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!  <