang one day to ask if any of the boys I'd been at school with were looking for an apprenticeship - I decided I'd give it a go,” Bella says. “I fell into my trade - it was never on my list of things I wanted to do, but I have 100% found what I love. The creativity I craved from Fine Art is now reflected in a larger, more physical form. I also get the bonus of being the business owner so I can help clients with selections and interiors.”

For women keen to break into the industry, Bella has some sound advice. “Go for it, you will learn so much about yourself and what you are capable of. It is hard physical work, so you need to be prepared to get dirty and cop a few cuts from time to time,” she says. “Be prepared to never work another day in your life because you will have so much fun it will never feel like work again.”