Woman achieves success in male-dominated field.

For Jean Sopinko, a woman in a male-dominated field, starting a business was a Herculean task. But oddly enough, she credits her femininity with her success. She claims entrepreneurs must use the strengths they have, and that they have to have a lot of strength to succeed, especially those who are women.

Sopinko, 47, started her career in a typically female business - clothing - but moved on to a decidedly male bastion, heating and air conditioning. She founded J.R. Charles, Inc. in early 1997 and has seen profits rise by leaps and bounds. She now has a roster of clients that includes Disney and the Associated Press. But getting to this point for Jean has not been easy.

"It was discrimination, plain and simple," is what Jean says about her arduous rise through the ranks in the HVAC business, first as an office associate and later as a salesperson.

More than 20 years ago, while working as an administrative assistant to the president of the men's clothing store, Benhil, Jean became the liaison between the company and a contractor who was building new stores. She ended up being offered a position by the HVAC contractor, who knew her only through their phone conversations.

"I was pretty suspicious, at first," she said. "How could this guy offer me a job without even meeting me? But he convinced me it was a genuine offer and that he could tell I was sharp. 'There was nothing I couldn't learn about heating and air conditioning,' he said."

She did learn the business, taking in just about everything one needed to know about the ins and outs of the industry - from machinery and parts, to installing systems for new construction. "It was a complete education," she said.

Jean started out with office work, but soon moved on to sales, jumping from company to company as owners learned of her talents. She worked at Gotham Air Conditioning, which is no longer in business, where she became Assistant Sales Manager.

"My colleagues there were the first to take me seriously as a woman," she said. "But for every fair person, there were four who didn't want to deal with a female. It was all so new then; they were intimidated. When I'd go on a call, I'd hear sarcastic remarks and even worse. There would be cat calling and comments behind my back."

At seminars and other networking opportunities, Jean said there would be a room full of 50 men and maybe two women. "They looked at you like you were a piece of meat, not a business associate," she said.

It was even worse dealing with the mechanics and service people she'd encounter at her own company. "When I'd go out to job sites, they didn't even want to talk to me, much less take direction from a woman," Jean said. "They questioned my credentials."

Though disheartening, Jean was able to take it. Personal tragedy in her life, specifically the loss of her brother to a homicide at age 27, taught her to remember the important things and to discount things like trivial remarks. "I always looked at the glass as half full," she said. "You look at what's important and what you can control."

She also says she loved what she was doing and that it was a challenge. She had learned to use her own personality and her female traits, such as intuition, to her own advantage, and to that of the company she worked for.

"First of all, I never dressed down, I always dressed up, even when I was on a construction site. People told me I was too attractive, but it's not in my M.O. to tone myself down. One time I went to visit a client on Fifth Avenue. It was winter and I was wearing my fur coat. The client said to me, 'Oh my God, you're Jean? You look like you work in the Fashion District.' I wasn't what they were expecting," she recalled.

One boss told her she should wear a less feminine wardrobe. "I asked him if he wanted me to put a bag over myself," she said.

But it took more than attractive features and nice clothing to make Jean a success. She worked harder than most of her male colleagues, going out to meet each client personally, checking up on work on-site and being on call 24 hours a day. She went to every business function she heard about to make contacts, often attending 10 lunch and dinner functions in a single week. "It was a relentless pace," she said. But one that was definitely paying off.

By the mid-80's, Jean had been hired by a major heating and air conditioning company that was paying her handsomely. After seven months on the job, she was offered an equity position in the company because she was responsible for bringing in so much business. She had turned a failing company into one that was turning a very good profit. By reorganizing the department, developing an invoicing policy and getting out on calls, she helped the company do a complete turnaround

"Their biggest failing was that they didn't know their clients," she said. "I also learned to work with the mechanics. I'd take their grievances to the boss and would act as a buffer when the boss would come down on them. I knew from being out in the field that they had real challenges that had to be addressed so they could do their job. That helped turn things around. Soon, the mechanics were giving me leads on other work that helped me boost sales."

After 10 years, the division was earning more than $3 million in profits, a net 30 percent profit margin.

Even with her hard work and obvious success, there was still discrimination. Jean was not given other benefits like her male counterparts - benefits like salary increases, bonuses and a disability policy - because "I didn't have a family to support. I had to convince the owners that I owned a house and that if anything happened to me, I needed to be able to pay my mortgage."

"I don't think they ever appreciated what I was able to accomplish because I

am a woman," said Jean. "I think they even resented it."

There were even sexual remarks and advances. Moreover, when it came time to hand out bonuses, the company's management decided that the other male salesmen would take a share in the profits that Jean was responsible for bringing in. To Jean, it was obvious she was not going to be treated fairly by her company. In order to continue in the industry, she could only realize her potential if she worked for herself, thus establishing her own value systems.

In February 1997, Sopinko founded J.R. Charles. Starting with a few clients who followed her when she resigned, she set up shop in Long Island City, hired a staff of office people and mechanics, and invested her own money in vehicles and equipment. She prides herself on the fact that she never took out a loan.

"I poured everything I had into this business - my heart and soul and just about every penny I had. Thank God for the support I got from my family and friends, and my significant other, who provided invaluable moral support and business advice," she said.

Even so, the road ahead was difficult, once again. "My former employer obviously felt threatened by our success and began to make disparaging remarks about me and my abilities to potential clients," she said. "When that didn't work and clients continued to hire us because of our effectiveness, my former company attempted a lawsuit and failed."

"Despite the obstacles thrust in my path," said Jean, "I received an enormous amount of help from others in the business who had come to know and like me. They referred business to me. Some extended credit. Some worked for us knowing they wouldn't be paid right away. The level of loyalty and patience has been incredible. We owed one subcontractor $50,000, yet he still took on other jobs without requesting money upfront."

Jean says sales have quadrupled in the past year and that the company is turning a profit. She continues to add quality personnel to the staff and the future looks good, with J.R. Charles branching out to designing systems for new construction.

Her advice to other women looking to start companies: "Don't be afraid to do this. There is no reason why women should be deterred and discouraged, despite the obstacles sometimes thrown our way."