Karen Shea's story
Commercial Banking and Wealth Management – Ottawa, ON
I started my journey with CIBC 28 years ago in an administrative support role, working my way to becoming a Senior Wealth Advisor at CIBC Wood Gundy– a position I’ve held for the past 12 years.
In my career, I’ve worked with mostly men and, in my current team of 30 advisors, I’m one of only four women advisors. The journey hasn’t been easy. Early on, I noticed how difficult it was to break into established groups but I refused to fade into the background. Instead, I made it a point to attend every sales meeting early, securing my seat in the boardroom. I wanted to be seen. I wanted to be heard. I wanted everyone to know, I belonged there.
Challenges have never intimidated me. Fortunately, I had the privilege of working with an advisor who became my mentor for 14 years. He taught me invaluable lessons, but the most important one was understanding my own mission: I wanted to empower women. Too often, I sat in meetings where the financial advisors would direct the conversation toward the husband while the wife was overlooked. I wanted to change that. Women should feel like equal decision-makers when it comes to their financial future.
I was fortunate to have a manager who fully supported me and encouraged my ideas. That’s why International Women’s Day holds such significance for me because empowering women is my passion. With this year’s theme, Accelerate Action, emphasizing the need for swift and decisive steps towards gender equality, I knew exactly how I could contribute.
I created a workshop called For Women, By Women, a space where I could help women better understand their finances and gain confidence in making financial decisions. The need for this became even clearer when I realized that the last four women clients I signed up all shared the same story: they felt ignored or undervalued by their previous advisor. These women weren’t just looking for financial guidance but for someone who would listen, respect their unique perspective, and make them feel like they have a voice in their own financial future.
If there’s one piece of advice I could give younger women, it’s this: Be yourself and go after what you want. Challenges will come, but don’t let that stop you. Take your seat at the table, speak up, and know that you are just as capable as anyone else in the room.
Karen Shea (she/her) is a Senior Wealth Advisor on the Commercial Banking and Wealth Management