Mom Spotlight - Michelle Kelsey - Nannies on Call

Michelle Kelsey - Nannies on Call

1) Provide an overview of your company and your job, how many hours you work.

Nannies on Call provides experience nannies for on call, part and full time positions. We offer our clients flexibility, convenience and security.

I try to focus most of my attention nowadays on the growth of the company not the day to day operations. I work 40 + hours a week split up. (days, evenings and weekends…as needed)

2) Provide an overview of your home life, how many children you have, childcare arrangement, if married your husbands career and how you share the responsibilities at home.

I live with my husband, Hugh, and two children. (9 and 12) We no longer have a nanny although we did have one for 6 years. Gabrielle and Mikaela are in school from 8am - 3pm, which is when I am in the office. I pick my children up from school everyday and do the usual shuttle to a growing number of activities. Then many evenings I do work again. My husband works in advertising and is home by dinner each night. He also is very involved with Nannies on Call and we spend many nights working together.

3) Are there certain organizations or individuals who have been the greatest influence and support in terms of assisting with your career and business decisions.

Hugh helps me on a daily basis. Without him the company would not be as successful. My father is also spends time helping me with financial decisions.

4) Can you offer insight into ways that “professionally minded moms” could be supporting each other.

There are many groups that mothers can join whether they are already in business or ready to start up. I have found women in these support groups to be very open and supportive.

5) Can you offer any advice for achieving a balance between your family life and your career.

I am a better mom and business woman if I take some time for myself each day. Leave the guilt at the door, you have to take care of yourself first.

Mom Spotlight - Emma Payne

Emma Payne with son, Angus.

1) Provide an overview of your company and your role within the company; how many hours you work.

I started At Large Media Ltd. in the UK in 2000 and relocated the business to Vancouver in 2002 in order to be closer to friends and family, while at the same time providing world-class new media consulting services to clients here in Canada. I’m the President of At Large but we’re just a small company, so really I do a bit of everything. I’m responsible for the financial management of the company, I do sales for the business, and I also provide strategic consulting and account management services for our clients. I work about 40 hours a week (sometimes more), but am very lucky to have a lot of flexibility in when those hours take place. I can choose to work an evening or two a week, if I want to take an afternoon off to do something special with our children.

At Large Media is a strategic consulting firm, with extensive experience in traditional & new media - including television, radio, web broadcasting, video games and new media development. This means that our clients receive deep business and strategic advice, combined with nimble, forward-thinking media and technology expertise. We work with publishers, broadcasters, corporations and non-profit organizations to develop meaningful and profitable online businesses that can help them to truly engage with their clients and audience groups.

2) Provide an overview of your home life, how many children you have, childcare arrangement, if married your husbands career and how you share the responsibilities at home.

My husband, Bryce, is an artist and animator who has worked in video games for nearly 20 years. He’s a wonderful father who is always happy to share the work load when it comes to raising our two children, and looking after the home. He’s a great cook, so I’m very lucky. He works a lot of hours, and doesn’t have the flexibility I have, so certainly I am the primary parent, responsible for all the organizing and shopping and day-to-day tasks. But Bryce is always home for bath, story & bed time, and we really treasure our family time on the weekends. Our son, Angus, is two and Pippa, our daughter, is 9 months old.

At the moment I have a friend with children the same ages as ours, who is looking after Angus & Pippa during the week. It’s a fantastic arrangement, I love it. It’s certainly a busy house with four children here, but I prefer to see them, help out with nap times and be part of the chaos & fun, even if this means that I miss out on an hour or two of work each day.

3) Are there certain organizations or individuals who have been the greatest influence and support in terms of assisting with your career and business decisions.

I had lunch a few years ago with Don Tapscott, someone I’ve known since the very beginning of my time as an entrepreneur, and who I respect very much. Don is an author and authority on business strategy and organizational transformation. He’s the Chairman of nGenera Innovation Network and is also an Adjunct Professor of Management at the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management. He has authored or co-authored over a dozen widely read books on the application of technology in business.
At that lunch he gave me some incredibly valuable experience about how to value my own time and knowledge, how to structure my business as it grew, and what the things to think about might be, as the business evolved. His ideas have had a great influence on me.

4) Can you offer insight into ways that “professionally minded moms” could be supporting each other.

I’ve always valued the advice and support of other working women, and have spent years volunteering my time to create networking opportunities for women working in technology. Now that I’m a Mum, I am also really thankful for the new network of working Mums that I’m meeting and spending time with. It is critical, I think, to brainstorm parenting ideas just as we’ve been used to brainstorming work ideas. I like to chat regularly with other women who have great ideas about everything from business opportunities to toddler-friendly events!

