Chantal and Brian Milloy

Tell us about your story. CM: 20 years ago, after having started and operated my first business for 3 years, a web development company in Calgary, I found myself with no money, going through a divorce, and suddenly becoming a single mother of a 4-yearold boy. My business partner had drained funds from all our accounts, moved to the US, and left me holding a large debt to the bank that I could not re-pay. I had no choice but to declare bankruptcy and put my business ownership dreams on the sidelines.

So back to the corporate world I went. Starting once again as a web developer and slowly moving my way up over 15 years to Senior Director, but I could not seem to get further. Despite my solid performance, continued kudos from senior management, and multiple promises that I was indeed the next VP in line, it just wasn’t happening, and I felt as though I was losing myself and what I truly stood for, at every turn. I was often the only woman in the boardroom. It indeed came time to heed my own advice and pursue a different path.

So, when my husband Brian and I made the decision to leave our careers and start our own venture, almost 6 years ago now, we didn’t know if it would succeed, but we knew we had to be all-in. And so Levvel was born. An IT Services and Consulting organization. Levvel, by virtue of our name, was a true account of our combined skills, values, experience, approach, and passion.

Through mentorship and volunteering, I share my skills and knowledge however I can. I am passionate about equality, equity, inclusion, and diversity, and women in tech, but know there is much to learn, both personally and professionally, on how to do better and foster change in others. This will be a lifelong journey. BM: As a single parent, raising two small, rambunctious boys into men was not a trivial task for a single woman. As one of those boys, it wasn’t until years later that I truly appreciated the strength, sacrifice, kindness, and resilience that my mom was made of!

When my father walked out on the 3 of us, my mom was left with mortgage payments and 2 small boys to care for. She immediately went back to work and held down two jobs to keep the house and provide stability for her kids yet despite the long hours she put in, she still somehow managed to keep us in sports and attend all our hockey, football practices, and games. Years later, as we grew older, she returned to university and completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree from McGill University, eventually retiring from a management position at a large Canadian company.

I saw how hard my mom worked through these years and the adversity and challenges she faced as a woman that as a man, I never did in my career. I was always protective of my mom; this launched my resolve early on to not sit on the sidelines and observe but to speak out against the inequities that I saw in (and out) of the workplace. My views and opinions on gender equality were sometimes not well received from some of my male counterparts during these years, especially when some of them were my boss, but watching what my mom endured in her career, my stance on this became personal and my resolve to be her voice for others, unbending.

I found these same attributes of strength, kindness, and tenacity in my partner, spouse, and company co-founder, Chantal so together we founded Levvel in late 2015. As one of Canada’s fastest-growing startups (Maclean’s Magazine - Dec 2020), and a leadership team composed of 60% women and 40% men, our focus on gender equality and diversity is one of our core pillars of success and is directly responsible for our growth and ability to expand during a global pandemic.

Tell us about a role model who inspires you? CM: Unfortunately, throughout most of my career in technology and IT, there were so few women in senior management roles that it was a struggle to find a female role model or leader to learn from. Now as a female business owner, I seem to meet other inspiring female business owners at every turn, which is exciting for future generations. There is one female role model/leader who stands out for me throughout this journey. She came in as the senior leader for the Supply Chain organization and in short order, was able to save the organization millions of dollars with her experience and tenaciousness. Although that alone was impressive, what was more impressive were the little things she did every day in the area of gender equality. In her first week, as she was touring the warehouses, she noticed that there were plenty of men’s washrooms that were large, had been renovated and were well kept. There was one, very small, women’s washroom, which was basically an old closet that had been converted and had no hot water. She immediately ordered an expansion and renovation to equal these facilities. She was told several times that this was because 90% of the workforce at the warehouse were men and that’s why it had always been that way. She would state “Gee, I wonder why?” with a smile on her face. “Make this warehouse fully inclusive and watch what happens”. This was only one small example of the things she would routinely do to level the playing field.

BM: Our co-founder Chantal (who happens to also be wife) is definitely top of my list as an inspirational female role model. Our company would never be where it is today without her tenacity, drive, and determination. She has an incredible way of inspiring and building self-confidence in those around her to reach higher and discover limits they never knew they had, and she has an uncanny ability to remain calm no matter the situation.

As a Woman of Inspiration Award recipient, Chantal is also my soulmate, best friend, business partner, and love of my life! She is my inspiration to be a better man, a better father, and a better person and I love watching her do this for others. Chantal is the rock for Levvel, the inspiration for our employees, and a role model for many women to remind them that anything is possible. What is your definition of a Woman of Inspiration? CM: A woman who uses her voice to empower and support others by tapping into her unique strengths. Someone that truly believes that elevating others and calling out inequities when we see them, is the true definition of success.

BM: My definition of a woman of inspiration is one who inspires others to stretch beyond what they think their capabilities or limits may be and do so in a way that is always respectful of others. They do so with their words and their actions, and they lead by example.

What role do you feel men play to move the needle for gender equality? CM: Although I’ve always believed that gender equality is everyone’s business and that it takes both men and women to work at advancing this agenda, it wasn’t until I joined the board at Black North that I understood the important role that allies play in fighting for equality. When I first joined, I feared I wouldn’t be able to truly help because I didn’t have the lived experience of being a Black Canadian, but with every meeting we had, I began to learn how important my advocacy was within the white community and how important my visible support was within the black community. For gender equality, men have the same opportunity to appeal to other men in the same way. If more men openly talk about the importance of gender equality and push for change in policies and in their own teams, the more commonplace this will become, making it hard to ignore the inequities that will surface.

