Mom Spotlight – Susan Matheson

1) Provide an overview of your company and your role within the company; how many hours you work.
I am a co-founder and managing partner of The Image Builders along with my business partner Denisa Nica. We share equally in all aspects of the company.
At The Image Builders, we work with groups and individuals to help them better understand the impact of image in achieving personal and professional success. Specific areas of training include business and social etiquette, cultural awareness, style and wardrobe assessment, and personal branding. Our clients have included everyone from women returning to the workforce and students preparing for university or articling positions, to lawyers and engineers working in multicultural and globally focused environments. We pride ourselves on tailoring each program’s elements to the specific needs of each client.
While we have yet to encounter a “typical” week or even day, on average we work full-time hours. Those hours may occur at our downtown office, at a client’s boardroom or in our home offices during traditional work day hours or just as easily in the wee hours.

2) Provide an overview of your home life, how many children you have, childcare arrangement, if married your husband’s career and how you share the responsibilities at home.
My husband and I have two boys, aged 10 and 11 and a large hairy dog. The boys are in school full time from 8 am until 3:30 pm daily. I make every effort to schedule meetings and presentations within those hours in order to be available to pick the boys up at school every day. It is an important ritual to me and they tell me they appreciate my being there as well – for now! Our afternoons and evenings often involve hockey or other sporting commitments and my husband and I both share and participate as much as possible in taking the boys to their activities and cheering them on. Between the two of us (and the help of our BlackBerries) we are usually able to manage. When scheduling conflicts arise or one of us is away we are fortunate to usually be able to rely on the help of Grandparents or fellow team parents.
Due to the more flexible nature of my work schedule I tend to be responsible for most of the home front. My husband is certainly there to actively help me when needed. He receives his fair share of “Could you pleeeeease pick up milk/bread/small child on your way home?” messages and is always accommodating! His work in developing and managing airports requires him to travel fairly regularly and he is definitely missed when he’s away.

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.
Both Denisa and I have husbands with sharp business acumen and a willingness to offer respectful guidance when asked. “When asked” is the key phrase! They are always patient and supportive and we consider them important participants in our business success.
We are supporters of MomCafe and its mission and regard its founders, Jill Earthy and Hilary Wooller with great respect.
Denisa and I are both insatiable readers and have been influenced by many books and articles in our decision-making as well. It is important to note that we have paid attention to times when we’ve been un-impressed by an individual or organization as well and have consciously sought to approach our own business differently.

4) Can you offer insight into ways that “professionally minded moms” could be supporting each other.
We have been very fortunate to meet a number of successful business people who’ve shared their thoughts and impressions with us. We are members of a few professional groups, some focused on women, and enjoy time spent with entrepreneurially-minded friends as well. All have been appreciated as much for the brutal honesty as the sincere empathy when it comes to developing a new business and managing a family.
I find e-mail notes (NOT jokes!) and forwarded articles relevant to one another’s business interests also helpful. For those working at a home office a little reminder that someone out there at their desk is thinking of them and their endeavour lifts the spirits while also augmenting one’s research into what’s current in their field or with the competition!

5) Can you offer any advice for achieving a balance between your family life and your career?
I personally don’t strive for a specific state of balance; I aim for balance over a period of time. There are days when The Image Builders deadlines have me preoccupied and other days when I receive a call from the school nurse and need to drop all work-related tasks. If, at the end of a year I have managed to be present, contributing value, and happy, with both family and career, I consider it balanced. I do grapple on a daily basis with guilt (laundry not folded or an article still unwritten) and often find at midnight that I’ve simply run out of hours but if I look back over time and seem to have managed to do both well I am content.

Susan Matheson is a Founder and Managing Partner of The Image Builders (www.theimagebuilders.ca). Whether working with a mother returning to work or a business going global The Image Builders lead the way to achieving and optimizing professional image. Contact 604-601-8250.