WCD’s Brookman sisters worked with dad to run the company

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It can be a unique path for women in Canada’s enterprising families. We profile some of their stories in our Women and Canadian Business Families series.

Karen and Jennifer Brookman grew up in a traditional home with a stay-at-home mom and a father who worked hard to build a business and provide for the family. But the sisters didn’t want traditional roles; in fact, they wanted to take over running the business when the time came.

They learned that succession in a family business is infused with emotion and complexity, far beyond the simple transition of leadership.

Karen is the president and chief executive of WCD (West Canadian Digital Imaging Inc.) an on-demand print and information solutions family enterprise in Calgary that is celebrating its 70th year in business. Jennifer is the company’s vice-president of sales and marketing.

The sisters share what their experience has been growing up and learning from their father, George Brookman, who is now the company’s chair and ambassador.

The siblings discuss what it took to transition leadership of the business and the importance of the supportive roles their parents played in nurturing them through tough decision making over the years.

What would you say has been the traditional role of daughters and wives in successful family enterprises, and how has that impacted you?

Karen: “From my experience, daughters and wives have often been expected to play a more supportive role in the business and to prioritize home, family and volunteer work.

“For my sister and I, we grew up in a traditional home with my mom working as a housewife, while volunteering in her spare time. My father was a proud provider who had no desire or appetite for my mother to work in the business. As daughters, we were encouraged to work in the business as a learning opportunity for our future careers, but never expected to have an interest in running the family business.

“When the time came for a new successor in our family business, I had to convince my father that I was truly interested in the role and had the capability to lead.

“My father had an honourable desire to take care of his family and never wanted to burden his wife or daughters with the stresses and challenges of running the business. I had to declare in no uncertain terms my desire and ambition to run the business. It was not an easy transition.

“In our case, my father, as leader of the family business was also perceived as the ‘head of the family’ who controlled the money and provided for others.

“I learned that succession in a family business is much more emotional and complex than simply transitioning an executive position to a new leader. Succession came with a need to understand and respect my father’s legacy, to navigate historical biases between older and younger generations, to honour the culture in the company and to fully appreciate the impact the change had on the roles and dynamics within our family.

“We learned that succession is a lengthy process that can take several years. To be successful involves thoughtful planning, communication, patience and above all love and empathy.”

Jennifer: “I believe parents raise their children based on what they know and are comfortable with – for example, parents who are athletes may encourage their children to be athletes, or entrepreneurs may instill the values of entrepreneurship into their children.

“In my case, my father knew and understood the value of hard work, so while we grew up in a traditional family environment, he expected my sister and I to work as soon as we were old enough. We both had jobs and worked in the family business starting at the age of 15. This instilled in us a strong work ethic and the confidence that we could earn a living and achieve what we wanted to in life.”

How is that role for women in family enterprise changing, in your experience?

Karen: “In today’s world, it is much more common for women to have career ambition, a proven track record, and the required leadership abilities to be a senior executive in a family enterprise. Women in family businesses should no longer be relegated to administrative roles if they have a desire to contribute on a more senior level.

“In my case, the fact that both my sister and I had enjoyed successful careers outside of the family business before taking on senior leadership roles earned us more credibility.

“We were also fortunate not to have any brothers to contend with. We did have to compete with existing male employees who were in line to take over the company.

“There is a stereotype bias that men are more interested and knowledgeable about the financial aspects of the business and therefore should be a more suitable choice for succession. Before taking over as CEO, there were many fierce conversations that took place between my father and I before I was ultimately considered for the role of CEO. For more than a year I needed to demonstrate my competency by working in the business, developing trust with financial advisors and delivering strong business results.”

Jennifer: “While things are improving, it is still more common for men to be the breadwinners and women to play a more supportive role at home. I am fortunate to have a supportive partner who is able to manage the kids, allowing me to focus on my career.

“Even so, for women there’s always a bit of guilt at play, and it can be difficult to maintain balance between work and family commitments.”

What has been the key to that evolution for women?

Karen: “There are many factors that are positively impacting the evolution of women’s roles in family business.

“Changing work environments: There is a growing need for purpose-driven collaborative work environments that embrace diversity. Women are often recognized for their ability to collaborate with others, embrace diversity and build consensus towards business objectives and goals. Traditional hierarchical leadership models are changing, and women are known to build strong corporate cultures that attract and develop young talent.

“Women’s experience in leadership roles: Women have more experience and training to confidently lead organizational change. When I took over as CEO of our family’s business, I wanted to uphold my father’s values and practices that had made the company successful over four decades. However, I also wanted to bring my own vision and authentic leadership style. Bringing a new style of leadership meant leading the entire organization through a significant transformation and culture shift. Without the skills and confidence to lead change, I wouldn’t have been able to develop the trust and followership from our staff to execute on our goals.

“Women as financial contributors to the family: The traditional view that men should be the main income earner in the family is long past. In many cases, women are the primary income earner in the home and married couples more often share financial responsibilities as equal partners. Similarly, a female family member’s ability to lead the financial success and prosperity of the business is more known and accepted.”

Jennifer: “Oddly enough, the pandemic has been a key factor in the evolution of working women. Prior to the pandemic, there was an underlying expectation that working in the office or meeting in-person was the ideal. And while this may remain true for critical meetings, we’ve discovered that working remotely can be a good alternative.

“As a working mother, this has been a game changer for me. Not only has it reduced my daily commute, but also the amount of out-of-town travel I’m required to do. I’ve also experienced the same benefit with my team – for example, in the event of a sick child, they can be home and still remain productive.”

Have you faced any challenges in terms of family relationships or doubts from business associates because of your gender?

Karen: “I have been very fortunate not to have experienced any difficult family relationships or doubts from associates because of my gender. I think the main reason is the strong, committed and vocal validation of my leadership from my father.

“Once it was decided that I would take on the role of CEO, my father went all in and gave me his full support. He was instrumental in leading a strong communication plan, invested personal time to transition key business relationships and made introductions to key stakeholders. His support of me, my sister and my husband, who also works in the business, has made a significant contribution to our success.”

Jennifer: “None that I’m aware of.”

Have you observed any change to relations between you and the patriarchs in your family, in terms of succession planning?

Karen: “I think there has been a deepening of respect and appreciation. Perhaps a little surprise that the women in the family have as much strength and commitment as they do.”

Jennifer: “Exactly as Karen describes it: fully supportive with a hint of surprise. But I’m not sure if it’s because of gender bias, or because we are our father’s children and, as a parent, you’re always a little surprised when you realize your children are not only grown but are also strong contributing members of the company, with life experiences outside your own.”

Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.

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