...I’ve always believed that gender equality is everyone’s business and that it takes both men and women to work at advancing this agenda...

BM: It is imperative that men and boys play a significant part in raising awareness and correcting gender inequality. To remain silent on this issue is to condone/accept it. The more men that speak out against it when they see it occur, the more other men will follow. For gender equality to truly exist, it will require men to stand beside women in this movement and continue to educate other men on the value to all parties when equality is achieved.

How important is it for men to be role models and equal partners? It’s critical. Perhaps not every man has a wife, sister, or daughter, but every man has a mother and should be able to appreciate wanting their mother or the other women in their lives to have every opportunity that they have in life. Ultimately that’s what being an equal partner will create and being a male role model is about advocating for that equality first within our own lives and families and then external, within the societal groups that we are part of.

Describe how your company supports the advancement of women?

Our management team is 50% women. As a work-from-home organization, we provide the flexibility for our team to

At some point in our adjust their We were intent on creating lives and careers, a working environment that would level focus and motivation the playing field and not create barriers for certain members of the team over seem to shift from an others. The pandemic showed us how internal conversation important this was as we watched the we have with ourselves women on our team, primarily those to an external view who are the primary caregivers for their kids, juggle online school, household of the world and duties and work. We have also often where we can make designed our client work assignments a difference. for our Change Consultants around available working hours and days based on these family commitments. It’s common for our Change teams to have a primary member working 4 – 5 days with a few members who work 2 -3 days.

To further our efforts around Women in Tech, in 2018, Levvel, along with our sister company, Muraho Technology, was instrumental in the training and certification of over 80 women in Kigali, Rwanda, in ISTQB®, the highest standard in software Quality Assurance testing. At Levvel, we look to match the testing needs of Canadian organizations with the talents of this incredible team. What does being an ally or SupportHER™ mean to you? CM: This is a lifelong journey. It also allows me to give back and show my support to the Universal Womens Network and lend my voice to further the cause of advancing women. I have a particular passion for advancing women in tech since I spent many years in leadership roles within IT where I was the only woman, with no women mentors or role models to learn from. Women supporting women is critical, and as we know, women have sometimes felt like they need to compete with other women to succeed. We need to continue to break that down and stand together.

BM: It is imperative that men and boys play a part in raising awareness and correcting gender inequality and I have been a fierce promoter of this so being recognized as a SupportHER™ advocate, provides me with the deep satisfaction and validation that I am making a positive difference for women and girls and thus for all of us. To remain silent on this issue is to condone/accept it and the SupportHER™ recognition provides me with a louder voice and stronger message for other men to do similar!

Why is it important now more than ever for leaders to be visible SupportHER™s and champions for equity, diversity and inclusion? The pandemic has highlighted so many inequities and injustices and for the first time, conversations about those inequities surrounding gender, race, culture, mental health, and age to name a few, are front and center. Now that we are publicly talking about these topics and no longer pretending that they don’t exist or looking the other way, we have an obligation to do something about it, and not just talk about it. So, for men and women to be visible and active supporters is how we’ll get there. This is not an issue of women or men, black or white, Indigenous or non-indigenous, this is an issue of humanity, and we are all human but not all afforded the same opportunities or privileges.

What is your secret sauce to stay motivated? CM: At some point in our lives and careers, focus and motivation seem to shift from an internal conversation we have with ourselves to an external view of the world and where we can make a difference. My secret sauce starts by ensuring I’m treating myself kindly first, through exercise and sport, healthy eating, and self-care strategies. Like the airplane analogy, you have to put your own mask on first, before you’re in a position to help others. With this taken care of, it truly gives me the focus and motivation I need to make steady progress every day. Ultimately, when I finally found my passion for helping others and made it my mission to work towards equality, equity, diversity and inclusion wherever I saw that it didn’t exist, it is that passion that now keeps me focused and motivated.

BM: Staying healthy, both mentally and physically is key to being able to remain focused. This means eating well, exercising frequently, and trying to find the balance between work and play that allows you to recharge. Setting goals/targets and measuring your success (no matter how small) as you track towards them is key, as is rewarding yourself when you achieve them.

Why is recognizing the achievements of women critical? Because we’re human, and every human has a unique voice, that no one else shares. Ensuring women feel seen, heard, and valued is what gives someone the confidence to speak freely, share their views and knowledge and contribute in ways that otherwise would not surface. The world needs all perspectives covered and equal representation to continue to progress and influence policy change. What is your power song? CM: Superwoman by Alicia Keys. This song is a great reminder of how important it is to find strength within ourselves and the importance of supporting other women at every turn.

BM: A Simple Man by Shinedown. My Mom always reminded us growing up that we could be anything we wanted to be if we put our minds to it, focused, and worked hard and she certainly led by example. She taught us to use our heads, follow our hearts for happiness. This song reminds me of the power in her words. It is a song about a mom’s love and guidance for her son to live by, reminding him to have faith, live a simple, humble life, and that all you need for success is within you if you follow your heart.