What is it like being a female at the head of a startup in México?

In the work aspect for me it has been very gratifying, Kilpatrick has definitely made it easier because they back up CheckitEasy and I have always had the support of my bosses and CEOs. In terms of society however I still believe that women are still not recognized as easily as men so I think getting to where I am now was the greatest challenge. I’m grateful that Kilpatrick has trusted me enough to give me this opportunity not because of my gender, but rather the quality of my work. The fact that I decided to start a family did not influence my career at all. It’s hard nowadays finding a job that makes you feel appreciated and I think you have to believe in yourself and trust that you will find it and take the opportunities that are presented to you. As women we can do just as much and have a family but the key difference in my experience is having such an amazing team by my side. 

How do you balance work and life?

What works for me is having a structured schedule. I divide my time by work and family. This way when I am working I can focus on that 100% and when I am with my son and husband I can enjoy myself without stressing over work. Having clarity that I am working to have a life and not living to work has helped me to balance my mind. I have also learned with time, when to reach out to my boss to ask for flexibility. If I need to take my son to the doctor or run errands I make sure I speak up with my needs, this also includes my family when I ask them to babysit while I have to work on important due dates. It’s possible if you have structure and a team who work alongside you. This can be a friend, a coworker or family member, and knowing you have this support makes life much easier. It’s okay to ask for help, I think we are used to the thought that asking for help is a sign of weakness, but in reality it is the opposite and for me this represents the willpower and mindset of wanting to succeed in both my personal life and career. Being the perfect mother and coworker is not what I’m striving for but rather doing my best and being happy. I try not to get caught up on mistakes or tough times but rather on the positive and the little steps that lead you to the end goal. 

Who is your female role model and why?

I don’t have just one, I have been lucky to be surrounded by many strong women with outstanding potential that have shaped me into the woman I am today. For example, my mother has shown me how to have a great family and my coworkers and friends who have guided me and given me the strength to make decisions. We are living in a historic time where women are taking charge and are in power roles. That is why I couldn’t pick just one because each of them has a part that I admire and want to incorporate into myself. I am constantly surrounded by women who I consider role models and learn from them every day.  

What is Check it Easy and what is your role at CIE?

Check it Easy is a background check validation platform, where a candidate can upload all the required documentation requested by a recruiter or company and we validate the information. What makes us different is that we created this platform in a way that can reduce time and make it simple for the candidate to go through with his application process. It is TaylorMade and our clients can access the information quickly and efficiently as generally or specifically as requested. 

I am the Head of Check it Easy, so I do a little bit of everything. I’m responsible for overseeing IT, marketing, sales, or anything else related to the platform.   We have many members of Kilpatrick actively working on CheckItEasy to make it run smoothly. We do have people from multiple areas helping us such as sales and tech, but for example, since we are a digital platform we only need one person to make sure everything is running as it should. We are a small team backed up by a big one.  

What is the biggest challenge you’ve overcome since the launch of CheckitEasy?

 There have been a lot of challenges, the biggest one I would have to say is taking on a product manager management role. With Check It Easy being a digital platform the previous knowledge I had on IT was limited and I had to learn a lot about how it worked to upgrade it from being very general and simple to a very high functioning and easy to use the tool. I would ask our IT team to make some changes and initially thought it was as simple and quick as changing a background color but once you understand how much work is behind the coding, you develop a sense of patience and respect. Understanding the back end of code was key for me to have an effective workflow with my IT team and establish an effective system. 

What is the piece of advice you would give to your younger self and women who are just starting their careers?

I would tell them to be aware that you will work for a long time so make sure you pick something you enjoy and that makes you happy. If you find yourself in a place where you don’t feel this way go ahead and make the change or switch that will put you on that path. It’s not easy but in the end, it will be worth it. Take the time to reflect on what makes you happy and search for it. Set your mind and you can do that. If that means having a family go for it, if it’s working and having a family do it, but do it for the right reasons, yourself.