Jennifer McNeill grew up in Alabama, built and sold software businesses in Calgary, and now lives part of the year in Las Vegas. It's a background that allows rare insight into business on both sides of the 49th parallel. Ms. McNeill, a dual citizen at age 54, is still managing her software company CipherSoft Inc. of Calgary, even though it is now owned by Unify Corp. of Sacramento. Recently, she shared her thoughts after a speech to the Women's Executive Network in Calgary.
What did you tell those Canadian executives?
They should be looking at the global opportunities rather than staying in the box. Canadian organizations sometimes hold themselves back because they lack the confidence of American companies.
In fact, at CipherSoft, we sell software in 52 countries and most people in those countries would prefer to deal with Canadians because we have a better way of dealing with people. Yet most Canadian companies don't know that.
Why do we limit ourselves?
Canadians are taught to have humility which to me is their most endearing quality. But they have this lack of confidence when comparing themselves to U.S. businesses.
Even after the U.S. financial and housing meltdown?
It is ingrained in personality. If I am working with a U.S. business person who is talking about their company, the sky is the limit for them. They are going to do whatever it takes to get wherever they need to go. But when you are dealing with Canadians, they may say, "Well, I made $200,000 last year. I got to travel, and I'm going to the beach. In the winter months I spend two to three months in Phoenix, so I am completely happy.'
The hunger is not there - which is not necessarily a bad thing because the quality of life in Canada is much better. But when it comes to the business world, in small to medium-sized businesses especially, they limit themselves on what they can do.
How did you get to Canada?
I grew up in Alabama, where I worked for a software company. I was a vice-president, the only woman executive among 300 people. Then I got a job offer here. I had come out of a very abusive relationship and Canada seemed like a good alternative.
At 30, I moved here with my kids. I bought shares in the company, I took over as CEO and president, and took that company and sold different pieces of it. I sold the final piece of it in 2000. Then we started CipherSoft in 2002 and sold it a year ago to a company out of Sacramento. I've been called a serial entrepreneur - I build companies and after a while I move on.
Doesn't that take a lot of moxie?
Some days you wake up and think 'I'm so smart' and an hour later you're thinking 'I'm the stupidest person in the world.' You have to completely ignore adversity and just plow through.
In the male world, you'd be told you've got balls.
Absolutely, that's what they say about me - in front of me sometimes. They don't even say 'Oops' any more - I'm not offended.
Where did that personality come from?
One factor is the ability to look at a negative and turn it into a positive. And my parents gave me confidence. My dad was an electrical engineer and he had his own business. When I was trying to decide what to do in school, I said I'd go into chemistry and he'd say 'Yeah, that's a good field.'
In the South there were very few fathers who didn't say just go get married. My dad would say, 'You've got to support yourself. You can't rely on a man to support you. What if he dies? What if he leaves?' Those messages were delivered subtly but they made me think, 'Right - I should support myself.' If I hadn't had that, I don't know what would have happened.
How is your life now?
