Barbara Gory: Putting the Extra “E” in CAWEE – One Woman at a Time

by Camille DePutter

In 1984, Barbara Gory, then president of her own accounting firm, Gory & Stavreff, joined CAWE. Not CAWEE, as today’s members know it, but CAWE – Canadian Association of Women Executives.

At the time, the organization included both business owners and executives, but the two groups met separately. The ‘Entrepreneurs’ addition to the name would come later, in part due to Gory’s efforts.

As the treasurer on CAWE’s Board, Gory helped organize one of Ontario’s first conferences for women business owners. As a result, she not only achieved greater visibility (and government funding) for the organization, she also played a significant role in creating momentum and support around women’s entrepreneurship at a time when many women were still struggling to prove themselves in professional roles.

The conference, along with other projects such as a case study on women business owners produced by UWO students, raised awareness about the growing number of women who were running their own businesses. As such, C-A-W-E became “CA-WEE” - Canadian Association of Women Executives & Entrepreneurs.

Gory recalls that the political and professional climate of the early to mid 1980’s meant that entrepreneurship was an empowering and profitable career choice for many women. Says Gory: “We were thrilled to have business cards and briefcases… We had more power than we’d ever had before.”

But with that power and excitement came a clear need for support – it was necessary to collaborate, share resources, and help each other in order to achieve the level of success they were after. “There was a feeling that women needed to support each other,” Gory explains. “We wanted to support other women in business…Where there was an ‘old boys’ network there grew up a ‘new girls’ network.”

Women in male dominated professions had an opportunity to not only create the careers they wanted for themselves, but to hire women in their own businesses. “That’s why I had my own firm – no one would hire me,” says Gory, who employed both women and men. She also recalls hiring one woman who admitted, “You’re the only person who would hire me because I’m 9 months pregnant.” Gory responded, “I expect you’ll get past that.”

Through the network of women connected by CAWEE, women found other women – not only as prospects, but as a rich resource for a variety of services, ranging from lawyers to plumbers.

“I was so fortunate,” recalls Gory. “It was a great business tool. I was able to entertain my clients by taking them to CAWE, and I was able to refer and be referred. It paid off in more ways than one.”

Gory readily acknowledges, however, that amid the excitement and spirit of entrepreneurship and professionalism, there was an undercurrent of sexism in the business world, which CAWE also served as an escape from.

“It was very seldom that someone really insulted you, but it was always there. You were never the most important person in the room. If, for example, you went with a male client to see a [male] bank manager, the manager would only talk to the man. It was like you were invisible.”

Gory explains that outside CAWE, in the male-dominated world of business, “there was a feeling that you can’t be serious. What are you playing at? Is this some kind of hobby you’ve got?” At CAWE, however, “you didn’t have to keep proving yourself.”

Today, Gory is retired – but that doesn’t mean she’s stopped working. As a member of the Associated Senior Executives of Canada (ASE) Gory volunteers her time to help independent businesspeople benefit from her experience and expertise. Clearly, her desire to support other entrepreneurs has not waned. Interestingly enough, she is once again the only woman in the group.

Does Gory think that times have changed? Put simply, yes. Gory attributes the changes in paternity and maternity leaves and other family-friendly benefits to women’s efforts. “But,” she’s quick to add, “We still have a long way to go.”

Camille DePutter is a senior consultant/copywriter at The Essential Message, where she helps companies discover their true differentiation and communicate it in the most compelling way for higher sales with less effort. Camille can be reached at 416-534-4766 or umathurman@essentialmessage.com. Learn more about The Essential Message at www.essentialmessage.com.