Young Women in Business

When you bring together some of Vancouver’s most opinionated CEOs you expect an energetic discussion, and the group delivered on just that.  Moderator Judy Brooks started with one of the most controversial quotes that came out of the All-Male Panel Session at Beyond Pink:

“Women are already equal in the workplace, so let’s move on and have fun.” – Cameron Herald

Not entirely surprising, the men and women shared a similar point-of-view, flipping typical steroptypes upside down. Tamara Vrooman observed that “men aren’t typically given enough opportunities to participate in the home, which would give women more of an opportunity to participate at work.”  Ken Sim supported her point by sharing his story – he left a lucrative investment banking position to start his own business because he wanted to spend time with his children and at home. “The barriers for starting a family aren’t necessarily just for women,” Sim

Outside of the barriers to starting a family, Chris Flett had a different perspective, “Being a woman is never and excuse in business. The business world is not fair – but everyone has a fair chance.” Flett encouraged women to be assertive, take control of their careers, and not wait for someone to notice their hard work – men are more vocal about their accomplishments.  Bob Elton shared a statistic, “A man will apply for a job if he has five of the ten required qualifications; a woman will apply if she has nine.”

Brooks changed things up again when she asked (specifically to Flett) what their thoughts are on crying in the workplace.  Flett’s opinion? “Don’t do it. Never in the workplace – it shows a lack of control. Crying is not wrong, but know that crying in the workplace sends a message.” His advice? “Remove yourself from the situation and control how you interact.  Go to the bathroom – the stall is a great place for you to gain control.” Anne Giardini added, “crying affects everyone around you and spills over onto others – people may start thinking that ‘someone must have done something’ and rumors start.”

Elton and Sim defined a different type of crying in the workplace and noted that employers need to uphold a level of understanding and acceptance that crying may take place in certain situations.  Sim’s belief is that “the future reality will be that it is okay to cry because you’re being authentic – you have to ask yourself if you work in an environment where it’s not okay to cry.”

Then came the question we knew would come up…maternity leave.

Flett provided advice for women planning a maternity leave. “Make it easy on your boss – don’t become their problem. If you’re going on maternity leave, come to me with a solution – how is it going to work? Are you giving me enough advance notice for me to plan for it? Manage your maternity leave – women don’t do this well.” Then Flett dropped the “B-word”. Breeder. “If you mis-manage your maternity leave, you’ll leave your employer thinking ‘oh god, another breeder’.”

Vrooman added that employers also need to consider how they can support their employees – it’s tough to find good ones, so how can you encourage them to come back and stick around.
The discussion then turned to the positives of maternity leave – namely that after having children, a woman becomes a stellar employee able to take on more and get more done. “During the nesting stage, a woman can get an entire years’ worth of work done in three months,” said Cybele Negris.  Sim agreed saying that he finds he’s better off hiring a woman, “more loyal and higher productivity.”

Brooks then specifically asked the men what they’ve learned from working with women.
Elton: “The more women I work with, the better feedback I get. Women give it to you whether you ask for it or not.”
Flett: “I used to think that if I wanted something done right I had to do it myself. Now I know better.”
Sim: “Our company is much more strict about living up to our core values. We got rid of a client that was 80% of our profit because they treated our people like s*** – once we did that, other problems went away.”

Beyond Pink 2009 Co-Chair Maya Kolaczynski asked the panelists to share their advice for what young people can do to be taken more seriously in the workplace. Vrooman summed it up saying, “take time to listen to the experience and wisdom of the people around you – recognize that you have a lot to gain from those who have had different experiences. Young people fresh from university are always so keen to tell you what they know – work on being more humble and recognizing that you have the opportunity to learn more.”

And then came the question of the glass ceiling. Why don’t women make as much as men?

Simple. “Because they don’t ask for it, “says Flett. Negris added, “A study was released a few days ago that there are women who have broken the glass ceiling.” Check it out here. Negris encourages women to ask for what they think they deserve. “And back it up,” adds Flett.

Why YWiB? Why this event? Basically, Brooks was asking why they were all here on a Friday afternoon.

Flett: “This isn’t a women only conversation – it’s a leveling conversation. Men and women have to ask themselves if they are going to be a part of the solution or if they’re going to stick with the problem.”

Giardini: “We have a moral imperative to show our voices and shake the world, and that’s what you’ve brought us here to do.”

