Women in Business Q&A: Kelley Spoljaric, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer, ComfortCam

Women in Business Q&A: Kelley Spoljaric, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer, ComfortCam
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Kelley Spoljaric is Co-Founder and CMO of ComfortCam, a company that makes and sells a Wifi enabled camera and app that safely and securely allows you to see your child from anywhere in the world with your smartphone and tablet. She co-founded the company in 2013 with her husband, Ray Spoljaric, shortly after having her first child. Kelley is responsible for overseeing the planning, development, and execution of the company's marketing and advertising initiatives, new product development, and customer service.

Kelley has over 13 years of marketing experience with expertise in luxury goods working for such prestigious brands as Patek Philippe and David Yurman. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Southern California.

How has your life experience made you the leader you are today?
I have been very fortunate in my life to have been exposed to several incredible people and experiences that have helped shape me into the person and business professional that I am today. First and foremost, I give my father a lot of credit. As an incredible leader and serial entrepreneur himself, I have seen firsthand what it takes to inspire people and have them follow you in your belief. This is not easy, but if people trust and believe in you and your vision then incredible things can happen. My husband also has this quality. His positive energy and drive have helped to make ComfortCam what it is today. At a basic level, I think respecting people (treating others the way you would want to be treated), being honest, grateful, and willing to make sacrifices for the sake of others makes a person a great leader. If you succeed in these areas then you can build an incredible team of people that will work together for the greater good of the company.

How has your previous employment experience aided your tenure at ComfortCam?
Each of my previous work experiences has taught me lessons that I now apply to growing and expanding ComfortCam. When I worked at David Yurman it was a period of incredible growth for the company. I was very lucky to have worked closely with the owners, David and Sybil Yurman. They have a tremendous passion and dedication for their company and the products they design and produce. They slowly controlled the growth of their company until they felt ready to take it to the next level and expand into opening their own retail stores. They also remained true to themselves despite their incredible success, and made it a priority to give back to worthy causes they cared about.

Now as my husband and I look to grow ComfortCam, I too respect that product we produce and want it to be the very best for our customers. ComfortCam started out of a personal struggle I was facing after having my son. I wanted to be able to check-in on my baby and our nanny once I returned to work after my maternity leave was over, and I wanted to do this in a secure and private way. I didn't want personal video of my son out on a shared cloud server or even worse potentially being hacked. So, we designed and developed ComfortCam to have everything that we wanted in a baby monitor and made it the most secure and private product. I know how important it is to protect children and their privacy. This is something we do not take lightly at ComfortCam. We want ComfortCam to be the trusted source that allows you to stay connected to your child when you can't be with them.

What have the highlights and challenges been during your tenure at ComfortCam?
Starting a company with my husband from a basic idea has been exhilarating, but also a challenge. No matter how long you think something will take, it ALWAYS takes longer than you had planned. Especially when the product involves technology. You have to have a lot of patience, which is difficult at times. After a lot of hard work, we now have a great product. ComfortCam is more than a baby monitor, it is a way for families with young children to stay connected to their little ones no matter where they are. Now, parents do not have to miss those precious moments of their child crawling, walking, or playing with their friends. The can quickly, easily, and securely capture these moments on their smartphone or tablet from anywhere in the world with ComfortCam. It is really exciting for us to be able to provide this service.

What advice can you offer to women who are seeking a career in your industry?
I would recommend that any budding female entrepreneur follow their passion. You spend countless hours starting and building your company, so you need to really love what you are doing. In order to be successful, you have to believe wholeheartedly in the product and/or service you are providing. I also think it is essential to talk to as many people as possible about your idea. Listen to what they have to say and have an open mind. Lastly, you need to constantly fine tune your business plan and know it inside and out. This is crucial when you are trying to raise money.

How do you maintain a work/life balance?
I wear a lot of hats in my family, but I try and wear the mommy hat the best. My children are my first priority. Yes, I bring my work home, but I do my best to focus on the kids while they are awake. That's not to say I don't sneak in an email here or there, but I really try and make an effort to give them my complete attention while I am home. I also try and remind myself how fragile life can be, so I try and enjoy every moment with them. Although, the temper tantrums can test me at times. I also think it is really important to connect with your friends on a regular basis. Life is hectic, but it is nice to just take a break from the kids and work and just have some adult fun. The other night, we enjoyed Game Night with some friends, which was a blast.

What do you think is the biggest issue for women in the workplace?
I think we have come a long way in terms of gender equality in the workplace, but there is still plenty of room for improvement. Working mothers, especially those who are not self-employed face the biggest challenges. Often times, these mothers have to make sacrifices in their families for their careers. Even worse, the more senior your position within a company, the more you are expected to compromise. If these companies were a little more accommodating, I am sure productivity and office morale would skyrocket. I think what fashion stylist and designer, Rachel Zoe, did for her employees in opening an office nursery was brilliant. I am sure she will have dedicated and loyal employees for years and years.

How has mentorship made a difference in your professional and personal life?
Outside of my family, there have been a small handful of people in my life that have helped guide me in my career and left a lasting impression on me. Some of these mentors were people that I worked with and others were professors I had at the University of Southern California that I remained in contact with for years after I graduated. It takes a very special person to help mentor someone. It really is a selfless act that can have such a lasting positive effect of someone. The mentors I have had taught me to work hard and to follow my dreams.

Which other female leaders do you admire and why?
I have long admired Kate Betts and Cathie Black. Both women are mothers who have achieved incredible success in their careers. However, their success has not come without public scrutiny and failures, but both women have handled their career hardships with strength and grace.

What do you want ComfortCam to accomplish in the next year?
We are focused on increasing our overall brand awareness and sales. I want ComfortCam to be in as many homes as possible and bring the same kind of joy to other families lives as it has to ours. It makes life a lot easier knowing that I can see my kids whenever I want and that they are being well cared for. It also has allowed my parents who live 2,400 miles away to see their grandkids on a regular basis. We have several ComfortCam's set up in our house, but we allow my parents access to the cameras in the children's bedrooms, so they can see them sleep and play. This is one of the many features ComfortCam has.

From a retail level, we expect to be in several key national baby stores in the U.S. and we are exploring international distribution. Lastly, we are excited to be growing our charitable arm of the company, "The Comfort in Giving." For every camera sold, we pledge a percentage of the sales to a children's cause we hold dear.

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