Dinosaurs still roaming

This is one article I had to say yes to taking part in. I thought it was worth taking the opportunity tell you what it's truly like being a female in a male dominated industry. (Or at least this particular industry).

I guess anyone running a printing business during the GFC has felt the pain. Some have chosen to give up, some have been forced to give up, but you would be lying if you have not had to batten down the hatches and have been forced to really look at ways to restructure to survive over the past couple of years.

When suppliers were cutting trading terms, credit limits were being introduced, and banks were turning their back on our whole industry I believe it was made even more difficult for me, being a women in a man’s world.

But I have persisted and 5 Star Graphix is one of the survivors. I guess I never expected a ‘good on you’, but I also never expected what I actually have put up with.

[Related: Other women's experiences in print]

You all know that there are a lot of people out there (especially in Australia) that really hate to see a person succeed. Call it jealously, envy, whatever, well try multiplying that by ten if you are female.

I'm not sure if it is only this industry or most industries that were traditionally male dominated, but I don't believe we have embraced women in this industry much at all.

In actual fact it is like we have turned the clock back 40 years.

For some reason this industry is renowned for gossip and is full of rumour spreading fools that really have not the slightest idea about what's going on with in the walls of my company or any others, but claim to know more than I actually do about how I run my business and my finances.

I am talking about both men and women alike that have nothing better to talk about but other people.

I think they see me as any easy target being a female, and you know the old saying ‘Throw enough mud and it eventually sticks.’

I rarely attend industry events or functions, to avoid gossip, and I also refuse to entertain anyone such as suppliers, or my staff, that start telling stories about the other printers in town.

Only last week I was told twice in one day how I was being talked about on facebook by people in the industry, and not in a good way.

I have caught paper delivery guys taking photos of my jobs in my factory. I have been verbally abused leaving an awards night in Sydney. I think his exact words were ‘What the f&%# would you know about print?’

Would this happen if I was a bloke? I don’t think so.

I don't read these so called social media sites, as I don't want to know what these fools are saying out there, I have my own day to day pressures without entering into this bitter world.

I have seen companies falling around me over the past few years but I am still the talk of the town.

You need to be extremely thick skinned and impervious to what’s going on to survive as a women in the printing industry.

[Related: Photos from Women in Print Sydney]

Don't get me wrong there are some wonderful people in this industry that really do treat you as equal, and I have met some people I would call lifelong friends, but these are the people that have taken time to get to know me and not relied on malicious gossip to judge me.

There's also been a few very supportive suppliers that have been with me through the tough times, and for which I will reciprocate my support for as long as I'm in this industry.

But there are a lot of people that like to try and find whatever they see as an opportunity to try and belittle you as a person and unfortunately they seeing being female as one of these.

In saying this I look at personal goals and I am happy with my achievements, but I have to ask myself, would I embark on this journey if I had my time again?

Carolyn Cagney is the owner of Adelaide printer 5 Star Print.

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