5) Can you offer any advice for achieving a balance between your family life and your career.

Being an entrepreneur has its pros & cons when it comes to achieving balance. I didn’t have access to a maternity leave with either of my children, which meant I had to return to work sooner than I would have chosen. That said, being self-employed does mean that I’ve been able to return to work part-time at first, and have had some control over WHEN and HOW MUCH I work. I’m thankful for this flexibility, as I love to spend time with my children everyday rather than being away all the time. I do work a few evenings a week, so that I can take Angus & Pippa on some outings during the week. I’m also trying to make sure that Bryce & I have a regular “date night” each week, because with two careers and two kids, it can be extra hard to make time for each other. The challenge is staying awake past 10:00, but it’s worth it

Mom Spotlight - Cybele Negris

Mom Spotlight Cybele Negris

1) Provide an overview of your company and your job, how many hours you work.

Webnames.ca is Canada’s original and most experienced domain registrar. One of my partners, John Demco founded .CA  in 1987 and ran the Registry as a public service/volunteer for 13 years. When we started Webnames.ca in 2000 as the Registry was being transferred to the Canadian Internet Registration Authority, we grew from 3 to about 30 people in 4 months and built the foundation of what we are today.   Today, we offer much more than just .CA registrations. We are a provider of Internet solutions where customers enjoy one-stop convenience for all of their online needs. We offer domain registrations (.CA, .COM, .ORG, .NET, .INFO, .BIZ, .US, .CN, .MOBI), domain portfolio management for Canada’s Fortune 500 and other companies including seven of the ten top .CA Websites in Canada, webhosting solutions, professional email solutions, advanced DNS services, SSL certificates, and a flagship product call Web Builder which allows people to build and maintain their own websites without the need for technical knowledge or graphic design ability.   Our company philosophy is being our customers’ “Ally on the Web” and we do our utmost to help a customer become successful online by offering personalized assistance and education on our website and through our in-house experts who are readily accessible by phone or email (avg. 30 second telephone response times and email within a few hours).

My official title is Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer. I’m responsible for making sure our operations are functioning optimally which means ensuring our customers’ expectations are exceeded, each member of our staff are happy and have a career path to grow with us long into the future and that our systems and processes are all functioning properly. I have also recently taken on overseeing marketing and PR and some business development.   Before kids, it used to be 16 hour days plus weekends. Now, typically 10 to 14 hours in a 24 hour period which means fitting time in at the computer after kids are asleep and getting up in the middle of the night to do some things. I try not to work much on the weekends anymore and only check emails. I also limit evening events to one every week now, otherwise, it’s not fair to my family.

2) Provide an overview of your home life, how  many children you have, childcare arrangement, if married your husbands career and how you share the responsibilities at home.

I have two children (son is 2 years and 9 months and daughter 9 months old). I have a live-in nanny who is amazing and takes care of all the household chores as well. Time is so precious so I use any extra time outside of work and childcare to play/read/cuddle with the kids. It doesn’t make sense for me to spend that time doing laundry.   I’m also extremely fortunate that my parents are around a lot to help whenever I need them. My in-laws are also close by and help us. My husband is a contractor/builder with a lot of large projects on the go. He does cook dinner a few times a week though (our nanny does the rest of the time). I can’t remember the last time I cooked.

3) Are there certain organizations or individuals who have been the greatest influence and support in terms of assisting with your career and business decisions.

The Forum for Women Entrepreneurs BC has been amazing (see my recent blog post). We also have an advisory board who have been really helpful in challenging us and keeping us focused. Finally, Don Mattrick (former CEO of Electronic Arts and now advisor to Microsoft) is a true inspiration to me and my business partners and has been very generous with his time and advice to us.

4) Of your female friends with children how many of them continue to work now that they have children.

I can’t say I can think of many. Most of my friends are single with no kids and the ones who have children are either no longer working or currently on maternity leave. Time will tell how many of those on mat. leave will return to their jobs or start businesses of their own so they can have more control over their own schedules. I think that’s why so many entrepreneurs are women these days. Somebody mentioned the term “mompreneur” to me recently. I love that.

5) Can you offer any advice for achieving a balance between your family life and your career.

