Spotlight on Women at Focus: A Conversation with Mary Daley

What does International Women’s Day or Women’s History Month mean to you personally?

For me, it’s a time to pause and reflect on how far women have come, and just as importantly, where we still need to go.

I also see it as an opportunity to think about privilege and context. Being a woman is one thing, but being middle class, Canadian, and white are very important parts of my story too. I have had opportunities that my mother and grandmother did not have. That is not true universally, and it’s not even true for all women in my own country.

International Women’s Day is a reminder to be grateful for my own progress while staying conscious that many women, because of race, geography, class, immigration status, or other factors, do not have the same starting point. It is a call to remain aware of lives and experiences beyond our own.

Is there a woman, past or present, who has influenced or inspired your professional path?

The person who has influenced me most is my mother. She would be almost 100 now, so she came from a very different generation. When she was young, women who had careers were usually teachers or nurses. Those were the two paths. On top of that, her father did not believe in educating girls. So, between the culture and her own family’s views, she had a lot of limits placed on her.

Even so, she eventually went back to school and earned her degree when she was in her 50s. She made the most of the opportunities she had, even if they came much later in life and not in an ideal way. I find that very inspiring.

Her experience shaped mine in a couple of key ways. First, because she had been denied education when she was young, she was determined that I would have it. She always told me she hoped I would go to university. She was very clear that she could not afford to pay for it, but the emotional support and encouragement were always there, which was the opposite of what she had received. Second, I grew up with a very strong sense that the world was open to me in a way it had never been open to her. I had choices she did not have. That feeling of being lucky and wanting to make the most of my opportunities has stayed with me throughout my career.

What challenges have you faced as a woman in this industry, and how did you navigate them?

I have been in this industry for about 30 years. When I started, the structure was very stark. Most of the junior, administrative roles were held by women. Most of the senior, advisory roles were held by men. There was a visible gap between those groups, and it wasn’t obvious how to move from one side to the other. Finding a real career path from an administrative role into an advisory role was difficult.

I was fortunate that along the way I found some more progressive workplaces where responsibilities could grow in stages. There was usually more than one staff person, so I could gradually take on more complex work and create a real path forward. But that took effort and intention. It was not simply laid out in front of me.

Another challenge came once I reached the advisory level. You often find yourself surrounded mainly by male colleagues. They may be friendly and professional, but it still feels like an environment that doesn’t naturally reflect you. I tended to gravitate toward the other women and build relationships, which helped me feel more connected and part of the team.

For me, what made a difference was a combination of supportive employers, a strong foundation at home, and a deliberate effort to choose environments that offered room for progression rather than settling for the first available role.

What has been the most rewarding part of your career so far?

The most rewarding moments are when clients feel confident about their financial situation, understand that they have a solid plan in place, and leave our conversations with a sense of calm and reassurance instead of anxiety. Helping people get to that point is very satisfying.

Another major source of joy for me is mentoring and developing colleagues. In a previous role, there was a constant stream of new advisors coming into the firm. It was not my main job to train them, but it was a big part of what I did day to day. I would help them get settled, talk through client situations, and generally try to build their confidence.

At Cardinal Point, mentorship is more informal, but it has become an important part of my role. When a new advisor joined us about four years ago, I was asked to act as her mentor. We decided to schedule a weekly meeting, and we are still meeting regularly. In the beginning, it was very much me answering questions and helping her along. Over time, it has become far more of a two-way conversation. She has grown tremendously, and now I often ask for her thoughts and input as well. Seeing people grow and knowing I played some small part in that has been one of the greatest joys of my career.

What advice would you give to young women considering a career in finance or wealth management?

If you are passionate about helping people, working with them on their goals, and building relationships over time, this industry needs you.

There is often a lot of focus on technical requirements, credentials, and compensation structures. Those can make the field seem intimidating or out of reach. Those things matter, of course, but they can make the field look more closed off than it really is.

My advice is not to lose sight of the human side of the work. Wealth management has changed a lot since I started. It is much less about trading and stock picking and much more about planning, relationships, and helping people feel secure. Communication, empathy, and the ability to listen well are central to what we do.

At the same time, I would encourage young women to build strong technical skills as they go. That might be in financial planning, investments, tax, or cross-border work. When you combine genuine care for people with solid technical grounding, you become very valuable to clients and to your firm. I think the industry is increasingly recognizing the value of having more women and the different perspectives and skills they bring. If you’re looking to do meaningful work and like the idea of helping people feel calmer and more confident about their money, there is absolutely a place for you here.

What does mentorship, either giving or receiving, mean to you?

Mentorship in my experience takes both formal and informal forms, and both can be powerful.

On the formal side, structured programs and intentional pairings can be very helpful, especially for people who might not know how to find a mentor on their own. Informal mentorship can be just as important. Some of the most meaningful mentoring relationships begin when someone simply reaches out to a person they admire and asks if they can meet occasionally for coffee and conversation. I strongly encourage younger professionals to look around, identify someone whose approach or career they respect, and politely ask for that time. Most people are flattered and quite open to it.

What I have found again and again is that mentoring is mutually beneficial. When there is an age or experience difference, each person brings something important. The more experienced person often brings perspective, pattern recognition, and history in the industry. The younger person often brings fresh thinking, familiarity with new tools and technology, and insight into what is happening in other firms or areas of the market. We work in a people business, so understanding a wide range of perspectives is essential. Mentorship is one of the most effective ways to expand that understanding on both sides.

What change have you witnessed over the course of your career that most encourages you, and what else can organizations do to support women’s growth?

One of the most encouraging shifts I’ve seen is the move toward more team-based structures across the industry.

Earlier in my career, advisors often worked independently with limited support, which meant they were responsible for everything from client work to preparation and follow up. That could limit both client capacity and opportunities for junior staff to take on more responsibility.

What I’m increasingly seeing is a move toward more integrated team models, where responsibilities are shared across people with different areas of expertise. In my experience, that creates more natural progression paths and allows work to be matched to the right level of experience.

Beyond structure, small changes can also make a meaningful difference. Thoughtful job descriptions, greater transparency around compensation, and more inclusive team environments can all help create a stronger sense of opportunity and belonging.

When organizations focus on these areas, it creates a stronger sense of opportunity, not just for women, but for anyone looking to grow and build a meaningful career.