Sim joked, “I heard there would be a bunch of women here!” And his ‘real’ response, “I too have a lot to learn from being here.”

Vrooman: “Specifically because we invited men to share in the debate. We are preaching to the choir here and not reaching out to enough men.”

Negris: “I would have benefited from an organization like this when I was starting. I work so much with men – I want the mix of interacting with women.”

Elton: “You get a group of men together and you get a very compartmentalized discussion. You get a group of women together and you’re making connections to other things and other topics. You get men and women together and you get a much richer conversation.”

There were definitely men in the audience who found the conversation engaging and beneficial – one of them being my cousin, who called me the next day to tell me how much he learned from it, and how happy he was to have skipped class to be there.  The lesson: invite more men to YWiB events!

While this provides merely a snippet of the insightful conversation that took place – the conversation will continue.
We’d love to hear what you thought and what you learned from the conversation! And if you have a favorite quote that I haven’t included here – send it in to info@ywib.ca.

For Immediate Release: EXPLORING GENDER DIFFERENCES IN THE WORKPLACE

VANCOUVER – (May 27, 2010) On May 14, 2010, Vancouver’s professionals gathered at UBC Robson Square to participate in a conversation about gender differences in the workplace.  The Young Women in Business network (YWiB) gathered seven of Vancouver’s top male and female CEO’s to provide their insights and share their experiences.

The esteemed panel included retired CEO of BC Hydro Bob Elton, Founder and CEO of GhostCEO Chris Flett, Founder and CEO of Nurse Next Door Ken Sim, CEO of VanCity Tamara Vrooman, President of Weyerhaeuser Anne Giardini, and Co-Founder and CEO of Webnames.ca Cybele Negris.

Moderated by Founder and CEO of Blo Blow Dry Bar, Judy Brooks, the panel was put on the spot when asked to give their opinions on some tough topics.  When asked if they felt women were at a disadvantage in the workplace, Flett explained, “Being a woman is never an excuse in business – the business world is not fair, but everyone has the same opportunity to decide what actions they will take.” The women in the audience were encouraged to be assertive in the workplace and take charge of their careers. Elton brought to light an interesting statistic, “A man will apply for a job if he has five of the ten required qualifications, a woman may not even apply if she has nine.”

Both men and women in the audience were enlightened by Sim when he explained that he quit his lucrative job in investment banking because he wanted to start a family – and have the time to spend with them.  Vrooman supported his point with the observation; “We don’t give men enough opportunities to participate at home, which would give women the opportunity to participate more at work.” The challenges women face in building a home and supporting a family are experienced by men – they just aren’t talked about as much.

Sim further encouraged young professionals to do what they love and what they are passionate about.  To define a commonly used term, Negris explained that what is important is being passionate about what you do on a day to day basis, not necessarily the product you are selling.  Brooks further explained ‘doing what you’re passionate about’ using an analogy.  “If you’re passionate about drinking tea, it doesn’t mean you should open a tea shop. You may not like running a tea shop, or serving tea.” The Panelists agreed that passion and dedication go hand-in-hand and emphasized the value of networking and mentorships that organizations such as YWiB provide. Vrooman used an analogy- “going through life without a mentor or network is like setting out on a trip and having to not only go through the journey alone, but also build the road in front of you without a map and without knowing the terrain.”

The panel finished with a call for more young men to participate in the discussion.  While there were a few young men in the audience, YWiB will be working to further encourage the attendance of young men at future events.  Elton says, “When you get a group of men and women together, you get a much richer conversation.”

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YWiB President Paulina Lipska, and Marketing Director Marica Rizzo are available for comment and questions.

Paulina Lipska                                                 Marica Rizzo
Email: paulina@ywib.ca Email: marica@ywib.ca

About YWiB:

The Young Women in Business Network is a non-profit society for emerging female leaders in Western Canada. The network acts as the central forum to connect ambitious young women from a variety of careers, industries, and backgrounds. YWiB hosts a variety of events that provide members with opportunities to develop relevant skills and knowledge, so that they have the insight, support, and capability to reach their fullest personal and professional potential.

