What are some misconceptions of women in the workplace?
Devenish: Probably that we’re a minority. I never think of a business as woman-owned or man-owned. There is a little bit of a “you go girl” feeling when you find out a business is owned by a woman — a rah-rah attitude. But I really feel like women-owned businesses aren’t nearly as rare as they used to be. Q: Do you think women are harder on other women at work? Devenish: I’m actually probably harder on my man. (Devenish’s management team is made up of one man, seven women.) I know he’s not going to cry and that sincerely, deep down, he won’t take it personally. For women, there’s that emotional piece in us — it’s just how we’re built. Not all women take things personally, but we certainly have a mechanism that makes us more sensitive. In many cases, reprimanding a man is easier than reprimanding a woman. Q: Nearly every businesswoman I talk to — who is also a mom — mentions guilt. Is that true with you? Devenish: Oh, guilt. I hate that word. But it’s absolutely true. School field trip
