Karla Stephens: You need a strong will, a support team and a nanny.

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Vladimír Kaláb
Hany Farghali

Prague, 14th November 2005

Karla Stephens, CEO of Oskar Vodafone, is the most successful female manager in the Czech Republic. At least that is the result of a poll held by the Czech newspaper Hospodářské noviny – a poll similar to those held by the Financial Times or the Wall Street Journal. The judges selected Ms. Karla Stephens out of almost one hundred women in executive positions, only 25 of whom made it to the final round. "If you want to be a great mom, a wife, a friend and a manager all in one then you’re in for disappointment and frustration," admits Karla, mother of a little boy, in an interview for HN. "The key is to have a supporting 'infrastructure'. It's reasonable to hire a nanny and it's more than reasonable to ask your husband for help with the housework," adds the 35-year old Canadian.
It's actually quite typical that the winner of the HOSPODÁŘSKÉ poll is not Czech. Only four firms out of the twenty-four that were represented by the finalists are Czech-owned. Foreigners bring not only capital but also a different style of management. Part of this style is employing women in executive positions. According to research by Catalyst, a Czech research firm, the proportional representation of men and women in executive and supervisory boards in the USA last year was 6:1. However, in the Czech Republic the discrepancy is twice as high: twelve male managers to a single female.

There are no doubt many barriers visible and invisible for women doing business in the Czech Republic, but successful female managers seem not to notice these barriers. They tend to agree that if there’s a will, there is always a way.

Asking family for help is quite all right

Karla Stephens: You need a strong will, a support team and a nanny.

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Hany Farghali

Prague, 14th November 2005

She has devoted her entire life to business and nothing has made her change that. Not even motherhood. Karla Stephens took over the management of Oskar in 2002. According to experts, the firm flourished under her management. In fact, it did so well that it drew the buying interest of multinational colossus Vodafone.
Her unconventional approach also brought the Canadian manager the title of “Best Female Manager in the Czech Republic”, based on a poll conducted in collaboration with Czech newspaper Hospodářské noviny and leading Czech personnel agencies.
In February, however, Karla Stephens will finish her work in the Czech Republic and pass the reins over to Vodafone. After years of dedicating her life to growing the Oskar business, Karla wants to make family a priority and spend more time with her husband and her son.
Her team will remember her as a firm boss, with a passion for details and for achieving every goal she set out for herself. Her management style, however, was never controlling. She hired the right people and trusted them to do their work.

HN:	How difficult was it for you to make it in business as a woman?
KDS:	To become successful in business is difficult regardless of one’s age, sex or nationality. It’s not possible without a lot of hard work, sleepless nights and a strong team.
HN:	If you were to consider the opportunities to get ahead in business now and when you started, how have things changed?
KDS:	There are always opportunities. It just depends on how you’re to take advantage of them.
HN:	Your family probably has not seen much of you in the past few years. Are you planning to make it up to them?
KDS:	I’m lucky enough to have a lot of support in my family. But I don’t think that the quantity of family time is more important than the quality thereof. Thought right now I am looking forward to both.
HN:	How often did you have a chance to see your family in Canada?
KDS:	My mom and dad would tell you that we didn’t visit often enough, but we did try to fly over at least twice a year to see family and friends.
HN:	You entrusted your son into the care of a nanny because you didn’t want to fully interrupt your career. How do you judge this decision now, with the benefit of hindsight?
KDS:	My son is the happiest boy in the world because he has three parents who love him unconditionally. He never goes to bed without a fairy tale, a kiss and the feeling of being loved. I am immensely grateful for that.
HN:	Is this a common practice in Canada?
KDS:	It is common for women in business to have nannies, housekeepers and sometimes even a cook. These services aren’t free but that’s the reality for women who have to juggle both a career and a family.The key is to use services that cost less than what you earn. The question is how big the difference should be because there are women who work not only for money, but for challenges that the career brings them.
HN:	What are you plans now? So far you have made your way in the field of telecommunication. How about trying something different...?
KDS:	I’m going to take a break and spend time with my family. Then I plan to start up another Oskar. In all probability it won’t be a telecommunication venture. I want to shake things up in another field.
HN:	How would you evaluate the entrepreneurial environment in the Czech Republic?
KDS:	Oskar Vodafone has become quite a large company with buying power and influence. The first few years, however, were really tough because we had to get used to the way of doing business here. I have great respect for small businesses in the Czech Republic. They don’t have it easy. The present economic environment often works against them rather than for them. I do think, however, that lot of progress has been made and I'm glad that Oskar Vodafone had a part in making these changes happen.
HN:	In your opinion, how does political instability in the Czech Republic influence potential influx of investors into the country?
KDS:	Significantly. In a risk market you pay more for bank loans and investments. Despite that, Oskar had no trouble raising EUR 500 million in 2004. The investors liked the Czech market, believed in the success of Oskar and in the end we had more offers than we could possibly accept.
HN:	What would be your message to Czech female managers?
KDS:	You can manage it all only if you redefine things. If you want to be a great mom, a wife, a friend and a manager all-in-one then you are in for disappointment and frustration. It’s OK to ask for help. It’s reasonable to hire a nanny or a housekeeper. It’s also more than reasonable to ask your husband to help out around the house. The key is to have a supporting “infrastructure” and not feel guilty for decisions you made in the past.

When I received the award for "Top Female Manager of the Czech Republic", I was completely overwhelmed. It was a tremendous honor, but I knew I could not accept the award on my own. The success of Oskar was not due to my efforts alone, but to the dedication and determination of the many women in leadership positions who brought so much value to the business.

Thus, in recognition of their contributions, I decided to get together a number of women leaders from across the organization for a photo shoot in the beautiful Chateau Dobris in Northern Bohemia. The setting and photos were stunning and were a fitting tribute to the distinct personalities of these women. Women who excelled in the face of challenges posed by a highly competitive and male dominated industry.

I am incredibly proud that we had an almost equal number of men and women in Oskar’s top management team, but also equally proud that race, age, sexuality, gender, and religion never played a role in our hiring process. The diversity of our employees helped to create a global working environment where people from nearly 20 different nationalities provided us with the creativity we needed to compete and succeed in the Czech mobile industry, where only a business, which can truly distinguish itself, can survive.

I am tremendously proud of what I accomplished at Oskar, but I know that I could never have done it on my own. My hope is that the determination, dedication and daring of these women will set an example for generations to follow.