My life has always been about work and career so it was never balanced to begin with.   Webnames.ca was like my first child. We stayed up all night feeding, caring and nurturing the company (especially the first year and a half when we were typically sleeping 2 or 3 hours a night). In the first year and a half, it was not unusual to work 20 to 24 hour days and I remember working 39 hours straight once with one of my partners, passed out for two hours and then got up again and did another 24. Even after then, I typically worked 16 hour days.   Now, with two kids, working ALL the time is no longer possible so while I still do work long hours, I have more of a balance in life BECAUSE of my children. I now have a passion for my family, not just for my work.   My advice is finding the right people at work and at home to delegate responsibility to is essential. We really focused on recruiting and retaining the best team possible at Webnames.ca and I can say with confidence that we have one of the hardest working, loyal and caring teams that could rival any company.   At home, you need to hire someone to take care of the household chores. That way, you have more quality time to spend with the family. Vacuuming and dusting or cuddle time with the kids. That’s a pretty easy choice for me!

Mom Spotlight - Amie Brenner - Tiny Tots Travel

1) Provide an overview of your company and how many hours you work.

Last November, we were planning a family trip to Hawaii. I began searching for a gogo Kidz Travelmate stroller after being told that this was a must have for our travels. We were so tired of carrying heavy car seats, plus children, plus luggage through the airports! The gogo Kidz Travelmate simply attaches to a convertible car seat and allows you to push your child, in their own car seat, through the airport. After seeing the price to purchase one new, I quickly concluded it would be more cost effective to rent one for our 10 day trip. After doing online research, to my surprise, I discovered there were no places in the Seattle area to rent these specific strollers. I was shocked and disappointed. We further decided to rent a crib, high chair, exersaucer, box of toys, and a stroller from a rental company in Hawaii. That was the point the light bulb finally went off! We could open a baby equipment rental business in the Seattle area and not only rent cribs, car seats, high chairs, etc., but ALSO the gogo Kidz Travelmate stroller!! A month after returning home from Hawaii my husband and I opened Tiny Tots Travel, LLC., a full service baby equipment rental company. We are proud to say our equipment is JPMA certified, high quality, sanitized and safety checked prior to each rental, and top rated in consumer reviews. Initially I put in several hours per week; I was working on getting the website up and running, designing brochures, and marketing to our select target customers. Now the hours vary between 5-15 hours per week, but I have been warned that January thru March are the ’slow’ months for baby gear rental companies. They say to expect a large influx of customers come spring and summer time, so we are ready and I expect the number of hours I am working to substantially increase.

2) Provide an overview of your home life, how many children you have, childcare arrangement, if married your husbands career and how you share the responsibilities at home.

We have three beautiful children, Adelyn is 1, Reichen is 4, & Colby is our oldest at 6. I am a stay at home mom with the home based business, Tiny Tots Travel, LLC. My husband does property management and we are lucky he has a great deal of flexibility with his job hours. He is able to help me with the company deliveries and share in the joy of our children’s afternoon activities. There is rarely a dull moment around our house, but I wouldn’t change any part of it. We are a great team! I feel lucky to be able to be at home with my children and run a business all at the same time. Starting up Tiny Tots Travel, LLC., has allowed me to fulfill a yearning I have always had. To use my mind and gain knowledge in terms of marketing, management, and customer relations has been very exciting and rewarding. Yet, being able to tend to my children and be there for all their firsts is a wonderful gift and experience.

3) Are there certain organizations or individuals who have been the greatest influence and support in terms of assisting with your career and business decisions.

There is no doubt that my father, Jeff Kirby, has been the greatest influence on me and was a large part of my inspiration to start Tiny Tots Travel, LLC. He started his own security business from scratch over 25 years ago at the age of 29. He was his first security guard and had one client. Today his business, Puget Sound Security Patrol, a Bellevue based company, is a multimillion dollar corporation with well over 250 security guards. He has instilled several values in me that will no doubt continue to influence my business decisions. When I have a question related to my company, he is always there to lead me in the right direction. He is careful to not give me the quick and easy answer, but with some direction and support, he encourages me to search and discover on my own. I think when you grow up around such a business minded father, a sort of ‘osmosis’ occurs and you subconsciously have a business molded brain.

4) Of your female friends with children how many of them continue to work now that they have children. Are they entrepreneurs, work full-time, part-time, job share?

I would say half of my friends work part-time, and the other half are stay at home moms. I think a couple of them have the entrepreneurial spirit, but are waiting for the right time.

5) Can you offer any advice for achieving a balance between your family life and your career.

I don’t have the easy answer on this one. I think balancing family life and a career is very challenging, but that is what makes both so rewarding. I take it one day at a time. There is no need to achieve everything all in one day. I frequently have to remind myself of this. My children are often the ones to tell me to slow down. It is amazing what a game of Candy Land can do for your spirit!