Speakers:

Bob Elton – Retired CEO of BC Hydro

Chris Flett – Founder and CEO of Ghost CEO

Ken Sim – Founder and CEO of Nurse Next Door

Anne Giardini – President of Weyerhaeuser

Tamara Vrooman – CEO of VanCity

Cybele Negris – Co-Founder and CEO of Webnames.ca

Judy Brooks – Founder and CEO of Blo Blow Dry Bar

photo credit: Jeremy Lim

As a sold-out crowd buzzed around the chic new Aritzia store, I couldn’t help but anticipate the words of our speaker, Sally Parrott.  I knew that Sally was the Sr. Marketing Director of Aritzia, a thought that both intimidated and impressed me.  Surprise was all mine though, when a smiling, youthful looking woman addressed the crowd, with dewy freckled skin and long brown braided hair.  Pleasantly surprised to see someone so young in such a senior role, my attention was captured, along with the rest of the keen audience.

Although the theme of the evening was ‘Life Balance’, Sally did not make claims to have any secrets, referring to balance in life being a journey, not a destination.  What she did share, were six valuable lessons she has learned on her journey.

Lesson # 1:  Sometimes you just have to stop.  No one will judge you for it.
During her mid 20’s, Sally left a cushy job at Proctor and Gamble to travel around the world.  People thought she was crazy, but she listened to herself and found fulfillment in it.

Lesson #2:  When you are doing something that matters to you, you will feel more balanced and find that life gets easier (not more difficult and more complicated).
During a difficult time both personally and professionally, she seriously re-evaluated her life.  She felt out of balance and overwhelmed, but a fear of vulnerability prevented her from asking for help.  This stressful time spurred on a re-evaluation of her priorities and led her to made serious (life-giving) changes.

Lesson # 3:  Become selfish with your time.
Sally shared that “if people were taking more energy than giving, I stopped spending time with them”.
A willingness to ‘clean house’ in relationships allowed her to spend her free time with those who restored her, not drained her.

Lesson # 4: Get help.  (Seek out mentors, peers, life coaches, etc.)
Sally joined an executive group and hired a life coach.  The leap to start accepting help from others changed her life significantly, allowing her to grow by leaps and bounds.

Lesson # 5: Make time to do things that you love- just because—regardless of whether they further your career, make you thinner, healthier or smarter.
In an effort to give back to herself she did things that she loved.  So she went to a dog show by herself even though her friends thought it was crazy.  She took herself on dates to treat herself right.

Lesson #6: Hold your boundaries.
Sally shared, “the world will go by without you.  If you take everything on, people will let you”.  Hold yourself and others accountable for respecting your boundaries in order to prevent burnout.

All in all, it was a fabulous evening, filled with decadent cupcakes (thanks to Big City Cupcakes), designers (Jennifer Irving and product developer Jennifer Christie),  shopping (thanks to the generous gift cards from Aritzia), photography (courtesy of the lovely Jeremy Lim) and new friends.  Thanks all for coming out!

We would like to congratulate one of our amazing supporters, Cybele Negris!  Cybele has been recognized as one of the Influential Women in Business by Business in Vancouver.  She is the founder of Webnames.ca, and was a speaker at Beyond Pink 2008.  Cybele has been selected for her outstanding achievements in business and influence in the business community.

Cybele’s fellow honorees include:
Janet Austin, CEO, YWCA Vancouver (past YWiB speaker)
Ida Goodreau, Corporate Director and former CEO LifeLabs and Vancouver Coastal Health
Sarah Morgan-Silvester, Chancellor, University of British Columbia (past YWiB speaker)
Janine North, CEO, Northern Development Initiative Trust

Lifetime Achievement Award - Julia Levy, Corporate Director and Co-Founder QLT Inc.

Congratulations Cybele, and thank you for your ongoing support of YWiB!  See below for an exclusive chat with Cybele on her thoughts for women in business:

where do you go for inspiration?
I have chaired the e-series Program (entrepreneur training for high-growth businesses) at the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs for a number of years. each year we choose 15 women entrepreneurs to participate in a 6 month program of education and mentorship. we bring in the speakers/instructors who are entrepreneurs themselves who have done it all before or experts in specific  topics who are the top of their industry. I get inspired by the women participating as well as the speakers. even though I have witnessed these sessions numerous times over the years, each session I attend still re-energizes me to keep driving my own business to the next level.

