When Jo Ellen Soesbee opened Reliable Repairs, it was tough for her to get taken seriously in the home improvement business.

"I'm in a field that's mostly men, so I don't get the same respect," she said. "When I would go to meetings to meet with construction people, they would just ignore me."

The Pasadena woman had to be persistent in her mission, constantly networking and talking to those in the renovation and repair trades to prove she knows what she's talking about.

On Sunday, Soesbee will be recognized by those who know what it's like to be in her shoes.

She will be one...