Mom Spotlight - Jill Earthy

Mom Spotlight - Jill Earthy

1) Provide an overview of your company and your job, how many hours you work.

I currently wear two hats in my professional life, one as the Executive Director of the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs (FWE) and the other as Co-Founder of momcafé.  FWE is a non-profit organization of over 400 members with a mission to mentor and educate female entrepreneurs through four primary programs; e-series program, Roundtable events, a Student Internship program and a Mentor Program.  I have currently committed to 25 hours/week with FWE, however, like any “part-time” role, the number of hours I spent each week is closer to 35-40.  My role as Executive Director is newly created and I hope to help guide the organization through a strategic growth phase.  I love my role supporting female entrepreneurs.  I am inspired everyday!  During my recent maternity leave with my second daughter, I found that many women, like myself, were struggling to figure out what the next steps along the career path were.  These women had invested 10-15 years into developing a successful career and then decided to have children.  They are now torn with finding a balance between maintaining a stimulating and fulfilling career with spending time with family. There are so many choices available these days.  Some women decide to stay at home, some decide to leave their jobs for entrepreneurial endeavours, some return to the corporate world on either a full or part-time basis.  I wanted to create an environment in which these women could all come together to discuss the choices and the challenges, and to share ideas and resources to help make whatever they choose work for them.  The result is momcafé, a series of events connecting inspired Moms.  We feature two Moms at each event and provide a supportive environment for a group discussion.  Our first event on September 21st sold-out with over 55 amazing women present.  The energy in the room was incredible.  Our next event on November 2nd will also sell out with 70 women present.  Women want to help each other through the sharing of ideas and talking about issues and challenges.  Working together is a powerful thing.  As a Director and Co-Founder of momcafé, I am currently spending 15-20 hours/week on this project.  However, as its success continues to grow, I anticipate having to spend more time.  The challenge for me is how to maintain two part-time jobs that I love but that make up a full job and a half in hours, while still spending as much time as I can with my two young daughters.

2) Provide an overview of your home life, how  many children you have, childcare arrangement, if married your husbands career and how you share the responsibilities at home.

I have two daughters, one and three years old.  I currently spend three days a week downtown working for FWE and have a nanny who comes to our home on those three days.  My older daughter also attends preschool three mornings a week.  We are fortunate in that my husband has a very flexible job.  He likes to go into the office early (he leaves the house by 5:00am!!) but is then home by 4:00pm to relieve our nanny.  This means that I am on my own in the morning, making getting ready for work a challenge, but it also allows me to work later and not have to rush home.  The days that I am downtown, my husband will prepare dinner.  I usually buy the food and plan the meals but he will assemble the meals which is a huge help!  The two other days of the week that I am at home, I juggle working on momcafé with spending time with my daughters.

3)  Are there certain organizations or individuals who have been the greatest influence and support in terms of assisting with your career and business decisions.

I have been fortunate to have a strong group of supportive friends, family and business colleagues.  Certainly the women that I work with in both FWE & momcafé have a huge influence in providing me with the inspiration to do what I love.  My Mom is also a role model for me as she has always managed the balance between working and always being there for her 3 kids.  Her generation was the leading edge.  I just think that she did not ever sleep!  I think it is so great that there are now several organizations providing additional support, resources or even just a place for women to come together to talk about the issues of the day.

4) Of your female friends with children how many of them continue to work now that they have children. Are they entrepreneurs, work full-time, part-time, job share?

I would estimate that of the women I know with children, 5% have decided to stay home f-t, 40% are entrepreneurs, 15% returned to the corporate world f-t and the other 40% are working p-t.

5)  Can you offer any advice for achieving a balance between your family life and your career.

I wish I had the answer.  Some words of advice that I have received include, knowing when to “turn off” from work.  This is incredibly important.   I find that with all the roles I juggle, I am never able to give 100% to anything.  I am working on some strategies that will enable me to do this better and I recommend to others to allocate certain times for certain tasks.  I have also heard many people say that “you need a wife” to achieve a successful balance.  My husband is great but the majority of the tasks involved with running a busy household, do default to me.  It seems to be a maternal thing.  I certainly take a lot of responsibility for this default role as it is in my personality to be in control of things.  The other words of advice are to prioritize and to assign tasks that you do not enjoy or are not good it, to others.  My husband likes to say that we have different expectations.  He is very supportive but feels that only about 75% of what I think need to be done, really needs to be done.  Think of all the additional time you would have if you prioritized and let the little things go!!