when balancing your life, what actually works?
it is still a work in progress for me.  between Webnames.ca, a construction business with my husband, serving on the boards of 4 organizations (Small Business BC, Vancouver Economic  Development Commission, Small Business Roundtable of BC, Forum for Women Entrepreneurs), chairing a charity event (Canary Derby – technology community building and racing soapbox cars to raise money for early cancer detection for the BC Cancer Foundation) and 2 young children, time management is key.

luckily, I don’t need a lot of sleep and I tend to be up until 1 or 2am quite often to get everything done. I actually keep a spreadsheet which includes my top tasks for the week prioritized under each of the above commitments.  I’m also starting to learn how to say “no” which has not been easy for me. I try to limit  events outside of work hours to 1, maximum 2 a week and other evenings and weekends are dedicated to family. 

what advice would you give to your 20-year old self?
simple – get yourself a mentor and network, network, network.  

as a woman working in technology and web, what were the most difficult obstacles to overcome?
I don’t feel I have experienced any obstacles because I’m a woman in technology. in fact, it has been an advantage because there are so few women, especially those in executive positions, in technology. I have learned over time that it is a good thing to standout and to embrace it.

the technology industry as a whole for men and women moves extremely quickly so it is important to keep up with changes and not be left behind.  this can also become very distracting so balancing keeping up with the next big thing with focus on goals and objectives is always a challenge.

where do you find the most support in vancouver, as a woman in business as well as a mother?

• there is no lack of support for women in business in Vancouver. personally, I have been involved with the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs since its inception in 2002. Initially the focus was on high-growth business and this was a great fit for Webnames.ca. Over the years, programs have been expanded and developed to support other types of business at various levels of growth; now with seven core programs. I suggest all women in business join here.
• women in technology should join Wired Woman. Membership is free and their mentorship program has benefited over 330 women since launch in 2007.
• mothers should really check out the MomCafe Network with chapters in Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto or Enterprising Moms Network with 8 chapters throughout BC and a Toronto chapter.
• looking for money to start or expand your business?  The Canadian Youth Business Foundation provides youth (age 18-34) with start-up financing of up to $15,000 based on the character of the business and a great business idea with flexible three to five year repayment schedules. They couple this with pre-launch coaching, business resources, and mentoring to increase the chance of success of these companies.  The Women’s Enterprise Centre offers loans up to $150,000 for BC women.
• young women really need to join Young Women in Business (YWIB) and I would not say this without having seen firsthand the level of leadership and quality of conferences and events hosted by this group.  To see such young women achieving their level of success and inspiring other young women is very special.
• the Women’s Enterprise Centre has a comprehensive list of organizations that support women in a variety of businesses and geographical locations.

what is your hope for young women just entering your field?
I do hope first of all that more young women choose the technology field and that more strive for executive level positions. I also think of “my field” as entrepreneurship and I do believe more and more women will choose this path. ninety-eight per cent of businesses in BC are small business (defined as 50 employees or less) and 35% of these are currently owned by women.  since the mid-seventies, the Canadian growth rate for self-employment in women (5.3%) has been almost double of that of men (2.2%).  With more women balancing career and family and the flexibility self-employment affords owners, I see the number of women entrepreneurs continuing to grow. I hope that more women own and run higher growth businesses.

guilty pleasure?
I don’t get much chance to watch TV and I hate to shop but I have to admit really enjoying the TV show “What Not To Wear”.

do you have a mantra or small bit of advice to share with the members of YWiB?

• advice: same as what I would have told my 20 year old self. get a mentor and network!
• mantra: work hard, be grateful for what you have and give back to the community.

Here are a few of our favourite quotes from our event last Monday when we partnered with Aritzia to bring you Sally Parrott! Share your favourite quotes, inspirations and brainwaves with us too!

“Sometimes it’s okay to get off the bus – it’s about finding balance in your life”

“Actively deciding to do something that’s important to me – sticking to your values and doing something you love”

“Make sure you have enough pie for everything you want to do”

“Be selfish with your time – if people were not adding value or are not giving as much as you are, there are people who are not contributing positive energy”

“You really have to figure out who you are and what  you stand for, developing yourself as an entire person”

Book recommendation: “The Artist’s Way”

If you felt inspired and motivated by Sally, send us your thoughts, stories, or ideas and we’ll post them here so you can share your comments with the YWiB community.  Email info@ywib.ca.