I’ve been fortunate to be surrounded by strong women leaders in my career, so when my husband and I launched our company, online will platform Willful, it was imperative to bake diversity and inclusion into our mission. Over half of our company identifies as women across all teams – including an all-women product team – and 50% of our C-level executives are women. I believe that as women, we have a superpower in leading companies: empathetic leadership. Working for and alongside so many amazing women in my career has shown me that caring about your people, and not just your profits, is a huge secret weapon. It’s helped me build Willful into a place that respects diverse viewpoints, allows people to have psychological safety and bring their full selves to work, and focuses on inclusive practices, from parental leave to flexible work hours to accommodate parents. As a mom of two young girls myself, I want to model the type of company I hope exists in 20 years for them, and especially in this divisive political climate, it’s more important than ever to lean in to empathy, diversity, and inclusion in our businesses.
Erin Bury
CEO of Willful
Erin Bury is a trailblazing Canadian entrepreneur and CEO of Willful, Canada’s leading online estate planning platform. She has been recognized as one of Bay Street Bull’s “2021 Women of the Year” and has successfully navigated the startup landscape, securing significant funding and media attention for her company. As a seasoned speaker and advisor, Erin has inspired numerous entrepreneurs and has been featured in Dragons’ Den, The New York Times, and Forbes. Her leadership extends beyond Willful, with roles on the board of Save the Children Canada and as former co-chair of the #Tech4SickKids initiative.
